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Extra update.
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Srinidhi

DHARA
✨

I could hear loud wailing and crying as I slowly opened my eyes. My head feels heavy and I feel really tired. My body feels weak and sore. I see I am right now in the Chakraborty mansion. The guest bedroom where I have spent my night before. There was darkness everywhere and the sky was thundering. Looks like the rain hasn't stopped yet. The loud cries alerted me. The door to the room was open and I slowly managed to walk out of the room. The long, scary corridors were all empty and the cries became louder. There was no one around me but then who was crying?

I managed to find the staircase downstairs which strangely directly took me to the living room and I was shocked to see so many people in white clothes. I saw Shankar Jiju holding onto Anika in his arms. Tillu was consoling my other siblings. Beena aunty and Shobha aunty were sitting on the chairs that looked like the ones I saw in the hospital. They were looking towards me and shaking their heads when out of nowhere Dida came throwing some papers on my face as she shouted

'Didn't I tell you Arindam this girl is a bad omen. Earlier she provoked Oni to run away and now she's maligned our family name. Chakraborty family's name is now flushed down the gutters all thanks to you and this shameless fellow who calls himself Oni's brother. If you both were that desperate, you must have told us, we would have booked a hotel for you both. But coming here infront of everyone in this situation and causing shame and pain to all of us. You both will rot in hell Dhara!!! Shame... Shame Shame!!!' she shouted and suddenly the crowd around her looked towards me and their faces changed into monstrous ones as their eyes went white and they started approaching towards me shouting

Shame Shame Dhara!!!
Shame Shame Dhara!!!

Oh my god what's happening. My heart felt constricted and I couldn't breathe. I started turning around and running in the opposite direction when suddenly someone grabbed my hand and I turned around to see Parth standing there who grabbed me in his arms. Before I knew he started twirling me around saying

'Dhara...it's our wedding today. Shall we dance?'

Our wedding? When did that happen? What is he saying and before I could understand he twirled me around so fast that my head started spinning and I fell down only to fall at someone's feet who seemed to be sleeping on the floor. What's happening? And then I see Arindam Uncle putting his head down and crying. He looked at me saying 'If you were into Parth, you could have told me Dhara. I always wanted you to be my Parth's bride. But why did you do that?' he asked as he pointed his finger towards me and I was confused when I argued 'I didn't do anything. I am not involved with Parth.' and before I could understand a projector screen started to play my video with Parth and strangely it had all the tiny moments of Parth and me talking and spending time with me.

'I didn't do anything Uncle. Trust me. We are not involved' I said when Arindam Uncle put his head down asking 'Then why are you pregnant?' and my eyes widened as I looked down to see my stomach that was blown like a balloon. I almost screamed looking at it saying 'I can't be pregnant. It's impossible' but before I could say anything Arindam Uncle says 'Ballu couldn't take it Dhara. You were his pride. He trusted you and you broke his trust.' saying he burst into tears and moved aside and that moment I saw the figure lying on the floor was Daarji.

No!!! No!!! This can't be happening. Nothing can happen to my Daarji. No!!!

That's when one of my sibling, Roshan shouted 'You are the reason for Daarji's heart attack' and my eyes widened and again Abhinav, yet another sibling of mine pushed me away saying 'Dhara Di...you made us all true orphans today. How could you?' and I shook my head saying 'Na Abhi!!! I....I didn't. Believe...Believe me' my voice was cracking already when suddenly Sanjoy Uncle shouted 'Why are you here? You are never allowed to come here. Shame on you.' and I couldn't handle it. I tried to close my ears but my hands never reached there.

I tried crawling towards my Daarji but I felt like a hundred unknown hands were dragging me away. No!!! No!!! Please...Don't take my Daarji away from me. Please. No!!! Nooooo' and suddenly my eyes open only to find I'm still inside the car. Tillu's car where I had slept a few hours ago. I immediately tried looking outside the windows of the car but there was no one there. No media. No one. I looked at my phone which was ticking at 8 am in the morning. I probably slept for 2-3 hours. But I was thankful that I was awake. I was sweating like a pig. This was a horrible dream. I tried to lower the AC temperature in the car as I sipped a few ounces of water.

