The twilight hour wrapped the world in a soothing blanket of tranquility, casting a calming spell over its creatures. The exhausting day's remnants melted away as the soft orange light bathed the landscape.

But the serene facade shattered abruptly, as a thunderclap of angry shouting pierced the air. The harsh sound jolted her back to reality, ripping her from the gentle grasp of her daydream.

"Ira!!!" Vaidehi's shrill cry made Ira's heart skip a beat. She jolted upright, her back rigid, as if a bucket of icy water had been dumped on her on a frigid winter morning. Her eyelids flew open, and her gaze snapped into focus. The harsh jingling of anklets pierced her eardrums, making her wince.

At the doorstep, Vaidehi stood planting hands firmly on her hip, eyes blazing with indignation. "How many times must I remind you not to sleep at this hour!?" she thundered, her voice echoing through the room. "These habits attract negative energies! You are adopting demonic ways, Ira-sleeping in late, staying up late, combing your hair at midnight, eating at ungodly hours! What's gotten into you!?"

Ira's brows knitted in annoyance, and she clenched the blanket in her fist. "Nothing's happened to me!" she shot back, her voice rising to a scream.

A sarcastic smirk twisted her lips as she added, "But I'm sure you've lost your mind!" Her eyes flashed with defiance, daring her mother to escalate the argument.

Vaidehi stormed towards Ira with hastened steps accompanied by the jarring jingle of her anklets and bangles. The rustling of her fabric sounded like a discordant melody, grating on Ira's nerves. Vaidehi's hand flashed up, poised to strike. "What did you say?" she thundered, her voice trembling with rage. "Is this the way you address your elders, girl? Is this what I've taught you?"

Ira's eyes remained unwavering, devoid of even a flicker of fear. With a defiant movement, she planted her hands on her hips, staring onto her mother's. "You haven't taught me anything," she asserted, her voice steady and firm. "I've learned everything on my own."

Vaidehi's hand dropped to her side, her teeth gritted in anger. "Yes, yes, you've grown up just fine without my help, all on your own," she spat, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Ira's eyes flashed with defense. "Yes."

Vaidehi's face twisted in rage. "Then get out of my house!"

Ira's words tumbled out in a fierce retort. "This is not your house!"

Vaidehi's hand shot up, her palm facing Ira. "That's enough, Ira! You're speaking too much!"

Ira's eyes blazed with anger. "I don't have this habit of talking back. You're the one who's making me do it."

Vaidehi's eyes drifted shut, and she exhaled a deep, calming breath. Her voice, once a stormy sea, smoothed into a neutral tone. "Ira, beta, listen to me. I'm saying this for your own good. Remember that girl from our neighborhood, the one who was three years ahead of you in school?"

She paused to see any glimpse of curiosity in her daughter's expression, but only found her bored expression. Nevertheless, she continued, "She took seven attempts to pass her exams, but she persevered. And now, she'll be a doctor in just a few years. A doctor, Ira. Think about it."

Pillows and blankets scattered across the room, torn from the bed in Ira's frenzy. She stomped her feet on the mattress, her eyes screwed shut as she unleashed a primal scream. "Arghh...!!!" The sound tore from her lungs.

"I don't want to become that anymore!" she wailed, her voice cracking with desperation. "Why can't you understand?! Do you want me to waste my entire life on this one thing?! It's suffocating me, killing me from the inside!" Her words dissolved into sobs, voice heavy with emotion as she struggled to speak further.

Vaidehi's voice climbed to a shrill pitch, annoyance etched in every word. "What's your plan for the future, then? To sleep your life away, doing absolutely nothing?" Her tone turned biting, laced with a dry, acidic anger. "If that's the case, I might as well get you married off and be done with all my responsibilities towards you." The words hung in the air, devoid of any warmth or concern, only a cold, calculated frustration.

