Riya pushed the trolly further, looking around mindlessly, hoping to catch something she might need other than the items in his list.
"Ah, cocoa powder!" She whispered to herself and picked the jar.
Her seven-year-old's birthday was tomorrow and she immediately decided to make him some chocolates at home.
"Excuse me, could you tell me where the Baby section is?"
Riya turns around to see a handsome man with dark tousled hair and a chiseled jaw. His stark, wheatish skintone and appearance muddled with her thought process but she composed herself.
The man must be in his early thirties and was wearing formal clothes. The exhausted look on his face was evident, loose tie, and a bag that told her he was shopping after office hours since it was already seven in the evening.
He cleared his throat, "Actually, I saw baby essentials in your cart. I was wondering where I could find some baby powder?"
She noticed a ring in his finger and figured he was a father but something about him seemed odd. She couldn't put her finger on it but the way he watched her unblinkingly and moved from foot to foot.
"Uh, yes. There. You can take right from this aisle." She pointed to the secluded corner of the shop where shelves were ladened with diapers and wipes from numerous brands, shining in the pastel shades.
His shoulder leaned towards her a little and he just stared at her forehead for a moment, as if trying to process some complicated mathematical formula.
He then simply nods, thanking her, disappears into the crowd.

What a strange man...

Riya suddenly thought about Sidhant, her own husband and cold, liquidy ache rolls in her gut as she sighs, reaching towards the long line in front of the counter.
She wondered if Sidhant had ever done anything remotely close to spending energy towards his family.
In her eight years of marriage, she seldom felt him acting like a husband. He often played the role of the father when it seemed fit to him and by fit, she meant whenever he took breaks from his projects which rarely happened.
"My son is a passionate man. He did his duties as a husband, he gave you a child. Now it's your job to make sure the child is raised well. He is a hard-working man and hardly ever spend his time even with me. Don't expect much." Her mother-in-law had told her once after they had their first fight as a couple.
The woman never made sense to her. She was a MA by profession but her regressive mindset was unsettling till the day she died.

Education doesn't guarantee sense and morals, after all.

Riya stood lost in her thoughts and the commotion around her bustled as it does in the movies. Announcements, advertisements, useless yelling, and children crying.
Soon after, an old lady, huffing and heaving with some fruits and vegetables in her cart, stopped behind her. She reminded her of the mother-in-law. Even after death, the woman was haunting her peace.
Her wrinkly skin sagged over her skull as if loose clothing put on a mannequin. The lines in her forehead were deep and clear like a gash from the knife and her small petite build gave her a frail appearance.
Riya offers the old lady her spot and stands behind. The woman would have to wait for no reason since the contents of her own cart were on the verge of falling out and it would take her too long to get done.
"God bless you, beta, (child)" She smiles.
Riya glows back and the woman wipes her forehead, "Isn't it too cold?"
Riya frowns, the June heat was unbearable on her skin. The air conditioners failed as more crowd began to fill in. It was Friday evening, the busiest of the week.
"There should be more people like you. It seems as if the youth has forgotten how to respect the elderly."

Riya could only shrug.

"So beautiful and young. You remind me of my granddaughter. She is nearly your age. What is yours?"

"Twenty-five."

"Good. Good." The old lady bobbed her head and suddenly her eyes stopped on Riya's neckline and then lifted up to her hairline.
"Are you married? I see a mangalsutra( a necklace worn by Indian brides) yet no sindoor..." (vermillion, the mark of a married woman)

"Uh, I washed my hair and forgot to put some in."

"Forgot? Didn't your husband remind you? What about your mother-in-law?"

Riya nervously laughed, "I don't live with in-laws. My husband doesn't live in India."

"Oh. So, you live alone?"

"With my son."

"And the father? How often does he visit you?"

Riya remained silent. Her questions began to bother her.
Was she a detective or something?
"Whenever he can." She answered.

Sidhant rarely paid visits. These past months had already been so tough on her and she didn't want to ruin her mood thinking about it. He could go to hell for all she cared.

The lady hummed, "So what does he do?"

"He is a video game developer."

"Huh? Game? Very modern outlook...Where?" She asked dubiously.

Might as well ask for my bank details and kundali too...

"Singapore."

