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(I realised target set karna bekar hai. Ab toh taras kha ke hi votes, comments kar do at least 🥲)
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"Papa!" Said Shehnaz in a scared tone, entering the ward as she saw her father, Santokh Ji lying on the hospital bed. Pammi Ji, who was standing near her husband, went to Shehnaaz, she was also scared like her.

"Puttar accha hua tu aa gayi. Main toh bohut pareshan ho gayi thi." Said Pammi Ji making crying face.

"Mummy, kya hua hai Papa ko?" Asked Shehnaaz being more worried.

"Arrey.... kuch nahi hua..." Said Santokh Ji while trying to sit up.

"Uncle aram se!" Said Sidharth and immediately went to Santokh Ji, helping him to sit.

"Teri Mummy ko toh jaanti hi hai. Har chiz ko badha chadha ke bolne ki adat hai." He paused, taking deep breath and then said, "Main bilkool thik hoon, kuch nahi hua mujhe."

"Aap mat hi boliye, bilkool thik nahi hai aap... Mummy aap bolo na, doctor ne kya kaha?" Said Shehnaaz turning to Pammi Ji.

"Doctor ne kaha ki blood pressure bohut high hai, iss hi liye aise senseless ho gaye the. Sayad stress ki wajah se aisa hua hai."

"Dekha kitni chhoti si baat hai? Tum bhi na Pammi, khamkha bacchi ko dara diya."

"Arrey par main toh....."

Before Pammi Ji could say anything, Shehnaaz went to her father saying, "Papa aap kyu itna stress lete ho? Doctor ne pehle bhi maana kiya hai na aap ko? Na aap medicines thik se lete ho, kya karu main aap ka?"

Shehnaz sat near Santokh Ji making a sad pout to which he chuckled and caressed her head.

"Waise Uncle aap ko apna khayal rakhna chahiye. Jab Pammi Aunty ka call aaya tha, Shehnaaz sach mein bohut darr gayi thi." Said Sidharth making Santokh Ji smile.

"Pata hai, dono Maa Beti kuch zyada hi fikar karti hai meri. Par beta tum toh samajhdar ho. Inko zara samjhao ki zyada kuch nahi hua hai. Itne zaldi marr nahi raha main......"

"Papa!" Shouted Shehnaaz and immediately hugged Santokh Ji out of fear while Pammi Ji looked at him with disbelief, not liking the words he just said.

Sidharth smiled seeing their family moment, when suddenly his phone rang and he went to talk outside.

After sometime, he came back when Pammi Ji asked, "Kiska call tha beta?"

"Woh Mom ka call tha. Maine unko baataya, woh puch rahi thi Uncle kaise hai. Woh yaaha aana bhi chah rahi thi, then maine kaha ki Uncle abhi thik hai." Replied Sidharth to which Pammi Ji nodded.

After that she saw the time and said, "Waise bohut raat ho chuki hai. Kaal subah se pehle discharge nahi milegi isliye humein idhar hi rukna padega. Tum abhi ghar chale jaao, Rita pareshan ho rahi hogi. Shehnaaz tu bhi chali jaa na ghar?"

Shehnaaz nodded in no saying, "Nahi main Papa ke saath rukungi."

Santokh Ji sighed hearing that, looking at her daughter who was still sad and scared.

"Ok then, main chalta hoon. Koi zaroorat padhe toh call kar lena. Bye..."

Santokh Ji and Pammi Ji smiled at him to which he also smiled and then left from the ward. Shehnaaz suddenly thought something and went behind Sidharth.

"Sidharth...." She said coming out of the ward to which he turned back.

"Thank you." She spoke, her words barely above a whisper, as she walked towards him.

"For what?" Asked Sidharth.

"Jab Mummy ka call aaya tha, aur phir jab Papa ko hospital bed mein dekha, I was very scared. I'm glad you were there, warna sayad main khud ko sambhal nahi paati. It was a big support so... Thank you..."

As Shehnaaz expressed her gratitude, her eyes sparkled with tears, Sidharth felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at Shehnaaz. He could see the fear and vulnerability in her eyes, and his expression softened.

Without saying a word, Sidharth gently lifted his hand and cupped her face. He looked into her eyes, and then, with a soft smile, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. The kiss was gentle and reassuring, a gesture of comfort and support.

