Love Me

2

Daksh gently kissed Roshni's forehead as she slept peacefully, wrapped in her blanket.

"How am I supposed to break this news to you? I just can't do it," Daksh said, tears streaming down his face as he held her close.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, so he left Roshni's room to answer the call.

"Mom, please come here for a few days. I can't bear to tell her," Daksh pleaded.

"Daksh, you're acting like a child. I'm busy with the funeral and hospital matters. I can't come," his mother replied softly.

"Then don't," Daksh said before ending the call. Soon after, he received a call from Ayaan.

"Daksh, I'm on my way. Don't worry..."

"Don't come, your exams are ongoing. Just focus on becoming a doctor," Daksh interrupted.

"No, I'm coming. How will you manage everything?" Ayaan asked.

"I'll handle it. Just concentrate on your studies," Daksh reassured him.

"Have you told Roshni everything?" Ayaan inquired.

"Not yet. I'll tell her tomorrow. Bye," Daksh replied.

Lost in thought, Daksh returned to his room.

The next morning, Roshni kept insisting on calling her parents.

"Roshni, your parents were in an accident. They didn't make it," Daksh finally revealed.

There was a moment of silence before Roshni threw her plate, shattering the silence.

"Don't lie!" she screamed, throwing things around the room in a fit of anger.

Daksh held her tightly, preventing her from hurting herself.

"I have no one now. I want to be with them. I'm an orphan, why didn't you let me meet them. They must be missing me." Roshni cried, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Roshni, look at me, baby, look at me. You have me, right?"

"I want to go to them, I don't want to stay here," she said, crying out loud.

"Roshni, everything will be fine," Daksh said, kissing her hair.

One month passed like this, Daksh tried every possible way to make Roshni comfortable. He even appointed a worker who is in charge of cooking, house cleaning, and looking after Roshni in his absence. Roshni disliked this fact with all her heart. She became quiet and even tried to avoid talking with them.

"Roshni, finish your breakfast, then study. Your exams are approaching. Do well in your exams, and after that, your college year will start."

"There is a parent-teacher meeting in school. They want to show some tests to the parents," Roshni said quietly.

"Middle-year exams? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Okay, I'm calling for leave. You go and get ready in your school dress. We will leave at ten," Daksh said, looking at his watch. It was just eight right now.

"You are not my parents. I'm just a burden to you."

"Don't say these kinds of things."

"Isn't it true?" she said, looking up into his eyes.

"No, absolutely not, not at all, Roshni. You are everything but a burden. Don't let negative thoughts take over your mind. You have me, Ayaan, and even our house worker, Komal Aunt. Don't you remember? You just called Ayaan saying you miss him, and he came that day within just an hour. You can talk to me about anything. I will never think differently of you."

"What if the teacher complains about me?" she asked quietly.

"No worries, go get ready," he said, patting her head.

She went upstairs to get ready. When she came down wearing her school shirt and skirt, she found herself in a bone-churning hug.

"Ayaan, bhaiya," she said, hugging him back.

"Don't you dare to call me bhaiya. You don't call Daksh bhaiya. It makes me feel old. Come and look, I brought so many chocolates for you," Ayaan said, bringing her to the couch where Daksh was typing something on his laptop. He looked up from the laptop and smiled towards Roshni.

"Bhaiya, why aren't you going to college today? Your fan girls must be waiting for you. Leave both of us alone today, we are on a home date," Ayaan said, looking at his brother who was more busy on his laptop.

"Fan girls?" Roshni asked, taking a bite of her chocolate bar.

"Don't you know, Roshni?"

"Shut up with your nonsense, Ayaan. And since you're ready, let's just go right now so you can be free the whole day," Daksh said, wearing his watch and taking his wallet.

"Where are you both going?"

"School parents teacher meeting," Roshni answered truthfully.

"What... And you're taking him? Bhaiya, leave it, you go for your work. I will go with her."

"Ayaan, aren't you busy all the time that you don't even have time to eat? Why don't you rest today? I will take care of her. Roshni, go and sit in the car, I'm coming."

"Daksh, whatever the teacher says, don't scold her for anything. She is still recovering."

"I will not. I'm serious. You need to eat something and rest. Look at you, losing weight. What are you going to do after losing weight? Compete with Roshni? When will you be leaving?"

"I will tomorrow, and I'm serious, don't scold her for anything."

"I know how to handle her. Don't worry about her. She is going to be my wife, so I won't kill her, most probably."

In the car ride, Roshni was bouncing her foot all the time while holding her seat belt tightly. Daksh noticed it but didn't comment.

"We've reached. Let's get into your class," Daksh said, holding her hand and coming inside the school.

Roshni led him the way to her class.

There, a teacher was sitting while holding a bunch of papers.

He looked towards the door and gave them permission to enter. Daksh sat in front of the teacher while Roshni sat beside him.

"I have never seen you before. Are you her...?" the teacher asked him.

"Guardian... for now," he mumbled the last part.

The teacher nodded his head and gave Roshni's paper to him.

"You can see what she wrote. I understand she had some loss, but leaving your paper completely blank will just

You can clearly see she doesn't even attempt to write a single word on the paper. If she continues like this, I'm afraid she might have to repeat the entire year. The teacher glanced between Roshni and Daksh.

"Roshni, why don't you share with him what you told me when I asked about your blank paper?"

"I'm sorry," she replied softly.

"You don't have to say that. Take care of her," he said, handing the paper to Daksh.

Daksh gently took her hand and guided her out of the classroom.

"You promised you wouldn't say anything to me."

"Don't worry, we'll just talk. Nothing more than that. Want some ice cream?" he asked as they exited the school and spotted an ice cream vendor.

Roshni nodded, and he bought one for her and one for himself before driving them home.