14.

Siya~

Siya smiled at herself as she started getting ready, wearing some Kajal on only her upper rim to let her lashes look more voluminous, before applying mascara and then light pink transperant lip gloss. Siya smiled at herself in the mirror, as she skidded downstairs happily ready to accompany her Suhani Bhabhi to the market.

A grin on her face as she decided what to ask for today. Throughout the week, she had been receiving gifts from her brothers. Whenever she would say of anything that she liked, or looked at anything in the market longingly, it would later appear as a parcel for her on the dining table in the hall. No body ever said anything but the letters were enough.

The letter that she found with a book she had been dying to read, your wishes are my command, Raani Sa.

Or the one she found with the bracelet she had wanted, no amount of jewels compare to you though.

It were those letters that left her giggling and blushing, as she took the gifts bestowed by her family wholeheartedly.

When she reached down though, her father was sitting on the couch reading a newspaper as it was Sunday and he had been home.

She walked down to see another one of her parcels by the dining table, she excitedly went to it. Her brows furrowing seeing them open, but still took another one of the letters in the box. Her heart confused, I hadn't asked for anything yesterday, though?

"This time, my Little dove I will gift you something of my choice."

Siya smiled seeing it, and opened the slightly smaller box than the previous one. It was a Black Box with the Initials Y.C on it in an elegant calligraphy. The nickname, she thought she had heard somewhere, but shrugged it off as her Nishant Bhai. He anyways likes comparing me to random animals.

She slowly and carefully opened the box, and her eyes widened with a gasp. Inside the box laid a beautiful calligraphy pen set. A quill ink dip pen with Peacock fur with intricate patterns on the pen stem. Multiple different nibs, along with a few ink pots. A small sketch of Siya on the inside of the lid of the box, smiling as she looked down almost shyly.

Siya stared at the Box, speechless of its contents. She felt utterly word bounded, it was as if the person who sketched it, had snatched all the love and beauty of the words and put it in the painting. Every single stroke, as if made with exact precision that she knew would have caused the artist hours to paint. Siya feared, even her own eyes had never seen herself as much as the artist had and something in her heart clenched.

Her eyes following the letter, she read further.

For someone who reads books, fantasies are there home and escape from the world, Siya. An escape, that offers them comfort from the world. They are just like how you are, a beautiful mess, chaos that tempts people to dive straight in the insanity of their world.

For an artist, his paintings, For a reader, his books, for a musician, their music and for me...you.

A gasp leaving Siya's lips with sinking horror, as she stared at the letters, this couldn't be her family.

Siya had lived with them for years, years and she knew none of them could write this, none of them could sketch like this. It wasn't somebody she knew, and with the increasing knowledge she paled. All those gifts, all those letters if not her family then...Who?

"Siya." Siya turned, looking at her mother who stood behind her with her lips pursed, for the first time she noted the grim atmosphere. Despite her fear, she stared at her mother with a pseudo calm expression. "H-huh?"

"Come...,sit down. We need to talk to you."

Siya should have known, such words never brought happiness. They brought pain, they brought troubles. They brought cracks and lies, and suspicions that Siya wasn't sure she could handle.

Siya took a seat, uncomfortably infront of her dad, as her mother nudged him and Pankaj sighed. He kept the news paper down staring at Siya. Under his calm, levelled gaze of his father and the stern gaze of her mother, Siya played with her hands nervously.

Pankaj's eyes softened at his daughter, he started after clearing his throat. "Siya...,"

Siya looked at him, "Ji, Papa?"

Her father sighed, he held his daughter's hand as he spoke up gently, "Siya..., Beta. You do know Father and Maa love you, right?"

Siya smiled nodding, "Yes, Papa."

It seemed as if Pankaj was struggling to speak the next words, "Beta, anything that makes you happy we would never deny it to you." Hearing his words a puzzled look twisted on Siya's face. "Ji, Papa, I am aware."

He stared at his daughter helplessly as he spoke up, "If you want something from us, you don't have to hide it beta,...at the end what is the good for you is in our best interests." Hearing his words something shifted in Siya as a weight settled on her heart. His words scaring her, she stared at her dad.

"Dad, I don't under--"

"Leave it, Ji. Let me speak to her."

Siya's mother burst out, am extremely strict expression on her face as she looked at Siya. She spoke up, "Who is it, Siya?"

Siya stared at her puzzled, seeing her face and the seriousness in the atmosphere. "Who Ma--"

"The one with whom you are trampling our reputation with!" Her mother screamed making Siya flinch at her words.

"Aradhya!" Her father stared at his wife shocked, he was quick to defend his daughter. "It's nothing wrong! We allowed Indar and Nishant, so should we do for Siya!"

"Aap toh chup hi rahe! Laadli ko sir par Chadha liya, ab dekhiye kahan muh kala karke aayi hai!" Her mother yelled at her husband with tears in her eyes.

Siya felt her eyes stinging as she saw her parents raising their voice on each other for the first time in years. And that was all due to her. What...who, what did I do?

"M-maa...No. No, I-i Haven't --" she wanted to tell her mother that she was misunderstanding, that she had whole heartedly protected her as well as her family's honour but staring at her mother's face full of Rage all directed towards her silenced her.

"Shut up, Siya! If you haven't, What does these parcels every evening mean?!" Siya stared at her mother shocked, who had just cleared her doubts. They weren't from them.

She tried to explain to her mother, "I-I don't know, I thought---" but even god couldn't stop her mother's wrath today, even when her father tried to stop her. "Then who knows huh? Har shaam, we have a parcel for you at our doorsteps! Even the neighbours have started making rumours!"

Siya stared at her mother speechless as she saw her mother throwing the letters at her, that were in the box. "What does these mean?! Do you think we are blind?!" Siya shook her head, walking close to her mother shaking as she tried again, "M-maa."

Her mother pushed her back, screaming. "Not a word, Siya!"

"Aaradhya, stop it!" Her father screamed, holding and stabling his daughter. Her mother stared at her father hurt. First time in his life, had her husband raised his voice on her. She stumbled back, tears in her eyes, staring at her husband.

When her eyes fell on Siya, she spat. "Shame on you! Atleast Apne baap ki toh izzat rakhleti!"

Siya's stared shocked at her mother who stormed out of the living room crying. Tears streaming down her face, she felt ashamed of herself.

What have you done Siya?

_________________________

Here starts the drama.

From here onwards the plot gets a little (alot actually) cringey. But yepp, there you go. How'd you like this one.

Next goal: 18 votes and 5 comments.

Love,

Aesthetephilist.