US AGAIN| Shubmangill fanfic

6. I Felt Safe

Nidhi sat next to Navya while she narrated her story.

"Tu mujhe 10th se jaanti hai na, par usse pehle main aisi nahi thi. You think I'm a confident person but I didn't really know what confidence meant. You know, confidence ka 'c' bhi nahi tha mere andar. I hated attending any of the family functions- waha na sab mera mazak udate the.
I was always a topper so padai ke matter main kuch bol nahi sakte the na isiliye body shame karte the, about the way I talk, walk, look, about everything actually. Nobody called me with my name, sab log mujhe bakki ( a very thin person) bolate the. Mere parents kuch keh bhi nai sakte the kyuki shuruwat meri daadi karti thi.
From an active kid I became an insecure kid. Amma- Nana ne samjhaya tha ki I should ignore them, I'm amazing the way I am and all of that but I could never understand.
AFTER ALL I WAS A KID.
I did not need assurance, I wanted somebody to fight for me, take a stand for me.
Oh how I prayed for a guardian angel to show up" Navya chuckled at her own wish.
"Aur shayad Bhagwan ji ne meri sun li"

"Sunli?"

"Haa, same Navya ka mazk udao routine chal raha tha but beech main someone spoke up.
Someone spoke up for ME.
Unhone sab ko daata and mujhse kaha ki 'never let anybody make you feel bad about yourself'.
I don't know kya hua mujhe but I started sobbing, par is bar I felt like listening to her because mere nazro main she was my guardian angel. Wo baat kar rahi thi to sach main lag raha tha ki meri Fairy Godmother mujhe samjha rahi hai" Nidhi chuckled at Navya's reference. "I know bahot silly lag raha hoga"

"Bilkul nahi. Childhood trauma is a real thing" Nidhi said understanding that Navya was too young to realize her worth and all she needed was an external push.

"Jaha tak mujhe yaad hai that was the last time I cried. Hum sab ne photos kheeche - you know what her husband said while clicking pictures" Navya asked excited.

"What?"

"Mera camera sirf smiling faces ka hi photo keechta hai" Navya said making Nidhi giggle.

"Poore function main na sirf unka beta aur main hi same age ke the, so ek poora hafta hum do saath hi the. Hum done har din pani puri khane jaate the. He was my first friend who did not make fun of me.
Actually HE WAS MY FIRST TRUE FRIEND.
Suddenly I felt valued around them. I felt safe around them.
You know ek hafte main bande ne mujhe mujse pyar karna sikha diya aur chala gaya"

"Chala gaya? Kaha?" asked NIdhi.

"Apne ghar. Obviously, shaadi thodi na hamesha ke liye chalti hai" replied Navya.

"Par uske ek saal baad, 9th standard main hum dono firse mile and us time usne mujhe samjaya ki sapne jab dusro se alag ho, to fight bhi badi ladni padti hi...." Navya looked at the ceiling amiling at the memory.

"Unlogo ko pata bhi nahi hoga ki unhone mujhe mujse mila diya hai.
Haa relation wise vo log meri family nahi hai par family se kam bhi nahi hai"

"Ye har baar jo aunties milti hai na sab logo ne mera mazak udaya tha, mujhe fit for nothing prove karne mai lagi thi aur ab jab mera business hit ho gaya hai to unke bete ka rishta lekar pahuch jaati hai" Navya said making Nidhi giggle. "Honestly, it's quite satisfying though but frustrating as well"

"Tumne unse milne ki koshish kabhi nahi kiya?" asked Nidhi.

"Kiya tha, par kabhi mil nahi payi. Isi liye kismat ke bharose chod diya"

"Kyu?"

"Kuch baato mai taang adane se cheeze barbaad hojati hai, mujhe ye un baato mai se laga, so we will see what my fate has planned for me" she said smiling.

"Tum pyar karti hai us ladke se?" asked Nidhi.

"Nahi I'm just grateful ki he and his family entered into my life" replied Navya.

"Tere paas photo hai unka?" asked Nidhi.

"Hai na" Navya reached out to her bag and took out a polaroid picture "Hamesha apne saath rakti hu mai"

"Ye to tu aur uncle aunty hai" said Nidhi looking at the photo in Navya's hand.

"Ye nahi re, ruk to" Navya said and handed over another picture to her "Ye vala hai".

"Ye to SHUBMAN GILL hai, uski family ke saath" Nidhi yelled with a horrified expression.

"Hmmm"

"Hmm kya hmm, pagal, diwani, tu itna time inke baare main baat kar rahi thi" Nidhi asked still not able to digest the facts.

"Haa" Navya said casually.

"Tu itna casually kaise keh sakti hai. SHUBMAN GILL ki baat ho rahi hai SHUBMAN GILL ki aur wo to abhi......" Nidhi was cut off as Krish came inside the room and literally dragged her out saying everybody were looking for her.

Navya too walked out of the room and stood there browsing something on her phone when she felt she felt someone's breath on her neck and heard a whisper.

"Pani puri khane chale".