Leaning more into the seat of the car I took a deep breath. I hate these dreams. I hate these panic attacks. They are just getting worse. This time I didn't even take those tablets yet...Shit!!! I need to visit the Doc soon. Although I knew this was a dream, I was worried what if this turns into a reality? What if Daarji gets to know about all of this and won't be able to take it. No!!! No!!! I can't let it happen.

I immediately dialled Nivedita Didi but she disconnected the call. I tried calling her again but she disconnected the call again. Wonder what's happening? When she dropped a message saying 'Meet me at my place in an hour. Texting you the location' and I wondered what was happening. I couldn't leave Daarji here and go meet her. I told her I have to be here with Daarji but she texted me saying 'This is about you, Parth and the video. You don't want your family to be more stressed out.' and I gulped nervously. I immediately dialled Anika and Tillu saying I am not feeling ok and I need to freshen up. They asked me to take my time as they'll be at the hospital. I was more than grateful that they didn't ask me more questions.

I took Tillu's car along and started driving towards the location Nivedita Didi shared. It was an exquisite apartment and I was asked to come to the last floor which held a penthouse that was owned by Nivedita Didi and her husband Shayan Jiju. The door to the apartment was opened by Shayan Jiju whom I've seen just once during wedding shopping. He's a busy man. Nivedita Didi seems to be sipping her morning coffee still in her night suit when Shayan Jiju held onto their daughter as he signalled her to talk to me.

She offered me a seat on the dining table as she offered me some Parathas, toasts and fruit salad. I was not really in the mood so I simply took a cup of coffee when she dialled someone saying 'Come out!' and just when I was taking a sip of the coffee I saw a dull and hesitant Parth walking towards the dining table. He wasn't even looking at my face. This was so bad. It's like we were paying for something we hadn't even broken. He took a seat in front of me when Nivedita Didi started pouring some juice for Parth in a glass while he was sitting there putting his head down.

'I called you both here, because I wanted both of you to talk to each other and come to a conclusion.' and we both looked at her face wondering what she meant and she cleared her throat saying
'Shayan and I could only stop the videos propagating on mainstream media but my friend says she cannot guarantee anything about social media. And you know how social media is!!!' and my eyes filled with worry when Parth sat there putting his head down quietly.

'But we are not at fault Didi. You know. I know. It was raining and nothing happ-'

'Can you prove it Dhara?' she interrupted me leaving me speechless. What does she mean by that? I cleared my throat saying 'I DON'T NEED TO!!! Because nothing really happened between us. Above all Parth and I are just friends. Friends who were stuck in rain, who sat chatting inside a vehicle till we were in a situation to get help. Like any other person in this city would!!!' I said when Nivedita Didi retorted 'But you weren't any other person when this happened Dhara. You were going to be married to a political phenomena and were found with his own brother for more than an hour where you both were interrupted and questioned by a police officer.

That very minute I lost it as I stood up and yelled saying 'So??? So what??? What could we do if it rained and the car broke down? How is it our fault that the police officer has dirt accumulated in his head? You know Didi we are innocent' I couldn't stop my tears rolling down my cheeks and my voice cracked. That very moment Parth looked at me and our eyes met. He looked helpless and in pain too.

I gulped looking at Nivedita Didi saying 'Di...my father is hospitalized and I already have enough on my plate. The second time a groom left me disappointed in the name of marriage, a stupid video is circulating that's nowhere even close to the truth and above all I don't want you not trusting me now. You knew everything' I said when Nivedita Didi came closer to me and held me via my shoulders saying

'I know Dhara. I do. But what would you do with people's dirty mouths. The media only needs spice and they already got it as Aniruddh is missing. There are speculations everywhere and now this. I'm so sorry, I must not have let you both pick that stupid painting that night. I was scared of Dida but now that I think about it, I wish I could go back and change things' when I shook my head asking 'Why are you blaming yourself Didi? It's not your fault and neither ours. It's these mentally sick people who are using it for their media gains.

Also I don't care if they'll call out Aniruddh as a runaway groom. Because he is!!! He chickened out' I said when Nivedita Didi added 'You don't get it Dhara. The media can be ruthless. Especially because Oni is a national figure and you both will be grinded under that pressure.' when I looked at her asking 'So what do you expect me to do now? Fight the media? Attend their trials? Try justifying something we never did?' I was pissed as my voice raised. I was tired.

