Strings Of Love

Chapter 58

Shehnaaz shifted closer to Sidharth, resting her head over his chest, sighing and nuzzling her head comfortably.

"Hmm?" He promptly looked at her, running his fingers through her hair lovingly. All wrapped up under the sheets, they were cuddling after making passionate love.

"Another round?" He asked.

"Tch! Nahi." She shook her head.

"Toh?" He asked further.

"What do you mean 'toh'? Mujhe nind nahi aa rahi hai, kuch baat karna." She replied, confused.

"That's why I suggest we go another round. Kya baat karna?" He was chuckling.

"Such a one track mind." She hit his chest, sitting up and grabbing her T-shirt to wear. Once decently dressed, she freshened up and returned to him on the bed.

"Hmm.. you remember the new years eve?" He asked her and she nodded in response.

"Tune aur maine ek list banai, about what all we would do together this year." He added, meanwhile his left hand reached out to the night stand to grab a folded paper.

There it was, the paper, her handwriting, her jumbled alphabets, her past, her insecurities all displayed in front of him nicely. Shehnaaz swallowed a lump, bracing herself for the question he was bringing up slowly because she had seen it coming. She knew she should have told him about it but she kept preferring to do it at the right time and circumstances.

However, Sidharth as a partner had always been supportive and understanding but she was somewhere still worried. Different people react differently at different times owing to their state of mind, she was worried if he would be able to accept the fact.

"Koi writing problem hai tujhe?" He asked calmly.

"Um.. ha. Kind of." She replied.

"Mujhe.." she paused herself to take a deep breath and continue.

"Mai bachpan me padhne- likhne me weak thi, kuch bhi ho samjhne me time lagta tha. Badi mushkil se pass hoti thi." She shrugged and looked up at him, he nodded.

It was strange, a writing difficulty at this age, not that it wasn't possible but a problem like could have been treated long back. Back when she was a child, when she was in school.

"Toh iske liye tune kuch kiya nahi? As in, didn't your parents seek help for you?" He asked.

"Kaisi help? Tuition lagaya tha mummy ne. School toh school, mai toh tuition ke tests me bhi fail ho jati thi." She pouted, embarrassed.

"No. I didn't mean that, like not academically." He replied and thought about it for a minute.

"Tune jaise likha hai, uss hisab se I think tujhe likhne ke liye special attention deni chahiye thi." He said, looking at her.

"I don't know Sidharth. Mere gharwale ko laga ki mai padhai me achi nahi hu, bas.  Aur kya special attention dete?" She replied, wishing he wouldn't the stretch the topic anymore. It was making her uncomfortable now, the topic had brought back the memories she didn't really appreciate having with her in her childhood. She used to study, try a lot and work hard but just couldn't understand how easily the rest of the students in her class could do it but not her.

"Hmm." He nodded, keeping the paper aside and letting go of the topic. She was right, parents at their time, in the 90s didn't believe in therapies. She was a wonderful girl, he simply adored her for what she was despite all this. 

"Acha toh apni list me se kya karne ka socha hai?" He asked.

"Kuch naya, kuch bada bol rahi thi. Sochi hai kuch?" He added, scooting closer to her.