"No"

His heart broke at that very instant. He was numb to react.

She kept chanting "no" Vigorously shaking her head.

Looking at her, Mahir thought it was not a good idea to confess like that. He hurried in telling her.

She looks disturbed. Why did I think to say something like that? Why did I forget I have feelings for her she doesn't feel the same? I should have let her talk. I have complicated our friendship now. She won't want to be friends with me.

"Bela, it's... F... F... Fine, you don't need... "

"No. We are no match. No standard. No class " Her body was shaking and her face was painted with uncontrollable tears.

"What?" Mahir moved closer to her. When she slid aside, away from him.

"No... No... You go" She closed her eyes with her palm.

"Bela, please sit down. You don't look fine. " Mahir picked up the glass of water to give but she again jerked away.

"Okay fine. You want me to leave. I am leaving but please sit down and have a glass of water. Here" He kept the glass on her table and turned to leave.

"If you feel like talking please do call me. I will be waiting for your call" He whispered enough loud to be heard by her.

Taking a last glance at her, he finally left.

Bela slumped down on her office chair. She screamed her lungs out. She banged her head on the table tired, crying her heart out. She felt helpless, she didn't know what to do? For the first time she was dealing with such intense emotions, her brain didn't know how to tackle it.

She slowly bought her knees closer to her chest, she hid her face in her knees.

Why I had to fall for him?

She cried harder and harder.

Her cabin door again opened, she looked at the intruder, it was her mother with Gracious.

They froze on their spot looking at her red face with tears dripping her eyes.

Bela's mother quickly ran to her, keeping Gracious on the table who looked equally tense.

Bela stood up wiping her tears, "I am fine Mumma" But as soon as she embraced Bela in her arms, she broke down completely hiding her face in her shoulder.

"Bela, Calm down baccha. " Her Mother was softly stroking her hair with glistening eyes.

She was too worried about not finding her home even after two days. Even Gracious was not properly eating not having Bela near her for more than 48 hours. That's another thing she would have spoiled Bela's hair and dress, fighting with her on who would get fed by Mumma first.

Not having any other option left, Bela's mother finally decided to visit her in her office but when she reached there, she found Mahir leaving with a sad face and misty eyes. Bela's mother tried to call him but he looked lost. Gracious and she shared a look of confusion and went inside to see Bela in worse condition.

Minutes later, when Bela stopped crying, her mother finally asked "what happened Bela? " Setting her baby hair behind her ear. It pained her to see her puffy eyes. She was her piece of heart and even in her wildest dreams she didn't want to see her like that.

"Nothing" She said turning her face away.

"Lying from mother? You know I will get to know sooner or later" She dragged Bela closer and kissed her forehead. She made Bela sit on her chair and dragged another chair near hers and sat on it.

Gracious got down to Bela's chair and patted her hand with her tail, encouraging her to speak about her worries.
If it was another day, Bela would have definitely hugged Gracious but at that moment she was finding it hard to even move a finger. She blinked her tears away, trying to smile at Gracious.

Gracious again climbed up on the table letting her mother talk to Bela.

Bela's mother put Bela's hand in hers, "you want to talk? "

Bela nodded her head.

"Ridhi too came right? " Bela's mother said and Bela stiffened at the mention of her name.

"If she was here, I am sure she wouldn't have said something good. She is capable of burning the whole house with her extra sweet tongue" Bela's mother recalled an employee saying that Ridhi came out of Bela's cabin with a wicked smile on her face.
No matter how close relatives they were, she would not let anyone harm her precious daughter.

Breathing heavily, Bela started narrating what Ridhi said in her croaked voice.

A few minutes later, Bela's phone buzzed beside Gracious. Earlier Bela taught Gracious to pick up calls if her mother was busy. She knew to pick up calls, she quickly slide to answer.

"She... S... Said he would leave me once he uses me... He would dump me like his clothes as he is a Richie rich and wouldn't wear same cloth again" Bela continued, controlling her tears.

The person on call cut the call immediately. Gracious looked at the screen confused. Earlier every time she received a call there was someone who spoke this time nobody spoke. She sat on the phone thinking that the black square box does not work anymore.

Bela's mother listened to her carefully and after a minute of silence, she asked "Do you love Mahir? "

Bela didn't say anything, her head hung low. She knew her mother won't be very proud listening to her deviating from her career. Moreover, Ridhi was right she was not a fan of love marriages.

"Tell me, Bela" Her mother again asked kissing Bela's hands.

