Chapter 23: "Broken Hearts"

                    
12th July 2015

                   
Sanskar feet came to standstill  at the scene before him. His Shona was crying in Nikhil's embrace . His conscience pricked at him for  always  making her cry. It was at that moment Nikhil choose to look up and see him.     

Sanskar didn't know how Nikhil concluded him guilty for Shona tears, as he walked towards Sanskar to deliver a solid punch to his jawline .  Sanskar had  expected some impulsive action from Nikhil because he would have done worse if he was in his shoes .      

The sting in his jawline where he got punched should hurt but it didn't.  Not because Nikhil punch where off the mark,  because nothing hurt him more than seeing the tears of his Shona. Compared to that everything else had no power over him .                              

"Shona, Please hear me out" was all he could whisper, as she starred at him. After being surprised by Nikhil actions. His forgiveness and his heart everything was on the line and she needed to hear the entire truth.

"Stay away from My Shona, If you want to live. I don't know who you are?  But one more step towards her. I won't hesitate to kill you, " came Nikhil's threatening voice. My Shona that stung more than his threats. And Sanskar had to look at her tear filled eyes and he knew she wouldn't listen to him today. Yet all he wanted was to be able to tell her everything.

While Sanskar was not worried about Nikhil threat,  Swara sure did worried a lot. And it was evident in her words                 

"Not today,  I will listen when I am ready. Now leave Sanskar. I don't want to hear any more, "  her voice faltered between tears , and he knew that was the end of discussion.                 

"Take care of her Nikhil and don't forget you are not a racer in this road , "  with the odd warning Sanskar  left, Not turning back to see if Nikhil held her for comfort .

Swara stood numb with her pain, Nikhil had to hold her from falling apart because she was sure her knees would give away any moment. The shock of his truth shattered her completely. She didn't say anything until she reached home. Her mom and dida knew something was wrong when they took in her appearance. Instead of barging her with questions . They hugged her offering their comfort.

Nikhil had questions though, His first one was who was he that made his Shona cry. That brought an smile. She remembered the first time she saw him. She was about seven years old and he moved in to their Street. She always wanted to ride an bicycle and no one taught her to ride one.

She kept looking at those who ride longingly and yet never asked her mom not because she couldn't afford it, but because she didn't know who will teach her to ride. And that was when she first met him. He was the first one who noticed the tiny droplets of tears that left her eyes. And he was the first one who offered to teach her to ride. That was the starting of an solid friendship between them. And Swara knew she can trust him more than anyone.

He was the protective one for her. She cried for days when she found out he is going abroad for future studies. He was two years older than her. She always imagined her life to have his presence all the time. She talked with him often but never gotten around to tell him about Sanskar. It never did come up in the conversation.

Because she never knew where she stood with him, Now she know, she was his wife for three years and yet he left her. At least her father wasn't married to her mother, he just abandoned his love not marriage vows .She always assumed if her parents were married he wouldn't have left them. But apparently even the marriage bond wasn't able to keep Sanskar from choosing to leave her .

He said he loved her even back then. But all Swara could think was how his love didn't stand the test of time, If he choose to travel back in time for his first love .

Nikhil questions were left unanswered till he lost patience. And stopped asking. She cried and cried as her heart broke with his betrayal and no one seems to be able to control her not even Nikhil.

The most dangerous of all emotion is heart break, Swara was lost in her pain. That it started to worry her family. In muffled voices, she could hear Nikhil threats to hurt Sanskar.She could hear her Maa disappointment in him and finally the unwavering trust of dida in him. Dida was the perceptive one in the family. Swara always hoped to be like her dida so she can pick the right person to love unlike her mom and yet she choose poorly like her mom in the end. It was around dinner that her family really began to lose their calm When she refused to eat again. After the ice cream she shared with Sanskar in the morning , She didn't eat anything. Her mom's gentle pleas to make her eat went unsuccessful. It was only after that. Nikhil walked inside her room and broke the remaining piece of her heart in one crush.

"Stop crying Shona, That guy doesn't deserve it. You are here crying because of him and he was smiling with some other girl , " Nikhil voice rang out, that let her know he was frustrated with her.

