TISHNAGI

CHAPTER 23: NAINA

We rang the bell of our home. Yes, we were outside standing in front the main door of our home.

The house help opened the door and I noticed a tensed expression on her face.
Furrowing my eyebrows, I entered the house, Mahir ji held my hand and smiled at me.

All the worries built up in my stomach vanished. His smile lit up my entire world. He pulled me closer to his body and I melted under his touch.

We walked up to the drawing room, chuckling at one of those stupid jokes he said.

"Maa!!" We both screamed in unison and there came our parents, with the most worried expressions on their faces. Him and I exchanged glances, something was wrong. I could feel it in the air.

"Naina. M-Mahir." She stuttered. Papa looked nervously back to his room and gulped.

"Papa are you alright?" This time Mahir ji asked. Papa's body has stiffened, nervous sweat broke down his body.

"Umm yes yes beta." He chuckled as if he was forced to. What was happening?

The door of their room creaked open and our attention turned behind them. Horrified looks covered their faces.

Everything stopped.

The world had stopped spinning.

I had forgotten how to breath.

My eyes had forgotten how to blink.

My heart had stopped beating.

He was there.

He was standing right in front of me, looking handsome as ever. My eyes trailed down his body, he had gotten buffed. His hair had grown out and were enhancing his features. He wore beige t-shirt and white pants.- my favourite outfit.

My already stopped breath hitched when he moved closer to me. His boots making sound with his every step.

"Nainu." He whispered my name and I closed my eyes upon hearing the forgotten Nickname again. He stepped inside my personal space, his cologne hitting my nostrils. It was the same one I had gifted him on our 1st anniversary.

He held my face in his hands and I melted...I melted under his touch. He was real. He was actually standing right infront of me.

Yash.

He was holding me.

"Nainu, I love you." I was pulled back into an embrace, Mahir ji. He was holding me protectively, I could feel it. I could feel it by the way his heart was hammering inside his chest, how he was taking shallow breaths.
I could feel he was scared.

Scared of losing me.

"What the hell Yash?" Mahir ji made me stand behind him. His body blocking my view. "Why are you back?" His words were harsh.

"Bhai (term used for older brother), I came back, aren't you happy?" Yash's voice was soft and I wanted to melt in it.

"No. No I am not happy seeing you after what you did." Mahir ji was not having it and I wanted to stop him. Yash. He is..was my love.

"I know Bhai, I know. That's why I have come back." I furrowed my eyebrows upon hearing that.

"What?" Mahir Ji's was confused as well.

"Bhai, I really appreciate your efforts of taking care of my Nainu, but now it's okay. You don't have to do your job. I can take care of my love...my Naina." My heart collapsed down. No one spoke until we heard a chuckle.

Mahir ji was chuckling?

"I know you were stupid but you have crossed all the limits of insanity. Naina is my wife and I will serve her as her husband for the rest of my life. So take your shit and leave from here, or better move on." His words held superiority. He wasn't asking or requesting, he was ordering him.