Her grip on the plastic handle fortifies as she looked around to detect the expected person into the crowd of hundreds of strangers. Agitated, she pulled out her phone and punched his number, hitting the call button. Chewing onto her lips and still running her eyes around, she pressed the phone to her ears, listening to the annoying rings that were churning her up.

“Hello? Mukund? Where the fuck are you?” She blasted as soon as the call got received. “I am standing here on the platform waiting for you like an idiot and there is no sign of you. Just tell me, where the hell are you?”

“Anu…baby, listen to me very carefully, okay?” Mukund quaked and her breath elevated. “I am… I am stuck at here. I…I can’t make it.” he finished with a quivering voice and Anahita missed her heartbeat. She experienced the ground shifting beneath her feet and gripped onto the suitcase tightly. “What….what do you mean?”

“I said I can’t make it. I am really sorry for that, baby.” He repeated firmly, his words loud and clear. Anger coursed in her veins and she gritted her teeth. “Are you fucking out of your mind, Mukund? I ran from my house just because you promised me to be here and you are saying that you can’t come. Is it a joke, you motherfucker!” She bellowed, earning several gasps and collective glares from the rushing passengers.

“It is my life, you fucking dog!” She cursed, angrily but her voice cracked and tears pooled in her eyes. Everyone kept ditching her and breaking her trust. She slapped a hand on her mouth to prevent the sobs, “It is my…it is my wedding today, Mukund. How…how could you do this to me?”

“Anu…baby...”

“Don’t baby me, you bastard! Do you think you can play with my life just like that? Listen to me very carefully Mr. Mukund Acharya, if you're so much just as thinking of hoodwinking me, let me make it pretty clear to you that I'll head to the police commissioner and will lodge an FIR against you. Understood?” She snarled, wading through the crowd and walked out, nimbly.

“God damn it! Anahita, will you please listen to me for once?” Mukund yelled back, without giving her a chance to counter. “I was to come to you and trust me, I'd done all the arrangements but suddenly at eleventh hour, my HOD called up a meeting. It was very important and I couldn't say no. I was informed there that I have to go to Bhopal. It was mandatory else I could've lost my job. That's why I couldn't defy, babe."

"Done feeding me lies?" She scoffed, running a hand through her hair. “I don’t believe a word you say now, Mukund! Don’t you fucking lie to me!”

“For God sake, Anu, I love you.” Mukund timidly tried to persuade her. “Why would I feed lie to you? I did this for us; if I had refused I would've lost my job.”

"And you chose that fucking job over me? Over your love even when you know what's happening here?" She retorted.

"Anu...I have not chosen anything over you. Trust me! If I lose this job how would I feed you after our marriage? How would I manage our expenses? How would I make our ends meet?" He argued, trying to sound reasonable.

"Marriage?" She sneered, blinking her tears away. "Forget about marrying me Mukund, you know it in spades that the situation is critical. I wouldn’t have agreed to elope with you, had I had any other option. Now, what? I am done doing my part and you’ve backed off. So, what should I do now?”

“Stop being a cry baby Anahita, you know whatever I'm saying is reasonable. Then why are you behaving immaturely? You can deal with it.” Mukund snapped, irritated with the blames.

"Immaturely? I'm behaving immaturely? So Mr. Mature, will you please enlighten me how should I handle it? Since my whole family would've been well aware that I ran away. What do you expect me to do? Go back to them and apologize?" She squabbled, sitting under the shade of a tree. She glared at the summer sun surreptitiously and wiped the sweat on her forehead.

“Exactly do the same!” Mukund suggested, quickly and she glared at the phone in disbelief. “Mukund, have you banged your head somewhere? What in the earth do you think you are suggesting me?"

"I'm completely in my senses Anu and I know very well what I am saying. You shouldn't stay away from your family and for that you have to go back and apologize to them."

Her forehead throbbed in pain and she closed her eyes to calmly convince him. “Mukund, they will get me married to Yuvraaj right now. If this is what you want, I suggest go and see a doctor.”