Some other girl , That all her mind registered. The tears stopped in the moment of shock. Nikhil handed her the phone. There it was an post on Laksh social media account , With the caption. My brother and the lovely lady that captured his interest .

The tears started falling all over again when she looked at the picture, Sanskar was standing beside an beautiful woman. And he was in the same Blue t-shirt and dark jeans. The pic was definitely taken today. He broke her heart and didn't care as he went on living . While she was left picking up the pieces of them.

She lashed out at Nikhil, For showing the picture to her and then broke into more tears. Each tears shed over him will end tonight she decided. From tomorrow she won't cry because of him she decided ,Maybe that was why she cried the whole night. When her eyes fluttered open, She saw her mom concerned face. And one look at the surroundings. She knew she was not in her home, She was in an hospital.

"You lost conscious beta. Don't ever do this to us again, I won't lose you , " her mother voice , brought her back to the reality.

And before she could assure her mom, Voices were raised outside the hospital room. His voice begging Nikhil to let him see her. And she heard Nikhil reply along with his fist, as it landed on Sanskar over and over again from the sound of it. Her Mom went to break them apart.

And though he hurt her cruelly, her traitorous heart wanted to see him. But her hopes were crushed when she heard her mother speak .

" Leave Sanskar, Haven't you done enough already. I just got my daughter back. I don't want to lose her again, " her mother's words, brought an silence. And Swara knew he will walk away ,since it is so easy for him to walk away from her

"Don't worry, I made him leave, " her mom spoke up, as she entered the room again

It has been three days since that incident. Swara was slowly getting better not just physically but while her heart is still broken it healed enough to make her aware that she was ignoring those who love her for him.

So she focused on making her family stop worrying about her , She felt bad for Nikhil who choose to spend his holidays with her , and all she did was mope and cry over her crushed heart. It was because of that Swara insisted she felt good enough to attend classes , and Nikhil agreed to drop her at college all the awhile making plans for the later part of the day .

And she realized her heart wasn't healed when her eyes landed on Laksh and Ragini, it felt like a story when Sanskar told her about Laksh's love for her, but seeing Ragini made her realise the truth in them as she gazed at Ragini whose eyes were fixated on Laksh .

It made her all the more hurt to remember him, Apparently Laksh who was not aware of her turmoil , walked towards her with a smile on his face .

Swara envied his clueless nature, He was talking with Ragini and his hands were dropped over her shoulders , it might be a friendly gesture on his part but for Ragini it might made all the difference, no wonder she believed herself to be in love with Laksh .

Yet Swara was aware the most innocent Ragini was capable of destroying her life in the future . At that time she hadn't been able to think rationally ,now she felt he was not telling her something about Ragini. She knew it by the way he refused to look at her eye back then while talking about her .

While a part of her couldn't forgive him for partying with someone else after breaking her heart , she realized she should have given him chance to explain than halt him because it was too hard to hear

Now she was torn between wanting to know everything and wanting to not listen to him anymore. He was after all completely happy with someone else

"Let go home, you are not in the mindset today, " Nikhil spoke up , as he gently tugged her hand , when he noticed how pale she looked , But Laksh voice stopped her from leaving.

"Swara. Why didn't you come to college yesterday . And will you not introduce your friend ?" Laksh spoke up , with a hint of jealousy that Swara worried he might make the same mistakes all over again .

"Someone who will break your ribs. If you come near her again, " Nikhil lashed out , as he stepped before her ,showing his side of jealousy .

"Nikhil, he is my friend. So back off. No need to take out your anger on him. And Laksh I was sick. But I am fine now, " She replied back , trying to keep her voice steady from displaying any emotion she felt over their protectiveness.

"I didn't know. You are fine now right? " Laksh asked, with concern and she barely nodded her head. By then Ragini had managed to come and stand near him. Her eyes focused on Laksh The brief glance she threw her way was filled with Jealousy. Swara knew she had to stop it in the start before she become her victim once again. And before she could greet her and let her know she had no interest in Laksh , Laksh's phone rang and he picked it up with an chuckle.

