Aashiqui - A Love Story.

.II.

2019, Pembroke Castle, UK.

"Continue to use your breathing to regulate your body's functions. Concentrate. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath." The yoga teacher tried her best to get the monstrous human to work. But she failed miserably. Mrs.Maheshwari had offered her enormous amount of money, only on one condition. Get her stubborn, arrogant daughter to recover. In the beginning, Mrs.Chawla agreed in enthusiasm of earning so much, but now she regretted.

Because she underestimated Mishti Maheshwari. The lady didn't even budge. Though this was her second class, Mrs.Chawla already knew she was growing tired of her attitude. And when she showed up today for the session with restored patience, the grim remarks this sophisticated woman made about her teachings led her into grave anger. She decided. She'd leave this treacherous place and the lady.

"I'm done! You keep doing this, I will leave." She relentlessly added.
"Finally you realised what I've been waiting to tell you. Are you a telepath or something?" Mishti's snide remark left Mrs.Chawla breathing heavily in stark anger.
"Please convey my saddest condolences to Mrs.Maheshwari. And also tell her that not only me, no other human on this planet can tolerate you." She declared and walked away with her bag.

"Do you need a lift back to your home? Or police station would be better?" The glare she gave to Mrs.Chawla was the one she projected to her bestfriend everyday, who came right in the moment to rescue the poor woman from Mishti's wrath.
"Mrs.Chawla, please sign the register and inform Mrs.Maheshwari before you leave. She's in the drawing room." Akshara said.
"You're welcome by the way." Mishti shouted before the lady ran away.

"When will you stop scaring innocent people?" Akshara asked.
"When you will finally stop injecting me with those." Mishti eyed the bloody injections. Ever since the accident, Akshara Naik, her childhood bestfriend slash Neurosurgeon had taken up her case. And she made sure Mishti took those medicines though she knew she wouldn't recover. The damage was already done.

"It's a part of your recovery." Akshara said.
"Ofcourse. What else isn't?" Mishti carelessly turned away.
"Careful. There's so much else other than your treatment. You were invited for the Oscars and you rejected it." She stated and looked at her with utter disappointment in her eyes.
"Yeah because nobody wants to see a crippled former actress in a wheelchair faking smiles for those who sympathise her." Mishti said in a go.

"It's been a year Mishti. Let go of it." Akshara urged tiredly.
"That's the problem. I cannot. And you will not too. How are we looking in the matters of my expiry date?" She joked.
"I told you I won't talk to dean about it." Akshara dismissed the topic immediately.
"Why? As a doctor it's your responsibility to tell your superiors that your patient won't live long enough. So you need to stop the treatment and let me live for once." Mishti exclaimed.

"You will live!" Akshara cried.
"Sure Einstein. Then get on with it. Find some supernatural serum to revive me." Mishti answered glaring at her.
"What's the matter with you today?" She finally questioned.
"Mom doesn't want me to live peacefully. I defenitely know that." Mishti grumbled.
"If she was responsible, then she wouldn't have called the one person whom I despise in this whole world, to help me get over myself." She said.

"Who?" Akshara enquired. She didn't find Mishti so much heated, oftentimes. If it weren't for her, she would have asked any other doctor to end her life. She was the one who was prolonging the inevitable.
"Abir Rajvansh. Who's accountable for this whole fiasco and my unmoving dead legs." She grumbled.
"You can't blame him!" Akshara gasped.
"And why can't I?" Mishti asked sweetly.
"Because the accident was an accident." Akshara said like she was talking to a kid.

"What a reasonable explanation! That's why you have a lawyer for a husband." Mishti snorted.
"Atleast he isn't a bore like you." Mishti continued as she felt a slight pinch on her forearm. She had already injected to shut Mishti up. Clue taken. Closing her eyes and wincing, she turned away but a person walking through the doors caught her attention. A distraction wasn't supposed to look this good.

