"What in the world is all that noise down there.", the same booming voice that once gave me nightmares, my ex-father.

I turn to see him, with a small smile on my face, and watch his face go from confusion to recognition. Guess he didn't expect me to be here. He opened his mouth but the sound that came was of a woman's -

"You!", right behind him three steps above was my not-so-great ex-mother.

"Hey Aunt! And hi Uncle!", my smile broadens as I greet them, just to piss them off. You could say, my way of getting back at them was by just pissing them off more.

My brother sputtered into a laugh earning glares from his parents. I dramatically widen my eyes and look at my brother, "Shush! She told me only to not call her mom", I say loud enough for the others to hear and from the corner of my eyes I see their faces turning red.

They weren't used to this side of me. All these years back I had been the quiet petite girl they used to bully. I never raised my voice at them hoping one day they would love me even atleast a hundredth portion of how much they loved my brother and Megha.

"What is she doing here?", my brother opened his mouth to reply but I squeeze his hand and shake my head to say not to answer her.

"Can't I just visit my brother?", Bhaiya wraps his hand around my shoulder and smiles at his parents.

"You heard her!"

And now I was enjoying this. Revenge was sweet.

I then walk towards Bhabhi, who now had a small smile playing on her lips, and link my arms with her dragging her along with me to kitchen, "I'll be going only after lunch.", I say loudly so that they knew they weren't getting rid of their niece that fast.

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All of my favourite dishes were prepared by me, Bhabhi and Bhaiya and we had set the table ready. My uncle and aunt were both playing with Bhaiya's kids. From their stiff backs it was clear that they were fully aware of what was going on behind them in the open dining area. Bhabhi goes and grabs the playing kids to have lunch and signals me with her eyes to call her in-laws.

Bhaiya beats me to it and asks them. Don't know what he wanted to achieve, Bhaiya made me sit opposite to my aunt and to the right of my uncle who was at the head of the table.

Everything was going smoothly with uncle and aunt keeping quiet and remaining all of us had already finished with our food and were joking and laughing. Suddenly uncle stood up pushing his chair back and only quarter of his plate empty. He left the table casting us a glare. Aunt too was getting up when the last bit of patience in me snapped -

"If you have got any problem with me, then take it on me. There is no need to disrespect food."

"I am not hungry. That's all.", my uncle stops and replies without turning back.

"You should have been left to starve atleast once in your life, to know the value of food and not to waste it.", I watched as Bhabhi took the kids to a room opposite as things were beginning to heat up.

"Pooja!", my aunt's voice harsh, " Be careful of your words girl! You should be thankful to us for being kind enough to let you live here once, when you were nothing but a burden to us."

I stand up pushing the chair back, "Oh! Don't you dare get me started on your so called kindness. If you had been really kind enough your sister wouldn't have killed herself leaving you with this burden.", I point at myself before continuing. "Every single time from me being a child to this moment you can't even properly look into my face, without seeing your sister in me. What wrong did I or my mother do to you?"

My eyes were filling with tears and my emotions were in a haywire. I knew there was no more going back. I had get all of this out of my system.

"You were jealous of your sister even from time you were kids. And what you took it out on her at her weakest time. And then afterwards took it on me. You know what,", my voice dry as I chuckle, "she deserved more than a sister like you. And I deserved more than a mother like you."

Everyone were quiet, I harshly wipe my tears and pick up my bag from the corner table, "I'll call you later Bhaiya."

As I reach the door I give them a last piece of my mind before going, "And yes, I should be thankful to you, for teaching me how a mother should not be like."

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I needed to clear my mind and the only place I could think of was here. A small clearing on the peak of a hill. The hill was at the end of the city and from here you could see the tiny buildings down there.

No one knew about this place and it was the perfect spot to escape from reality for a few hours. I sit on the ground cross legged and stare at the evening sky.

The last time I came here was the day before my marriage. The day I hoped everything would be changing in my life, for good, and I wouldn't be coming here back.

But again after more than four years here I am trying to find peace in my soul.

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