Author :
Continuing from where we left.
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• • •
"You should not have come in our way. See! What happened?" Avni taunts frankly. She opens Sukhdev's mouth and asks, "Uncle ji, I'm asking very politely, where are the evidences?"
No reply.
"I'm not torturing you for the sake of the time we spent as family friends. So, I'm asking again, where are the evidences?"
No reply.
"Looks like you don't love your life, Uh?" Avni comments leaving his mouth with a jerk as the couple only stares at her boldly.
No reply.
"Fine then!" She gets up angrily commanding a man, "No food! No water! And if they still don't open their mouths, kidnap that girl and kill her!"
"No! You can't do that! How can you be so heartless?!" Sukhdev asks angrily.
Avni chuckles sarcastically and says, "Heartless? She should have think twice before coming in my way! Well . . . . you guys are already dead to your kids and friends and about your darling Nishi! She will not be alive for longer!" She says angrily and walks away.
"I swear! I'm not going to leave her easily!" Abhishek says gritting his teeth angrily at the screen while Rohan talks to Shrishti and team to send more security for Nishi at the house as she was alone and her security was double now.
Vihaan was silent. He was still too shocked to react at this sight of her.
"You all stay here or the operation might get effected. We can't risk anyone's life here." They nod at Ariv's words just as Avni leaves from there in her car.
Abhishek and Avinash sit impatiently in the car with Vihaan, Manav, Mrityunjay and Tej. Rajveer was with others at Anshuman's house.
They only hear heavy gunshots after some time which goes on for a good fifteen minutes making them restless.
"I can't wait anymore." Abhishek says and was going to get out.
"It can be dangerous! What are you doing?" Avinash says frowning at his brother as he stops him from leaving the car, grabbing his arm. Abhishek shoves off his arm angrily and gets out of the car.
"Abhi! Wait!" Vihaan and Tej shout as they come out of the car hastily.
Avinash comes running and grabs him by his arm stopping in his tracks. But before Abhishek could say something, his angry face goes blank before he smiles brightly with moist eyes. Avinash turns back seeing his smiling face and smiles brightly as he finds their parents safe and sound coming out with the team. They all take a relief breath and Vihaan runs to Kabir who was injured.
"Are you alright?" Abhishek asks as he breaks the hug with his father looking at Kabir.
"Don't worry, it's just his hand. He will be fine. शेर है!" Ariv says smiling proudly earning relieved smiles.
[ Translation : "Don't worry, it's just his hand. He will be fine. He is a lion!" ]
* * *
In Avni's Car 🚗 :
On the other hand, Avni was driving to her home while whistling when she gets a call. Her face lights up seeing the caller ID. She picks it up right away but before she could say something, Jones says worriedly, "Babe! We are doomed! They have got us! We were trapped! The police saved that advocate's parents! And now they are coming for you! Run aw-" The line goes blank as Jones's words races Avni's heart.
"NISHI KHURRANA!" She shouts angrily punching the stearing wheel and takes a U-turn as she drives to somewhere else throwing her phone and purse out of the window for in case of getting caught.
* * *
At Anshuman's House 🏡 :
Anshuman was pacing in the house here and there with worry. Gia, Kirti, Arika, Nikki, Trisha, Rajveer, Smriti and Shreya were also hell worried for the situation about which the elders had no idea who already left early. They didn't tell anyone because they were afraid that it may catch the Chhabra family's eye and Abhishek's and Avinash's parents might slip into more danger. Shreya was in the kitchen with Kirti. All of them were worried sick.
Suddenly, Anshuman's phone rings and he picks it up immediately seeing Vihaan's number making Rajveer jump from the sofa seat and stand straight nearing him, "Relax now. They're safe. We have got them!" Vihaan says from the other side.
"YES!" Anshuman shouts getting his parents' attention and hugs Rajveer tightly out of happiness. Gia comes out of her room with Nikki, Arika and Smriti hearing Anshuman's shout only to hear Rajveer and Anshuman say with a big smile turning to them, "They are safe now!"
