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Riya's Pov
"His nose is crooked."
"I think he has some grey hair."
"He looks too mature for his age."
"Nah! He is seven years older than you."
"But he's not educated enough."
"Nope, his business doesn't seem legit."
"He's too lanky."
"He's too unfit."
"He doesn't fit your type."
"His background is unconvincing."
"God Purva!" I groaned in exasperation, my pulsating head cocooned between my hands, "This nonsense has started to exhaust me now." I cribbed, "Hundreds of biodata are being scrutinized by my family every day and yet, no single biodata could catch my parent's attention. I don't know how are they able to find one or the other flaw in every biodata they se....."
My blabber halted, catching the sight of my best friend containing her urge to laugh hysterically at my plight.
Considering it was a lazy Sunday today, we both were plunked unsophisticatedly in my bedroom with our legs unceremoniously thumped over the other's. Lifting my leg, I dropped it abruptly over her abdomen eliciting a sore gasp from her. However, my offense-stricken heart didn't appease as instead of mewling in pain she began laughing like a banshee.
"Haan haan, laugh." I directed a scowl towards her, "Laugh as much as you can. You have no idea what kind of torture is this." I huffed, "It seems like this marriage is the only ultimate goal left in my parent's life." I whined, puckering my lips in dismay.
Her laughter ceased at my distress, and she scooted closer, wrapping an arm around me.
"That's why I asked you to find someone on your own." A pathetic suggestion spewed from her. Expected.
So stupid of me to momentarily assume that something sensible can come out of her mouth.
"If you would've listened to me, that is, your Love Guru, and found a match by yourself then who knows by now you could have been married or even could've become a mother of one by now." She patted my arms sympathetically though her eyes shone with mischief.
Trust your best friend to find humor in your miseries.
"You are so enjoying this, aren't you?" I pushed her away before shifting to the far end of the bed. She was quick to retreat, adjoining her shoulder against me.
I passed a glare when she opened her mouth to splutter some nonsense again.
"You have Rishabh in your life, and you both are getting married next month. You will never understand what I am going through." I sulked, puckering my lips in aggravation.
"Ohho, meri Rii Rii." She careened closer and pinched her fingers on her ear lobule, "You know I was just messing with you." She apologized, peering at me with her eyes sparkling with innocence. I snorted, looking away.
She sighed heavily before angling my face to her side, "On a serious note, I don't understand why you and Nitish broke up when everything was going so well in your two-year-long relationship. You both looked happy with each other. Had you and him not parted ways, things would have been different now." Her voice dropped to a timbre, laced with concern.
My body stilled momentarily after listening to his name. Smiling ruefully, I sat up and perched my chin over my bent knees.
"We were happy, Purva." I addressed, "But happy being friends not as partners. Even though we decided to transform our best friendship into a relationship, we couldn't feel the intensity, that fervent urge to be with each other as lovers. I guess that was the biggest mistake we committed. In the labyrinth of our conflicting relationship, we lost the years-old friendship as well. " My throat constricted at the long-lost memories, my mind swiveling to the time we spent together.
"We might be in a relationship for the others, but around each other, we always behaved like best friends. We are always told that our husband should be our best friend. Not the other way around. And this is what happened with us, I guess. Because we couldn't look at each other beyond friends, forget being romantic partners. The comfort was the only reason that held us together for two years." My lips were shrouded under the force of my canines, succumbed and helpless.
Blowing the air out of my mouth to appease the torment building within me, I continued,
"That is why we mutually decided that we were better off as friends, nothing more, nothing less. And this decision had to be taken because that namesake relationship had started taking a toll on our friendship." I finished and caught her peering at me in concern.
"You okay right?" She murmured, running a soothing hand down my arms.
"Of course I am." I smiled in assurance, "As tough as the decision was, it was right and the best for us. He's happy with Akanksha. And we are trying to be on normal terms with each other again. Ending it mutually did give closure and a sense of peace." I conceded, passing an assuring smile in her direction.
Purva nodded faintly, eyeing in the distance. She might mess with me, irk me all the time, and splutter gibberish over my head but would always have her heart clench at the slightest inkling of my despair.
"What are you going to do about the current convoluted chaos now?" She quizzed while my gaze shifted to the empty spaces between the window bars, fixating on the hollowness.
