Painted Number, Fated Hearts

Mridula’s POV

The laughter downstairs dripped like poison through the ceiling.

My sister’s voice is soft, high-pitched, the same one that used to call me akka......now carried a different tone: that of a bride being adored. Being loved...
Getting attention.

Samarth’s laughter followed, the same laughter that once made me blush. Now it made my stomach twist.

I stood in my room, pretending to fold clothes that didn’t need folding. The mirror caught my same eyes, same body, same scars under the smile and the one he humiliated.

And still, somehow, everyone called her the lucky one.

They were staying here for a week.. honeymoon, amma said, can wait. I almost laughed at that irony. Honeymoon at home, while I slept in the next room pretending not to exist.

A loud giggle came from the hall. I pressed my palms over my ears.

There is a knock on my door and I opened to see my mother standing.

She said " Chelli and Bava vacharu kindaki ra"

( Sister and brother in law have visited us, come down )

I looked at her and think how can she be this heartless and selfish.

She is not even caring what would I feel if I go down.

I said " I don't want to come Amma"

Then she glared at me and said " Paruvu tiyaka Mridula. Chelli Bartha ni inka preminchadaniki siggu ga ledha "

( Don't take our reputation Mridula. Don't you feel ashamed loving your own sister husband still)

My heart shattered listening to her words. Ashamed. Really.

I said " You know what I regret the most?"

She looked at me

And I continued " Being born in this family who don't care about their own daughter mental health. Ashamed Amma . You all should be ashamed not me."

Amma raised her hand to slap me but Dad came out of nowhere and caught her hand before it hits me.

Dad glared at me and said " Intha digajaripoyava Mridula ?"

( How can you stoop so low ?)

I mocking laughed at them and said " Dad I didn't stoop low it's you guys".

Dad said " Samarth don't like you what should we do in that?"

I said " I am not speaking about him. About you both.... atleast once did you ask how am I doing?... You both knew how much I loved him yet you didn't care always about sister because she is beautiful. Why? this discrimination between us"

I wipe my tears.

They were silent no words.

I said finally " I won't come down do whatever you want"

And shut the door.

I sat on the bean bag in the balcony and wiped my tears.

After few minutes, I came inside my room

And I heard loud laughs and talks of my mom, dad, sister and her husband.

They didn't care.

I close my ears with my hands to stop their noises.

I wanted silence. No — I wanted him.

The phone was on my bed.
The screen dark, but my pulse quickened anyway. It was past 11:45.