“Anahita, listen, I know it sounds hilarious but you have to deal with the situation sincerely.” He tried to sell his thought to her, “For the first thing, tell me do you really want to be with me?”

She rolled her eyes. “No. I'm standing here on the railway station with my luggage leaving everything behind, for President of America; Donald Trump. Of course, for you duffer.” Mukund chuckled at her sarcasm. “Then do as I say.”

He enlightened her of the way out but she just saw red after listening everything. The whole world started dancing before her eyes as the scorching heat of summer and her tiresome body betrayed her. She rubbed her neck and felt her throat parching due to bawling. “This idea is just as shitty as you are. How can you even ask me to do this! Are you fucking mad?”

“Anahita, stop swearing. I believe I'm gonna get deaf today if you keep cursing and yelling on me. And no I'm not mad because I know this is the only way out."

"This is wrong. It will be injustice to everyone and trust me, we'll be stuck. I know Yuvraaj and he is the worst guy of my acquaintance. You've no idea what he can do. Also it will cause serious damage to my dad's reputation. I will tarnish our prestige." She mumbled, staring at her feet. “He is not the best father but he is my father. He may not give my feelings a damn but I care for him. I am already hurting him but I can’t just overdo my sins. He doesn’t deserve this pain, Mukund.”

“And we do?” Mukund countered, seething. “What about us, Anu? Your father rejected me without even meeting me because he promised his friend to marry you with his son. Is this right? He insulted me by already refusing to know that I can be better than that guy Yuvraaj who knows nothing but to annoy you and make you cry. Is this right? You pleaded him to cancel out the wedding and he paid no heed. Is this right? Do we deserve this struggle, Anahita?”

Anahita was helplessly silent as Mukund was right. She was wronged by her family. They never supported her and she knew that even if Yuvraaj killed her, they would find her fault but only support him. Mukund sighed on the other side, “Everyone is selfish, Anu. The whole world is selfish, so why can’t we be, for once? Why can't we think of our happiness for once without thinking about others?"

Anahita was on a crossroad. It was the toughest and most prominent decision in her life. She couldn’t just sit and let everyone make decisions for her. She knew it was her father who she was going to go against but she refused to give up on her happiness. If child’s happiness matters the most for a parent, then I am sure my dad will also be happy. Mukund will keep me happy and that is what matters to them. My happiness.

Her happiness! She at least hoped so. She made her mind to disregard her morals and ethics and go with the idea. Her voice was all determined when she spoke. “What do I have to do?"

"Really? Will you do that? Oh! I so love you baby. I love you so much." Mukund squealed in glee, making her lips widened. "I love you too. Now just tell me what I have to do?"

Mukund explained her everything and she suppressed every bubbling why in her heart, making notes in her mind. She was chewing on her nails when he finished off and her heart was pounding in her ribcage. “Do you think it will work?" She expressed her fears.

“Have faith in me baby and I will strike the right note, I promise. Now go back to your home and promise me that you will take care of yourself." Mukund asked and she smiled. They cut the call biding bye and she found a taxi. She opened the backseat door, pushed her luggage inside and settled on the seat, gesturing the driver to start. Resting her head on the leather headrest, she messaged her eyes with her index finger and thumb.

She wasn’t sure of her father’s reaction and honestly, she didn’t want to ponder on it because it was giving her jitters. In an era where people backstabbed each other the moment other one turned his back, her father was keeping his ‘words’ that he had given to his friend when she was born. The word that he would get his daughter married to Yuvraaj who was barely four years old then. It had been twenty three years and her father refused to step back, even when it was costing her smile, her happiness and her life.

It is my life. Only I have the right to make decision for me. She thought determined.

***

Anahita stood on the sill of 'Maurya Mansion', heart pumping loudly in nervousness and in fear. She licked her lips exasperatedly and watched the closed iron gates.

