RUHANI'S POV
I turn my head to him when he said that "Chand? Are you referring to me as Chand? You are so cheesy.." I said while blushing and looked back at the sky.
"I love saying cheesy things just to see that smile on your face that's worth dying for." He said while turning my face to him. I pecked his lips and hugged him from the side keeping my head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around my shoulder.
"Thank you Jay."
"For what love?"
"For loving me since so long even though we just met for one day , for taking care of me like this and making me fall for you too in just a few days. I have never felt this loved ever in my whole life."
I said and looked up at him to see him looking at me already. I closed my eyes as he kissed my forehead. "Don't thank me Rooh. I thank you for accepting me and giving me chance. I Will pour my whole into us."
"Me too.." Saying that I closed my eyes thinking how my life has changed and is going to change in future. Whatever it will be , I want this man in that by my side.
"Rooh.." I heard his voice softly calling me while brushing my hairs. "Yes?" I asked.
"Your phone is ringing." He said making me sit back up abruptly. I remember giving him my phone to keep in his pocket. He also sat up and gave me my phone looking concerned seeing my sacred expression.
I take my phone and as expected it was my mother , I didn't realise how late it had gotten. Thank god my father is not in the city. I quickly picked up the call expecting to hear her scolding but all I heard was a sappy breaking voice of my mother saying
"Veer vapis aa gya.."
It felt as if my world stopped for a moment when she said this. He is back? How is that possible...and why? My mother cut the call immediately after saying that.
"Rooh..what happened? Is everything okay?" Jay asked me while holding my cheek looking worried seeing my shocked face. I probably looked like I saw a ghost.
"Um..yeah I am fine. I have to go home mummy is getting worried for me and I came saying that I am going on a birthday party so i should leave now." I lied.
I know I lied. I am sorry Jay but this is messed up. I swear I will explain this to you later but I need to go home for now. I thought to myself and stoop up adjusting my saree.
Jay also stoop up and held my shaky hands as I was adjusting my saree and pulled me into a hug. I held him tighter trying to control my tears. Why is he back now? was all I could thought right now.
"Calm down jaan. You know you can tell me anything and you will always find me beside you or behind you. I will always be there."
He said the comforting words while brushing my hairs softly. It took all strength in me not to cry out in his arms in that moment.
I nodded and said "Yes I know. Don't worry everything is okay Jay. It's just my father is not in the city so my mother got extra worried besides It's almost 12 so."
Somewhere I felt as if he knew I was lying but he didn't pushed me to tell him. I saw him nodding and he held my hand as we both walked out of the garden.
"I will text you the exact address you can come here anytime you want. This garden has been my safe place. I Somehow belive it has healing powers , so you can come anytime you want alone or with me." He said before opening the car door for me as usual.
I smiled and kissed his cheek "Ofcourse It has to be magical. You made it yourself. I will definitely come here often."
Said that we both sat down in the car. There was an unknown tension like we both knew I lied. I knew he knows , the same goes for him I could feel that by his tensed shoulders. He held my hand the entire ride kissing the back of it occasionally.
"Are you okay Jay.?" I asked as I could feel him tensed. He just nodded and caressed my hand.
Jay stopped the car at the front gate and opened my side car door. He held my hand as I got off the car and said "I genuinely love and care for you Rooh. " He kissed my forehead before continuing "I will always be there for you. Bye.."
"I love you too Jay and everything is fine, don't worry. Byee..." Saying that I walked away to my house. He waited till I went inside and also left.
....................
I sighed before entering the living room ready to face whatever was coming. Why was he back? As soon as I enter the living room I saw my mother crying a little while holding veer who also had tears in his eyes.
I could tell my mother was still disappointed but was happy to see him after so many years. Veer's back was facing me , my mother looked at me as I enter and tapped veer's back indicating I was here. I sighed for the nth time when I saw veer stood up and started walking to me. I looked to the side to hide my tears which were betraying me.
"H-Hello...smarty.." Veer said his voice breaking making it hard for me keep my sobs in. I bite my lips and look away from him. He walked to me and pulled me into a hug before saying "How.. are you?"
