The Unwanted Princess

part-16

isn't it lovely all alone

heart made of glass

My mind of stone

-lovely song

Giggling like little conspiring children they entered OM, holding each other's hand and dragging their suitcases behind them. Dripping wet with wide childish grins and gloating tones they entered the place they like to refer as their personal hell. Ansh was just noticing the emotions surfacing in Anya's eyes looking at their so called blood related family. He knew Anya was master at hiding her true emotions wellViaan, Savvy and Ro has told him just about a million times how good she is at hiding her pain and sufferings so he needed to be extra vigilant and at the first sign of any break down he will have to pack her up and parcel her to them, all her plans and dadi's wishes could go to hell for all they cared as for them her emotional well being matters the most and they don't want her to feel alone and worthless ever again.

He watched her with same attention an eagle watches it's prey, noticing even the smallest of actions like the quiverings lips, shaking fingers, twitching muscles and the slowly darkening eyes at the sight of people before her just like a drop of black ink spreading in crystal clear water, like an innocent heart slowly poisoning by years and years of darkness surrounding her. All the love hiding behind a thick dangerous, threatening, terrifying black veil until you couldn't differentiate between love and hate, until you don't know when the red colour of love changed into blood splattered all around you and red shining brightly in your hands and eyes.

"Welcome home, beta" He heard the jovial tone of their mom greeting them and all he wanted to do is warn her to not touch them, they're broken glass pieces and she will only hurt herself trying to pick them up. They're the sharpest spikes of ice, they're doubled edged sword painted in black and they hurts.

"home is always where heart is" The soft sing song voice of his sister did what he wanted to warn them about the devil inside them. she stabbed them with a knife built with words just the way all of them had hurt her, made her all miserable and alone and he watched on remembering why he hadn't embraced them tightly when that was all he wanted, they were a part of him and he wanted to tell them he loves them as much as he loves his adopted parents but she had stopped him after knowing what happened to her, forgiveness became a foreign context to him. No, he can't bear to know how something died inside her everyday, something that changed the summer child into the frosty queen who played with people just like he could never make himself to tell her the reason behind the swirling darkness in his eyes, about how alike they are even after all this years.

"Your old room is ready, beta" this time it was dear Gauri chachi speaking with nervousness clearly detected in her voice and blankness in Anya's eyes as she seemed lost in things beyond his reach.

"I'll stay in guest room" she spoke with certainty in her tone even though the blankness was still clouding her gaze and he could see the rejection rising in everyone's eyes ready to flow out of their lips and he didn't want to have a word war right now.

"She will stay in the guest room next to mine" he said with finality in his tone and eyes as he took her with him in the direction of their room without any further discussion. The rest of time followed in relative peace as the family left them to unpack in solace and that's exactly what they needed as they changed and unpacked and pondered and cursed and cried in the solace of the pillows.

Ansh looked around the room with a satisfied sigh, he had finally achieved phd in the art of throwing clothes around with dignity and not making the room look like a total mess. Sighing, he went to his sister's room and before he could knock the door opened and he found her standing before him in track pants and crop tops sporting an all black look.