"Mom, Dad!" I screamed as I came running down from the stairs in the hallway.

"Why are you shouting?" Dad asked in his stern voice.

My parents were sitting in the drawing room watching re-runs of some stupid Indian serial. It is so cliché. The same story in every Goddamn serial. The lead actress is very innocent but her husband hates her initially and the mother-in-law and sister-in-law are bitches who have only one motto that is destroy the poor girl's life and not let her husband fall for her eventually.

"Why?" I asked in a rude voice. But I didn't care. Anger was pumping through my entire body.

"What why?"

"Why are you doing this to me?" I asked shouting again.

"First of all stop shouting. Secondly, what are you talking about?" My mom scolded.

"You are looking for a guy? A guy for marriage? Without my consent? Like seriously? What is the matter with you two? I asked for five years, didn't I?"

Shock was evident on their faces but then their eyes narrowed to my brother who was standing behind me. I didn't even realize he was there.

"Why can't you keep anything to yourself?" My mother said.

"Because what is wrong is wrong," My brother defended. "She is still studying maa. How can you think of marrying her when she is still studying?"

"Ayush, stay out of it! You are too small to know about these things," my dad scolded.

"And look we are just looking for a guy. This is your last year. You anyways have to get married when you get your degree," my dad said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What if I don't want to get married?" I whispered.

"What?" My parents said in unison.

"Do you have an affair? With someone? Is that the reason why are you against marriage?" My father's voice boomed throughout the room making me shiver.

"Rishita? Do you have an affair?" My mother asked, it looked like she was about to faint.

"Noooo. What are you even talking about? I don't have a fucking boyfriend," I was beyond exhausted. I didn't even have the energy to fight back.

Slap.

My mother slapped me on my right cheek.

It stung!

"I will not tolerate swear words in my house. This is not our teaching."

"Your boyfriend, Neel has taught you all this, right? I know there is something going on between you and Neel. That is the reason why she is always with him," my dad said.

"Dad, don't get Neel into this! He is just a friend," I said glaring at my dad.

"You might have even had...." my dad continued ignoring my previous statement.

"Ohh God, stop! No way! What are you talking about?" I screamed.

My father was implying that I have had sex with my best friend. How could he?

"Look Rishita, I have never raised a hand on you, but don't try me. You are a girl, you should get married. Now or later that depends on us. You are nothing more than a weight on our shoulders which I am eager to get rid off. Get it? So if you ever raise your voice against me, the consequences won't be good," my father, wait, let me repeat. My 'own' father said those words.

That hurt, a lot. Trust me I lost all my respect for my so called parents.

***

It was midnight and I was lying on my bed blankly staring at the ceiling replaying the incidents in my mind. I looked at the photo frame of my family lying on the side table and started crying. I cried muffling my voice with the pillow.

Why me? Why me out of all people?

Being a lawyer has always been my dream. And this dream was taken away from me.

By my own parents!

Toby came near me and snuggled up against me howling slowly. My ringing phone distracted me from my thoughts, I was hoping it to be Neel and luckily it was him. Without further delay I answered the phone.

"I hate my parents. I really do. They fucking want to torture me to death and I fucking cannot do anything about it! Please get me out of this hell hole."

"Well, hello to you too. Now tell me what happened? Why do you sound so pissed? What did Satan and his wife do now?"

"Today I came from college and I was exhausted. The everyday drama and all, then Ayush told me that my parents are looking for guys for me. I could not take it anymore."

"What the fuck? Don't they understand the meaning of five years? This is your last year Riri, you need to focus on your studies. You have to become a successful lawyer or who will take my case and get me out of jail even if I am the culprit," he tried to lighten up my mood.

He was indeed very good at it because I could feel my mood changing.

"Exactly! And when I told them about it they were like am I having an affair? My father even said that we are dating and probably I have already had sex with you, already! And shut up, I would never get you out of jail if you are wrong."

"Oh!" He did not make any funny remarks this time. It was a big thing, accused for sleeping with someone's daughter.

"Such a big implication and that's all you have to say? Really?" I was a little annoyed. Not because of Neel but because of my parents. I seriously don't understand, how they could even say such a thing.

"I am flabbergasted. This is what he thinks of us? Forget about me. This is how low he thinks of his daughter? The daughter which he has raised. What an ass!"

"He is a motherfucking asshole. And today he has lost every ounce of respect I had for him." I narrated the rest of the story.

He was furious on the last sentence my father had said. I had quoted it exactly the same. I will never forget his words. By now my anger had converted into tears.

"Please get me out of this hell hole," I said in between my sobs.

"Ssshhhh... Calm down babe I am here for you, always. Do you want me to whip Satan's ass?" He joked.

"No."

"Point. Hitting animals is a crime. I cannot do that. I don't want to land in jail." This made me laugh.

"Shut up!" I said wiping my tears. I cannot cry forever because of my parents. I have a life too. Although I have given up all the hopes I need to enjoy the rest of my life.

"Make me shut up, munchkin," Neel teased.

He is excellent when it comes to flirting. Because of his constant flirting not only my parents but a lot of people think that we are dating. How stupid of them!

I decided to play along. "You very well know science has not progressed so much that I can kiss you through the phone."

"Damn! Give me my kiss on Saturday then."

"Saturday? Who said I am meeting you on Saturday? Or as a matter of fact any day?"

"Me, Neel Khurana."

"Idiot! Fine I will meet you on Saturday. Regular place?"

"Yes, regular place. Anyways, I have to go. Talk to you later. Don't miss me much. Love you."

"Miss you, my ass. Bye. Love you too."

I hung up and smiled to myself. This guy is really something else. He lightens up my mood and takes my mind off a lot of things.

I again lay on the bed and made a decision. I will never cry again, not for them. The parents who claim that they love me, I will never cry for them. Now, I hope I get married soon. Not because I want to, but because I have little hope, little hope of getting that freedom I always wished for.

You know what they say, if you have little hope, just grab it.

Hold onto it!