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Chapter 33: Finally Forgiven

Turning sides on the bed with her eyes closed, Janki was frustrated that she couldn't sleep peacefully. 'Why did I meet her?' She wondered, referring to Swara and opened her eyes, flapping them at Rajveer who was sleeping opposite her.

"This marriage can't happen!" She shouted, entering the house while glancing at her father, uncle and Shekhar's father.

"Janki?"

"You can't make Sharmishta marry Shekhar."

"Why not?" His father asked and Janki faced him. "She'll never stay happy with him."

"Enough!" Janki's father angrily shouted, "get out from my house right now!"

"Papa, please. . . Don't do this. You'll ruin her life."

"Who are you to decide this? You ran off with a low class and married him!" Her uncle shouted and gazed at her disgustedly. "Now you will tell us who Sharmishta should marry or not? I'm her father so I'll decide!"

"Chachu, I'm saying this for Sharmishta's well-being. She will never stay happy with Shekhar!"

"Stay out of it Janki!" Her father yelled and grit his teeth. "Never ever come back to us ever again! We disowned you!"

"Uncle, please don't make her marry him. . ." She begged Shekhar's father and he stared at her, "why?"

"He loves someone else. He'll never keep her happy."

Shekhar's father was surprised, knowing what Janki was talking about.

"Wah, what is this game you're playing Janki?" Her chachu spoke up, "when we said for you to marry Ram you said the same thing and now when we want Sharmishta to marry Shekhar, you're saying the same thing. Why don't you want to see her happy? Is it because you could never get a rich guy like she is about to?"

Janki shook her head negatively, "I'm telling the truth. Shekhar loves someone else!"

"Just get out from here!" Her father roared and grabbed her hand, dragging her towards the exit. "You're no longer a part of this family so don't interfere with our decisions!"

Janki exhaled and her moist eyes closed again, she deciding to ignore the past that was flashing through her mind. Overnight everything changed, from being best-friends with Shekhar and Ram, she was now nothing but an enemy and a stranger to them.

XXX

Next Day, College
It was finally graduation day. Students were all rushing inside the campus nervously, in their black cloaks and hats that were given to them by the college. Swara stepped out from the car and closed the door, nervously staring at the campus while Sameer locked the car door.

"Let's go." Sameer uttered and Swara nodded her head positively, starting to make her way towards the campus. Memories of her in this campus occupied her mind and a small smile curled over her lips.

Her heart felt a small void, she wasn't really ready to leave yet. She wanted to stay a little longer. It was making her sad thinking about not being here anymore.

"Hey, Swara!" Sheesh yelled, waving his hand at Swara and Sameer after spotting them near the gates.

Swara made eye contact and glanced at Sahil standing next to Sheesh, smiling at her.

"Where's the other one?" Sameer asked as he noticed Sanskaar was missing.

"He's gone home to collect his cloak and hat."

"Wasn't he at home before?"

"He got kicked out." Sheesh replied to Sameer and Sameer narrowed his eye-brows. "Why?"

"Because of the havoc he caused." Kavita interrupted them and stood next to Swara. "Let's go, we're getting late." She further added and locked her arms with Swara, entering the college campus with her, followed by Sahil, Sameer and Sheesh.

"Did he really get kicked out?" Swara asked Kavita who shook her head positively. "He's not allowed back in until you forgive him." Kavita replied and Swara widened her eyes in surprise.

"Wait!" Sheesh and Sahil turn around, watching Sanskaar run towards them. "I'm here." He uttered, catching up to them and tiredly exhaling.

XX

"Where are you going? You have a day off right?" Janki asked as she entered the room, seeing Rajveer putting his tie on.

"I'm going to a graduation ceremony."

"For who?"

"I was chosen to be a guest for the graduation ceremony and give a motivating speech. So I agreed to it and now I'm headed there."

Janki smiled, heading towards him and fixing his suit. "You'll do well. Nothing can be more inspiring than your words and will to do better."

He smiled, glancing down at Janki. 'I'm going there for our daughter Janki. I wish I could take you too, but she isn't familiar with us. I want to let her know first before I tell you. I want to see how we can approach her about this.'

They made eye contact with a smile across their faces. 'I'm sorry I didn't tell you about yesterday Rajveer. . . And I'm sorry that I'm not telling you about going to meet Shekhar today.'

"Ahem!" Ragini interrupted the two and they glanced at her walking inside, "I did it. I applied to a college like you wanted but I'll be studying fashion." She walked towards Rajveer, forwarding her enrolment form and he let a proud smile hang over his lips while grabbing the form.

