He saw himself walking down an isolated path. He knew where he had to go. It was as if he had the entire direction memorised in his head. He walked till what felt to him like an eternity. And then there it was,right in front of him. The abyss. That dark, pitch black abyss, pulling him towards itself. He felt his limbs going numb. He wanted to move away, run away, only if the strong pull let him. Everything around him blurred. It was dark all around him. He couldn't see a thing, except for the dark hole pulling him inside, slowly, very slowly.
He shouted, screamed at the top of his lungs, wanting to be heard by somebody, wanting to be rescued. But the path he had walked down was isolate. Devoid of any single being. He gave up, as the pull started to get stronger each passing second, trying to consume him whole.
All of a sudden, he felt he was pushed backwards. He fell on the ground with a thud. He tried to open his eyes, and closed them the next instant, when he saw a bright light in front of him, the glow almost blinded him. Moments later as he felt the intensity of its brightness decreasing, he opened his eyes again.
He saw a petite figure smiling down at him. He had seen that face. He knew he had. Though he couldn't see her face because of the illuminating glow all around her, he definitely could recognise the features.
She started walking in a specific direction, leaving a trail of rays that illuminated the whole path. He stood up, and followed her. She stopped at a distance, and turned to look at him.
He was astonished when he recognised who it was. The girl, it was her. It was Shehnaaz. He ran upto her, while she just stood there not moving an inch, and just when he was about to reach her she vanished.
Gone. Poof. Just like that.
Sidharth woke up, gasping for air,and sweating profusely. It took him a few moments to register it all. He was seeing those nightmares again. He saw Shehnaaz in them. He didn't know what it meant and it terrified him. He gulped down a glass of water, his throat felt parched. It was quarter to 4 in the morning.
He calmed his heart that was beating at such an abnormal rate that he could hear the loud thudding vibrating in his ears. An arm slid on to his waist. He heaved a sigh of relief on finding Shehnaaz sound asleep, her hair scattered on the pillow. Her lips formed a pout even when she was sleeping.
She was there, right beside him, clinging on to him. Her hands shuffled as if searching for his warmth. He laid beside her,a subtle smile making his lips upturned as she let out a soft whimper.
Pressing a kiss on her head, he embraced her. She snuggled more into him and he caressed her hair softly, careful enough to not disturb her peaceful slumber. The tranquility it all was so absurd yet so satisfying to him. The restlessness he felt moments ago was replaced by a serene blissful smile. She was becoming his happy place. As much he resented the idea initially, he did let her in, breaking down the shackles of his own heart. He let her in and he now understood what it means when they say "Home isn't a place, it's a person."
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"You're staring!" she mumbled, still half asleep, as she felt his fingers removing locks of hair that fell on her face. She looked so adorable in her sleep, he couldn't help but sneak a peek at her. Goodness, he wanted to wake up to that lovely face every morning.
Okay calm the fuck down.
You're rushing things way too fast.
He smiled at being caught, continuing to trace the outline of her face.
"Good Morning, sleepy-head" he said, walking in to the washroom to do the morning ritual.
Shehnaaz searched for her phone to check the time, rubbing her eyes open. Her arms felt stiff, she stretched her hands, relaxing them a bit. It was half past 7 in the morning already. He was an early riser. She noted that in her mind and scrolled through her phone.
The door clutched open and a freshly showered Sidharth stepped out, clad in trousers.
Bare chested.
Her gaze fell on him and she couldn't look away. The broad muscular chest, the prominent abs, tall brooding figure, it made him look so intimadating.
He was too sinfully handsome.
She went back in time to relive yesterday night.
"You're staring!" he mimicked her.
She looked away, her cheeks flushed further as images of them kissing flashed in her head. He was enjoying these teasing sessions, he smirked sitting beside her as a thought came into his mind.
She looked up as she sensed the familiar smell nearing her, only to see him hovering over her. His bare body rubbed against her as he tried to reach something behind her.
The proximity sent currents down her spine.
"Sid.. Sidharth what are you.."
"Wait I'm just trying to.. Reach.. Something"
This totally is a seduction attempt.
He laughed at his own self, but then he loved when she would become a blushing mess because of his actions.
Catching hold of her waist with one hand, he left her startled at the sudden contact while his other hand searched something, he let his hot breath fan her neck.
She had her eyes closed all the while, letting herself drown under his touch.
