Anvesha:

I could hear voices. They were hushed, not purposely, but standing behind a closed door would only let me hear voices upto a certain extent.

Frustration and impatience were building inside me with every second that passed. I missed a whole college day to stand behind a closed door, sneaking on my father's conversation with his friend?

Absolutely not.

If I had to make a good use of this missed day, I would at least hear my father's conversation fully by standing behind a wall near the courtyard.

This sounded so ridiculous and hilarious at the same time, but I was stubborn. I did not pay heed to anything and did what my heart wished for me to do.

I walked towards the heavy door as silently as I can and opened it slowly, as to not produce any sound. It creaked a little, freezing me in my spot but when I heard no pause in the hushed coversation, which had considerably grown louder, I continued doing my sneaking.

Once my door was opened enough for me to go out, I slipped off my slippers and walked silently outside. There was a passage which lead to the courtyard.

"--shouldn't be--" the voices were more audible now.

I pressed myself to the wall, so that I could hear the full conversation but stay hidden at the same time.

My father and whoever this friend was, were talking in Bengali, which was our local language.

"Is he joining your business or is he planning to study more?" my father asked the anonymous person. When I sensed the genuine curiosity and interest in my father's voice, I felt like he had stabbed me in the back. As if he had betrayed me. Tears sprung in my eyes, but I was quick to swallow them in.

This crying, whimpering woman is not me. I'm strong and I will deal with whatever there is ahead of me.

I waited for the person to answer.

"My son is in a dilemma. I want him to join our business, which is on its peak right now. But he is intent on learning more. I think I would be able to send him abroad by the end of the year, if he still doesn't want to join me." A deep, yet aged voice said. I couldn't help but feel a nagging sensation in mind that I had heard this voice somewhere.

Not able to keep the curiosity inside, I found myself bending forward to have a look at this person. When the courtyard came into view, I saw that my father had his back towards me.

The person--OH MY GOD! I felt like the the ground had slipped beneath me. Everything froze for a split second as I tried to make myself believe that what I was seeing was true.

The person sitting on the charpai opposite my father was none other than Arunaabh Dev Roy, a well known businessman of jute. A traitor in my eyes...as his trade was done with the British.

My heart slammed mercilessly against my chest. I felt like all air had been forced out of me, because his son was Rajeev Dev Roy, the man who was willing to join me in my agitation against the British, the same man who refused to look back at me when the people backed away like cowards.

The more the reality sunk in, the more hard it grew for me to believe it. My hands flew to mouth in order to stop a gasp which was pushing for me to let out.

Without another look behind me, I rushed silently to my room. On reaching it, I swiftly shut the door and sunk on the bed.

My head was hurting with all the knowledge. I felt like all the doors were being closed in on me.

Wait. My father hadn't said yes or no.

But then again, it would be highly disrespectful for my father to refuse to that man.

No, when was the last time my father worked upon other's wishes? Oh, my supposed marriage will take place because of others wishes.

It can't--argh! I felt like my brain would burst any second. I buried my face in my hands.

A cold breeze made its way inside the room from the window. I looked at the weather outside. The sky was covered with dark, thundering clouds and stong wind was blowing around the trees recklessly.

I absolutely hated this weather...it made everything look gloomy and sad.

I got up from my bed and walked towards the window. The cool breeze hit my face and I sighed at how much it relaxed my mind, contradicting my previous statement that I hated this weather.

I wonder how my father and his friend are still in the courtyard...are they waiting for the heavy, dark clouds to finally give in to the pressure to rain?

It was funny how my situation and the cloud's matched. I'm helpless because I'm being pressured to give up all I had, my ambitions and dreams. The clouds are helpless because they are being pressured to force out all they have, their soul existence water...rain.

For now, I will not think of this situation. I will wait for my father, because in the end, the decision will be his, and I don't want to disregard him.

❇❇❇

"Avi?"

I spun around to see my father standing at the door of my room. It was in the afternoon. I had taken a seat in front of the window and was trying to embroider a cloth.

Father had an unreadable expression, not giving away anything I wanted to see.

