They say love is in the air, still many souls are crumbling of despair.

And finally after so many days, Anya could laugh and breath freely in the premises of OM. She didn't have to watch out for herself cause she knew even with her eyes close nothing can touch her now. The way Viaan arms were wrapped around her the whole day proved her point, the way Ansh, Savvy, Ro and they occupied a single room, a room where they laughed freely, chatted about the happy days, joked and goofed around proved she still knows how to feel emotions other than anger, despair and guilt. Panchi's arrival was a surprise but she is always welcome in her home and her arrival just launched a new set of laughter filled bickering, off tune songs, hearty banters and loads of game followed by delicious food items and it all felt even more heartbreaking when they all left for their hotels. Sometimes she really hated the rules, sitting in her so called room with her sleeping daughter she could only think of the heartwarming memories instead of the heart wrenching see yous.

She could still feel her accelerating pulse and his hot surprised breath fanning her face as she pulled him towards her holding his collar as "Aithee aa" echoed in the room along with the loud hooting of the occupants of the room as their checks flamed and eyes burden with not so innocent desires.

Her phone pinged with an incoming message breaking her revive as she grasped her phone and checked the message. Hoping, it wasn't another work front message and it seemed God was really listening to her that moment as it was the friends group buzzing continuously

Pagal Baccha : Arz kiya hai, Savvy bhaiya hai bade chupe rustam..Savvy bhaiya hai bade chupe rustam, bolte hai ladkiyo se na koi nata aur baho mei do do ladkiya sambhalte hai.....

Partner in crime : 😂😂😂😂😂

Twinie 💙 : waah waah 😂😂😂😂😂

Cheeky charmer : Galiyaan yaha sunna pasand kroge ya personal mein (will you like to hear swear words here or in  personal message)

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : personal mei dena yaha ladkiya bhi hai  (personally message him even girls are present here)

Anya : jaise mujhe galliyaan aati nhi 😎 (like I don't know swear words)

Twinie 💙: where did you learn cuss words??

Anya : Voh Delhi thi meri Jaan (that was Delhi my lifeline)

Cheeky charmer: and we were her teachers 😉😁😁

Birdie : Gaaliyon k bina chalta nhi kya waha?? (Cant you guys live without swearing)

Cheeky charmer : voh galliyaan nhi pyaar mana jata hai and voh dost hi kaisa Jisne apne dost se acchi khasi galliyaan nhi suni( that's not considered obscenities it is considered love and what kind of friend hadn't heard obscenities from his friend)

Pagal baccha : Savvy bro is preaching lov, guys check out whether we are still in same planet or not 😂😂😂

Anya : Savvy preaches love wonderfully 😉😁😁😁

Bossman : I think he specializes in being kabab mein haddi 😏😏😏

Cheeky charmer : like Ro or Niks lack in that department 🙄🙄🙄

❤❤Bossman❤❤: atleast they're subtle about their ways

Twinie 💙 : @Savvy I'm proud of you bro

Cheeky charmer : @Vi even I'm subtle

Cheeky charmer : @ansh thanks bro

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : you dont have a single subtle bone in you 🙄🙄.

Cheeky charmer : you dont say that dude 😑😑😑

Birdie : who is this Niks btw?? I dont think I've met a Niks yet

Pagal Baccha : because you haven't yet Panchi di, I'm Nikhil Kohli....the star All rounder of Marvels. Anya di's fav bro. 😁😁😁😁

Twinie 💙 : Dhoka mere sath Dhoka hua, Anya Ain't I your fav bro ???😫😫😫😫

Birdie : @ansh bhai drama queen 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Birdie : @ Niks heya kiddo, Saw you in action you're superb 🤩🤩🤩

Pagal Baccha : thanks Panchhi di, dont mind me calling you di right ??

Birdie : ofcourse not 😉

Anya : @Ansh you're my twin... he is my little bro 🙄🙄🙄

Twinie 💙: that's acceptable then

Birdie : today was loads of fun 😁😁😁

Cheeky charmer : we are synonymous of fun.

Partner in crime : hum jaha masti waha

Pagal baccha : fun without me, Sharam nhi aayi aap logo ko....ek toh merko yaha chod kr bhag aaye??

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : coach didn't give us your custody, when is your flight btw??

Pagal baccha: In airport right now, see you guys soon.

Birdie : have a safe flight, bro.

Anya: call me when you land, kiddo 💙

Pagal baccha : sure di and thank you dii ❤❤.

Partner in crime : why is coach sir calling me?? What did you do Niks??

