Niyati: Their Destiny

10. The Past

Yuvraj's pov

No wonder she always felt familiar. She is the my Roop. Roop whom i have been looking for over fifteen years now. I can't describe my emotions as i realized the truth. I lost her 15 years ago once. I can't lose her now. Not again!

"You are my Roop, aren't you? Don't you remember me? I have been searching for you for 15 years." I said looking at her grey eyes. No wonder they always had a familiar warmth.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Mr. Malhotra, but please just leave me alone!" Roop said and sat on the couch in the room.

I sat on my knees in front of her and held my palms, caressing them gently.

"You really don't know? You don't remember me or Avu or maa, papa?" I asked hope filled in my eyes.

Please Roop just say that you remember me.
That you are my Roop.
I have waited 15 years for you and i am ready to wait an entire lifetime.

"I think you took me as someone else, Mr. Malhotra." She said, pulling her hands back from my hold.

It took me a moment to realize her words. Something pierced my heart hearing her words.

Why is she lying?
I know she is her.
My liking towards Panchi makes so much sense now.

This isn't true. She is my Roop! I know it! She might not recognize me but she'll surely recognize her pendant she gave me on my birthday. It belonged to her mother.

Before i could ask or say anything, i heard Maa calling my name followed by sound of footsteps towards the room.

"Someone is coming here! You need to hide Roop." Akash said awkwardly looking at me and Roop.

"I'll hide in the bathroom. You two should go downstairs." Roop said not meeting my eyes.

"I am not leaving you alone! You will run away again!" I said. Honestly, i don't know which incident i was referring to, the one from a few months ago or the one from fifteen years ago!

[15 years ago]

"Who did this to you?" I asked Roop, looking at the red and blue marks on her hand. She was just ten! Who can be so cruel to hit a child.

"It's uh... nothing." Roop lied looking nervous.

"Why would someone hit you?" I asked again in a soft tone.

"It's nothing!" She lied again.

She doesn't know me so maybe she can't share it with me. So I thought of not dragging the topic much, and i changed the topic.

"Come with me. You can meet my parents." I said, and she hesitated.

"Mr. Malhotra, i appreciate your help and concern, but i am fine." She said.

"You just tried to kill yourself. Also don't call me Mr. Malhotra, i feel like an old man. Call me Yuv." I said scrunching my nose.

"We aren't close that I'll call you with a nickname." She said in her usual indifferent tone.

"Okay! Until then, you can call me Yuvraj?" I suggested.

"Fine Yuvraj, but i am still not going anywhere with you." She said stubbornly.

In the meanwhile, mom, dad, and avu came there looking for me.

"Where were you, Yuv? We have been looking for you for over 30 minutes now!" Mom scolded glaring at me in anger.