🍁"Wait for the one,
But do not wait for someone to be The One"🍁
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Dhruv's P.O.V.
"What was the number of Kabir's room again?", I thought to myself as I dialled Ami's number. I again forgot. Ami was not picking up the calls so I knocked on the first door I could remember.
I hope it's the right one, I thought.
"Yes", I heard a feminine voice as soon as the door was answered.
"Kab-", I turned around to witness the person and was at a loss of words to see Aashi standing right in front of me. What the hell is this? I kept staring at her. This can't be true.
"Who are you?", I found myself asking. My eyes never left her face even for a second.
"Excuse me. Who are you? You came here knocking at my door", she said.
"I'm Dhruv", I said.
Are you Aashi?, I thought.
"So?", She asked.
My mobile rang all of a sudden bringing me out of my trance. It was from Kabir. I excused myself and walked away. Tapping the green button, I said, "Hello". My heart was beating at an uneven speed.
What did I just witness?
"Where are you?", He asked.
"Searching for your room", I said as I looked back at the closed door.
Who was she?, My mind nagged me.
"I'm downstairs. Come fast. I've something very urgent to tell you", he said sounding nervous.
"Me too", I said and then hung up. I speed up my pace and walked downstairs. I found Kabir standing on stage. He was busy talking to Parth. I rushed to him.
"Dhruv, I need to tell you something", Kabir said as soon as I approached him.
"Shoot", I said.
"I saw the girl from New York again", He said and taking a deep breath, he added, "The one who looked like Aashi".
"I wanted to tell you the same thing. I saw her too", I said and I glanced at Parth. He also had stress lines on his forehead. Parth also knows about the encounter we had in New York. We thought he should know since he's a friend as well.
"But there are two girls with same features", Kabir added.
"What?", I almost yelled. Everyone glanced at our side so I bite back my tongue. We gained attention unnecessarily.
"What did you just say?", I asked again not believing my ears.
"Those girls are sisters", Kabir said with a sigh.
"But neither of them can be Aashi, right? We all have seen Aashi's…", Parth took a pause and then added, "Body". I left a deep sigh. Kabir clenched his jaw.
Parth is right. We can't replace reality for our comfort. If there are people who look alike Aashi, doesn't make them our friend. They have her face, not her character.
"What on earth is going on?", I asked annoyed at the situation and they just gave me a blank look.
"I wish I had an answer to this question", Kabir said.
"What are they doing here?", I asked.
"I don't know", Kabir replied shrugging his shoulder. I noticed him carefully. He looked lost.
"What are you thinking?", Parth asked incredulously whilst looking at Kabir.
"I don't want to get into any commitment. I don't want this engagement", Kabir said leaving a deep sigh.
"What are you guys talking here?", Jay marked his presence and we all sealed our mouths. Naina is Jay's cousin and Jay is our friend. We can't say something stupid which might hurt either of them.
"Nothing. Just waiting for Naina", Parth changed the topic.
"Let's have a group selfie till the time being", Jay said excitedly. I gave Kabir a sympathetic smile. Nia, Noor and Ami joined us on the stage and we all had a photoshoot together.
Naina marked her presence soon and all the cameramen surrounded her. They started taking pictures and recording the entrance of the bride to be. Naina is a nice girl. She's beautiful, smart, intelligent and she genuinely cares for Kabir. We all have witnessed how she always stood up by his side in his thick and thin. If someone can replace Aashi's place then it has to be Naina undoubtedly. Her selfless love for Kabir didn't go unnoticed by any one of us, not even Kabir. I really wish, someday Kabir finds the heart to love Naina as much as she loves him.
Naina made her way and stood next to Kabir. She passed him a smile and Kabir forced a smile on his face. I stood next to him.
"You're looking good", Naina complimented him.
"Thanks. You too", Kabir said and I rolled my eyes. He's not helping at all.
"She deserves more praise", I nudged him as I whispered slowly. He gave me a glare and then turned back to look at Naina.
"You're looking really beautiful like you always do", he said and the smile on her face multiplies by ten folds. Guests huddle around the stage and we waited for the rings to be exchanged.
My mind wanders back to the girl I saw a few minutes ago. Her appearance with Aashi was uncanny. How can destiny play such a bad joke with us? Why am I feeling not good deep inside my stomach?
What am I supposed to believe?
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No One's P.O.V.
"I don't know what am I supposed to believe?", Veronica said leaving a deep sigh as she plonked on the bed. Her heart was heavy and her mind wasn't able to focus. Varun told her all the truth. He told her how he mistook his likings for Aashi as his love and messed up everyone's life.
Varun kneeled down in front of her as he held her hand. His eyes were glistening. He was finally able to talk about his sins and share his problems to someone but the guilt inside him was eating him out. He looked at Veronica who was also on the verge of crying because Varun did wrong to her sister like friend Aashi. She doesn't think she could ever forgive him.
