While Holding the Pain

Chapter_23

"If you feel down, always remember that for as long as your heart is still beating, you still have a purpose in this life. So never give up."

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Shaan's P.O.V.

I was sitting on a bench at a park thinking of past time. We used to come here almost regularly not because all of us loved the place but for Titly. She just loved the place. That time the park was always beautifully organized and decorated but now nothing seems the same.

My mind spoke up interrupting my thought, "Or maybe just you are not the same anymore."

Maybe and why not! My world changed all of a sudden. The people who were supposed to be with me forever, now they are found no where. After Ammi left me, Abbu was still busy in his business like always. But they were there for me always. 

They always tried their best not to let me feel the absence of my parents. But at that point they also left me in the middle of the journey of life suddenly. I am still stuck there where they left me.  And Titly? Didn't she promise me that she will wait for me?

And now where is she!

I don't know how to go on with my life. How to move on!

With teary eyes I was going on thinking like that and got interrupted when I felt someone sitting on the bench beside me. I would be on nine clouds if the person was the one I was expecting. But I knew that was not the case. The person had to be Vai and I was very sure of that.

I was wiping my eyes when I felt his hand on my shoulder. I looked at him and saw the sad smile with teary eyes. When Titly was with us, we two generally didn't get the chance to talk to each other for long as we were needed to listen to Titly without interrupting whether we wanted. But now the case is opposite. We get a long time with each other but there is nothing to talk now.

After remaining silent for a while, I spoke up, "Vai, should we go there today?"

He looked at me and I pointed towards a restaurant which was at the middle of the park. Titly loved the restaurant and literally dragged us specially me there whenever we came here in this park.

Vai smiled sadly at me and nodded. We entered the restaurant and a boy came towards us with a warm smile and said, "You didn't come here for a long time, Vaia. I thought you guys left the town or country. By the way, where is Titly Api?"

We got paused for a moment. We didn't know what to reply him. The boy was a waiter here and a great fan of Titly. She used to talk to him a lot like always and the boy listened to her like he was listening to the most important thing of his life. Titly used to bring gifts for him sometimes and that times he became happy beyond imagination.

I didn't know what answer he got from our silence but the smile faded away from his face and he asked sadly, "What will you take? The same as before or something else?"

Vai and me replied at the same time, "Same." And looked at each other. The boy left to get our food. We took a table and remained sitting there silently. I felt Vai was hesitating like he was trying to tell me something but just couldn't get to tell.

So I spoke up, "Vai? Do you have something to tell me?"

He remained staring at me but didn't utter a single word. I was again about to say something but got interrupted when the boy kept our food on our table and said, "Here are your food." And left from there immediately.

When I again turned to vai, I saw him staring at our food then.

Pizza and cold drinks.

Titly's favorite food but Vai and me never liked it but had to eat it as we were left with no other choice then. Today we had a choice but still we chose the same.

Vai looked at me and then started to eat. Without uttering any word, I followed him.

Ruhaan's P.O.V.

While eating, I was looking at Shaan every minutes but couldn't decide whether should I tell him now. Whenever Shaan caught me staring at him, I just smiled a little and turned to my food. After finishing our Pizza, I looked for the waiter boy but didn't find him. Paying the bill, we got out of the restaurant. 

We were silently walking towards our car when Shaan stopped me and asked, "What is the matter vai? Do you want to say something to me?"

I stared at him for a while and then uttered, " Shaan, I" but got interrupted by my mind.

"Don't. At least not Today, Ruhaan." I became silent hearing this and Shaan again called me, "Vaii?"

Finding nothing else to say, I just asked him, "When are you returning?"

Hearing my question, the expression on his face changed as he was not buying my word as the answer of his question but with a sad face he replied, "I am not returning to anywhere, Vai. I will stay here."

Hearing his word, I became silent for sometime and then said, "It's quite late Shaan. Uncle must be waiting for you. Go home and meet him. We will meet some other time."

Completing my say, I went near my car and hopped in and drove away without bothering to turn to him. As I knew if I remained with him a little longer, he would ask me again and this time I might not be able to avoid his question. 

But I don't want to hurt him this way at least not today.

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