Aditi's point of view
Everyone says that your father and your brother were the one who always protect you from every evil eyes and your mother was the one who will feel your pain without saying any single word but in my case everything is opposite. My father and brother don't care about me and everyone knows how am I close to my mother.
Sometimes I thought, I will let my parents marry me at 18 and will go away far from here. I will start my new life with my new family and my husband will love me unconditionally and protect me from the world. Atleast I will be happy then.
It's not like I am not happy now, instead of all ignorance from my family, I always find my happiness in small things because life is short and no one knows what will happen to you next so I enjoy the every single moment of my life and didn't care about others behavior towards me. They are doing what they are like to do and I was doing what I want to do.
But as soon as the idea came into my mind with another man in my life, as my husband other than Dhruv, it shakes me. I can't imagine anyone in my life as my life partner other than him. I always imagine him as my life partner but a part of my heart know, he can never be mine. He is a star of the universe and I am mere particle of soil in earth. He is a light and I am darkness. He know what he wants to do with his life and I don't know what will I do after my school?
We have huge gap between us. If I want to reach him, I can never cover this gap. You can't touch sky, if you standing on earth. I know we can't be one but atleast my heart at ease that he lives infront of my house and I can see him everyday, if I am lucky.
But what will happen when he leave for further studies and his father get transfer from here?
The question is buzzing in my mind and I didn't realize when I reached the market. I entered the grocery store.
"Namste unce.." I joint my both hands and greet shop owner, Gupta uncle.
Gupta uncle is my father's friend and very kind. Papa and uncle both studied in same school and settled in their home town with their own business. He knows our family very closely and sometimes he came to our house with his family for dinner.
"Nameste beta...How are you?" He asked me kindly.
"As usual..." I replied while giving him a soft smile.
"So tell me...How may I help you?" He asked me while sitting behind the counter in his huge leather chair.
"Thankyou uncle... but I will help myself."
He gave me smile and call one of his staff members and tell him to help me with groceries. I turn around and went to other counter where were staff attending the customers. Gupta uncle's shop is pretty much famous in this area so it is always crowded. Today is not exceptional. I make my way to the staff member which Gupta uncle appointed for me and hand him the grocery list. He checked the list and started picking things for me.
My eyes fell on the coffee powder which was putting on the counter. I picked it up and checked it's price because Atul bhaiya likes to drink coffee at night. Atul bhiya get the Admission in NIT, Mumbai and he will soon leave for college.
I want him to give all my love by my small gestures before he leave for college. I am going to miss him. I might not be best sister for him but I will always consider him my best brother. He supports me when it comes to my studies.
I was thinking of cooking all his favorite food till he is here. He must be like it. Atul bhaiya worked hard to get the admission in government college so papa could afford his tuition fees. He make mummy papa proud and like him, I also want them feel proud so they could realize, girls are not less than boys and make their parents proud also.
I know, I still don't know what I want to do in my life but I know one thing that I want to make feel my parents proud to me, especially Papa. So he could also look at me with fatherly love like he look at Atul bhaiya. I will also work hard for entrance exam of government job and will make him proud one day. If this is the only way to get love from my family then I will do it.
I was reading the details in coffee bottel when I feel someone presence just behind me. The person was standing way closer to me for my liking and I can feel someone's hand on my lower back. I turn back to look at the person. A man in his thirties, was standing just behind me, looking at me with his creepy red and yellow teeth. I feel uncomfortable standing so close to him but I can't say him anything because shop is crowded than the other days and it must be by mistake he touched me. I step aside and gave him more sapce to stand comfortably.
I again busy myself, reading the details behind the coffee bottle but again I feel a manly hand brushed on my butt. I looked at the man with frawn. He slide close to me and gave me his creepiest yellow smile. I so wanted to slap him but I don't want to make any seen here especially in Gupta uncle's shop. I turn again, face the counter and step aside to stand away from the man. I don't know what should I do? I feel like crying. I don't like when someone touch me inappropriately. No girl like it. Tears welled up in my eyes when again I feel his hand brushed on my butt. I just wanted to finish my work here and wanted to leave this shop as soon as possible.
But what if he followed and tried to do something with me in isolated steet? What if he tried to do more thing other than touching me inappropriately. I know my home is just twenty minutes walk away from here but twenty minutes are enough for anyone to molest a girl.
I already handle the one creep at my home. I can't handle one more creep here. Today is really a bad day. I came to the market to save myself from creep who is my brother's bestfriend and here I stuck with another creep. Now where should I go?
