3. Family aur Friendship

Pratiksha's POV-

I am currently in my room going through my assignments as today was my first day.

And OHHHH!!! I suddenly remembered about my embarrassed encounter with that man. I hope I never face him again. But what if....... I shrugged that thought.

It's been my habit that I end up getting embarrassed in public. I admit that I'm introvert but there is a limit and I crossed all the boundaries since ever. Whether it's only a task to buy books, YESS I was in 12th that means a year ago and once bought HAUNTING ADELINE and without realising I freely carried it in my hands on my way to my house and my Maths teacher met me in my way. I greeted him and he greeted me back with his beautiful smile but when he looked at the book in my hands he quickly snatched it from my hands and he took that book with him and yes!! he scold me so much.

Bitch also informed this to my Daddu but him being understanding and too sweet for this world, He just tried to explain me that my studies are more important at this age but here I am I didn't understood a single word of him. My daddu is just so sweet.

Coming to the point, my Maths teacher never returned me that book and he usually used to scold me without any reason in the class. All my classmates used to make fun of me that this happens because of my financial condition and all....BULLSHIT

Though I had a crush on him YES my teacher but it all ended after that incident and yeahh he was also so much intrested in our English teacher soo...

That was how my school life has been so toxic and irritating.

But I don't want my College life to be like that. Though I made a friend named Niharika and she seems to be very extrovert because I remember today when we were on our way to the exit door of the college, she literally wished more than half of the people of the college and yeah she talked a lot to me in just our first meeting but she is a nice person. I hope we build a great bond.

Suddenly my phone rang and it showed an unknown number.

Who the hell called me at this hour. I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey!!! Pratiksha it's me, Niharika."

Ohhh...Lambi umar hogi iski. (She'd live long.)

"Ohh...yeah Hii"

"Do I make you uncomfortable or anything ?"

"What! No, Why would you ask this ?"

"It's just it's feels like I am forcing you to be friend with me."

"Ohh no, You know I'm not a social person and when you approached me I felt like why would you want me to be your friend. That's it but I would try to open up more with time. I just don't have a very good experience in friendship and all. Sorry I made you feel like this." And it's true that I need some time to adjust with her. I seriously have zero experience in friendship.

Ohh I am talking like I'm in relationship. Huhhh Never...

"That's the matter and here I was afraid that I'm making you uncomfortable and all bullshit. And it's fine you don't have to be sorry for this, I completely understand. By the way, did you start the novel ?"

"Umm no I'm currently reading a wattpad novel, I was thinking to start it after finishing the novel because you know It's so confusing when I read two novels at same time."

"Ohh which one ?"

"It's 'Meherbaan Hua Rab' I'm currently reading it and I don't know how but I feel like I can so much relate with the female lead."

"Ok I would definitely read this maybe I can relate with any character too...hehe"

"Ya sure by the way did you have you dinner ?" Ohh I can really work on this friendship.

"Not yet actually me and my family are going to have a dinner with that Ameerchowk's Singhania's family so my family is getting ready to leave."

"Oooh that's amazing I mean I've heard that Raj Singhania is quite handsome and single too so you can you know hehe.." I slaped myself so hard. Did I just said this on our first call ? Urghh Pratiksha you are so dumb. Shit-

"Hey what happened ? And yeah I met him as you know he is my cousin sister's brother in law but he's a bitch. Kutta hai aya bada Nawabzada huhh Haramzada hai." Woahhh

"Ohh I guess you didn't had a good meeting with him."

"Yeahh Okay tell me about your family ?"

"Ohh my family includes Me, my mother, my father, my younger sister and my so sweet Daddu."

"Wow! You mean it's like 'Small Family, Happy Family' right ?"

"Yeah..we can say that but I like joint family more but what can I do, my uncle and aunty doesn't want to keep relation with my daddu and I don't like them too for so many reasons." Ha bhai jo apne baap ka sagaa na ho saka wo Bhatijiyo ka kya hi sagaa hoga.

"That means you would like my family good for us." She mumbled but I didn't get this.

"By the way, tell me about your family too-" "Uh okay bye I'll talk to you later"
She cuts me off and so the call. Strange.

I sighed. Okay I have to deal with this fairy 🧚‍♀️. But I'm loving her though I mean dosti wala pyaar, Okay this doesn't sounds great.

"Ayee meri thodi madad bhi kar diya kar Pratikkkkkkkk" My mother (Sharda Kushwaha) shouted.

Ohhh no, "Haa mummy aa rhi hoon" I hate this name.

Koi apni beti ko pratik bulata hai kya bhai???

I went to the kitchen where my mother and sister are cooking something. My mother is doing all the things, Ishita is just pretending that she is doing the work though she always keep mummy involved in her talks so that she does not give her chores. She's clever.

"Haa mummy boliye kya kaam hai ?", I asked leaning to the kitchen's counter.

"Keep watching the milk I've kept on the stove till I'm using the mixer."

"Thik hai Ammijaan", now I'm staring the milk on the stove while keeping the hand near the stove as It's so cold here.

"Accha Pratik sunn-" mom started.

"Mummy!!!!" I whined like a kid.

"Okay okay listen beta, I was just saying that why don't you join that 'GOLD Gym' Sheetal was saying that they giving a huge discount and you are also being veryy healthy and yeah I've kept turmeric in refrigerator use it as a facepack. Sheetal was saying that its effect is very noticable."

"Aauchhhhh" I hissed, shit my wrist just touched the stove. Uhhhhh this is always been the problem I know I'm chubby what can I do now. I've always been very attentive towards my diet and I daily do Yoga and exercise a very much than normal but still I can't get that standard figure that my Sheetal Aunty and this society wants. Though my family supported me a lot since my childhood but mummy is pointing out these things a lot these days.

My skin is quite dark too and I am currently unable to pass these aunty's beauty standards. I've been very insecure about skin colour than my weight but what can I do in this. I've cried a lot few years back but this story is to tell another day.

Currently my wrist is burning a lot. Mummy and Ishita ran towards me. Mummy caught my wrist softly and blowed air.

"Ohh my love, you shouldn't have kept your hands near the stove. Be carefull beta."

"Mom, you shouldn't have said that. She is already so insecure about her colour and now you are talking about her weight. She is beautiful in her own way, she don't have to do things according to those aunties for god sake mom. Her skin, her weight and all things are way too beautifull. She inherited this colour from dad and you didn't said anything about this to him mom. You were not like this that Sheetal aunty is doing your brainwash with this fake beauty standards. Open your eyes mom. Don't make her or anyone feel like they are not enough..."

Ishita said this in one breath and went towards refrigerator and returned with turmeric lape and applied on my wrist. I hissed again. 'Sorry' she mumbled.

I kept staring her with my eyes and mouth wide open. Then I looked at mummy who had the same reaction as me.

Ishita have always been mom's girl but today's behaviour was very shocking.

"Mom aap uss Sheetal aunty se milna band kar dijiye. Bohot pagal aurat hai woh." Ishita told mummy.

Mummy just nodded and looked at me giving an apologetic look and mouthed 'I'm sorry bacche'. I blinked in agreement and mummbled 'It's okay'.

We heard some clapping sounds, our eyes went towards the kitchen's door and there is my father (Rajiv Kushwaha) and grandfather (Ram Kushwaha). They just smiled towards Ishita and we spent our family time doing dinner together...
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