Dhruv's point of view
It's been a week since I came to Saharanpur to find out something about Aditi's past still I got nothing in my hand. I met my private investigator and he also did not get anything which could tell us what happened to her that broke her like this.
After that night, when Aditi and I breakdown on phone, I did not send any letter to her. Neither I write for her not I call her after that night. She also did not write anything for me. I asked my man who took her letters from her and used to send me he told me she him not to come because she won't write anything to me anymore.
Maybe she wants some space from me. Our first phone call was tough. It was difficult to share the thing with someone on phone, which may haunted her at nights. What Atul did to her that night was by beyond monsters. He hurt his own sister and I am going to destroy everything for him that he will beg in front of Aditi holding his legs, to forgive him for every single thing he did to hurt her.
Today I have decided to visit our old neighbourhood to find out something about her past from our old neighbours. I stopped my rental car when I reached the same neighbourhood after 8 years. Where Aditi and I have so many memories maybe not together but we still have some happy and sad memories which only she and I could feel.
I parked my car at the one corner of the road and step down from it. I walked on the same road I used to walk to go my school. I looked around to the same neighbourhood I used to live. Everything is same like before. I stood in-front of my rental house where my family used to live, where I have spend three years of my life and find a beautiful girl who used to crazy for me.
I turn to her house and looked towards her balcony, imagining her standing there waiting for me for my one glimpse and I was stupid not to come outside so my Aditi could have see me and smile. Her house has the lock hanging on main gate but it did not stop me from going inside her house. I looked around to check if there is anyone when I find no one I jumped on the wall and entered inside her house.
I have no interest to see all her house. I just wanted to go to her room, I just wanted to see her room which I never see. I took the stairs and reached the first floor where her room was. I ignore the first room which I know was Atul's. If it's in my hand I would out the fire in his and his parents room. I reach6 to her room but it has lock so I pick the heavy flower pot and broke the lock of her room. I opened the door of her room and coughed when some dust flow to my face.
Whole place was covering with dust. It feels like it didn't open in years. Whole house has dust but her room turn into desert. I walked further into her room and gaze around. If Aditi is here she must get shock looking at her room and start cleaning it. It brings grin on my face thinking about her reaction when she visited my house in Lucknow for the first time.
I walked towards the famous window where she used to look at me and waited for me to open my room's window. I opened it and looked outside towards my room. The window of my room was still closed. Now I could feel how she used to feel waiting for me from hours just to get my one glimpse because now I am going through the same stage. From this window my beautiful neighbour used to she. This thought alone is enough to make my heart beats fast.
She is not here but she still is everywhere.
I walked to the pictures, hanging on the wall. There are not many but only few. Some of her pictures which were on the wall are fully covered with dust and spider's web. I removed the dust from her picture and I met with her beautiful eyes, which are looking at me so intensely. I took the dirty cloth and wiped of the dust from her picture. She has a smile on her face but her eyes were reflecting the pain she was hiding. She could hide her pain from everyone but not for me because we both could understand each other's hidden pain.
At least we have one thing in common.
Our pain...
I removed all of her pictures from the wall and collect them in an old cloth. After glancing one more last time I leave her room with her pictures.
I jumped from the wall of her house and out all her pictures in my car then I walked to one of our neighbour's house to do the work I came for.
I ring the bell one of house in which a family was living from last twenty years. They would have know what happened to Aditi. I waited for a minute then a lady came out in her late fifties to open the door. I know her. She used to come to our house in mummy's kitty party. She has three kids and they all are doing job outside the city. I have seen them barely.
She opened the door and frown looking at me. She did not recognise me as I am no more the teenager.
"Hey...I am Dhruv, Dhruv Malhotra. I used to live here on rent with my family." I introduced myself to her hoping she may recognise me. First she looked at me in confusion then a smile bring on her lips when she finally recognised me. I touched her feet and she blessed me.
"It's been long when I saw you last time. You must be 17 or 18 when you used to live here with your family." She said I nodded my head yes.
I don't want to but I have forced a smile on my face if I want to get information from her. I know it's very rude and selfish but I am like this. Only one person has the power, my attitude get change and it's her.
"I am sorry to disturb you but I want to ask you something." I asked.
"Yeah, sure.." She said.
I pointed towards Aditi's house and asked, " Do you remember Tripathi family used to live here. Bhawna Tripathi and Mahesh Tripathi have two children name Aditi and Atul." I asked.
"Yeah, what about them?" She looked at me in confusion.
"I want to know about their daughter. Can you tell me what happened to her. Why her family abandoned her?"
I asked carefully when I took Aditi's name. I don't know what happened with her how dark it is. I wonder if she knows.