Pagal baccha : why do you always think it's me?? I dont know why he's calling you?? Okay see you guys, bye.

Cheeky charmer : see ya

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : take care kiddo

Anya : take care bro❤

Birdie : take care new bro ❤❤

Pagal baccha: as you say dada Ji's 😝😝 and lovely ladies ❤❤❤

❤❤bossman❤❤ : dada kn yaha?? (Who is dada here??)

Cheeky charmer : dada kisko bola?? (Who are you calling grandpa)

Partner in crime : voh khisak gya yaha se ( he slipped away from here)

Twinie 💙 : bhailog and behenlog gotta go scene calling me

Cheeky charmer : thank God bhailog and unki behenlog ni bola tune...

Partner in crime : ugh those nostalgic school days 😉

❤❤bossman❤❤ : oye meri future biwi hai, behen Panchi hai but biwi bhi hai

Birdie: guys, gotta go work calling....see ya in bit......

And the smile that stayed on all of their faces the whole night was just a token of their love, always in peace with each other's presence.

Anya's Personal Message

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : oye sun Sleep on time alright, don't stay awake due to all those work related things and neend na aaye toh call me.

Anya : never thought I'll fall in habit of sleeping in your arms and miss your presence like this, never thought I'll have an addiction called Viaan Kundra.

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : like I dont miss your presence......well, I know a way of sneaking out of the team hotel.

Anya : no, please no I dont want any scandal before the finals

❤❤bossman❤❤ : after final chalenge?? 😉

Anya : Vii yrr

❤❤bossman❤❤ : well after final humari shaadi hai obviously the whole media will be up in flames.

Anya : I wont mind that flame then😁😁

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : kash mei waha hota, kash meri baho mei tum hoti aur yeh sama tham jata ( I wish I was there and you were in my arms and the whole around will us was on a halt)

Anya : sama tham jata aur hum khoye rhte... ( the time stopped and we kept on getting lost in each other)

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : yeah 😍😍😍

Anya : everyone seemed so happy today

❤❤bossman❤❤ : yeah, today happiness was in the air, the breeze was dancing in joy, the leaves were singing a melodious tune.

Anya : getting symbolic aren't we ??

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : after all you symbolize my life.

Anya : are you always this sweet Kundra or today is some special occassion??

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : today I became a father Mrs Kundra, obviously this is a special occasion but for you this is normal isn't it??

Anya : maybe Mr newborn father

❤❤bossman❤❤ : well to the mother of my child, I'll say sleep it's getting late and I don't want you feeling low in the morning.

Anya : Good night Vi

❤❤bossman❤❤ : dream of me, Anya

Anya : yeah sure, dream of your golden cup

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : with my golden family

Anya : sweet dreams, love ❤❤

❤❤Bossman❤❤ : may the stars always look after you ❤❤

The message was delivered but unread as sleep consumed the tired beauty, clutching the phone to herself Anya slept peacefully. Viaan has read the tiredness in her eyes just fine as Anya slept early that day, she slept dreaming of the magic she thought about as a child and as hopeless myths in adulthood. She again dreamt of happily ever after and magical love stories.

♡♡♡♡♡

And in the darkest hours she find solace as she is darkness. No one can see her cheeks with the dark streaks, no one can see the black liquid dripping from her eyes, no one can see the perfect facade slowly crumbling apart, no one can see the transformation from heiress of one of the most influential families to a broken girl crying her heart out.

The layers of shades falls apart one by one along with all the bounds placed on her.

"No, dont you ever forget the make up. You should always look perfect" she hears the stern black shadow scream at her.

"Not even a single hair out of place. You're the face of oberoi's you should always look perfect."

"No, you cant fail. You're the heiress you have to be perfect"

"No, dont show any fragility."

"You should always look proper and perfect"

"No, you can't fall in love with anyone. You're the heiress you have to maintain the image. You've to love within the circle only"

"People should appreciate you and your family"

"Always make sure people bows before you"

She hated the word perfect and proper with uttermost loathing and despise. All her life she had only learnt to be perfect and proper. A little tame lady like some princess of old age, not allowed to step out of her restrictions, not allowed to be anything else than what is already decided for her.

"Your voice shouldn't waver, dont speak loudly. You're not a shrew to scream like that, you're a girl dont ever dare to play cricket or soccer ever. Athletics, gymnastics, cheerleading is what you should do. Dont ever think of joining those manly sports."

"Be the most beautiful and perfect girl of the school"

"Dadi, Nikhil dumped me" she could see herself cry in her grand mom's arms, telling her of her heart break, informing her how she lost her everything and how ashamed she is of herself.

