Bad Days, Good Weekends

Decision has to be made

Neha's world had become a tangled web of emotions and expectations. The date of the Dancing Legends competition drew nearer, just six days away, and yet her parents were determined to see her married. As the calendar pages turned, Neha felt the weight of her dreams slipping through her fingers.

One evening, her parents called her into the living room, where they were sitting with the family of the prospective groom.

Neha couldn't believe it. She had been dreaming about this competition for months. She had been practicing day and night. And now, her parents were trying to ruin everything.

Neha's parents had invited the family of a boy to their house to meet her. They discussed wedding plans, dowries, and other formalities. Neha sat in a dull stupor, her thoughts drifting to her dance and the life she had envisioned with Ashok.

The boy's name was Dev. He was a handsome and wealthy young man. But Neha didn't know him at all. And she didn't want to marry him.

The two families sat down in the living room and started talking. Neha's parents talked about how excited they were. They talked about how Dev was the perfect match for Neha.

But Neha sat there in silence. She didn't say a word.

As the conversation shifted towards engagement, the room buzzed with excitement. The families exchanged numbers, and the boy's family took their leave. As the door closed behind them, Neha felt a sinking feeling in her heart. Her parents were making plans for her life without considering her dreams or feelings.

Alone in her room, she picked up her phone, contemplating a message to the boy who would be her fiance. Before she could send anything, her parents walked into her room, their disapproval evident on their faces. Her mother spoke sternly, "Neha, you can't just sit like a lifeless body in front of people you meet. This dancing won't bring any good to you. Work after marriage, get a job; you have an MBA in marketing."

Neha didn't argue. She knew that reasoning with her parents was futile. Instead, she replied to the boy, explaining her love for someone else and her dreams that were being crushed under the weight of family expectations. A few minutes passed, and he responded, suggesting that they meet.

Neha and Dev met at a coffee shop the next day. Neha poured her heart out. She spoke of her stolen dreams, the pressure to conform to societal expectations, and her feeling of ugliness in her own home. The boy listened attentively and nodded, understanding the depths of her predicament.

After a thoughtful pause, he proposed a plan. "What if we engage but have no intention of going through with the wedding? I'll play the role of the villain, and you'll have the freedom to pursue your dreams. Your parents will have no choice but to let you go."

Neha hesitated. She didn't want this boy to suffer, to be painted as the villain. She didn't want anyone else to bear the burden of her dreams. She expressed her concerns, but he remained resolute. "You must trust me, Neha. I will bring everything back into your life, your dreams, and the love you lost."

Neha left the coffee shop with mixed emotions. She didn't agree to the plan, but the boy's words had sown a seed of doubt in her heart. Perhaps, this could be a way out of the life that seemed to be closing in on her.

The following day, as her parents met with the boy's family, she dreaded the outcome. When the boy agreed to the engagement, Neha was taken aback. It was a decision made against her wishes, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of despair.

The engagement ceremony, held a day later, was a grand affair. Family and friends gathered to celebrate, and Neha couldn't help but notice the joy in their faces. But her heart remained heavy. She felt like a puppet in a play where she had no control over her own life.

As the day drew to a close, Neha knew she had to make a choice. She couldn't let her dreams be crushed, and so she mustered the courage to ask for something she had longed for. She requested permission to attend the Dancing Legends competition, explaining that she was now engaged and that's what her parents wanted.

Her parents were reluctant, but to her surprise, the boy she was engaged to spoke up in her favor. He recognized her passion and her longing for the stage. With his support, her parents finally agreed.

Neha rushed to pack her bags, feeling a glimmer of hope for the first time in weeks. She had to catch a flight the next day, and as she booked the ticket, she couldn't help but smile. She was going to the competition, a step closer to her dreams, even if it meant leaving Ashok behind, because the path she was in life right now only led her to the way to her love for dance and she couldn't just leave it.