MODERN CINDERELLA

CHAPTER-19

They walked around at the park leisurely and silently. To see the silent Nick, Aahana thought the conversation back at the kitchen and asked him, "Are you angry at me for laughing at you at that moment in the kitchen?"

Nick looked at her and saw the concern in her eyes.... for him. He also surprised that she knew what he had been thinking till now. He smiled at her concerned face and asked, "How do you know about what I'm thinking?"

Aahana smiled at him, "It's just a hunch or you could say little observation skills.... You were silent after that conversation and seemed off during the lunch and also when we were walking in the park, you were still silent all ..."

"Okay, okay.. I understand that you are very observant", Nick said while laughing.

Aahana was relieved to see him laugh but stopped walking. She stood in front him and told him very seriously, "But if it bothers you so much... I am very sorry."

           There was really an expression of guilt to show how she was sorry to tell him that. Nick was amused to see the concerned face of Aahana, that how she could read him like an open book, also what he felt, what could hurt him. Every emotion that he currently went through, how could she tell it? It's like she went through the same feelings. Nick thought these things while looking in her eyes. He was so in the thought that he didn't notice Aahana had been staring at him, concerned.

Nick smiled and nodded his head, "No, you don't have to be sorry. You didn't say anything to hurt me or like that.. I just.... I mean, yeah, the Nicholas from the past wouldn't help.... forget the helping anybody, he didn't speak with anybody in good manner, along helping in the kitchen." He smiled sadly.  Aahana saw Nick had been trembling with emotions. She guided him to the bench near him and both of them sat down. Nick then continued, "He didn't share his thoughts, feelings, fear with anyone.... He was scared to show his real feelings to others.....neither to his father, nor friends. Although he didn't have that kind of friend with whom he could share his feelings,but even sometimes he felt the urge to share the feelings with somebody... with anyone, but he couldn't. You know why??? Because he was scared that other people would judge him. Other people couldn't believe that I would be sad or be scared, since I was a rich kid with so many people always around me, but they were just servants. They were doing their jobs, if they didn't do their job properly, they didn't get their payments.. it's really like that, not for really they love me or like me..."

                         Aahana could feel his pain, she took his right hand in her both hands and held tightly. She looked straight in his eyes and told him, "I think you should tell your dad what you really feel." Nick was shocked to hear that, he tried to take his hand away from her, but she held it tightly and squeezed it, "I know that a big distance had been created between you two through these years. But believe me, when I saw your dad's eyes looking at you, your success, he was so proud of you; not as a boss proud of his sub-ordinate, but a proud father. He loves you very much, you are his son, of course he loves you. But the problem is, he doesn't show you that he loves you. He couldn't express his love for you throughout these years and you also misunderstood him till now. So, a huge gap has been created between you two. You two need to speak with each other--- connect to each other."Nick listened to her, but he had been gazing somewhere else. 

                         Aahana noticed it and followed his gaze to see a very beautiful moment. A father and mother were playing with their little boy in the park. The father was kneeling down and the son was horse-riding on his father's back, the mother was laughing to see them...a very touchy moment. She looked back at Nick, he said while looking that moment, " You know, I really miss those days, where my parents were playing with me, where they were laughing with me. Now I thought that, if those were their real feelings or just acting." Aahana didn't know what to say. She never been in that type of situation what Nick had gone through and she didn't want him to give false hope. So, she was silent, though she wanted to less the burden he felt, but couldn't do it. Nick continued, "Even now, I can't hate my mother. I know, what she did... I must hate her, really hate her. But I couldn't..And for this thing, I hate myself, I am frustrated in me.."