Attraction To Affection

Chapter 6: Lineage not to be broken

                           NYSA

I came in her room and saw her staring blankly at something while her hands were on her forehead. I can clearly sense something's very wrong. I went to her. Once she feels I am beside her, she put on that fake facade of smile and asked me what happened? Seriously?

"What happened to me? What happened to you? Why are you so down since morning and I noticed your behaviour with Ruhaan? Idk his name" I said with worry clear in my tone. "Just tell me what happened and I'll totally help you, we three will help you. Yk we're there for you, right?" I said assuring her.

"Yeah, I know but its just, I can take this burden anymore. I can-can't li-live like this." She started tearing up.

"Will you pleaseee tell me what happened? I can't help if you won't tell me anything, I swear I won't talk about it tomorrow if you don't want me to."

She hugged me instantly and she knows I am not a hugger but who cares at the moment, right? I'll give her all my hugs if that helps her to get back to her old self.

She calmed down after few minutes and said sorry for hugging me.

"Why are you sorry? Its completely fine. I'll give you all the hugs if you would promise that you'll be back, Rai would be back." She chuckled at my words and realised what I asked her to tell me.

"If you don't want to, don't. Tell me when you're ready." I said trying to get up.

"No, no, its not like that, sit, I'll tell you. Its a long story, it'll take me time to you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I understand."

"It all started when I was 7 years old. I was so small so like every other girl, I dreamt of marrying a man who would love me, I would have kids and then like Cindrella, we'll live happily ever after. I used to say it everyday to my brother and he always said to me that you'll get married and I used to get so happy hearing that. He wasn't totally aware because he was just 10 at that time. What do you expect from him?
   When I turned 14, I was going to my parents room to tell them about the trip to Noida we had, yk. And just as I was reaching, I heard them talking about MY marriage. They were talking about some Ruhaan Arya and I was not that naive to not connect the dots. I have known Ruhaan since I was like 8, we've met a couple of times because our parents are close friends. He was always this reserved guy who didn't talk much, he is an year older than me so I used to play with his younger sister Aarohi who is our age. We are not close anymore, wait, just wait I'll tell you why. So, yeah, when I heard my parents talking about my marriage, I thought they were just joking like everytime else. I entered their room and asked for the signature on the form but that thing has been there on my mind since then but it all went away the night before I came here. No matter how hard I tried, I never digested that fact, it held my gut like nothing else and there was no one I could have talked to. We weren't that close till we came in 11th and then you got your own problems so I didn't wanna trouble you with mine too."

"You would have never troubled me with your problem, Rai. I wish I was there but will you tell me what happened the night before we came here, please, it will lessen your burden." I tried to assure her when I myself was in deep shock. I know where it is going, I've read it in books but I never thought this happens in real life. I guess extra richness does comes with its own terms.

"The night before we came here, I went inside my house and I was immediately welcomed by my own family. Initially, I thought that they all gathered because I won't be there tomorrow but soon that thought faded away when they finally talked about the topic I've been dreading since I was 14. I didn't know it was coming and they plummeted the whole thing on me at once. I wasn't ready for the hit, I wasn't. They told me that there are certain constraints that I need to follow so that I don't disgrace them in the society, there are certain restrictions on me that I need to be have in order to be their perfect daughter. I didn't know all this royalty and power came with such terms and conditions. I am still 18, I didn't want my life to be in control of someone else. Anyway, I was told that as I am going to Delhi tomorrow, I'll meet Ruhaan there. Ruhaan as in the boy whom I met when I was 8. Its been long since I've met them and Aarohi also cut all her ties with me the day his so called brother turned 15. I was told that our parents have already decided our marriage and we can't back out from it. If we do that, neither would we have the shares in the family nor they'll consider us their child. I didn't want much of the share but having the thought of not having my family beside me no matter what they do to me didn't settle well. I agreed to all of their conditions so that I can get some time out for myself. I can come here and enjoy my free years but that was not enough, I guess god isn't just yet content. They dropped another bombshell where I need to date Ruhaan so that we can get to know each other and its easy for us to stabilize in this so called arrangement. I was beyond devastated when I got to know that my whole family plotted all this so that they can create ties with the royal family of Jodhpur, apparently Ruhaan is the next king of Jodhpur. I didn't cry the next morning because I was going away from my family, call me selfish, I was rather happy but I cried knowing exactly where I was going to, knowingly exactly that I am going to meet the future king of Jodhpur and he probably hates me because why not?"

I just can't say anything, this is too much information in one day and I can't digest it all at once. I thought my life was the only thing fucked up, my issues were greater than anyone else and my friends had amazing life but guess what? She has a more fucked up life than I could ever have. I mentally thanked my parents. But this is so....bad and complicated and twisted and what not. You can't just give birth to your child and expect them to follow what you want them to. You can't burden them with your dreams. They are not born for this.

"Let it all out, Rai. I am here, we are here."

"You know, Aarohi was an amazing friend. We too were so close that we nearly asked our mothers to either adopt her or me. We were nearly sisters but when her brother turned 15, all this shit was bombed on him too like it was bombed on me. He was young, he had his life all planned out but being the eldest son of the royal family come with its own responsibilities. I don't know what he wanted to do but I know that he didn't wanna be the king, he knew how fucked up it is and he didn't wanna come in the spotlight. This is all the information I have from his sister. I understand his point but family do have its own ways. They emotionally blackmailed him too like they did to me and he had to surrender. Aarohi loves her brother so much, she was just 14 and it didn't settle with her that her brother has to forcefully marry me. She just gradually drifted apart and they stopped coming to us. Our parents met but never their kids. Ruhaan is not bad, I know he's not but I can't just agree to a marriage where there's no love. I see Any and how she's always up for love, I am up for it too but I don't know if I'll ever find it. I guess its not in my destiny because how can lineage ever be broken. It happened with my great-grandparents, my grandparents and my parents, I didn't know it would happen to me too. His parents are amazing you know, they are not conservative nor are my parents when it comes to clothing, roaming around but when it comes to boys and marriage and dating thing they're back to square one that's why they didn't let me visit you guys back at Jodhpur everytime there was a party or a birthday. They can't tolerate boys. So now that everything's clear to you, you probably can guess than I need to date Ruhaan in order to stay connected to my family and same goes with him. This is the sole reason for my behaviour with him today. Also, I need to attend all the royal functions with him as his soon-to-be-fiance." She sadly chuckled and I scoffed at my condition that no matter how much I want to, I can't help her, not in this.

"Don't feel sorry Nysa, there's only so much you can do here. Thankyou for always being there for me. You know you're always going to be my bestfriend above all, right?"

"Yeah, I know and you are my best friend too." I willingly hugged her, she was shocked but she hugged me back. I hope, I just hope that Rai gets her share of love in this world and I so wish Ruhaan is the one for her. I hope this arrangement blossoms into something they wouldn't even themselves have imagined and if it did not, we girls are toh always together. If Ruhaan does anything against her, I'll see him. Guess I need to talk to him in private once their arrangement starts. A little threatening won't hurt, he should know if he messes up whom he's messing with.

She laid down on bed because it was already one and we have college tomorrow, she needs rest. I pulled the blanket over her and left to my room. Too much information never lets me sleep. I started watching my comfort show FRIENDS on netflix and I don't know when the clock struck 7 and I could hear everybody in the living room. Its time for college. I yawned and I can't sleep now not on my first official day of college.

Lets see what awaits me.