Third person's pov!

Jeevika walked into her brother's bedroom and found him by the pool side, as usual, with his laptop.

But for a change, he is not typing away on the laptop. He is simply sitting there and staring at the laptop screen. She could see that his mind was elsewhere. He looked completely lost.

"Bubba," Jeevika called softly..

There was no response from his side.

"Bubba," Jeevika called a little louder this time.

Still there was no response.

"Bubba," Jeevika called out more loudly and shook him and Sid startled out of his thoughts..

"Di. What happened? Are you alright?" He asked as he sat upright and looked at his sister.

"Nothing, Bubba. I just wanted to spend some time with you. It's been so long since we spent time with each other. Isn't it?" Jeevika asked and Siddharth looked at his sister guiltily.

In an effort to keep himself away from Nidhi, he had stayed away from his home too. Because she had always been around. In one way or another. Either physically or through the words of his family members.

And now that she is not here anymore, it feels weird without all the laughs and chirpiness.

Damn girl!

She is crazy herself and is making me crazy too.

"Sorry, di. I have been caught up with the new collaboration with the American company." Siddharth lied and Jeevika simply waved it off, knowing that he was lying.

Now she knows what has been keeping him away.

"I just wanted to apologise, Bubba." Jeevika said softly.

"Apologise? For what?" Siddharth asked in confusion.

"For forcing you to give Bhavna a chance. It should have been your choice. Not mine or dadi's. We shouldn't have forced you when you made it clear that you don't believe in love and marriages." Jeevika said softly.

"It's okay, di.." Sid said, shooting a smile for his sister.

"I was worried that you would end up alone. Ten years down the lane, when you look back, all you will see would be emptiness. That worried me. But I understand your worries now. If not me, who would. Maybe your wish is to live alone and I am ready to accept it." Jeevika said and Sid squirmed as he heard his sister's words.

Because when he thinks ahead of a scenario ten years later, he wasn't seeing himself alone. He was seeing Parinidhi beside him, arguing and fighting with him, challenging him every step of the way. He shook his head to dispel that sudden thought.

"I also apologise for bringing Nidhi into our life. I didn't realise Nidhi was such a bother for you. I always took it lightly. I even found your fights sometimes funny. I never realised how much you hate her presence," Jeevika said, pasting an apologetic smile on her face. She threw a sideways glance at him and held in a chuckle that threatened to break out seeing the look on his face.

Siddharth squirmed in his chair. He couldn't remember exactly what he had blurted out downstairs to his family. He had been too angry and frustrated. He had screamed whatever came to his mind and now he couldn't recall what all he had said.

"That's alright, di." Siddharth said awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

"Oh by the way, I found some things in your cupboard while arranging the clothes." Jeevika said as casually as possible.

"What things?" Siddharth asked apprehensively.

"Oh! Some things are kept in momma's jewel box." Jeevika said and Siddharth's eyes widened in horror.

He had kept some things of Nidhi in there. He still does not know why he has them safe in there. He would sometimes, simply stare at them, in the middle of the night.

Yeah! Crazy he has become.

"Uh di.."

"I recognised those bangles, Bubba. It is Nidhi's right? I have seen her wearing them. Did she pawn them with you for any necessity? I know that financially they are a bit weak. I am happy that you helped her in spite of your hatred." Jeevika said and Siddharth stared at her wondering how to respond.

His sister has made up a story of her own.

"Uh! She actually sold the bangles for your hospital expenses that day, di. The nurse who attended you told me. So, I had the bangles retrieved from the jewellery in which she sold it." I said softly.

"Oh! How sweet she is. They are struggling financially and still she didn't hesitate from selling those bangles to save me.." Jeevika said, feeling extremely thankful towards Nidhi.

"Hmmm..." Sid simply hummed in response.

"Oh I also found some unnecessary things in there. Like some broken bangles, a torn piece of a dupatta and all. I think we should just throw them away. Why keep unwanted things in momma's jewel box?" Jeevika said casually.

"Nooo!!" Siddharth said more vehemently than he intended.

The thought of throwing those things away felt like drowning.

He wouldn't be able to breathe.

Those are the things that bring peace to his mind in the middle of a restless night.

Something that he couldn't figure out why!

"Why Bubba?" Jeevika asked innocently.

"Uh. It's- It's-" Siddharth was short of words. He didn't know what to tell his sister.

Jeevika thought to put him out of his misery. She let him ponder over it by himself. And instead talked about the gold bangle.

"I think we should give those bangles back to Nidhi. You should have returned it long back. Why didn't you, Bubba?" Jeevika said softly.

"Uh! I intended to return it, di. But I forgot. I was a bit busy with things.." Sid struggled for words.

"Anyways, return them immediately, Bubba.." Jeevika said.

"Yes, di. Whatever you say." Siddharth said.

Jeevika shot a big smile at her brother and decided that she had done enough for the day.

She could do the rest the next day.

"It is already very late, Bubba. Do the remaining work tomorrow. Go and sleep now. Good night." Jeevika said and pressed a kiss on her brother's cheeks and left.

Siddharth breathed a sigh of relief and walked to his cupboard and took the jewel box out.

He stared at the things. Then he took out the envelope and photograph from it.

Why didn't his sister ask about the picture?

Maybe she didn't open it.

What if she had seen it and asked him about the picture. He had taken this picture on an impulse that day. And for some bl**dy inexplicable reason, he had it printed too.

What nonsense!

Maybe he should just give the bangle back to her. That way he could get rid of another thing of hers. Just like how he got rid off her pendant.

"Neither you nor your things mean anything to me. Get this straight into your head, Ms Vyas, nothing related to you matters to me in any way." He remembered the words he had uttered on that party night.

And he said them out loud again tonight.

"Neither you nor your things mean anything to me. Nothing related to you matters to me in any way. Neither your pendant, nor your bangles," he said stubbornly, wishing hard that it was true.

Wishing that her things didn't matter.

Wishing that her smile didn't matter.

Wishing that her tears didn't matter.

Wishing that she didn't matter.

But a part of his brain started understanding all these mattered.

Every single thing related to her was bothering him.

Damn it Parinidhi Vyas!

Why? Why are you hell bent on making me crazy?

Maybe, just like his sister said, he should throw all these things away. That way, he would get a little more respite from Nidhi.

Tomorrow! Tomorrow he will give this bangle back to her and get over with it.

And then he will throw all this trash away. And burn that photograph too.

And just like that, he will remove every single piece of Nidhi from his thoughts and life.

With that thought, he went to bed, for another night of restless sleep.

A/N

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SF❤️