They all jump in happiness while their parents and Vihaan's parents were still clueless. "Who is safe? What happened?" Anuradha asks worriedly as Ajay also gets up with others.
Anshuman and Rajveer exchange looks and look at their elders with big smiles ready to give them a happy shock, their friends are alive.
* * *
At Vihaan's House 🏡 :
Nishi felt suffocating in the house for some reason and so, she came in the garden. She still needed to know if they are fine or not. Just then her phone pings with a message on the family group in which she was added just now :
Gia Di :
They are safe! Woohoo!!!!🥳🥳🥳🥳
It was Gia who messaged in the group and she finally takes a relief breath putting the phone aside and stares at the sky with a relieved smile.
* * *
Meanwhile, they all come back once Avinash's parents go back to their home to get fresh before going for a dinner at Anshuman's house but not before getting the first aid by their sons.
Vihaan was heart broken and was silent all this while. He comes back home after dropping them all to get changed. He wanted some fresh air before joining them. So, he takes a shower and goes straight to the garden where Nishi was already sitting. He just leaves without another glance and messages his mother.
She was sitting there gazing at the sky blankly. Her eyes held pain. Deep pain. Something which was not possible to put it into words. She sighs deeply as she thinks asking herself, 'Why it's so suffocating living with my own family?'
'May be because you were never meant to be happy.' A voice says in her head. She shakes her head to not to let them control her mind but the thoughts start controlling her. She sighs and just lays down there in the grass staring at the sky while letting herself lose accepting defeat against the voice once again.
After a while her phone buzzes with a message, Karuna messages her to come with Vihaan who is waiting for her in the house. She gets up and leaves sighing at her life.
*
Vihaan was waiting for her in the living room. "I'm ready." She says looking at the main door while walking out.
* * *
In The Car 🚘 :
They sit in the car silently. She looks outside the window and says gently, "I know you still miss her." He does not reply but also does not say anything. "It's not your fault that she is a fraud. Your fault was, you trusted her more than yourself. If she cheated on you it doesn't mean that you are not going to accept any other girl in your life. She was meant to come to give you a lesson which she gave and left. Now it's your duty to take care of your heart attentively but you know, you can still fall in love with someone. And it was not love anyways. So, don't mourn over it." Nishi says getting his attention.
He frowns hearing her words and turns to her and asks angrily almost growling, "What do you mean by it was not love anyways? Are you trying to say that I was just playing marriage-marriage with her?"
Nishi wanted to laugh at his words but she was in a bad mood. Something he could not even imagine, was on her mind right not. She sighs and says plainly, "You were attached to her and got closer definitely but it was not love. Because your heart never trusted her completely or you could have gave her your house's keys. You could have talked to her about your childhood when your parents hurted you unintentionally. You could have told her that you hated me to extent but she didn't even know that your sister exists." He looks at her with shock that she knows about the incident when his parents hurted him unintentionally in his childhood and he hated her because they cared for her only. It was today's another big shock for him because she knew everything since the time she came here.
'Fu*k! It was not meant to slip!' She thinks groaning and looks away for a second. 'Forget it! He will not hold it. More over, he will hate me some more for interrupting in his life which he already does. Leave it.' She continues looking outside the window, "You never shared a single thing with her whereas a life partner knows everything from your past life to support you at every step in life, to make sure he or she doesn't hurt you unintentionally. And somewhere your own heart never trusted her completely. You were attached with her, it was not love. Say if I'm wrong."
Silence embrace them as they stop at a signal. "Enjoy what you have left. Don't waste your energy for someone who doesn't deserve even your anger. Take your time because off course, betrayal hurts but don't drown your true self in it. Take your lesson and move on. Or you will regret later." She says and silence again embrace them as he starts the car engine.
* * *
At Anshuman's House 🏡 :
They reach at Anshuman's house and she thinks, 'I'm done with this sh*t. .' She thinks as she goes in with a tired sigh.
Kirti nudges Abhishek and signals him to look at the door.
"Nishi!"
The teenager who was in her own thoughts, looks up and smiles fakely at a happily smiling Abhishek.