"I don't know." I mumbled honestly, "As much as I am fascinated by the concept of arranged marriages, the whole process terrifies me to the core. Marriages are no cakewalk, and arranged marriages are surely not."
I fiddled with my hair band, looping and unlooping it over my fingers.
"It's not just about the flaws that my family looks for in the other person, it's also about the insecurities I possess for myself. I am not a model coming straight out of television or romance novels. Rather, I am a plain small-town girl with a below-average height of 5'2, a middle-class background, and a dusky complexion." My lips tilted in a sullen smile,
"I might be petite that doesn't mean I have a bikini-worthy body. Unlike other girls of my age, neither I have any interest in shopping or curiosity about popular fashion trends."
My mind trod back to the hefty load of insecurities I had been harboring within.
"I sure am well-groomed and ambitious. But contrary to society's expectations I am not fair-skinned, Purva. And it's not about me who wants to be an oh-so-glorious diva with a flawless skin and traceless visage. It is about the society we are born into. The society which considers such skin a need and equally a luxury."
My best friend's face marred with an ugly scowl at my turmoil. Her eyes drilled holes into me as she regarded me with a ferocious stare.
"You better don't utter this bullshit, okay?" She reprimanded, her tone imperious.
"Anybody who'll meet you and have a hearty conversation with you will understand what a gem you are, Rii." She smiled softly,
"You are beautiful, the bearer of amazing features and a kind heart. Oh, and this smile, damn woman this can kill people by its mere sight." She dramatically extended her first two fingers and pressed the invisible trigger. Her head swiveled and eyes shut before falling hard on the bed as if victimized. I laughed.
She joined my giggles before resuming,
"You are Practical, helpful, ambitious, and mature. Trust me when I say that I can list uncountable traits that make you, You. You are a full-blown package Rii with a guaranteed lifetime dose of happiness and goodness. And if people can't see that, then it's their fault that they are losing out on the best for some deceiving traits. So quit this self-loathing and start loving yourself the way you love the people around you."
She encircled my arm, tugging me for a side hug. My lips pulled in a smile as I adjusted my head over her shoulder.
As much as I agree with my best friend, it cannot be overlooked that beauty standards like complexion and ideal curves hold a lot of significance in our society, particularly when it comes to arranged marriages.
Whether the alliance is worthy or not is foremost decided by the beauty standards to which a girl matches. This is true in the majority of cases, regardless of other aspects.
And I detest this general assumption that someone's worth is determined first by their appearance.
Dusky is what I would like to call myself but listening to people's harsh comments regarding the lack of fair complexion had been painful, too painful to tolerate.
Tired of their unsolicited bits of advice and unreal concern, I had started avoiding public gatherings and social interactions. They exhaust me.
I fear their remarks would force me to succumb deeper into the web of insecurities. I was already too enmeshed in my vulnerabilities to not let any more jeerings affect my sanity.
Also, it's better not to point out any flaws in a person's appearance, until and unless it cannot be corrected in a few seconds or minutes.
If you see a pimple on somebody's face, ignore it. They already know that.
If you see dark circles around their eyes, please ignore. They are well aware of the same.
If they are too slim or too healthy, please refrain from commenting about it. They have eyes, they can see it. Their body. Their choice. Their comfort.
It's high time we need to stop making it obvious to the people who are already surging low into the abyss of their insecurities.
Sensing my quietude, Purva cleverly shifted the topics to lighter ones, focusing on her impending purchases and wedding preparations.
Purva Kehar had been my childhood friend and my best friend for the past fifteen years. And despite being the complete opposites of one another, we are so much alike.
Currently in a relationship with her eight-year-long boyfriend, Rishabh Singla, she's all set to marry him the next month.
And much to her silliness, she had this blind assumption that I would soon be finding my Prince Charming right after her marriage.
As if I am the Princess of Hoshiarpur with Prince of other cities tailing behind me for an alliance.
Paagal.
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Heya Dear Ones!
Did you like the chapter? Do share your opinions with me, it will help me improve.
Stay tuned because the story will find its pace in the coming chapters. I am trying to build the characters' personalities in the initial ones.
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Riya has her own challenges. Have you also faced any hurtful comments based on your complexion/appearance/wisdom/anything?
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Lots of love
Râ¤ï¸