Shehnaaz's eyes closed, and she felt a wave of calm wash over her. She savored the moment, feeling a deep connection to Sidharth.

As Sidharth pulled back, he looked at Shehnaaz with concern. "Take care, okay?" he said softly.

Shehnaaz nodded, still feeling the warmth of his kiss on her forehead. "You too," she whispered.

Sidharth smiled and turned to leave. As he walked away, Shehnaaz watched him go, with a soft smile lingered on her face.

At Night...

Shehnaaz was still with her father, feeding him with a spoon.

"Bas hogaya aur nahi." He said stopping her.

"Papa main already bohut gussa hoon, aap mujhe aur gussa mat dilao. Pura khatam karna hai aap ko." She said sternly leaving no option in front of Santokh Ji.

"Bilkool meri Mummy ki tarah khayal rakhti hai tu mera. Itni adat mat laga, jab tu America chali jayegi toh mujhe hi pareshani hogi." Said Santokh Ji laughing making Shehnaaz pause and look at him with disbelief.

"Aap ko... kaise pata..."

"Woh tu ghar se nikalte waqt laptop khula chhor ke hi chali gayi thi. Main band karne gayi tab tera scholarship letter mila. Sach sach bol, humein surprise dene wali thi na tu?" Said Pammi Ji with a huge smile while Shehnaaz couldn't understand what to say.

"Tujhe pata hai, teri Mummy ne hospital aane ke baad yeh news diyi. Pehle de deti toh sayad khushi ke maare saara work stress chala jaata."

"Meri kya galti hai? Main toh meri bacchi ka surprise kharab nahi karna chahti thi, isliye pehle nahi baataya."

"Jo bhi ho, I'm proud of you." Said Santokh Ji taking Shehnaaz's hand. "Mujhe toh ab bas teri tarakki dekhni hai. Tu America jaa ke PhD karegi, researches karegi, itni successful banegi ki main bhi sabke saamne..... Woh kya bolte ho tum log aaj kaal..... Haan, flex kar saku. Abhi itne saare sapne hai mere apni beti ko leke, uss se pehle mujhe kuch nahi ho raha."

Shehnaaz's eyes became teary hearing her father's words. Till now she was thinking that she would tell her parents about her dreams but now they seemed very small in front of her parents' dreams.

"Sahi kaha aap ne. Aur phir iski shaadi bhi toh...."

Before Pammi Ji could complete, Shehnaaz and her father gave her a disappointed look to which she bit her tongue.

"Sorry, sorry... Off-topic hogaya na?" She said making them laugh.

"I love you Papa." Said Shehnaz hugging her father from the side.

"Love you too my princess." Said Santokh Ji patting her head.

Meanwhile a lone tear escaped her eyes as she knew that now she had to make the toughest decision of her life.

On the other hand, Sidharth returned home while his mind was full of Shehnaaz's thoughts. He knew that she was very sensitive and could feel what she was going through at this moment. Though her father was now all right but he couldn't stop worrying about her.

Lying on the bed, Sidharth took his phone and opened the call log.

"Ek baar call kar ke puch lu sab thik hai yaa nahi?" Asked Sidharth to himself and was about to call Shehnaaz.

But the next moment he stopped thinking, "Nahi, abhi sayad Uncle ke saath hogi, call karna sahi nahi rahega. Free hogi tu khud hi call kar legi.... Ek text chhor deta hoon."

He then texted Shehnaaz asking about her father's health and everything was okay or not.

"I hope Uncle ki tabiyat zald se zald thik ho jaaye. Shehnaaz ko jab pareshan dekhta hoon toh accha nahi lagta. Woh hasti khelti hi zyada pyaari lagti hai."

He sighed smiling and touched the phone on his forehead, while continuing to think about her.

Few days later...

Shehnaaz walked into the jamming spot, a mix of emotions swirling inside her. Veer and Krish looked up from their instruments, their faces etched with concern and disappointment.

"Shehnaaz, yeh sach hai kya? Tum sach mein jaa rahi ho?" Veer asked, his voice laced with sadness.

Shehnaaz nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, main PhD karne America jaa rahi hoon. I'm here for... A few weeks."

Krish's eyes widened. "A few weeks? That's so soon!"

