CHAPTER ONE

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This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this Book is fictitious or used fictitiously. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author. 

                       ✧*✧*✧*✧*✧✧*✧*。

               Life has taught me many lessons. You don't have to go out of the premises of the house when you're born into a dominant family. Here! Girls' lives are miserable. It doesn't matter to the elders of the family what your dreams are, they want you to be submissive, obedient. They want you to see wrong deeds happening without raising your voice, without objecting to it. I know something is wrong. I've seen my father doing wrong things. He didn't raise his hand on me, but he had raised his hand on my mother. He doesn't know I've seen him doing it, but I've seen him from my hiding place. My mother loathed him, still she's staying here because of fear and her marriage's duties. I know, Our fathers aren't merely engaged in the business of transportation. There's more. I've seen them loading bags in the back of one SUV. I tried to peep in hoping to find it to be old clothes for donation. But it wasn't. Whatever yellow, black substance was filled in it. Its smell made me retch. My mother found me. She was so furious at me. She asked me to make words to her not to share it with anyone and I'm still carrying that promise. 

      I stare at the small table on the side of my single bed. There are two pictures: one with my parents and brother and the second with my sisters. Though, they're my friends. We're not related by blood. My room is comfortable though it's not the big one like my parents have. There's everything I need, a cupboard, a small bookcase, a desk with a chair and an attached bathroom. I want a window too, but only dry moss color's walls with cream color on the ceiling. 

      Sim is going to marry at the end of this week. I'm not against arranged marriage but I'm also not in favour. I don't wanna marry a man, whom I don't know. They just dropped it on her. I don't think one week is enough to understand him for her before the wedding. But Sim seems happy and it looks genuine. So I'm not worried about her. I can only hope her husband will treat her like a lady. Otherwise, it would make her life hell. Life is changing every day after the last day of college. I don't wanna put a full stop to my studies yet. Our mothers tried their best, we didn't get married at the age of eighteen, but the fear was always there. Sim got betrothed instantly after the last day of college. I can expect it from the records of our families. one of us or two will be betrothed during Sim's wedding. The apocalypse seems imminent. I don't want a loveless life. I don't wanna marry a person who I don't know. Simple! 

       The pounding on the door startles me, "Rani!" My father's voice comes from the other side of the door. It's only my father who doesn't use my name written in the government' record. Rani means Queen. 

      " Daddy! I'm awake." I say slowly, but I give it enough voice to make it hear him. 

     I hear his footsteps this time decreasing. I yank the cover away and walk out of the room over the window bare feet. The sun isn't visible in the sky yet. But I can see the orange outline. This is an important day for Sim. 

      Exhaling the breath from my lungs, I walk across the floor and open the door of my dark brown cupboard. Daddy installed it last year on my birthday. I rake my eyes on my clothes. 

It's extremely confusing what to wear when you have a lot of options, but I love this confusion. Only this one! 

      I have chosen white fitting denim jeans and a white cotton top with puffy short sleeves. We aren't allowed in the beauty parlour. I need to shave my arms before bathing. I love my sisters. Sas and Saavi are really good human beings, with no ego, humble, down to earth, they love me from the core of their heart. I don't have the fairest skin. People expect girls to have the fairest skin. I have ivory skin, I don't care. I love myself. Sim is a bit egoistic, okay I'm wrong, it's not a bit. I know she is jealous of me. I don't know the reasons yet. She never shares it but I know she does. I can just tell from her expressions that she gives when I'm around. She doesn't like me. 

      I didn't see a flick of sadness in her eyes that she'll stay far away from us. Her future's in-laws house, It's only two or three hours away by road from here. Our house! I didn't pay attention to who is going to be her husband, but her smile says she likes him. That's all that matters, Happiness! Ain't it? 

       I showered, taking my full time. I tuck my hair in a neat bun, no strands are standing out. I pull two strands out brushing against my cheeks. I grab my luggage. Momi and I packed it last night. 

      Genuinely speaking, I don't wanna attend this function. I know Sim doesn't like me, I can see it every time, when a stranger for some unknown reason without any selfishness, that stranger shows me his good side. She has a problem with it. Unfortunately, we're in such a community, where people judge you with your rank in society, with your pelf and some narrow-minded will judge you, how good looking you're. Which is a shameful thing. Such people with this mentality are a stigma on humanity. Can't we see the good side? Money could be earned, status could be changed. It's not permanent. Why don't we Value permanent things, like good people from the core of their heart?