So let's begin,
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Akshu: (while being dragged) “Khushi, tum aa rahi ho na? Jaldi aana…”
The door clicked shut.
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The silence that followed was deafening.
Bela’s eyes remained fixated on Khushi’s hand, and this wasn’t going to be pretty.
Khushi stood rooted to the spot. The protection of her sisters was gone. Now, it was just her and the consequences of her rage.
Bela turned fully towards her. Her face was devoid of the warmth she had shown minutes ago. She walked up to Khushi, closing the distance until she was standing right in front of her.
Khushi felt small. She unclenched her fist slowly, the pain throbbing, but she kept her hand down, trying to hide it.
Khushi: (voice trembling) “Ma’am… wo main explain…”
She wanted to say she was sorry. She wanted to say she lost control. She wanted to say the anger just took over.
THWACK!
The sound echoed sharply against the walls of the study.
Khushi’s head snapped to the left.
A stinging, burning sensation spread across her right cheek instantly. Her eyes went wide in absolute shock. Her hand flew up to cup her cheek, her breath hitching in her throat.
It was a slap. A hard, stifling slap.
Khushi froze. Tears pricked her eyes, not from the pain, but from the sheer shock. Bela had never slapped them in these months. Not once. She had shouted, she had punished, she had used the stick, given the silent treatment—but she had never raised her hand.
Slowly, Khushi turned her face back to look at Bela.
Bela stood there, her chest heaving, her hand still raised slightly before she curled it into a fist at her side. Her eyes were blazing with an intensity that terrified Khushi. It wasn’t just anger; it was a furious, disappointed rage.
Bela: (whispering dangerously) “Don’t. You. Dare.”
She grabbed Khushi’s right wrist—the injured hand—and jerked it up between them, forcing Khushi to look at the bruised, swollen knuckles.
Bela: “Explain? Kya explain karogi? Yeh?”
She shook Khushi’s hand slightly, making Khushi wince.
Bela: “Yeh karne ki himmat kaise hui tumhari?”
Bela held Khushi’s wrist in a vice-like grip, lifting the injured hand to eye level. The harsh overhead light exposed every detail—the raw, scraped skin over the knuckles, the swelling that had turned a nasty shade of purple-blue, and the dried blood.
Khushi winced, letting out a sharp hiss of breath as Bela’s thumb brushed against a tender spot. She tried to pull her hand back reflexively, but Bela didn’t budge an inch.
Bela: (voice shaking with rage) “Dard ho raha hai? Haa? Feel ho raha hai abhi?”
Khushi looked down, tears finally spilling over, mixing with the redness on her cheek where Bela had slapped her.
Khushi: (whispering) “Yes…”
Bela: “Good. Hona chahiye dard. Bohot zor se hona chahiye.”
Bela released her wrist with a jerk, pushing it away as if holding it disgusted her. She stepped back, running her hands through her hair, pacing a small circle before turning back to Khushi like a wounded tigress.
Bela: “Deewar pe gussa nikaal ke kya mila? Huh? Did the wall break? Did the problem solve? Nahi na? Lekin yeh…” She pointed accusingly at Khushi’s hand. “Yeh zaroor toot sakta tha. Hairline fracture ho sakti thi. Nerves damage ho sakti thi. Do you have any idea how fragile these bones are? Nhi itni hi aqal hoti tum mai toh yeh stunt nhi karti.. Gussa aaya toh bas punch kar diya. Everytime I think that this is your limit and you won’t cross it, tum har baar mujhe galat prove karke koi na koi aisi harkat kar deti ho that I feel like thrashing you blue and black.”
Khushi stayed silent, head bowed, her left hand still hovering near her stinging cheek.
Bela: “Look at me when I am talking to you!”
Khushi snapped her head up. Her eyes were swimming in tears, terrified of this version of Bela.
Bela: “Himmat kaise hui tumhari khud ko chot pahuchane ki? Maine aaj tak… aaj tak tum teeno mein se kisi par haath nahi uthaya. I have used stick, threatened you with it.. But today? Today you forced me. Kyunki agar tum khud ki body ki respect nahi karogi, toh main kaise expect karoon ki tum kisi aur cheez ki respect karogi?”
