014

The gift box by the Chaudharys holds the ivory coloured idol of the Lord Rama, laxmana and Sita with a note that said-

"All the blessings and wishes of us and the Lord Rama. "

It was the best gift of the day, everyone discussing the thoughtfulness of the Chaudharys, instead of giving anything they actually put the sentiments and thinking behind the meaningful and the beautiful gift.

Shivangi told Niyati about it the next day since she went home directly from the function. The girl requested to see the idol immediately as they made their way to the home and to the Pooja room where the idol was kept at -it was decided that it will be sent with the Shivangi on her wedding day.-

Niyati's eyes didn't left the idol even for a second all the time standing there gazing at the beautiful piece of the art. It is when Shivangi left to bring the note to show her that she touches the feet of the lord wiping the wetness from her cheeks.

The look in his eyes haunts her, the vacant gaze still vivid in her vision, the controlled rage in the tone reminds her of the violence it was capable of. He didn't even spared a glance to her even though he knew she was there at the terrace, and just how badly it broke her. Pushes her to the limit that she break down on the terrace alone and lonely, punished by her own deed.

Each day, she tells herself that whatever the decision she took was the right one and yet, not a single day would pass where she won't cry and blames herself for the suffering she caused to him and to her.

"Please show me the right way." A pleading request was made to the Lord with the hope that it will, lessen the suffering of her. Of it will bring the peace she had after having him for herself, no matter how short those days were.

__

Meena was on the cloud 9. Phulan bhaisahab finally gave the green signal to invite the girl's family to the home. If things go from this speed, the days are not left when she will become the mother-in-law.

"Tell them the truth, Meena. The whole truth." Lokesh said from the sofa studying few files sent by the Mithilesh. "Do not sugarcote your son's deed and misgivings. They deserves to know who they are giving their daughter to."

Rolling her eyes, Meena looked from bed where she was selecting which jewellery set to wear that day. "Will it kill you if you act like a father to your own son? You are always ready to bad mouth Sundar."

"Hm.. bad mouth? Open your eyes Meena, I do not need to say anything about him- his reputation proceeds him. The whole Begusarai knows about the your lovely son's scandals."

"Yeah..so we do not need to tell anyone anything. " Sneering she stood up from the bed and went towards the open almirah. "You and your family never appreciated me or my son. Atleast, let him have someone who will appreciate him for who he is."

"That is why telling the truth is must." Sign Lokesh. His wife has only one track mind where she remembered only the misgivings done to her and her son. Meena keep forgetting the things she has done to the Phulan's family and no matter what Lokesh tells her, those things won't penetrate her thick skull.

Meena was the one who forced the Durga Devi to divide the houses equally between the two brothers despite Mala bhabhi and everyone's request.

Is the one who filled Sundar's head with unnecessary hate towards Achintya and increasing the competion between the brothers.

Who seprate him from his mother and brother and the children he raised along. Mithilesh, Achintya and Guddi were his children as much as Sundar was and that thought always irritated Meena. "Focus on your child only,"

Because of her, Sundar was separated from the siblings and went to the wrong way for he had no one to put a rein on him with his mother's uncontrollable love and his own dislike towards his father.

Now god forbids, if this proposal is not met with the same reception Meena was expecting, what will happen then. And then there was Sundar himself, Lokesh has heard an ongoing rumor about his son and how his visit to the commerical area became quite frequent these days. He ignored it thinking it was nothing but his men informed him that Sundar nowdays was hunting a specific girl even going to the extent of demanding the CCTV footage of the hospital Achintya was admitted to so he could get her image.

It irked him a lot. Of how much of a classified idiot he was being. When the whole family is maintaining a positive image -Achintya's plans were showing results - the idiot is hell bent in to running it.

Then the questions about the girl also rises in his head, and he could only pray to the Lord that Sundar never found her or get over his obsession because Meena could think otherwise, but Lokesh was his father and he unlike her was not blind but could see just how corrupted his son was.

His intentions of finding the girl could not be pure or it could be, but it definitely do not match with Meena's and the woman once when she will know about this, won't appreciate it.

__

Niyati saw him from the distance on the upcoming Monday, was standing near the entrance door with Reecha and Asha and other girls when he came to drop his sister to the college.

And despite knowing just how much of a hypocrite she is she waited for him to atleast, atleast spare a glance towards her side or give a reaction but he left as he came. Unbothered and at the speed of the bullet train.

She noticed that even on the day of the engagement, just how tired he was looking, the pallor on his face, the dark circles around his eyes and the constant sign of the anger in the eyes.

