Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 49- Attraction

CHAPTER 49

ATTRACTION

Karan pushed open the door of the terrace. It was dark. Quiet too. He walked closer to the ledge, settling down on the parapet. He leaned his head back on the pillar, watching the forest and the city in a distance.

'Jab use ek mahine baad hosh aaya, she was... she was terrified, Karan.'

'Ma-Main s-sabke s-saamne n-nervous hoti hoon.'

'I- I don't th-think this is t-torture. T-Torture isse k-kahin z-zyaada b-bura hota hai.'

'I could hear it over the phone. I could hear her get quieter and quieter. In every call, it was... it was like, hum use... hum use tootte hue sun rahe hain. We were hearing her break.'

"Sir?" A voice said quietly. His head snapped up in surprise, his gun flying to his hand. Monami? She blinked, tilting her head. "Aa-Aap th-theek hain?"

"Main?" He shook his head a little. "Haan, I'm... I'm fine." She eyed him. He glanced down at the parapet. "Baitho." He held out a hand, helping her up. She smiled at him, settling down. She swung her legs over. He cleared his throat a little. "Tum... tum excited ho? Kal baaki sab cadets aa rahe hain? Siddharth bhi."

She smiled, nodding. "S-Sid se m-main k-kam hi i-itna d-door r-rehti hoon. Woh th-thoda o-overprotective hai."

"He really loves you", Karan said.

"M-Mujhe s-samajh nahi aa-aata k-kyun par... h-haan. He does. He is t-too g-good for me. I d-don't d-deserve him."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Yeh koi competition thodi naa hai. Kaun zyaada achha hai, kaun kam. Tumhe Siddharth ke saath rehkar achha lagta hai, you care about him. And woh tumhaari care karta hai. He loves you. Is mein deserving, non-deserving kahan se aa gaya? It's just a simple fact."

She stared at him. She looked away from him, the puzzled look still marring her face. He tilted his head a little, watching her face. "I... I s-suppose so?" She said quizzically. She shook her head once. "Aa-Aapka... Aa-Aapka d-din k-kaisa tha?"

He eyed her. He sighed, letting it go. "Theek tha." He looked at her quietly, tilting his head.

'You're my l-life b-boat. If I h-have to s-swim in an o-ocean, I know you w-would n-never l-let me d-drown. You're... you're s-safe.'

'Aapko pata hai? Mujhe logon ko hug karna, unke paas rehna, kitna zyaada pasand tha? I... I miss that. Bina dare kisi ko zor se hug karna. I miss that.'

'Jab use ek mahine baad hosh aaya, she was... she was terrified, Karan.'

"K-Kya hua?" Her voice broke through.

He blinked. He looked away. He shook his head. "Kuchh nahi", he said quietly. "Bas... kuchh soch raha tha." He sneaked a glance at her.

Her eyes had slid close, a small, almost serene smile on her face. Wind blew her open hair back slightly, her fair cheeks slightly rosy from the coolness. He let out a slight sigh, a small appearing on his face.

Monami Mahajan was a lot of things. Beautiful was one of them.

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"Sid", a voice said. He paused, turning around. Dr. Mahajan? What was he doing here? Shouldn't he be at his hospital? He gestured to his help to go, and the man nodded, taking his bag and disappearing through the front door.

"Uncle?" He said in surprise. "Aap..." There was a beat of silence before he wordlessly extended a packet. Sid frowned, accepting it. He peeked inside. "Mithai?" He said, tilting his head to the side in confusion.