Rani returned home. As soon as she opened the door and stepped inside, her mother came rushing toward her, holding a kitchen utensil. She had likely been cooking—even though Rani's family was wealthy and had staff to do the chores, the ladies of the house still oversaw and helped with the meals.
Her mother asked: "So, did you have a good talk with your friends? By the way, what should we tell Rakesh's family? You haven't given them an answer yet."
Rani: "What is there to say? I told you—tell them it's a 'Yes'."
Rani's mother was baffled: "I understand saying 'Yes,' but then why did you behave so poorly with the boy? When we call them now, they're going to ask why our daughter was so rude to their son. What answer am I supposed to give them?"
Rani: "Oh, you won't understand. There was a reason for it."
Her mother replied, visibly irritated: "I don't know what goes on in your head. Your father has spoiled you to this point with his constant indulgence. Listen to me—don't go 'experimenting' with relationships. I'll try to talk to them, but I don't think they'll agree now. They may be poor, but they have their self-respect."
Muttering and grumbling to herself, her mother turned back and headed into the kitchen.
Errors and Exclusion
Meanwhile, at Rakesh's house, two days had passed without him speaking a word to anyone. He was currently busy with some online form-filling work at his cyber cafe, but he kept making mistakes over and over again. He simply couldn't purge Rani's insults from his mind.
His customers were becoming visibly frustrated with the delays and errors. Every few minutes, Rakesh would simply stop and sit with his head in his hands. He had no idea what was happening to him or how to snap out of it.
Suddenly, a phone call came for his father. After answering it, his father called every member of the household into the next room—everyone except Rakesh. His father whispered something to them in a low voice. A moment later, they all emerged with broad smiles on their faces. As they walked past, they kept glancing at Rakesh.
Rakesh couldn't understand what was going on. Usually, he was included in any important family discussion, but why had he been left out this time? Who was that phone call from? Why was everyone so happy, yet no one was saying anything to him?
Rakesh let out a long, weary sigh. He thought to himself, "Why would they bother including a boy in family discussions when no girl is even willing to accept him? First, that girl pushed me away, and now my own family is distancing themselves from me."
Seeing the smiles on their faces, he felt a sting of bitterness. He convinced himself that they were all laughing at his pathetic condition.
A Night of Dark Truths
That night, Rakesh's room was draped in shadows. He lay there in silence, the ceiling fan spinning with a slow, rhythmic hum. His mother switched on the light and entered.
"Rakesh, get up. I need to talk to you," she called out.
Rakesh didn't move. He lay there like a stone, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. She called him two or three more times, but there was no response. His mother's heart skipped a beat—a sudden, cold fear gripped her. Had Rakesh done something drastic to himself in his grief? She rushed over and shook him.
Rakesh startled. "What happened? Why were you calling me?"
His mother, relieved but annoyed by the scare, mimicked him. "'What happened? Why were you calling me?' Yes, I was calling you! I've been calling you for the last three minutes."
She sat beside him, stroking his hair. "Why have you been like this for two days? Why are you so silent? Why let yourself sink into despair just because of what one girl said?"
Rakesh let out a long, weary sigh. "It's not just that. The things she said to me... they hurt, yes, but they weren't lies. Why did you all do this? You should have known—would a girl that rich and beautiful ever choose someone like me?"
His mother looked at him intently. "You liked Rani, didn't you?"
"Forget about all that," Rakesh snapped. "Just tell me what you came to say. Every time I try to forget, you all bring it back up."