" Kavi, Stop it. I can't answer all those questions. I told you right, Bhai is fine. He must be out with my future bhabhi, " Laksh answered back , Swara's world fell at those words. She honestly didn't want to believe it. Honestly hoped it was not true. Yet here again. The reality was starting at her, He ended the call and laughed.

"Seriously Laksh, Do you gain pleasure in hurting her. She dated him for three years. No need to gloat about your bhai achievements, " Swara lashed out , for both of their sake .

" You believed it, Swara. Do you think I don't care about my best friend. I am doing this because I care, " Laksh answered back ,making her wonder what he was up to now .

" I am trying to make Kavi jealous. I am trying to get them back together , " Laksh answered, at her silence .

"What about the girl in the picture ? . What about the girl if she end up falling for your brother? What will she do when Kavita and your brother got back together? " Swara asked him, and she knew, she was no longer talking about the girl in the picture, She was talking about herself.

"Relax. That was Bhai friends wife , I cropped her husband out of the picture. So I am not breaking any hearts, But I am risking an broken jaw when Sanskar finds my tweet," He replied solemnly, Swara didn't wait but slapped him hard. 

" Next time when you try to play Cupid, First find out why your bhai broke up with her first. And you are breaking hearts Laksh. I am sure you don't even know the girl standing next to you except her name and the fact she is beautiful . But you are playing with her heart. All I suggest is for you to open up your eyes and see that. Before your impulsiveness destroy everything that good about her, " Swara lashed out , and left with Nikhil who was having an hard time understanding what he heard as well.

She needed to know the entire truth after she judged him so harshly , She decided to call him. His contact was missing in her phone. She kept searching again and again till Nikhil voice rang out.

"He kept calling you, So I blocked his number." Nikhil answered, Swara knew where he was coming from but that was not his decision. Yet she didn't say anything.

" I read his last message though, He said something about waiting till you are willing to listen. And said he will be staying in his parents house until then, " Nikhil answered her unasked question

Swara unblocked his number and called, It was switched off , She didn't know the address. So called Laksh. Who was confused by her actions yet sent her the address, Nikhil took her to the house located far from the city. Nikhil was not happy with her decision yet remained supportive. She knocked the door twice. And it went unanswered.

Just an little nudge to the door from Nikhil was all it needed for the door to break open. Swara knew Sanskar was inside because his car was parked outside. She entered the house and searched for him. Finally she opened an door and found him. At first she thought he was sleeping but each step she took towards him.

An unexplainable fear gripped her and when he refused to wake up at her voice ,she tried shaking him up but he still remained unresponsive , it was Nikhil who checked if he had pulse and told her Sanskar may have fainted. And Swara saw that his hand held his phone waiting for her to call.

With Nikhil help Swara managed to get him to hospital. The doctors word rang in her ears. He lost conscious because he seemed to haven't eaten anything for a long time , after assuring her that he will wake up soon ,the doctor left.

And even Nikhil felt bad about his actions and Swara refused to leave his side, Till he wakes up. After few hours Nikhil insisted that She should call his family. Swara dialed Laksh who assured her ,he was on his way with his family.

" Let us go now Shona, You did all you can. His family is on the way, " Nikhil gently whispered .

"I am Not leaving him, " Swara replied back , as she took in how close she come to losing him because she didn't care to listen fully . 

" He broke your heart. How many times will you get your heart broken over him ?  Why can't you see there is someone else who loves you and who will treat you much better than him? "  Nikhil's words made her speechless . His declaration of love  came at the wrong time                    

"Pick him who keeps hurting you or pick me Shona,  I am done staying on the sidelines, " Nikhil gave his ultimatum.              

  "Don't, She will always pick you over us, "  Sanskar spoke up, Swara rushed towards him as she heard his voice,  But his words halted her from moving towards him.               

" I didn't leave you Shona,  You asked me to leave You wanted me gone from your life , "  was all he said before he lost his consciousness once again. And that one sentence have finally managed to answer her question.  Yet it didn't reveal everything not by an long shot.

P.S :" That it for now, Let me know your feedback and thoughts .Hit the votes if you liked it. "

Juanita Reid