12 - We must not lie with ourselves(S1)

"Aree, NIHU, one more performance, please," Ishita di said.

"Nah..i, di," Niharika replied, shaking her head.

"Please," Ishita pleaded, but Niharika continued to shake her head. Ishita was about to insist when their mom came and said,

"Are, NIHARIKA, meri help karana. Tumhare Chachi ne shagun ki mehandi mandir mein rakh di hai. Check karke aao."

"Aree maa, mujhe bataye bachi ko enjoy karne do na," Ishita said.

"Nahi, tum kyu karogi, tum jao, aur Damad Ji ko dekho ja kar," their mother said to Ishita. Then she called out, "NIHU!"

"Ji, maa," Niharika said and went inside to help her Chachi.

***

"Mr. Prthvi, I think you should visit more often here, especially since you are opening a grand hotel here," Jairaaj Jamwal suggested.

"No, I'm good. Construction work has already started, and there's a lot of preparation to do," Prthvi responded.

As they were talking, Prthvi's eyes fell on the girl in the corner. With more focus, he realized she was the same girl again.

"Mr. Prthvi, what do you think of giving us the exclusive rights for all the toiletries products from our sandal heritage? You can have our back." Jairaaj Jamwal proposed, taking the opportunity.

However, Prthvi interrupted in the middle of the business discussion, asking, "Who's that girl?" He couldn't pass up the chance to find out who she actually was.

Jairaaj seemed not to understand, prthvi repeated himself, pointing towards the girl, who was now getting up. Prthvi insisted, "Who is she? I've never seen her."

Jairaaj appeared hesitant and somewhat angry as he looked towards the girls. Niharika's eyes locked with her father's for a moment, sensing anger and hatred.

She looked down, started moving nervously, and when he said, "Leave her alone, she is just nobody," she halted for a moment, then went outside the venue, taking big steps and, for a moment, missing her step but backing up herself and starting to run.

Witnessing this, Prthvi naturally said, "exactly thats what you are, infront of me. JUST NOBODY!"

"what?" jairaaj jamwal said.

"well, I didn't ask about you." anger visible in his eyes.

"Excuse me, Mr. Prthvi," Jairaaj Jamwal said, looking confused and hestated by prthvi cold reply.

"By the way, meet Mr. Sholanki, our daughter's father-in-law," Jairaaj said, changing the topic.

Prthvi composed himself and said, "Excuse me, please. I'm a bit tired."

***

At her home,

"Da,,,,da,,dadu...maa," Niharika said in a dry tone.

"Aree, mera bachu, tu idhar kya kar rahi hai? Tu functions se itni jaldi aa gayi. Nahi laga na dadi ke bina, Maan?" Dadi said, smiling, but she couldn't hide the concern. Niharika burst into tears, hugging her dadi.

"J..ji da,dadu,....ap ... Ke ..bi..bina , nahi lagta "she said, lying to her dadi.

"Aree, roh mat mera bacha," her dadi comforted her, patting her back.

"Tu toh mera pyara bacha hai na," dadi said, trying to console her. Niharika managed to smile, though a big void remained in her heart. She hugged her dadi tightly.

"Pata hai, tujhe chahe koi kuch bhi, bole 'NIHU' toh aisi hai, 'NIHU' toh waisi hai, par mera sabse pyara bacha tu hi rahegi. Itni pyari, itni meethi," dadi said, kissing her forehead.

"Da..dadu" she said.

"Dekhna, ek din tujhe mujhse bhi jyada pyar karne wala milega, jo teri ahmiyat ko samjhega, tera dada ki tarah. Phir tu mujhe bhul jayegi," dadi said as she gently patted Niharika's head, which was resting in her lap.

"Da..da..du, ,,s,,sone,,d,do" Niharika said, pretending to be asleep ,hiding her pain.

***

Niharika's pov

In the quiet of the night, I found solace in the company of my loyal companion, Kicky. As I gently patted her, my only confidante, I couldn't help but pour out my feelings to her, even though I knew she couldn't understand my words.

"E-eat more," I muttered, attempting to distract myself from the heavy thoughts that burdened my mind. I wanted to shield my dear Dadu from the stress my presence brought, and I certainly didn't want dadu to sense the sadness that enveloped me.

"You,,know..what, K..icky, sometimes I wonder....if I'm worth..anything,,to T- them," I whispered into the stillness, my voice barely audible. The weight of my father's words lingered, haunting me like a relentless echo.

"Leave her alone, she's just nobody," his words cut through me, revealing a painful truth.

Today, I discovered that I am no one to him - not even his daughter. The realization hit me hard, and I couldn't escape the crushing weight of rejection.

Kicky, oblivious to the human complexities, finished eating, offering me a momentary distraction. As I continued talking to her, she responded with a playful smile and a wagging tongue. Her simple joy brought a fleeting smile to my face.

"Tu..mhe pta...ha, Kicky,,,today..D-dadu said..that..one day I'd..find..S-someone..who would...love m,,me just..the way I am," I shared, a mixture of laughter and tears escaping my eyes. Kicky, now resting in my lap, added a touch of warmth to the cold reality around me.

At that moment, I couldn't help but question my worth. If my own family refused to accept me as their own, how could I expect a stranger to love or care for me? Dadu's comforting words felt like a distant echo, drowned out by the silence of my shattered expectations. As I laughed and cried, I grappled with the harsh truth that seemed to echo through my existence. I couldn't help but ask questions to my inner self.

"When..no....one..wants.to...B-be..my friend..."

Flashback:

A timid voice echoed in the playground, "H..h..hii." The little girl stood there, a hopeful glint in her eyes, her toothless smile revealing innocence. She extended her small hands, offering chocolates to the other children.

In response, a cold voice cut through the air, "Hi, what do you want?" Another little girl, seemingly uninterested, dismissed her presence.

"Will...will ..y..you p-play wi..with me " a Lil girl said.

However, the response she received was anything but welcoming. Another child, a boy, callously rejected her plea. "No," he declared, pushing her to the ground, callously dismissing her with cruel words. The innocence in her toothless smile vanished as she fell, her vulnerability exposed.

"You want us to play with you? Our mom said to stay away from..." he paused, emphasizing the next word, "y.yyyy...you!" The cruel laughter of the other children echoed in unison, each mocking syllable hitting her like a verbal slap.

"G....gggg..girl," he continued, mocking her stutter,further adding to her humiliation. The laughter continued, cruel and heartless, as The little girl, tears streaming down her face, teary-eyed, ran away from the scene escaping the heartless laughter that echoed in her ears. leaving a lasting scar on the innocence of a young soul.

Flashback ends

"F...inding....A-a..partner?" I whispered to myself, the words escaping my lips unintentionally. Tears made their silent journey down my cheeks, tracing paths of unspoken sorrow.

"It's....impossible," I muttered, a bitter acknowledgment of the loneliness that seemed to be my perpetual companion.