Vacation Found Us

Chapter 35

"Things get better by time but thinking gets better by people."

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Avneet , Jannat and Jaijeet stood there watching Mrs. Vibha's eyes welled up with tears. Sudden rise of panic engulfed their veins. Seeing a strong cheerful lady cry infront of them made them froze in worry.

" I don't get it Aunty." Avneet said, her eyes filled with concern. She sat on her knees near Mrs. Vibha and took her hand into hers. "They are your children, you have every right on them."

"Is there anything we could do?Shall we arrange the birthday party for Abi and Sid ? I think we can help" Jannat asked. She herself didn't know why she asked that. She is not a person who involve in others personal life.

Mrs. Vibha smiled in gratitude because of the warmth of affection she felt. She missed this kind of affection given by her kids. Both her sons and her daughter in law still spend time with her, love her but the distance within themselves hurts her the most.

"No dears, Happiness can't be forced. I could fight with my children to bring them together but they need to know how important they are for each other by themselves." Mrs. Vibha replied and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "Stop stressing yourself, I know my kids, their love is more strong then their ego." She said as a new hint of hope gleamed in her eyes. She patted Avneet's head, smiled at Jannat and Jaijeet and walked away.

The trio looked at each other confusion. "Hey! What about this? We will plan a simple party. You two make a cake, I'll decorate the hall with stuffs I get in this home. Let it be a surprise planned by us." Jaijeet suggested grinning ear to ear.

A displeased sigh escaped Avneet's lips. "We can't just do that, we are just guests." Avneet said as an unknown emotion trailed in her voice.

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"Avu, I think you are getting too attached to this family. Do you like Siddharth?" Jannat asked.

Avneet and Jannat were sitting in their living room and Jaijeet was probably out for kitchen as he was feeling hungry. Jannat grimaced as Jaijeet whined he was hungry for the umteeth time and Avneet was too lost to reply. Jannat finally decided to shoo him out of the room and have a chat with her bestie.

"No, I just want to help him." Avneet said.

"Help him? Why? Do you have any debt related to him? You are cheating yourself, Avu. I don't think it's just sympathy." Jannat narrowed her eyes towards Avneet. Avneet tilted  her head to get a clear look at Jannat. Avneet realised Jannat was damn serious.

Avneet's lips parted but unable to form words. She remained silent.

"Stop bothering yourself,Avu. This family is just your mother's friend's. We have no other connection with them. Moreover we are moving to New York day after tomorrow, collect yourself and get moving." Jannat sighed when she saw Avneet was not responding. "It's good to stay far from their life ,Avu. You have already attached to Siddharth emotionally, please don't push it more."

"I don't know." Avneet stammered in a whisper.

"What?" Jannat asked as she was not able to grasp the words left from Avneet's mouth.

"I don't know why I want to help him. I don't know whether I am getting attached to him. I, I just want to see him happy. I don't know why." Avneet said not understanding what's going on within her.

Jannat, who understood the perplexed state of Avneet, gently hugged her as a reassurance. On the other hand, Avneet's mind was revolving around the words Jannat said, questions she asked.

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Siddharth stood in the balcony looking at the blank sky. There were lot of stars in the sky but the moon was no where to be seen.

"I like darkness. " A melody voice rang in his ears. He immediately identified the voice, he knows whom it belonged to. He smiled to himself but didn't turn to look at the person.

"Why do you come here?" He asked

"Maybe because I know you would feel lonely." He received the reply of Avneet.

He turned his head do it the person who was now feeling the breeze closing her eyes. Her face illuminated light in the dark like a moon. Avneet was lying in her bed thinking about what Jannat told. She decided to stay away from him, too far,even emotionally but when reality hit her that she would be returning New York within two days, a thunder destroyed her firm determination. 'I would never meet him again, I would turn into a stranger for him, he would never remember me' she thought. What foot automatically brought her to his balcony.

"Loneliness is like an addiction when you get used to it." Siddharth said as her admired her.

"Only when you know to manage it well and I'm very bad at it. Loneliness gives you peace for hours and takes  your peace when it grew longer." Avneet said opening her eyes and smiling at him.

Siddharth chuckled."You want to ask why I am always alone, don't you?" He asked.

"Will you ever answer?"Avneet asked him back.

"No," he said plainly without expressing any emotion. His eyes again got fixed on the dark sky. Silence lingered between them but it was not capable of bringing awkwardness along with it.

Siddharth's phone rang inside his room. He went in leaving Avneet in the balcony. Avneet's eyes landed on a diary placed at the swing chair. She ignored it as her mind was fighting with her emotions to wish him a happy birthday.
' Jaan told me to stay away but a happy birthday won't harm, right?. What will I say if he ask how did I got to know about his birthday?'

On the other hand Siddharth sighed looking at the phone screen which read Faizal. He knew Faizal was calling him for wishing him birthday. He was fed up by saying this birthday means nothing without his brother to Faizal and others. He was hoping for a celebration containing his whole family but he also know that is not going to happen any soon.

Siddharth left the call unattended. Within seconds a message popped in his phone from Faizal. It read,
'Outside your bungalow, gonna ring the bell.'

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Any suggestions?

Ridhwana