"Hey!" Karan waved a hand before Shehnaaz, on finding her lost in thoughts. "Kidhar kho gayi?" (Where you got lost?) Questioned Karan, chuckling seeing her caught dreaming.

"Hmm... woh..." Shehnaaz was fumbling with words, not getting anything in mind.

"Sidharth ke khayalo mein..." (In Sidharth dreams...) Lyra teased, and was going to continue but she got a call and she had to excuse herself.

There was silence for a minute when Karan prompted her, "Sidharth ke bare mein kya baat karni thi?" (What you wanted to know about Sidharth?)

"Kalank... woh kaise... kalank hai uske family ke liye?" (How is he curse for his family?) Sudden question from Shehnaaz, stunned Karan. He wasn't anticipating an interrogation on that topic. Shehnaaz stared at him nervously as she wasn't knowing how Karan would take those words.

"Tum yeh kyu puch rahi ho? I mean... tumko kaise...?" (Why are you asking it? I mean... how come...?) He wasn't understanding how to put the words forward. None knew about Sidharth past other than him and his parents, how was he supposed to express it out to Shehnaaz? Would Sid's family be fine with it? Was he given the right to share it with someone?

"I knew, this would happen." Came a voice, grabbing both of their attention. "And I don't blame Sushi's nonsense talk for it." Karan got confused listening to Ritesh those words. Sushi! What she had to do with the ongoing conversation? Shehnaaz bowed her head, thinking her actions would be considered wrong. She was intending to know about Sidharth, due to her concern but maybe others would misinterpret her moves.

"I think, we need to have the conversation inside..." Ritesh eyes landed on Lyra a few yards away busy in the call. Karan turned, nodding half-heartily. He wasn't desiring to leave without informing Lyra but he was left with no option. They made their way towards the study room. The door was closed so the conversation could be just between the three of them.

"Toh... kya puchna tha tumhe?" (So, what you wanted to ask?) Ritesh stern voice was turning Shehnaaz scared, she moved her gaze to request help from Karan.

"Daro mat, uncle khud tumko sab kuch batana chahte hai. Isliye tumko yaha laye hai," Karan glanced at Ritesh for confirmation and he blinked his eyes in assurance. (Don't be afraid, uncle wants to convey the matter to you so he brought you inside.)

"Batana toh chahta hu..." (I want to convey....) Ritesh paused for a minute. "Pr agar tum meri madat karogi tab hi..." (But only if you help me in the matter...) Waiting for a response from Shehnaaz.

"Kaisi madat?" (What help?) Asked confused Shehnaaz, she was feeling anxious. Though she wanted to know about Sidharth yet she was scared, she couldn't imagine any bad happening to him. The way Ritesh and Karan were disclosing the matter was adding to her worries.

"Sid ka use Kalank mitane ki madat, Sidharth ki sari buri adaat dur karne ki madat." (Help! To remove the curse from Sid, help to pull away all the bad habits from him.)

"Mai! Mai kaise...?" (How can I?) She stared at Karan for help, but he was looking at her with a questioning look. "Woh mere se nafrat karte hai... unko mera chehra bhi nahi dekh na... phir... mai..." (He hates me.... He doesn't desire even to glance at my face, then... me...) She was stunned seeing them trusting on her to cure Sidharth. She had seen the hate and had lost hope, he would never forgive her.

"Nafrat!" (Hate!) Karan chuckled, "woh nafrat nahi... pyaar ko chupane ka ek tarika hai." (It isn't hating but a way to hide love.) He shook his head uttering those words. "Jab usko pata chala ki tum usko chod kar chali gayi, us bimari ki halat mein... woh pura Chandigarh guma. Sirf tumhe ek baar dekhne ke liye, tumhe apne se dur jaane se rokh ne ke liye. Woh tumko khona nahi chahta tha. Puri strength laga di usne pr tumko nahi paya, yeh feeling usko adhar hi adhar mar rahi thi. Usko lag raha tha, ki usmein hi koi kami hai jo har koi usse dur jana chahta hai." Karan had tears as he recollected that devasted state of Sidharth, "phir usne har mani... zindagi mein pheli bar... woh har gaya uski Zid mein... Zid tumko ek better Zindagi dene ki... Zid tumko khush dekhne ki..." Zid tumko apna bananeki... but Karan didn't voice it out loud, as he knew it would scare the shit out of her. She wasn't ready for the confession.

Jo tere na huve toh kisike na rahenge...

Shehnaaz bowed her head, knowing well that she was the reason for him losing. Due to her, he lost the battle while she won. He no longer desired to pull her out of her darkness, he no longer desires to spread a smile in her life. As his own life droving towards the path far from life, happiness. In the mission to bring her out, he had pulled himself into the scary pit.

