So can I believe???

A sibling, once a cherished bond so dear, 

But when it becomes a torment, oh, the fear, 

To watch their love with parents shine so bright, 

Leaves my heart shrouded in endless night.

Blessings turn to a mental trial, you see, 

As sadness grips my soul, so relentlessly, 

I forget the kinship we once shared, once close, 

Lost in this darkness, where shadows impose.

............***.............

Flashback...

A few years ago...

Our family, an ensemble of Mom, Dad, Sahil, Prisha, and myself, gathered around the dinner table. That evening, Prisha had orchestrated a prank on the new boy in the neighborhood, dousing him with ice-cold water. It had been a disastrous first day for him, and to add to the misery, she had executed the stunt while wearing my cherished cap. Poor boy...

In the usual fashion, the principal had dialed Dad's number – his closest friend. The blame inevitably landed on me, as it always did. Dad hadn't uttered a word at school, but the moment we reached home, he demanded an explanation. 

I put forth my best efforts to convince him of my innocence, but his response cut through my defenses, "You always shift the blame onto your innocent sister, making her cry." 

In his eyes, Prisha, despite her physical fragility, required unwavering protection. Little did he know that the truth would alter the course of everything. Prisha had a knack for feigning tears before Dad, and he always found my guilt unquestionable.

At that moment, Mom was out tending to groceries, and Sahil had chosen to withdraw into his room, neglecting the escalating situation. Upon Mom's return, she wisely suggested that the matter be discussed during dinner, seeking Dad's assistance in preparing the meal. After we had all changed into fresh clothes and had a refreshing bath, we convened at the dining table.

Our home featured three bedrooms: Sahil had his personal space, Mom and Dad shared another, and Prisha and I occupied the third. Usually, Prisha and I harbored a mutual disdain for each other. I viewed her as a malevolent instigator of trouble, while she, in a baffling twist, nursed a sense of jealousy towards me.

Throughout dinner, Prisha adeptly portrayed herself as the aggrieved party, and Dad issued me a stern warning to be on my best behavior.

"Dad, I genuinely didn't have anything to do with it. I can't explain how my hat ended up with him; I haven't even met him yet."

"Don't feed me that nonsense," he retorted. "I've received more than enough complaints about you. Why do you persist in being jealous of Prisha? She's your sister, for heaven's sake."

I was taken aback by this accusation. Jealous of her?

"No, Dad..."

"How dare you, Damon? She's just eight, and you're pointing fingers at her."

I was about to offer my defense when Mom intervened.

"I never accused..."

"Oh, but you did," he interrupted, his glare unrelenting. "Every single time this happens, you never believe her."

"Enough!" Dad's patience finally snapped. "I've had my fill of this girl. She's brought nothing but trouble since the day she was born. They may be twins, but she's been one of my deepest regrets. We should've just had Prisha," he shouted in exasperation.

"Damon, you're overstepping your bounds," Mom's voice suddenly turned dangerously stern.

In horror, Sahil, Prisha, and I watched our parents engage in a heated argument.

"We both understand what we're doing and why we're in these situations," Mom fiercely defended me.

Suddenly, Dad stormed over to my chair, gripping my arms with an intensity that made me cry out in pain.

"She! She's evil. She's the elder twin, yet she never protected her twin sister. Because of her, we're in this mess. We had to leave everything behind and come here," Dad accused while gesturing angrily at our surroundings, indicating the house.

"Stop blaming her. It was a complication that occurred. She didn't know," Mom shouted in defense.

"No," Dad glared at me, his voice dripping with disgust. "You're a curse, a real curse. You even made me and Amanda fight. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?" He spat out the words, his eyes filled with loathing.

I winced in pain as he squeezed my arm even tighter before abruptly leaving the room.

In the background, I heard a faint voice from my mother, "Stop, Damon, you're pushing her too far," her tone filled with both worry and anger, but I didn't turn back. I was deeply wounded by his words.

I fled to my room, locking myself in the bathroom, where I wept for hours. Eventually, I drifted into sleep, still in the bathtub filled with cold water.

When I awoke next, I found myself in the hospital. Mom wore a mix of anger and concern, while Dad was weighed down by guilt. I was bewildered as to why I was there until Mom explained that they had discovered me in the bathtub, submerged in cold water, after Prisha had informed them that I had gone missing.

I had been unconscious for a week.

**End of the flashback.

That day had been an accident, a frightening brush with the brink of my own demise.

Almost.

Fast forward to the present, I glanced at the clock; it read 5 in the evening. I had returned home six hours earlier and had spent my time immersed in my studies, driven by the looming specter of an important math test scheduled for the following day.

I couldn't escape the palpable absence of both Mom and Prisha, a void that Dad and Sahil felt just as deeply. To this day, I remain in the dark about the exact events of that fateful night. All I knew for certain was that we never had them with us in our home again.

Sahil wept every year on this particular day, and Dad withdrew into his own world, isolating himself in his sorrow. However, I had never dared to question him about what transpired that night. They had never provided any information regarding their disappearance, and I had no means to uncover the truth.

"Misha, did you even hear me?" Tania's voice broke through the haze of my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.

"What? Sorry, I was lost in thought," I replied, not quite ready to divulge the contents of my contemplations.

Tania, Harry, and I were currently nestled in the college garden, a personal favorite spot of mine on campus. Initially, I had been there alone, quietly solving math problems, but they had joined me while I was lost in my reverie.

Tania broke the silence, her expression earnest. "That's alright. So, as I was saying, Harry has his tournament in two days, and we haven't done any shopping yet."

I quirked an eyebrow, silently questioning, "And?"

Tania regarded me with a playful, dramatic flair. "Seriously, don't you get it?"

"Come on, Tania, don't overdo it. You're not exactly an Oscar-winning actress," Harry chimed in, teasing her. Then he turned to me, explaining, "She always wants to look her absolute best when she comes to my tournaments. So she's roped you into a shopping spree."

And that's how my entire day was filled with shopping, dining, and simply enjoying the company of Harry and Tania.

Unaware of the impending surprises that awaited me upon my return home.

_______________***_________________

SOOONN....The story with Karan is going to begin.

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