The soft hand that usually rose to caress her hair, left an all too familiar tingling feeling in her left cheek. Again. She thought. At this point, she has lost track of the number of time she had gotten slapped. Some part of her didn't even want to count. It made it harder to forgive and forget.

In fact, It was normal for her. She did something with good intentions, screwed up, tried justifying herself, no one understands, blames then slaps her. It was a toxic cycle that no one seems to care enough to break.

She covered the red welt cheek and glared at her older sibling. What the hell? She wanted to ask but that meant talking back and she respected preeta too much to do that. At least not in front of this witch. So instead, she mustered the angriest look she could despite her watery eyes. She didn't get to do much more as she was told to get into the taxi and wait.

She released a frustrated groan. This was getting irritating. "I am trying to help. Why can't anyone see that?" she sighed pulling at her hair wincing a little at the force she used. As her sister got into the vehicle with her, they locked eyes. It only lasted for a second but she saw the anger in them.

It boiled her own blood. Instead of regretting what she just did, she was pissed? This was supposed to be the person who understood her the most. The one who loved and pampered her. Actually, she did until they came here.

Her brain played her memories to the first time this happened. When she sold their late father's ring. That was stupid of me. She admitted. She didn't hold anything against preeta for that. She understood and even apologised later on. It was forgotten.

Today was the second time. In-between her mother had slapped her a few times, but that was another can of worms. This was about her sister. The one she loved and cared for the most. The reason she ended up in trouble most of the time was for her happiness. She knows its not an excuse for her mistakes if that's what they called them. To a certain extent, she even understands where it's coming from. She isn't mad at them for yelling or even punishing her.

She is hurt that no one understands and uses her as a punching bag. She is the youngest after all. Her feelings aren't taken into consideration. And every time it happens, there's a new wound, a new scar added to the collection.

She tries so hard to help preeta. Hell, she almost died multiple times for her. In return, she got the cold shoulder and a really hard knee to the gut.

"Your destination has arrived." the driver announced once they reached. His voice was kind and warm, unlike the tone her sister had used earlier on. Was it an antiseptic or a numbing substance that would be a pain once the effects wore off, she couldn't decide. He turned to give the hurt soul, Srishti, a sympathetic smile. As preeta got busy looking for small change, the driver continued to smile.

"What?" she immediately regretted how harsh it sounded. "Sorry. Bad day." she quickly apologised wiping away a stray tear that fell.

"No sweat kid. Have you ever talked to her about it?" Srishti stared at him confused. "I saw what happened earlier. From the looks of it, not the first time. Maybe you should to her about it."

"She wouldn't understand. She used to but I don't think its the same person anymore. Besides I am a screw-up."

"No one is a screw-up. Everyone makes mistakes."

Srishti scoffed. "Mistakes? People who do mistakes don't get slapped across their face. They get an explanation for why its wrong. Their intentions behind this mistake as you say, are understood. Here I just happened to be youngest and thus I am wrong." it's not true, she knows. Yet sometimes it felt like that.

"Kiddo. It doesn't matter what relationship you have with someone. She is your sister, yes, but she can't do that and you can't just take it sitting down. Just because you are used to it, doesn't make it right."

"What do you expect me to do?"

"Talk. at the very least talk to her and tell her how hurtful it is," he gave her a little pat on the head with a reassuring smile. "She loves you. I am sure she will understand."

Not wanting to deal with another lecture, she gave the slightest smile and got down the taxi and into her house. She felt guilty for shunning the kind man. She didn't even know his name. He was just trying to help. Srishti chuckled despite the salty tears at the irony. Looks like the people who try to help just don't have it fair.

She passed by her mother on her way to her room. She didn't miss the immediate disappointment that masked her faced as she stepped in. "where were you and what is all this?" her caregiver yelled, referring to her unusual outfit.

"I can't do this right now," Srishti simply stated, taking off towards her room. Be honest. That's what the man said.

She slammed the door shut and tried to get her irregular breathes under control. It was more like wheezing, squeaky and worrisome. She could sense a breakdown on its way and tried to prevent it. Not because she didn't want to look weak but because her Di wasn't going to be there to help her through it. Not this time.

She could hear her sister narrating the incident to her family and as expected another round of findings faults occurred.

The hurt quickly evaporated and left a saturated solution of anger. She clumsily got to her feet and decided to change this uncomfortable outfit. At least she could deal with them in clothes that made her feel at ease. Once she was done, she tossed her soiled clothes into the laundry bin in the corner of her- their room.

She picked up her phone to the notification of Instagram and scrolled through her feed. One after another she scrolled post after post for hours forgetting whatever she had on her mind. It was well into the night when she came across a picture of her sibling and herself. They were playfully pulling each others cheek and looking genuinely happy. The person inside it was the who she wanted to be with her right now. Not the hollow shell of a person that took her sister's place.

"Srishti, open up. I want to sleep." the cold voice from the outside made the slap echo throughout her room once again. The moment's distraction was over and the hurt sufficed again.

Before she knew it, her hand swept across the contents of the shelf above her, sending the items smashing to the ground. "Why?" she shouted. "Why don't you get it?" her fist pounded the drywall behind the bed.

"Srishti?" her sister sounded panicked. "Srishti! What are you doing?"

"Nothing that concerns you!" the hurt raven responded.

"You're in there, throwing things around and possible about to hurt ourself and it doesn't concern me?"

"Yea it doesn't. What I do shouldn't concern you."

"What? Srishti this isn't a joke."

"Joke?" she laughed. "You guys have turned me into a joke. Don't bother listening to my reasons or understanding my intentions. Just slap me because I am I fucking punching bag," she looked at the mess she created around the room through the blurriness of cloudy eyes. "Oh, and I am sorry. I created a mess. Don't worry I will save you the trouble by slapping myself."

Her palm that was about to hit her cheek, stopped mid-air. She turned to see preeta holding her wrist with a look that the tears she was fighting back, finally dropped.

Preeta guided them around the mess and onto the bed. "I care. I care more than words can describe."

Srishti's innocent eyes and trembling lips resembled the look preeta had last seen in Nasik. The one she wore for days after their father died. She winces at the bluntness in the word. When did she become so cynical? But more than that she hates that she was the one behind the pain of her sister. She was supposed to protect and make sure no one hurts her fragile heart.

However, she was the very reason behind these tears. Where did she go wrong? How did I become so ignorant of the actions that cause her so much pain? She thought back to all the times she hurt her little sister since they came here.

The first time when she slapped her for selling their fathers' ring. Then the scoldings she gave her. The times she was so preoccupied with her own things to notice. The way she didn't say anything when their mother scolded and slapped her. The fact that because of her, Sameer was about to be taken away from her as well.

Yet, Srishti was always there for here. Whenever she was upset she tried to help even when preeta herself shut her out. She didn't stop trying. She went to go pick a fight with a goon for her and got kidnapped for it. But when the taller girl got arrested, preeta's concern was how their mother was going to react rather than her safety. Time after time, she lashed out on Srishti but the younger woman happily took it.

"Then why don't I see it?"