CHAPTER 1 : RITIKA

"You cannot tell which person comes back in your life and just changes your world. You never know if that change will be good or bad or maybe worst."

Baba closes his daily newspaper after reading my horoscope.

"What type of horoscope is this Papa? The only people I meet everyday are my patients and god forbid I don't want people I already know to be my patient."

Baba chuckled at my comment.

"Such a dramebaaz girl You are ! Go make tea for us , you also have to go to your clinic right?"

"Yes yes Baba, Ritu special Chai coming right away."

Taking the newspaper from Baba's hand i keep it in the pile of papers which will go to recycle. I never understand this system , why does Baba even pay for newspapers if he is going to read them just once and next day they will be going to recycle. He can easily just download a free news app.

But Baba is very clever, he said he will start reading news online if I start reading my rom-com books online. And that was enough to shut me up.Next I went to make milk tea for me ,dad and Raj, my younger brother, who will come down from his sleep soon .

Standing in the kitchen alone I go in to overthinking zone.

I feel a little guilty or You can say alot.

Clinic !? It is a prank. A very dangerous one.

Just last year I had completed my medical studies. Had to, because if you are a typical Indian girl , the only line of studies allowed is medical. There was a whole big drama just after I was done with my 10th studies. I love fashion designing but according to some typical Indian shit there are only two types occupation first from medical line for girls and second from engineering line for boys. In short if you choose science stream after 10th then you are a good kid or else you are the most useless person on earth. That's not what I think though. That isn't even what dad thinks.

My Baba is kind of a mixture of modern and old age type of dad. He loves my designs, sometimes for big events he makes his designer customise his outfit according to my designs.

When I first told him that I want to becomen a fashion designer , he supported me , this was when I was in in 9th standard but he said that I first need to complete my medical studies then I can choose whatever education or occupation I want. I know his concerns and why he told me to do so. It was because I can choose commerce and arts after science , but I cannot choose science after commerce or arts.

He said that if I have my medical or atleast farmacy degree and sometime in future I decided not to even work , then too I can just open a chemist shop by my farmacy degree and earn by just sitting home. But that's what dad can't understand, I dont just wanna sit around , I want to explore the world of fashion , I want the models to wear my brand and showcase not just to India but to whole world.

And then suddenly after 10th , Baba started changing his decision , well can't say suddenly. In 10th itself dad still supported me for my dream but just after 2 days , on my 15th bday , I heard dad talking to one of my friends saying that how immature I am not thinking about my future and that fashion designing can't build my future. That day might be the 2nd worst day of my life. Mom-- ex mom cheating on dad and their divorce will always remain the first.

It was ok till he was bitching about my dream behind my back , it was easy to show that I didn't knew he thought like that of my dreams. But soon afrer 10th dad made me sit with him , not for the sex talks like how foreign parents have with their kids. I swear at that moment i could even have had that convo instead of what we actually talked.

He told me he could see me becoming a great gynaecologist. I mean like he on my face now clearly told me that he wasn't happy that I will follow my fashion designing path after completing my medical studies. Now he wanted that I should not just get a simple doctor degree but a gynaecologist degree.

Don't get me wrong , I don't hate babies , infact I love small babies amd kids the most , but not that much that i would do whole study on them and their birth.

That is not the only reason. I might be the clumsiest person and most forgettable person on this planet. What if I forget some drug or patient's allergies while giving them medicine ? What if due to my clumsiness I cut the wrong nerve or chord? I don't want to go through that horror. But dad doesnt understand.

I am literally so thankful for my dad because I and Raj almost went with mom after their divorce , well we did went and lived with her for few months , and those were the most horror months , but thankfully Baba got our custody . So I am thankful for him for literally saving our lives and that's why I thought that atleast I can waste my 6 years of life in medical study for dad in return , but when dad told me to make it my life.

I couldn't handle it anymore and literally bursted out and said some untintelligible things like " What if I don't want to touch any patient , then what Baba? What if I hate it ?"

At that time, the face that Baba made , is the face I never want to see on him. He was dissapointed. That was the last thing I wanted to see in my dad's face.

How can I literally dissapoint the only person that saved me?? I felt like I should just slap myself at that time and maybe take my words back if possible.

I thought his dissapointed face was an endgame but then the disgust in his face and his words-

"You mean you are disgusted by patients , how can you stoop so low Ritika. You should proudly become a doctor and save everyone's life. But Chee , I didnt knew you had such bad thoughts."

And that was the slap I needed. That day was also the first time I cried infront of dad after whole 5 years. When I was in 5th , we got to know that mom cheated on dad. I didn't cried at that time because I had to be there for mom. Yeah ex-mom. I didn't knew that it was mom who was at fault and blamed dad and I still regret that. But I had cried before that for the silliest chocolate and that was the last time I cried in front of dad for next 5 years-

My overthinking was interrupted by a snap on my head.

