IshVi - A Second Chance : Gum Hai Kisi Ke Pyaar Mai (Ishaan × Savi)

4

I coughed up the excess water that had entered my lungs. I felt someone patting my back. And, then I heard a concerned voice calling my name, "Savi! Are you okay?" When I opened my blurry eyes, I saw Dada pushing the person beside me away and sitting close to me. He took off his shirt and covered my wet body. Everything around me was a blur, and I couldn't make sense of what was happening.

In shock, I whispered, "Dada!" He nodded, "Yes, are you okay, Savi?" He repeated the question. Then, in a concerned voice, he started scolding me. "Why are you here near the pool? You know how dangerous it is for you. You don't even know how to swim, and you're wandering around here."

He sighed deeply, then asked, "Can you walk?"

I couldn't understand anything that was happening. Is this a dream? Am I dead? How is Dada here? I looked around and realized I was sitting at the edge of the college swimming pool.

Then I heard a voice, "I think she’s still in shock." It was Nehmat. She looked so young.

Suddenly, I felt Dada lift me into his arms. What’s happening? I felt dizzy, like I was experiencing déjà vu. Then my eyes fell on a figure standing near the crowd. "Ishaanji!" I whispered his name.

He started walking away, and without thinking, I jumped out of my brother's arms and ran after him, this time calling his name loudly, "Ishaanji!"

I could feel the crowd's eyes on me, along with Dada and Nehmat's worried gazes.

He looked puzzled as I held his hand and called his name again, "Ishaanji!" I didn't know if this was a dream or if I was dead, but everything felt so real. My heart was racing. Then I heard my brother’s voice beside me.

"Savi, what are you doing? Do you know him?" I turned to face my brother and instinctively shielded Ishaanji with my body. "Stay away from him. I don't know what's happening, but I won't let you harm him again."

"What?" My brother asked, clearly confused. "Did you hurt your head when you fell into the water? What are you talking about? Why would I hurt this stranger?"

"Umm, he’s your classmate," Nehmat said from behind us.

My brother looked carefully at Ishaanji, trying to recognize him. Meanwhile, I tried to cover Ishaanji with my tiny frame, which was laughably small compared to his towering figure.

"Is he? Even if he is my classmate, why would I hurt him?" Dada asked, looking confused.

He held my other hand and said, "Let's go to the college infirmary. You're soaking wet; you might fall sick." He tried to pull me away, but I stayed rooted to the spot.

Then I heard Ishaanji's voice, soft but firm. "Umm, miss, you're hurting my hand."I quickly released my grip, realizing I had been holding his hand too tightly in my worry.

I looked at his face carefully for the first time, noticing the fine details. It was the first time I was truly seeing him up close and hearing his voice clearly.Before this moment, he had always been a background figure in my life, someone I never really noticed. He was like an invisible guardian, always there but never acknowledged. I couldn’t remember his voice from before, couldn’t place it. Was this really his voice, or was my mind playing tricks on me?

Dada looked at me with concern. "Savi, please. Let's get you checked out. You're shivering, and you need to change into dry clothes."I glanced at Ishaanji again, uncertainty clouding my thoughts. "I... I'm sorry, Ishaanji. I didn’t mean to hurt you."

"It's okay. But how do you know my name?" he asked me, his expression confused.

Before I could reply, I sneezed. "I think you should change into dry clothes and see a doctor," he said, then started walking away.

Panic surged through me as I realized he was leaving. I wanted to chase after him, but my cousin stopped me. "Let's go before you catch a cold," he insisted, grabbing my hand to pull me along.I jerked my hand away from his grip.

"What is happening?" I asked out, frustration and confusion bubbling over.

But then I sneezed again."What do you mean, 'what is happening'? You fell in the pool, you fool. Now let's go see a doctor," my cousin said, lightly pushing my forehead in that familiar, affectionate way he always did.

"Let's walk from here. Everyone is staring at us," Nehmat said, gently pushing me towards the infirmary.

As we walked, my thoughts were a jumbled mess. The events of the day replayed in my mind, and a strange sense of déjà vu settled over me. Slowly, I began to remember—something like this had happened before when I was in college.

...............

Author's Note:

Here's another update! If you enjoyed this chapter, please click the vote button and share your thoughts in the comments. I'd love to hear what you think!

A big thank you to everyone who voted for the previous chapter. Your support means a lot to me!

I'll update the next chapter once we reach more than 5 votes. Until then, take care and happy reading. Thank you for supporting my story!