Ira's sniffles intensified as she struggled to contain the turmoil brewing inside her. Her eyes narrowed, sharpening into piercing daggers as she locked gazes with Vaidehi. "Marriage? You would've married me off the moment I finished high school if you had your way!" Her voice trembled, heavy with accusation. "And what responsibilities are you talking about, huh? Have you ever, ever shouldered the responsibilities you were supposed to as parents?"

The occasional cramp only added to her distress, making her words stumble out between gritted teeth. "Since childhood, you people never showed even a fraction of care!" Tears brimmed in her eyes as she tried to speak further. "You guys didn't even know which class I study in! Leave aside class, you guys didn't even remember my exact age! Nothing, you people know nothing about me!"

Ira's face contorted in rage. "Leave these things." Her voice became maliciously low. "Did you ever, ever care to know that when you husband and wife were fighting worse than street dogs, thirsty for each other's blood..." She paused, her chest heaving.

"There was a child trying to shield herself in her own little arms from all that toxicity-god knows which corner of the house?" Her eyes blazed with anger and she spoke in a whisper pressing every syllable, "Did you ever bother to check if she was living or already dead?"

Vaidehi's face hardened, her eyes flashing with defense as she clenched a fist and her other hand gestured sharply. "Why are you blaming me only!? You are all shut in front of your father? And, no one wants to fight." Her voice was laced with anger.

"Everybody dreams of a happy family," she spat. "But circumstances become like that...there are financial problems, domestic problems, then there are neighbours who can't see even a flicker of happiness on your face. Life is like this - sometimes sunshine, sometimes shade."

"But ours is only shade, sunshine never came!" Ira retorted in rebellion, her eyes flashing with anger. She took a step forward with fists clenched.

"And what? Circumstances? Are your circumstances the same throughout your twenty-seven years of married life?" Her tone turned scathing, face twisted in disgust. "Or you don't want to change those so-called circumstances?"

Ira's eyes blazed with sarcasm as she sneered. "Don't worry. Your husband is no different than just an occasional ATM machine in our lives. And, my feelings are same fir him as well." She sniffled before continuing, "And, I don't say anything to him because he doesn't have strength to hear. Last time I did when I was seven, and he didn't talk to me for weeks."

A dry chuckle escaped her lips, tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She paused, her chest heaving with emotion. "But, my fortune. Even after having my mother, It was my father who came forward to fulfill the basic needs of a daughter... sometimes. " Her voice trailed off, heavy with irony. She raised an eyebrow, her expression mocking. "Wow."

Her voice cracked, "And I was happy, very happy and content." She hurled the blanket across the room with a swift, savage motion. "But you people can't see anyone happy, no? From where your so-called affection emerged, and you made my life hell!"

Vaidehi's eyes blazed with anger as she stared at her, incredulous. She jabbed a finger towards Ira with clenched jaw in a fierce line. "I made your life hell, huh!?" The words burst out of her, sharp and defensive. "If I had left, there would have been no place to go."

Ira's face contorted in anguish, eyes blazing with tears as she screamed, "Then you should have left! And you are talking as if I myself had asked you to give birth to me. If it was this much of a problem then why didn't you kill me the moment I came into this world! At least I would have gotten rid of this bitchy life!" Her voice echoed off the walls, raw and ragged, as she stood trembling with rage.

Vaidehi's face hardened, her eyes wide as she warned, "You are going too far, Ira. Stop your nonsense," she warned in a low and even voice, but the stern expression and tight lips betrayed her growing anger.

"Oh, really? You've been eating away at my brain with your nonsense for years. And now you're annoyed with just this much?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, each word laced with venom.

Vaidehi's eyes flashed with anger as she spat out the words, her voice sharp as a razor. "You have gone astray, huh? You have started talking too much, haven't you? You will come to your senses only after getting a hard beating."

Ira's gaze locked onto Vaidehi's, her eyes blazing with defiance. "I'm not a child anymore, whom you can shut with your hollow threats and beatings," she retorted in a whispery tone, her voice steady and firm,

Vaidehi's face turned red with rage and her voice thundered through the silence, making Ira take a step back. "If not this, then what will you do!? And what's the guarantee that you will succeed!?"

