Naira was on the plane staring at the sky through the window. It was looking all clear unlike her mind which was filled with hundreds of questions.
Getting her out of her thought, her phone started ringing.
It was Jiana. Naira smiled a little and answered the call, “Yes Mom.”
Jiana sounded worried, “I am still not getting how Akash agreed to let you travel alone!”
Naira tried to calm her, “Mom, please.”
Jiana let out a sigh and uttered, “Anyways be careful on your way and call me as soon as you land there.”
“Okay.”
Jiana again spoke up, “Be back soon, honey. Without you it doesn’t feel like home anymore and..”
Naira didn’t let her complete, “Mom Mom..relax. I am not going forever. Will be back soon. Take care. Bye.”
Completing her say, she cut off the line. An airhostess got near her and uttered, “Ma’am, we are all ready to fly. Can you please switch off your phone?”
Nodding at her, Naira switched off her phone. Leaning against her seat, she closed her eyes.
The lies she said to Jiana and Zohan was bothering her. Giving uttered effort and some excuses, she got Jiana and Zohan agreed to her to let her go alone.
Like business meeting which needed her presence as Akash was busy here and the wedding of her friend, Hina who was with her in college.
Those were not lies actually but if things were normal, she was sure if she wouldn’t go.
She was hurt and all she wanted some time alone.
Remaining here in her place, it wasn’t possible. She didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere in her family. The image of Akash.
She never imagined that out of all the people Akash was the one who gave Ehan that dare.
To play with someone's heart, someone's life.
How could he!
Yeah, that time Akash didn’t even want to acknowledge her presence in his place, in his world and she knew that but she never thought he hated her to this extent then.
All these years of care, love, concern of Akash got flashing in front of her eyes getting her anguished. She could feel Akash’s sincerity all those time and this stopped her from leaving forever or telling all this at home.
She just wanted a break and that’s why she was getting away for a while from all of these thoughts…
*
When it was half past midnight and there was still no clue of Naira, Akash forwarded towards home with a heavy heart. Arriving home, he found Jiana waiting for him.
Seeing him, Jiana spoke up as she forwarded to him, “Are you finally done with your work? And Akash, what were you exactly thinking while giving your consent to Naira for travelling alone?”
Akash got confused at her word. He thought she would be angry on her knowing about that dare.
Not finding to say anything else, he just uttered, “Mom, I am sorry.”
Now this turn for Jiana to get shocked.
She asked him, “Why are you sorry?”
Akash got silent at that and Jiana spoke up, “I know you always tried to make her self dependent and all. I am just saying you could have accompanied her.”
Letting out a sigh, Jiana added, “Anyways, she reached safely there. Now go, get freshen up ad come for dinner.”
Akash wasn’t getting what actually Jiana was saying but couldn’t even get to ask her about it. “Mom, I have taken my dinner outside. You go sleep. It’s already left.” Uttering this, Akash left for his room.
Entering the room, he started processing her words. What was she actually talking about.
Then a folded paper came to his sight on the table. He forwarded towards it and grabbed it confusedly. He opened the paper. He immediately recognized the hand writing…
I want to be alone for some time. Don’t follow me.
He kept standing with the paper in his nad, staring at it.
He came out of his thought when his phone started ringing again. He knew who could be it but didn’t answer it.
At some point he messaged Ehan and got thinking what to do.
*
Reading the message of Akash, Ehan couldn’t get hold of him anymore and as always forwarded towards his gym. Till his weak self allowed him, he kept punching the bag and then lied down on floor tiredly.
He didn’t bother to get up rather fall asleep there at some point.
When Akash didn’t get any response from Ehan. He made it to his place early in the morning. He pressed the doorbell and one of their house keeper opened it.
While asking about Ehan, he entered. When he didn’t find him in his room, he thought for a moment and then forwarded towards his gym.
There he was lying on the floor. Akash rushed to him and woke him up. Ehan opened his eyes slowly. Seeing Akash, he got his head down as he got seated.
“Get freshen up. I will be downstairs. We need to talk.” Akash uttered and left from there.
After some time when Ehan got down and seeing him, Akash spoke up, “What do you think you were doing?”
Ehan kept all silent at that. What could he answer him! Thinking in mind.
After some moment of silence, Akash spoke up again, “It’s wasn’t your fault actually. I started all this. I gave you that dare, I provoked you, I kept silence when I saw her to be that girl and even then as you went on with that dare. So don’t be so hard on you and leave it all now.”
Akash was about to leave then but Ehan got uttering, “It wasn’t you, Akash. It was me. Whatever was the reason, it’s true I played with her heart and then left her broken.”
They got all shocked as they heard Ehan’s father uttering in a deadly tone, “What did you do, Ehan?” who was standing at a little distance from them.
Akash’s phone got ringing right then. It was Sam, his PA. Akash answered it only to get shocked. Guessing somewhat, Ehan nodded at him and taking leave from them, Akash left from there.
Kevin got uttering again in a serious tone, “Answer me, Ehan. What did you do?”
“Dad I..” Ehan stammered thinking what to say but when he got there was no way to escape from his father’s look, he told him everything being unble to hold it within anymore.
As soon as he got finished, a tight slap fell on his cheek.
Ehan looked at his father being all shocked as it was the first time, he raised his hand on him.
But getting the glaring look, he got his head down. Kevin got uttering, “I thought you were my son only but no. You proved me wrong, Ehan. You proved it today more than me, you are her son. Your mother’s son.”
Ehan turned to him immediately getting all hurt and uttered, “Dad, please..”
“I raised you wrong, Ehan. I raised you wrong.” With that Kevin left for his room.
After sometime Ehan got to his father’s room only to find him sitting on his recliner, leaning against it, eyes closed. He was sad and hurt. It was all over his face and it was because of him. This thought got Ehan hating himself even more.
He got uttering sadly, “Dad”
Only to get his dad uttering not even turning to him, “Leave. I don’t want to talk to you know.”
He knelt down in front of his father’s chair and got uttering, “I am sorry, Dad. Please don’t be like this to me. I am sorry.”
A drop of tear rolled down his eye. Seeing Ehan like that, his father’s anger got somewhat melted. Ehan giving him a sad look, got uttering, “I loved her, Dad but I was afraid that she would leave me one day like Mom did to you.”
Kevin uttered in a serious tone, “So you did that to her earlier before she could do it. Is that so?”
******