Published on:- 25/4/24 [Thursday]
...

"You are rejecting me and my confession because you have someone else in your heart, right?", Sunaina asked Nilay and her words welcomed a heavy silence between them.

Nilay could not stop himself from staring deeply into her eyes which shone brightly under the sun's rays.

"Why do you think that I am not accepting your love because there is someone in my heart?", Nilay asked Sunaina whose lips were pressed together in a thin line.

She licked her lips while staring at him and then responded, "Kyunki apki ye jo kathai se do jheel hai naa; sab kuch keh jate hai. Ya yeh keh sakte hai ki main inko bahut acche se padh sakti hoon" [Because these two brown lakes of yours; tell everything. Or you can say that I can read them easily]

Nilay stood there bewildered as Sunaina's response was bold yet tinged with sadness.

Nilay's heart raced crazily the way she referenced his eyes as brown lakes.

Suddenly, Nilay moved closer to her by taking small steps and the air cracked with anticipation. Sunaina remained rooted to her spot and her gaze locked with his.

Her heart was pounding in her chest as his proximity sent shivers down her spine, yet she couldn't tear her eyes away from his intense gaze.

Nilay leaned in and his face hovered over her small palm-sized face and the tension between them reached its peak as the moment halted with unspoken emotions and possibilities.

Sunaina's heart raced as she felt Nilay's warm breath against her skin. The air between them was heavy with anticipation and each heartbeat echoed in the silence.

Sunaina's lips parted slightly as her eyes searched for any sign of what was to come in his brown eyes.

Suddenly Nilay opened his mouth and announced, "You are wrong".

Sunaina blinked her eyes as her brows furrowed confusedly.

Nilay flicked his finger on her forehead and repeated himself, "Divita! You are wrong. I don't have anyone in my heart. My heart is empty and I don't have any desire for anyone either".

Sunaina's heart sank as Nilay's words shattered the fragile hope she held onto.

The realization that there was no one else in his heart brought a mix of relief and sadness.

Sunaina swallowed hard and tried to mask the pain that threatened to consume her. She forced a faint smile and nodded in apparent acceptance of Nilay's words, though her heart ached with every beat.

"So, I don't want to hear these words again. Understood?. Now, stop standing here. Let's go inside. We are going to Shimla", Nilay said and he changed the subject as he swiftly moved back to the mansion.

"Nilay! Then what is your reason for not accepting my love? Am I not beautiful?", Sunaina asked him.

Nilay stopped in his tracks, turned around looked at her for a few seconds, and replied, "Yes".

Sunaina choked at his blunt remarks as she thought, "Yes? I am not beautiful?. No it's impossible. I am beautiful and I know my charm will work on him. Just wait and watch".

Nilay again started to move forward. But this time, a small teasing smile suddenly appeared and at the next second, it disappeared from his lips.

Sunaina stared at his back without blinking her eyes. Her eyes flickered when she found the shadow of T-Rex. 

Sunaina's gaze lingered on Nilay's retreating figure as her mind was lost in a whirlwind of emotions.

However, her attention was suddenly drawn to a shadowy shape nearby. As she focused, she recognized the unmistakable silhouette of a T-Rex. The unexpected sight momentarily distracted her from her thoughts and filled her with a sense of question and curiosity.

Sunaina snapped out of her trance at Nilay's call, "Why are you not coming?".

She quickly refocused her attention on the present moment as she turned to follow Nilay.

His tone was not cold but she could feel the blankness in them. She ran towards him and walked side by side.

Suddenly she looked at him and asked in a casual tone, "Nilay".

Nilay glanced at her and hummed in response.

"I want to give you a sweet pet name. But I don't know what to call you. Can you suggest some sweet words to me?", Sunaina asked in a sugary tone as her eyes were as big as blackberries.

Nilay pursed his lips and said, "No need. My name is nice and sounds good".

Sunaina pouted and said, "Nilay! Can I call you Love Baby Nilay?".

