Third Person POV

Aarav was at the grocery shop, he remembered the time spent with Hemadri and there was a constant smile on his face.

Chetna slapped his head from behind "kya baat hai! Aaj toh khushi hi khushi chalak rahi hai tumhare chehre pe.. Lagta hai date bahut hi special thi" she teased him.

"Haan thi toh.." he replied

Chetna smiled "Toh meri treat? Maine itni help jo ki hai tumhari" she asked

"De dunga.." he said and picked up the grocery from the shelf.

"Toh aage kya plan hai?" Chetna questioned

"Kis baat ka plan?" Aarav asked not understanding what she meant.

"Pehle nakhre dikha liye.. Phir pyaar kar liye aur ab toh dating bhi kar rahe ho! Iske baad shaadi..." Chetna said with excitment.

Aarav smiled hearing her words "pehle uska masters toh pura hone de phir propose kar dunga shaadi ke liye" he replied

Chetna glared at him and snipped her fingers in front of his eyes "Aarav.. Hosh mein aa jao"

"Kya matlab?" he asked

"Matlab tum ache se jante ho! Koi bhi baap apni beti ek escort ko nahi dega.. Tumne hi kaha tha hemadri shareef ghar ki ladki hai! Pyaar tak thik hai lekin wo sapne na toh khud dekho na use dikhao jinhe tum pura na kar sako" Chetna said

Aarav silently stared at her, she isn't wrong that is the sad reality no father would like to give his daughter to a man who is a highly-rated escort.

He smiled at her sadly and moved to the counter. Hemadri has been present there, she passed a smile to him and he just glanced at her. She signaled with her eyes what was wrong but he shook his head no. Hemadri took out something and kept it in his bag.

"That's 64 pounds sir.." she said

Aarav took out his card and made the payment. She gave him the bill and he walked out of the shop.

Hemadri was thoughtful "Andar aaya toh khush tha.. Bahar aise kyun gaya?"

She picked up her phone and texted him.

Here, Aarav reached his home. He placed the bags on the table and moved towards the couch. He sat down while taking out his phone from his trousers. He read Hemadri's message "raat ko mile?"

Aarav thought about Chetna's words. He replied, "aaj client meeting hai.."

"Cancel kardo" she texted back.

"Nahi kar paunga! Sorry" he said and kept his phone to the side.

Hemadri's POV

I was surprised to hear that "waise toh cancel kar deta tha.." I thought. My working hours ended, and I closed the counter and moved towards the staff room. I wore my long coat and headed out of the shop. Tonight, I wanted to have dinner with him but he preferred his client meeting over me.

I was upset about it, I walked to the street and someone pulled me. I was shocked and was about to scream but stopped seeing him. I hit lightly on his chest "Aarav.. You scared me.."

He smiled, I asked "tumhari toh meeting thi na?"

"Haa.. par tumhe naraz karke mujhe apna murder thodi karwana hai" He replied with a wide smile curving up his lips.

I hugged him and we headed towards the restaurant for the dinner. I twisted my ankle and sat down on the floor holding my leg "aah.."

Aarav bends down and held my foot. He rubbed it with his fingers and I made a face "ab main dinner ke liye kaise jaungi?"

Aarav thought for a moment and the next moment he lifts me up in his arms. I wrapped my hands around his neck and gazed at him. I then looked at the restaurant where we were supposed to go but he walked past it. I said "Aarav restaurant peeche rah gaya"

"Pata hai" He replied

"Toh kaha jaa rahe ho tum?" I asked

"Pair mein moch aayi hai na tumhare.. Maza nahi aayega dinner ka waha" He said

"Acha toh kaha aayega?" I questioned.

He eyed me but didn't spoke something. I saw people passing by staring at us and passing an admiring smiles. After 15 minutes, we reached his house and he signaled me to take out the keys. I took it from his shirt pocket and opened the door. He takes me inside and closes the door with one foot. He places me on the couch and then takes the cushion. He keeps it on the table and then keeps my sprained foot on it.

He gets up and goes to get the first aid kit from the bedroom. He returned in a few seconds and sat beside my sprained foot. He applied the ointment and then massaged it. He twisted it a bit and I winched in pain "aah.. Kya kar rahe ho Aaru?" I asked

"Are thik kar raha hun dekhne do minute mein pain gayab ho jayega tumhara" He replied

"Acha?? Tum doctor ho?" I asked

"Nahi lekin mere ghao mei na mere baba hai unhone mujhe sikhaya tha.." He said and I smiled at this.

He then wrapped the warm bandage around it "ho gaya.." His trick really worked and I was feeling painless.

He then got up and moved to the kitchen to prepare food for us. His phone ranged and it was called from his agency. I didn't want him to go and satisfy someone. I disconnected his call and puts it on silence "aaj toh mere saath hi rahega! Rocco is off duty"

I saw a parcel kept near the balcony, I got up and picked it up. I remembered the phone call he had during our date. I turned to him and called him "Aarav.."

"Haa.." he said while chopping the vegetables.

"Iss parcel mein hai kya?" I questioned.

He looked at me and then came near to me. He tried to take the parcel from my hand but I didn't handed it to him "no.. pehle batao kya hai isme?"

"Hema please parcel do" he said getting tensed.

"Main kholke khud dekh leti hun" I replied and began to open it. I found a few letters inside, I glanced at him and he went straight to his room without speaking a single word.

I opened one letter and it was in name of his mother. There were about 18 to 20 letters but all of these seem to be unattended. This reminded me of my family and my wounds freshened up. It seems we are connected to each other not only by fate but also by similar pain.

I followed him and found him standing near the window. I stood beside him and he turned to me with a smile on his face. I am sure some deep pain is hidden behind that smile.

"Jante ho main ghar se bhaagke aayi thi apni shaadi waale din" I said

"What??" he said in disbelief

"Haa.. 25 saal apne maa baap ki har baat maani maine.. Meri family bahut conservative hai! Unke liye mere dreams se badhkar tha mera shaadi karle settle hona aur uss insaan ke saath jise main janti tak nahi thi par according to them he is perfect for me kyuki he is well settled" I explained.

"Isme galat kya tha?"

"Wo tumhari tarah meri care nahi karta, mere liye jhukta nahi iss tarah uthake mujhe sadak pe nahi chalta aur sabse zyda zaroori baat.. Tumhari tarah mujhe pyaar nahi karta" I said getting emotional.

"Lekin kya tumne socha tha tumhare jaane ke baad tumhare maa baap pe kya guzri hogi? Unhone kitna humilation face kiya hoga" He says

I glanced at him silently. He smiled "par tumhari galti itni badi nahi hai ki tumhe maaf na kiya jaa sake aur tum wapas apne ghar na jaa pao"

I held his hand and squeezed it lightly. "Hum ek dusre ko itna toh jaante hai ki tum mujhe apni takleef bata sako" I said

He inhales deeply and turns to another side. "Wo letters maine ghar likhe they lekin saalo se bhejne ki himmat nahi hui! Jab hui toh wapas laut aaye" he spoke with his eyes turning moist.

I turned him towards myself and looked into his eyes. "tum apne ghar wapas jaa sakti ho lekin mere paas wo option hai hi nahi.." He said with some kind of pain reflecting in his voice. The pain not being with his family again.

"Tumhe yakeen hai maa papa mujhe maaf kar denge" I asked

"Hmm.. maa baap hai kar denge" He replied

I smiled and asked him to come along with me. He said something which left me in complete shock. 

To be continued..