love by mistake : episode 3

Titir lay on the floor, wincing in pain.

Rudra reached out his hand to help her up—

But before he could say anything, everyone inside the room suddenly burst into laughter.

Loudest of all was Sima—Titir’s younger sister.

— “Didi! You actually fell? Haha… just like a scene from a movie!”

Titir was burning with anger and embarrassment.

Her face turned red, and her eyes welled up with frustrated tears.

Without looking at Rudra, she quickly stood up and rushed out of the room without saying a word.

As her footsteps faded down the corridor, Sima’s laughter gradually died down.

She stood still for a moment, then whispered,

— “Did I… say too much?”

Rudra looked at her, his voice firm, though quiet:

— “Learn when and where it's okay to laugh, Sima.”

Sima’s expression froze. She mumbled—

— “I’ll go talk to Didi…”

---

Titir ran out of Rudra’s room, flushed with shame and anger.

Her face was serious, her eyes a little moist.

As she hurried past the kitchen, Tina noticed her.

— “Titir! Why are you running like that? What happened?”

But Titir didn’t respond. She walked past without a word.

Her footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Tina stood there stunned.

She whispered,

— “She’s running like that… something must’ve happened.”

She thought to herself,

— “Should I go check on her? No… maybe I’ll wait a bit.”

---

A little while later, in Titir’s room.

Soft light filtered through the window curtain, falling on the edge of the bed.

Titir sat quietly, hugging a pillow to her chest.

She wasn’t crying. No tears.

But her face was tight, her eyes held discomfort.

— “Why am I so stupid?”

She whispered to herself.

— “Everyone saw me fall… even Rudra! And Sima kept laughing!”

Her fingers clenched the pillow tightly.

She knew it wasn’t a big deal.

But still…

That moment of shame kept playing in her mind, making her whole body feel flushed and hot.

Outside, Sima slowly came and stood near the door.

She looked at it, then knocked gently—

— “Didi… open the door. Ma’s calling you for breakfast.”

No response from inside.

Sima paused, then added—

— “Titir Didi, please don’t be mad. I was just joking, you know that…”

Her voice had a hint of guilt now.

Inside, Titir sat with her face buried in the pillow.

She could sense Sima’s regret in her voice…

But said nothing.

Sima stood at the door for a few more seconds, then softly said—

— “I’m going downstairs. You come too, okay?”

Her footsteps faded down the corridor.

Titir let out a long breath.

---

Sima entered the hall slowly.

Everyone was seated at the table, but Titir was still missing.

Sima said softly,

— “Ma, Didi hasn’t come down yet. She’s not even opening the door.”

Their mother—stepmother—was standing at the side of the table, pouring tea.

She looked mildly irritated and said—

— “Alright, you sit and eat. I’ll go call her.”

Sima sat down quietly.

The table was set with toast, ghee-poha, boiled eggs, and warm milk.

There was a heavy silence in the air.

Everyone could tell something had happened—

But no one said a word.

Their mother slowly started walking down the corridor—toward Titir’s room.

---

She knocked gently on the door—

“Tok tok…”

Inside, Titir had wrapped herself in a blanket.

She heard the knock and replied irritably—

— “Sima, just go eat. I’m not hungry.”

From outside, a voice answered—firm but filled with warmth:

— “It’s not Sima. It’s me. Open the door, Titir. This isn’t the way to behave. No one skips breakfast.”

Titir was startled.

She hadn’t realized it was her mother.

Slowly, she pulled the blanket down from over her head.

There was hesitation in her eyes, and a trace of sadness.

After a moment of silence, she said softly—

— “I’ll eat later, Ma… I’m not feeling okay right now.”

Her mother stood on the other side of the door for a moment longer.

Then in a gentle voice, she said—

— “I understand your anger and hurt. But not eating won’t solve anything. I’m going downstairs. Come if you want. Eat while the food’s still warm.”

With that, she walked away and placed the plate of food on the table.

Her footsteps faded down the corridor.

The room was quiet again.

Titir buried her face in the pillow once more.

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