The man again tried to get closed to me when I again step away from him but before he could touch me or reach me someone come between us and stand close to me. He held my hand and pull me towards him. I got scared and my heart beats get faster when I thought another creep also come to molest me.
"Calm down....It's me." A familiar voice reached me and I feel goosebumps all over my body. My heart is still beating faster but not in fear. It was beating faster because he was standing so close to me.
I turn my face and look at those mesmerizing black eyes who always calms my heart. Dhruv was standing between me and the creep, protecting me from him. His eyes were holding the warmth for me and he was looking at me with concern. For the first time, I feel protected under someone's gaze when someone tried to harass me.
Dhruv turn his face and glared at the man. I was looking at him with adoration when he was busy shooting glares to the man. His jaw was clenched and hands are fisted in a tight fist that they started turning to white. If looks can kill then the man definitely burried six feet under the ground.
The man cleared his throat and leave from there after receiving his polly bag of groceries. Dhruv again turn his face to me and looked at me with softness.
"You Okay...?" He asked me with concern.
I looked down and nodded my head while tucking a loose strand behind my ear. My cheeks turn into pink shade when I feel his eyes on me. His eyes were fill with concern like he know what I am feeling right now and he is silently telling me that he is here for me.
"How may I help you sir?" He averted his gaze from me when someone from the staff member call him and then the first time I took into his appearance. He was wearing a white t-shirt under the dark green jacket and matched it with black jeans.
"Bring these things for me." Dhruv handed him the list of grocery while I was looking down blankly to the coffee bottle in my hand to calm down my heart. I was feeling nervous and my hands are getting sweaty, standing so close to him.
Suddenly I get cautious about my looks. I was wearing my simple black anarkali suit with my silver jhumke in my ears. I don't know, how was I looking because I want to look atleast presentable infront of him.
We both stood there silently. None of us speak a word. There is a uncomfortable silence between us. We both don't know what to talk. Though I want to talk to him. I wanted to ask him about the school.
Why was he sad?
What happened to him. Who changed his cheery mood into a gloomy one?
Was someone say something to him?
There are so many questions, I want to ask him but I couldn't and from which right I will ask him? We are not friends. Other than a neighbors we are nothing.
The one whom I gave my grocery list, come with my things and at the same time other man who went with Dhruv's grocery list came with his things. They both handed us our bags full of groceries. Dhruv picked his grocery bag easily while I was having a difficulty to pick it because it was too heavy for me.
"Did you buy for whole year?"
"Huh..?"
I looked at him dumbly when I didn't recognize his words. My cheeks burn in heat when he spoke suddenly.
"Are you planning to feed the whole colony?" He smirked while looking at the grocery bag in my hand and then me.
In my grocery list, mostly are the snacks for Atul bhaiya which he will bring with him to college. Mummy strictly told me to buy everything so I don't have to go again to the market to buy things.
I looked down in embarrassment and my cheeks turn pink.
"Mummy asked me to buy things for Atul bhaiya. He is living for college soon." I whispered while looking down. My cheeks are still warm in embarrassment. But then I heard his soft chuckle, which are music to my ears.
"Relax..I was just kidding." I looked at him and he still has his beautiful smile on his face.
His eyes were glowing when he was looking at me with his mesmerizing smile. He looks handsome when he smile whole heartedly. I am glad that, atleast I was the reason behind his smile. I gave him soft smile and then looked down to cantrol my smile while bitting my lower lip.
After our little moment we both went to the cash counter to pay our bills.
"Arre...Dhruv beta...Today you came for shopping? Where is Nikhil?" Gupta uncle asked Dhruv while calculating his bill.
"He went back to college." He replied with smile.
"Oh! He didn't tell me that he is leaving for college. Anyway how is your study going?" Gupta uncle asked him.
"It was good."
Dhruv doesn't like talk much. So he is giving the short answers to keep the conversation short. In past years I came to know one thing about Dhruv. He is kind of introverted person and loves to live his own world. He is ambitious and doesn't want any distraction in his life when he was struggling and working hard to achieve his goals.
Gupta uncle nodded his head and make our bills. We both collect our things after paying the bills and went out from the shop.
I started walking on my separate way because I know Dhruv must come with his bike and we both can't go together. As I turn to other way, I feel presence beside me and I know who is he. My heart was going crazy feeling his presence beside me. I wanted to run away to calm it down but at the same time I wanted be with him because it's not everyday he walk beside me. I looked at him and he was already looking at me.
