Third Person’s POV

Everyone was chatting happily in the living room...they all were sitting in the living room but they had made four groups among them.

Nilima, Aditi, Pratima, Radhika and Tania were one group. They were all chatting together.

Pritika, Tanvi, Ridhima, Lily they all were chatting together. Nidhi was beside them but she was busy in her phone. She had no interest in their discussion.

Rahul, Adesh, and Virat were together and the rest male members were discussing about business together.

The both boy of Virat were running around the room.

When suddenly the younger boy vicky started telling everyone about his birthday celebration on last months. After finishing his story he started asked everyone how they spend their birthdays. When he asked Pritika about her birth date and how she celebrates her birthday the smile on Pritika's face vanished. Everyone else was looking at Pritika, they all were also curious how she used to spend her birthday, especially the Thakurs. But seeing the smile vanished from Pritika’s face they all thought she was sad because she didn’t able to celebrate her birthday like other children. Thinking of this they were feeling sad.

Seeing that Pritika wasn’t replying anything, Vicky asked again.

VICKY : Pri, why are not replying? Don’t you cut a cake on your birthday? I love birthday cakes.

PRITIKA : I don’t like birthday cakes.

NIDHI : You don’t like or you couldn’t afford?

Nilesh scolded Nidhi for mocking Pritika like this. First time Nidhi regretted for mocking Pritika, not because her dad scolded her but hearing Pritika’s answer.

RIDHIMA : why? Why did you said you don’t like birthday cake?

Pritika gave a sad smile…

PRITIKA : This birthday cake has snatched my Papa..

Everyone looked a confused look..

PRITIKA : I had requested Papa for a cake which I had seen at one of my friend's birthday party. That cake was from city. Papa had promised me he will bring same cake for my birthday. But…but he never came back. That cake snatched my father’s life. He met with an accident that day. I don’t like any birthday cake. I hate my birthday.

A lone tear escaped from Pritika’s eye. Tanvi was besides her, her eyes were also became misty hearing this. She side hugged Pritika. But Pritika didn’t cry . She smiled on her sad face looking at Tanvi.

LILY : you’re a very strong girl, Pritika.

RADHIKA : yes..

PRITIKA : I had promised my Papa, I will be a strong girl and take care of my mom and Dadi. But…mom didn’t give me the chance…

KAILASH : Pritika, if you don’t mind… what had happened to your mother?

Kailash was very eager to know this answer. He has heard from the Chauhan that Kritika died within some month after her husband, Pritvi's death. But he didn’t know anything more than that. He wanted to know what had happened to his daughter that took her life.

PRITIKA : My mom (sigh) … the day my papa took his last breathe, she also lost her soul. I still remember the night, when mom couldn’t able to arrange the money and the hospital had stopped their treatment. That night my papa left us forever… mom was crying… mom was crying very badly. She was continuously saying “please take me with you Prithvi…I can’t live without you”. From that day I saw a different mom. She wasn’t talking, she wasn’t eating properly. She had become a lifeless body. Gradually she had fallen ill… very ill. We didn’t have many money because we had already spend our money on dad's treatment. So we couldn’t take her to hospital. A doctor uncle of our village was treating mom. Doctor uncle had said she wasn’t responding in any treatment.

Pritika took a deep breathe….No one said anything, Pritika continued…

PRITIKA : The day before my mom's death, my dadi came to me and asked me to said something to my mother and I did what my dadi had said. The night before her death I had gone to my Mom's room caressing my mom's head I said exactly my dadi had told me to say. I said “ I am your good girl mom…don’t worry I will take care of myself and Dadi. I am freeing you. I love you.” The next morning my mom didn’t wake up. She slept forever… never wake up.

Kailash left the room without saying anything. Except Pritika, Nidhi and Ridhima, everyone understood how he was feeling. There was tears almost everyone’s eyes.

Today first time Aditi also noticed there was no mockery or disgust in Nidhi’s eye for Pritika. She was little happy. She thought maybe today this has changed Nidhi… but she was wrong. Very soon she will know about this misconception of her.

The atmosphere was little heavy but gradually it became again normal. Now everyone just wanted Pritika’s happiness… she had suffered a lot in her childhood.

It’s now time for the Chauhan to leave…

Kailash gave a little wooden box to Pritika.

KAILASH : This is for you. I will be very happy ,if on the competition day you perform wearing this ‘Ghungroo’ . ( An anklet, Indian classical dancers wear around their ankle during their dance)

Pritika opened the wooden box and seeing the Anklet inside it, she thanked him with a beautiful smile on her face.

Kailash was very happy that Pritika accepted this gift but the next second the smile on his face vanished hearing Pritika’s next words. He panicked hearing Pritika’s words.

PRITIKA : wow! There is something engraved on this.

“Ohh god! how did I forget about that!!! How could I forget Kritika's name has engraved on it”- Kailash thought in his mind.

Some of them present there realized what could have been inscribed on it. They also started to panic. They looked at Pritika, who was trying to read the words on it, with a worried expression.