Healed Hearts and Broken Souls - TaaRey TS

If you love something, then let it go. It will come back to you if it is yours. If it doesn't, it never was yours and it's not meant to be.

- Anonymous

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He stood on the terrace of St. Louis College, the gentle wind caressing his face and ruffling his hair. He so loved this feeling. He couldn't believe that the 2 years of his college life had passed in a jiffy. And his last year was left. He wanted to make the most of it this year, before he left for his juniors to carry on. He knew that he had made his mark in St. Louis. But this year, he wanted to make it prominent. His mind, on its own accord, wandered to all the sweet memories he had here. His very first day, his meeting with Kriya, Swayam and Sharon, the Dazzlers vs. Weaklings, dance, love and...

His thoughts stopped short. This memory was too painful to think of... even now. He knew that he was happy, he had moved on, just like she wanted. Never had he once thought that this goodbye would last forever. He felt fragile. Her very thoughts made him weak. He had always prided himself on being focused in all situations, but now... he so wanted to break down. Tears filled his eyes, but they just wouldn't spill out. He was too stubborn to let them.

"Why Taani? Why?" he asked, for the umpteenth time. "You told me to move on, but why are you making this difficult for me?"

"Is it that difficult... now that you have moved on?" asked his conscience. "It has to be easy Rey. You have happily moved on. How long will it take to forget her?" his conscience pricked him again.

This was the question he couldn't answer. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't forget her. Maybe his heart didn't want to. He was happy. Kriya loved him and he loved her too. But Taani... she was different. She was his angel. She was the one who healed his broken heart, but her absence left his soul broken. But of one thing, he was sure. She loved him... she still loved him. She still thought of him and cried for him. He didn't know how he knew because she was long gone... but he knew. He knew that her love for him would never die.

"But what about you Rey?" asked his conscience again. He smiled in reply. This question needn't be asked. It was because of her that he had moved on. If she hadn't made him promise, then he could have never moved on from her. Because... she was one in a million and he loved her.

"Rey, tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?" a voice from behind him broke his trance. He turned back to find Sharon looking at him with a concerned look on her face. He couldn't possibly tell her that he was lost again. Lost in memories that he ought not to. But, he was sure that she'll understand somehow, because he couldn't hide anything for long from the "Sharon Rai Prakash".

"Nothing Sharon. I was just getting bored. So..." he told her, frantically finding a reason to tell her.

"So you came up here to relive your memories. Right?" she asked, reading his mind again.

"Yep..." he said, smiling in response. "Swayam kahan hai? Aur tum uske kyun nahi ho?" he asked her, turning back to see if Swayam was anywhere behind them.

"Voh... he had to leave early today. His dad is coming back from California today. So, he wanted to spend some time with his dad." said Sharon.

The mention of Swayam's dad made him look up. He knew that Swayam's dad was very much attached to her. Could it be possible?

"He is coming alone Rey. No one is coming with him." she said, emphasizing on the word no one.

"How do you know what I was thinking?" he asked Sharon, bewildered.

Sharon smiled in response. "Rey, did you happen to forget that you are my best friend? I know you too well not to understand this Rey." she said, making him smile.

"I wish she did..." that was all he could say. He couldn't fight back his tears now. They did spill out of his eyes on their own accord as he broke down. His weak legs couldn't hold him any longer.

"Rey! Please control yourself." said Sharon, as she kneeled beside him.

"It's not easy Sharon. And you of all people should understand." he said, as anger took over him.

She flinched at the sound of his voice. "But you made it easy for yourself by moving on easily Rey. Uske jaane ke baad tumne uske baare mein ek baar bhi nahi socha. Tumne ek baar bhi nahi socha, ki voh kaisi hai, kya kar rahi, zinda hai ya mar bhi gayi hai. Kriya wapas aa gayi aur tum khush." burst out Sharon, her every words piercing through Rey's heart like daggers.

Rey couldn't believe that it was Sharon who was saying all this. Sharon had never said anything that had hurt him. But now... it was Sharon who was hurting him. But through all this pain, he could understand that Sharon was right. He never did bother to think about her after she left him. He looked at Sharon beseechingly.

Sharon felt helpless too. He looked very vulnerable and feeble. But she knew that she was right and he had to realize this sooner or later.

"Rey... I know this is hurting you. But you have to realize this one day or the other. Think about it. You will know that I'm right." said Sharon hugging him.

"I know Sharon! I know I was wrong. Lekin..." he couldn't think of anything to say. Words failed him. Only one word escaped his lips and it was... "Taani"

Sharon left him alone. She knew that he needed time. He had things to figure out. He needed time and space. He needed privacy. He needed some time alone with... Taani.

