Next chap after

100  votes

Within 24 to 48 hours....

Avu: What if i say... I am Neet.....

Siddharth felt his breath stopped at the moment he heard those words. He was sure he didn't mentioned about Neet with anyone except for Abhi and  Jannat.

Then how that person knows about the name? What if she is actually????

Sid: W..what.....he mumbled, eyes widened while his mouth hung opened.

Avneet softly chuckled on the sight
and closed her eyes for a brief moment.

Avu: You remember her.....she asked and Sid just watched her with same
expressions.

When Avneet recieved same silence
she opened her eyes and looked directly in the eyes of Siddharth. She could easily see the confusion, surprise and even fear in those beautiful orbs.

Avu: Do you remember about Neet....
she again asked a bit more loud as
she walked near to him. Siddharth
wanted to move back but his body
again betrayed him.. as he felt himself
frozen on the spot.

Avneet softly brushed her fingers
over Siddharth's cheeks and slowly..
very slowly... her hands made it's way to his ear.

Siddharth's  breath hitched when
Avneet slightly caressed the ear
shell of him... so gently... so carefully.
Touch felt so so.. so much familiar. But this time he couldn't close his eyes but directly looked in those black ones....staring deeper into his soul.

Avu: Do you.....she again asked and
this time her voice was like a whisper..

Siddharth found himself nodding
under the intense gaze of her.. he
heard another chuckle from her as
she nodded her head... retreating her
hands from his ear.

Sid: H...how.....he let out the words like a mewl.. because of a little
disappointment due to loss of soothing touch.

Avu:Wanna listen that story...she
said while walking towards the couch
after locking the door.,. though no one
was about to enter.. not without her
permission.. but still she did so.

Siddharth was feeling now more than
nervous but he wanted to know the
truth... the words that he heard before
made him more anxious.

Sid: Yes.....he replied and saw her
nodding her head again.

Avneet gestured him to sit on the
couch but Sid remained rooted
on the spot... too much involved in his
own thoughts to do anything.

When she saw that he wasn't
planning to move, she decided to take
control. She walked towards him again and gently grabbed his wrist... almost dragging him to the couch.. she made him sit on it.

Siddharth wanted to say something but shut his mouth when Avneet settled herself in front of him...kneeling down on her knees... eyes directly piercing through his soul.

Avu: As i told you before. it's a bit long
story.....she reasoned for her
previous action.

Sid: Please..tell me.... You have no idea, how much it matters to me. And one more thing. please.. please.. dont
play with my feelings. i just want to
hear the truth......he said with his
tired voice and how much Avneet
wanted to hug him right there... but she controlled herself from doing anything further before the fragile soul feel hurt by her any action.

Avu: Believe me.. i am gonna tell you each and every words.. true. Coz, it's also such an important matter for me....she replied and sid just
slowly nodded.. showing a bit of faith
in her.

Avneet took this as a cue and heaved
out a sigh before starting..

FLASHBACK

Ten years old girl was wandering on
the streets after seeing her own house
locked. She was afraid of the monsters
she just saw a day ago. She was too
afraid to even talk to anyone about that.

She just walked and walked till it was
getting evening. She saw a park and with her tired legs, she entered the park. The park was kind of full with many kids and their parents. She tried to cover her face and walked to a side and sat on an empty bench.

The area was kind of empty. maybe
because of an old tree that looks kinda
creepy. Once she was settled on the
bench, she felt the pain rising in her body.

Her feet pulsating in pain while stomach growling with hunger pang.

She had nothing... nothing at all. She was wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans.. not enough to make her warm in the cold night.....that was ready to show up. She missed her parents and their last painful voices. Tears stated to fell on her cheeks as she cried in silence... too afraid to let out a loud whimper of pain she was feeling at the moment.

She hid her face in her knees as she
brought her legs up on the bench, in
order to give her body a little warmth.
She continued to cry on her fate when she felt someone patting her shoulder gently.

First she thought of to just run away
without showing her face but she finally looked up when she heard a soft and gentle voice of a child.

Boy: Hellow......The boy said in his soft voice when she peeked through her arms.

Boy: Oh. are you ok....A small boy asked in worried tone when he saw red eyes of her.....

The girl didn't replied and hid her face
again. But the boy cutely scrunched his
nose in response.

Boy:Are you crying... Oh definitely you
are..i am so dumb......she heard the boy
mumbling to himself

Boy:Oh....did you lost your mother? Where was she before? I can help you....he said and she felt a pang in her chest.

She did lost her mother...but no one can find her again. The thought caused her to cry more... her shoulders started to shake as she cried harder.

Boy: Oh..no...please....please don't cry. We will find her. I lost mine... but i will help you to find yours.....he said and the words hit her harder.. she quickly
whipped her head up and saw the
boy.. fidgeting with his fingers... eyes
kinda glistening in dying sun.

She wiped her tears and saw the boy... a boy around the age of 7-8. Big brown
beautiful orbs....big lashes...soft and pale cheeks.. perfect nose.. and slightly tan skin.

Girl: Where you lost yours....she asked
from the boy who was still playing with his fingers.

Boy:She... she died when i came in this
world....she left me even before seeing
my face....he said with his shaky
voice... like he was ready to cry.

The girl felt bad for him.. or some
reasons she felt herself  lucky to have the love of her mother for years... unlike the boy.

Boy: Where you lost her...its is going to be dark... we need to find her before that...he chirped after jerking his head like he was trying to forget his pain to lessen the pain of other.

The girl blinked her eyes as she felt her
eyes started to stung again.

Girl:She also died.. both of them... i..i am alone... they...they left me....she
broke down infront of a stranger boy
who gasped in shock.