Sighing she turned to the Asha who was telling them about the Mukesh, her boyfriend and his demands of spending his birthday with him by going to a trip.

"..and I told him I can't. What I will tell at home?"

"And what he said to this?" Reecha inquired.

"Said..we will be back under your college time and if it take longer than that you can make any reasonable excuse."

"Huh! Is he real? Niyati..did you heard what she said? Asha, leave that idiot. There is no need to be with a dumb man like that- make excuse,my foot."

Niyati noticed the crestfallen expression of the Asha. Reecha's words however true was not what Asha needed. She knows it by now, that no matter what they will say and whatever that will happen Asha will not leave the man. She has told this to the Reecha but unlike her the girl refuses to understand this very thing.

"What you want?" She asked to the Asha. It was evident to her that Asha too wanted to go. But it is the fear of being seen that was stopping her from that.

"I- I don't know. I mean..I do want to spend the birthday with him. But going anywhere- what if my parents knows about it? What I will do?"

Reecha huffed loudly pointing her finger towards the girl "you are an idiot."

"Reecha..do not be insensitive. Just because you don't have a boyfriend does not mean you can say anything. If only you had one..you will understand the yearning and want to spend any given moment with the person your heart want."

Closing her eyes, Niyati breathed deeply trying her best to not let the sadness shown on her face. Asha's words hit too close to the heart.

"I don't need one. Right now, I want to focus on my studies and then after whoever my family will select for me I will marry him. I will not waste my time with people who won't be part of my life after certain point-"

"Who said Mukesh won't be part of my life?"

Asha asked narrowing her eyes.

A sarcastic laugh left from the Reecha's lips "you and him do not belong to the same caste. It is, impossible for you to get married and that proved my point."

Breathing heavily, Asha glared towards the Reecha and then to the silent Niyati hoping she would say something in her support. "I don't know Asha. I agree with Reecha- not on caste no.." and the girl shut her mouth "but.. Mukesh is a simple mechanic. And I know what you two had is special and everything but it is not enough to spend the life together. I think we get too far on this topic. We were discussing about-"

"No. We are not discussing that anymore. I want to know your opinion now. Reecha has made it clear that she thinks I'm an idiot for being involved with a boy -"

"I think you are an idiot because you are ready to risk your reputation for a boy. " Reecha corrected but Asha acted as though she didn't heard a single thing.

"What about you? What you think?" Cornered, Niyati looked at her friend the happy go lucky Asha now gone and instead in her place stood a girl who will tear apart anyone who dared to say anything against the boy she loved or she thought she do.

"Calm down Asha. There is no need for you to get agitated over such things. Besides, my opinions hardly matter it's not like you will do everything that I will say. "

"Yeah..but you are my friend and I want to know?"

Checking the watch on her wrist Niyati said "we will be late for the class. Let's discuss it sometime else."

"I want to know now.." angered she raised her hand to grab her arm, in the process her nails scratches Niyati's wrist and hissing she break out of the grip. "The class can go to the hell. "

The area was burning and bringing her hand to the light Niyati saw a long thin mark starting from her wrist to the middle of her arm, it was glaring red on her skin and quite heidous. Irritated she looked at the Asha, the girl shows no concern eying her hand with indifference.

"Asha, what's gotten into you? Why you are suddenly acting like this?" Reecha glared at the Asha cradling Niyati's hand. The wound looked nasty and must be clean sooner. "If my words hurt you so much, then I'm sorry. But please, do not act so weirdly."

"It is not much, do not overreact." Asha said. The girls were making the mole out of the nothing. She get worse injury from working in the kitchen and it does not hurts her a bit. Niyati can stop being the sensitive one.

They are her friends they should be listening to her problems and help her sort it out not to advise her to leave Mukesh alone. It is also that Reecha rubbed an old wound about her and Mukesh's caste that made her anger escalate this much and Niyati backing it with the fact that Mukesh was simply a mechanic.

There was no need for her to look down on him and reminds her that he is not that well of to take care of her.

"If you already know that I am overacting why ask for my opinion? "Snapped Niyati. "I told you before what I think and because you were not ready to accept the truth you are acting like this. If our opinion matters nothing to you why bother with it. Simply ignore us and do what you want "

"I will." Asha said firmly. "I will go with him to spend the birthday. "

"Suits you." The three girls looked at one another for a long second after Niyati's comment before stomping her feet Asha left from the gate without attending the class.

