Entangled Hearts//IshqAan

Chapter 9

After exiting the Malhotra Mansion, Ishqi started to walk off.

Seeing her in such a vulnerable state, an autowala who was passing by near her, asked, 'Madamji, aap aise halat mein chal rahe. Aap thik hai? Aapko pass hi mein jana ho toh main aapko chhod dunga.'

'Thanks, bhaiyya. Par uski koi zaroorat nahi hai main hat ke hi chali jaaungi.' Ishqi replied, trying to form a smile on her lips.

As soon as the auto left, Ishqi started trembling and fell on the ground. Tears started falling from her eyes.

Pulling her knees to her chest, she kept sobbing.

'Aisa mere saath hi kyun hota hai, Mummy?' Looking at the sky, she told her mother, who inspite of residing in the heavens, was always there for Ishqi. 'Jaise hi meri zindagi mein khushiyan aane wali thi tab hi sab kuch kanch ke tukro ki tarah bikhar gaye. Aisa humesha mere saath hi kyun hota hai? Kyun, Mummy?"

Her question hung in the air, as no one was there to answer.

Meanwhile, an unusual silence grasped the Malhotra Mansion. No one didn't know what to say. So much has happened within a day.

Ahaan engulfed Sonu into a hug, who was in a miserable state after the truth of Mayank came out of everyone.
'Are you okay?', Ahaan whispered into her eyes after parting from the hug.
Sonu nodded her head.

'Par tune mujhe pehle kyun nahi bataya? Itne din se akele hi sab jhel rahi thi!' Ahaan said with a bit of anger in his voice

'Sorry, Bhai! Mujhe darr lag raha tha aapko batane, aur upar se woh aapka best friend bhi tha, uss ke baare mein kuch aisa sunn ke aapko toot jaate.'

'Woh toh main ab bhi hoon. Aur sorry toh mujhe hona chahiye, maine jise aapna best friend banaya usi ko pehchan mein galti ho gayi. Aaj Sonu ki iss halat ka zimmedar agar koi hai toh woh main hoon.' Ahaan said gloomily, his voice trying hard to control the pain.

'Bhai!' Sonu hugged Ahaan and tried to console him. 'Its okay, Bhai! Isme agar kisi ki galti hai toh woh Mayank ka. Aur aap please aise maafi mat maangiye Bhaiya!'

'Kuch baatein mere liye bhi bachi hai ya phir aap dono hi sab khatam kardoge?'Kartik came from behind and back-hugged them, smiling as always. 'Yahi baki reh gaya tha! Aaj ki Sangeet ki aakhri performance by the famous Malhotra Siblings!'

Both Sonu and Ahaan laughed with tears in their eyes.
'Chup kar, cheapde!' Sonu teased Kartik and hugged him again.

All the other family members were elated to see them being happy again.

'Inn tino pehle jaise dekhke kitna accha lag raha haina, Mummyji?' Ritu asked Daadi, looking at them.

'Yeh tino thik hote hai  toh poora ghar pehla jaisa ho jaata hai. Haaye! Kisi ki nazar na lag jaaye!' Daadi said while gesturing her hand in order to ward off the evil eye.

'Chal jaake thoda rest karle! Raat mein dinner pe baat karenge okay?' Ahaan told Sonu to which she nodded and started towards her room.

'Main kuch der Sonu ke pass ruk jaaun, Bhai? Please?' Willing to stay by her, Raj asked.

'Arre isme puchnewali kya baat hai! Of course, jaao!' Ahaan smiled.

'Aww! Ek minute bhi Sonu se door nahi reh sakte na?' Kartik teased Raj to which he replied with a yes.

Looking at Sonu, Raj said,' Ek pal ke liye bhi nahi!'
Taking her in a hug, Raj whispered into Sonu's ears, 'Are you okay?' Sonu nodded her head silently.
'Chalo room mein jaake thoda rest karle.' Raj took Sonu to her room, her head resting on his shoulder.

'Bass is tarah hi khush reh yeh dono!'
Daadi exclaimed.

After Raj took Sonu to her room, all the others too started to disperse.

'Bye, Ahaan. Sonu ka dhyan rakhna. Had a great time with you all!' said Rhea to Ahaan. Ahaan muttered a 'bye' and she departed after passing a smile.

'Ishqi thik toh haina? Aaj itna sabkuch hone ke baad who kuch tensed dikh rahi thi. Aur uski Maasi ki tabiyat bhi toh kharab thi! Ek kam karta hoon, call kar leta hoon.' Ahaan thought and without even wasting a second, he dialled Ishqi's number.

Her phone rang twice, but she didn't pick it up.

'What the fudge? Phone kyun nahi pakad rahi hai?' Ahaan said, being irritated.

'Kya hua, Bhai? Itne pareshaan kyun ho?' Kartik enquired inspite of knowing the reason behind Ahaan's worry.

'Arre, woh phone nahi pakad rahi hai!' Ahaan exclaimed. His face became visibly worried with the thoughts of Ishqi.

'Kaun bhai? Rhea?'

'Dekh Kartik, drama mat kar! Tujhe bohut acche se jaanta hai main Ishqi ki baat kar raha hoon.'

Kartik was in full mood to crack his silly jokes and tease Ahaan. "Aap ko badi chinta hai, uski!"

"Dekh Kartik, main abhi mazak ke mood mein bilkul nahi hoon." Ahaan said sternly, her face still holding a worried expression.
Ahaan went to lawn, calling her again and again, hoping that she would be fine. But neither did she answer nor did  her worry left Ahaan.

"Yeh ladki hai kahan? Humesha call back karleti hai par aaj ek baar bhi pakad nahi rahi!" Ahaan said still trying to call.

"Oh, toh iska matlab mere pith piche aap Ishqi se baatein karte the? Pehle toh kabhi nahi bataya!" Kartik said and Ahaan shot him an angry glare.

"Pick up the call, Ishqi! Pick up the call!" He silently prayed, hoping this time his call would be answered.

While Kartik was about to say something, a sound came to his and Ahaan's ears. Something rang. Someone's phone.

"Kartik! Suna tune? Kiska phone baj raha hai!"

"Mera toh apne pocket mein hai. Aur sab guests bhi toh chale gaye! Toh phir kiska baj raha hai?" Kartik wondered.

Ahaan's eyes laid on a table in front, on which there was the phone, ringing constantly.

AVM. The phone displayed while buzzing.

"Yeh toh Ishqi ka phone hai!" Ahaan exclaimed. "Agar phone yahan chhod gayi toh wapas lene kyun nahi aayi?"

"Shayad bhool gayi hogi, Bhai. Aap itna tension kyun le rahe hai?" Kartik said.

"Main usse yeh wapas karke aata hoon." Ahaan said and left hurriedly.

"Main bhi aa raha hoon, Bhai!" Kartik stated, trying to follow Ahaan's pace.

Ahaan saw a small of crownd of people in a distance and wondered what had happened, when he was about to take his car out.

"Kartik, tu gaadi nikal. Main zara dekhke aata hoon saamne kya ho raha hai."
He went to towards the spot and saw people surrounding something or someone.

"Koi function thi shayad!"

"Yahan akeli kyu hai?"

Thousands of questions aroused among the crowd.
Ahaan struggled to know what has happened. "Bhaiya, kya huya hai yahan?"

"Ek ladki ka kuch der pehle accident ho gaya hai."

Pushing away the crowd, what Ahaam saw before him shocked him to death.

His mouth went dry and his voice struggled to came out. His vision went woozy. He started feeling dizzy.

"Ishqi!"