"Beta! I don't understand how to thank you!" Kalpana, Avinash's mother says smiling brightly and hugs her tightly making her stiff.
Nishi immediately breaks the hug earning confused look as it was hardly a 2 seconds' hug. She clears her throat and says smiling, slowly taking few steps back from them, "I should be the one to thank you. Thank you so much for saving my brother's life and stopping her in time before she could do anymore damage to others. I'm really sorry you had to go through a lot. I should've done something earlier instead talking stupidly without any proofs in rage." She says genuinely guilty. Vihaan looks at her hearing her earlier words then looks away.
"No, Beta! It's alright. It was all worth it. I'm happy that you found us even if I thought my advocate son will find the letter first, may be earlier than Avinash. But I guess he needs some more practice." Sukhdev, Avinash's father says with a serious tone teasing his son.
"Daaaad!" Abhishek whines like a kid and they all laugh while Nishi smiles happily for him that he got his parents back.
"Are you alright? Did she hurt you or anyone?" Nishi asks them.
"No. We are absolutely fine. Just few scratches here and there otherwise we are fine. बस Kabir के हाथ से गोली छू कर निकल गई।" Kalpana says worriedly and looks at Kabir.
[ Translation : "No. We are absolutely fine. Just a few scratches here and there otherwise we are fine. The bullet just touched Kabir's hand and went out." ]
"I'm fine now." Kabir says showing his hand to Nishi hesitantly.
"Did you go to the hospital?" He nods at Nishi's words who nods back.
"Her family is now behind the bars but the police is looking for her everywhere. She ran away because Jones alerted her at the last moment." Manav says sighing.
"No problem. We will find her soon." Rohan says confidently.
"Still it's dangerous. Increase the security for all until you find her." Ajay says in an authoritative tone and they nod.
"Yeah. Speacially, Nishi! She threatened us she will. . . " Kalpana trails off not wanting to say further as she looks at Nishi with genuine worry.
"What's new in there?" Nishi mutters to no one but they hear it. She looks up at them all finding the youngsters staring at her silently while the elders exchange looks. "I mean, ever since I have come here, I only got threats. Nothing new." She shrugs.
"It's dangerous, Beta! We gotta increase your security." Sukhdev says with concern.
She shrugs again not knowing what to say about it. 'Da*n! So awkward!' She thinks as they all fall silent.
"Why don't you all sit? You guys need rest anyways." Anuradha says specially to Sukhdev and Kalpana clearing the awkward situation.
'Thank God! Mumma is the best!' Nishi thinks taking a relief breath.
They all sit and start talking while Nishi goes to the garden and finds Ariv in the way talking to someone with a flirty voice. She smiles knowing well who it is. She is happy for him.
Her thoughts were not leaving her for even a second. Her mind was occupied with one thing since the time she has come here, why her Pops hardly talks to anyone?
"वो bodies थीं किसकी जो जलाई गईं थीं?" She mutters to herself while looking at the sky with a frown as if looking for an answer in the sky.
[ Translation : "Whose bodies were those that were burnt?" ]
"They stole them from a local hospital."
Nishi turns back only to find Abhishek and Rohan who came to talk among themselves with Vihaan and others for the case. Vihaan doesn't look at her but here and there.
"Oh." Nishi says and falls silent thinking to leave knowing well they will talk among themselves.
"Thank you so much." Avinash says with a big bright smile before she could take a step to leave.
"I didn't do anything. Your parents are so brave that they risked their lives for their best friend's kid." Nishi says being impressed.
"After all, we all are family. And family, family होती है। They never leave you alone in any circumstances." Abhishek says smiling heartily earning smiles.
[ Translation : "Family is family." ]
Nishi looks away at his words falling silent and nods looking at their shoes chewing on her upper lip as she thinks, 'हाँ छोड़ते कहाँ हैं? सीधे कुंए में धक्का दे देते हैं।' She leaves without another word.
[ Translation : 'Yeah, where does family leave? They push you straight into the well.' ]
"She is hurt." Mrityunjay says coming towards them and Nishi stops hearing his words. "But she will not show it." He says further.