"I'm close.." he said, and yanked away from her. There was a deodorant in his hand.
He was finding the bloody deodorant when another bottle was right there in front of the table.
She looked at him with accusing eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing. I'll go freshen up"
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"Sidharth.. Can I ask something?"
She said breaking the very peaceful silence that prevailed in the atmosphere. They were walking on sand, bare feet, holding hands. They often visited the sea side. It soothed them from within.
"Bol na baby"
"People talk about us, Sidharth. Not the good things, I sense it from the way they stare at us. It will ruin your image."
He stopped and looked at her with a frown.
"Is there any good perception at all that they have of me already?"
"That doesn't.."
He moved closer and put a finger on her lips, asking her to not talk.
"I have never reacted to whatever shit they talk or write about. I'm already labelled a womaniser, drunkard, and what not."
He paused for a while. Looking at the setting sun, going down the horizon, far away from where they stood, he snaked his arm around her pulling her into himself.
" Do you trust me? " he asked.
" Isn't it clear by now that I do? "
" You know, what they have written, it is exaggerated, but it's not false Shehnaaz. I did....I have done it all, maybe not as much as they claim, but I did fall into a dark zone. It wasn't a good place to be in at all. "
She held on to him firmly, as he continued.
" When dad passed away, I was grief - stricken. I sulked in my own grief, so much that I didn't care about what his last words were - to take care of mom. I didn't. For months. I didn't had it in me to face her, or to talk her. I would return home late, drunk and shattered. And even after all of that, she never complained. She never accused me of ignoring her. She instead tended to me. She would stay awake and wait for me, and only went away after making me sleep. I feel so horrible. I haven't yet apologised for it all, you know. We just...let the bad things go with time. We are cool now. You know. She is happy, atleast happier than she was in the past years."
" I wish I had my mom with me " she said, her voice cracked." Sometimes I feel.. I feel a very deep void here, Sidharth." she said pointing to her chest.
"It hurts. It makes me want to rip my heart out. But then you know, just when I'm on the brink of losing my sanity and give in to the temptation, I hear a voice. It reminds me that this life that I'm living... It's a gift from my mother. She died while giving birth to me. She died, Sidharth. She died so that I could live. "she was sobbing now.
He hugged her closer.
" You have me now. I'm not letting you go baby " he said, wiping away her tears.
His own eyes watered hearing her. He remembered how ungrateful he was. He still had his mom. He still had a family.
Though every loss, small or big, leaves you with immense brokenness, yet somehow his own grief seemed so little in front of hers. This girl that he met about a month ago, she had him rooted in his place since the first time he saw her. And still, every day he discovered a new layer of her that she had wrapped herself in, hidden herself away from the prying eyes of the cruel world. He wanted to protect her and to keep her to himself. He didn't know if it was his protectiveness, or a habit that he was growing fond of, or attraction, or shoukd he call it love? Could he call it love? He didn't know yet.
And as if she heard the turmoil in his mind, as if she knew what he was thinking, she just answered his thoughts.
"Whatever we have Sidharth, I want it to remain." she said as the tears in her eyes were on the brink, just about to fall.
"I want us to last. I don't want a few happy months of togetherness and then it all to disappear. Sidharth, I want to... I want us to stick together, even if things get worse, I want us to be with each other in the good times and in the bad ti.."
He didn't her finish and pulled her into an ensearing kiss. He kissed her without permission, and without warning, because he couldn't hold it in. Because he knew he had that right now. Because he wanted to take his breath back that she was holding, and give her a part of his own.
The sky was dark, the sun had set, there were no stars yet, but it was beautiful. The sky was beautiful. And the two hearts mending each other under the sky were just as beautiful.
Dil se hain jude ye dil apne
Kahne ko koi rishta hi nahi.
Is pakeeza se bandhan ko
Duniya me koi samjha hi nahi.
Jab ghaw lage koi tumko
Toh dard yaha bhi hota hai..
Jab namm ho tumhari yeh aankhein
Toh dil yeh mera bhi rota hai..
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There were parts that I was kind of unsure about in this update, but I hope I did justice to it I'll better with time I hope 😭🤝
Do tell me what part hit you (if any) in the comments. Press the star icon to vote, share the story with friends if you like it, and follow me because.... I'm asking you to😋
Love
-Zavi ✨