"Ah, my niece lives there. Games huh? What kind? The mobile ones? My grandchildren are going to lose their eyesight very soon... Always on the cellphone."

Riya giggled, "No, no. Different kinds of games. Like, PlayStation, but better than that. They are researching something new."
Sidhant hadn't revealed any details to her as per the contract.
It didn't matter though, he never talked much to her anyway.

"Still, don't you miss your husband?" The woman asked.

Riya felt overwhelmed by her questioning and felt like telling her to mind her own business but she stopped herself.
"I do." She answered after a moment of thought. Her ears were buzzing and the white ceiling lights felt brighter as her heart thumped with pent up frustration.

She had called Sidhant a week ago and he had promised that he would take the family to Singapore as the game was still under testing and he would be required there.
"We are trying to fix a few minor bugs. The launch is already being prepared. You will be amazed. You don't know how great it is. You can try it! I will make sure I get permission for you. We have all tried it once." He excitedly spoke the other night.

"We'll see. Are you coming to Akash's birthday?"

"I can't. It's really hectic here." He spoke nervously.

"Alright." She simply answered and threw the phone away.
What will she tell her son now? That his dad was playing games when it was Akash's age to do something like that.

The old lady before her went through her transaction and finally, Riya, after her turn, began filling her own bags and realizes she had overestimated herself.

The ration weighed too much.

Even though her apartment was walking distance away, she couldn't carry them to the entrance and all through the lobby.

She tumbled, picking the heavy bags up and stepped out.
It felt as if she was walking on a rope, carrying two water-filled buckets in each hand.
Dangling, she huffed and put the bags on the pavement.

Damn, where was Rishi, her servant? Did he go to his village without telling her? It wasn't her duty to do this.
She exhales and picks the bags up again and just then, it slips from her finger and falls on the ground, making a clutter.
She groans, crouching, and picking up the contents.

"Do you need a hand?"

She hears a familiar voice and looks up to see the same man from earlier.
He kneels down, to help her and Riya expresses her gratitude.

"So? Where to?" He promptly asks.

"What?"

"I am pretty sure you won't be able to walk four steps by yourself. Have you brought a car or something?" He grinned, shaking his head and something about him made Riya flattered.

She bit her lips, "I didn't bring my car. I plan to walk back to my apartments. It's alright. I will manage it." She wasn't too sure about the latter but she knew she could always call the apartment guard who would send his boy in five minutes.

"Please. I insist. If it's nearby, then I can surely walk with you. I was going to Saraswati Apartments anyways."

"Oh, that's where I need to go."

"See, Destiny wants it to happen. Let's go."
Riya contemplated for a second and then nodded.
Just then, a silver light shined in a sky above and Riya emerged out of the parking lot of the supermarket.

"By the way, my name is Vihaan."

"Thank you for helping me, Vihaan. I see you are already too tired and even after this you are helping me."

"My pleasure." He smiled and Riya quietly walked beside him, holding the heavy bag up to her abdomen with both hands under its base.

"So, you have kids too." She finally asked eyeing the pack of diapers and whey protein along with other supplements. His bulging biceps and broad shoulders were enough to let her know he indulged in a regular workout. But as a father? That was impressive.

Vihaan had a fit of laughter, "No, this is for my niece. I am visiting my sister!"
"Oh, oh. That's why. I was just thinking I haven't seen you here before." She said eyeing the ring on his finger.
"Oh, this? It's just for fashion. I am not married. And this might be the last time you see me. I live in Banglore." He explained.

They made small talk and soon reached the apartment gate
"I can take it from here." She stopped at the elevator and pressed the button.

"No, it's alright. Since I have come this far, a little bit more won't hurt. Your hands, on the other hand, might break off." He raised his eyebrow, amused.

Riya giggled, "You are right. I overestimated myself. I should have been mindful of this."
They entered empty the elevator together
"How old is your son?" He asked.

"Um, seven." She answered.

"What?" He exclaimed, wide-eyed, "But you are so young and beautiful! I figured two or three maybe."

Riya watched his expression and broke out into laughter, "I get that a lot."

"Lucky husband, I guess..." He trailed off shaking his head.

"Yeah, we could say that if he lived here." Riya's smile faded into a grim line and she bit her cheeks.

"NRI?" He asked and Riya just shrugged, "Contract that never seems to end."