"How do you know that?" Tej asks him stupidly.
"Isn't it obvious? Remember what she said to Avni in that party?" Mrityunjay's words remind Vihaan of his action and what he did that day in the party. He bites his lower lip while the memories play again and again.
Manav clears his throat and says lowly to Mrityunjay, "Jay, now is not the time to talk about this."
"I'm just telling the truth and one should face the truth and also their mistakes." Mrityunjay says harshly eyeing Vihaan who was looking at him with hurt as it was coming from his school time best friend.
"It's not his fault that she was a criminal, Bhaiya." They all turn back only to find Nishi. "She fooled millions of people because she planned it long ago. You see, fooling a billionaire is not a child's play. Please, let it be. He already has so much on his plate." She says gently and turns to leave without another word when Mrityunjay takes a deep breath and says patting Vihaan's shoulder, "I'm sorry, यार. I said too much."
[ Transkation : "I'm sorry, Man. I said too much." ]
Vihaan stares at her retreating figure but then looks away clenching his jaw.
*
"Someone's birthday is coming." Smriti says and giggles as Nikita smiles brightly earning laughter because they knew she always gets excited for her birthday. Vihaan finally smiles seeing her smiling face after all, she is his life.
"Where do you want to go this time?" Karuna asks Nikki ruffling her hair with a soft smile as they eat.
"Fair! Please, Bhaiya!" Nikki requests Vihaan adorably.
"भाई वो है कि मैं हूँ?" Tej asks sulking and they all laugh.
[ Translation : "Who is your brother? Me or him?" ]
"Stop getting jealous of your friend!" Kirti says slapping his arm earning some chuckles.
"Off course मैं हूँ, jealous queen." Vihaan says smirking making Tej roll his eyes at him with irritation. Vihaan says turning to Nikita with a soft smile, "Off course, Princess! As you wish!"
[ Translation : "Off course I am, jealous queen." ]
Nikki smiles brightly earning chuckles. She realises something and turns to look at Nishi who was sitting on a stool eating silently and asks with a soft smile, "When is your birthday, Nishi?"
"I don't remember." She blabbers yawning feeling tired and leaves taking the plate to the kitchen leaving silence behind her. Vineet and Karuna look at each other as they feel pain but stay silent.
When Nishi comes back, Arika decides to break the silence and asks smiling softly, "How was your last birthday celebration?"
"I don't celebrate birthdays." Nishi says drying her hands with her hanky which earns confused and surprised looks. Kirti looks at Trisha and while Tej looks at Mrityunjay just like others exchange looks.
"Why?" Nikita asks being curious.
"I just don't like to." Nishi shrugs and asks her father plainly, "Can I leave, Dad? I'm sleepy."
Vineet nods and turns to Rohan, "Rohan, take her back to home. We will come after a while." Rohan nods and leaves with Ariv, Kabir and Ajeet once they finish their dinner.
Vihaan looks at her silently retreating figure. Something was different in her behaviour today. He could feel it. It looked like as if something was bugging her badly and she just wanted to be alone. Normally she would pull their legs even if they ignored her but today she just kept quiet which all noticed as it was crystal clear like from last few days.
Vihaan noticed her silence these days around them all but never cared to think about it. However, somehow his mind would only jump to the only memory he made with her, the timing when she took birth and he carried her in his arms with a big smile on his face. He gulps down a glass of water feeling restless and leaves to wash his hands. His restlessness doesn't go unnoticed by his friends as he falls silent once she leaves.
* * *
At Vihaan's House 🏡 :
Last night was silent just like the drive back home. Morning comes with rumours and harsh comments against Nishi for she caused Avni's parents to get arrested. People talk about her character and morals blaming her for brainwashing her family and threatening to kill her for hurting Avni and her family. Everywhere on social media people were cursing her that she brainwashed her brother and is faking her concern. No one was ready to accept the fact that Avni and her family is a fraud.
Vineet was watching news and switches off the TV with disturbed mind just as Rohan comes to pick up Nishi like everyday. They all were sitting to have breakfast except Rohan like always, he already came full stomach from home.
