His Tranquility In Her

22

With each passing second, the sky got darker and darker, turning to almost midnight. At this hour of time everyone had fallen asleep except for two souls. Nia and Armaan. When Harsh dropped Armaan to his home, Pramila and Sanjay were waiting for Armaan. As soon as they heard the sound of vehicle, Pramila headed towards the main door and opened to see both the men who looked extremely worried and upset.

As Armaan passed by his grandmother and entered inside the house, Harsh stepped near and said.

"Dadi... Let him alone for today. Please it's a request"

"But.... What happened? He doesn't look good"

"Yes... Dadi. Please don't ask him anything."

"But why?"

"He will tell once he feels alright and he had his dinner"

Harsh lied as he knew that if Armaan's grandparents saw him in the condition he is in, they would question until they get answers and he also knew that Armaan needed some time for himself. He lied so that Armaan's grandparents wouldn't get even more worried than they already were.

"I don't understand these children at all....."

Unable to speak further, Harsh got back to his car and left while Pramila locked the door to see Sanjay standing in shock seeing the condition Armaan was in.

Sanjay had called Armaan to speak with him but, Armaan headed to his room as though he didn't hear anything.

"Pramila? What happened to him?"

"Don't know Sanjay...... Harsh asked me not to ask him anything now.... I think something has happened"

Both of them looked at eachother in worry. Upstairs, in the room, Armaan slumped on the floor as tears rolled down his cheeks.

He cried.

He couldn't erase the image that kept coming back to him as a reminder. The image of Nia. The condition she was in. All he wanted to do was to go to her and hold her in his arms, which he couldn't do.

He was sure that Nia wouldn't have told a soul about what happened with her. She would be alone and he felt so helpless that he cursed himself.

Removing the blazer, he left it on the floor and looked at his hand which was still bandaged but now, covered with blood.

He then got the first aid box and removed the bandage that had turned to red. As soon as he removed it, he saw the blood was oozing out. He used applied to apply some force to stop the bleeding which only caused pain to which he hissed and then he took some more fresh cotton and placed on the stitched wound and then tied bandage around it which was complete loose but his mind was occupied by the thoughts of Nia.

Then he heard knocks on the door to his room and then he quickly hid everything under the bed and the moment he stood, the door was pushed open from outside.

It was his grandparents. Pramila and Sanjay. Who stood at the doorstep looking worried.

"Armaan?"

"What happened? We have been knocking the door from that time.... And there is no response from you?"

"Dadu.... I was in washroom...."

Pramila stepped near to him questioned.

"Is everything alright?"

"Y-yes.... Dadi.... Why will it not be?"

"Then why are you so worn out?"

"Arey.... No Dadi.... It's just I had an argument with Harsh"