"Sorry...Today I didn't came from my bike. Do you mind if I come with you?" He asked me while looking at me.
Oh! My freeking god..Is he asking me to give him company till home?
I thought, today is the worst day but god turn my gloomy day into a lucky day. My crush, my love is walking beside me and asking me to give him company till home. Is he aware what he is doing to me?
"No.." I shake my head as 'no' and gave him a smile but from inside I was freaking out.
We both walked in silence. None of us said anything but there is a comfortable silence between us unlike few minutes ago.
As we both were walking, a tasty aroma of noodles reached my nostrils from the shop which was across the main road and my stomach grumbled loudly in appreciation. Then I realized that I was hungry and didn't have my propper lunch till yet. But I wasn't alone when my stupid stomach decided to grumbled loudly. I looked at Dhruv and he was looking already at me but he didn't say anything to make me feel embarrassed. I looked down in embarrassment and an uncomfortable thick silence fell between us that you can cut it with knife.
I don't like this uncomfortable silence between us. So I decided to speak.
"I'm sorry. I didn't have my luch yet." I said in a low voice while looking down in embarrassment and tuck a loose strand behind my ear.
"Actually, I am hungry too. I also didn't have my lunch yet. They make the best noodles here. So shall we...?" I looked at him when he suddenly speek and he was already looking at me.
I know he was making excuse so I didn't feel embarrassed. But I don't want him to do anything which he doesn't like and mummy will get angry if I get late home again. I don't want her to slap me again but at the same time, I wanted to spend some more time with Dhruv.
It's not everyday he ask me to eat with him but what about mummy.
May be today is not the day, I get a chance to eat with him. But what if some other day he will ask me again? I can only hope for that.
"But mummy get angry if I will be late." I voiced out my fear and looked at him apologetically.
"They wouldn't take much time. You will be at home before aunty could get angry on you." He said looking at me hopefully.
"Okay..." I nodded my head as 'yes' and it earns me his beautiful soft smile which was enough to fluttered my heart.
*******
Cars and motorbikes were running fastly like they have some kind of emergency at home. Their honking increasing the noise pollution and my heartbeats too. I always avoid to go across the road because I don't know how to cross the road, full with traffic. Whenever I tried, it feels like they are going to hit me.
Dhruv was standing beside me and looked here and there of the vehicles. He looked relax and calm while on the other side I was nervous, first I was standing beside my crush and second I don't know how to cross the road. I can't ask him for help because I don't want to embarrass myself more in front of him.
Dhruv started walking ahead while looking both the sides of the road but I stay still on my place.
Should I ask him for help?
No...No..he will laugh at me.
But if he walked ahead, cross the road
and won't find me beside him then he will come to know that I don't know how to cross the road. He will laugh at me. I should walk beside him, that's how I can cross the road without letting him know.
I take a step towards him and started walking behind him. He was very careful when he was crossing the road while looking both sides of the road and I was doing the same but suddenly I started feeling nervous about the idea, me crossing the road. I hesitantly forward my hand towards him and hold the corner of Dhruv's shirt lightly. I was careful not to touch him while holding his shirt.
I looked at him to confirm if he caught me or not but he was keep walking ahead looking both side of the road. It seems like he didn't aware of my hold on his shirt. With a little more courage, I tight my grip little on his shirt, like my life is depends on him and I started walking behind him. It gave me a tickling and different kind of chill all over my body when I feel his shirt's material against my fingers. His cologne reach my nostrils and I get lost in it.
"Come..."
I didn't realize when we crossed the road untill his beautiful yet manly voice reach to me. I looked at him and he was already looking at me. I immediately leave his shirt before he recognize my hold on his shirt and looked here and there to hide my pink cheeks and to calm my crazy heart. At my peripheral vission I saw him smiling looking at me.
Uugghh..why can't I cantrol my stupid blush in front of him?
We both started walking towards the shop and a smile came on my face thinking about my hold on his shirt. He must not be aware of it but it was a special moment for me.
*****
Dhruv odered two plates of noodles for both of us and then we both set on the bench. A silence fell between us and none of us don't know what to say. I want to live every single second of this moment between us. I want yo save everything in my memory when he is with me. God know when I will get such chance again. I know Dhruv doesn't like talk much but I want to talk to him whole day, whole night. I never get tired of him. I want to know about him. But my crazy heart beats and nervousness didn't allow me to speak.