"I'm going to this college to give a speech. You can come with me to look around?"

"What, today?"

"Yes. Today."

"Okay." She hesitantly agreed and Rajveer patted her head, "get ready, we're leaving in 5 minutes."

She nodded her head and headed towards the door with a small frown over her lips, and Janki smiled.

"She never says no to you."

"I know. She'll feel bad if she did say no." He replied with a small smile over his lips, facing Janki again.

"She never feels bad when she says no to me." Janki uttered, rolling her eyes jokingly and Rajveer chuckled.

"Maybe she just loves me a little more."

"Whatever." She responded with a sigh and added "what do you want to eat before you leave?"

"Nothing, I'll just have a cup of tea quickly."

"Okay." She walked out of the room while he continued getting ready.

XX

Waiting outside, on the benches for the graduation ceremony to begin. Kavita, Sahil, Sheesh, Swara, Sanskaar and Sameer were sat together.

"I can't believe it. No more college after this." Sheesh uttered, still in disbelief that this is their last day as students in this college.

"What are all of you planning to do after?" Sameer asked and they all shrugged at him, not giving him a clear answer.

"While we're here, shall we have a tour around the college one last time? It seems like the ceremony will start in an hour anyways. They've started preparing literally now." Kavita suggested and they all agreed to her.

"I'll wait here." Sameer uttered, refusing to move and the rest stood up.

"We won't be long." Swara replied to him and followed Kavita, who led the way.

Sheesh, Sahil and Sanskaar follow them, already glancing around as they walked, recalling their memories.

x

After a while, Swara was inside the music room on her own, glancing around. They had decided to split up for a second and visit their own classrooms to relive the moment. She brushed her hand against the piano and sat down on the stood. She released a small chuckle after remembering the song she made about Sanskaar and the fight that it led to.

Her fingers automatically started tapping the keys on the piano, starting to play Bohemian Rhapsody. Her eyes slightly glistened, thinking about being mistreated only to find out she wasn't even his daughter, would it have been different if he was affectionate like he was with Sameer, even if he had been lying? She wondered what it felt like to have love from their parents. Only if Sharmishta was alive, she might not have even bothered looking for her real parents.

Her thoughts were interrupted after hearing someone opening the classroom door. Inhaling and consoling herself, she glanced up to see Sanskaar walking inside while passing her a small smile. She lowered her gazes and stopped playing the piano, standing up afterwards.

"I remember the time you made the song about me." He reminded, to avoid the awkwardness caused by their silence and she met his eyes again, "now that I think about it, it was actually pretty catchy." He further added to lighten the mood and she merely flapped her eyes at him.

He was slightly demotivated, that she remained silent instead of talking to him. "I'll meet you downstairs. . ." He trailed off and turned around, hiding his smile behind a frown.

"Sanskaar. . ." She mustered courage and uttered his name, still hesitant on speaking to him. Her fear was still hanging around, what if she let him come close to her and he ends up letting his feelings for her grow, would it be her fault? Yet the thought of him not being able to stay in his own house until she forgave him, troubled her.

He turned around slowly, with hope glimpsing through his eyes and she swallowed her spit. 'What are you scared of Swara? It's fine if he likes you, you won't like him back.' She wondered in her mind and clenched her fist, ready to speak. "I forgive you."

His heart skipped a beat and he widened his shocked eyes at her, not sure if what he heard was real or was he hallucination.

"Huh?"

"I. . ." She cleared her throat and inhaled her breath, "forgive you."

His smile appeared again and he walked towards Swara as fast as he could, not believing that she had forgiven him. The words he wanted to hear for a long time have now eased his heart.

"Thank you." He muttered, genuinely grateful and relieved, hugging her with excitement.

She was surprised by his sudden move, and felt a tinge of flutter in her heart, wanting to push him away yet her hands seemed to have froze.

"Thank you so much for forgiving me Swara. Thank you!" He tightened the hug and closed his eyes and she could feel his heartbeat against her chest.

X

"Thank you for coming Mr Rathore." The Principal of the college uttered, thanking Rajveer for being his guest.

"This is my daughter Ragini. She will be studying with your college soon. So I brought her here with me."

Ragini passed the Principal a small two second smile, not even interested at all. She merely came because her father wanted her to.

"It's good you brought her with you Mr Rathore. She can have a look around the college and become comfortable before the new term starts."

"Yes, Ragini, would you like to have a look around?"

"I don't mind." She bluntly replied and the Principal blinked at her. "Great, I'll go and find you a student to help you with a tour."

Ragini and Rajveer nodded while the principal began to find someone.