Ira's eyes blazed with a fierce determination and she spat the words, her face inches from Vaidehi's. "Then, I'll die." The venom in her voice was palpable, her breath hot against Vaidehi's skin.

Vaidehi's expression turned stern, her voice firm but laced with concern. "I'm saying for your future, Ira! You already have much knowledge about this field! If you are going to start something new, you will have grasped it from scratch. And that is not an easy task! You will not be able to do anything in life, mark my words!"

Ignoring her mother's rants, Ira spun on her heel and stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind her. Her footsteps echoing off the walls as she sought refuge in a peaceful sanctuary, away from the toxic atmosphere that had been suffocating her.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

The white Toyota screeched to a halt, sending the two boys in the backseat lurching forward. Siddharth emerged out of the driver's seat sliding the keys in his jacket's pocket and exhaled a misty breath into the chilly night air. He rubbed his palms together, then rapped on the rear window with his knuckles. "C'mon, guys! Come out!"

When they didn't respond, Siddharth peered through the glass, his eyes narrowing in amusement.

The two boys sat huddled, their hands wrapped tightly around themselves, looking like a pair of sulky, oversized teddy bears in their bulky jackets and caps.

Siddharth chuckled and shook his head. "Oh, Changu Mangu! Come out!" he teased, unlocking the door.

None of them bothered to even shift in their seats, as if their backs were glued to the upholstery.

Siddharth blinked, staring at them for a couple of minutes. Then, exhaling a deep breath, he muttered, "Okay," and forcibly pulled them out one by one. Their whines rising in protest like kids resisting a trip to school.

As soon as the cold air hit their faces, Karan seemed unfazed, but Rudraksh let out a series of sneezes and sniffles.

"Hey, Rudraksh! Don't sneeze," Karan complained like a child. "Last time you sneezed, he made us wear these bear jackets. Who told you to ride the bike at that high speed!"

Rudraksh blew his nose in his hanky, then lightly kicked the calf of Karan's leg, making him stumble. Karan's eyes widened, and he retaliated with a swift kick of his own. The scene quickly devolved into chaos, with the two friends play-fighting like they were performing an impromptu Bhangra dance outside the disco.

Siddharth watched them, his lips pressed together in a mixture of amusement and exasperation. Passersby threw awkward glances at the duo, while girls giggled at the sight of the two friends goofing around.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Siddharth approached the duo as they continued to horse around. He grasped the backs of their caps, which had slipped down, and held them firmly in place. "Stop it."

As they stood outside the disco entrance, Siddharth halted, bringing them to a stop as well. Karan and Rudraksh exchanged confused glances. Siddharth dropped his arms to his sides and raised a finger in emphasis. "No alcohol," he commanded sternly.

Both of them nodded hastily. Siddharth nodded once more before proceeding forward. As they trailed behind him, Karan and Rudraksh hung their heads low, exchanging sly glances. They winked at each other with mischievous grins before following Siddharth's suit.

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

The three friends stepped inside the disco, and the chill outside gave way to the warmth of the crowd. The potent mix of Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Hindi and music of different Indian languages resonated deep within their minds, its infectious beat synchronizing with their heartbeats. The primal urge to move, to let go, and to lose themselves in the rhythm became irresistible.

Karan and Rudraksh stepped onto the dance floor, moving their heads to the beats as they unzipped their jackets. With ease, they swung the jackets in Siddharth's direction, which he effortlessly caught.
Colourful lights enveloped them across the theatre like a mesmerizing spectacle. The crowd was a vibrant tapestry of colours, with sarees, suits, and dresses shimmering under the dazzling lights.

Siddharth moved towards the counter with a warm smile spreading across his face. He draped both jackets over a chair and sat down, making himself comfortable.

The bartender asked with a polite smile, "What would you like to have, sir?"

Siddharth returned the courtesy, shaking his head, "Nothing, thank you!" He gazed back at his friends dancing on the disco floor.