Khushi: “Ma’am… wo bas… us waqt gussa control nahi hua… mujhe laga main phat jaungi agar maine kuch hit nahi kiya toh… Mai nhi karna chahti thi bas us waqt sab itna ulajh gaya tha I felt helpless.. Aap nhi the.. Akshu ki tabiyat thik nhi thi.. Vanshu bhi ghar se chali gayi thi.. Mujhe samajh nhi aa raha tha mai kya karu.”
Bela: (stepping closer, voice dropping to a lethal whisper) “Toh pillow ko punch karti. Run pe jaati. Chillati. You had options. But violence? Self-harm? Yeh kaunsa tareeka hai? Aaj haath maara hai deewar pe… kal kya karogi? Jab gussa control nahi hoga toh kya karogi? Sar phodogi apna? Nas kaatogi?”
Khushi: (horrified) “Nahi Ma’am! Main aisa kabhi nahi…”
Bela: “Just shut up you fool! You are already halfway there, Khushi! This…” She grabbed the hand again, gentler this time but still firm. “This is self-destruction. And I will not… I repeat, I will not tolerate self-destruction under my roof. Galti karna allowed hai, badtameezi karna bhi ek hadd tak handle kar lungi… par khud ko nuksaan pahuchana? Never.”
Bela took a deep, shuddering breath. She closed her eyes for a second, reining in the volcano of emotions. When she opened them, the rage was dialed down, replaced by a cold, calm.
Bela: (voice low, trembling) “Explain. Now.”
Khushi turned her face back slowly. The physical pain of the slap seemed to snap something inside her—the dam she had been building all day broke. All the frustration, the fear, and the overwhelming guilt she had been holding back since morning came rushing out.
Khushi: (voice cracking) “Gussa aa raha tha khud pe, Ma’am… bohot zyada gussa. Nahi hua bardasht mujhse.”
She held up her bruised, swollen hand, shaking it slightly as if she couldn’t feel the pain anymore.
Khushi: “Maine hurt kiya use. Apni vanshu ko.. Maine itna hurt kiya ki wo ghar se bahar chali gayi. Main dekhti reh gayi… sirf dekhti reh gayi aur kuch kar nahi payi. Yeh jaante hue bhi ki raat ka waqt hai, she is not safe… maine use roka nahi. Bas jaane diya.”
Tears finally spilled over, tracking through the redness on her cheek.
Khushi: “Apne shabdon pe control nahi kiya maine… Jo baat mai subah se control karne ki koshish kar rahi hoon, usne mujhe wahi bolne ke liye force kiya and it came out all wrong. Unfiltered. Main yeh baat usse is tarah nahi kehna chahti thi… But I messed up. Nahi hua mujhse bardasht.”
Khushi took a desperate step towards Bela, looking her in the eye with pleading intensity.
Khushi: “Aap maariye… please aur maariye mujhe. Maybe isse yeh guilt kam ho jaaye. Kyunki mujhse nahi control ho rahe yeh thoughts inside my head.”
Bela looked at her, horrified. “Khushi…”
Khushi: (cutting her off, speaking fast) “Radhika Ma’am ki baaton ne subah se mera dimaag kharab kar rakha hai. Main jaanti hoon unhone jo kaha sab sach hai… Aaj hum saath hain par ek point ke baad apne sapno ke liye hum alag honge. I know that! Aur mujhe us baat ka dukh nahi hai… Because main khud chahti hoon ki hum teeno apne sapno ke liye aage mehnat karein.”
She choked on a sob, wiping her face aggressively with her uninjured hand.
Khushi: “But mujhe nahi pata kya ho gaya tha… Main beh gayi thi, Ma’am. Something triggered me. Mujhe darr lag gaya… especially when Vanshu stepped out of this house. I agree whatever Radhika Ma’am said was true… par dil ko samjhana itna aasan nahi hota hai na, Ma’am?
Dimaag sab jaanta hai, par dil? Uska kya? It takes time to make that stupid heart explain some things. Main wahi koshish kar rahi thi subah se, aur is liye chup thi… I needed time. Par Vanshu ne poocha us tarah… maine bhi frustration mein sab bol diya aur sab complicated ho gaya.”
Bela tried to intervene, “Khushi, listen—”
Khushi: “I hurt her! Akshu gussa hoti hai toh gussa dikha ke, chilla ke, pyaar se wo samajh jaati hai. Par Vanshu… wo dil se feel karti hai. Wo chup ho jaati hai. And aaj bhi usne mujhe maaf is liye nahi kiya hai because she feels it deeply.”