Nilay's steps halted abruptly and he replied, "Don't copy my father. He won't like it and I can't tolerate it either".

Sunaina giggled like a child and said, "Then what about 'Booboo Bear', 'Baby Boy', 'Love Bug', 'Prince Charming', Hubby or 'My Man?".

Nilay's mouth and eyes widened panicked as he then started gaping like a fish.

"No", Nilay immediately said and Sunaina laughed loudly.

Nilay drew to her sweet laugh. Something clicked him and he quickly moved to the mansion.

She started following Nilay and then asked again, "Nilay! Can I ask you something else?".

Nilay lifted his eyes and glanced at her with questioning gazes.

Sunaina smiled widely and asked him, "Kya ap hamesha aise hi dikhte ho?" [Do you always look like this?].

Nilay's lips were pressed together in a thin line as he did not reply to her. Her sudden confession already played the sensitive strings of his heart. However, his mind was already in a position to control his wavering emotions and the rhythms of the artwork.

Sunaina found his blank gaze and immediately said, "Mera Matlab. Kya Muskurane ka tax dena padta hai" [I mean. Is there a tax on smiling?].

She asked him but he ignored her completely and continued to move towards the mansion.

Sunaina's smile did not fade away as she said, "Nilay! Ap mere favourite ho. Ish dil me ap bas chuke ho. Ab ye jagah kisi aur ko kabhi nahi mil sakta. Ye apka hai aur apka hi rahega. Koi fark nahi padta ki ap mere confession ko accept Karo ya na karo. Kyunki main janti hun ki mujhe ye dil sirf apse pyar karne ke liye mila hai. Ye saanse sirf apse izhaar karne ke liye mila hai aur ye aankhein sirf apke deedar karne liye mila hai".

[Nilay! You are my favorite. You are already there in my heart. Now I can never find anyone else in this place. It is yours and will remain yours. It doesn't matter whether you accept my confession or not. Because I know that I have got this heart only to love you. These breaths have been given only to express my love to you and these eyes have been given only to see you]

Nilay was speechless as he closed his eyes in anger as her words were making him uncomfortable. It was not the first time when a girl was confessing to him but it was the first time when these words were irritating him and pulling all the chords of his heart.

Sunaina calculated his furious expression and said in a hurried tone, "Ap bahut acche dikhte ho. Ap muskuraya karo. Aur bhi acche dikhoge. [You are very handsome. You, Please smile. You will look more good].

After saying this, she ran away but not before adding a few lines in her thoughts, "Lekin ye acchai sirf mere liye honi chahiye. Koi aur dekhegi to woh ushka aakhiri din hoga".

[But this should be good only for me. If anyone else sees it, it will be her last day]

Nilay stood there alone as he continued to stare at her disappearing figure.

His head throbbed as he clenched his fist tightly.

"Divita! Your confession is good enough to melt any man's heart. But my heart is black and thoughts are cloudy white so there's no place for a colorful rainbow like you".

***

Nilay entered the mansion and found Sunaina standing at the doorstep. His eyes caught the sight of unfamiliar people chatting happily with his parents.

"Son! You are back. Come here. Meet my friend Mr. Arora and his family", Neil Khanna; Nilay's father introduced his friends to him.

Nilay gave a small nod to everyone and was about to walk away but Niel stopped him.

"Come, sit here", Neil said to Nilay who sat beside his father without asking anything.

Sunaina watched the scene with her questioning eyes. Everyone got involved in a conversation but she was still standing at the doorstep.

"Divita! What are you doing there? Come, sit beside me", Aashmaan said and Neil's eyes narrowed down dangerously at his wife.

Aashmaan ignored her husband as she held Sunaina's hand and pulled her to sit beside herself.

"Ohh! Who is she?", Mr. Arora asked Neil while looking at Sunaina.

"Our guest"

"My daughter"

"My responsibility"

Three mouths of the Khanna family gave three different replies to Mr. Arora who looked perplexedly at them.