Checking the watch Reecha said "we are twenty minutes late for the class. "

"You can go. I'll go to the infirmary and get this clean." Her wrist was burning and the cold temperature outside was making sting more.

"I'll come with you." Niyati nods her head and together they both made their way to the infirmary at the next building.

__

Gayatri watches from the far to the girl in the pink coloured suit. She saw her in the engagement, the sister of the bride but didn't get to interact with her much as she was busy running from here to there and then looking at the works outside.

She only remembered her because Abhay won't stop that night, announcing to the whole family about 'niti' making Mithilesh bhaisahab to look at the others for only to Nupur bhabhi to inform him "he met a girl today."

Mithilesh cursed some more before listening attentively about the girl from his son's mouth rocking him on his thighs with a pained expression.

The girl looked nothing special, she was beautiful but not as much as Shivangi. She didn't know about her nature but with the reputation of the Mishras it won't be untrue that the apple didn't fallen far away from the tree.

Beside, her looking at the girl has nothing to do with her beauty or anything. It was because of the glaring long thin scar on her wrist she noticed that attracted her attention. It looked fresh and clean but still nasty for it looked like someone stabbed their nails deliberately in her skin and pullled it with their full might to rip her skin off.

Noticing her eyes, the girl turned towards her and smiled politely definitely knowing who she was and turned back hiding her hand with her dupatta and returning to the heated discussion she was having with her friend.

The jeep came five minutes later. Gayatri take the seat beside him and together they leave the college premise.

"You remember the Niti?" Gayatri ask to her brother.

"If I say no will it shut you up?"

Giggling she replied. "No..but Bhai..you know na Niti? The girl Abhay was babbling about the other day. I saw her today."

"Congratulation Guddi. " Scowling at his comment she huffs. Achintya was being sarcastic despite there being no need of it. "What about her?"

Giving him a side eye she folded her hands and leaned on the seat. She will not tell him anything untill he pleads-which he will never do- Achintya might not even know that word even exists. Staying quiet for the total five excruciating long minutes, she turned herself towards him and at last open her mouth.

"Just because you asked.. otherwise I would not be wasting my breathe on you."

"You are wasting it now." He pointed out making her hit him on his forearm. Her brother is simply insufferable.

"Listen or otherwise I won't share any gossip."

"Okay, enlighten me now. " Gayatri patted herself mentally for gaining the win over him. It might be the first time Achintya is being easy or otherwise most of the time he will simply stay silent untill her impatience win and she utters whatever she knows.

So it is a feat for her now that Achintya folded this easily for the first time. "The girl Niti..I was watching her today outside the gate just before you came. She and her friend were discussing something heated. "

Waiting for a few seconds for his output she pauses dramatically but after finding none she continued although with a little huff "but that's not it-"

"I figured. Whatever it is, be quick ."

Glaring she utters "and she was hiding a long gash on her hand. I think she and someone else had a fight and that is how she get it. Could it be-" gasping she looked at him, palm covering her mouth "her secret lover- ouch..Bhai!"

The jeep stopped with a halt stopping her babbling. "We reached our destination. Now hop off I have other works to do." Looking around herself, Gayatri indeed noticed that they reached the home and jumped out of the jeep happily walking towards the gate when Achintya called her name and she turned.

"Here." Handing a big note to her he left leaving a gaping Gayatri behind. Her brother is weird but he make up for it with being the best brother in the world. Kissing the note she happily skipped inside the house.

__

It was the chore to hide the mark from the other members and the friends .

At the night, Niyati showed it to her mother giving the excuse of getting the gash from someone in the crowd during the recess. Giving her the detailed information about the medicine she got from the infirmary and everything.

Her mother was the weak hearted one whenever one of her children get hurt. It was always used to be their father who took the rein in those matters.

Turning to the sides Niyati's mind went to the weird eye contact she made with the Gayatri Chaudhary and the way she didn't even flinched even after knowing she got caught staring at her.

Are all the Chaudharys made up of the same materials? Her brother is like that and she too was and surely Abhay will be one day. She missed the cute boy keep thinking that time she spent with him was too short for the liking.

Desperately manifesting that soon she will get to see the chubby boy again and by extent him she closes her eyes with that thought.

__

Late at the night, Niyati's sleep was disturbed with the sound of something hitting the glass of the window.

Jerking she get up and indeed something was hitting the closed windows. Her heart in her mouth, she though of waking Mitthu besides her but that girl only rolled away from her "whatever you said didi " and Niyati face palmed herself.