Vihaan's parents supported him in every possible way. His parents talked to him late in the night to make him understand that everything will be fine. She is a fraud and it was not his fault. They knew their son's trust was broken which hurted him badly. But after spending some time with his parents last night, Vihaan feels much better as he just cried hugging his mother silently who was upset for her son's heartbreak just like her husband. Off course, kids' heartbreaks break their parents' hearts too, more than their kids' hearts, parents are parents after all. But Vihaan was happy that his parents are with him, things are not like before. They are there for him always when he needs them just like old times and he can't be more thankful for God that things are back to normal, just the way they should have been.
They were chatting about random things with Rohan and Vihaan smiling as they talk about some old memories to lighten up their moods when Nishi comes out of her room with her school bag and wears her shoes sitting on the stairs.
She walks straight towards the exit saying to Rohan, "Let's go. I'm ready."
"अरे, बिटिया! आओ, नाश्ता कर लो फिर जाना।" Hareesh Kaka says and they all fall silent.
[ Translation : "Hey, daughter! Come, have breakfast and then go." ]
"भूख नहीं है, काकू।" Nishi says smiling and leaves without another word today. Kaka also leaves back to his work leaving silence behind him.
[ Translation : "Not hungry, Kaku." ]
Everyday before leaving, she used to bid bye to her small family but today. . . .she didn't utter a word out.
Vihaan just gets up and leaves silently without eating anything else. Karuna had no guts to stop him. Her eyes turn moist as she remembers her treatment towards her daughter. She looks at her husband whose face was just like his son, blank. They lose their appetite after Kaka's words and leave for their respective jobs. None of them agreed to react to her presence no matter how much she tried to talk to them in last one month. And now her sudden silence was adding sault to her parents' open wound.
* * *
In the college 🏫 :
Just as she arrives at the college gate, people start cursing her and throwing stones at her. Somehow, she enters with the security's help. Ariv, Kabir and Rohan watch silently from the car. "She is silent because she just doesn't want to talk to us. It's her constraint that she has to stay around us even if she doesn't want to." Kabir says in a low sulky tone.
"Who would like to talk to those who hurt you badly?" Ariv asks and they both look here and there with frustration on themselves for not trusting her enough. They feel more than guilty and leave as she enters her college.
*
She walks towards her class with her head low. "Hey!" She stops hearing a soft feminine voice and looks up only to find Arika standing with Nikita, Akriti, Garima, Shanaya, Vaani, Mia, Emelia, Anjali, Nia and Shivika. Nikita who called her, looks at her with concern and says pointing towards her right hand, "Your hand is bleeding."
Nishi looks down at her right hand and frowns trying to remember where did she got this wound from. Then she remembers stopping someone from pouncing on her from the crowd and how she hurt her hand in the process but forgot about it as soon as she got the wound.
"Give me your bag. Let's get your hand treated, it looks like a deep cut." Arika says softly.
"No, thanks. Excuse me." She says casually and leaves from there walking towards her class looking down at the ground leaving her seniors and classmates stare at her retreating figure.
"We should have trusted her. She trusted us when no one trusted us. And now when she did the right thing, people are after her, still calling her names. They are threatening her to kill her. She doesn't deserve this after bringing smiles to many faces like us!" Emelia says and gulps hardly feeling guilty and a tear rolls down her right cheek as she remembers the way she hugged her and encouraged her to take a stand for herself. They all fall silent not knowing what to say or do. Garima holds a crying Emelia who was as guilty as Jay, Arav, and all were.
The classes start and today, students whisper about her silence. In all the classes, she was either studying or looking lost. No one likes this side of her among her classmates and seniors. No one knew if they should go and talk to her. But her silence was clear, she wasn't in the mood to talk with anyone. This silence was cutting them deeply more than anything else because this is the first time they found her this silent.
* * *
In Vihaan's Chamber 🏢 :
Vihaan was holding a pen in his right hand, an important file was placed in front of him waiting for him to read it carefully and sign it but his mind was lost somewhere else as he stares at his wooden desk continuously without a blink.