"Yaah Raj !!! Why did you hit me ?"

I said as I looked back towards my brother.

"Look at the tea you idiot. You are making the tea for us or this kitchen counter?"

Shit I totally lost the track of time in my mind.

"Ugh stupid then you should have turned off the stove instead of hitting me" I said as I quickly turned off the stove .

"Why should I. It was you whom dad told to make the tea. Now I am going to tell Baba what mess you have created."

This idiot. He went out of the kitchen , munching on biscuit which miraculously came in his hand and I didn't knew we had in our house.

I quickly cleaned off the excess tea that fell on the kitchen counter and kept another tea for us on the stove.

Thankfully dad didn't listen to Raj's Bullshit and kept working on his work.

Dad was teacher by profession. Not under some school or college he had his own college "SM UNIVERSITY" named under my grandmother 'Saraswati More'

She died When dad was just 5 , but he was the most close to her. They were total of 5 siblings, 3 brothers and 2 sisters. My dad is the youngest.

Because of him , I too am fond of teaching so sometimes I go teach in Baba's tuition too. He said he was too bored sitting at home as he didn't really had to do much work as owner of a college so continued on his tuition which started even before the University. You all see the irony ?

Ugh I again went in my mind. Pouring the tea in our respective cups I took it towards dad and bro , giving each their cups. Taking mine I went towards my bedroom to complete the design I was working on. Yeah I still make my designs because I don't want my dream to die till I reach till them.

After sometime, I hear the door bell ringing and knowing dad and bro well , I knew that they won't go to answer it , so I ran down and opened it.

"SURPRISEEEE !!!!!!!"

fuckkkkkkkkk !!!!!!!!!! Avikaaaa ???????

Act cool Ritika.

"Who are you miss? And kindly refrain from creating a noise pollution. Who do you want to meet?"

Don't laugh Ritika , don't laugh.

"Yaah ***** I just went abroad 7 years ago and you forgot our 15 years of friendship this soon."

Avika made a sad pouty face which was cute but hell if I would admit it to her face.

Avika Kulkarni and I are literally diaper friends. Well just after birth dad and ex mom shifted here and the house infront of us which is now vacant, Avika's family used to live there. Avika's mom and my ex-mom clicked soon enough and me and Avi being of same age too clicked and became besties , but due to some obligations they had to leave to New York when we were in 11th. And I can't believe that Avi has finally returned now after these many years.

I took a step towards her and quickly pulled her in a hug. I am not a physical touch person until its her.

"I missed you *****."

"Mee to *****."

Avi hugged me back more tightly and we cradled each other until I heard a purposeful cough.

Not breaking the hug , I glanced in the direction of the cough which came from just behind Avi and for a moment I forgot how to breathe.

There was a tall man standing infront of me. White shirt , dark blue suit. Slowly my gaze went up towards the face of this Greek God and soon realization hit me. He was none other than Avi's elder brother , Shivansh Kulkarni.

The last tume I saw him was 7 years ago. At that time he was just a college boy but now he was a whole man pack who seemed bounded in that suit.

Avika might have felt my stiffness through the hug as she loosen her hands around me and turned around .

"Oh Dada, how much time do you take to park the car? "

"I went to bring this." Shivansh said showing the polythene bags from his hand.

**** that voice. I guess he hit his puberty so hard like truck after he went to New York.

"H-hey" **** why did my voice break!?

"Hey Ritika." Hey didn't even smiled. Just glanced at me once and then looked at Avi. "Avi , take these bags. I have bought sweets for them. I have got some urgent work in the office."

Without thinking twice he turned his shoes reverse and went straight out of the gate.

Not just his physical features but his whole behaviour has changes. What happened to the Shivansh I knew.

"What happened 7 years ago has changed Dada totally."

**** did I said that out loud.

"Oh. It almost seemed like I was talking to a stranger."

"Hm , but ***** are you going to make me stand outside only. Step aside and lemme meet my godfather.Also **** your house is whole changed. Last I checked it was just a 2 bhk house but now it's a 2 storey mansion."

I chuckled and gave route to Avi. It's been 7 years since I last saw her and yet she is the same.

"Well, it's been 7 years you last saw the house , isn't it?"

"True" She chuckled. "But this is nothing like your pinterest board."

"You remember?" Imagine me shock because **** how does she even remember my silly pinterest board.

Well she is right. This house is full of Indian traditions themed but my dream house is of modern matt black type.

"Well you haven't seen my room yet"

TO BE CONTINUED

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