Dehshat-E-Ishq

Chapter 17

Advit kept staring at Mahi for who knows how long, he just needed one sign and he would give his life for hers. He wanted his mother to believe that he wasn't wrong for her. For once, all he wanted was to assure anyone who will question him being with Mahi that he was good for her, not the best but surely, somebody she can rely on for the future. Not that he would give up being with her just because of some tardy fact that him being with her is dangerous.

She herself is the daughter of a businessman who is being hunted by many, what right did anybody have to say that she wasn't safe with him. At least, he has the guts to say that he can protect her from any danger that comes her way.

She was the one who didn't let him go at first and now, he will hold her for life.

He saw her face as he remembered her childish smile when she would hold him for life even when he is angry just to assert her right of how he can't do anything wrong to her.

He truly didn't dare to shout at the visage so young and untainted by the dark. He was helpless against that smile of hers.

His lips twitched as he thought of the deep troubles his Mahi walked in.

It was as if whenever something goes wrong, Mahi will suffer from it. Every single person could see this untainted soul that made them crave coloring it into the darkest taint.

A taint she would never overcome.

And it happened, she was tainted and left battered. He protected her and yet, he didn't see her.

That dead body he saw was a fake. That accident never happened.

He was sure of it now.

He wanted to run away from this, but his grandfather made him stand there, see how there was nothing, but a burned down body was left. How that car accident killed everybody inside.

He remembered himself falling to the ground on his knees. He never felt so... lost.

So dead.

Never so sad.

It was so painful, and he wanted relief which he did whenever he would kill anybody even close to that incident and he found that the person killed that day wasn't his Mahi when he found that there were at least twelve cars with the same number and out of them eleven were blasted while one reached safely to the airport.

This information made him alive, and he directed his happiness onto Abhaya, his sister.

He protected her and yet, in he asked her for a selfish promise. And now she could fulfill it.

It really wasn't surprising for him when Abhaya was surprised to know it was Mahi. Who would believe that their teenage friend was the one their older brother craved for and when Advit put it that way, even he felt how... disgraceful and disgusting that was.

Figuratively speaking, that's what this feels like, but he knew Mahi even before that, long before that and she really was somebody he held onto for long.

"Bhai." Advit came out of his daydreaming and saw Abhaya standing with a tray in her hand.

"You were grounded." Abhaya heard Advit and she looked at him with mean eyes.

"You taught me how to run around even while grounded. Don't act such a grown up now." Advit smiled at her and saw her put down the tray.

"I don't want to eat right now." Advit said as he saw his sister set the table.

"Who says it's for you? It's for me. My Mahi wouldn't like me going hungry, she loves me." Abhaya said as she took a bite and ate with relish.

"So, she loves me too." Advit felt irritated by his sister.

"She does?" Abhaya smirked and Advit looked at Abhaya with warning in his eyes.

"Fine, she just doesn't remember you yet." Abhaya said and helped Advit with a bite. Advit made a face but didn't stop her from making him eat.

"Abhaya, tu kisi sey nahi darti na?" Advit said and Abhaya nodded before shaking her head.

"Bhai, aaj dar lag raha hai." Abhaya said and her hands dropped down while Advit who came to sit beside her pulled her in a hug. "Kyun?"

"Sab meri galti hain. I took her there, I helped her with the search and she, she got hurt. Bhai, wake her up na, you used to tell me that when she was with you, she used to listen to everything you said. I am so sorry na, help me wake her up." Abhaya said as she pulled at Advit's shirt and held him like a baby.

Advit tightened his hold on his little sister and looked at Mahi lying on the bed when her eyelashes fluttered and soon, her eyes opened.

"Mahi..." Advit said as he hurriedly moved towards Mahira who kept looking around the room.

"Mahi, you—" Advit stopped short as he saw Mahira raising her hand towards him and saying, "You came? You protected me again..."

And with this, her eyes closed again while Advit stopped short of words and actions.

The hand Mahi raised when she saw him was about to fall when he held it and kissed it before shouting for doctor who gave him assurance that she was fine. Everything was going to be fine.

His Mahi is finally remembering him.

"Bhai." Abhaya touched his shoulder and said, "I think you should go and rest, I am here with her."

Advit shook his head, but Abhaya took hold of his hand and dropped him off at his room.

"Abhaya..." His sister just closed the door with a bang leaving him inside a guest room to rest.

"Stupid." He whispered before he laid down for a while.

"Mahi, don't you think this top is a little weird?" Mahi looked at him from the corner of her eyes and then looked straight ahead to show him how angry she was at him.

"Mahi, sweet, sweet Mahi, won't you listen to your Adit?" Advit said with his face in his palms and smiled as he saw a hidden smile flash on Mahi's face and finally Mahi who was ignoring him said, "I will!"

Her hands wrapped around his neck, and he picked her up only to hurriedly place her down.

His shoulder was still burning from the boxing lessons his Nanaji arranged for him.

"ooi?" Mahi made a face at his shoulder as he nodded at her.

"I'll blow it away?" Her face scrunched as she remembered how he sent the pain in her head away.

"Will you?" His mischief was hidden behind his hopeful expression that dazzled Mahi into believing how much he needed her to blow his pain away.

"I will!" and soon giggles erupted as they both got into another round of running as he ran away from Mahi, and she ran after him to blow his pian away.