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Chapter 38: Family

After moving Swara's stuff into a room that she could rightfully claim as hers in Rathore Mansion. Janki and Ragini along with the maids helped Swara unpack and settle in comfortably.

'A new beginning. A new start. Sanskaar was right, if I had continued running away I wouldn't have faced this.' She thought to herself and blinked her eyes at Janki and Ragini, being grateful for this moment.

x

Down the corridor, few rooms away from Swara's new room, Rajveer was stood outside a door, knocking on it.

"Ayush. . ." He called out and waited for Ayush to open the door. After waiting for almost a minute, Rajveer knocked on the door again. "Ayush?"

The door opened and Ayush stood in front of him, staring at Rajveer. "Hmm?"

"What happened? Why are you locked up in your room? Why aren't you joining us?"

"I'm tired." He replied and avoided eye contact, "I did too much work at school and on top of that we played football today, so I'm really tired."

"I understand. It's okay, but at least come and say hi to your sister Swara. After that you can go to sleep and speak to her tomorrow."

"I don't wanna."

"Why?"

"It's awkward, you can't expect me to say hi. She's still a stranger to me."

"We understand you are awkward, but you rudely walked away. You didn't even smile. She might think you don't like her."

"It's true. I don't." Ayush looked at Rajveer and shrugged as he continued speaking. "How can you expect me to already like her? I don't know her personality. What if we don't get along at all?"

"What?" Rajveer found his words ridiculous and was confused, not knowing how to talk to Ayush. "You won't like her? Why won't you? She's your elder sister, so start showing some respect to her."

"I didn't say anything rude to her." Ayush argued and Rajveer sighed. "Just go to sleep. You're not making sense. You must really be tired and out of your mind."

Ayush was offended and sighed, giving up. He turned around to walk back in his room and Rajveer had a small glimpse of his TV, realising he was playing on his XBOX. Rajveer sighed and stepped inside before Ayush could close the door, having a closer look to understand.

"You said you were tired but you're playing on your XBOX!"

"So, am I not allowed to play anymore now?" Ayush argued loudly, failing to control his emotions. "Just leave me alone!" He pushed Rajveer out of the room, shocking him.

Janki, Ragini and Swara stepped out after hearing them shout. Confused to what was happening.

"How dare you push me! Did you forget I'm your father?" Rajveer scolded furiously and Ayush grit his teeth. "Don't annoy me right now, I might end up saying stuff I don't mean!" He exclaimed and slammed the door shut.

Janki, Ragini and Swara were shocked. Janki and Ragini walked there while Swara slowly followed.

"What happened Rajveer?" Janki questioned worriedly and Rajveer glanced at her, flabbergasted and upset.

"He. . . He pushed me out of the room. And did you just see how he spoke to me?"

"Why is he agitated? What happened? Tell me everything from the beginning." Janki uttered, not wanting to jump to any conclusion.

"I. . ." Rajveer started telling Janki what had happened, "...and then I saw that he was playing on his XBOX and said 'I thought you were tired' and he told me to leave him alone and pushed me out of the room. And then slammed the door."

"Why is he behaving like that?" Ragini sighed in disappointment and knocked on the door. "Open the door!"

Janki was also confused why Ayush was behaving like that. She took the bunch of key from the side of her saree and found the key, unlocking Ayush's door. After Janki unlocked it, Ragini slammed it open. Rajveer stayed rooted in his place, offended and hurt with Ayush's attitude. Swara stood next to him.

Ayush took the headset off and turned his head to the side, pausing the game after seeing Ragini and Janki walk in.

"What the heck! How did you get in?"

"Why were you so rude to Dad? What's all this attitude about huh?" Ragini angrily questioned, ready to slap Adarsh for disrespecting her father.

"Just get lost man! You're making me more angry!" Ayush argued back with Ragini, standing up and facing them.

"Ayush, what happened? Is there anything that is troubling you? Did someone say anything to you at school?" Janki calmly questioned, wanting to approach him calmly.

"No." He replied calmly, "but please just leave me alone. I don't feel well."

"If you don't feel well, does that give you the right to be an asshole? First you walked away from Swara and now you're being rude to Dad. What problem do you have? Say it clearly. Why won't you like Swara?"

"I'm, not, in, a, mood, to, answer your useless questions." He rudely remarked and Ragini grit her teeth. "You. . ."

"Ragini, wait. Calm down." Janki interrupted, "let me speak to him. You go."

"But Mom. . ."

