Entangled Hearts//IshqAan

Chapter 10

"Ishqi! " Ahaan almost choked out, seeing Ishqi lying lifelessly in the middle of the road, surrounded by a pool of blood.

He fell down on the road seeing her in such a state before him.

What had happened to her?
Why is she, here, in the middle of the road?
What if she had an accident?
What if she went unconscious?
What if... He couldn't think anymore. A bunch of questions surrounded him to which he couldn't answer.
No, this couldn't happen. She needs to wake up. She has to.
Ahaan laid Ishqi's head in his lap and tried a several times to wake her up.

"Ishqi, Ishqi! Ankhein kholo, Ishqi! Get up! " But his pleas seemed to fall into deaf ears.
"Get up, Ishqi!" A lone tear escaped his eyes seeing her not responding to him.

"Kya hua tha yaha? Aur itna khoon kyun beh raha hai?" Ahaan asked the crowd but no one was there to answer.
"Maine pucha, kya hua tha yaha? Koi batayega mujhe? "

An old chaiwaala, who witnessed the scene, came to answer.
"Beta, yeh ladki akele kahin jaa rahi thi, shayad aapne ghar. Bohut ro rahi thi bechari! Phir usse kuch yaad aaya aur jab woh mudi tab ek gaadi aake.. " He trailed off. He couldn't continue anymore and Ahaan understood his silence.

*Flashback starts

Wiping her tears, she struggled to stand up. "Yeh sab chhod Ishqi! Jo hona tha so gaya! Ab roke koi faayda nahi hai! Piche mudke nahi dekhna hai! Aage ka sochna hai ab!"

She was about to begin walking when suddenly she realized something. "Mera phone? Mera phone kahan hai? Haaye rabba! Kahin AVM ke ghar toh nahi reh gaya? Ab phirse jaake laana padhega!"

Turing back, she made her way to Ahaan's home when abruptly her vision got blurred. She felt on the middle of the road, holding her head. Everything got blank.

A car went passed by, which hitted Ishqi.

*Flashback ends

Kartik looks at his watch and gets worried.
"Yeh Bhai bhi na! Mujhe yahan pe gaadi nikalne ko bolke khud hi laapata ho gaye! Ab mujhe hi unhe dhoondhna hoga. "

Seeing the crowd at a distance, Kartik exclaimed, "Wahan pe shaadi ho rahi hai kya? Itni bhid kyun hai? "

When he reached there, he was also left stunned. "Bhai! Yeh sab? Yeh kaise hua? "

"Kartik, tu jaldi ambulance bula! Quick!"

Please uth jaao, Ishqi!

Ahaan felt an unknown fear rushing over him. Maybe he was afraid of losing her? But why would he? Maybe, because she was the one who stood by Sonu, who brought the truth of Mayank at the forefront of him? Whatever the reason be, he couldn't afford to lose her. Not at any cost.

~~~~~//~~~~~

Kartik went to the Reception to admit Ishqi while Ahaan was pushing the stretcher with two more workers.

Holding Ishqi's hands, he continuously kept saying, "You'll be fine, Ishqi! Kuch nahi hoga tumhe!"
"Main kuch nahi hone dunga tumhe! " His voice and his heart echoed in unison.

Ahaan approached a doctor who was walking by. "Doctor, please dekhiye na inhe!"

The doctor examined Ishqi for a few seconds and said, "Oh my God! Itni bleeding! Inhe toh bohut buri tarah se chot aayi hai! Major accident lagta hai. Inhe jaldi se ED mein shift karna padega."
Putting his stethos on his shoulder, he prepared to leave when Ahaan stopped him, holding his wrist.

"Kuch hoga toh nahi na usse? " He asked anxiously.

The doctor nodded his assurance and left. "I'll see. "

Ahaan left his hand unwillingly from Ishqi's when she was being takes to the Emergency Ward.
Maybe, he missed the warmth of her hands.

He sat on a nearby waiting room chair while tears made their way through his eyes. Kartik came and asked where Ishqi was to which Ahaan just indicated with his finger silently. Kartik sat beside him.

A lot has happened today. A lot. After the revelation of Mayank's truth, whom once he considered a true friend, shattered his heart into a million pieces. He tried to assault his own sister! His Sonu! Not once, but a thousand times! And now, Ishqi met with an accident which injured her quite brutally. He didn't know why but somehow she felt happy whenever she was around her. "Naam teen Banda mean! " Ahaan let out a chuckle remembering how Ishqi made fun of her to which he was always irritated and annoyed. But today. Today he was missing that. He wanted to hear all the names she had made for him.

He went towards the cabin where Ishqi was. He was eager to see Ishqi and talk to her. He was about to open the door when the sudden realization hit him.  But all he could do was stare. Stare at her helplessly. He wasn't allowed to visit her right now. He needed to wait. The very thought made him disappointed again.

Kartik came towards Ahaan and placed his hand on his shoulder. And that very moment, Ahaan let all his tears flow which he was trying to control for so long.
"Yeh sab k-kaise ho gaya Kartik? Kaise?"
To Kartik, this was the first time ever he saw his brother crying for a girl after Sonu. That too after years. He smiled, being confirmed that his brother does have feelings for her.

"Ishqi ki Matarani rehti hai na humesha uske pass! Aap dekhna sab thik ho jayega! Aur upar se usne pehle din hi humare ghar mein aake prasad chadhayi thi! Aap chinta mat kijiye woh kuch hi der mein uth jayegi aur AVM kehke aap ko phir chidhaayegi! Tab agar aap pareshan ho gaye na toh kuch nahi ho sakta! " Kartik tried to console his brother, patting his back.

