Beintehaan (Completed)

9.REFLECTION

Late afternoon that day, found the entire Oberio family in their living room. Dadi was grinning from ear to ear as she chattering cheerfully with Jhanvi, happy that she was not let down.

Everyone had managed to make it. Anika had successfully checked into the hospital and she was more than happy to start her internship soon. Even Rudra had ditched his friends just to have lunch, just like his grandma wanted. Lunch was yet to be prepared and every one was doing their own thing.

Tej and Anika sat on the couch, immersed in a deep conversation. He wanted to know every thing about her life in States and Anika was more than happy to tell him. Omkara sat quietly trying to read at least one page of his magazine without being irritatingly disturbed by Rudra every passing second.

Away from the bubbling atmosphere, upstairs Priyanka lay, sprawled on her bed. She stared at her ceiling; her mind tangled with thoughts. After her encounter with Arjun Singh Rathod, she felt vaguely disturbed. Departing from him at the construction site; she hadn't gone to the office like she said she would. Instead she had gotten one of her friends to mail her the paperwork, and headed straight back home. She hadn't bothered to even inform her new partner about it.

She rolled to her side sighing. Truth was, she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't take, Daleena, snatching away another one of her partners. She didn't want to stand there, helplessly watching, as her partner dumped his share of work on her and followed Daleena like a lost puppy. She couldn't bear to be humiliated again. So she was more than happy to oblige to her grandmother's order to stay home for the weekend.

There hadn't been any calls or messages from her, 'so called' partner, which could only mean one thing. Daleena had once again been successful in taking away her partner.

A heavy sigh lifted off her and she pulled herself into a sitting position. Her shoulders slumped unhappily; her fingers skimming through her loose hair. She got up slowly, shuffling her feet lazily. She stopped when she bumped softly into her mirror. She looked up, her eyes settling on the reflection.

She cringed, at what met her sight. Again and again she was faced with the bitter truth of why everyone preferred Daleena or any other girl over her. Instead of fair skin like all other Punjabi women, she was destined with pale ivory skin. Her huge hazel eyes that almost, always looked vulnerable were nothing but ordinary. Despite having a skin that never suffered the marks of adolescent, she still looked sallower, somewhat unhealthy.

She shook her head trying to shove away all thoughts. It was no use staring at something that wouldn't change. She was who she was, and she couldn't do anything about it. And she was glad, that she didn't have to mob her face in make up everyday, like every other girl in her office. It was sad that these days promotions and opportunities were based on looks rather than talent.

Just as she was about to turn away from the mirror a slight movement in her reflection caught her eye. She whipped around, her eyes scanning. Her mirror reflected the windows behind her bed, and the movement seemed to be outside her window.
Squinting, she walked softly towards her bed.

Vivid images of the men that attacked her last time crowded her head, making her shudder. But there was no way anyone would even try, to harm her in home.

It was the Oberoi's mansion for heaven's sake. Guarded by highly professional security men, any outsider meaning to harm had to think at least a dozen times.

Taking a deep breath she walked towards her window dauntlessly.
She peeked slowly, outside her window. Except for the soft rustling of the leaves of the huge tree that crowded outside her window; there seemed to be nothing suspicious.

Her eyes darted, across the branches, trying to look in between them.
She leaned back into her room, confused. She walked back, trying to understand what she saw. She ceased for a second, motionless in the middle of her room.