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Chapter 36: A New Beginning

Opening her eyes slowly, Janki glanced around hurriedly to see her surrounding and found herself laying in hospital's private room.

"Mom." Ragini noticed the movement and stood up from the couch, heading towards her. "Are you okay?"

"What. . . Am I doing here?" Janki asked, sitting up and staring at Ragini, "Where is. . . Swara?"

Ragini's expressions changed, and she lowered her eyes, avoiding eye-contact with an impatient Janki, who stepped down from the bed. "I need to be with Swara right now. . ." She mumbled to herself, wearing her slippers.

"Mom." Ragini stepped in front of her, blocking her way. "Don't bother. . ."

Janki creased her forehead while looking at Ragini, "what do you mean?"

"She. . . She's gone."

Janki was confused, unable to understand what Ragini was saying. "I'll go to her."

Ragini swallowed with moist eyes and held onto Janki's hand, stopping her from moving off.

"Mom, she made a decision. . ."

Creasing her forehead and blinking at Ragini, Janki waited for Ragini to continue speaking, wanting to know what Ragini meant. Ragini exhaled and clenched her fist, starting to speak.

"Swara. . ."

"Am I a joke to all of you?" She genuinely questioned as she met the eyes of everyone looking at her.

She wiped her tears and stared at Durga Prasad and Ram, "why was I dragged into your fights? What had I ever done wrong to you guys? Why was I suffering for the mistakes and stupidity all of you caused?"

Rajveer swallowed his spit, feeling guilty while staring at an upset and heartbroken Swara, who decided not to hold it in any longer. If she had, she would've been tortured by her emotions all her life. 

"Am. . . Am I a ball that all of you just hit whenever you want? I. . . Have feelings too! I. . . Get hurt too! I feel pain too. . ." She sobbed, wiping her tears and holding herself back to continue speaking her mind.

"First. . . I get kidnapped, then. . . Taken, then tortured and now. . . I find out all of this. . . And amid this chaos you still care about your fights. . . Have any of you ever wondered how these truths would affect me? Do you guys even care?"

Ram and Durga Prasad swallowed their spits with guilt piercing through their hearts and Sujata and Annapurna's eyes moisten. Kavita, Sameer, Sahil and Sheesh merely stare. Sanskaar's eyes moisten.

"It's not like that Swara. . . We do. . ."

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you come to me and try telling me the truth? When we're you even planning to tell me?" She interrupted Rajveer, who closed his mouth and shook his head with his glassy eyes. "We. . ."

"Enough!" She screamed, "enough. I don't want anything from any of you. I only have one request left, that is for all of you to just leave me alone! I'm sick and tired of everything, I need time to heal, I need time to. . . Recover from all of this. . . It won't be easy, so please don't expect anything from me. Don't try to contact me, I will come to speak once I'm ready. But for now, just leave me alone!"

She stormed away, with Kavita and Sameer following her. Sheesh and Sahil stayed, giving her personal space and time.

Janki was stunned after hearing Ragini, refusing to believe this. "I need to speak to her. . . She needs me right now, all of this must be a shock to her. . . She needs someone to explain everything to her, I need to go. She must be so lonely and sad. . ." Janki moved past Ragini, but stopped after seeing Rajveer standing in front of her.

He curled a small smile over his lips and held her hand, flapping his teary eyes at her. "Give her time Janki."

Janki's eyes moisten, and she swallowed, still trying to stay strong. "She needs me. My daughter needs me. How will she manage all alone? She. . . She must be shocked, she must be terrified, she must. . . She must want someone to hold onto."

Rajveer hugged Janki, rubbing her back and Janki did not reciprocate. Tears fall out of his eyes and he inhaled, "I tried to speak to her, but she really doesn't want to right now. She said she would talk to us when she's in a calmer state, which isn't right now. Let's give her time Janki. Please."

Janki closed her eyes, letting her tears roll down her cheeks and she sobbed. "How much longer would I need to stay away from her Rajveer? I. . . I want to hug her. I want to take her in my lap, I want to. . ." She stopped, starting to cry and Rajveer hugged her tighter. "I know."

Ragini wiped her tears, glancing away to stay strong.

XX

Sat on a beach, in a corner all alone, Swara stared at the water coming to the sand and going back.

"Hey." He took a seat right next to her, not managing to catch her attention, yet she had heard him, and tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Is it true?" She questioned and finally made eye contact with her red, tired, dry eyes.