XX

Prison.
Janki was sat waiting on the chair, playing with her fingers. She wasn't nervous but slightly hesitant. Yet she wanted to mock him the way he laughed at her when she had lost her child.

The door from the opposite side of the glass opened and she flapped her eyes at Shekhar, who walked inside, handcuffed and in a white clothing. His eyes had fallen Janki as soon as he stepped inside and scoffed.

"Why are you here?" He asked rudely and she exhaled, clenching her fists. "Too see if you were having fun in here. You at last came to the place you belong, how does it feel to be home?" She mocked and he grit his teeth, taking a seat on the chair opposite side of the glass in between them.

"It feels great, I'm away from all the worldly bickers and dramas." He responded and she smirked.

"Good to hear. The world is now free from your evil shadow."

Shekhar and Janki glared at each other for a while, all of a sudden recalling their childhood memories together. Despite hating Janki to the core, Shekhar's heart felt a sudden void and he looked away.

"Are you here to blame me too?" He asked and sighed, "I already told your husband that I did it for Ram and Durga Prasad."

She was confused at first but assumed he was talking about what he did with Sharmishta. 'Did Rajveer meet him? If he did, then why didn't he tell me?'

She exhaled and glanced at him sternly, "you didn't do it because of them, but because of me. . ."

He scoffed, looking at her again and nodded his head after meeting her eyes. "Yes, I agree. I did it because of you!" His bitterness was overtaking his mind and his anger unleashed. "You were the reason why I wasn't able to marry Nayonika. You were the reason why my father had abused me. You told him about me and Nayonika even though I told you not to, and for who? Your husband? You ended our friendship for that man? You went against me and Ram over a small quarrel that could've been solved? I hated you since that day and I still hate you till this day!"

"I didn't tell him. How many times do I need to clarify myself. I didn't tell your father about you and Nayonika at all! That day, they were talking about yours and Sharmishta's marriage and I went there to stop it, and I said that you already love someone else!" She yelled, with the same tone, frustrated and annoyed by Shekhar's behaviour.

"And I didn't end our friendship, you and Ram did! I was waiting for you two to apologise for what you said to Rajveer. Only if you had then this wouldn't have happened, we wouldn't have come this far!"

"Apologised for what? We told the truth! We had only thought about you!"

"My happiness should've mattered to you two! But you chose to separate me from him, did you think I would've stayed happy if I wasn't with him? You knew how it felt to be away from Nayonika so why would you do the same to me?"

Shekhar had stayed silent, and merely grit his teeth in anger. "But that wouldn't change the fact that you had exposed us in front of my father!"

"I didn't!"

"He said you did!" Shekhar shouted and kicked the counter with his leg. "He said you had told him!"

"I didn't!" Janki confidently exclaimed, "I didn't tell him!"

"What made you think I would believe you? You were upset at us that time anyways so it all makes sense!"

She clenched her fist and stared at him with pure anger. "You should've taken your anger out on me, why did you marry Sharmishta and ruin her life?"

"Do you think I had a choice? It was either marry Sharmishta or leave the property behind. At first I was about to leave but what you did angered me and I married her. But I could never give her the love. I wanted to make her suffer because of you, but she passed away too soon!"

She slammed her fist on the counter desk, "was it fun doing all of that? How did you forget humanity in between all of this!"

"I hate you! So I didn't need any reasons to ruin your life, so I even took your daughter away from you!"

Janki's mind froze for a while while Shekhar angrily spat on the floor, trying to control his anger.

"W. . . What?" She confusingly muttered and Shekhar glanced at her, realising she didn't know. Turning the situation to his advantage, he continued "Didn't your husband tell you? He came to meet me recently about his daughter, and I told him that I had taken your daughter to avenge what you did to Ram and me."

Janki's eyes glistened and her heart skipped a beat as Shekhar continued. "I made her suffer, abused her, mentally tortured her all because of you Janki. All because of you! What you did to me and Ram, I avenged through your daughter for us, but, it still wasn't enough, seeing her face every single day angered me from within, because she resembled you!"

Tears seeped down Janki's eyes and her mind went blank, she glanced down and swallowed as she felt her heart clench.

"Seeing her grow up really made me think she is your daughter. Her personality matched with yours too much that it irritated me to the core! I thought I could like her and raise her like my own daughter but I couldn't, she reminded me of you and it made my blood boil! I could never accept a filthy blood like her to be a part of my family."

Janki was in disbelief and she covered her mouth while releasing a sob. "Swara?" Her hands began shivering and she stood up, starting to run out.

To Be Continued
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