"Rohit tu thik hai? Kaha tha itne din? Humein laga tu hum sab ko chhod ke chala gaya."

Shehnaaz was continuously crying hugging Rohit. Rohit's head was dizzy. He couldn't stand properly. He was about to fall but Shehnaaz hold her.

"Kya hua Rohit? Are you okay? Mummy dekho na isse kya hua." Shehnaaz said.

"Nahi main thik hoon." Rohit said and tried to stand properly.

"Shehnaaz uski tabiyat thik nahi hai. Tu usse kamre mein le jaa. Usse rest ki zaroorat hai." Pammi Ji said.

Shehnaaz nodded and took Rohit to a room. While going she looked at Sidharth for once. He was looking at her helplessly. Then Shehnaaz took her eyes off him and went to the room with Rohit.

"Yeh sab kya ho raha hai Santosh Ji? Yeh ladka kaun hai?" Ashok Ji asked Shehnaaz's father.

Shehnaaz's parents were not saying anything.

"Dad yeh Rohit hai. Issi ke saath Shehnaaz ki shaadi hone wali thi. Aur uss raat issi ka accident meri gadi se hua tha." Sidharth said.

"But he died nah?" Neeti asked.

"Rohit ki body police ko nahi mili thi. Humein bas laga tha ki woh iss duniya mein nahi hai." Santosh Ji said.

Sidharth went near Pammi Ji and said, "Aunty ab kya hoga? Shehnaaz toh pyaar karti thi uss se. Aur abhi usne Rohit ko dekh ke jaise react kiya, kahi woh..."

Sidharth couldn't speak further.

"Aisa nahi hai beta. Asal mein Rohit uska kaafi accha dost bhi tha. Itne dino baad usse aise dekh ke emotional hogayi thodi si. Iss se zyada kuch nahi. Aur hum sabko paata hai ki Shehnaaz tumse kitna pyaar karti hai." Pammi Ji said.

Rita Ji put her hand on Sidharth's shoulder and said, "Pammi sahi keh rahi hai. Shehnaaz ki jagah koi aur bhi hoti toh aise hi react karti. Tu kyu tension le raha hai? Aur ab toh tum dono ki engagement bhi ho chuki hai."

"Engagement kaha hui? Main toh ring pehna hi nahi paya." Sidharth said and picked the ring from the ground.

"Main Shehnaaz ko bula ke lati hoon. Phir tum usse yeh pehna dena." Pammi Ji said and went to the room.

In the room...

Shehnaaz made Rohit sit on the bed and covered him with a blanket. Then she gave him a glass of water. He drank it.

"Feeling better?" Shehnaaz asked.

Rohit nodded.

Suddenly Pammi Ji entered the room.

"Rohit abhi thik hai?" She asked.

"Ji Mummy." Shehnaaz replied.

"Shehnaaz tu do minute ke liye bahar aa sakti hai? Kuch zaroori baat karni thi."

Shehnaaz nodded and went outside the room with Pammi Ji.

"Neeche sab tujhe bula rahe hai. Teri ring ceremony adhuri reh gayi thi." Pammi Ji said.

"Mummy main Rohit ko chhod ke abhi neeche nahi aa sakti. Apne dekha na uski tabiyat kitni kharab hai?" Shehnaaz said.

"Phir Sidharth ka kya hoga? Zara uske baare mein bhi toh soch. Aaj engagement thi tum dono ki aur yeh sab hogaya."

"I know usko bura feel ho raha hoga. Lekin mein usse baad mein samjha dungi. Abhi ke liye mera yaaha hona zyada zaroori hai. Aap unn logo se keh di jiye filhaal yeh engagement nahi ho sakta. I need time." Shehnaaz said.

"Thik hai. Lekin tu Sidharth se ek baar khud baat kar lena." Pammi Ji said.

Shehnaaz nodded.

Pammi Ji left from there.

Shehnaaz went inside the room and sat near Rohit.

"Tu kaha tha itne din? Agar tu zinda tha toh itne din humse contact kyu nahi kiya?" Shehnaaz asked. She had many questions in her mind.

"Accident ke baad main der saal coma mein tha. Samundar se kuch logo ne mujhe rescue kiya, meri jaan bachai. Unn logo mein se ek bohut hi acche admi ne mera treatment karwaya. Main coma mein tha isliye woh mere gharwalon se contact nahi kar paye. Abhi kuch hi din pehle mujhe hosh aaya aur unki madad se main Mumbai mein wapas aa saka" Rohit said.

"Thank God tu thik hai. Tujhe paata hai tere jaane ke baad hum sab mein kya beeti? Aunty toh...."

Shehnaaz couldn't speak further and started crying.

"Paata hai. Yaaha lautne ke baad jab main ghar gaya tab mujhe yeh paata chala. Yeh sab meri wajah se hua hai. Agar mera accident na hua hota toh Maa aaj zinda hoti."

"Teri galti nahi hai. It's our destiny. Aur Aunty bhi kaise strong rehti? Tere alawa unka tha hi kaun? Humein toh laga tha ki tu..."

"Ki main mar gaya." Rohit smiled and said, "Sayad main mar hi jaata. Lekin koi mujhse itna pyaar karta hai ki uski pyaar ki wajah se main aaj bhi zinda hoon."

Shehnaaz looked at him being shocked.

"Maine tujhse ek waada kiya tha na. Jab tak woh waada pura nahi ho jaata main kaise mar sakta hoon?"

"Oh God! Main Rohit ko kaise baatau ki main ab uski nahi rahi? Main Sidharth se pyaar karti hoon. Humari shaadi hone wali hai." Shehnaaz said in her mind.