"Go." Janki ordered sternly and Ragini rolled her eyes irritatedly, turning around and facing the other way instead of leaving the room.

"Ayush. Swara is your elder sister, you can take time knowing her. We won't force you to, but please do give her the chance to know you too."

Ayush exhaled frustratedly, "So what? What do you expect me to do? Dance in front of her? No matter what the situation is right now it doesn't change the fact that she's still a stranger to me! She wasn't here with me from birth!"

"How could she have? She didn't even know we existed!" Ragini turned back around to argue with him.

"Then what changed? How did she know we were her family? Or have you just adopted her because you felt bad she had no parents!"

"Ayush!" Rajveer shouted as loud and sternly as he could, scaring Ayush, Ragini and Janki.

Ayush dropped his controller on the bed, "why are you shouting at me? After secluding me from everything why are you shouting at me! None of you told me anything at all! You just said she was my sister and expected me to take it and move on with it! How do you expect me to be okay when you guys didn't even tell me anything at all! Every time I tried to ask what was wrong you told me nothing, every time I asked how she was my sister, what had happened, you said later! And that 'later' turned into 3 months and now! But still I'm clueless and unaware! Do I not have the right to know? Am I really a part of your newly made family? With what rights can I live in your new world when you're not even letting me in!" He lashed out and walked out of the room.

While exiting his room, his eyes met with Swara's, and he sighed, walking past her and Rajveer. Janki, Ragini and Rajveer realised that none of them actually told Ayush the truth. He was unaware of what had happened, and all that he was told was that he had another elder sister. He gave them time, waited till they were ready to tell him but none of them had the time to. Unintentionally they had forgotten about being truthful to Ayush. They used their own stressful situation to push Ayush out of the way for the time being. Janki had been focusing on Swara for the past 3 months, praying for her to come back. Ragini was busy with her own things and Rajveer was busy with his work, but despite being busy these two had Swara on their minds. Ayush felt lonely, being the only one who didn't know anything at all. When they'd have their small talks in a corner, he was always standing at a distance watching them talk about something he doesn't understand. He waited patiently, but seeing Swara and them in the hall made him feel really bad, he wasn't a part of it, he felt insecure and jealous, yet he had no ideas how to approach her. He didn't understand the situation and can you blame him? If he doesn't even know what had happened with Swara and how she was distanced from them, can you expect him to cheerfully accept her? He wanted to know, he had the right to know but he felt alone after seeing them talk to each other in the hall. He waited, as long as they were willing to take, he was still willing to wait. But seeing them as one happy family had triggered his jealousy. He wasn't jealous that Swara came, he was jealous over the fact that he was the only one unaware of everything that had happened.

Swara decided to talk to him, and rushed in the direction he had walked away in. Wanting to confront him and introduce herself to him too, before it was too late. She didn't want to delay it and then end up regretting.

After tracing his steps, she found her way towards the terrace. Taking the chance, she walked up to see if he was really there or not. While opening the door slowly, Swara stepped inside and glanced around, spotting him there. He was sat leaning against the railing and staring in space.

She mustered courage and thought to herself of ways she could talk to him while taking her steps towards him. 'I'll lie. Besides a lie that is told for a positive outcome isn't considered as a lie. But I'll be honest about my feelings.' She made her mind up and stopped in front of Ayush.

Ayush looked up at her and Swara sat down in front of him. "Why are you here?" He rudely asked, and she inhaled, "To talk to you."

"I don't wanna talk to anyone."

"You don't have to speak. Just listen to me. If I don't tell you now then I'll keep missing the timing." She replied to him and he looked at her.

"I told them not to tell you. I wanted to tell you myself." Swara uttered, "I wanted to tell you everything with my own words. Because I was scared. I was scared if you find out how weak I was, I would never be liked by you. I was scared thinking of never being accepted by you. . ." Swara's eyes genuinely moistened as soon as she started telling him. "Ragini doesn't know this either. She only knows that I had been stolen from birth by someone who hated. . . Janki Maa. He took revenge from Janki Maa by separating me from her. But, Ragini doesn't know that. . . He had taken all the resentment he had towards Janki Maa out on me. She doesn't know that he had emotionally abused me through out the years. She doesn't know that I weakly endured all his. . . Tortures. I claim to be strong but I'm not. And I was scared if you and Ragini find this out, you'd be ashamed to have me as your elder sister."

She covered her face with her hands and started to cry. Majority of what she said was true, she was scared, deep down in her heart to be rejected. Ayush blinked at her, watching her tears drop down from between her fingers, and started to feel bad. He leaned closer, sitting in front of her on his knees and pulling her into a hug. She rested her head on her 17 year old brothers chest, starting to cry.