Sunaina smirked wickedly as she glanced at Neil and thought, 'Guest? Sasur Ji [father-in-law] I am your daughter-in-law'.

Then her eyes went to Aashmaan and at last at Nilay, 'My daughter? So sweet of you Sasu maa [mother-in-law] but Nilay! What are you talking about? What responsibility? Apki bhavi patni hun main [I am your future wife]'.

"Mr. Arora! Let kids talk to each other", Neil said and others nodded their heads.

Nilay's confusion deepened as he looked to his mother for an explanation but only to be met with a shake of her head.

The gesture left him even more puzzled. Despite his growing curiosity, Nilay suppressed the urge to press for answers and he chose to focus on his father.

Everyone stood up but Sunaina continued to sit on her seat.

"Divita! Let's go", Neil said in a slight warning tone.

Aashmaan frowned deeply and Nilay pondered over his father's reaction.

Sunsina mentally rolled her eyes and stood up to leave Nilay alone but suddenly Nilay held her hand and said, "Dad! What's going on here. I have to go to the airport. I will be late for the flight".

"Nilay! there is talk of your marriage here. She is Mr. Arora's daughter. We have chosen this girl for your marriage", Neil Khanna said and dropped a heart-shaking bomb on his son.

But the one who was too calm at this moment was Sunaina whose eyes were glued on that Arora girl who could not help but squirmed under the devilish gazes of Sunsina.

"That's good. One has not even gone properly yet and the other has arrived. Susur Ji [father-in-law] you are playing with the devil", Sunaina thought, and two satanic eyes clashed together and announced the upcoming war between two devils who came from two different generations.

One had a possessive heart and another had an obsessive mind who would lose and who would win the heart of Angel? 

***

Back to the BASE, long slender fingers were typing furiously on the keypad of his laptop.

"Aarghhh! Damn it. Why the hell is it so troublesome huh?", Avyaan said and thrashed all the gadgets from the desk.

"King".

Avyaan heard the familiar voice of his team but he did not turn around but continued to glare at his laptop.

His expression was intense and his eyes were narrow as he delved deep into whatever occupied his screen. It was clear that whatever he was working on demanded his full concentration, leaving no room for distraction.

"What's the matter?", Avyaan's icy voice sent chills to the spines of the team member.

"Princess is safe. T-Rex sent a message that she is coming back to the capital town", a Team member said.

"Good. Prepare everything for her safety", Avyaan said and again started typing on the laptop.

"Do you have anything else to say?", Avyaan asked and He shrudded before responding to him.

"Yes, I checked Ms. Tarana sold her some jewelry and also took a loan from - -".

Avyaan's sudden snap silenced the room and his gaze was piercing and intense as he locked eyes with his team members.

The weight of his stare made the team member hold his breath.

The team member gulped down nervously and continued to say, "From the loan sharks of the black market. Now, they are following her like a hungry jackal".

Avyaan's eyes cast down as he was lost in deep thought and then he said, "Where is she now?".

His sudden change in demeanor, from icy intensity to a more introspective tone caught his team off guard.

"She is in a hotel room in Shimla city with his friend named Omy", the team member said and Avyaan's eyes turned red as if a hidden rage ignited in them.

Avyaan's eyes blazed with a sudden intensity as he processed the information. The mention of the hotel room and the presence of someone named Omy seemed to ignite a hidden rage within him.

His jaw clenched as he fought to contain his emotions, his mind racing with questions and possibilities.

The tension in the room thickened as his team members braced themselves for whatever would come next.

"Did you find out where she was on the day of my accident?", Avyaan asked and the mention of his accident hinted at a deeper mystery surrounding the life and death events and Avyaan was determined to uncover the truth.

"Yes, after leaving the hospital, She did not go to her home. She went directly to the accident site", the team member said and Avyaan's mind went fog for a few seconds to process the revelation.

...

2300 words.

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