That's when Parth suddenly stood up saying 'No one needs to do anything. Everyone including my grandfather is ashamed of me. Everyone thinks I'm not a man enough. Let me just...make that announcement. And everything will be sorted' saying Parth started walking towards the door when both Nivedita Didi and I tried to stop him but this guy seems to be unstoppable nowadays.

'Dhara please stop him. He's doing a stupid thing. Already our family doesn't talk to him. This announcement will cut every ties of his with the Chakraborty household. Also this could impact our market reputation. I don't know how Dida and Daadu react. Please Dhara!!!' she said and I looked at her in disbelief asking 'You really care about the fake Chakraborty prestige more than your brother's happiness?' when she grit her teeth screaming 'No Damnit! I'm not that shallow but I want my brother to accept all of this if he really has a different sexual preference and not because he wants to solve this problem. He's never been vocal about his sexual preferences till date Dhara. I will stand by his side if his love is of same sex or different sex but not because he wants to save someone else. I'm sorry...I like you but I love my brother. Call me selfish but I am.' she said and somehow I understood what she meant. I'm also a sister to so many of my brothers and sisters. I would any day choose them over someone I met a month ago.

✨
Author's POV
✨

Parth sat there with his phone as his hands shivered thinking of what he was about to do. He knew he had a lot of followers on social media although he was never an influencer but his dance videos got likes in millions. The page was managed by his dance school media representative although he had access to it via his phone too. And today he was going to actually put it into use.

He was going to announce the unthinkable on social media.

His fingers trembled as they went to the profile section as he went to the interested in section that had men, women and others. He had never really opted anything there. Besides that was the tab for gender. Male was the selected gender. His hand slowly moved towards that drop down menu. Just when he was about to select another option in the drop down menu is when he got a notification from Dhara Puri.

She had sent him a friendship request.

Ok!!! He thought to himself as he accepted it. She had a beautiful profile picture with so many kids by her side. All her siblings. Unknowingly he browsed through her pictures that brought a smile on his face. It was all about family and pure love. His eyes went moist seeing a picture of hers with her Daarji. His life felt so empty right now. Infact it gave him more courage to do what he was going to. What could happen worse if he did it, is what he wondered. He was into dirty waters, how much more could he drown after all?

Just then his phone pinged and it was a text from Dhara that asked

'Do you trust me?' and Parth didn't know what to say. He knew he could trust her but can she trust him? Will she be able to handle all of this? He was concerned for her when she texted again 'I am at the door. Can I please come in?' and Parth bit upon his lower lip. His heart was beating loudly. Should he let her in?

That's when he heard her silky voice

'Parth!!! Can we talk?' and before he knew. She was there. Beside him.

✨

'You seem quiet popular on social media. So many followers' she said when he smiled saying 'People are kind. They shower love on unknown people where as the ones who are yours by blood...don't care' he said with a sad smile. She gulped and looked at his face saying 'You were going to announce it on social media if I wouldn't have come here. Weren't you?' and he slowly looked at her saying 'I would still do it' and she closed her eyes asking 'Why? I mean it isn't wrong. It's right if that's what you want. Don't give people what they want just to satisfy some shitty brained people' she said when he simply looked into her eyes. Their eyes met for a few minutes as there was pin drop silence.

They sat there on the staircase as they looked at the humongous auditorium where Parth performed, practiced and choreographed various performances but today it felt like his life was at a center stage with the world waiting for her his next performance. Was he ready for it? He didn't know. But he had to do it. He was Throned by destiny to do it.

Dhara sat there looking at the stage as she sat next to Parth who was drowning in himself when she suddenly said

'You don't need to walk the tough path alone Parth. We can do this together' and he looked at her although said nothing. She smiled saying 'Thanks to the continuous rejections and heartbreaks I have lost faith in the institution of marriage' and he smiled. He looked at the stage saying 'Just because you can't catch upon a few tough steps, you don't retire from the dance form Dhara. Two bad experiences doesn't mean end of this world' he said.

She smiled saying 'I don't know Parth. Men are complicated. Or maybe I'm not good enough' when he slowly looked at her saying 'You are a wonderful human being Dhara. They didn't know your worth' he said looking into her eyes when she found immense admiration in his eyes. He respected her. That's exactly when she asked him 'Will you be the one who'll value my worth?' and his eyes widened.

That's when she asked him the unexpected, unthinkable one...
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Will you marry me Parth???