"All. . . I. . . Ever. . . Do. . . Is. . . Cry. . . I'm sorry." She apologised and he sighed, patting her back. "I'm sorry for being rude. I was scared of being left out. I didn't want you to leave me out. I wanted to know what had happened. But if it's going to bring pain. Then I don't wanna know."

Janki, Rajveer and Ragini were stood by the door with teary eyes, watching them from far.

Swara moved away and wiped her tears, staring at him. "I never had anyone younger than me. I only lived with an elder brother so I don't know how it feels to be looked up to. I want to be someone you and Ragini could proudly call their sister, but. . ." She stopped for a while and caught her breath, "I was scared that I would be someone you probably wished you never met."

He merely blinked and Swara wiped her tears again, ready to tell him the truth, ready to share the painful memories of the past that even Janki and Rajveer were unaware of.

XX

Few hours later, Sanskaar was in his room, brushing his hair while speaking over the phone with Sheesh and Sahil.

"Wait. Does Swara know?"

"I haven't told her yet, I'll tell her later."

"Tell her now. Otherwise she'd feel upset. . ."

"She just rejected him Sheesh. I think he should tell her next week otherwise it's gonna look like Sans couldn't take the rejection and is leaving like a cry baby." Sahil remarked snd Sanskaar rolled his eyes hearing him.

"What the. . ."

"True. But still, I don't understand why she rejected you San. She clearly likes you too."

"As a friend though." Sanskaar replied to Sheesh, feeling bad but didn't wanna sound like he was upset or hurt by her decision.

"Don't feel bad. . ." Sahil consoled, "you did your best. Maybe you weren't meant to be for each other."

"Hmm."

"But you're still keeping her as a friend aren't you?" Sheesh asked and Sanskaar responded "yeah."

"Then it's fine. Keep her close, if not now then later she'll eventually accept you. Just don't stop contacting her."

"Sanskaar. . ." Sujata walked inside the room and Sanskaar turned to face her. "Okay guys I'll talk to you later." He cut the call straight after, and blinked at Sujata "yes Mom?"

"I heard from your Papa that Swara went back to Janki. Is she okay?"

"Yes." Sanskaar nodded his head too and continued speaking, "she decided not to avoid this anymore and embraced it. She decided to start a new beginning."

"That's really good to hear! I hope God grants her all the happiness she deserves."

"I wish for that too." Sanskaar remarked with a small smile over his face.

"Have you started packing for London?"

"Not now, I'm leaving in two weeks."

"Why did you decide to go? I don't want you to leave me." Sujata frowned as she expressed her feelings.

"To gain extra experience. It's only 6 months, I'll be back."

"But still, can't you gain experience here? What is the need to travel that far?"

"I. . ."

"Sujata!" Sujata turned towards the door, instantly replying "Ji?"

She looked at Sanskaar again, "your Papa is calling me. Just give me a minute." She excused herself and walked out.

Sanskaar released a small sigh, "if I don't go then I'd become a problem for Swara. She'd feel guilty towards me every time she sees me for rejecting me. I want her to live happily, even if her happiness is not with me."

XX

Rathore Mansion.

Misunderstandings had been solved between Ayush and the family. He had apologised to Rajveer for his disrespectful behaviour towards him and Rajveer had also forgiven Ayush. Ayush decided to give Swara a chance, having the urge to know her better. There was no more awkwardness between them. His wish to know Swara wasn't out of pity but out of the bond they share by blood. No matter what anyone says, Swara would always remain his elder sister.
Ayush had been comfortable with Swara's presence now, being more talkative and active, doing his best to make up for the rudeness he had shown few hours ago. He wanted to make everyone at ease. Janki and Rajveer were pleased and beyond grateful to see the bonds that were forming in front of them. Their hearts were dancing out of joy, would could be more joyous for them other than seeing all three of their children getting along without fighting or arguing. And what type of love exists without the need to tease and annoy, so Ayush had already began teasing Swara but he would tease Ragini more.

Sat on the dining table while eating, Ayush, Ragini, Swara, Janki and Rajveer chatted away as if there was no end to their new fresh beginning. They wanted Swara to leave all the bad memories from the past behind and move ahead with them, giving her all the happiness she deserved thus, Rajveer, Ragini and Janki stayed quiet about hearing their talk. Not wanting to make it uncomfortable for Swara.

To Be Continued
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