Khushi took a deep breath, her voice lowering, becoming more vulnerable.
Khushi: “Maine shaq nahi kiya tha unke pyaar pe, Ma’am. Wo dono mujhse bohot pyaar karte hain, I know. Bas thoda insecure ho gayi thi main… Hum teeno saath rahe hain, jab hum akele the aur koi nhi tha humare pass tab bhi aur aaj bhi saath h saari problems se, khud se ladte hue.. aise achanak se koi bol dega ki alag ho jaoge toh maan lena itna aasan nahi hota hai. Hum ek dusre ke bina adhure h.. Dimaag accept kar sakta h yeh baat par dil ka kya?”
She looked at Bela, desperate to make her understand the core of her fear.
Khushi: “Hum teeno pinjra nahi hain jo ek dusre ko apne selfish motives ya pyaar ke liye baandh ke rakhenge. Bilkul nahi. Kyunki humare sapne hi hai that makes us
‘Team Unstoppable’. Apne sapno ke bina hum ek dusre ke saath bhi khush nahi ho payenge.”
A tear dropped from her chin.
Khushi: “Hum teeno ek dusre ke liye wo chidiya ka ghosla (nest) hain jahan panchi udd ke kabhi bhi aa ja sakta hai. Wo khana dhundhne ke liye jaata hai par laut ke wapas wahi aata hai… Hum wahi hain ek dusre ke liye. Jitna dur ho jaayein… ek dusre ke bina nahi reh sakte hain.”
Silence fell over the room. The depth of Khushi’s turmoil hung heavy in the air.
Bela stared at Khushi. She saw the turmoil, the insecurity, and the love. But she also saw the bleeding knuckles. The anger flared up again—not at Khushi, but at the method Khushi chose to handle this pain.
Bela: (shouting suddenly) “Toh deewar ko punch kar diya? Haa? Is that how you deal with insecurity and your emotions?”
Khushi flinched at the volume.
Bela grabbed Khushi’s injured hand—firmly, ignoring Khushi’s wince—and held it up between them.
Bela: “Look at this! Dekho isse! Does this fix what you said to Vanshu? Does this bleeding knuckle change the fact that you guys might live in different cities in the future? Does physical pain magically erase the guilt? Tell me!”
Khushi: “Nahi… par…”
Bela: “Par kya? ‘Maariye mujhe taaki guilt kam ho jaye’ Are you insane? Yeh kaunsa tareeka hai Khushi? Since when did punishment become a therapy for you?”
Bela let go of the hand and grabbed Khushi by her shoulders, shaking her slightly.
Bela: “Hosh mai aao.. Mai jaanti hoon kuch baatein accept karna mushkil hota h.. Par yeh jo tumne kiya h wo solution nhi h.. Agar dimaag mein itna shor tha… agar Radhika ki baatein tumhe pareshan kar rahi thi… toh tum mere paas kyun nahi aayi? Why did you bottle it up until you exploded?”
Khushi: “Ma’am aap busy thi…”
Bela: “To hell with busy! Jab baat tumhare mental peace ki ho, I am never busy. Tumne yeh kaise soch liya ki tum akele isse deal karogi aur solution yeh hoga—” she gestured to the wall “—ki khud ko chot pahuchao? Jab Radhika ne tumse itna kuch kaha agar tumne usi waqt yeh baatein share kar di hoti na then yeh punch karne ki zaroorat nhi padti.. But tum idiot ho.. Dimaag chod aayi ho apna kahi.. Agar usi waqt mujhse kaha hota we would have discussed this matter.”
Bela’s eyes were blazing, but tears of frustration shone in them too.
Bela: “Punching a wall doesn’t mend mistakes, Khushi. Sharing does. Talking does. Apologizing does. Tumne apne haath ko zakhmi karke Vanshu ka dard kam nahi kiya, tumne mera dard badha diya. Do you realize that?Aur un dono ka bhi.. Because you know very well un dono ko yeh bilkul accha nhi lagega..”
Khushi looked at Bela, the realization hitting her.
Bela: “You think hurting yourself balances the equation? It doesn’t. It just adds more pain to the family. Main tum teeno ko strong banana chahti hoon, par pathar nahi. Aur na hi main chahti hoon ki tum log dard mein khud ko destroy karo.”