I let out a sob hearing his voice and punched his shoulder before moving away. "Why did you come now? Why now? After so many years bhai!! " I yelled out unable to keep in the suppressed feelings anymore.
"I am sorry for being a coward smarty..I am sorry for leaving you behind.." He closed his eyes letting the tears fall. " You have grown up so much." He added.
"Ofcourse I did but my dear big brother was not there to see that. He wasn't there when I passes my boards when I got admission in the college when I won my first senior dance competition.. he wasn't there when my friends bullied me when I needed someone to talk to...he wasn't..."
I said bitterly and sat down on the couch as the tears started falling with no stop.
All the bottled up feelings of so many years were coming back after seeing his face. Why did he left his little sister behind? He was my bestfriend first then brother.
He kneeled down in front of me and took my hands in his before speaking
"smarty..please look at me. I am sorry. You know papa would have never let me become a football player. You know I had left for my dream."
"Did you ever talked to papa about your dream? Or told me or mummy? No you didn't because you chose to be a coward and left everyone behind without even saying anything. WE THOUGHT YOU DIED BHAII.. it was only 3 years back when we saw you playing on the TV..to know that you were alive.. " I yelled out in anger. He didn't even tried to tell anyone about his dream but just assumed that noone will support him.
My mother let out a sob seeing the scence unfold in front of her eyes. I looked at her worriedly and hugged her from the side. Veer bhai sighed and stood up before us and explained
"In the end we all somewhere know papa would have never let me do that. He would have made me a lawyer like he is. The same he is doing to you now. I am sorry for being selfish and running away. I..couldn't come back until.. I was successful."
I sighed hearing his words and replied,
"I thought my brother would be there when I will need to fight for my dream with my own parents and I would have helped him too but he..didn't trusted me enough to tell me about his dream and wasn't there when it was time to fight for mine.
Bhai you just left me to fight my battles alone after promising to protect and help me. But thanks to you I can fight my battles on my own now. "
I wiped my tears after letting out my feelings and went back to my room not forgetting to slam the door. As soon as I enter the room I collapse on the bed crying my heart out.
It hurts so much. I have always been so close to bhai but he just left me when I was 13 I needed him the most at that time. It was so hard to learn how to live on my own..fighting with my father for my dreams..handling my mother who went silent after her son left.
I had to grow up suddenly after he went and take on all the burden of expectations of my father onto myself only. I buried my face into the pillow and let out a frustrated sigh. My head hurts....
I look up from the pillow when I saw my phone ringing it was Jay. I wiped my tears and cleared my throat before answering the call.
"Rooh.."
Hearing his soft voice from the call made me close my eyes. I covered my mouth by my hand to calm myself before saying
"Y-yes?"
I could hear some shuffling in the background and heard his worried voice through the call
"Rooh..are you okay?"
I shook my head at his question even though I knew he couldn't see me. I let out a shaky breathe before saying
"I..am f-fine..Jay just a little tired..did you reach home?"
He sighed in frustration and said in a cold yet tensed tone
"Yes I did..um..I have some pending work to complete so I gotta go. Goodnight."
He cut the call after saying that and I frowned making few more tears fall out of my eyes. Great! Now he cut the call like this. I bite my lips to prevent myself from breaking down again.
That's why I hate crying. I just can't stop once I start. I threw my phone on the bed and turn off all the lights. Sleep was nowhere near me I just kept staring at the ceiling wiping the tears that fell occasionally.
I didn't even know why I am crying anymore. Bhai returned home after so long I must be happy right? But I wasn't.
My heart felt heavy it was just so complicated all I needed at that time was a hug...a hug from him , but Ofcourse he cut the call like that.
That thought made a little angry.
How magical it felt in the garden as if I was the happiest girl and here I am now crying in my bed. This is has always been my fear that I can't stay happy for long..something or the other always happens. I hate this old feeling of loneliness coming in.
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Hope you like the chapter!
The suprise is waiting for you all in the next one!
~Aarzoo♡