Avyukta's POV

Vyom Singhania didn't stop.

"That's what I'm saying, Miss Rai. We already have grudges, so let's do greetings this time."

I looked dead into his hazel eyes and raised an eyebrow as I folded my arms. This Singhania needs to be handled.

"No thanks, Mr. Singhania. But I don't waste my greetings on anyone." I took a step closer, my arms still folded as I added,

“My dupatta got caught or I won't be here talking to you.”

He tilted his head, “Of course, Miss Rai. The dupatta I freed almost five minutes ago is the reason why you are still arguing with me about greetings.” He nodded with sarcastic approval, “Definitely the greetings.”

This Singhania...

I narrowed my eyes again, "Are you making a fun of me, Mr. Singhania."

He grinned.

It's getting insufferable now! I feel like punching him straight into his face, I swear.

He grinned and added, raising his hands as he mocked surrender-

“Nope. Never, Miss Rai. I'd never make fun of you. I don't want to hold more grudges by doing so.”

I exhaled. God, this man is really a pain in the ass.

Our eyes locked, “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Singhania. But next time, I hope you get the greeting you are looking for.”

He smirked, “So you do want to meet me again. That's great, Miss Rai. Your father would love the approach.”

If I weren't in the party, surrounded by two hundred people and being a Rai with grace— I would have definitely grabbed this man by his collar at his audacity in talking to me like that.

I said nothing. And I turned and began to walk towards Swastika.

“...I saw it, Avyukta.”

“Saw what?”

“You were talking to Vyom... Singhania!?”

I rolled my eyes, “I thought Dad's rival could be- what? Strategic kind of person? And it turned out to be a genuine idiot...”

Swastika laughed, loud enough that people around us glanced. I didn't mind. I never do.

Later, Swastika and I were talking and someone lit an anar; it was like a fountain of sparkle and light. Everything around was warm, the flickering diya, the glitter in the fire crackers.

And my eyes stopped at the flame of one diya.

Flame... Flame...

.

.

.

Flashback-

“Avyukta beta carefully, your little lehenga will catch the flame, my princess...”

Mumma's voice echoes in my head. I was eight years old in a powder pink lehenga when me and mumma twinned the outfit. I could see her doe eyes, the love in them that I crave more than I'd admit. Then she scooped me and I giggled in her arms.

“Mumma! The Annar is so pretty-pretty! Like you, mumma!”

And mumma tickled me as she kissed my round cheeks, “ It's pretty-pretty like my little Avyukta...”

Then...

Four years later...

The burning hotel. Mumma's voice as she wrapped me into a wool blanket and kissed my temple, while we were both surrounded by the aggressive flames which took my mumma away from me.

“AVYUKTA- RUN, PRINCESS. GO! NOW-! AVYUKTA-!”

.

.

.

“Avyukta...! Avyukta—”

"Yeah...?" I blinked as I snapped out of it. Swastika's voice repeating. My name echoed in my ear through the mist of the past.

Mumma felt so real...

Despite it was a flashback...

Despite it never gonna happen again...

Despite I lost my mumma to that burning hotel on the day I turned twelve. The worst day of my life. The same day I was born as her daughter and years later was the same day I lost her as my mother.

My...mumma...

Swastika looked at me. She knew the fire, the flames that remind me of that cursed day, the burning hotel and my mumma trapped inside telling me to run and I didn't know back then that I'd never get to see her.

✷✷✷