Bela softened her grip on Khushi’s shoulders, her voice dropping to a firm, commanding whisper.
Bela: “Next time… agar dil aur dimaag ki ladayi ho, aur kuch samajh na aaye… you come to me. You talk at me, you cry in front of me. But you will never, ever raise your hand on yourself again. Is that clear?”
Khushi nodded, the tears falling freely now, the request for punishment forgotten, replaced by the warmth of being understood and scolded by the one person who could ground her.
Khushi: (whispering) “Yes, Ma’am.”
Bela exhaled sharply, the adrenaline fading, leaving only a mother’s concern. She pointed to the chair.
Bela: “Baitho. Let me dress this wound. Before infection sets in on top of all this drama.”
Bela sat down on the chair she had pulled close, her knees almost touching Khushi’s. The room was quiet again, save for the slight hiss of the air conditioner and the rustle of medical supplies.
Bela took Khushi’s injured hand in hers. Her touch was firm but surprisingly gentle now, a stark contrast to the violence of the moment before. She dipped a cotton swab in antiseptic.
Bela: “Haath seedha rakho.”
Khushi obeyed, biting her inner cheek to prepare for the sting. Bela dabbed the wound.
Khushi: (sharp inhale) “Ssshh…”
Bela: (without looking up) “Dard ho raha hai?”
Khushi: “Hm.”
Bela: “Hona chahiye. Physical chot ka dard aasan hota hai Khushi, do din mein bhar jaata hai. Par jo chot tum apne dimaag aur dil pe laga rahi thi subah se… wo dangerous hai.”
Bela applied an ointment soothingly over the bruised knuckles. She picked up the gauze and started wrapping it with practiced efficiency. As she worked, her voice softened, losing the edge of the General and sounding more like the mother she was.
Bela: “Aur jo tumne kaha… alag hone ke baare mein.”
Khushi looked down at Bela’s hands working on her injury.
Bela: “Radhika ne jo kaha wo practical sach tha. Life ka rule hai, bachhe bade hote hain, ghosla chhodte hain. Lekin tumne yeh kyun socha ki alag hone se ‘Team Unstoppable’ toot jayegi?”
Bela finished the knot and looked up, locking eyes with Khushi.
Bela: “Distance is just geography, Khushi. It doesn’t define relationships. Main aur Mahir Team Aashvi ke hone se pehle, infact abhi bhi emergency cases mai kayi baar mahino tak alag shehron mein rahe hain kaam ki wajah se. Does that mean we are less of a team? No. We are stronger because we know exactly where our home is.”
Khushi nodded in understanding, her heart finally calming down after all the thoughts.
Bela: “Tum teeno ka bond… it’s not made of glass ki thodi doori se toot jayega. It’s made of steel. Tum duniya ke kisi bhi kone mein raho, tum teeno hamesha ‘Unstoppable’ rahogi. Yeh insecurity apne dimaag se nikaal do ki sapne tumhe alag kar denge. Sapne tumhe bada banayenge, par tumhari roots hamesha yahan, ek dusre ke saath rahengi.”
Khushi: (whispering) “Thank you, Ma’am. I needed to hear this.”
She began packing the medical kit. As she looked up to check Khushi’s face, her gaze froze.
There, on Khushi’s right cheek, the red imprint of her fingers was vivid against the pale skin. The slap had been harder than she intended in her momentary loss of control. It looked angry and painful.
Bela’s heart clenched with a pang of guilt, but she masked it instantly with a hardened expression. She couldn’t afford to be soft right now. She leaned forward slightly, narrowing her eyes.
Bela: (sternly) “Gaal pe… dard ho raha hai?”
Khushi instinctively raised her good hand to touch her cheek, feeling the heat radiating from it. She tried to move her mouth to speak, but wince.
Khushi: “Wo… haan Ma’am. Jaw thoda stiff ho gaya hai… hilane mein…”
Bela’s eyes flashed. She shot a glare so sharp that it could have cut glass.
Bela: “Maine pucha dard ho raha hai ya nahi. I didn’t ask for a medical report. Aur agar stiff hua hai, toh hona chahiye. You deserved it for scaring me like that.”
Khushi’s mouth snapped shut instantly. She lowered her hand, looking down at her lap.
Khushi: “Sorry Ma’am.”