"Papa, is he gone?" I said, rather harshly. I immediately regretted my tone when I saw a look of guilt pass his face. I placed the thread and needle aside.

"Yes. Avi, come sit here." My father said, as he took a seat on my bed. He was still not giving away any signs of emotion.

I got up and silently walked towards the bed. After taking a seat, I waited for him to speak.

He sighed heavily. "I know you heard us. I saw you."

My face snapped towards him. "But you had your back towards me..." I wondered to myself.

My father let out a small chuckle. "You forgot that there is a mirror by the opposite wall from where you were standing."

"Oh" I muttered sheepishly, looking down at my hands which were continuously tangling and untangling themselves with each other. I'm sure they were sweating too.

My father sighed again and continued, "Arunaabh is a respected man. He is known to be kind and hearty. And his son shares these qualities with him."

"Why are you telling me this, Papa?" I whispered, my voice coming out shaky. I was certain that my face was red with anger with the way my cheeks were burning. I faced towards the other side as to not let my father see this.

He ignored this and continued. "Rajeev wants to study business at Cambridge. He has his own dreams and ambitions."

What about mine?

"Anvesha, I'm telling you this because I think he is compatible for you. I don't want to give you away to a rich brat, with no educational value." He answered me in a firm tone.

My father wants me to marry off to him? Then there's one question I want him to answer to me. One question, which will determine my decision. "Will they let me study after marriage, papa?"

I knew I was stepping over a dangerous line. I knew the answer to that question. But I wanted my father to answer it. I wanted him to know how much he was hurting me.

And I was right. He was speechless. He opened and closed his mouth countless times, but no words were able to come out.

He looked down at the floor. "They feel that you both won't stay here anyway, because Rajeev is planning to leave India. So, there's...there's no need for you to study." His voice cracked at the end.

With on swift movement I was off the bed and standing in front of my father. My strong facade was breaking. My eyes were welling up too fast for me to wipe them away.

"Then why are you doing this?! Do you not care about me?" I screamed, unable to keep the emotions within.

And I knew I crossed the line. I disrespected my father. Because any any remnants of guilt and regret disappeared from my father's face. A mask of rage quickly took the position. "Is that the way I taught you how to talk to your elders?" He said in a voice so calm, that I knew that he was burning inside.

I spoke nothing, I was standing frozen on front of my father, with tears dripping down my face. For once I was not scared to hide them away.

I was angry, I was crying, I was regretting my decision to scream at my father, I was an emotional web of disaster.

"When will you learn, Anvesha? When will you understand that this world would never bend for your will? That these dreams you see will always be dreams, and nothing more?!" My father was shaking with anger, but somehow I knew that this anger was not fully meant for me.

His words had pierced me, but then why did I feel that my father was trying to hide something from me? That he was not only forcing his words on me, but he was also trying to ingrain then in himself?

"Papa, are you okay?" I said. My rage had vanished because I knew that something was wrong.

My father shut his eyes tightly and then the next thing he did surprised me. He came towards me and gathered me in a big fatherlt hug, which was unlike him. But I ignored the fact and nestled my face in his chest, because for once I wanted to be a little girl with fiery ambitions but no worries of this world.

"I wish you weren't born in this century. I feel like you were born before your time, like you were meant to take birth in a time where there weren't shackles on you, where you would have been able to do what you wanted." My father joked, but there was less humour in it. It felt like he somehow actually wanted that to happen...wished that it had happened.

I was beyond shocked to hear this, but at least the situation was not as heavy as before.

My father kissed my forehead and with his last words, he left to retire for the day, "We have time, Avi. Do whatever you want, go out, explore...but remember, don't do anything which would bring shame to our family."

My chest filled with intense happiness. I didn't want to think of what the future held for me. My father's words had stunned me, but they did wonders to push away any feeling of dread within me.

"...go out, explore..."

I was returned my freedom.

Papa, how should tell this to you that even you weren't born for this time? It's unbelievable.

✴✳❇

A/N:

Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Also, thanks for 2.5K reads on my book!!! I cannot explain how happy I am! ♥♥♥

And do you guys remember this Rajeev dude? He made an appearance in Chapter 13.

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