Gathering her courage she went to the window the view of the outside hidden behind the curtains. Cautiously she pulled a bit of the curtain aside, peeking from the little hole to the outside and..fell down on the floor.

Eyes widen and throat dried she gathered herself from the floor and fisting her palm bought it to the curtain again and-

Achintya was there. On the empty street leaning against his bike, pebbles in his hand hitting the window.

Opening the window she looked down, he stopped in the act of sending another pebble her way. Cupping the palm she asked nonverbally about his arrival and he replied with a single motion that denotes her to come down.

Shocked at his request she shakes her head to give her answer only for a pebble to the side of the wall and making her jerk closing her eyes her hand raising in defense of her.

Irritated at him, she closed the window , pulling the curtains and sitting down on the chair near it.

The pebble didn't stopped and the rhythmic tip tap makes her ears bleed. At the end, in the fear that it will wake up Mitthu too -her heart was fluttering inside her chest- she stepped out of her room checking her mother's room and locking it from the outside she went towards the main door.

__

In the haste of leaving and giving him an interesting lecture about manners and time she completely forgot her attire. In the white coloured cotton night dress reaching her ankle and her hair open behind her she went infront of him. Her feets slowed down as his eyes met her in the darkness.

The only streetlight was a bit from her home and with all the lights of the nearby houses -their house located at the corner of the street- off the street was empty and dark. And still Niyati not felt the usual fear gripping her heart that should comes with the environment around her.

Only pleasant peace enveloping her.

He straighten up just as she reached closer to him, both of them silent just looking at one another.

"What you doing here?" She asked at last when having his full attention on her becomes too much for her.

Her voice brings him out of the whatever trance she always manages to put on him with simply by her presence alone."Show me your hand."

"My hand-" it clicked her a second later but till then he already took the matter in his hand. Grabbing her forearm he dragged her closer and in the flashlight of his cellphone he straighten her wrist and the angry red gash welcomes him.

"Who the fuck did this?" Blaming her luck Niyati looked away from him. Why whenever they meet he either is angry or irritated or both.

She tried to slid her hand away only for him to pull her closer, her free hand reaching his shoulder and the muted gasp leaving her lips as his arms wound around her waist pulling her to him. "I asked something."

He looked down, his eyes betraying him that they travelled from her eyes, to her nose, to her cheeks, to her lips, stopping there before returning back to her eyes to find them already fixed on himself.

"No one. In the rush of leaving the canteen some girl's nails grazes my hand. It is not much." Narrowing his eyes, he leaned back on his bike bringing her along with him. Niyati know she shouldn't lie but she also can't out Asha infront of him knowing his temper.

A hiss left her lips when his thumb lightly touches the wound and then gently, he bring it to his lips and kisses it.

Her whole body turned warm and red, she didn't knew but her form relaxed some more as those lips travels from her wrist to her palm and then back to the wound, feather light touches. "Tell the truth."

Tell the truth? She won't be able to say her name if asked and he is expecting her to tell him the truth. The ministration stopped, he adjusted that hand on his chest where they clutches the fabric of his shirt.

Achintya tucked a loose strand behind her ear, back of his palm slipping on her smooth cheeks to her neck and then to the behind gently finding the purchase in her thick tresses making her raise her head and eyes again.

She saw the raw hunger in those brown eyes, the immense strength of the control that he was putting, her nimble finger grabbed his collar slightly nodding her head and then..his lips were on her.

The kiss was of desperation and longing, the fireworks bursting behind her closed eyes her hand in his hairs. She hisses as he bit her lower lips pulling her impossibly close that her plump chest smashed against his hard one bringing her in between his legs.

They broke apart for a second, her feets unsteady he gave her exact five seconds before pulling her lips back to his, hungrily devouring her gasp. The hand behind her neck now around her throat.

Breathing hardly he touches his forehead to her gazing at her closed eyes and swollen lips and scarlet cheeks and unmarked throat. He should mark it now, should have marked her before that bastard's eyes went to her. Would have served him the good lesson.

But that can wait, he had more pressing matters in the hand.

Her eyes closed, she felt his lips around her neck leaving feather light kisses "Niyati." and that is all it took for her resolves to crumble as she fell in his arms hiding her face in his chest repeating the incident to him.

His hand caressing her head as her voice grow slow and she stopped.

"It isn't serious. Only look worse than it actually is." She reassures him looping her both hands around his midriff and holding him to herself in the fear now that he knows the truth for he came here, he would again push her away from himself or would close off again and left her here. Alone and all by herself.

She wasn't ready for either. "...the yearning and want to spend any given moment with the person your heart want." Those words kept ringing in her head since the morning.