"So what, you're heiress and it's normal, just dont go falling in love with all those guys like some ordinary girl. Get what we want from them, know how to play with them, use them for your benefits, use whatever you can to achieve what we can. You're an heiress Omisha Oberoi dont cry over such ridiculous things. Just remember you can't ever fall in love and even if you do keep it aside and do what you should always do."

For the first time in her life, she hated her own grand ma that moment. She never hated the lady even when she pushed her limits. She never hated the lady when she made her be perfect in every thing but that moment she hated her. She hated her for not understanding "the heart wants what it wants" and she just cant act friends with Nikhil after all this. No, she just can not, Nikhil Malhotra had literally dumped her after sleeping with her for several times and learning that she wasn't the girl who wrote all the letters to him. Wasn't she the one pushing her towards him?? Wasnt she the one telling her how this was love?? Then what happened now and why cant the heiress fall in love??

Isn't Shivika, Ritisha and Anya also heiresses then why all the rules apply only on her?? Why Shivika can party all she wants?? Why Ritisha can go in any camp she wants and she can't ?? Why dont they follow her routine??

Their were so many questions in her mind and not enough answers. But at the end of the day she still acted the way her grandma wanted her to act. She told everyone that it was a break up of mutual consent. She made the excuse of the relationship not working and didn't let anyone know that Nikhil dumped her. So, that the friendships aren't ruined just the way Grand ma wanted but she really noticed both Shivika and Ritisha's eccentric behavior.

She watched the way Shivika walked as if she is lost. The way their was always a burden on Shivi's shoulder and a strange veiled glint in her eyes. She watched the way Shivi avoided most of her friends and stayed in her solace away from everyone. She actively avoided the parties she loved so much and went out of her ways to help anyone who was getting bullied, going enough lengths to come in the bad books of her own friends yet she never made any friend after that incident like she doesn't trust the word friend. She watched as her smile on her b'days were all fake and strained like smiling took everything from her and now days a rude layer always enveloped her. A layer keeping everyone away from her, a layer of arrogance and haughtiness, a layer of ego and a layer keeping her stranger to everyone, a stranger who keeps herself above everyone. The way she speaks about herself made people think she thinks just about herself but she could see the defence mechanism. The mechanism of not making any friend and she also saw the way Shivi cried hugging a flower bouquet consisting of orange, red and yellow Roses with happy birthday wrapped around it. Their was no card or sender name with the bouquet but Shivi kept it with her like it was some precious thing, she noticed the repeat of this cycle on her every b'day and so she tried going out of her way to make her happy and find some mechanism of breaking her defence mechanism.

Ritisha walked as if she was angry with everyone as if she wont care even if the world went on flames. She hadn't talked to Shivika for months and she only cooled down after Shivika was again gravely ill. Ritisha seemed angry on everyone and the most happy with Ansh's return. She seemed to be happy with his return like some long due dream has finally gotten its wings like she was finally at peace with something and no matter how angry or frustrated she was with them. She was always there to support them, to be their for them whenever they needed her and sometimes she feels did they unknowingly deny Anya of this feeling and support??? Ritisha was full of unsaid words and deep churning anger always going out whenever she could never staying in the house if she absolutely didnt have to and finally getting to know the dangers in this maze of house. She lets her fly like she never could, she provides her with her own wings and watch as she reaches new greater heights while she stays here being the bird wishing to fly in sky full of dreams captured in a golden cage never getting the chance to escape. A bird with clipped broken wings, a bird who is nothing more than a show piece for the world. A beautiful, lovely, talented, perfect showpiece that everyone wants to have but never needs.

She is so tired of being perfect and proper, tired of always doing the things expected from her, tired of always playing a perfect role and never letting the child in her out.

She wants to be wild and free, free of all the restrictions placed on her, free of wearing a particular type of revealing modern clothes, free of only wearing brand approved body hugging dresses, displaying her perfect curves to the world and to be wild as she went exploring the world, as she wandered in search of never ending music and Joy's and laugh freely as she wishes with no proper way to laugh or cry.

She wants to be like the laugh bubbling out of Anya's lips when she sits on the swing with the little baby in her arms and Viaan swings her as the breeze happily carried her laugh with it. She wants to be like Viaan's twinkling eyes watching Anya smile and Panchi's unrestricted giggles as Ansh twirls her around in circle. She wants to be like them happily playing and sitting in the grass and throwing grass at each other and laughing out loud not caring of the grass sticking to their hairs or how childish it all looks.