Boy: B..both.....he asked with his shaky
voice as she nodded... wiping
her unstoppable stream of tears. She
was caught off guard when two arms
engulfed her body in a warm embrace.

She felt her shirt getting wet on her
shoulder where the boy was sobbing. His hands gently running soothing circles Over her back to calm her.... though it was now the boy who was shaking while sobbing.

The girl was surprised by the action
but she found herself drowning in
the moment. She was in need of this..
in need of someone. But strangely
she found that someone in form of a
stranger.

She hugged back the boy and did the
same... patting his back to calm him.
After a minute or two, both pulled back....with red nose and red eyes.

The boy wiped away his tears and
mumbled a sorry.

Girl: Not your fault....she replied.

Boy: Where is your home...he asked...
as both were looking at the sky...which was showing multiple colours of the evening

Girl:I have none... someone snatched
everything from me.....she said feeling the anger rising again.

Boy: W..where will you stay...he asked
with his shaky voice as his eyes now
fixed on her.

Girl: Don't know.....

Boy: Can you come with me? My house is near to this park.....he said with
excitement.

Girl: No....your family will not like that..she said...though she had some
reason as well. She was sure that
someone was still behind her...she
wanted to be careful.

When she didn't got any response, she
looked back at boy..... who was again
playing with his fingers.. his lips curled
down.

Boy: Y... you are right... d..dad will be angry on Arth. he always scold me... and beat me...even when i don't do anything bad...he will be too much angry if i get you there...i..i am so sorry...he and the girl don't know how to feel on his words.. the boy
was feeling her pain.. actually... both
were feeling each other's pain.

Girl:it's ok.. i can stay here. I don't want to go anywhere else too....she replied with a small smile....just to cheer up the boy...

Boy: Where will you sleep....

Girl: Maybe on this bench..... i think there is no guard ....the boy nodded his head in agreement.

The girl felt a bit relieved with him.
they sat there... no more words spoken...like they were talking in silence. To mature in immature age.

The girl wanted to say something as
her stomach growled and she quickly
shut her mouth in embarrassment. But
she felt heartbroken when the boy quickly got up from bench and ran away. without any word.

Girl: Maybe...he was afraid of being late...she let out a sigh and tried to console her weak and pained body.

She again curled herself on the bench.
The sky was getting darker and she
wanted to sleep...too brave to forget
about the darkness.. as she had seen
the darkest thing in her life.. by her own eyes.

She sat there and closed her eyes.... as the park was almost empty now.

After a while.. she heard a pitter patter
and some rustling sound from afar and peeked again. She literally felt her heart swelled up with happiness when she saw the boy coming with a big plastic bag....kind of dragging that bag.. that seemed quite heavy

She sat on bench straight and saw
the boy smiling at her while struggling
with the bag.

Girl:What....

Boy:H..here...is.. s-...

Girl: Calm down....take deep breaths...
she said to him who compiled
as he silently settled the bag on side of
bench. Once his breath was settled.. she started.

Girl: Now....tell me. Why you came back....It's already dark....she kind of scolded the younger who showed his boxy smile in return...melting her heart.

She saw younger boy leaning over the bag and letting out another plastic bag from it...handing it over to her....

Boy: This is my favourite blanket...It is
quite warm... and here.....he pointed
towards the heart shaped characters on blankets.

Boy: Mini Arth will protect you from bad things...he said with same smile.
The girl just watched him with so
much emotions.

Boy: But....eat it first.... Kaka was
making it for me.....Dad said no more
Dal chawal for me....but he made some....it was only fresh meal for now...eat it before it gets cold....he again rambled cutely but the girl caught the words more carefully.

She felt a box on her hands and looked
down to see a box of food. She looked
back at the boy who smiled again while
giving him a spoon.

Boy:Eat it... you must be too hungry...

The girl couldn't describe that how grateful she felt... She grabbed the spoon and dug in the box.. eating first few bites a bit hastily....as she was indeed so much hungry.

Boy: Slow down big girl.....the boy giggled and put a water bottle infront of her...after opening the cap.

The girl then recalled his words... that
it's his favourite. She grabbed the spoon with food and brought it closer to boy's mouth.

Girl: You eat too... It's your favourite
after all.....

The boy smiled and took the
bite happily...careful enough not to
break other's heart.

Boy: I will eat rest at home.. you eat now.....

The girl continued to eat in silence as
younger was rummaging through the
big bag and grabbed a box.

Boy:Here are some snacks for you.... I love all these... hope you like it too...

With bright smile, he placed the box on bench....

Boy: This is the Mr. Piggy... my second pillow....Now you take it. it's soft....he said while placing a heart shaped pillow with a pink coloured piggy picture on bench

Boy: Don't catch cold please.. i will come back again.....the boy said to the her who emptied the box and handed that back to him.

She was so happy to meet the bubbly
boy....so caring.. so humble.. even in so
young age, when kids used to fight over their favourites.. and here.. this kid was giving all of his favourites to an  unknown girl....

Boy: umm... i need to go.. i don't want to....but dad will be so angry if i don't be there at home before him....he pouted sadly.

Girl: Don't be sad...I will wait for you..
it's late...You should go back.. hmm...she said with courage.

He nodded his head and got up
from bench....and turned to leave. A
street light and some lights in the park
were lighting the area...

He was about to leave but turned back
suddenly.

Boy: Oh i forgot.. M..my name is Arth.... and yours....he chirped and waited for
an reply.

She wanted to tell him the real name. but she was still afraid. She decided to tell him a nickname. yes.. it
would be fine for now.

She smiled slightly and replied.

Girl: I am Neet....
.
.
.
.
.
.
To be continued...

So guys...how was the chap...