Kaisi yeh Yaariyan Season 3

Chapter 50

Author Note: You are in for a double treat here.. back to back chappies. The reason, I will tell you tomorrow. Till then enjoy reading.

Oh, if the video below plays in your country, please watch it., trust me u will thank me for this.

Video credits: iranbirholic Aditi,  source: Youtube

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He drove in silence, only trying to catch her glimpse in the rear view mirror and every time he did that, he found her eyes fixed on him. He had been so bold, so flamboyant only minutes ago, while getting her discharged but now he didn't know what to say anymore, how to break through this shroud of unspoken accusations.

Even though he didn't remember it now, he had been doing this forever...masking his pain & insecurities with anger, hiding his crumbling self under a hyper confident exterior because he had learnt from his experiences that the world worked on Face value.

You are what you appear to be, no one cares to peek inside.

When they reached home, it was close to midnight. He took her out and carried her in.

He was worried. She had vomited throughout the day and hadn't had any food since the afternoon treat. The doctor had warned him that she had given her medicines which would make her feel better for some time, but once their effect wore off, she would be back in pain. Amongst all other things, right now, she needed to eat something to gain strength but where would he get it from without having to go far.

He couldn't cook , so that was completely out of question. No place would be open this late..may be he should try kaka ki tapri, hoping desperately that he would not have to return empty handed.

Nandini was sitting on her bed with folded legs, so pale that for a while Manik wondered if she had any blood left in her body. Her eyes were still swollen, perhaps she had cried for a long time after he had gone. But he didn't know if the tears had been for him or because of her failing health. Either way he was guilty.

"Nandini, you stay here, chup chap baithna yahan par, I 'll go get some food for you." The was the first time he had spoken since coming out of the hospital.

She looked up towards him with sad questioning eyes "Don't go na..please."

Manik swallowed. The pain in her voice was too evident to not see. "Main abhi gaya and abhi aaya. U do one thing, U listen to songs and before the fifth one gets over I will be back." He couldn't take it anymore, he had to go out in the open, away from her, where he could cry or scream or do anything to release his pain. He started walking away when he heard her calling him.

"Manik!!!" He stopped in his place, his back facing her.

"My mind was telling me you would never come back, but my heart said you would, that u never left me, that you couldn't have left me" Her voice was cracking up.

He could do this, he could wear another mask, anything for her. He wiped away his tears and wore his best smile. Then he turned around and walked up to her. He touched her and took her hand in his.

"Listen to your heart, it will never lie to you...

Always listen to your heart, it will drive you home.." She had told him

"jab bhi tumhe koi doubt ho, close your eyes and listen, listen to your heart, coz your heart will never lie." HE told her this time and saw a smile forming on her tear stained face. She bent forward to hug him.

"You know what, I missed you so much"

Every word she spoke pierced him like a bullet. His voice was failing him. Gathering all his strength he said, "I will be right back Nandini, I am not going anywhere...Yun gaya aur yun aaya"

She nodded like a child who had been promised her favourite chocolate.

He almost ran out and drove uphill towards kaka's tapri.

He had never been more thankful in his entire life as he was now to find the tapri still open. He got a ton of food packed, every single thing kaka had on offer and was paying off when the old man asked "Tum wahi ho na, jo us bacchi ke sath aye the?"

Manik nodded.

"Yeh sab usi ke liye hai kya?"

Manik nodded again "Mera sab kuch sirf usi ke liye hai" he mumbled under his breath and left thanking the man once more.

He must have gone half way when he hit the break and got out of the car. His chest was hurting, he was physically exhausted and emotionally depleted. It had been a long day and he had experienced as many shades of emotions as there possibly could be. He had been nervous before the performance and had experienced dizzying happiness post it. He had had the first realization of love, he had suffered the pain of heartbreak, he was so close to getting her and yet had missed losing her by a whisker. He had made her smile and he had made her cry. He had helped her only to desert her when she needed him the most.

Her face flashed before his eyes. The pain in her eyes and the pain that he was feeling now, could it be only because of whatever happened during the day. He wondered if one day, one incident could generate so much pain.

Something inside him was telling him otherwise. That this was deeper than 1 or 15 days could create, that he had known her forever, that he had loved her for a 1000 years.

How could he have not seen her love for him, the same love that was flowing away as tears, How could he have not seen her yearning for him, her vulnerability, her fear of losing him. How could he have been so naïve.

He banged his hand on the bonnet with such force that it made a dent on the car, and crying out in pain he slouched over his knees, unable to carry his weight anymore.

Right then his cell rang. He didn't have to look at the screen to know who it was. Only she knew, when to hold his hand and drag him out of a tunnel.

"I am coming"

"Fourth song is over...one more to go."

"I will be back before it ends."

He wiped his tears for the Nth time and got back in the car.

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Her eyes sparkled as soon as she saw him.

She had changed into a night dress but her hair was still a mess. How could she manage to look cute always, even when sick? As cute as a talking blinking doll :)

He cleaned his hands and sat next to her to feed her.

"See I got all this for you, tell me which one you want to eat?"

"Whatever you like" She didn't spare a single look at the spread. She would just not move her eyes from him.

"Ok, so omelet then.. to start with" he fed her one bite at a time and each bite doused the fire in his heart, bit by bit.

Half way she signaled him to stop. "What? Ho gaya tumhara? itne mein to chuhe ki bhi bhuk nahi mit ti, no Miss. Murthy u gotta eat the whole thing. How else will you gain the strength to fight with me?"

"I don't want to fight with you, no more?"

"He rolled his eyes "Really??? Itni jaldi haar man gayi? Waise bhi abhi score 1-0 hai, so you are anyways loosing"

"I will eat only if you do"

He smiled. He fed her and she fed him with her petite hands.

Wasn't it always like this between them, each watching the other's back, each holding on if the other slipped? No matter how much pain they individually carried, they would always rise and shine for the other.

Alternating between giving and seeking care, they were two sides of the same coin, two faces of the same soul and that's why even when they reeled in doubt, cried in despair at being torn apart, the stars never lost hope...because they knew these two will eventually find a way to each other...because that is where they truly belonged.