Shehnaaz smiled wistfully. "I know. Lekin mujhe jaana hi hoga. Ek toh itni badi opportunity hai aur upar se.... Mere paas koi aur option nahi hai."

Veer and Krish exchanged a glance, then turned back to Shehnaaz, their faces pleading. "Mat jaao na Shehnaaz. We need you. Abhi toh humein contract mila hai, humein kitna kuch karna hai, saath mein Rocking Rebels ko India ka top band bana na hai. Tumhare bina yeh sab kaise hoga?"

Shehnaaz's heart ached as she looked at her friends. She knew how much they valued her presence in the band, but she couldn't stay. Not when her parents have different expectations from her.

She smiled and said, "Ab tumhe T series ka contract mil gaya hai, koi bhi acchi singer tumhare saath perform karne ke liye ready ho jaayegi. Aur main toh iss band mein temporary thi, sirf ek concert ke liye aayi thi. Ab tum log mujhse better singer dhundo jo actually rock music background se ho aur tumhare band mein fit aa sake. Dekhna, you guys will rock together."

Veer and Krish sighed and said nodding, "But we will miss you."

"Main bhi tum logo ko bohut miss karungi." Said Shehnaaz side-hugging Veer and Krish.

Sidharth, who had been quietly observing the scene, remained silent, his expression unreadable. But beneath his calm exterior, a storm was brewing. He was fighting to keep his emotions in check, to not let his inner turmoil spill out.

As he watched Shehnaaz interact with Veer and Krish, he felt a pang of sadness, of loss. He had grown accustomed to having her around, to seeing her bright smile and sparkling eyes. The thought of her leaving, of being thousands of miles away, was almost too much to bear.

Sidharth's eyes locked onto Shehnaaz's face, his gaze burning with intensity. He wanted to tell her how he felt, to ask her to stay, but he knew he couldn't. He was the worst when it comes to expressing his feelings.

"By the way you can reconsider your decision. We are really not ready to let our amazing band member go." Said Krish making puppy eyes to which Shehnaaz chuckled.

But before she could reply, Sidharth's voice interrupted them.

"Enough of the drama guys. Itna bhi kya dukhi hona? Tumhare utre hue shakal dekh ke, aur baar baar request karne se woh ruk toh nahi jaayegi. She will go ultimately. Aur na hi uske jaane se humara band barbaad ho jayega. Shehnaaz is right. T series ka contract hai, humein female lead singer yun mil jayegi. Shehnaaz ko toh humne temporary hi rakha tha. Now it's her time to go, acche se bye bolo and let her go. Bekar mein faltu ka drama kar rahe ho." He said making annoyed face, trying to avoid eye-contact with Shehnaaz.

Shehnaaz felt a pang in her heart as Sidharth's words cut through her. She knew he was trying to hide his true feelings, but she could sense the pain and frustration beneath his harsh tone.

"Sidharth aise kyu bol raha hai? Hum sab ek family jaise ban chuke hai. Of course we will miss her, it's natural." Said Krish.

Veer nodded and said, "Aur aisa toh nahi hai ki tujhe bohut khushi ho rahi hai Shehnaaz ke jaane se. Bura toh tujhe bhi lag raha hai, miss toh tu bhi usse karega."

Sidharth rolled his eyes and said, "Main tum dono ki tarah nahi hoon. I believe ki jo ho raha hai usse hone do and move on. It's not like we can change someone's decision. Anyway, just keep me out of this. I don't want to be a part of this drama. Tum logo ka ho jaaye toh baata dena." He turned to leave, but Shehnaaz quickly followed him.

"Kabhi kabhi isko bhi pata nahi kya ho jaata hai. Chal dekhte hai." Said Krish but Veer stopped him keeping hand on his shoulder.

"Unn dono ko kuch der akele baat karne dete hai. I know it's hard for both of them." Said Veer understanding the situation while Krish also got it and nodded.

As Shehnaaz caught up to Sidharth outside, she saw him standing by his bike, his back to her.

"Sidharth, wait!" she called out, but he didn't stop.

Shehnaaz's voice was soft and concerned as she said, "Sidharth, humein baat karni chahiye."

Sidharth didn't turn around, but his shoulders tensed, and his voice was low and rough. "Sayad main andar bohut rude sound kar raha tha. But I'm just telling the truth, Shehnaaz. You're leaving, and we need to move on. No use getting sentimental about it."