She wants to be like the way Swadhin holds Anya's hand and runs around the garden like teens running away after doing some mischief and the way Rohan gazes at all of them like they lost their minds.

The way a self conscious Panchi entering their house changes into a carefree girl, slapping and teasing the boys without a care of the world or their status. How they sing perfectly out of tone and tease each other with songs and situations, she just couldn't understand. She wanted to be like the way Panchi could still laugh and pretend it doesn't matter when her brother keeps on starring at her. The way Panchi doesn't get affected with her brothers heart wrenching stare and she wants to be a little like all of them.

Imperfectly perfect, wild and free, each broken piece joining together to blend the edges and preventing the deepest wounds.

How alike yet different both of them are?? Both played in the name of love, both dumped because for the boy their love didn't matter at all. For one it was a bet and for the other she could never be the girl he wanted, even when he dated her and thought her to be the girl whose poem stirred his heart strings. Her brother made Panchi fall in love with him because of some silly bet and she acted as the girl whose letters stirred Nikhil's heart strings after all she was in love with him and she is in love with him. She loved him more than herself, she dreamt a life with him, she dreamt their family, their marriage and even the name of their kids and right now it all feels so silly to her. All those dreams torments her like nightmares and his gaze cuts her heart into pieces every time he looks at her. His ignorance kills her but nothing hurts her more than the betrayals of her own people, betrayal of the family she did everything for.

She will suppress all her feelings for Nikhil, she'll kill that part of her if it's make her family happy but she fears she'll be tied down with him at the end of day. He'll hate her forever and she'll continue living the fake life. She isnt strong like Panchi neither does she have any friends to support her or help her run away. It's not like she'll ever run away not till Shivi and Ritisha have their happily ever after. After all they dont know what she does and she'll continue killing herself and her wishes everyday for the sake of her sisters and just her sisters even the estranged one. She'll continue crying like this in the embrace of darkness till the end of her days, till the end of the regin of the mad queen in this house. Her lips tremble with hate everytime she has to call that women grand ma yet she is bound in chains,burdens and responsibilities she can't just forsake them even for the whole world.

So, she'll continue singing her heart out in the dead of night, crying and sobbing for a life never attained, bond never getting the chance to breath and a life destroyed because of other's selfishness but she wont forsake her family not until she finds out the other culprit, not until she saves everyone or die trying.

You must think that I'm stupid
You must think that I'm a fool
You must think that I'm new to this
But I have seen this all before

I'm never gonna let you close to me
Even though you mean the most to me
'Cause every time I open up, it hurts
So I'm never gonna get too close to you
Even when I mean the most to you
In case you go and leave me in the dirt

But every time you hurt me, the less that I cry
And every time you leave me, the quicker these tears dry
And every time you walk out, the less I love you
Baby, we don't stand a chance, it's sad but it's true

I'm way too good at goodbyes
(I'm way too good at goodbyes)
I'm way too good at goodbyes
(I'm way too good at goodbyes)

The song was nothing but her way to remind her she still got this. She still can act as if her whole world is fine and she doesn't hurt every breathing second. She got it but sometimes she felt so useless, good at everything yet good for nothing. She'll never be just good enough for someone and that's her life story.

So, the sudden light seeping in her dark world startled her and a silhouette played with heart beats as she entered her room, for a moment she thought she was imagining...

Why will someone enter her room at this time of night??? But as the night lights switched on and the figure sat on her knees in front of her with an extreme worried look playing in her eyes. She had not seen someone genuinely worrying for her that much for so long that she couldn't control the smile that lit up on her face but she didn't like the way the lovely face frowned with worry for her.

"Misha, you're fingers are bleeding.....who plays like this??? Were you playing guitar or punishing yourself?? Misha you're hurt?? Are you even listening to me" she scolded her like  a mother and she couldn't help but look at her all confused didn't she hate her for all she did?? She should hate her after all she doesn't deserve all the love showered on her by this family. She doesn't deserve any of this.

"You still care for me" the words were nothing more than a hoarse whisper escaping her lips and she sounded drunk, badly drunk on sorrows.

"Ofcourse I care for you idiot, you're my sister"

And the word sister undid her, the outburst of emotions were uncontrollable as she cried in her arms. Cried her heart out in her arms, telling her an unbelievable tale between her hiccups and sobs as she held her in place and bandaged her bleeding fingers. That night the girls spend the entire night wrapped around each other arms after ages and if their chest felt more burdened and relaxed at the same time then they could not explain it to anyone else.

...To be continued...