They all got down from the car and looked around. It was a secluded place with plants on the both the sides along with barren land.
"Why did Abhinay and Kabir even take this route ?" Prisha asked looking around.
"Probably the main road might have been jammed. This is a short cut." Sidharth said walking towards the plants.
"Sid, I found something. It's a SIM." Niharika said sitting on her knees.
"Don't touch it." Sidharth said.
He called one of the cops there and showed them the SIM. They took it as a proof.
"That's not Abhinay's or Kabir's because both of their numbers are working and they surely haven't taken a new SIM." Prisha said looking at Sidharth.
"If we can prove that someone else was here, we can get him out on a bail." Sidharth said.
"Sidharth, let's go to the hospital where that girl is." Prisha said heading towards car.
"There's no use, Prisha" Sidharth reasoned with her. "She's in Coma."
"I want to see her once. Just once." Pri said getting into the car.
The other two followed her and drove to the hospital.
Prisha went up to the front desk and asked for the details.
"What happened to her ?" Sidharth asked Niharika looking at Prisha.
"I don't know. She's being very restless." Niharika answered looking at Prisha who was tapping her foot restlessly.
Once she was given the details, they headed towards the victim's room. Prisha was walking ahead of Niharika and Sidharth.
When they reached the ICU, where the victim was, Prisha took small steps towards the door. She put her hand on the glass above and looked through the glass to see the girl attached to several machines and wires.
A small tear slipped down from her eye. Her hand slid against the door.
"Who are you ?" A voice came from behind.
They all turned around to see who it was. There was an aged woman and man standing.
"Ma'am, we're Abhinay's family." Sidharth answered.
"What are you here for ? To kill her ? She's already battling between life and death. What else do want to do to make a mother cry for her daughter ?" The woman asked collapsing into a chair.
"Please go away. She's had enough. We're not going to take back the case no matter what " The man said folding his hands.
Niharika went towards the woman and sat on her knees infront of the women.
"Ma'am, I don't know what happened that night. But I know one thing. Abhinay can never do something as such. I trust him. I'm his fiancée, ma'am. He had protected me from a bunch of drunkards approaching us when we initially met. I'm not ready for the wedding and he is giving me time. He hasn't even laid his hands, forget hands, he hasn't laid his eyes on me since we met. He respected my privacy and gave me my space." She paused.
"Such a man, who gives respect to a girl like he gives to his mother and protects her like a brother can never do this. Not even in his dreams. I trust him and that's why he can never do this." She continued.
Taking the woman's hands into her's she said "Ma'am, I am a women. I know what respect means to a women. I'm not here to defend Abhinay. I just want to tell you, there's someone out there, who's the convict and it's not Abhinay. I'm not saying this because he's my fiancée. I'm saying this because I trust him."
"Ma'am, I know how it feels to be in her place. I know how much of an emotional and physical trauma she's going through right now. But ma'am, with your support, we can get the real convict arrested. It's better to leave 100 criminals than get an innocent arrested." Prisha said kneeling down beside Niharika.
"Think us to be your daughters, Ma'am and Sir. One chance, give us one chance to prove him innocent." Niharika pleaded joining her hands infront of the couple.
"I don't know what to do. But whoever it is, we're not going to forgive them." The man said.
"Thank you so much, sir. Thank you. We'll get the real convict." Sidharth said.
They left the hospital soon.
"Sidharth, can you drop me home ?" Prisha asked staring at the passing cars and buildings.
"I want to get home too." Niharika added.
"Sure. There's nothing we can do now. The court will be closed." Sidharth said taking the route to their house.
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The five of them sat in the living room in silence. They didn't know what to do. At times, there's so much to say, but you don't know how to say that.
Alya sat beside Kabir leaning over his shoulder while Kabir held her hand in his. Tear marks were visible on her cheeks.
Sidharth was just staring at the wall thinking of all the possible ways to bring his brother out of the jail.
Prisha was sitting on the floor with her legs folded out and her head leaned on the couch where Niharika was sitting.
Niharika had her knees folded to the chest and her arms around her knees.