Today how he save me from that creep without saying anything, it really means a lot to me. Maybe he will do that for any girl but for me he is not anyone. He has special place in my heart. My handsome neighbor doesn't know, doing all these things, he making me fall for him hard.
"Thankyou.." I decided to broke the silence between us.
"For lunch...?" He asked me while looking at me confusingly.
I looked down and shake my head as no and said while tucking a loose strand behind my ear, "For both."
I also want to thank him for helping me in shop. I wasn't accepting anyone's help that time and was creeping out silently when that creep deliberately brushed his hands on lower back and hips. I was feeling disgusted but Dhruv came on right time and stood between me and him like a wall. I feel protected under him. He made me feel secure around him.
"Both....?" He asked me confusingly.
"For helping me inside the shop." I said while looking at him sincerely with my love.
But I saw something in his eyes also. His eyes were glistening with unknown emotions which I can't read. Maybe I was wrong, but for a second I saw pain in them. His eyes were saying so much things to me but I can't able to read what they are saying to me.
"I will to that for any other girl but you should have slap him on the right spot so he couldn't dare to do this any other girl." He said looking directly into my eyes.
"This is a small city and here people judge you with your actions, without knowing the reason behind it." I said in a low voice while giving him a sad smile but he was looking at me with concern.
I also wanted to slap that man and teach him a lesson so he could not do such things in future. But here words spread faster than the fire and if someone tells my parents what I have done in market they probably blame me for provocating the man and my parents will grounded me for my whole life.
I don't want him to see the pain in my eyes and I can't hold his gaze more so I looked down to hide my pain.
It is true that my parents believe much the outsiders than me. They don't have a trust on me. They easily belive if someone raise a finger on my character. I am not saying this on the bases of my any assumptions. I was saying this with experience.
Once a boy from our neighbors following me everywhere and when I complained this to Atul bhaiya, Atul bhaiya immidately confronted him but what happened next shocked me. The boy put all the blame on me and said Atul bhaiya that I sent him the latter that I like him and wanted him to be my boyfriend.
Atul bhaiya slapped me in front him and tell everything to mummy-papa. I cried infront of them and tell them he was lying but no one believed me. Mummy also slapped me and papa looked at me with disgust. No one talk to me for months in my family. Papa restricted me for school. I didn't went to school for two months. But eventually my parents showed some mercy on me and everything went to normal as time pass. This was all happened before Dhruv's family shifted in our neighborhood.
"Aditi.." I raised my head and looked at him when I heared my name from his beautiful voice. This is the first time when I heared my name from him. My name sounds so foriegn yet so beautiful from him. When it rolled from his tongue, it gave me chills all over my body.
"I don't know much about you but as far as I know you....you are a confident girl. Don't let anyone crush it." He looked at me with concern and it was like he can feel my pain.
He can understand the meaning of my every single word. I don't know why he said that but his words soothe my pain. We both were keep looking at eachother like our eyes were talking and they are having some secret conversation. None of us break the contact of our eyes. I was looking at him with love and adoration and he was looking at me with concern and unknown emotions which I can't put my finger on.
Our gaze broke with the sound of click. A boy, who work in fastfood shop, put two plates of noodles infront of us and walked away. We both blinked many time to clear our heads and looked here and there to avoid eachother's eyes. We both picked our plates and started eating noodles in silence. After that none of us said anything and we both keep avoiding eachother. Well not me...he was avoiding my gaze.
After we finished eating, Dhruv went to pay the bill for our noodles while I was waiting for him, standing few feets away from him. I wanted to pay the bill but Dhruv insisted to pay the bill.
After paying the bill Dhruv and I started walking beside eachother. As we went close to main road, fear of crossing the road crawl inside my heart and it started beating fast. This time I could not even hold Dhruv's shirt because he was walking beside me. He will know, if I hold his shirt this time.
Dhruv was looking on both side of the road to cross the road and I was stood there like fool. I am fifteen years old and still dosen't know how to cross the road. I was feeling the same nervousness again.
But suddenly something happened. I feel a manly hand on my right hand and it hold me securely. I looked at our joint hands and then the person. Dhruv was standing holding my right hand while looking both sides of the road, unaware of the fact that he is going to reason of my heart fail because it wasn't beating.
