Thirteen Days

Chapter 12

The night of reckoning arrived. Vivan, Piya and Hamid were sitting in the garden, near the swing. The cold gush of the night breeze of Delhi, made a shiver a run down Piya's spine. The atmosphere was thick with tension.

Hamid was furious when he found out that the plan had failed, and he accused Vivan of trickery and deceit. He was fueled by jealousy and love.

Accusations hung heavy in the air, like monsoon clouds ready to burst. “You betrayed us!” Hamid’s voice thundered, shaking the walls of their clandestine meeting place. "You know how important it is for us to stop this marriage and you still did this! This was the only way we could break this alliance".

Vivan kept quiet. He didn't say a single sentence in his defense. But Piya stepped forward, her voice trembling but resolute.

Piya, her heart like a fragile bird in her chest. “No, Hamid,” she said, her voice trembling. “It was my decision. I couldn’t harm Vivan’s company. Our love shouldn’t be built on another’s ruin.”

Hamid's eyes blazed with anger, and he shouted at her, his words cutting like a knife. His anger flared, scorching the fragile threads that bound them. “You chose him over me?” he spat. “Our love was meant to defy conventions, not bow to them!”

"I know Hamid", Piya cried. "I did not choose him over you. I still love you. Please try to understand. We'll find some another way".

"And what is your other way, huh?", Hamid scoffed, shaking his head. "Are you going to run away with me?".

"No but-", she tried to speak but Hamid cut off her sentence in between.

"Then what?!", Hamid shouted.

And then, like a knight in a tailored suit, Vivan stepped forward. His eyes held no malice, only understanding. “Piya is right,” he said, his voice steady. “Love isn’t about destruction. It’s about building bridges, even when they lead to unexpected shores. You should trust her on this. She loves you Hamid.”

Hamid’s rage dissolved into confusion. “Why defend her?” he demanded.

Vivan’s gaze never wavered. “Because love isn’t a battlefield, Hamid. It’s a garden we tend together. Piya made her choice, and I respect it.”

Piya’s heart swirled with gratitude. She had chosen honor over passion, and Vivan had shielded her.

Hamid stormed out of the garden in anger, Piya knew that her heart had been torn in two – between the love she had always known and the friendship that had quietly blossomed in the shadows.

_______________

After they had their conversation, Piya and Vivan were called for dinner.

The grand dining hall was adorned with twinkling fairy lights, casting a warm glow over the long table where the two families sat. Piya and Vivan’s wedding was just around the corner. But beneath the veneer of celebration, tensions simmered.

Piya’s father, Mr. Jaswant Khurrana, played his part well. His smile stretched too wide, his laughter too forced. He draped his arm around Piya’s shoulders, whispering sweet words into her ear. But Piya knew better. She had seen the disdain in his eyes when he thought no one was looking.

She cringed at his fake behaviour. It took everything in her to not shrug his arm off her shoulder. Vivan was sitting across from her. He could sense that she wasn't liking this situation at all.

Piya shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her fingers tracing the delicate lace of her dupatta. She longed for authenticity—for a father who would love her unconditionally. But that ship had sailed long ago. She had learned to build walls around her heart, shielding it from the hurtful glances and hollow compliments.

In the starting, when she saw Vivek making Geet laugh and the closeness between the two, Piya did feel jealous. She had always wanted her father to accept her and love her as he loves her brothers.

As the evening wore on, Piya’s gaze wandered to the entrance. Her younger brother, Piyush, burst into the room, his sneakers squeaking against the polished marble floor. Piyush was the family’s rebel—the one who refused to conform to their rigid norms. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he darted between the guests, his energy contagious.

"Good evening people", he announced as he moved towards the dining table.

"Again late Mr. Khurrana", Diya, their mother scolded him.

"Sorry mom", he replied with a chuckle.

Amir, stood near the dessert table. He wore a crisp suit, his hair slicked back. When Hamid came back from the garden, he told everything to him. Amir wanted to stay back with Hamid but he was not in the best state of mind.

He shouted at Amir too, making him leave his room.

Piyush, in his usual haste, collided with Amir. The dessert tray wobbled, and a delicate tower of macarons threatened to collapse. Piyush’s eyes widened, and he blurted out, “Watch where you’re going, dude!”

Amir steadied the tray, his gaze locking with Piya’s. There was a silent understanding—an acknowledgment of the unspoken battles they fought. Piya’s heart fluttered. Amir’s presence was a lifeline, a reminder that she wasn’t alone in this charade.

But Piyush wasn’t done. He pointed an accusatory finger at Amir. "God has given you two eyes, use them”

"I am sorry sir", Amir said in a low voice.

"Piyush, it was an accident", Piya intervened. "Do not start a fight over it".

"You don't tell me-", Piyush started.

Jaswant scowled. “Enough of this nonsense! Piyush, come have dinner.”

Piyush sat in his chair but not before throwing a nasty glare at Amir.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something",Vivek said, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Vivan's friend, Shaurya's wedding is tomorrow. Shaurya had been Vivan's closest friend since childhood. I am very keen on Piya attending Shaurya's wedding with our family. It is a great opportunity for Piya to bond with Vivan's friends and become more integrated into their social circle".

However, Jaswant had reservations about Piya attending the wedding.

He said, "I believe it is not appropriate for a soon-to-be bride to be out and about in the week leading up to her own wedding."

Jaswant was a traditional man, as everyone knew and he held firm beliefs about the sanctity of the days leading up to a wedding.

Vivek and Jaswant had a heated discussion about the matter, with each man trying to convince the other of their point of view.

Vivek argued,"It is important for Piya to be a part of Vivan's life in every way, including attending important events like Shaurya's wedding."

Jaswant, on the other hand, stressed the importance of tradition and the need for Piya to focus on her own upcoming nuptials.

After much back and forth, Jaswant finally relented. He agreed to let her go, on the condition that she would return home early and not stay out too late.