The dance floor was a whirlwind of movement, with girls and boys, men and women, lost in the music. Their faces aglow with happiness, they swayed, spun, and twirled in perfect harmony. Laughter, shouts, and occasional whoops of excitement filled the air, creating a deafening cacophony that was both chaotic and beautiful.

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

After an exhilarating hour of dancing, Rudraksh and Karan stumbled out of the crowd, arms slung over each other's shoulders to steady themselves. In perfect sync, they unbuttoned top two buttons of their shirts, and ran fingers through their sweat-dampened hair, exhaling deeply as they tried to catch their breath.

"Bhai..." Karan exasperated, wincing in pain as he limped. "Who discovered these heels? Ouch! how cruelly she climbed on my delicate foot, damn it."

Tightening his hold around Karan's shoulder, Rudraksh said sarcastically with a poker face. "I had already told you to stay with me, but you were so interested in dancing with a beautiful girl. So, now enjoy the consequences."

Karan gave him the look of disbelief, his eyes wide with mock-hurt. "Bhai, with a friend like you, I don't feel the need for enemies." He declared dramatically, making Rudraksh chuckle.

They trudged over to the counter, collapsing onto the chairs with exhaustion. Rudraksh's gaze scanned the crowded room, his eyebrows furrowing in concern as he turned to Karan. "Where's Sid?" he asked, his voice tinged with a hint of worry.

Karan's eyes scanned the room, his earlier pain forgotten, until his gaze landed on the other counter. "There he is," he said, nudging Rudraksh. But his expression quickly shifted from relief to puzzlement. "Why is he bringing three cans of Sprite?"

"To drink," Rudraksh answered while waving and smiling at Siddharth's approaching figure.

"Bhai, children drink that thing. We are grown up men." Karan spun his chair towards the counter, clearly not pleased by Siddharth's thoughts.

"Hello, sir!?" Karan called out for the bartender, making Rudraksh confused.

Rudraksh turned to Karan, his head cocked to one side. "What are you doing?" his tone was laced with curiosity and a hint of amusement.

Karan flashed Rudraksh a mischievous grin. "Just wait and watch, bro. It's the last night of the year, after all. Some fun is allowed." He winked, then turned his attention back to the bartender, continuing their conversation.

"What fun, Karan?"

Karan's eyes widened in fear on hearing Siddharth's voice. He started coughing nervously, his eyes darting towards the bartender before spinning around to face Siddharth. Forcing a laugh, he awkwardly exclaimed, "Dance, bhai, dance!" Snatching a can of Sprite from Siddharth's hand, he continued, "You should've joined us, Sid. It was a blast, wasn't it Rudraksh?"

Rudraksh stared at Karan with raised brows and a light smirk. "It was?" He savored the look of fear on Karan's face before nodding, a smile spreading across his face. "It was."

Siddharth eyed both of them before extending one can towards Rudraksh. "Anyway, so what's the plan for the rest of the night?" He asked, taking a seat beside Karan.

Rudraksh and Siddharth started sipping the soft drink, but Karan just played with the rim of his can, saying mindlessly, "What plan? Stay here till New Year, then roam around the city, eat some tasty street food, then head home and sleep."

Siddharth nodded while sipping, his gaze fixed on the crowd dancing on the dance floor.

As soon as Rudraksh finished his Sprite, Karan opened his can and handing it to him, gesturing with his eyes and mouthing "half-half". Then, he spun Rudraksh's chair around and winked at him.

Understanding the cue, Rudraksh flashed a smirk and got down to work.

Amidst the crowd of faces, Siddharth was staring at one particular face with furrowed brows and focused eyes. He rubbed his chin with his right thumb. "She looks familiar. Is she-" His thoughts were interrupted when his eyes fell on the person beside him, and everything clicked into place.

Karan was exhaling heavy breaths, his chest rising and falling in a rapid rhythm. His jaw was set in a tight line, and fists were clenched so tightly that they seemed drained of blood.

A/N: Hi, everyone! How are you today?
Share your insights in the comment box about this update.

1. What is your opinion about Ira and her family?

2. Who do you think the girl is?