She was standing in a corner, trying to control her tears. Dressed in a beautiful lilac lehenga. Mahir slipped the engagement ring into Aleena's finger and the hall boomed with applause. It felt as if everyone was mocking her. Aleena, the person she hated, was going to marry Mahir, the man she loved. Maya quickly slipped from the crowd of guests and locked herself in her bedroom upstairs. But her moment of heartbreak and sadness was broken minutes later by vigorous knocking on the door.
“Maya, open the door!” It was Mahir shouting her name in utter fear. Why was he scared?
“Go away, Mahir!” She shouted back.
“Maya, please try to understand. I... I love her.”
“I don't care if you love her. I hate her! Just go away!”
“Maya, don't be like this.”
“I SAID GO AWAY!”
Everything went silent after that. She moved to the dressing table and removed her jewellery. Everything was a lie. Why her Maheen Ammi always made it appear like she will get Mahir and Maya married? If she wasn't leaving hints all these years, probably Maya wouldn't have fallen in love with him over the time. And now when he is going to marry some other girl, her family has wholeheartedly accepted his decision. Why didn't any of them slap him?
She threw her bangles on the floor and fell on the bed. Her teary eyes stared at the ceiling.
“He can't love me back... because he loves Aleena. How unfortunate of him.”
💓💓💓
The next morning was gloomy. Everyone was present at the dining table, except for Maya.
“Maheer, go check on Maya,” said Maheen.
Maheer nodded and stood up from her chair but Mahir stopped her, “Umm... can I go instead?”
Elders stared at him sceptically. Before anyone could reply he went upstairs to check on Maya. He knocked on her door.
“Come in.”
When he entered the room, he saw her sitting on her bed. She was wearing her specs and was reading a book. Now that wasn't the scene he was expecting to witness but he was relieved to see that she wasn't bawling her eyes out.
“Good morning.” He tried to sound cheerful.
“Why are you here to ruin my mood? My mood had just started improving.” She said monotonously while concentrating on the book.
Mahir sighed defeatedly and sat down on the bed, looking at her.
“Maya, why can't you just let it go?”
“For once I can let go the fact that you don't reciprocate my feelings. But I can't ignore that you are marrying Aleena.”
“What's wrong with Aleena?”
“Mahir, she had bullied me in school for my weight. I had suffered eating disorder because of her mean attitude.”
“Maya, she has grown up.”
“Doesn't matter whatever I say, you are going to side with her only. You know what, Mahir, your married life is going to be miserable. Mark my words.”
Mahir stood up and left the room, shutting the door angrily after him.
“Truth is always bitter.” She mumbled to herself.
💓💓💓
Mahir's brain was about to blast any given moment. The bad blood between Maya and Aleena was driving him insane. Okay, he loved Aleena. But he couldn't ignore Maya's existence in his life either. They have grown together in one house.