Bela nodded not meeting her mother's eyes.

Bela's mother held Bela's chin and made her lookup. "Why didn't you tell me before? ".
Bela looked at her confused.

" I always liked Mahir for you" She smiled looking at Bela.

"Bela, I didn't know a single statement I said when you were a child would affect you like this. That time I was caged, all I was fed up with was if you didn't get married in your caste it will bring shame to the family. Relatives will break all the contacts with you, you will be left alone. Bela, I got married in the same caste, same family status but when my husband made my life a living hell no relative came to my rescue. Every time when he insulted me, humiliated me nobody helped me out to come out of that situation. Nobody encouraged me to leave him. All they did was to say "Make your husband happy he will be good to you."

It was you who was with me. It was you who helped me. Usually, it's parents who help children to stand on their feet but for me, it was my child who helped me to stand on my feet. Do you think relation with those so-called relatives is more important than my heart? Than my daughter?

I least care about them until you are happy. I am sorry I let that Ridhi and her mother inside our house and degrade you. I love my brother and didn't want to have a sour relationship with him. But now if they say a word against you, I am going to teach that mother-daughter duo a good lesson"

She caressed Bela's head. Bela's chest puffed with love. Bela looked at her like an innocent child sinking down all the words into her.

I should have talked to my mother. Why did I assume everything on my own? why did I even think that Mumma would prioritize her dislike for love marriage above me? how can I forget if I love her then she also loves me?

"I never wanted you to have a loveless life like me. If you both love each other and accept each other with all your flaws, if you both promise to be with each other in hard times, care for each other, and love each other then you both have my blessings.
If God has made your pair irrespective of caste, standard, and class, then who I am to be a hurdle in it? And anyway I don't want you to tell my Granddaughter that"your Grandmother created hurdles in our marriage ". She will hate me for spoiling her parent's love story. No... No, I can't take that " she made a horrified face making Bela chuckle.

Finally, the most awaited smile, Bela's mother kissed Bela's forehead smiling.

Seeing them both smiling, even Gracious squealed in happiness. she jumped on Bela, hugging her through her stomach.
Bela hugged her back, she was at peace. She breathed in relief. Instead of burning with unmanageable emotions, she should have talked to her Mother. How did she forget that Mother is a natural healer?

"I love you" Bela said kissing her mother's cheek.

Gracious let out a Grumpy noise. Glaring at Bela.

Bela chuckled at her before saying, "I love you too".

" Now talk to your beloved Mahir. My poor child left with a sad face"
Bela blushed hearing "beloved Mahir ".

She recalled the meet with him and realized that she had actually messed up. He was so concerned about her and she broke his heart. He was definitely hurt. She needed to talk to him.

He said he would wait for her call, she quickly picked her phone and called him but his phone was switched off.

She called her teammate to ask if Mahir was home, her teammate denied it.

Bela was about to cut the call when her teammate spoke up, " Bela, I heard something like Mahir sir going London. Andy sir and Sumi mam were talking about it with sad expressions. "

"A... Are you sure? " Bela asked worriedly?

"Yes" She heard her teammate reply.

Was it because of her? Did he hurt him this much that he was leaving the country?

She needed to converse with him at least once before he could leave.

Bela ran out of her cabin, picking up her car keys.

"Bela, where are you going? You didn't eat. " Bela's mother said.

"Later" Bela ran to her car.

***
She hurriedly reached the airport but couldn't go inside as she didn't have a ticket and boarding pass.
She requested to let her inside she would only take a few minutes but due to security reasons, she could not.

Last she heard was the flight to London taking off.

She was stunned. She was blaming herself for not listening to him once. She assumed all the things by herself. She should have at least let me say.
She should have talked to him.

She was frozen at her spot not knowing what else to do.
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Please ignore grammatical mistakes.

Many a times we forget that the people we are living with love us more than anything. They care for us like no one❤. Most of the time especially during teenage, children try to solve their issues alone, they find it hard to express their feelings to parents because they think parents won't understand. Certainly they won't but don't forget they were of same age as yours once.
They understand your feelings. And if they don't make them understand. Build that gap.

Trust me, nobody will be as proud as your loved ones when you will achieve something great in life❤. Which you will definitely do❤.

Sometimes saying "I love you " To your beloved parents and friends just like that will make them happy and you will be at peace.

Just love them till they are with you❤.

Stay beautiful ❤ Stay humble❤.

Thanks for reading ❤.