He shook his head negatively, responding to her. "According to my family. Janki, Dad and Shekhar were best friends, they grew up together and were literally like siblings, they used to share all their secrets with each other. Shekhar had fallen in love with Nayonika after going to the bar she worked in, and since then he had first told Janki before making it official to Dad. After telling Dad too, Shekhar took them to the bar to make them meet Nayonika and that's where he had met Mom. . . Then 2 years later, Janki met Rajveer, fell in love and wanted to get married. Dad and Shekhar didn't approve him because he wasn't a high class person, they said he wasn't capable of taking care of Janki and started mocking him. This angered Janki and she defended Rajveer and left Dad and Shekhar. Then the alliance was fixed of Shomi Aunty and Shekhar, Janki told them it wasn't a good idea but they didn't listen to her and while arguing with her uncle and father to stop Shomi Aunty from marrying Shekhar, she accidentally blurted out that he already loves someone else. Shekhar's father already found out about Shekhar and Nayonika's relationship and told him to stay away from her, but Shekhar didn't listen to him. Dad was also beat because Shekhar uncles father told Daadaji that Dad was in love with Mum. Dad went to Shekhar's house to find out how it was revealed to his parents and there he heard that Janki told them. This had angered them and they ended their relationship with Janki and started hating her. Then Dad and Shekhar had also slightly fell out, they weren't as close as they used to be. Shekhar blamed Janki and Ram for his misery all his life. And to take revenge on Janki, he married Shomi Aunty to ruin her life and now they found out that he kidnapped you."

She scoffed, looking back at the water. Her eyes moistened and she sighed. "My life. . . Is a literal mess. When I start thinking things would get better, they don't at all. Why. . . Is everything so complicated?"

He stared at her and curled a faint small smile over the corner of his lips, he placed his hand on her shoulder and she faced him. He flashed his small smile, and took his hand down to her hands.

"It's okay to cry Swara. Keeping it in will only hurt you more. . ."

Her eyes watered and she freed her hand from his hold, glancing away. He leaned closer to her, prepared to lend her his shoulder.

"I won't tell anyone. I'm good at keeping promises." He further added and glanced away, staring around while she closed her eyes, trying her best to control her emotions yet she failed to.

Her tears seeped down her cheeks and she began sobbing, covering her face with her hands, staring to feel embarrassed as she cried.

XXX

2 weeks later.
Outside Gadodia Mansion.

"Finally you came out, I was about to come inside and drag you out!" Kavita exclaimed while standing in front of Swara, who was holding onto her suitcase as tightly as she could.

"Why. . . Did you call me?" Swara asked, avoiding eye-contact with Kavita, who fumed and held Swara's arm.

"Enough is enough Swara. Enough being sad and depressed. I know, it hurts, but it's time we distract that pain otherwise it'll always haunt you."

Swara raised her gazes to meet Kavita's, who dragged her along with her. "We're going on a healing trip. We gave you two weeks on your own to reflect, now it's time to annoy you. We've planned a trip to Manali, that's why I told you to pack your suitcase."

"Manali?"

"Yes, Manali." Kavita stopped in front of a jeep and Swara glanced at Sameer, Sahil, Sheesh and Sanskaar, who waved their hands at her with a smile over their lips.

Swara glanced at Kavita, who looked at her. "I know, but I couldn't annoy you on my own, so I invited them to be the extra headache. I guess it'll be fun."

Swara curled a faint smile, and Kavita smiled, "let's go."

Swara sat inside the jeep with Kavita, and Sameer started driving.

____

3 months later.

She entered the hall, and her eyes fell on the letter placed at the dining table with a cup of coffee besides it.

"Another letter?" She sighed, taking her steps towards the dining table and held it.

Having letters like that was now nothing new to Swara. Ever since that day, Swara began receiving letters from Janki, every single week delivered to her doorstep, left right outside in the mailbox.

Sameer walked out from the kitchen, in a suit, looking professional while heading towards her.

"I'm off to work."

She nodded her head at him and he picked the file up from the table and moved towards the main exit.

"Good morning."
Swara turned her head to the side, watching their new maid walk inside the house, greeting her with a smile.

"Good morning, you came early today."

"Yes, I was told to start early. Is there anything I can get you?"

Swara shook her head negatively with a smile over her lips, she picked the cup of coffee up and started walking away.

Soon, she entered her room and opened the drawer, putting the letter in a pile of unopened letters and closing it straight after. She wasn't ready to hear anything from anyone yet, she still needed time. She was scared, what if she ended up being hurt again. It took time for her to recover with a heavily wounded heart and she just wasn't ready to open her wounds again.

Her phone buzzed and she slid it out of her pocket, answering it. "Hello?"