Manav and Tej look at Mrityunjay and Rajveer who came to have lunch with Vihaan. Karuna told them he hardly ate a bite of his breakfast today morning and requested them to make sure he eats something or atleast talks it all out.
"Vihu. . ." Mrityunjay calls softly.
Vihaan looks up at his friends and asks surprisedly, "When did you guys come?"
"When you were lost in your thoughts so deeply that you didn't hear us coming in and calling you several times." Vihaan looks down at his file lostly at Mrityunjay's words.
"You miss her?" Tej asks gently.
He stays silent at his words as he leans back on his chair and stares the ceiling making them exchange looks. The trio signals Mrityunjay who nods and says gently, "Look Vihu, we know it's not easy for yo-"
Vihaan cuts him off and says closing his eyes in frustration, "I'm not missing her! I don't want to hear her name!"
"Okay. We won't. Then let's have our lunch for which we are here." Manav says chirpily trying to change the environment.
"I'm not hungry. You guys eat." Vihaan says lowly.
'She didn't eat anything, neither today morning, nor yesterday afternoon. You saw her playing with the food last night, right?' He grits his teeth at his mind's taunt when he hears a stern voice.
"Vihu, you need to talk it out or it will hurt more!" Mrityunjay says sternly making him look up at all of them finding Abhishek coming in with the food with Ajeet.
Vihaan gets up growling, "I DON'T NEED ANYONE OF YOU! FOR GOD'S SAKE! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" He shouts and leaves like a cyclone.
Once he leaves, Mrityunjay sighs and says looking up at them, "I told you guys he needs time to calm down. He was in relationship with her for 3 years. It's not a short time. His heart is broken badly which is not a small thing. He needs time to gulp down the situation. A magic will not happen out of nowhere. So, let him be for sometime."
"Fine. As you say." Rajveer says nodding with Tej unwantedly.
"Now, where are you lost?" Abhishek asks a lost Manav in his thoughts as he puts down the food on the table with Ajeet's help.
"She has been pulling pranks, pulling Rohan, Jay, Arika and their friends' legs ever since she came back to India, specially Vihaan's leg. But I never saw her this silent. You see, she doesn't stay in the same room as us, she doesn't utter a single word out of her mouth these days." Manav says thoughtfully.
"That's because she is truly hurt. No wonder she doesn't involve herself with anyone of us anymore." Rajveer says and Manav sighs not liking the situation.
"I'm worried for these siblings. Will they ever come together? Specially, Vihu?" Tej asks worriedly.
"He broke his relation with her in front of everyone! He told her at her face that he loathes her! You really think he will ever accept her in this lifetime as his sister?" Manav asks Tej with a bitter tone and they all make unpleasant faces knowing the answer well.
"My heart says he will." Ajeet says smiling earning attention and adds, "We all know how Bhaiya is. When he realises his mistakes, he can go to any extent for the one whom he hurted badly but unintentionally."
"He hurted her knowingly, Ajeet! I know, he is your Hero since college days, but please don't be blind in his love and respect! He was wrong! What happened with Avni, it was surely not his fault, we all were trapped. Millions of people were trapped by those fraudsters. But! How he has been treating his baby sister since day one, is not acceptable from any angle! Don't forget, she is only 15! Just 15! A kid! Will you tell a 15 year old that you loathe her or him at their faces when you meet them for the first time after a decade? That too, your sibling?!" Mrityunjay asks him frowning angrily and leaves leaving silence behind.
They all sigh at the situation and Rajveer comes forward patting Ajeet's shoulder saying, "Vihaan is not a bad person we all know, Kiddo. But when your loved ones walk on the wrong path, it's your duty to guide them right whether they are your juniors, colleagues or seniors, it doesn't matter because wrong is wrong."
Ajeet nods in understanding and smiles putting his lips in a thin line as Rajveer gives him an encouraging smile and says leaving, "Don't worry. I'll talk to Mrityunjay. You guys eat, I'll bring him back."
*End of the chapter.*
Author :
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Thanks for reading!
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:)