~~~~~//~~~~~
Ahaan's phone buzzed but it seemed to elude from his eyes.
Hesitating, Kartik looked at the Caller ID. It was Ishqi's Maasi.
He picked up the call and answered.
"Namaste Aunty. "
"Namaste, beta! Beta, itni der ho gayi aur Ishqi abhi tak nahi aayi? Kuch bat hai kya? "

"Ab main inhe kaise bataun ki Ishqi hospital hai, uski accident ho gayi? " Kartik thought.
Ahaan looked up at Kartik and signed who was it. He covered the mic and whispered that it was Maasi.

Ahaan took the phone from Kartik's hands and answered, "Haan, Maasi! Woh Ishqi ko accident ho gayi hai. "

"K-kya? Accident? Kaisi hai meri bacchi? Kya.. "

"Maasi, aap itni fikar mat kijiye. Waise bhi aapki tabiyat kharab hai aur agar aap aise pareshaan hongi toh aapki tabiyat aur bhi kharab ho jaayegi. Ishqi yaha, hospital mein hai. "

"Beta, mujhe Ishqi se milna hai. Please. " Maasi pleaded.

"Okay. Thik hai Maasi. Kartik chala jaayega aap ko lene. Aap please zyada tension mat lijiye." Ahaan assured her and declined the call.

"Kartik, ek kam kar Maasi ko yahan le aa. "

"Par bhaiya, unki toh tabiyat.. "

"Woh bohut restless ho rahi thi. Aur Ishqi ki aisi halat sunke woh aur pareshaan hone lagi. Aur waise bhi, Ishqi ko bhi unki zaroorat hogi."

Kartik nodded and left while Ahaan began to grow restless thinking about Ishqi and started pacing to and fro.

After a few minutes, the doctor came out and opened his masked. Ahaan, when saw him rushed to him and asked, "Doctor? Ishqi k-kaisi hai? Woh thik haina? Hosh aayi hai usse? Main, main jaake mil sakta hoon usse? "

"Relax, Mr Malhotra. Abhi toh unki saline aur oxygen chal rahi hai. Hosh aa gayi hai. Dekhiye, unhe bohut severe injuries aayi hai. Hume doubt ho raha hai ki unke pair ke tissues mein infection ho gaya hai. Woh toh hume ek surgery karke confirm karna padega. Par agar humara shak sahi nikla toh.. "

"Toh, toh kya? Toh kya, doctor? Kuch boliye na!" Ahaan asked breathlessly, trembling with fear.

"Toh humare pass unke pair hatane ke alawa koi aur option nahi bachega. " He went away leaving Ahaan in a messed up state.

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