"You have passed the audition, we want you to be part of our agency. However we can't let you preform straight away, we will give you further training, with stage and equipments, then let you participate in background singing, and then hopefully get you to cover an OST for a drama, before your debut. So, we are looking to debut you as a singer in about a years time, would that be fine with you?"

"Yes, that would be fine with me." Swara responded back with a small smile over her lips, "thank you."

"We will hopefully see you in a few days to sign the contract, I'll message you the day and time."

"Thank you."

"Thank you for your time, I will hang up now."

The call disconnected and Swara sighed a relief, curling a smile over her lips. "It should be fine, right?"

She opened WhatsApp after receiving notifications, seeing Sahil and Sheesh typing in their little group, which has Kavita, herself, Sheesh, Sahil and Sanskaar. She took a sip of her coffee and closed her phone, throwing it on her bed.

Her eyes fall on the pendent that was on the dressing table, reminding her of that day.

Few days ago,

"Swara, I have something to tell you."

"What?"

"I. . . I brought this for you." He showed her the pendent and she stared at it.

"Why?"

He moved closer to her. "I'll put it on you."

"But. . ."

"Shhh." He hushed her and she was surprised by his sudden move.

After he had successfully tied it, he stood in front of her again and flashed his smile at her.

"What is this for?"

"I decided to tell you."

She merely blinked at him and he continued, "I like you Swara, I really like you. All the times I thought I was attracted to Kavita, it was actually you. I wanted your attention, I wanted you to notice me, I don't know when or how, but your attention has not become so important to me. I want you to notice me, and I want to make you happy."

She flapped her flabbergasted gazes at him and he smiled at her.

"Take your time to decide. I won't rush you, and even if it's a no I'll accept that. Please don't hesitate or ignore me, let me know when you're ready. Until then, take care."

"He's a weirdo, why would he confess to me. Out of everyone, why does he like me. Why does he want to make me happy? Does it make sense? We were supposed to be friends, and we could've kept it as friends but now he made it awkward and ruined it."

She took a sip of her coffee again, rolling her eyes while thinking about Sanskaar.

XX

Office.
Sameer was stood with his head down. In front of the employer who slammed the file on the table.

"Is this your proposal? What is this?"

"Sorry sir."

"Come to my office, now!" He yelled, ordering Sameer to follow him into the office as he lead the way.

After entering the office, he closed the door and faced Sameer. "Is it okay to shout at you like this sir?"

"It totally is, become more stern and don't worry at all. I'm here to learn as an intern, so treat me like one, please."

He let a nervous chuckle out after looking at Sameer, "how can I sir. . ."

"Shhh, I'm not your sir just yet. You're my sir, so tell me, what do I need to do?" Sameer kindly interrupted and smiled at him.

To restore his grandfathers business once again, Sameer had decided to work in the company as an intern, learning under other employees and getting to know how things worked in this industry. It is hard, but he'll get there and he believes he would take over in a year whilst shadowing.

XX

Café.
Sat on the table, while glancing around impatiently, Sahil tapped his feet on the floor.

"Is it really you, did no one else turn up?" Sheesh asked, placing a cup of coffee on the table.

"Be grateful that I came. This is meant to be my break hour. Get me a sandwich too." Sahil remarked and held onto the cup, starting to take a sip.

Sheesh made a face and started walking towards the counter. Sheesh had decided that he was going to open up a business and he came up with this idea, a cat café. He was funded and supported by Sahil's mother, the Maheshwaris and Sameer.

"Don't let the cats out, I don't like them. . . Keep them in while I'm here." Sahil uttered as he made eye contact with the cats kept in the cage, making a face.

The door opened and Swara entered with Kavita, closing the door straight after. Sheesh curled a smile and waved at them, while Swara and Kavita glanced around confusingly.

"Is this all?" Kavita asked, staring at Sahil who smiled at them. "Yes, I'm all who came."

"What about other people?"

"I'm opening officially tomorrow. Today is just for all of you."

"Oh, okay." Kavita uttered and took a seat opposite Sahil, while Swara walked around.

"The cats are cute, they're harmless right?"

"Yes, I made sure they were harmless."

Swara curled a smile over her lips while making eye contact with a ginger cat.

As the bell rang, grabbing everyone's attention, he entered and closed the door. "Sorry I'm late."

Swara turned around and stared at him in surprise, while he made eye-contact with her.

"I thought you said you were busy." Sheesh smiled as wide as he could, so pleased to see Sanskaar.

Feeling awkward, he let a small smile hang from his lips and glanced at Sheesh. "I thought to make time and pay a visit."

Swara turned back around and faced the cats, staring at the floor awkwardly.

To Be Continued
_____

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