"You've all the right to be mad at me. You can hate me, punish me but please for god sake, please don't tell this truth to anyone. I can handle everything but I can't handle my parents suffering because of me", Varun said as she holds Veronica's hand. She frees her hands from him. She stared at him for a few seconds with disgust and then looked away.
"Your parents! What about Aashi's parents? What about her? Didn't they bury in the pain of missing their daughter? Isn't she suffering every day thinking that she has no family? Why do I care about your parents?", Veronica said as she pushed him away and stood up.
"Veronica, please give me one chance. We'll fix this but let this marriage happen. You don't know Naina. She's not normal. She's a psycho. I beg you. I'll take Aashi to her family but please just hide this thing from Kabir and Aashi till the marriage", Varun said.
"You're such a pathetic person, Varun. I feel disgusted that I ever loved a guy like you", Veronica said. She was crying. She was hurt. She trusted the wrong guy. And her heart was filled with remorse for Aashi.
"I won't deny that. I'm a jerk. I did wrong to her and her family. I lied to you as well and I'm lying to my parents till this date. My life is no more in my control. I can't go against Naina", he said as he sat on the bed. He looked like a man who lost everything. He deeply loves Veronica and today when he saw hatred and mistrust in her eyes for him, he lost the meaning of life. Karma gave him what he deserved. He has broken so many hearts. How can his own heart be saved?
"Fine. Don't do anything. Live like a puppet of hers. But I'll not let that happen. I'm taking Aashi away with me. She needs to know the truth. I, myself will find her family and will unite them", Veronica said.
"I'll tell you about her family. I've done many mistakes. I want to fix it as much as I can", Varun said looking at the floor only. He has brought shame to a lot of people and now it's time for him to get exposed. He's ready to face the consequences. He signed for them.
"Aashi and I will be staying here in India for some time. You've to handle our finances", Veronica said. She will not let him go that easily. She'll make sure he pay for his sins properly.
"Are you going to tell her about Kabir?", Varun asked.
"No. I don't like that guy. If he stays away from her then it's fine. As you said, they're both in a relationship and it wasn't that serious then why bother?", Veronica said and Varun gulped nervously. He couldn't tell her the real truth. He couldn't muster the courage to tell Veronica that Kabir and Aashi were deeply in love. So much love, that even after losing her memory, Aashi didn't forget Kabir's name.
"But that b*** Naina will get a good payback from me once I'll be done uniting Aashi with her family. I can't understand why is she so threatened by Aashi? Are you hiding something from me?", Veronica asked.
"Naina is possessive for Kabir. She doesn't want him to be in touch with any of his ex-girlfriends", Varun lied again. He can't tell Veronica all the truth. He's afraid if Naina finds out about Veronica then she might her his girlfriend and he can't see Veronica in danger.
"I'm leaving now. I can't stand in this room with you anymore. Transfer some money in my account as soon as possible and stay away from Aashi and I. We're done. We're so over Mr. Varun Arora", Veronica said as a silent tear passed down her cheeks. Varun looked at her and then nodded as his eyes teared up as well. He broke something so beautiful because of his old karmas.
I'll always love you, his heart whispered.
With a bang, Veronica closed the door and her tears started flowing down her cheeks. She was an emotional mess. She ran to the lift to go out of the hotel. She needed air. She was feeling suffocated. An urgent need to breathe craved inside her lungs. Her heart was aching. For the first time ever, she was heart broke and it hurts her. But what hurts her more was the girl, she considered as her sister, who was right now sitting in a hotel room all alone. Veronica was crying at the thought of the sufferings Aashi went through because of one guy. Not any guy, the guy Veronica termed her home.
As soon as Veronica made her way to the main hall, she saw the couple standing on the stage and people gathered around. Her steps halted. With blurry eyes, she saw Kabir standing with a beautiful girl. Some girls bring rings on the stage. Veronica didn't need a second guess to know that the bride to be on the stage is Naina. The couples exchanged the rings. Kabir's fake smile didn't go unnoticed by Veronica. All of a sudden, she felt she could see inside this stranger guy. He was Aashi's ex-boyfriend. She was in her own thoughts when she noticed Kabir spotted her. His eyes were fixed on her. His gaze was so intense that she felt shook inside. She took two steps back and ran out of the hotel room.
She walked aimlessly around the nearby places. She found a vacant park and she made her way to that place. Finding a vacant bench, she placed her tiring self on that. She was emotionally exhausted. Past incidences flashed across her mind.
'Aashi', Kabir hugged her for the first time when he said this name, that night in Newyork.
'She's not Aashi', her friend said that day.
Veronica remembered that day very clearly. She can't forget the hurt Kabir's face expressed when she snapped him. If Kabir and Aashi were not that serious then why did he ran to her like that? She took out her mobile and saw her reflection on the black screen. This face. Kabir was mistaken that day because of this face.
She got up from her bench and decided to go back to the hotel. There are so many questions and so many truths to be relieved. She can't trust Varun completely.
"Mr. Kabir Malhotra, we need to talk", Veronica said to herself as she walked back with a determined mind.
I'll be your guardian angel Aashi, her heart whispered.
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