Blue Side Of The Sky

C H A P T E R - 0 1

Three weeks ago!

⁕ 𝖲𝖺𝗋𝖺𝗁 𝖡𝖾𝖽𝗂 ⁕

"Oh, you won't believe this juicy gossip, Mrs. Khanna is at it again, and this time, it's with her husband's accountant!" my mom whispered conspiratorially to her friend.

"Seriously? I thought she'd had her fill after that escapade with the bartender!" Mrs. Bhatt practically whisper-yelled back.

Now, if you're wondering where I was in this melodrama, let me fill you in. I was stuck at what was supposedly the most riveting shindig in town, filled with the so-called high society elite. 

Frankly, I'd rather not even get near to it. I had zero interest in coming here in the first place, but my mom played the 'higher studies fund' card, so there I was.

Picture it: I was rocking my blue cargo jean shorts and a glittery oversized football jersey with a bold double zero slapped on the front. Mom was furious with my sartorial choices for this 'high-class' affair, but honestly, I didn't care.

Speaking of my dad, he was a big shot in the business world. He was the brains behind RegalAstra, one of Jaipur's and northern India's top jewelry retailers. His obsession with work was so intense that sometimes I wondered if he remembered he had a family.

And don't even get me started on 'family.' Ugh, it was a real piece of shit. 

Sure, we had the headcount of a typical Indian 'big' family, but we couldn't be further from the clichéd Indian family life. No joint families, no heart-to-hearts, just formality and forced smiles. Behind those polished grins, you'd find a cocktail of jealousy and resentment bubbling away.

My grandparents on my dad's side? They decided to be overachievers in the baby-making department. Four kids—talk about population control! Their contribution alone has made India the most populated country on the planet, with 1.5 billion humans.

My dad had one older brother and two younger sisters.

First up, Uncle Vishvaas. He had a love affair with alcohol that put everything else to shame. There was once a woman he had a soft spot for, but she chose someone else because she couldn't stand his drinking habit. And guess what? He'd been faithful to the bottle ever since. He was even sloshed at his own dad's funeral.

Now, onto my dad, Vikaram Bedi. Well, let's just say I've already given you the lowdown on him earlier. There's not much more to say, really.

Next up, my aunts. Manju Dixit; a 'doctor' by degree. She'd never actually practiced medicine in her life at all. She was the kind of woman who'd kiss your ass with a smile while discreetly stabbing you in the back. Her husband? A stock trader who gambled away their fortune, and now they were sipping cocktails on my dad's dime.

Last but not least, there was Kamala Harries. Nope, she wasn't the American Vice President, but she did pull a "runaway bride" stunt, eloping with her American boyfriend to tie the knot, flipping the bird to our family's 'marry within the community' rule.

And honestly, she was the only one in this crazy family I actually liked. I was just a kid when she made her grand escape, and since then, she'd been the black sheep nobody talked about or tried to find.

"Hey there, Sarah! What's got you standing alone?" Kirti quizzed, striding over. She was Manju Aunty's elder spawn, two years senior to me, and, surprise, surprise, she was a chip off the old block. She had that whole 'act all innocent in public but unleash the inner dragon in private' thing down pat.

"Huh, I'm wondering what Uncle Vikram will think, seeing you knocking back a drink?" She dramatically raised an eyebrow, pretending to be the picture of concern.

"Oh, really now?" I responded with a generous dose of overdrama, perfectly mirroring her theatrics. "Well, thank you for your overwhelming concern, Kirti dear." I raised my glass to her dramatically before leaning in to deliver the punchline.

"But guess what!" I whisper-yelled, inviting her closer for the confidential scoop. "I don't own a single penny of this fortune! It's all Daddy dearest. So if you're in the mood to do some serious ass-kissing, better get in line behind your darling mommy and pucker up." I couldn't help but giggle.

Her face darkened, and you could practically see the steam coming out of her ears, but she kept a tight lid on it. After all, there was not much damn thing she could do about it.

You see, everyone in this nutty family knew my deal. They didn't bother with me unless it was absolutely necessary and guess what! I couldn't care less either.

Kirti forced a bitter smile, attempting sweetness through gritted teeth. "I think you're just a tad too drunk to remember your manners. Mom's right; I shouldn't even be talking to you." She tried to pull off 'sweet' with a side of 'savage.'

Maybe she had a point; I was pretty wasted by that point. But screw it, I wasn't feeling an ounce of guilt. She was orchestrating this whole melodrama to paint herself as the responsible, mature kid while casting me as the wild and reckless teenager.

After all, they were all gunning for my dad's fortune. Uncle Vishvaas never settled down or had any heirs. Kamala Aunty flew the coop, and after the incident six years back, I was the sole child of my parents. 

Manju Aunty wanted to portray me as a loose cannon, unfit for my dad's empire, so she could catapult her own kids into power.

Honestly, I didn't give even a little shit if they wanted to inherit the whole shebang. I never wanted it in the first place anyway.

I scanned the room, and what did I see? Everyone was in the thick of it, lost in conversation. They were giggling, jabbering, slinging gossip behind each other's backs – basically, they were all wrapped up in their own little worlds.

But you know what got me? The fact that they were all too busy to give a damn about me.

A lump formed in my throat, and my blood pressure shot through the roof. In just two weeks, I'd be off to Delhi, diving headfirst into my college life, and it seemed like nobody here gave a flying bleep about it.

Dad, well, he was deep in the throes of a business pow-wow with a bunch of suits. Mom, on the other hand, was still on her mission to dissect Mrs. Khanna's life or perhaps had found a fresh topic for her gossip mill.

So, I did what any fed-up girl would do. I stormed out from that pretentious so-called elite shindig and hit the road straight back home.

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I guess Sarah's family is the main reason for her angry personality. Agree?

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Happy reading🌸∽ Love, Nisha