13. Phool

"Hold my hand till we turn to ashes"

A A D V I K

I spent 9 years 6 months 14 days without her. Not that I lived those years anyways, I just survived for my parents sake because the moment my Chanda walked out my house-once home. I was nothing but a lover boy but without her being my side, I wasn't worth anything, she is a jewel compared to me.

As if someone would ever compare her with me.

I still remember the spark in her eyes whenever someone mentioned me, but the spark was anything but her excited to see me.

I was lost in my thoughts totally consumed by her that I didn't realize someone was calling me.

"Bhaisahab!" A man probably in his late thirties, who probably was jogging judging by his clothes.

"Ji boliye?" I said, my voice tight and raspy like I haven't spoken a word in years.

"Here, take this apple with you, since I don't have much money right now" The man looked so kind that he offered me an apple.

"Why..are you giving me these?" I said as I stood up dusting off the dust on my pants by sitting onto the porch.

Taking the apple from him, I took my phone out off my jacket pocket and my lockscreen wallpaper made my heart race and my face melt into a smile. It was a picture of Veda back into college.

06:33 am

6 January 2025

Monday

9°☁️                   📍New Delhi

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"Mujhe laga aapke paas kuch khane ke liye nahi hoga" The man said with a little bit of awkwardness.

"Are- bhikhari nhi hun mai bhai, gajab haal hae ab mae apne gate pe baitha hun to bikhari hun" I said putting my phone back into my sweats pocket.

"Ye aapka ghar hai? Lekin yaha door pe to Veda Roy likha hua hai" The man said concerned with a little bit of curiosity glistening in his eyes.

"Meri patni ka ghar hai, 3 raat se baith rha hun pehle to nhi dikhe mujhe aap, aaj panchayat soojh gayi" I said.

"Are kal Sunday tha to jogging pe nhi aaya" the man said scratching his neck sheepishly with his hand.

"Waah" I said sarcasm weighted my words then i bid him a goodbye and thanked for the apple.

Around me, the roads are empty, cloaked in mist and fog from the morning. The sun has yet to fully rise, and dark grey clouds linger in the hazy atmosphere, blending with the calmness of winter and the shivering sensations of frost.

I was in my own thoughts when I noticed a small boy wearing dirty and torn clothes with multiple roses and gajras wrapped in a newspaper on his shoulder as I saw him heading towards me, I kneel onto the ground, a smile on his face, eyes filled with hope, he said "Sahab, madam ke liye phool lelo sahab"

"Itni thand me aap abhi phool kyun bech rahe hai, chote janab?" I declared with a smile on my face as I took his plastic bag where he kept all the flowers  and took out my wallet which had a photo of my parents and took out a five hundred note and gave to him.

"Koi phool leta hi nahi hai, Pura din bechna padta hai to pehle hi aajata hun"

I nodded as I took the whole plastic bag and said "aaj se aap 8 baje se bechna, mai roj lene aaunga"

"Thank you Sahab!" I ruffled his hair playfully and went back to Veda's house then to my hotel.

V E D A

To my Chanda,

Phools for my phool<3 I know Veda ki tumhe tulips pasand hai magar abhi ke liye tum roses se kaam chala lo aur sorry, ved, mujhe aaj jaldi jaana padega, ive an important meeting with my new CA. *

- love, Vik.

The note is still in my mind, he comes here ever since our encounter in our cars, i come back from work, hes there, everytime i leave for work, hes there .

everytime I hear his voice, or see his face. It mentally hurts, I know that he's not the same Aadvik anymore, he knows he's not the same man he used to be.

I mentally groaned as I walked towards my couch and took my laptop to trade.

"Yes!" I exclaimed as my eyes on the trade pin going up.

I turned my phone on to see any notifications but it was just like previous except the girls and Vihaan sending me reels and Advik's follow request.

He never liked Delhi—the atmosphere here made him restless and often gave him severe fevers. But seeing him here, in Delhi, because of me instead of staying in Mumbai, struck me deeply. No one knew my Delhi address except the girls and my brother. I was certain Aadvik must have taken someone's help to find me.

Mumbai was his first love. I had planned to go there with him after we finished college, but, as it turns out, destiny had other plans.

I still care about him. It might seem weird, but after everything I’ve seen Aadvik go through, I could never truly hate him. He probably thinks I do, especially after what happened back then. But I still haven’t forgiven him for not coming back when I needed him the most.

I can’t help but mentally smile every time I think about our love story. It wasn’t just a story—it was too real to be called a mere piece of fiction.

Just then a phone call took me our from my thoughts.

"Hello" I said as I was trying to figure out who called because it was a unknown number.

"Hello, am I speaking to Veda Roy?" A female voice echoed through my silent living room.

"Yes, you are..?"

"I am talking from AIIMS Delhi, I am sorry to inform you that.." the woman said and my blood iced.

No way. It can't happen.

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