Have you heard of Palampur? It's awesome little village nestled between the hills and valleys.
A serene village becomes the stage for a story of shattered dreams and newfound hope. Fiery and short-tempered Jiya, separated from her mother and sister...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Like clockwork, my day began with the usual morning argument with my beloved wife, Jiya. It's become a routine by now; our special version of a sunrise. Forget the alarm clock; Jiya's sharp tongue is all the wake-up call I need. She's got this magical ability to turn the tiniest mistake into a full-blown lecture, and let me tell you, it's a talent. Sometimes I wonder if she practices in front of the mirror when I'm not around.
Today's offense? A sock. Yes, a single sock left on the floor was enough to earn me a verbal smackdown. And God help me if I try to defend myself. She'll whip out that spatula faster than I can blink. 'And who do I have to thank for this newfound weapon in her arsenal? My father, of all people!' Apparently, he thought it'd be funny to suggest that she keeps me in line.
'Seriously, pati ki koi izzat hi nahi hai.'
Jiya's temper hasn't mellowed one bit. If anything, it's become more potent with time. On one side, we have Siya, her sister, who is sweet as sugar. And on the other side, there's Jiya; my own personal rocket, always ready to launch. We're total opposites in every way imaginable. I'm a beach guy, she loves the mountains. I live for cold weather, she swoons over rain. And don't even get me started on our taste in music. I'm all about classic rock, while she could spend hours listening to romantic ballads.
But despite all our differences, life has been surprisingly good. It's been six months since Rajvardhan's murder, and though we still don't know who was behind it, things have settled into a strange sort of normalcy. Reyansh has gone underground, which, frankly, is a relief. His obsession with Jiya was disturbing, to say the least. If he ever dares to show his face again, I don't know what I'd do, but it wouldn't be pretty.
Jiya's been thriving in her new routine at the academy. She's doing what she loves, and it shows. Every evening, she comes home, brimming with excitement, eager to share every little detail of her day with me. And I listen...really listen because seeing her happy makes all the madness worth it. She's got a good heart, and I love her for it.
Today was no different. After wrapping up at the office, I headed over to the academy to pick her up. It's become our little tradition; ending the day together. As usual, I parked the car and leaned against it, folding my arms as I waited for her. I couldn't help but smile as I thought about how much my love for her has grown over the past few months. Who knew that a relationship filled with so much bickering could also be filled with so much love?
But as I stood there, my smile slowly began to fade. One by one, people started leaving the academy, yet there was no sign of Jiya. I figured she was just taking her time, maybe saying goodbye to her friends. But when I checked my watch and realized how late it was, a frown crept across my face.
'Where is she?'
I started pacing, my mind racing with a thousand thoughts. Maybe she was feeling unwell? Maybe she got caught up in something? My concern was turning into panic as I waited and waited, but she still didn't come out. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I began searching for her, weaving through the students, scanning every face for hers. In the middle of my frantic search, I bumped into Sandhya, one of Jiya's friends.
