A/N - I almost thought that I would miss this week's update. I just didn't wanted to write this chapter, particularly, in a hurry. Cause this chapter brings the story of Inaya and I wanted to give full justice to it. I had to rewrite and edit again again just to make sure that it brings out the same meaning and depth as I wanted it to be. Happy reading!
{ T W E N T Y T H R E E }
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The stairs were slapped against the chipboard wallpaper as if they were an afterthought. They fell too close to the entrance and were uncommonly narrow. Armaan took steady steps holding the rail which was was simply a plank of wood supported by three mean spindles. As he reached the last step of the staircase, Armaan saw Vatsalya walking out of a room situated at the end the narrow corridor. He stopped near the railing only to place the vape pen on his lips and then resumed walking towards the staircase. Armaan quickly pulled his hoodie over his head and started moving towards the room.
Inaya looked up , horrified , as she saw Armaan walking in the room. Even if she was scared, she didn't let it show on her face. Placing her left hand on her hip she watched him close the door .
" I didn't knew this club had a library as well." She chuckled in a failed attempt to wave off the awkwardness around.
" Anyways so why did yo- "
Inaya couldn't complete her sentence as Armaan inched closure to her.
Unexpectedly, his hand drifted to her hip. It settled there and pulled her closer , his arms encircled her. He drew her to him to which Inaya gasped. She let out a sharp breath as Armaan held her right hand with the distance between them getting shorter every second. But then realisation hit her and Inaya froze. She jerked back but it was too late. She looked at her right hand. It was gone. The envelope she had been hiding all this while was now in Armaan's hand.
"Give it back." She said in a stern warning.
" After I see it. "
In a snap of second Armaan tore the envelope along with whatever it contained.
" ARMAAN!" Inaya shouted. Her eyes welled up.
" Why did you do this Inaya? "
Words left Inaya. She stared into those bright brown eyes burning with anger.
" ANSWER ME!" he roared.
" BECAUSE I'M WORTH OWNING MY DAD'S BUSINESS ! " Inaya shouted back. There was something in that shout, a pain behind it. Armaan watched. He watched Inaya's eyes. Then he knew. The anger was nothing but a shield for pain.
" I just wanted to prove that I'm worth it." She whispered before breaking down completely.
Armaan didn't knew how to react. He just stood their grounded to the floor. He hadn't seen Inaya like this before. He always imagined and even saw her as a women who was strong enough to handle everything and anything. But here she stood sobbing, broken down by a pain she held maybe for years. Armaan wanted to help her but before that he wanted to know the reason.
" Armaan whenever you go somewhere outside , log tumhe kis naam se bulate hai ? "
Armaan looked up at Inaya who was staring the white tiled floor. He wasn't sure what she was taking about or where the conversation was heading to but he kept quite.
When he didn't answer,Inaya chuckled softly and said,
" Half of the population of India knows me as the heir of Malhotra estates. Any article related to me is published with the headlines always starting from ' the daughter of Mihir Malhotra' . " She paused.
Then looked up straight into Armaan's eyes. " Is this all I'm? Don't I have any Identity? Haan main ek ameer baap ki beti hoon. But just because I have everything I need, doesn't mean that I don't have any struggles. " Armaan noticed that Inaya was almost complaining.
" I took engineering despite the fact that want to be an entrepreneur , because I wanted to show the world that I'm worth of owning my dad's company, and not because... I'm it's only heir. "
She was shouting once again.
" And that day, dad almost disowned me saying that I'm not capable of handling the company. I just wanted to prove him wrong. I want to show him that even I'm able of getting marks that makes him proud. I just wanted to-"
The door swung open as Heer and Arjun barged into the room. Before anyone could say anything Heer walked up to Inaya slapping her hard on her cheek.
" How could you do this Inu ? " She shouted . Armaan didn't had the guts to interfere for he had already seen Aarushi's chandalika roop and here was witnessing Heer's motherhood . God these women are no less than each other.
But Arjun who was unaware of these events went ahead to grab Heer's arm in an attempt to stop her.
" Baat karti .... We could have sorted out things, but you were on a verge of ruining your life! " Heer went further struggling to free her hand.
" What are you talking about? You seem to be high on- "
" Saste Nashe main nahi tu kr rahi hai... Vatsalya ke saath !" Heer spat.
