HEARTLESS PRINCE

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The next days were horrible for Khushi. Whenever she came back home everyone ignored her or they scolded her for small, unimportant things. Once she wanted to prepare Jalebi, which she learned from her Babuji and when her Amma saw this, she got angry and told Khushi some really hurtful words.

>>This girl knows only how to spend things. She don't know how to bring money home. We don't have enough money for food and you waste our precious flour for Jalebi. No one want to eat your sweets Khushi. You are only burden to this family. I don't want to see your face tomorrow. It's better for you to come late, when we sleep, otherwise I am going to get a mad.<<

Khushi was shattered about her words and the unknown hate in her voice. Next morning, she left early in the morning and left the house. She took Jalebi with her because she didn't have any money to buy breakfast so this will be her breakfast, lunch and dinner in one.

Whenever she went to Mandir, her stranger was there. To escape him, Khushi would go somewhere else but the Mandir was the only place she knew, she could sit and no one would bother her. No one, except him. And there was the thing with the neighbors who would talk about her family if she was seen somewhere far away from home. They talked already enough about Payal's broken wedding, Babuji and Amma won't be able to handle more talk about their family. That's why Khushi decided to went to the same Mandir where the stranger waited for her. He behaved still respectful and never tried to touch her. He even kept his distance and make sure there was enough room between them. No one could talk bad about her and her family if he keeps doing what he was doing because for the outsider, he was just a random visitor.

As the days passed Khushi thought he would give up and one day, she would not see him at Mandir anymore. Not that she hoped he would be not be there one day. No, actually she got slowly used to his presence. She didn't want to talk with him as he was stranger but he was there and she really needed one friend because slowly, she needed to hear some kind words from someone. Anyone. Even she was desperate to meet a friendly person, Khushi always tried to say as less as possible about her family to him, because she didn't want him to get a bad picture from her people. No matter how they were, they were still her family. Her Babuji. Her Amma. Her Jiji.

She loved her family, even they didn't return her love right now. Maybe one day, she hoped so, she would win their hearts back.

***

Even she stayed silent, the days with him were soothing. They shared the food and place where they sat together but always kept respectful distance, so she slowly start to trust him. They talked about him and his family and he spoke a lot about how nice they are and that they would like her a lot. He also spoke a lot about his mother and how she dreamed about him bringing his new wife into their house. It was the only moment where she saw some kind of sadness and pain in his eyes, but few seconds later he was this sweet and happy guy who talked a lot.

While he spoke, he used to remove his strands of hair behind his ear and he formed his palms often to fists. Was it out of nervousness or something else? She couldn't answer this question because she was busy with her own problems.

Khushi was desperate whenever it was time to go home. To be honest, she feared to face her family. Not because they were mean to her. She feared that they tell her, not to come back home again. If this happens, what will she do alone? How will she survive being away from her only family which she ever knew?

***

And the situation at home got really quickly serious. With every second they separated her more from the rest of the family. With every day they showed her how useless she was for them as family member and this broke her heart into thousand pieces. She got an idea how to win their hearts back, but she didn't know how or where to start. Shure thing was, to win her family's hears back and earn their respect, Khushi needed to bring money home. For this, she needed to work. Maybe they are not mad anymore at her, if she is not financial burden anymore.