Bela stared at her for a moment longer, ensuring the message was received, before standing up. She placed the kit back on the shelf with a heavy thud.
Bela: “Ab jao. Sone jao. Akshu aur Vanshu wait kar rahe honge.”
Khushi stood up slowly, cradling her bandaged hand. She turned to leave, feeling drained but lighter, having purged the emotions.
Khushi: “Goodnight Ma’am.”
She reached for the door handle.
Bela: “Khushi.”
Khushi stopped and turned around. Bela was leaning against the desk, her arms crossed, her silhouette imposing.
Bela: “Yeh mat sochna ki bandage kar diya h aur thappad pad gaya toh hisaab barabar ho gaya.”
Khushi gulped.
Bela: “Self-harm is a serious offense in this house. Is harkat ki saza… abhi pending hai. I will decide the punishment when I am calmer. And trust me, you won’t like it.”
Khushi: (nervously) “J-Ji Ma’am.”
Bela: “Now get out.”
Khushi didn’t wait for a second invitation. She slipped out of the room quickly.
As the door clicked shut, Bela let out a long, shaky breath, her mask of the ‘General’ slipping. She looked at her own palm—the one that had struck Khushi—and rubbed it against her other arm, as if trying to wipe away the sensation of the impact.
Bela took the glass from the table, her hand trembling slightly.
She took a sip, looking at the closed door, hoping the lesson had truly sunk in this time.
Outside the study, Khushi leaned against the wall for a brief second, closing her eyes and exhaling a shaky breath before heading upstairs to her sisters.
Inside, the atmosphere was suffocating.
The moment the door latched, the ‘General’ façade crumbled completely. Bela’s shoulders slumped, and the glass of water in her hand rattled against the coaster as she set it down, her hand trembling slightly.
The door creaked open again.
Mahir, who was waiting eagerly for this session to get over so that he can know the details about what was happening, steps inside after checking on the little ones. He took one look at Bela and stopped. She wasn’t standing tall anymore; she was leaning heavily against the desk, her head bowed, looking defeated.
He walked over quickly, his voice laced with concern.
Mahir: “Bela?”
Bela didn’t look up. She just shook her head, a ragged breath escaping her lips.
Bela: “I failed, Mahir ji… I failed them.”
Mahir reached her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders, turning her to face him.
Mahir: “Kya baat kar rahi ho? You handled it. They needed that. You didn’t fail anyone.”
Bela: (looking up, eyes swimming with unshed tears) “Nahi Mahir ji, aapko poori baat nahi pata. Aaj jo hua… yeh sab meri wajah se hua h.”
She pulled away slightly, pacing the small room, her hands gesturing frantically as the guilt poured out.
Bela: “Akshu… use fever meri wajah se hai. Maine hi use wo punishment ki wajah se class ke bahar khada rakha tha aaj subah, thand mein…. Agar maine use wahan khada nahi kiya hota, toh shayad aaj wo bimar nahi hoti. She is shivering because of me.”
Mahir tried to interject, “Bela, wo punishment thi, tumne hi toh decide kiya tha na…”
Bela: (cutting him off, voice cracking) “Ha kiya tha par is tarah nhi.. I didn’t wanted her to get sick.. Aur Vanshu? Maine uska phone liya tha, Mahir ji. I confiscated it because I thought she was distracted. Agar aaj uske paas phone hota… toh wo raasta nahi bhatakti. Wo mujhe call kar sakti thi. She wouldn’t have been lost in the dark alone. Use waha police post pe dekh ke… my heart stopped. Agar usr kuch ho jaata toh zimmedar sirf main hoti. Sirf main.”
Tears streamed down her face now. She looked at her trembling hand again.
Bela: “Aur Khushi… usne khud ko chot pahuchayi kyunki wo guilt mein thi. And what did I do? Instead of explaining her first… asking the reason why she pulled this stunt… I slapped her. I raised my hand without thinking. Mai discipline sikhate sikhate itni harsh ho gayi hoon ki unhe hi nuksaan pohocha diya maine.. Akshu ki tabiyat kharab hui meri wajah se.. Vanshu ke phone nhi tha that’s why she lost the track and khushi.. I forced her for the extra class with Radhika.”
She covered her face with her hands, her voice muffled by sobs.
Bela: “I am the worst teacher. I am just a strict warden… nothing else.”
