Unconditional Love (Part- 2)

Chapter - 36

Nitika’s POV

O god! It’s been two hours already but di hasn’t returned yet. Mom has already come once asking for her. I managed saying that she is in the bathroom but for how long? For how long I can manage? She can’t stay in the bathroom forever, this excuse will not work every time. She isn’t even picking up my phone and Ishaan bhai's phone is unreachable. O god! Why is doing this? Where have they gone?
Please di… please di come back fast. I know mom will surely come again. Please di…dear god please send her back fast. I will not be able to handle it anymore.

Third Person's POV

Everyone was chatting together…

Mrs KAPOOR : Kritika, where is Anika? Didn’t you ask her to come downstairs?

KRITIKA : Yes I told Niti,  I don’t know why she isn’t coming yet.

Anik was descending the stairs when Kritika stopped him.

KRITIKA : Anik wait… can you please go and call your sisters?

ANIK : Mom, I am just coming from their room. Niti isn’t opening the door, she said from behind the closed door that Di is in the bathroom.

ANIKET : What? Is she still in the bathroom? Is she ill?

ANIK : I don’t know.

Mrs. KAPOOR : I think we should check. Maybe her stomach is upset. They had gone outside yesterday, maybe she had eaten something unhealthy.

KRITIKA : Hmm we should go.

They all went to the room, where Nitika and Anika have been staying. In the room, Nitika was pacing around when knocks came on the door.

Nitika panicked “O god please help me. Now, what will I do? Di, where are you? Please come back. I will not be able to handle it anymore…”- she mumbled.

When they again knocked on the door Nitika knew she couldn’t hide it anymore, so she opened the door.

KRITIKA : Why are you not opening the door? Where is Niki?

Kritika went towards the bathroom to check on Anika.

KRITIKA : Niti, where is Anika?
Nitika didn’t answer, she stood in the corner quietly.

ANIKET : What do you mean by where is Anika? She is in the bathroom no?

KRITIKA : No she is not… Niti, I am asking you Where is Niki?

Before Nitika could answer anything Anik shouted.

ANIK : Mom… look.

Anik showed the bed sheets which were hanging from the railing.

Seeing the bed sheets everyone understood Anika wasn’t in the room and Nitika was lying to them.

ANIKET : Niti, what does this mean? Where is Anika?

NITIKA : Dad… Di.. Di isn’t in the home.

ANIKET : we can see that Niti. We are asking where is she?

NITIKA : I… I don’t know.

KRITIKA : you were lying to us that she is in the bathroom and now you are saying you don’t know where she is, do you think we will believe that?

NITIKA : Mom… di…

“She eloped with a man”

Everyone looked towards the source of the voice and saw Tanisha standing.

ANIK : what nonsense are you saying, Tanisha? (asked in high tone)

TANISHA :  I am not saying anything nonsense, I have seen her eloped with another man on a bike.

ANIKET : What?

NITIKA : Now I understand why di doesn’t like you. At least first know everything properly before commenting.

KRITIKA : Niti, you tell us what’s going on? What is she saying?

NITIKA : Mom, do you believe her words?

KRITIKA : Niti, answer directly… where is Niki?

NITIKA : Mom, di hasn’t eloped with any man… she has just gone out to spend some time with Ishaan bhai.

Mrs KAPOOR : She will be spending her whole life with Ishaan after tomorrow, why did she need to go now like this?

NITIKA : why are you all asking me? I am not Di.

KRITIKA : why didn’t you call us when she was leaving like a thief? You were helping her to hide it. You have been lying to us that she is in the bathroom. Why did you let her go so late at night?

Nitika was cursing Anika in her mind “ idiot, you just come back…I will beat you to death. Everyone is scolding me because of you. I will never help you in my life again.”

When everyone was scolding Nitika for letting Anika go and not informing them about it Payel entered the room.
PAYEL : why are you all scolding her? What happened?

Anik was about to tell when Payel interrupted him.

PAYEL : I will hear later, first you all come into the living room… Ishaan's mother has come… she is looking a little worried.

They all came into the living room, some other relatives and friends were already present in the living room.

ISHITA : where is Ishaan? Is he here? He isn’t answering his phone.

KARAN : Why would Ishaan be here?

ANIKET : No, he isn’t here. We have just come to know about Ishaan and Anika’s going out. We don’t know where are they.

ISHITA : what do you mean? He isn’t here? He told his friends that he was coming to see Anika… and it’s been more than 2 hours. Is Anika also not at home?

KRITIKA : No, she has gone out with Ishaan. Niti, how long have they gone?

NITIKA : It’s almost 2 hours.

ANIKET : 2 HOURS !!! And you didn’t inform us.

ANIK : are they wandering around the entire state? 2 hours? What are they doing?

NITIKA : I don’t know… I don’t know anything about them. I tried to stop but she didn’t listen. I have even called them, but one wasn’t answering and the other one's phone wasn’t reachable. I don’t know anything.

Some of them tried to call Anika and Ishaan but the result was the same as Nitika said. Now they started to worry. Because two hours is a long time and this is not their city. They are worried because Ishaan and Anika both have left riding on a bike and on a mountain road it is not easy to bike. When they did not understand what they will do, How to contact them or find them, at this moment one watchman of their resort came into the living room and informed them about the arrival of a police van with an ambulance.