Anamika's House9 AM...
A soft breeze pushes open the slightly closed window of Saaniya’s room. Sunlight slips inside, casting a gentle glow over the room, though the darkness hasn't completely faded.
A little bird flutters in from outside and lands near Saaniya’s bed, chirping cheerfully.
Still asleep, Saaniya stirs from the noise and turns to the other side. The bird, startled, flies off again.
Saaniya slowly opens her eyes but remains lying down. Staring at the door, she mutters to herself, “I came home? Huh… I don’t remember anything from last night. What did I do after leaving the hall? If Anu was awake when I got home, then…”
Sitting up, she holds her head and sighs, “She must be mad at me… Anyway, what time is it?”
She glances at the clock—and jolts upright.
“9 o’clock?! I’m late! My phone—where’s my phone? I have to inform Mr. Malhotra I’ll be late!”
Panicked, she begins searching all around for her phone but can’t find it anywhere. Her eyes fall on the bandage wrapped around her hand. She pauses, takes a deep breath, and mutters, “Anu… She must have hidden it.”
As she steps out, she starts hearing voices. The silence of her room hadn't revealed that others were at home too. Ruhi had been staying with them for a few days, so Saaniya easily recognized her voice—but there was another girl’s voice too, one she couldn’t place. And some guys’ voices as well.
As she enters the living room, she halts.
Ruhi and Ira are sitting with Anamika.
In the kitchen, Aditya, Aniket, and Rudra are wearing aprons and cooking.
Ira is playing a game with Anamika while Ruhi cheers her on. From Ira’s expressions, it’s clear she’s losing again.
But seeing her… Saaniya’s face turns pale.
Her feet automatically begin to back away, and she turns to return to her room when a voice calls from behind, “Where are you going, Saaniya?”
It’s Anamika’s voice. Saaniya freezes.
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Ruhi turns and says, “What’s this, Lady Boss! Saaniya came and I didn’t even realize—but you did? How?!”
Anamika smiles and presses the game remote one last time—causing Ira to lose again. Ira lets out a dramatic cry and plops beneath the sofa like a little drama queen.
“Let me win at least once! Please…!”
Everyone chuckles at her innocent pout.
But in Saaniya’s ears, only one voice echoes: “I couldn’t give happiness to my children that they really deserved!.”
She turns to go back to her room again—but Anamika gently grabs her hand.
“Where are you going?”
Saaniya looks at her. Anamika is searching her eyes—as if trying to see something deeper.
By now, the boys have stepped out of the kitchen too.
Anamika touches Saaniya’s forehead, “No fever! Is your head hurting? Oh… wait, is it—”
(she gently holds Saaniya’s injured hand and softly caresses it) “Is it the injury? Is it hurting?”
Without any expression, Saaniya replies, “Pain is meant to be felt… especially when it’s your own fault.”
Rudra immediately steps forward, gently taking her hand from Anamika. “Is it really hurting that much?”
Saaniya looks at Rudra with cold eyes and pulls her hand back.
“I’ll go freshen up.”
Anamika senses something is off—but doesn’t show it on her face. She knows her friend doesn’t like being over-understood.
Rudra, in his mind, thinks, “No sarcastic jab today? She should’ve scolded me for holding her hand like that—called me a perv or something. But… nothing? If she had a headache, her taunts should be triple today! Huh… something’s definitely weird.”
Just then, a voice from beside him snaps his thoughts.
Ruhi, giving him a deadly glare, whispers, “Who made you the director?! You creep. Don’t ever snatch Saaniya’s hand like that from Lady Boss again!”
And with that, she walks away. Rudra just stares after her, wide-eyed, “This girl!! She just roasted me?! Seriously?! God… I thought only one person in my life would humiliate me—but no, another one has joined the team!”
Aniket walks up with a smirk. “Stop sulking. You still haven’t chopped the onions properly.”
Rudra groans, following him back into the kitchen. “Remind me again why I asked you to teach me cooking? You’re worse than a military trainer!”
Meanwhile, Aditya’s already prepping vegetables like a five-star chef.
He smiles, calm and focused. “Watch carefully. Focus is everything. If you truly want to learn cooking—it’s easy.”
Back in the living room, Ira grabs the game controller again.
“This time, I’ll beat you for sure!”
Ruhi snorts. “You’ve been saying that since the last 20 rounds.”
Ira glares. “And I’ll keep saying it until I win! I, Ira, never give up!”
Anamika smiles, soft and encouraging. “That’s good. I hope you never do.”
The house is filled with life again.
But inside her room—Saaniya sits in silence.
The curtains are drawn. The room is dim.
Her fingers tremble.
She takes slow, shallow breaths—trying to steady herself.
A whisper leaves her lips.“Forget it… Yes… forgetting is the right thing to do.”
Images flash in her mind—Aditya and Ira.
Aditya, with his calm face and gentle smile.
Ira, full of mischief, but innocence in her eyes.
“They’re siblings, yet completely different,” Saaniya says.
Then, another picture comes to her mind—moments where Aditya and Ira are laughing with Anamika. Genuinely happy.
A soft smile plays on Saaniya’s lips. “But both of them… they’re happiest with Anu.
And she’s happy with them. So… how can I ruin that? By bringing in a past only I remember?”
Her smile fades. “Dragging the past into the light doesn’t always help… There is light in front of me. Then why… why am I still hiding in this darkness?”
She lowers her head.
“Because I never let go. But if I truly want to be happy again… I have to forget. I have to let it go.”
Saaniya has decided—she wants to walk away from her past.
She wants to bask in the light of the joy life is offering her now.
But is it really going to be that easy?
Even if life is full of light and joy… sometimes we remain imprisoned in the darkness of our past.
But just because someone lives in that darkness doesn’t mean they enjoy it. The truth is… sometimes, no matter how much we want to, we can’t walk away from it.
So will saniya can do that?Step out of that darkness and accept the light even taking the full responsibility to make safe everyone from the past!!?