Shehnaaz felt a lump form in her throat as she realized that Sidharth was trying to push her away. She took a step closer to him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Sidharth, please..." she whispered, "Ek baar meri baat sun lo. Tumhe toh paata hai uss din Papa ki halat kya hui thi. Phir unki baatein sun kar.... Main unko nahi baata paayi ki mujhe singing mein apna career bana na hai. I don't want to disappoint him."

Sidharth finally looked at her and said, "Great! Sirf iss wajah se tum apne dreams ko sacrifice karne ke liye ready ho? Kuch din pehle hi keh rahi thi na, ki tumhe iss hi mein khushi milti hai, tumhe classical music mein aur explore karna hai.... Abhi kya hua unn sab baaton ka? Haan? Now you don't want to even fight for your dreams, just to become a perfect daughter in your parents' eyes."

Shehnaaz looked down and said controlling her emotions, "Main aisi hi hoon Sidharth. Bachpan se kabhi main apne Mummy Papa ke marzi ke khilaaf nahi gayi. Humesha woh hi kiya jo woh chahte hai, humesha unke expectations ko pura karne ki koshish kiyi. Aur abhi bhi woh hi karungi, taa ki Papa ko koi takleef na pohuche, unhe stress na ho. I want to fulfill his dreams. Aur main perfect hoon yaa nahi, yeh main nahi jaanti. Bas itna jaanti hoon ki mere liye, mere parents hi meri priority hai."

"Woh hi toh problem hai ki sab tumhari priority hai siwaye me......"

Shehnaaz immediately looked at Sidharth who suddenly stopped and after a long pause, "Anyway, I never asked any explanation. It's your life and your decision. I can only wish you best of luck for your future. Baki tum kuch bhi karo, mujhe koi fark nahi padta. Waise bhi tum iss band mein suru se nahi ho, bich mein aayi thi kuch dino ke liye, it was decided ki ekdin tum jaaogi. Ab bas phir se ek replacement dhund na hoga, that's it. Besides that, nothing else matter."

Shehnaaz took a deep breath as his words hurt her deeply.

"Sun kar accha laga ki tumhe koi fark nahi padta, padna bhi nahi chahiye. At this moment, your focus should be only on your career. Haan agar mere jaane se pehle ek baar..... Rehne do, main bhi kya hi soch rahi hoon..... I just wish tum meri situation ko samajh paate. Yeh decision lena mere liye easy nahi tha. Tumhe fark padta ho ya na ho par mujhe padta hai, aur humesha padega."

As Shehnaaz walked away, she felt a searing pain in her heart. His words had cut her deep. She thought they shared a connection, the way he cared for her, the way he always stood for her, she thought that he would understand her too. But now it seemed like he didn't even want to try to understand her.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she felt a wave of hurt and sadness wash over her. She turned and walked away, her feet carrying her towards the road, but her heart was still with Sidharth.

Sidharth, on the other hand, stood frozen, watching Shehnaaz walk away. He felt a pang in his chest, a heavy feeling that he couldn't shake off. He knew that he was going to miss her terribly. He was going to miss her bright smile, her infectious laughter, and her sparkling eyes. But he failed to express it in words.

As Sidharth watched her leaving, his heart broke. He had tried to convince himself that he was fine, that Shehnaaz's absence wouldn't affect him. But the truth was far from it. With every step she took away from him, his heart felt heavier, as if it was being pulled down by an invisible force.

He realized that his words had been a desperate attempt to shield himself from the pain of losing her. But it was a futile effort, for he couldn't deny the truth any longer. Shehnaaz was one of the few people who had managed to breach the walls he had built around his heart. She had slipped into his life, quietly and unobtrusively, and had become an integral part of it.

And now, as she disappeared from his sight, he was consumed by a sense of loss, of longing, of desperation. He wanted to run after her, to hold her back, to tell her how he truly felt, confess to her that he loved her.

And then, like a ton of bricks, it hit him - he loved her. He loved Shehnaaz with all his heart and soul. He loved her quirks and her flaws, her strengths and her weaknesses. He loved her for who she was, and he couldn't imagine living without her.

Teardrops fell from his eyes as he kept standing there, feeling empty and alone.
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