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She could hardly keep still as the flight reached Mumbai airport. She felt umpteen emotions pass through her, as she thought of the time she spent here. She was at loss to understand if she should laugh or cry. Her heart skipped a beat or two as she stepped out of the plane and into a taxi. After two years... after two long years, she will be meeting her bhai'... her best brother along with his love, her bhabhi'. She will be meeting them as SwaRon. She smiled at that very thought.

"But what about Rey?" her conscience asked. "Rey will surely be with Kriya now. Will you be able to handle yourself, seeing them together?" she smiled at the question. The answer was simple and it was a yes'. No doubt about that. This was what she wanted. His happiness... and she could see it now.

"Taani..." her trance was broken by the call of her uncle... sorry tauji'.

"Haan tauji?" asked Taani in a hesitant tone, not wanting to reveal her inner turmoil.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, making her even more nervous.

"I'm... I'm fine tauji. Bhas tired hoon." she tried lying, very unsuccessfully.

Tauji didn't push her further. He knew what she was going through. But he was confident that she will handle it.

The car came to a halt as she saw a very familiar house in front of her. Her excitement knew no bounds as the door opened. Not bothering about anything, she pushed the door open and ran out of the car towards the house.

"Kaka!!!!!!!!!!!!" she shouted as she ran to hug the old man who had been serving their family for years together. Kaka laughed as he saw an excited Taani after what seemed like eternity. The last time he had seen her was during her engagement, when she looked like a lifeless soul.

"Kaka! Bhai kahan hai?" asked Taani, her level of impatience rising to its peak.

"Swayam baba andhar hai. Aap logon ke liye chai bana rahe hai. Unn ko patha nahi Taani beti aa rahi hai..." before he could finish his sentence, Taani was off like a whirlwind into the kitchen.

"Ooohhh!" shouted Swayam, as someone gave him a bone-crushing hug from behind, knocking the tray of tea down. He turned back to find Taani laughing her head off. His lips pulled into an automatic smile as he saw his baby sister after a long time... that too in a happy mood. He pinched himself twice to make sure that this was for real.

"Taani!!!!!" he shouted, as he hugged her again. Taani's eyes filled with tears. Her brother was her only solace. Her best support. He had stood by her through thick and thin. Her grip around his neck tightened as she couldn't fight with her tears anymore.

Swayam broke the hug and looked at her. He knew why she was in tears. But he didn't stop her. This was the feeling she had bottled up within her for 2 years. It was high time that she let it out now. He made sit and waited till she slowed down.

"Kab tak chupayegi Taani?" he asked her, as she wiped her tears and looked at him.

"Bhai?!! Aap kya bol rahe ho? Main kya chupa rahi hoon?" she asked, though she very well knew the answer.

"Kab tak apni feelings chupayegi Taani? Mujhe patha hai ki tum abhi bhi Rey se pyaar karti ho. Aur voh saaf saaf dikhraha hai. So, don't try to hide your feelings from me Taani. Tum mujhse jhoot bolne ki khoshish bhi mat karna." said Swayam, as he wiped her tears.

"Ab kya farak padtha hai bhai?!!!!!" she burst out. "Ab koi farak nahi padta hai. It doesn't matter if I love him or not. Lekin haan... pyaar karti hoon main usse. I have always loved him. And I'll always love him." she said, a smile forming on her lips as she thought of him.

Swayam looked at Taani helplessly. As much as he knew that Taani was strong and sensible enough to accept that fact and live with it, he knew that she would never move on. Her love for Rey was eternal and no one can claim that place in her heart. But she was his sister. He couldn't see her pain. He couldn't see her broken. She was too much like Swayam himself. As much as he tried, he could never move on from Sharon and as much as she tried, she could never stop loving Rey. To her, loving Rey was as natural as breathing and significant as heart beat.

"Voh sab chodo bhai. Mere bhabhi kahan hai? Main usse milna chahti hoon." she said, trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

Swayam knew that she was deliberately changing the topic... and he let her. He knew that she needed time and that's what he gave her.

"Sharon... voh college mein hai. GS hai na. Bohot saara kaam hai." he said, his lips pulling into a smile as he spoke about his love.

"Lekin main usse milna chahti hoon bhai. Please, usse yahan bulao na?" she pleaded him, her eyes shining.

"Taani! Sharon is very busy. Agar tu usse milna chahti hai, then let's go to St. Louis." said Swayam, giving her a teasing look.

As soon as she heard him, her heart seemed to lose its grip from its place and seemed to sink down the floor. Her legs felt weak. St. Louis... the place which gave her a promise of a brighter future, which gave her everything. She shuddered at the very thought of being there, surrounded by memories that she so wanted to forget, but, re-living one beautifully painful memory that she always wanted to hold onto... Rey.