"Main jab tere ghar pohucha, paata chala tune ghar badal liya. Phir mujhe yaaha ka address mila. Kitna bada ghar liya hai tune."

"Haan woh actually yeh ghar maine khud ke paison se liya. I'm a professional singer now."

"Wow! Matlab humara sapna pura hogaya. Accha ek baat puchu? Yaaha koi function chal raha hai kya? Jab main yaaha aaya, tu kisi ko ring pehna rahi thi."

Shehnaaz became scared. She was finding excuse.

"Jaha tak mujhe laga, woh Sidharth Shukla tha. Kya ho raha tha waha?" Rohit added further.

"Woh.... main.... hum shoot kar rahe the.... apne naye music video ke liye.... waha ek scene tha jaha humari engagement ho rahi thi. Tune woh cameras nahi dekhe?"

"Yeah yeah. Actually meri tabiyat thik nahi thi isliye thik se dekha nahi. Kya baat hai yaar! Jis Sidharth Shukla ki tu itni badi fan thi, aaj tu ussi ke saath kaam kar rahi hai. Kitna kuch badal gaya hai inn der saalon mein."

"Haan. Kaafi kuch badal gaya hai." Shehnaaz said with teary eyes.

"Lekin ek chiz nahi badla. Humara pyaar. Main aaj bhi tujhse utna hi pyaar karta hoon. Tu bhi karti hai na?"

Shehnaaz didn't say anything.

Rohit hold her hand and said, "Kya hua Sana? Kuch bol. Tere alawa iss duniya mein mera ab koi nahi hai. Ab se mere jeene ki sirf ek hi wajah hai. Aur woh hai tu. I hope tere dil mein abhi bhi mere liye feelings hai."

Shehnaaz hugged Rohit tightly and started crying.

"Haan Rohit. Main aaj bhi tujhse bohut pyaar karti hoon." She said.
_______________________________________

"Sorry Ashok Ji, sorry Rita, sorry Sidharth Beta. Aaj yeh engagement nahi ho sakti. Samajh hi rahe hai, Shehnaaz ko thoda waqt chahiye." Pammi Ji said.

"Sorry kyu bol rahi hai? Main uska dard samajhti hoon. Hum usse force nahi karenge." Rita Ji said.

Whole Shukla family left.

"Sana bhabi ko kis liye waqt chahiye? Shaadi toh woh Bhaiya se hi karegi nah?" Preeti asked.

"Of course. They love each other. I don't know why she need time." Neeti said.

"Mujhe paata hai Shehnaaz mujhse pyaar karti hai. Lekin mujhe ek ajeeb sa darr lag raha hai. What if she choose Rohit? No no I'm over thinking. Rohit uska past hai. She loves only me. Sayad usse Rohit ko samjhane ke liye time chahiye. Haan, aisa hi hai." Sidharth said in his mind.

Late at night...

Shehnaaz went to her room. She removed her ornaments and threw them on the floor. She started crying.

"Kyu Waheguru Ji, kyu? Aisa humesha mere saath hi kyu hota hai? Maine kabhi kisi ka bura nahi chaha. Phir humesha mujhe hi kyu aise situation mein laa ke khada kar dete ho aap? Finally meri zindagi mein thodi khushiyan aayi thi. Main shaadi karne jaa rahi thi woh bhi apne sacche pyaar se. Lekin ek baar phir se meri khusiyan mujhse chin gayi. Ab main kya karu? Ek taraf Rohit jo mera past hai. But still I care for him. Woh mera pyaar na sahi lekin mera sabse accha dost toh hai. He is my best friend. Aur dusri taraf Sidharth, jisne mujhe sikhaya ki actually pyaar hota kya hai. Main dono ko hi hurt nahi kar sakti. Lekin inn dono mein se mujhe kisi ek ko chun na hoga. Kise chunu mein, apne pehle pyaar ko yaa apne sacche pyaar ko?" Shehnaaz said in her mind.

On the other hand, Sidharth returned his home and went to his room. He was thinking about Shehnaaz. A part of his heart knew that Shehnaaz loves her but another part of his heart had the fear of loosing her forever.

"Ek baar call karu kya Shehnaaz ko?" Sidharth asked himself. He was about to call her but suddenly stopped.

"I think mera abhi call karna sahi nahi rahega. Suddenly yeh sab kya hogaya? Maine dekha hai ki Shehnaaz Rohit se kitna pyaar karti thi. Lekin maine yeh bhi dekha hai ki woh mujhse kitna pyaar karti hai. Kya main bekaar mein hi darr raha hoon?"

Suddenly Sidharth's phone rang.

A smile came on his face. "Accha hua usne khud hi phone kar diya." Sidharth said in his mind and received the call.

"Sidharth! I'm sorry. Aaj tum logo ko aise jaana pada."

"That's ok. I can understand. It's a very tough situation for you."

"Yeah. Mujhe toh yeh bhi nahi paata ki mujhe kaisa feel karna chahiye."

"Don't worry. Thoda time de. Sab thik ho jayega."

"Accha kaal tu ekbaar mil sakta hai? Tujhe ek important chiz batani hai."

Sidharth became afraid.

"Important chiz matlab? Kis baare mein?"

"Humare rishte ke baare mein. We have to do something about it. Isliye maine ek decision liya hai."

"Kya decision?"

"Woh main tujhe kaal bataungi."
_______________________________________

What will be Shehnaaz's decision?

How will Sidharth handle it?

Stay tuned...

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