Mahir couldn’t listen to anymore. He pulled her into a tight, crushing hug, silencing her self-blame. He held her head against his chest, letting her cry, rubbing her back soothingly.
Mahir: “Shhh… bas. Chup ekdum. Not a word more.”
He held her until her sobbing turned into quiet hiccups. Then, he pulled back slightly, cupping her face in his hands, wiping the tears with his thumbs.
Mahir: (softly but firmly) “Tum strict ho, haan. Tum General ho, haan. Par tum ‘worst teacher’ nahi ho, Bela. You are the glue holding this chaotic army together.”
Bela: “Par Mahir ji…”
Mahir: “Listen to me. Akshu ko punishment di tumme kyunki tum chahti thi use apni galti ka ehsaas ho, fever bas ek coincidence hai aur thand ka asar hai. Vanshu ka phone lena tumhara duty thi as a guardian to correct her focus—wo bahar gayi apni marzi se, yeh uska impulsive decision tha. Aur Khushi… Khushi needed that shock. Sometimes words aren’t enough to stop someone from hurting themselves. Tumne jo kiya, pyaar aur darr mein kiya… nafrat mein nahi.”
Bela sniffed, leaning into his touch, her eyes red and tired.
Mahir: “Dekho in teeno ko. Punch kar liya, bimar pad gaye, ghar se bhaag gaye… par at the end aaye kahan? Tumhare paas. Punch karne ke baad bandage kisne kiya? Tumne. Vanshu ko dhoondh ke kaun laya? Tum. Akshu ki fikar sabse zyada kisko hai? Tumhe.”
He kissed her forehead gently.
Mahir: “You protected them, Bela. Even from themselves.”
Bela let out a long exhale, the tension leaving her body, leaning her weight against the desk.
Bela: “I’m just… exhausted, Mahir ji. I was so scared today.”
Mahir: “I know. Isliye… I have a request.”
Bela looked at him questioningly.
Mahir: “Cancel the punishments. Sabki.”
Bela frowned slightly, her instinct to maintain discipline kicking in weakly.
Bela: “Mahir ji, lekin…”
Mahir: “Please, Bela. Aaj ke liye bohot ho gaya. Akshu bimar hai, Vanshu emotional aur hurt hai, aur Khushi… well, uske haath mai bhi chot h and I don’t think ki ab wo aur Radhika ko face kar payegi. They have learned their lesson. Unhone tumhari aankhon mein wo darr dekh liya hai. That is punishment enough.”
He took her hands in his.
Mahir: “Kal subah unhe uth ke ‘General’ nahi… ek guardian chahiye. Let them breathe. Let yourself breathe. Maaf kar do unhe aaj.”
Bela looked at the closed door, thinking about her three musketeers upstairs—probably huddled together in one room right now. She thought about Akshu’s fever, Vanshu’s tears, and Khushi’s bruised hand.
Finally, she nodded slowly.
Bela: (whispering) “Okay. No punishments. Bas kal school time pe chale jaye.”
Mahir smiled, relief washing over him. He pulled her into a hug again, resting his chin on her head.
Mahir: “Wo toh tum ensure karogi hi. Chalo, ab General ki shift khatam. Let’s go check on the troops one last time and sleep.”
Team Unstoppable’s Room –
Khushi stood outside the bedroom door, taking a deep breath that rattled in her chest. Facing Bela in the study was terrifying, but facing her sisters—her lifeline—was a different kind of nightmare. Bela’s slap was the trailer; the movie inside was going to be a tragedy if she didn’t fix this.
She pushed the door open slowly.
The room was dimly lit by the bedside lamp.
Akshu was curled up in a mountain of blankets, shivering slightly, but her eyes were wide open, fixed on the door. She looked like a watchful owl, waiting for her prey.
Vanshu was sitting on the edge of her bed, a Biology textbook open in her lap. But Khushi noticed instantly that Vanshu hadn’t turned a page in a long time. Her eyes weren’t moving; she was staring blankly at the text, her posture rigid.
As soon as Khushi stepped in, the atmosphere shifted.
Akshu: (sitting up instantly, ignoring her dizziness) “Itni der kyu lagayi? Kya hua study mein? Ma’am ne daanta? Punishment mili? Bolo na.. I kya baat karni thi ma’am ko jo hume tak bahar bhej diya.. ”
Vanshu didn’t speak. She slowly lifted her head. Her gaze didn’t meet Khushi’s eyes. Instead, it traveled down to Khushi’s side and locked onto the stark white bandage wrapping her right hand.