"He works outside... What a fool, if I had a wife like you, I was going nowhere!" He blurts out, ceasing with nervous laughter.

Was it a step over a line? Riya wondered.

Her husband, was in fact, a fool, that much she knew. Why say yes to an arranged marriage if you just wanted a child? Get it through surrogacy...

Why marry a young girl, spend a week with her, get her pregnant, and leave for the next six months for work?
He had returned at the childbirth with a single rose in his hand. She was allergic to pollen so it had to be thrown away. Of course, how could he have known since the only conversation he made with her as if she wanted to do it again or not on the course of their disappointing five-day honeymoon which had been cut short to miserable three when his company had called him back to Singapore.

Had she known how her future was that day, how lonely her married life would be, she would have flown to Singapore herself and settled, hunting for a job...
A prospect she raised two years into their sad relationship between man and wife. It was just that. Man and a wife. There wasn't any husband.
"I can't do it alone. It's hard, Sidhant. I am lonely every day, every night. I beg you, please." She had cried when he had come back for a few weeks to attend his brother's marriage.

"We can't do that. It's hectic there also very expensive. I can't be distracted." He had shut her up along with his mother who scolded her for arguing with her husband.

It was his cellphone which revealed the mistress. His colleague. A lovely lady who was very well aware that he was married since she had gifted them a bouquet on the wedding stage.

So, was it a step over the line?
To receive a comment from a total stranger who was admiring her few minutes into the meeting.
He wasn't some street loafer but seemed educated, a well-off man with gentleness in his air.
The husband she had always thought she would get in the embodiment of what Sidhant appeared.

They silently walked till the end of the corridor and reached her apartment.

"Oh." Riya saw a note posted on the door.

'Going to Harsh's for a burger party, Mumma. I will be back by nine. Promise.'

Vihaan peeked at her, "Seems like you will be cooking dinner only for yourself."

Riya scoffed, "He didn't think it was necessary to ask for permission from me..." She shook her head off and gazed at the end of the corridor where there was another big note hanging on the door, 'Burger Party'
Sharma's might be celebrating something.

Riya put the bag down and retrieved the keys to unlock the door.

"Thank you so much for your help Vihaan." She beamed opening the door and darkness welcomed her.

"Do you want me to put the stuff inside?" He questioned and Riya nodded, pointing towards the kitchen counter.

They both huffed and Riya massaged her hand which had turned numb due to the lack of circulation.

"Do you want some coffee?" Riya looked up to see Vihaan who immediately tore his gaze off from her face.

"No. I should leave." He smiled and Riya suddenly felt upset for some unknown reason.
It had been so long since she was in an adult company like this.

"So, where are you staying here?" She inquired.

"Uh, it was D-block I guess." He bit his lip, thinking hard and Riya glanced at his mouth, gulping.
Her heart was thumping hard due to all the walk here and head hummed with energy, making it hard to think straight.
The tension in the room rose tenfold and Riya exhaled hard.
L
A clatter on the floor stole their attention and they looked at the can rolling on the floor which had slipped from the counter.
Vihaan reached for it at the same time Riya did and his head bumped into hers.

Chuckles erupted from both their chest as tension cut loose and suddenly Riya felt light.
She glanced at Vihaan whose eyes were fixed on her face after the giddiness came to the end and suddenly all Riya could register was Vihaan grasping her waist and her reaching for his t-shirt.

Their lips collided, panting and moaning, hands demanding to feel the skin wherever they reached, peeling away the fabric from the body. All sweaty and hot.
Vihaan's hand grabbed her head and he pulled her closer while Riya leaned her neck to sides to welcome his lips on her shoulder as he flourished her with kisses.

Just then, the door opened and Riya could not believe what she just saw then.

Sidhant walked in with his traveling bag and stopped in his tracks when he saw what was before his eyes.
No. A surprise visit?

The following events were a blur, Sidhant jumped on Vihaan.
Vihaan landed a punch in his self-defense and the screams that came out of Riya which seemed alien to even herself turned the room into chaos.

Vihaan ran towards the living room and Sidhant grabbed the vase, chasing after Vihaan.
Riya clasped her mouth with her hands and grabbed a pan from the kitchen wall.
"Sidhant, stop!" She shouted but by then Sidhant had thrown the heavy ceramic vase on Vihaan who was now lying on the ground, groaning in pain.