'I trust him.' The words she spoke replayed in Niharika's mind.
"I trust him." She spoke in a feeble voice.
"What ?" Sidharth asked confused.
"I trust him." She repeated.
"Niharika, are you fine ?" Prisha asked getting up and putting her arms around Niharika's shoulder.
"I trust Abhinay. I trust him." She said breaking into tears.
Prisha took her into a hug. The other four were in a shock looking at Niharika cry. It was the first time she cried infront of all of them. Even in their teenage years, she never cried infront of them. Never.
"I trust Abhinay." She repeated.
"I know. It's good right. Look at you, you're crying." Prisha said pulling Niharika out of the hug.
"I want to meet him." Niharika said wiping her tears.
"Now ?" Kabir asked and Niharika nodded.
"Fine. I'll take you." Sidharth said picking his from the key holder.
"I want to see him too." Alya said standing up.
"Sidharth, you stay back with Prisha. I'll take Niharika and Alya." Kabir said taking the keys from Sidharth.
Just when they were about to get our of the house, Sidharth called out for them.
"What happened ?" Kabir asked.
"Mom's call." He answered.
"Niharika, you speak. She wouldn't listen to any of us." Alya said taking the mobile from Sidharth's and giving to to Niharika.
Niharika took a deep breath and answered the call. She put it on speaker.
"Hello Neeti Maa." Niharika said.
"Where's Abhinay ?" She askedsternly.
"Neeti Maa, He.. He.." Niharika stammered and looked at the others asking for an excuse.
"Niharika, where is he ?" Neeti raised her voice.
"Neeti Maa, he's in the jail." Niharika answered in a breath.
"So, what I heard was right."
"But Neeti Maa, it's not his mistake. He was saving that girl." Niharika replied.
"We're taking tomorrow morning's flight and coming there." Neeti informed before she cut the call.
"They got to know. There's nothing we can do now. Let's go to Abhinay." Kabir said heading out. Alya and Niharika followed him.
They reached the police station and asked for Abhinay. They pointed at one of the cell.
They turned to see him who was sitting on the ground, his knees to his chest and head rested on his knees.
They all walked towards the cell and stood outside.
"Abhinay." Niharika called out in a feeble voice.
Abhinay lifted his head and turned towards them. He got up and stood on the other side facing them. Tears marks were clearly visible on his face. He was quite an emotional person.
"I trust you, Abhinay." Niharika said looking into his eyes.
"What ?" He asked her confused.
"I trust you." She repeated.
A smile curved on his face.
"You cried ?" He asked her caressing her cheek.
She nodded.
"Niharika, I know that it's a weird place to confess this. I love you, Niharika." Abhinay confessed holding her hand.
"Time's up. Move out." A constable said.
"Just two minutes." Alya replied.
"Abhinay, I still need time. I wish I could've told you the same but I don't want to fake it." Niharika replied speaking fast.
"Abhinay, thanks for taking the blame on yourself and saving Kabir and Mom and dad got to know. " Alya said holding his hand.
"Alya, we didn't make a mistake, so it doesn't matter if I get arrested or if he does. You guys go. It's getting late." Abhinay replied.
"Take care buddy. I'm sorry." Kabir said looking at the ground.
"Kabir, hold your head high. You and I didn't make mistake. Get home." He said and turned away.
• To confess your feelings, there is no right time, place or atmosphere. The right time, right place and right atmosphere doesn't even matter. All that matters is the meaning behind the confession. •
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Next update : 80+ votes.
Hey guys ! Here's the next chapter. By the way, I wrote that quote myself.
And ! The response to the last chapter was very low and thus, I'm upset.
Something I want to clear about Niharika is - There are people in life who don't cry and show their emotions infront of people and Niharika is one of them. Her character has been drawn from one of my very close friend. So has been every character. I've carefully analysed all of them. So if you feel that crying isn't a big issue, then I'd say, sometimes it is. Niharika portrays herself to be strong and builds walls around herself and doesn't let anyone break her walls.
Hope it's clear why Abhinay and Prisha were kinda happy when she cried.
Vote, comment and share !