Abir and her mother strolled in and Mishti didn't even realise Akshara had finished her work and was staring at her tentatively. God she was gonna throw a hundred questions again! Rolling her eyes, she gave a tight smile to her mother.
"Mother dearest, to what do I owe this discomfort of your visit?" She asked unhinged, not even showing slightest of tremor in her voice. Steel and stoic.
"As always, my worry for you." Her mother, answered deeply with concern.

"Ah! A dying daughter. Who else is the luckiest person on this earth?" She joked that earned her three hard glares. She could justify the two from her bestfriend and her mother. But Mishti had no clue why this stranger, also an irritating one, held so much concern in his eyes.
"Coming to the point, why are you here? Need another advice for your dating life or just a casual pity visit?" Mishti reverted back.

"Mishti this is Abir. Abir ra-"
"Rajvansh. Yes I know. I'm not blind yet. What's his purpose of visit?" She emphasised "his".
"I'm here to assist you for a tenure of 3 months." Abir, for the first time, picked up the conversation.
"Oh my bathroom cleaner arrives daily. There's no need for another one." Mishti's words made Akshara facepalm and her mother cringe in disappointment.

But Abir didn't hinge. Instead he threw a small smile at her, and there her heart melted. It wasn't supposed to. But it did.
"Pretty sure your bathroom needs another cleaner. Since it's stink can be felt till here." He wrinkled his nose in disgust. Mishti's mother and Akshara shot their heads towards him. Their humor and sarcasm matched exactly. Maybe he won't run away like the others did, Mishti's mother comprehended.

"Then you're free to take up the job. I like silent workers though. Make sure you don't mess the tile colours with extra harpic." Mishti smiled. But Abir's faltered as he strictly turned towards her mother. There. She knew he wouldn't last for another second.
"Mrs.Maheshwari, I'm in. Please frame a contract so that I can sign and join from tomorrow." He explained. Mishti's smirk died.

"Don't you want to rethink Abir? I'm not forcing you ofcourse." Mrs.Maheshwari sounded concerned.
"There's no need for another session to contemplate. I've made up my mind and you know my mother." He gave a side look that made Mishti frown. What was he hiding beneath that jovial and outgoing charm? Her mother nodded in an understanding.
"It was nice meeting you. Hope we have more to discuss about Odonil in our next gathering." Abir sounded genuine.

All Mishti could manage was a curt nod that brought up a devilish grin on his face. As he was about to exit, he turned back and called to Mrs.Maheshwari.
"Make sure you add the clause of not bringing my own bleach and brush for cleaning up. Thank you!" He smiled as pure shock grazed Mishti's expression. This guy was something else!

And that eased the nerves of her mother.

Present, 2024.

"So an amputee and a failure? That's how they met." Jiya comprehends smiling.
"Don't be so jittery already. The story has way too much ugliness." Abir responds.
"Well? Won't you continue?" Jiya questions, forgetting the main purpose of her interview.
"You're more interested in the book than me Jiya. That defenitely hurts my feelings." Abir mocks as Jiya turns stone cold.

"I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean to-"
"Chill Jiya! I was kidding." Abir's mischevious giggle broke Jiya's train of thoughts. She was genuinely going to break down if Abir hadn't said that.
"My brother has his ways to induce horror on others. Apologies from my side." Someone's voice made Jiya flip her whole body back. There stood a man, in his 30s, with amusement in his eyes. Surely he's attractive. Handsomeness ran in Rajvanshs genes maybe, Jiya mulls.

"Kunal Rajvansh." He smiles and settles beside Abir.
"It's my interview. Not yours. Go flaunt your Armani suit somewhere else." Abir's remark makes Jiya widen her eyes. A chuckle resonates from Kunal.
"Fine. Don't be jealous." He stands up.
"It was nice meeting you?" Jiya realises that he was directing a question towards her.

"Jiya Maheshwari." The answer freezes Abir's body.

To be continued

Sorry for the update delay!