Then he turned his predatory gaze on Riya and raised his hand.
Her reflexes won over her sense and Riya slammed the pan on Sidhant's head who fell on the carrom board which was sitting on the wooden table behind him. The same place where she and her son had just spent hours playing the game and enjoying their afternoon.

Sudden shock took over her body and she froze. In the next moment, a head-splitting pain shooted from Riya's base of the neck and she lost every single one of her senses in the mind-numbing ache, and all she could remember was falling.

Her eyes opened again after what felt like eternity and Riya felt softness beneath her back as if she was lying on a comfortable bed.
Through her blurry vision, she saw white.
Plain, blinding, bright white, stretched across from the ceiling to the walls and to the floor.
She felt a strange touch of familiarity with her surrounding yet she could not remember anything.

Loudly, a door burst open on her right and when she moved her head to see it, ache swiveled inside her head like molten metal, heavy and slow.

"Mrs. Kashyap? Are you all alright? Look at me. Can you see the light?"
A man who was dissolving with a room was looking onto her.

"Y-yes." She drawled and her voice felt foreign to herself.

"I need to take the chip out!" A woman spoke in hushed tones.

"We can't do that now."

"She can lose her memories!"

A few seconds later, Riya felt hands on her as she was being turned, and suddenly, a fiery burn glazed at her neck as if someone had just peeled a clot from a wound mercilessly.
Tears flowed from her eyes, uncontrollably and she could hear an unknown voice among them.

"Error 4526 struck again, Sir. We are currently unaware of what went wrong. We recorded everything, there were minor glitches here and there but aside from that it ran smoothly." The woman spoke.

"Good. Get her treated. I want a report by morning. The launch should not be hindered in any way!"

The unconsciousness soon came over and Riya drifted off.

"Ainsoft presents you the one of a kind, real-life simulation experience where you live through your alternate choices!
DESTINY: THE REAL YOU
Your every decision is influenced based on your psyche. An experience crafted from your dreams and memories!"

Riya read the pamphlet and stopped to look at the picture of a teenager standing confused with dialogue bubbles around her head.
'Yes or No' it said and on the next picture was her, saying yes and a silver shower of light above her head as she had made a choice.

The monitor beeped in the room rhythmically, filling in the silence and invading her thoughts.
She looked at the IV needle on her hand imagined herself pulling it away and running away from the facility.

The door opened and Riya saw Sidhant walking towards her with indifferent eyes.
Seems that they got permission to launch the game, after all.
He sat on the chair and before he could say anything Riya raised her eyes to look at him, "I want a divorce." She couldn't wear the mask of a good wife anymore.

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A story explanation is given after this note.

Genre: fantasy (it seems like science fiction, lol, I cheated but there is fantasy, nonetheless)

Words given by you guys: cocoa powder, baby powder, mask, gaming, whey protein, and carrom board. (Some of the comments were deleted for some reason and I couldn't see what they were)

I am sorry for delaying it for almost a month but I was busy with my online exams. I hope you enjoy it.

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Story explanation:

Riya Kashyap is a mother of seven-year-old kid Akash and lives alone with her son since her husband, Sidhant Kashyap works away in Singapore at a huge game development company called Ainsoft as a game developer. They were in an unhappy marriage as described above.
It was her son's birthday and she asks Sidhant if he would visit her, in reality, he does and takes her to Singapore where she is given permission to experience the game.
The events in the story were her experience in the game.
There are multiple minor hints too.
Like when Riya meets Vihaan for the first time, his character acts oddly, since the game was taking Riya's memories to form his behavior. He was what Riya ideally imagined her husband should be.
The next thing was the old lady who appeared like her mother-in-law and said it was too cold even though it was summer. This was a glitch in the game. It took time.
The ceiling lights shining brighter in the supermarket were just a mark of choice Riya made by telling the lady that she did miss her husband. This could be seen in another scene where Vihaan offers her help. She could call the security guard and ask for help but she chose to walk home with Vihaan. The silver light in the sky was the same thing.
They reach her house and the events explained there were created by the game itself to make it a thrilling experience.

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#writcostory #writinghacked #originalwork

© Samiksha Kemwal