Vanshu’s eyes narrowed. She knew. She knew exactly what a bandaged hand on Khushi meant. It wasn’t an accident. It was a punch.
Vanshu’s jaw clenched, and she slammed her book shut with a loud thud.
The sound made Akshu jump. She followed Vanshu’s death glare and finally saw the bandage.
Akshu: (gasps) “Khushi! Yeh… yeh haath mein kya hua?”
Akshu scrambled out of her blanket cocoon, ignoring the cold, and rushed to Khushi, grabbing her wrist gently.
Akshu: “Yeh bandage kyu bandhi hai? Chot lagi? Kaise? Bolo na! Chal kya raha h aakhir Haa.. Subah se dono dekh rahi hoon vanshu naaraz hoke baithi h.. Ghar se chali gayi thi aur ab tum yeh.. Ho kya raha h batayega koi.”
Khushi tried to pull her hand back gently, looking guilty.
Khushi: “Wo kuch nahi Akshu… bas… choti si chot hai. Dawai laga di hai Ma’am ne. Aur tum uth ke kyu aa gayi jao aaram karo please fever abhi kam nhi hua h tumhara.”
Vanshu: (voice dripping with ice) “Choti si chot nahi hai, Akshu. Madam ne diwar pe apna gussa nikaala hai. She punched the wall.”
Akshu’s eyes widened in horror. She looked from the bandage to Khushi’s face, and then the explosion happened.
Akshu: “Tum pagal ho kya? Dimaag kharab ho gaya hai tumhara? Diwar pe kaun maarta hai yaar? Haa? Hero ban na hai tumhe? Dard nahi hota h kya?”
She hit Khushi’s shoulder in frustration.
Akshu: “Baccho jaisi harkatein karti ho! Hamesha dusron ko lecture deti ho ‘be strong, be sensible’ aur khud? Khud tod-phod macha rahi ho? Are you mad?!”
Khushi: “Akshu, shaant ho jao please… tumhara fever badh jayega…”
Akshu: “Bhaad mein gaya fever! Tum chup raho! Tumhe akal kab aayegi? Agar haddi toot jaati toh? Haath h wo idiot.. Hum kya karte phir? Baithe rehte hospital mein?”
Khushi lowered her head, listening to her words silently because she knew she deserved it.
The room fell silent for exactly five seconds.
Then, the cold wind blew.
Vanshu: (scoffing lightly) “Hospital kyu jayenge Akshu? Humari behen toh ‘Superwoman’ hai na. Usko dard thodi hota hai. Usko toh bas gussa aata hai. Aur jab gussa aata hai toh wo baat nahi karti, wo todti hai. Apna haath.. Cheezein… aur rishte bhi.”
The taunt hit Khushi harder than the wall had. She looked up at Vanshu, hurt evident in her eyes.
Vanshu: “Kya dekh rahi ho? Sach hi toh hai. Jab maine pucha ki kya hua, toh chillaya mujhpe. Kaha ki hum ise chod denge.. Hum dur ho jayenge. Aur ab khud ko hurt karke sympathy chahiye? Great strategy, Khushi. Really mature.”
Khushi: “Vanshu please… aisa mat bolo. Sympathy nahi chahiye… You know I hate it.. Wo bas frustration mai tha.”
Vanshu: “Sympathy nhi toh kya chahiye? Haan? Subah se dekh rahi hoon, kuch na kuch chal raha hai dimaag mein. Maine pucha, tumne bataya nahi. Maine push kiya, toh faltoo ki baatein karne lag gayi. Aur ab yeh haath leke khadi hai.”
Vanshu turned her face away, picking up her book again, though her hands were shaking.
Vanshu: “Mujhe baat nahi karni tumse. Jao sone. Waise bhi humari baatein tumhe chubhti hain na.”
Khushi couldn’t take it anymore. The physical pain in her hand was throbbing, her cheek was stinging from the slap, and now seeing her sisters turn away was the final straw.
She stepped forward and grabbed the book from Vanshu’s hand, tossing it on the bed. Then she grabbed Akshu’s hand and pulled her to sit on the bed next to Vanshu.