"How you know? " She asked. Hoping he takes the bait making her gain few more seconds in his embrace.

"Gayatri told me. She saw it on your hand and shared the gossip with me thinking you got this from your lover."

Finally pushing her head away from his chest she reasoned "it isn't true. You know it isn't true. "

"Hm. I know." Taking her smooth cheeks in his palm he lightly touches his lips on her forehead. "The only lover you have is the one you broke off things with-"

"Stop it. Please." She murmurs. The moment between them was too fragile that one shove in the right direction will bring her to her knees and near to an another breakdown. "I'm hurt. You should tend and say only the good things to comfort me."

Humoured by her words he hummed, his thumb now rubbing the side of her neck his palm enveloping her whole throat to direct her gaze to him. "You looked extremely beautiful in that saree. "

"Thanks." She mumbles trying to hide her face again which he didn't allow and she almost hit him on the shoulder only to remember "how's your wound? Last time I saw..it was bleeding. Is it alright now?"the tone full of concerns. Very gently she patted the area she remembered vividly the knife being stabbed at, eyes fixed on his face to revert the hand back at the first sign of the discomfort,but it never came.

"Is it alright now?" She takes a breathe of the relief when he nods his head in the confirmation.

"It is. More than alright to take another stab-" putting her palm on his lips she widen her eyes in horror at his words and the confidence.

"Do not say that, please. You..you already know what it did to me and yet you say that with such casualness. "This time slapping him on the shoulder nonetheless because he deserves it and burying her face in his neck. "Don't utter those omnious words again."

"So I can't say any omnious words but you can?"

"I only choose the nicest words."

"Ending whatever that is between us. These were your exact words, remember?"

Oh god, did those words really belongs to her? If yes, then split the earth in between so she can bury herself there. "I'm sorry but I think the wound on my hand affected my brain and so I couldn't recall few things."

Amazed at her words he replied "really?so if you forgot saying those words and I never accepted those disgusting words, thus that meant we never broke up, right?"

Spluttering and choking she looked at him blinking her eyes at his grinning face -what a relief it is- and the logic he used to justify his words. "How you made that connection?"

"It is logical. You have to accept."

"It is- no..I mean..It is.." her feet left the earth a second later, "Achintya" she gasped as he twirled her around holding the petite body by the waist, her hands on his shoulders. It was her first time to hear his full blown laugh and Niyati has to accept it was an ecstatic feeling to be the reason behind his boisterous laugh.

"Put me down" she mumbles fondly tapping his shoulder.

"You accept it, then? "

Staring in his eyes the palm went to his cheeks and bringing his face down she pressed her lips in between his forehead, nodding her head. "let's pretend I never said those words. That day never came and we are still together."

The kiss this time was slow and sensual. No hurry behind, no intention to prove just the simple want to express the joy and happiness and the relief of getting what you manifested. Of what you wished and prayed.

When she opens her eyes this time, it was to his grinning face. "Just so you know..I never looked at any other woman after meeting with you. Yes, I had a past and I'm not ashamed of that but I do not want it to be held against me. If you want to I'm ready to swear it on my dead mother-"

Covering his lips with her palm she shakes her head "there is no need for that."

"There is. You believe me now but once you will hear another narration or will see me with the opposite gender other than you, you will again start doubting me and I do not want it. And so, here I am, swearing on my mother that in my life their is only one woman now, and that is you. Niyati Mishra. And if you gives the consent, it will remain this way for our whole life."

The tears fell from her eyes and this time she didn't stop them only to put her forehead on his chest and sobs softly.

"Fucking don't cry. " he demanded to which she cried harder hugging him so close that soon she will carve a place in his body of her shape.

Jerking her away from himself, he made her raise her eyes wiping those pitiful tears away from her cheeks. "I said don't cry. "

"You can't confess such things and expect me to not cry." She huffs back annoyed at him that he dared to push her away from himself. She buries herself again in his arms and he tighten the hold kissing the top of her head.

"This is simply the start Niyati, you have so much to seen some goods and some worst and you can't cry at every instance. " He mumbles prying himself away, their eyes locked together as he looked directly in her eyes caressing her cheeks.

"You are mine." She nodded her head as in trance confirming his words. "So you have to get used to the rough journey ahead and sadly, the tears are not allowed there."

__

And so they reunited. Because it felt too much to keep hurting these two considering the amount of hurt they both will have in their destiny.

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Asha misunderstanding her friends' concern is a every 'normal' girl blind in love.

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