"Mai tumko blame nahi karna chahta... tumhare khud ka bhi reason hai, tumhe lagta hai ki tum ek curse ho." Karan continued seeing Shehnaaz turning guilty. "Mai khud nahi chahta tha ki Sid tumse itna connected ho, janta tha yahi outcome hoga. Pr pata nahi kyu? Ek hope tha... mujhe yakin tha... ki tum Sid ko badal sakti ho... Tum uske purane ghav ko bhar sakti ho." Karan stopped not mentioning anything further, keeping it unfold whether she had broken his faith or not. He had witnessed those days when Sidharth was no longer that dark person, he changed without her attempting, for her... Just for her!

Hazaaron mein kisi ko taqdeer aisi...

"Woh same trust mujhe bhi hua jab maine Sid ki ankho mein woh... hint... dekha... woh pyaar..." Shehnaaz stumbled back on listening to the revelation. Pyaar? Love? Sidharth had feelings towards her! How could this be possible? She couldn't make him her friend and his love were far from her reach. She wasn't given the right to even dream about it.

"Pyaar? Nahi yeh bura hai! Yeh sahi nahi... Mujhe yaha se jana hoga... mai phir se kisi ke jan dav pr ahi laga sakti... Mujhe jana hoga..." Shehnaaz attempted to move, she grew to panic. Karan had anticipated the result as those words came from Ritesh. Karan stopped her.

"Pagal ho gayi ho kya?" (Have you gone mad?) Grabbed her through the shoulder, "tumhe samjh kyu nahi aata. Tum kisike liye marne ka reason nahi ho... tum curse nahi ho. Aisa kuch nahi hota! Yeh bus ek dhoka hai... bus ek dhoka..."

"Dhoka nahi hai yeh!" Jerking Karan's hand away, and yelling at the same volume. "Phele bhi tumko logo ne mujhe galat sabit karna chaha pr kya hua? Accident! Uski jan katre mein thi.... Sirf aur sirf meri wajah se... mai woh wapas hone nahi de sakti... mai... mai..." Shehnaaz was in tears, she couldn't even dream of letting any harm on Sidharth and the feeling of she had been the sole reason behind his pain, shattered her from inside.

Those flashes haunted her at night, a scene of Sidharth in bed with the attached machine. Stabbed her heart every time. She couldn't let the history repeat, it would destroy her. Break her beyond repair. With those words, she was on the verge to open the door but Ritesh words halted her.

"Jan bachana chahti ho... pr tumhara dur jana uski zindagi karab kar dega uska kya?" Shehnaaz turned listening to those words, allowing him to continue. "Meri wife tumhare against hai, usko lagta hai ki tum Sid ki zindagi barbad kar dogi. Mujhe bhi same laga tha, jab Karan ne bataya tum wahi ladki ho... woh random village girl. Sach bolu toh nafrat si ho gayi thi tumse... hmm... pr tumhari baato ko Sid pr itne affect hote dekh mera view change hogaya. Itna toh janta hu ki mera ladka itna toh smart hai ki kisi aari- gari ko itni value na de... agar he has a feeling towards you, toh reason hoga. Tum mein uska dil chu jane ka hunar hoga..."

"Mujhe tumko batane ki zarurat nahi pr tumne uski halat dekhi hai... us room ki halat dekhi hai... kya phir bhi tumko lagta hai tumhara yaha se jana will be of any use? Kya tumhara yeh fasla Sid, ki life aur destroy nahi kar dega?" He stared at Shehnaaz, though she hadn't opened her mouth he got her answer through her moist eyes. She wasn't intending to move out from Sidharth life, not on the cost of shattering him.

Shehnaaz was in a dilemma, she couldn't move towards Sidharth nor away from him. She was left with only one option to stand at the place she was and provide with the help needed to cure Sidharth. Also assuring that her action won't motivate Sidharth to grow any feeling towards her. She knew, her stay in his life was only for few days and after it, she would walk away. And for that reason, she wasn't intending to let him develop any feelings towards her. Hate was far better than love!

"So, kya tum humara sath dogi?" Inquired Karan, eyes pleading Shehnaaz. She gave a slight nod, causing him to grin wide.

"It all started from the decision of shifting to London, Sidharth ko apne dada se bada pyaar tha. Woh dada se alag nahi hona chahta tha, but Sumitra janti thi ki mere career ki yeh buhot badi opportunity hai. Shayad uski hi wajah aaj mai isse position pr pahucha hu... But Sid mere se aloof hogaya, uska mana tha ki meri wajah se he was pulled away from his dada. Wakt ke sath as he grew up uski mere friend ki daughter Rihanna se buhot achi dosti ho gayi, hume bhi laga woh London ke surrounding mein adapt hogaya hai. But uske baad bhi humari relation normal kabhi bhi nahi huvi, but uski bonding Sumitra se achi thi toh I had no worries. Sumitra se I got to know about his life, pr one drastic event aur sab kuch badal gaya... Meri friend ki death ho gayi aur phir uski daughter ki custardy uski wife ko mil gayi. Rihanna Sid ki life se alag ho gayi as uski mom nahi chahti thi, ki Rihanna have any contact with her past life."