Khushi: “Baitho. Dono chup chap baitho.”
Akshu: “Mujhe nahi baithna! Tum…”
Khushi: (louder, desperate) “Sit down! Please!”
They both froze at the crack in her voice. They sat down, looking at her—Akshu with worry, Vanshu with stubborn anger.
Khushi sat on the floor in front of them, on her knees, looking up at them. It was a position of surrender.
Khushi: “I am sorry. I am so, so sorry.”
She looked at Vanshu.
Khushi: “Vanshu, I messed up. Buri tarah mess up kiya h jaanti hoon mai. Par please suno toh sahi, tum dono nhi samjhoge toh mai kise samjhaungi? Ho gayi galti yaar.. Mujhe Accha lagta h kya tum dono ko hurt karke.. Tum dono se zyada dukh mujhe hota h mann karta h phod du apne aap ko.. Radhika Ma’am ki baaton ne mujhe dara diya tha bas. Mujhe laga hum alag honge jab aage jaake toh mai kaise manage karungi, dimaag sab samajh raha tha lekin dil ne bewakoofi kar di yaar.. Nhi hua mujhse control.. Isliye main insecure ho gayi thi. Aur jab tumne pucha… toh mera frustration galat tarike se nikla. Please samjho.”
She touched her bandaged hand lightly.
Khushi: “Yeh punch… yeh bravery nahi thi. Yeh bewakoofi thi meri. Kyunki mujhme himmat nahi thi tum dono se apne darr share karne ki. I felt weak, and I hated it.”
She looked at Akshu.
Khushi: “Main pagal hoon, haan. Dimaag kharab hai mera. Haa.. Par jo bhi hoon, jaisi bhi hoon tum dono ko hoon yaar.. Aur main tum dono se bohot pyaar karti hoon. Itna ki kabhi kabhi darr lagta hai ki agar tum log nahi hoge toh mera kya hoga.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks again.
Khushi: “Tum log mujhpe gussa karo, chilla lo, maaro… sab chalega. Ma’am ne mujhe thappad maara… tum dono bhi maar lo par please aise coldly baat toh mat karo.. Yeh bardasht nhi hoga mujhse.. Tum dono hi aise muh pher loge toh kaun hoga mere pass? Kaha jayegi khushi?”
Akshu and Vanshu gasped simultaneously. Vanshu’s head snapped towards Khushi, finally noticing the redness on her cheek.
Vanshu: “Kya? Ma’am ne maara?”
Khushi: (nodding) “Haa. Bohot zor se maara. And I deserved it. Unka thappad… unki daant… main sab bardasht kar sakti hoon. Duniya ka koi bhi dard seh sakti hoon.”
She reached out and placed her hands (one bandaged, one shaking) on their knees.
Khushi: “Par tum dono ki chuppi nahi seh sakti. Your silence kills me. Vanshu, agar tum mujhse baat nahi karogi… Akshu agar tum aise dekhogi… toh main sach mein toot jaungi. Please… gussa nikaal lo par ignore mat karo. Please.”
Vanshu looked at the bandage, then at the slap mark on Khushi’s cheek, and finally at her sister’s crying face. The anger melted away, leaving only the pain of seeing her sister so broken.
Vanshu slid off the bed onto the floor and threw her arms around Khushi’s neck.
Vanshu: (sobbing) “You are an idiot! A big emotional idiot!”
Akshu didn’t wait either. She slid down and hugged them both from behind, burying her face in Khushi’s shoulder.
Akshu: (crying) “Dobara aisa mat karna… please… mujhe darr lagta hai jab tumhe chot lagti hai.. Aur aaj soch liya par yeh thought apne dimaag se nikal do ki hum kabhi alag ho sakte h..Hum jaha bhi honge saath hi rahenge.”
Khushi closed her eyes, holding them tight, finally feeling the storm settle.
Khushi: “Never again. I promise. Usi Waqt nikal diya tha jab galti ka ehsaas hua tha.. Team Unstoppable hamesha saath rahegi. Chahe kuch bhi ho jaye.. Mujhe maaf karne ke liye thank you!”
The three sisters stayed in that embrace for a long time, the silence of the room healing the cracks that the day’s chaos had caused. The anger, the taunts, and the insecurity melted away, leaving only the warmth of their bond.
___________________________________________
To be continued..
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