" Heer ! " This time it was Armaan who spoke. He stood in between Heer and Inaya who was now on the verge of breaking down once again. And Armaan had seen enough of Inaya like that.
" It's not like what we were thinking. " He stopped turning towards Inaya who gave him a slight nod. Then again facing back to Heer he replied,
" Vatsalya offered Inaya to leak this semester's question papers and give a copy of the same to her as well."
The next few seconds passed in complete silence before Heer asked,
" You know this is illigal right ? For god's she Inu you could have been expelled! Why did you do-? "
" I just told you the reason! I wanted everyone to know who Inaya Malhotra is. " Her voice choked.
A pang of guilt overcome Heer's face. How could she be so blind enough to not see her friends sufferings. She always complained about how no one ever listens to her. But did she ever herself tried to hear someone.
" And who are you Inaya ? " This time it was Arjun who spoke.
" What did you wanted to prove ? That Inaya Malhotra is someone who is so vulnerable that she had to use someone's else help to reach where she is now? Seems like you actually ain't worthy enough of handling your dad's business. " Inaya was now looking at Arjun in disbelief.
" Because if you were, Inaya, you wouldn't have used ways to make your father proud. You would have worked hard and shown your father who you really are." He gave them a lip tight smile before walking out of the room.
" I'm sorry." Inaya says softly.
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Heer gave a tired yawn trying her best not to wake Inaya who had practically dozed off on her right shoulder. They were heading back to the hostel in Arjun's car as he had offered to drop them. She had already informed Aarushi there whereabouts only after telling her each and every detail of the day's incidence. She had closed her eyes, with her head on the headrest when her phone buzzed. Heer rubbed her eyes to read the notification.
One unread WhatsApp message from Darshan.
8:11 PM
Where are you ??
Heer frowned. Biting her lower lip she typed.
8:11 PM
In my room.
8:11 PM
You are lying! Stop biting your lip.
Heer pressed her lips together in embarrassment. She wondered how often she did this, that it was so noticable. The screen showed Darshan typing but a few seconds later a picture popped. Heer opened it and let out cursed cry. It showed a picture of Arjun's friends posing against the camera , what dragged her attention was the background, Heer and Arjun could be seen clearly. The way the picture was taken it looked just the opposite of what actually had happened.
A message followed.
8:12 PM
Don't need any explanation.... Armaan has already briefed me.
Heer looked up in the rear view mirror and saw Armaan busy in his phone. Heer looked back at her phone's screen.
Another message followed.
8:12 PM
College mein aur bhi ladke hai FYI !
Heer suppressed her smile by pressing her lips together, she could imagine Darshan wriggling his eyebrows.
8:13 PM
He was just trying to help us...
8:13 PM
Yah! can clear see that...
btw...how's Inaya ??
Heer looked towards her right and found Inaya sleeping peacefully. A smile crept on her lips. She typed.
8:14 PM
probably dreaming of BTS concert happening in India...
Heer sent two smiling emojis. Within a second she received two upside down smiling emojis. She turned her head and gazed out of the window, staring at the silhouette of the mountain ranges. She could see clearly millions of bright stars dotted on the black canvas of night. Licking her upper lip she typed.
8:15 PM
Darshan, do you also thing what Inaya did was right ?
When she didn't got a reply, Heer again turned her gaze towards the scenery outside. Whatever Inaya had said, was still ringing in her mind. Heer admitted that somewhere she did used to envy Inaya for she had everything she wanted and here Heer had to struggle for everything she needed. Is money everything that we need ? Is fame enough to satisfy our wants ? Nobody talks about carving one's own identity. How many of us step outside not to become something but to explore our own selves. Yet there was one person she knew who since the day he had stepped into the college had always lived for his dreams. His true identity.
Heer looked at her phone screen as she saw him typing.
8:16 PM
I don't know what's right , but I think that Inaya wasn't wrong. Nobody is. It's just that we all are different...
And this is your sant Baba signing off. GN8
Heer put her phone back inside the pocket as they got down the car. After bidding adieu to both the boys , Heer and Inaya managed to get inside their hostel room but not before getting scolded by the warden for being late. As soon as they entered, Aarushi welcomed them with a warm hug .
" Next time you think about plagiarism, don't forget to include me." She winked at Inaya.
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Hey guys!!
Hope you all liked the chapter.
Thankyou so much for reading.
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