"Ma'am? Will you please give me my money?" She made a face as the taxi driver nudged her, she turned to him with contorted face, "What do you think I'm going to run with some 150 rupees of yours?" She fished out her wallet from the back pocket of her jeans and taking out required money, handed it to the driver, beckoning him to move.

"Thank you ma'am." The driver nodded and whooshed away leaving her all alone in the road in burning summer. Hot, humid wind continuously slapped her face as if it was punishing her for coming back, the silent atmosphere around her bride adorned house could easily calculate that either everyone was sleeping, which was not possible, or everyone must be mourning over her departure which meant if she went inside, she wouldn't ever be seen.

"Dad will chop you into pieces and then grill you with salt and pepper on the barbeque. Don't go inside Anu, just run away. Take a deep breath, turn around and run for your life. I can't do this. I can't do this." She breathed heavily and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She phoned Mukund for some moral support and he picked it up at first ring.

“I can't do this." Anahita said in a breath.

"Anu baby...where are you, tell me?" He asked and Anahita dropped her shoulders looking at the gate. "In front of my home but my legs are not moving ahead."

"They won't move ahead on their own, you have to be brave and take steps."

"No no, no, dad will kill me for sure. He would never accept me and -"

"Are you going to stay with him all your life? No right. Then why are you so afraid? Just go and confess everything."

"It's not that easy Mukund. I don't know what will he say and mom, mom is going to do hell of a drama and I know she is like mother India, she just won't accept it all as it is fed. I'm sure she will help dad in burying my body in the backyard if she comes to know that I eloped." Anahita cried.

"Anu, listen to me very carefully. I'm not going to help you out in this, and you have to face the situation alone. Now if you want to be with me, do it else I will understand that I loved a coward." His words made her frown.

"I am not a coward, understand." She seethed.

"Then prove it. Go inside, and apologize. Now you will call me only after work is done, understand?" He challenged.

"But... but how can you leave me alone to handle this. We are going to be together then wouldn't you be helping me in each step I take like a good partner?"

"Your mind runs like Rajdhani express when it comes to me and you want to get your work done but when your wit is needed, it's of no use. Stop telling me what I should do or not and go inside, fight for our love. Understood?" Mukund propelled.

"Positive." She cut the call without bidding bye and dragged the trolley inside. She could've simply pressed the doorbell and door could've opened but in total Bollywood style, she pushed the door yet again, it remained closed.

"What the hell, yaar? My life just sucks." She came crashing down to the reality and pressed the bell. Kaka saw her and in his full speed, he sprinted to her, quickly opening the door. "Where were you muli? Sir and madam are so worried; they thought you just...eloped." He widened his eyes and Anahita walked past him. "Come inside kaka and yes bring popcorns too because you are going to enjoy total Bollywood drama." She commented over her shoulder. This was going to be difficult and she hoped that she could survive.

"Mom! Dad!" Her voice echoed in the hall ripping the doleful silence that had covered Maurya Mansion. Mr. And Mrs. Maurya eyed her as if she was an illusion; they got up immediately jumping on their feet and ran to her. Anahita didn't intend to but some tears dribbled down from her eyes when her mother hugged her. It made her guilty as well.

"Anu... Where were you babu? Where did you go?" Mrs. Maurya cried hugging her but Anahita's eyes were searching her father and his stiff demeanor when he probably noticed the heavy trolley bag beside her.

"What is this Anahita?" He asked calmly but his posture was not at all calmed. By then, everyone started noticing it and comments flew in air regarding everything and anything.

'Was she running away with her boyfriend?'

'Ooh my God! My brother has such a lousy daughter.'

'She will tarnish the prestige of this house.'

'Huh! It was supposed to happen. They've given their daughter too much freedom.'

All her relatives whispered loud enough for the whole family to listen. If she weren't in this situation, she would answer these hypocrites acutely but now was not the time. She had already her platter full and adding one more stuff would just make it difficult.

"I have asked you something Anahita. ANSWER ME!" Mr. Maurya roared, making her flinch and all the courage drenched out from her, leaving her shivering and wobbling.