18 ~ Mukti Eloped #3
One daughter had already shattered everyone's trust by disappearing on the day of her wedding.
The other daughter was still standing under the same roof.
It wouldn't take long before someone folded their hands in front of me and asked me to sacrifice my happiness for the family's honour.
Maybe Papa would cry. Maybe Mumma would remind me of society. Maybe Dadi would plead with me. And if all of them did... would I really be able to keep saying no?
No. I couldn't stay here.
I slowly stood up, my fingers unconsciously clutching the fabric of my lehenga.
Nobody noticed at first. Everyone remained occupied with the disaster that had unfolded within the last half an hour.
I quietly turned toward the door.
"Ab tum kahan jaa rahi ho?" Mumma's voice stopped me.
(Where are you going now?)
She sounded exhausted and defeated.
"Meri tabiyat theek nahi lag rahi hai... main bas thodi der ke liye bahar jaa rahi hoon."
(I'm not feeling well... I'm just going outside for a little while.)
For a brief moment I thought someone would stop me but nobody did.
Perhaps they believed I needed fresh air or too broken to notice.
I looked toward Ina and Ishika. I subtly gestured for them to follow me.
We didn't stop until we reached the quieter side of the house, away from the music, away from the guests, away from the whispers that had begun spreading downstairs.
"What happened?" Ina asked quietly, searching my face. "Why did you bring us here?"
I looked at both of them.
"I'm leaving."
Both of them stared at me.
"What?" Ishika whispered, unable to believe what she had heard.
"I'm not staying here." My own voice sounded unfamiliar to me. "If I stay here even for one more minute..." I swallowed the lump rising in my throat. "...they'll end up forcing me to marry Kartik."
Neither of them interrupted. They simply kept looking at me.
Finally Ishika spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Chahat... Mukti bhi chali gayi hai... aur tum bhi jaa rahi ho."
(Chahat... Mukti has already left... and now you're leaving too.)
Her words were filled with disappointment.
I immediately shook my head.
"Bhaag nahi rahi hoon main hamesha ke liye. Bas aaj ki raat. Kal sab thoda shaant ho jayega... phir main wapas aa jaaungi." I looked at Ishika. "Mujhe apne ghar ki chaabi de do."
(I'm not running away forever. Just for tonight. Tomorrow, once everything calms down... I'll come back. Give me the keys to your house.)
She didn't move.
Instead, she tightened her grip on her clutch.
"Uncle aunty pehle hi Mukti didi ki wajah se itne toot gaye hain," she said slowly. "Tum bhi chali jaogi to... unhe kitna bura lagega."
(Uncle and Aunty are already shattered because of Mukti didi. If you leave too... it'll hurt them even more.)
A bitter smile appeared on my lips.
"Aur meri zindagi?" I asked quietly.
"If I marry that man... meri zindagi barbaad hojayegi. Main uske saath ek din bhi nahi reh sakti."
(What about my life? If I marry that man... my life will be ruined. I can't live with him even for a single day.)
For a long moment, none of us spoke.
Then, slowly, Ishika opened her clutch.
She took out a small bunch of keys and placed them in my trembling hand.
I closed my fingers around the keys.
Without wasting another second, I pulled my phone and dialed Rivan's number.
He answered almost immediately.
"Hello? Mujhe ek favour chahiye."
(Hello? I need a favor.)
His tone instantly turned serious. "Kya hua?"
(What happened?)
"Please... mujhe Ishika ke ghar chhod de. Abhi."
(Please... drop me at Ishika's house. Right now.)
There was a pause.
"Kyun?"
(Why?)
"I'll explain later." I said.
He hesitated for barely a second before replying, "Theek hai."
(Alright.)
I told him come at the back gate.
The call ended.
I made my way toward the rear side of the house. Every step felt heavier than the last. My anklets chimed softly beneath the weight of my lehenga while the sounds of celebration continued in the distance, mocking the storm raging inside me.
When I finally reached the back gate, I looked around carefully.
I gathered the heavy folds of my purple lehenga in both hands, lifting them just enough to climb the gate comfortably.
My fingers wrapped around the cold iron bars of the gate as I placed one foot onto the lower railing. My heart hammered violently against my ribs.
I pulled myself up another step.
Then a deep, familiar voice broke the silence behind me.
"Tum bhi bhaagne jaa rahi ho?"
(You too are running away? )
Every muscle in my body froze.
My fingers tightened around the iron bars.
Slowly, I turned around.
Kartik's father Dhanraj Singhaniya stood a few steps away, his expression unreadable as his eyes remained fixed on me.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he finally broke the silence.
"We need to talk."
There was no anger in his voice. Which somehow frightened me even more.
My fingers tightened around the fabric of my lehenga.
Without another word...I followed him.
To be continued...