"Sidharth was attempting ways to reach her, woh bachpan se hi ziddi tha. Apne man ki chah ke liye sari hade par karne wala... he even reached her school, usse milne ke liye. Ex Mrs Patel got furious aur usne Sidharth ke against case file ki... I was big name in U.S in those days. My son behind bars got in media, and I should blame myself as well kyuki us news ne meko itna gussa dilaya ki without giving it a second thought bailing him, I gave him flight ticket to walk to India, near his dada. I felt ki woh hi Sid ko sudar sakte the..." Ritesh voice was filled with regret, Shehnaaz could sense it in his voice.

"Sidharth ko uske dad dominating lagne lage..." Karan continued it for Ritesh, as he had heard from Sidharth about his view on the matter. "India aane ke baad, uski friendship mere se huvi... Usne khudko buhot galat logo se connected kar diya tha... Cigarettes... Alcohol... Party... Bars... Wahi thi uski zindagi... Our encounter happened in an unusual way," Karan chuckled remembering it.

***

"Lyra, it's already nine... Baby might have slept by now." Karan spoke, glancing at worried Lyra.

"Yeah, but she should have called me once."

"Don't forget her mother is along with her," Lyra shook her head listening to Karan's statement. Lyra had forgotten that she wasn't the baby's mom but her aunt. "Please now, enjoy the ride!" Karan after a lot of persistence had brought her along with him to the ride.

As Karan's eyes landed on the road before him, he pressed the brake in haste. And redirected the steering wheel, "Lyra hold on tight!" He screamed knowing that they were going to bang on the nearby tree. "What the!" Holding to the steering tight, he somehow managed to save the car and them as well.

He directed his eyes towards Lyra, she was staring at him with a mixture of furious and scared eyes. "How could the man act so irresponsible..." She whispered in horror rubbing her elbow. Turning infuriated, Karan walked out of the car.

He made his way directly towards the person, he was stumbling though trying to maintain his posture on glimpsing Karan walking towards him. "Hello! What the hell..." Before he could utter anything the smell of alcohol filled Karan senses. "Man! You have dipped in alcohol," that made the guy chuckle louder.

"Alcohol! Isn't it sweetest..."

"You were on the verge of dying? Do you even aware of it? And would have also landed us in grave..." Rolling his eyes at least interested guy. Karan shook his head, understanding it was useless as the person wasn't in his senses. He was on the verge to move back towards the car when a name mentioned by him grabbed his attention.

"Rihanna..." He whispered, Karan stopped in his track. He turned, "Rihanna... I hate you girl!" He shouted on top of his lungs, Karan kept staring at him.

"Rihanna?" Getting interested in the drunk person.

"Rihanna that foolish girl! I hate her man! She was so selfish, she left me alone." His eyes were conveying the pain, and Karan could connect with him. "Why it pains, man?" Directing his hand towards the heart, Karan no longer had the disgusting feeling towards him.

"Who is Rihanna...?" Whispered Karan.

***

Shehnaaz was staring with the same questioning eyes. "Rihanna... my sister." Mumbled Karan, "jab Sid ne uska nam liya I thought woh meri Rihanna ki baat kar raha tha but uski life mein bhi ek Rihanna thi. Aur Rihanna hi humari dosti ki wajh bani." Karan had a huge smile, Shehnaaz was turning curious to know more about the past.

"Aur Rihanna, Sidharth ki bachpan ki dost hai." Making it clear to Shehnaaz, she nodded understanding the matter.

"Pr woh Rihanna se nafrat kyu karne laga?"

"Kyuki woh usko bhul nahi paya, jaise aaj woh tumse nafrat karta hai." Completed Ritesh, expressing and making Shehnaaz understand why her help was necessary? Shehnaaz stared at them with her innocent eyes, "kya tum Sid ko help karogi? Mujhe apna beta wapas la dogi?" Shehnaaz wasn't aware of her own capabilities. The effect she had on Sidharth. She was unsure whether she could fulfil the expectation they had in her. Deep down she felt sad about knowing Rihanna, she had someplace in his heart for her. But why it made her sad?

____

AN: IGNORE SPELLING MISTAKES IN HINDI... I AM NOT GOOD IN IT.

Thanks for reading...

Would you like a confession scene in Hindi or English? I would suggest English because maybe I would be able to express it well in English.