"We don't know much but there were rumours about her that she got engaged with someone on the final year of her school. But she ran away with her boyfriend and came after a whole month when her boyfriend leave her after making her fool. The groom's family broke the engagement and in a shame her family throw her out from the house. But later we heard that she committed a suicide."
I was shocked when she finished speaking. Yes I know the boyfriend thing but I don't know this engagement thing. Aditi was engaged to someone else? Who was the boy she got engaged and who was her boyfriend who cheated on her? How could a family spread a false rumours about their own daughter's suicide when she was alive, living in hell. Many questions are buzzing inside my head but I don't have answer.
"Do you know who was the boy she got engaged and who was her boyfriend she ran with him?" I asked but she hake her head as no, " You know how their family is? They didn't talk much."
I know everything was made up by her family and by some horrible people. Because I know Aditi, she is one of the girl who respect her family and could not do anything to disrespect them especially when they are strict. Something is wrong. There is something which no one know but only Aditi does.
But she is not going to tell me by herself and if I ask her directly she will get angry that I tried to sneak into her past without her permission. I may lost her and I could not afford this. I put hold on her internship so we could spend some time together in office and if I ask about her past I may hurt her and I could not see tears in her eyes it breaks me.
I don't know what she has gone through but I know it might be very painful that it broke her like this and it hurts me that she had to suffer alone. I was not there beside her, to protect my beautiful neighbour. Everyone leave her hand and I was one of them.
*****
It's already evening and I came to restaurant for my evening coffee, giving a break to my mind. It's from morning to evening to find something about her past but I still don't get a anything important which could tell me about Aditi's past.
I already delay my trip one week and now I just want to go to Lucknow and see her. It's been a while since I feel her in my arms. She was alone there. I know Raghav was there with her but she could not tell him if she needs something. We both need some mental peace but with each other.
This is my third coffee and I don't have any idea how much I need to keep my mind working because it's now stop after getting shocks of Aditi's life and it was not even a whole truth.
"Dhruv right?" I looked up to the person and a girl was standing in front of me in a blue floral dress. I looked at her in confusion because I don't know who she is and how she knows my name.
"I'm sorry...?" I finally asked when I didn't recognise her.
She smile and took a sit in front of me. She slide her chair very close to me for my comfort. I so wanted to slide my chair away from her but I don't want to disrespect her.
"You don't recognise me? I am Nisha. We both used to study in same school." I fisted my hand and control my anger when she finally introduce herself to me.
I still remember what she had done to Aditi by manipulating her so called family. Because of her Atul almost kill her on Diwali night.
"I'm sorry. I have to go." I stood up from the chair, don't give a fuck about her respect. Every single person who did harm to Aditi, don't deserve my respect.
"What happened..?" She hold my hand and stood up.
"Nothing.." I free my hand from her and about to leave when she hold my hand again.
"You won't change, will you? Still running away from girls." She said while batting her eyelashes and came very close to me.
"Yeah, Can you stay away from me? Your presence suffocating me." I said while taking a back step and free my hand from her hold.
"How rude..You still don't know how to treat a girl." She pouted which makes me wants to vomit on her face.
Fuck..she is so clingy.
"Well..my standards are high." I said not caring about her feelings. But fuck...she came close to me and traced her finger on face.
"I'm sure, I match your standards."
Fuck..No..now can you please stay away from me. I so wanted to shouted this on her face but I don't want to create any seen in the restaurant, full with people.
I hold her hand and jerked it away from my face, "Keep your hands to yourself." I glared at her but hell...she still have that creepy smile on her face.
Is she dumb?
I won't be shock if she is!
"You know I like this attitude of yours. Always fiery and hot. It makes girls to attract you even more." She said seductively.
"Listen, just st..."
"Nisha...." Before I could complete my sentence someone called her.
We both turn to the voice. A man in a white shirt and blue jeans walked towards us and behind him a girl was following him. Looking at her and the ornaments she was wearing anyone can tell that she is his wife.
"Who is he?" He asked looking between me and Nisha.
"He is Dhruv bhiya. He used to live here and we both went to same school." She introduce me to him. He looked at me in confusion but I remember who is he.
Rahul Sharma..
The one who assault Aditi on the street.
"Hey, I am Rahul Sharma. MLA of Saharanpur." In spite of confusion he forward his hand towards me. I looked at his hand and then him. I have to take shower if I shake my hand to him.
"I think I know you? I have seen you somewhere." He asked in confusion still extending his hand for shake.
I leaned to him and whistles in his ear with my greeted teeth.
"I am the one who punched you on your face when you assaulted my beautiful neighbour."
He looked at me in shock. I hold my gaze to him for a second and then leave from there.
......................................................................
I hope you like the chapter.
I know the chapter is short but I have plan it in this way.
I need five or six more chapters before this story take a major turn.
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I'll see you guys in a next update.
Thankyou....