Desires of the Heart

The Get Together

A doorbell rang and Nitya opened the door. She was surprised to find Manvi over there. She was in a wheelchair along with Mrs. Braganza.

"Manvi!" she exclaimed. Everyone looked in that direction. Their face lit up seeing them. Nitya smiled and got her inside.

"Vikram ab toh naraz nahi ho na tum?" asked Nitya turning to Vikram.

Vikram glared at her at the first but then smiled a little and opened his arms for her. She moved her wheelchair to him and gave him a big hug. He too hugged her tightly and pecked her forehead.

"Sorry" she whispered in his ears and he nodded to indicate that it wasn't required.

"Ab aa hi gai hai toh raunak aur lag jayegi" said Aarushi. Manvi eyed Arjun and he gestured a thanks to her.

The home was filled with cheerful talks and laughter once again. Manvi was sitting by the window and seeing others having a cheereful conversation. She was enjoying this family time. She looked around, she couldn't find Aaditya around. Perhaps, he had noticed that she had been avoiding him and purposely didn't arrive despite of the invitation. She knew she was the reason of his absence. She realised, she had complicated everything not just for her but for him as well.

She was thinking about her past days when suddenly someone grabbed a chair beside her. She was surprised to find that it was Aarav.

"Hi!" he said.

"Hi, Aarav!" she replied.

"How's life?" he asked.

"Just good, normal, what about you?" she replied.

"Sab ekdam badhiya"

She looked at Hemadri and asked "Hemadri bahot khush lag rahi hai"

"Par tum nahi ho" he replied and she looked at him all amazed.

"Aisa kuchh nahi hai Aarav" she said taking her eyes away from him.

"Aisa hai toh wo khushi tumhare chehre se door kyun hai?" he asked.

"Nahi Aaditya tumhein..." she paused when she realised that she took the incorrect name and Aarav smiled at this.

"Manvi , tumhein yaad hai jab main Vikram ke liye, Tumhare liye Hemadri ka saath chhodne ko taiyyar tha toh tumne mujhse kya kaha tha?"

"Maana, maine tumhare saamne naatak kiya tha, lekin mere pyaar ka, mere tyaag ka apmaan karne wale tum kaun hote ho?" she remembered herself saying this to Aarav.

"Aur aaj tumhare paas koi wajah nahi hai uske pyaar ko thukrane ki, fir bewajah kyun tum usay chot pahuncha rahi ho?" he asked.

Manvi looked at him "Aarav, tum bhi jaante ho na ki maine vo naatak tumhare saamne kyun kiya tha, taaki tum mere karib na aao, jis dar se main tumhein karib nahi aane dena chahti thi, usay kaise aane dun, uski zindagi kaise barbaad kar dun" she questioned him.

"Tum shayad thik keh rahi ho, shaayad tumhari is haalat ki wajah se tumhari aur Aaditya ki zindagi barbaad ho jayegi, agar vo tumse door hoga toh shayad usay tumse behtar ladki bhi mil jayegi lekin kya vo thik se jee payega?lKya vo tumhein kabhi bhool payega?" he questioned and Manvi looked away.

"Vo Vikram ko dekho" he eyed at Vikram.

"Usne apne pyaar ko khud apne haathon se do baar kho diya, khud Hemadri ko khud se itna door bhej diya ki vo kabhi uske paas laut nahi paai, aaj Nitya ke saath khush hai, lekin Hemadri ki yaadon ko bhi vo bhool nahi paaya hai, khud apne aap ko dekho, aaj bhi apne pehle pyaar ko kho dene ki kasak hai tumhare mann mein, pehle pyaar ko itni aasani se bhulaya nahi jaata Manvi, tum vo dard Aaditya ko kyun dena chahti ho?" he said.