My heart stopped beating and I forgot to breath when I feel his hand holding mine. I get the goosebumps all over my body and I feel the sensation on my right palm which he was holding in his manly palm. My small hand fit in his lage hand perfectly.
My eyes were following his every action and I was looking at him with adoration. Suddenly, realization hit me. He was holding my hand. I started feeling so much nervous that my hands are getting sweaty. This is the first time he is holding my hand. This is the first time I feel his touch on me. Today is one of the lucky day between us.
I can feel sweat forming between our hands. He intertwined his fingers with me and started walking casually like he doesn't aware of our intertwine hands.
"You are sweating." Dhruv said looking at me while leaving my hand after we crossed the road.
"May be because of sun. It's pretty hot today." My cheeks turn pink and walked further to hide my blush, leaving him behind. I still can feel his hands on my small palm. A smile came on my lips when I recalled our little moment. I feel the presence beside me and I know he was walking beside me.
********
My right hand started aching for continuously holding the heavy grocery bag. Dhruv and I both are walking towards our home in silence. Nither I nor him say a single word after the little moment between us. At one point I was embarrassed that maybe he came to know that I don't know how to cross the road and on the other hand I want to hold his hand again.
But how he know that I don't know how to cross the road? I was careful when I hold his shirt while crossing the road.
Maybe he held my hand, just out of the flow. Otherwise how he came to know about that?
Today I was so much thankful to mummy that she sent me to the market. Because of her, I met Dhruv and spent so much time with him. This day is very special to me. Today for the first time my handsome neighbor hold my hand. I am not getting any sleep today. I shifted the grocery bag again on my right hand when my left hand also started aching.
"Give that to me."
"Huh..?" I turn my head and looked at him when suddenly my chain of thoughts broken by him. This time it was him who broke the silence between us.
"It must be heavy for you. Give that bag to me." He said while looking at the grocery bag and then me.
"No, I'm fine. It's only five minutes and we reach home." I refused politely while giving him a smile.
"It's okey, I'll carry that for you till home." Before I could refuse again, he took the grocery bag from my hand.
He was carrying his grocery bag on his left hand while mine in right one. I didn't feel good when he carried both grocery bags to himself. It must be difficult for him to carry both bags so I took his grocery bag from him and in process our fingers brushed. His head turns to me and I can feel his gaze on me.
"I'll take this one." I said while looking down to avoid his gaze and the havoc inside me which causes because of our fingers brushing. His grocery bag wasn't heavy that much. It hardly have five or six items in that while mine was having atleast twentyfive or thirty items.
He didn't say anything after that and we both keep walking in silence till our home.
Our home come and the time also come when I have to separate from him. We both stopped infront of our house and keep standing there in silence. He forward his hand and give my grocery bag to me while looking into my eyes directly. I also gave his grocery bag to him.
None of us said anything and none of us make a move to go our home. Though we both are looking at the ground, tried to find words to say goodbye but it was like, the word removed from our dictionary, atleast for me. I don't want to go away from him. My heart wasn't ready to say him goodbye this soon. I want keep standing here and want to look into his eyes till eternity.
I raised my eyelids and looked at him and at the same time he also raised his eyes from ground and looked at me.
I looked into his eyes and they were holding the warmth and softness for me. Like he wanted to say something but holding himself. It was like feel eternity when none of said a single word and keep looking eachother.
When he didn't say anything, I looked at him for the last time and turn to go inside. My heart was saying that his eyes wanted to say something but he was holding himself back.
"Aditi.."
I immediately turned around when I heard my name from him. I looked at him and he was already looking at me.
"You are a great partner for grocery shopping." He gave me a warm smile and paused for a little time like finding the correct words to them in a sentence. Like it wasn't what he want to say.
"..and remember what I said to you...." He continue..
"Don't let anyone crush your confidence." After saying this he leave from there without turning and I was stood there in shock, try to process his words. My mind was asking me one question..
Why he said that?
........................................................................
I hope you like the chapter.
It's been ten days today when I updated last. I am so sorry for the delay. But I decided from now on I will give you the updates every weekend.
Dhruv and Aditi had their first ever conversation.
What do you think Why Dhruv said, not let her confidence crush by anyone. Did he know everything about Aditi's family? How they treated her?
Does he also like Aditi?
I write this chapter to keep Dhruv's nature in my mind.
If you like the chapter Please press the star at the bottom of your phone's screen and leave long and lots of comments. Don't forget to share my story to your friends and relatives.
Thankyou...