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"Lets go Riddhima!" 

Vansh said, as he came out of his room, in his track pants and t-shirt, for a walk at the beach.

"Lets go."  Riddhima said, as she shut her room's door.

They descended down the stairs and went out of the house after closing the door.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

The beach was at walking-distance from the house, so they decided to walk to the beach.

As soon as Riddhima saw the vastly-spread sea, her body went numb. She had only seen beaches in movies and shows, but seeing it originally, was like seeing heaven for her.

"Vansh, IT.IS.SO.BEAUTIFUL!!"
Riddhima screamed, as the cool sand came in contact with her soft feet.

Vansh smiled at her excitement.

"I just love beaches, Vansh. This is the first time I am ever seeing a beach in reality" 

Riddhima said, as she involuntarily hugged his arm and looked over the vast sea.

Vansh looked at her, and then at their clasped hands. He somehow felt really happy inwardly, seeing her happy. 

They took off their slippers and started walking along the sea, hand-in-hand. The tides hit the shore with a crash and the water splashed over their feet. They walked, leaving their footprints embedded in the golden-white sand. The hazy atmosphere of the late evening time and the cool breeze, added a sense of tranquillity over both of them. 

They walked for quite a long period of time and stopped, when Riddhima said, 

"Vansh, Baithein?"
(Vansh , shall we sit?)

"Sure!" 

They sat on the sand, and stretched their feet out to let the water touch them. 

"Its such a heavenly feeling!"

Riddhima exclaimed, and bent backwards, inhaling deeply the essence of the sea.

"Yes it is! I used to come here everyday before."
Vansh said, looking over the sea.

"Really?" 
Riddhima asked, excitedly.

"Ya. When I just came here in Goa, I was so depressed.. I didn't had any reason to be alive.. Everything had fallen apart.. So I used to come here.. This was the only place which gave me peace."
Vansh said, as sadness dawned upon him and his eyes became teary. 

Riddhima looked at Vansh with confusion. 

Vansh glanced at Riddhima and continued in a trembling voice,

"My parents passed away in an accident, when I was 14 years old. I was in 9th standard. Maa and Papa left me and Siya all alone. Though my uncle and aunt brought us to their house, yet I could not find my own parents in them.  One day Siya was going to her school, she was crossing the road and a truck dashed into her.  The atmosphere became sad once again. We reached the hospital but till that time she was dead. She excessively bled which resulted in her death. I was living my life just becsuse of Siya. I was left all alone. I thought that I didn't had anyone to be with me. I was totally shaken apart."

Vansh choked at the last sentence. Tears flowed incessantly down his cheeks. He started sobbing loudly, when Riddhima put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

He wiped the tears off his cheek and continued,

"After completing my 10th, I ran away from there and came here in Goa. No one knew where I was, neither did I knew. I didn't knew where I'll go or where I'll live, in a completely new city. Fortunately, I met Dsouza auntie and she took my to her house. She fed me food and I told her the whole matter. I started to live there, when one day I received a call from my uncle. I don't know how he came to know about my whereabouts. He insisted me to come back home but I didn't agree. I didn't wanted to burden myself on them. He, at last, agreed to my staying here but he put a condition that my financial needs would be taken care by him. Now also, he every month sends me a sum of money which I use to pay rent to Dsouza auntie and for all my needs."

Vansh ended, and looked at Riddhima. His face was tear-stricken. Riddhima too cried for him. 

Friendly, Riddhima squeezed his shoulder to ease his pain. He wrapped his arms around her and started crying on her shoulder. Riddhima patted his back gently, to relax him.

"You were so unfortunate Vansh! You had to suffer all this...Just like me"

Riddhima said, her voice starting to tremble with the last words.

"You are also an orphan?"
 Vansh  asked.

Riddhima nodded her head in denial and started,

"It was my 8th birthday. After my birthday celebration, my parents left to attend a relative's marriage. I couldn't go as my annual exams were going on. I was living in my aunt's house, when we got a news that a train accident had taken place which resulted in the death of thousands of travellers. Among the dead, there were my mama and papa. My aunt and uncle started mourning for my parents' death, but I didn't understand what was going on. I just sat in the verandah and waited for my parents to come back from the marriage. I waited.. for days.. for weeks.. for months.. but they never came back"

Riddhima stopped as her sobs were not letting her speak more. Her cheeks were burning with hot tears, which knew no bound! 

She wiped her tears slightly with the back of her hand and continued,

"After that, I started to live in my maasi's house. I started to call my maasi as Maa and my mausaji as Baba. They loved me more than their own son. And from that day, till now I consider them only as my parents. They have given me everything that my own parents would have given me if they were alive. I love them a lot!"
Riddhima  said, ending up smiling, in between her sobs and sniffs.

Vansh was moved after hearing her life-story. She had suffered more than he did! She wasn't even mature when her parents died. But still, no matter how much pain is hidden in her heart, she is able to make everyone happy around her.

"Riddhima?" Vansh said, "Are you okay?"

Riddhima nodded positively and wiped her tears off her cheeks.

They both got up from the sandy-ground and stood facing each other.

 A feel of peace engulfed both of them after sharing the most sorrowful experiences with each other. They looked at one another for some time, after which slowly Vansh bent forward and softly kissed her cheek...! Riddhima's eyes involuntarily closed at the feeling of his lips lingering on her cheeks. It was a really good feeling. Her hands went up to clutch his shirt.

 The sea waves crashed at the shore loudly, which made Vansh part his lips from her cheek. They both opened their eyes. As soon as they realized the position they were standing in, both left hold of each other and stepped backwards. Riddhima turned away from him and looked down to the sand.

 "I'm feeling sleepy" Vansh made an excuse, "Lets go home.''

He started walking towards their home, followed by Riddhima .

Have they started  falling for each other?

To be continued.........

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