Claim

Regret

"Do you have any regrets, Prachi?"

The question dropped out of nowhere and hung in the air as Prachi stiffened.

What did they expect her to say?

Did they expect her to refuse and live up to the title of the goody-two-shoes they have thrust upon her. Or worse, did they expect her to agree and give out a sappy story to show how she was also a little bird that needs her father's shoulder to rely on.

The latter probably, since it was the said father who had asked the question.

She glanced side ways towards her mother, Pragya.

This was going to make her mother sad, but she couldn't keep it to herself anymore.

It was too much pain.

"Yes." A whisper escaped her lips as she fiddled with her scarf, her eyes downcast. She cleared her throat, repeating in a firmer voice. "Yes, I do."

"What is it?" She barely registered the question above the sound of her own heartbeat.

"That day, when I got into an accident in front of the college." She took a shuddering breath, it was now or never "I shouldn't have stopped him from telling everyone the truth."

As soon as the words left Prachi's mouth, she felt several pairs of eyes boring onto her.

She hesitantly looked up to catch her mother's eyes, wide with realisation of what she was going to do.

"Shouldn't have stopped whom? And from telling what?" Pallavi voiced the question spiralling in everyone's mind.

"No-one!" Pragya interjected. "Prachi what are you saying!"

"My ex-boyfriend." The words sent a shiver down her spine.

Ranbir's heartbeat picked up. A tiny ray of hope glimmering in his constantly dull life.

"What is happening? What are you talking about?" Abhi asked, clearly unable to understand whatever was unfolding.

"Nothing dad," Rhea gritted, the wheels in her mind turning, "shut up Prachi. Don't you dare-"

"No you shut up Rhea," Aryan interjected, feeling relieved that Prachi was finally opening up.

"Prachi listen to me," Pragya pleaded, "everything has been in past, don't dig it up."

"I'm sorry ma." A tear slipped past Prachi's lashes.

"You had a boyfriend?" Mithali, the gossip digger, asked, barely controlling herself from bouncing on the spot.

"Um hmm," Prachi nodded, a small smile breaking through her tears. She looked at the boy she had been avoiding relentlessly, a matching smile tugging on his lips. His eyes, red.

"And I very much hope I can win him back again."

"PRACHI!" Rhea lunged forward to bodily harm her elder sister, only to be slammed back by a harsh slap.

"Ooooh," Shahana keened, rubbing her hands together, "finally the ich I've been feeling for so long subsided."

"Hey you-" Aliya scolded, supporting Rhea who in turn was holding her stinging cheek.

"It was Rhea who planned Prachi's murder all those months ago." Ranbir said abruptly. "She herself confessed it in front of Pragya aunty. And Aryan and I had also trapped that truck driver, he confessed but ran away at the last moment."

"And how do you know about this?" Asked Mithali again.

"I am just a very attentive boyfriend is all." He smiled at Prachi, disregarding the series of gasps that echoed around them.

They are together and happy, that would be enough to get them through the shitshow about to start.

A/N:- Hey choco chips, Missed me?

Here is a small snippet of how it could have been. It was itching in the back of my mind and here it is.

Make sure to leave Votes and Comments.

Also, though I am not a fan of heat and thrive in the cold, the ongoing onslaught of rain and hurricane is making my heart clench.

I hope from the bottom of my heart that all of you are safe and happy with your family. <3

Lots of Love,

Simran