Anvi

******

Just Be You,

And The One You Adore So Much Will Come To See You.

Ah! Why can't I decipher the meaning of it? It was so frustrating to solve this riddle. I pulled my hair in frustration and the passers-by were giving me weird looks. Composing myself, I went back to my normal form and smiled at them which only made them look at me with pity, as if I am insane.

Of course, they will think of me like that, otherwise which sane person pulls his/her hair while sitting in a public park?

I read The Red Journal and to be honest I didn't find anything to be worried about but it's like jumbled words to me and I hate solving jumbled words.

If I ever get the chance then I will go back in time and put some sleeping pills in that person's coffee or tea or whatever he liked to drink when he was about to invent this weird thing.

Who plays with words?

Anyways, so I got to know that this journal belonged to my great-grandfather. Isn't it a very astonishing fact? He had written some important and very interesting facts about his life in it.

But after a few pages, there was a note.

Read further if you are brave enough to do the dare.

It didn't seem like a threat to me, but a challenge, and being the curious person I am, I accepted it.

There were certain rules to it, which I found intriguing. Never have I ever heard of rules being in a journal. The rules were,

Rules:-

1. Don't back out.

2. Complete the dare.

3. Never ever share the secret of this journal with anyone.

4. Don't dare to make any wish before completing all your dares.

Breaking any of the rules will result in severe consequences.

The rules were absurd to me so I didn't pay much attention to that.

The first page after the rules was dated 23 August 2010 which said ' Just be you and the one you adore so much will come to see you'.

I was not able to comprehend those two lines. I have been trying for the last two days but all my efforts went into vain. I think I should read the further and with that thought, I turned the pages but they were empty.

That's it? Now I doubt that is it even the same journal Uncle and Aunty were talking about.

Keeping back the journal in my bag, I went to my house riding my bicycle.

"Where were you?" Arpit asked as soon as I parked my two-wheeler in the garden.

"In the park."

"You should have told me. We would have gone there together."

"Calm down brother, it's not like it's a haunted park and the ghosts will eat me up."

"Sssshhh. What are you doing? If Badi maa will listen that you were talking about ghosts she will scold you. Did you forget that it is forbidden to talk about these non-existent creatures?" Arpit whispered placing a finger on my lips.

Removing his finger I said, "Ok, ok, fine. what's not forbidden in this house?"

I was already frustrated and now Arpit made me more. I can't even talk freely in my own house.

I am tired of this forbidden thing. Can you imagine eating bitter gourd is forbidden in our home?

Although I don't like it, still how can a vegetable be forbidden in someone's household?

It's like when I was born I was tied with the list of forbidden.

At night, the dinner table was filled with not-so-humorous jokes passed by Grandpa and Grandma.

"Anvi, why are you not eating? Are you fine?" Adhyayan Bhaiya asked as my mind was still on those two lines of the journal.

"Yeah," I said smiling.

"There is a party at Sudhir's house next week. I am informing all of you beforehand so that you guys can apply for leaves." Mom announced.

"I can't. I have a test." I said.

"There is no test on that day. Sudhir's daughter has told me." Mom replied. Her tone was stern enough to let me know that she will not accept any excuse. Sudhir Uncle is Dad's distant cousin. He is very nice but I still didn't want to go to his party only because of his daughter Ahana. I hate his daughter. She is a spoilt brat and still, everyone adores her.

"I will not go."

"No one has asked for your permission. You are coming with us and that's final." Mom said and this time a bit loudly.

Bhaiya held my hand under the table to stop me but I didn't know what came into me that I back answered Mom, for the very first time in my life.

"I will not go even if you force me to."

"Anvi." Bhaiya glared but I just couldn't stop.

"Why are you all looking at me like that? Did I say anything wrong? Why is there no room for our opinion? Bhaiya wanted to live in India after school but you didn't allow him and Arpit, he wants to join a football club in his school but he stayed silent because he knows taking part in clubs like that is goddamn forbidden in our so-called reputed Shekhar family. And coming to me, What do you know Mom? About me? Do you know that I fell from the terrace last month when you went to join your so-called associate's business party in London?"

Mom looked astounded as if she was unaware but I know she knew about it.

"Anvi, enough," Bhaiya shouted.

"Adhyayan " Grandpa glared at Bhaiya and then looked at me with a stern face and said,

"Anvi, go to your room. Your food will be sent there only."

"Why should I go? Does anyone even love me here? I guess not, only dad used to, but he left, leaving me alone with all of you. He should have taken me with him."

That's when I felt a stinging pain on my right cheek. Mom slapped me. She never raised her voice on anyone not even on the employees of our company, but here she raised her hand on me. I knew I was wrong but I couldn't expect that she will ever raise her hand.

Tears pooled up in my eyes and I ran back to my room. I cried till my tears dried and after a while, someone knocked on the door.

I didn't reply as I thought whoever it was will go away when no reply will be given. But that didn't happen.

I heard the sound of my door being opened but I didn't turn around to look who it was.

"I hope my niece doesn't get angry at me for entering without her permission."I heard from my uncle.

Wiping my tears instantly, I turned around giving him a faint smile.

He came and sat beside me on the bed. "You know, you were Bhaiya's favorite child." Uncle stated but I never noticed Dad showing any favoritism towards me.

"But Dad never did any partiality with Bhaiya or Arpit."

"I never said he was partial. He adored you more than the boys. You know why?"

"Why?"

"He used to say that you are his replica. He had a belief that you will be stronger as compared to the boys and you will never let any wrong happen. Neither to yourself nor your loved ones."

I didn't understand what was the point of all this until he said,

"I saw Bhaiya's image in you when you kept your point in front of everyone, but there is only one difference."

"What?"

"The way you chose was wrong. If Bhaiya would have been there he would have tried to talk to Bhabhi and would have tried to make her understand his point with valid reasons."

"I know I did wrong and I am ashamed of it." I was truly ashamed of my deed.

"It's fine. Now, when you have accepted it, why don't you repent your mistake then?" I knew what he meant but will Mom listen to me?

"Don't think much. Just go."

I went to Mom's room and knocked on the door. The door opened revealing a smiling form of her. Holding my hand she took me inside and took out a first-aid kit from the cabinet beside her bed.

After making me sit on the bed, she started applying the ointment on my cheek which had a mark on her fingers. Even though she was smiling, I could still see the unshed tears in her eyes. I hugged her tight when she was done with the ointment.

"I am sorry, Mom. I didn't mean to hurt you. I am really very sorry ."

She caressed my hair lovingly and said,

"It's fine, sweetheart. Just don't say it again that you should have gone with your father. I am living for you and Adhyayan only."

Telling me soothing words she stopped me from crying and said, "Let's make you eat something. I can't let my sweet little daughter starve."

We both went to the dining hall and had our dinner together, while I was telling Mom about all the recent events of my life she was unaware of. It has been so long since we had a quality time like this. It feels like old times and I wish everything just go back to how it was before, I really WISH.