Hello lovely people of the forum! I am silent member, and thought of writing something up. This is wishful thinking on my part, even though we all know the next few days/weeks will be absolute train-wreck. Let me know your thoughts 😳
Also a sincere request, please do not bash Rohit or Sonakshi or Raima in the comments. I am staying put with this show - the makers deserve our trust don't you think? We shouldn't be negative. We gotta remember, they have had this story planned out since inception of the idea, and they know what they're doing. Raima has been a pivotal part of Rohit's life since the beginning of the show, and they are bound to give her importance. Let's just wait out this track guys - we have the best leads and we should support them. Let's not bash anyone on this forum!
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“I think you should leave Sona.” Rohit said, his voice hollow.
“Rohit, but-” Sonakshi started, only to be interrupted by him.
“Sona. Please leave.” He spoke through gritted teeth.
Tears pricked her eyes, but she fought them. She wasn’t going to break down in front of him. She silently nodded and taking her mother’s hand, pulled her out of the Sippy household. She struggled through the car ride home, almost broke down as she reached her living room and realised she had his ring on her finger, and finally slid against the closed door of her bedroom, her sanctuary, as sobs raked her body. Fool, she was such a fool.
——
“F**k!” He swore loudly in the gym as he punched a little harder than he should have. Rohit’s world had turned upside down. He was with Sona, celebrating their new life together, and suddenly Raima had walked in. Raima, his first love, had walked into his life, into his house, exactly four years after she was meant to. He had been shocked into silence, and then she had pointed her finger at Sonakshi, blaming her for the condition she was in. His Sona, he couldn’t fathom that she could hurt someone like this. He had asked Sonakshi to leave, not because he didn’t trust her, but because he didn’t want to take his confusion and frustration out on her, just as he had done so in the past. Raima had fainted, and she was now resting in his room.
Rohit punched harder, trying to gain some clarity, but nothing helped. He took a deep breath, and walked into the bathroom. Maybe a cold shower would help calm him down. Except it didn’t. He walked into his room, took one look at Raima, checked her vitals and spoke to the nurse on duty. Once convinced that she was fine, he picked up his night-clothes and went to the floor with guest rooms. He tried to sleep, but it refused to come to him.
He got out of bed, and walked to his mom’s room. She was the only one he could speak about this. She understood him like no one else. When he reached her room, she was sitting on the couch. Looks like I am not the only one who can’t sleep tonight, he thought.
“Mom, aap soye nahi abhi tak?” He asked.
“Tera wait kar rahi thi. Tujhe baat karni hai na?” She asked with a gentle smile on her face. He almost cried. Almost. “Chal, courtyard mein chalte hai. Tere dad so rahe hai.”
He nodded and lead the way. They sat on the bench, and he instantly put his head in her lap as she combed her fingers through his hair. The touch calmed him down, almost immediately.
“Mom, I am so sorry. Phir se meri wajah se aapka birthday kharab ho gaya. I am so sorry.” He sobbed.
“Rohit, koi baat nahi. Birthday to har saal aate hai, haina? Can we talk about what is actually bothering you?”
How sweet she was. Always so selfless, he thought. “Maa mujhe nahi pata ki main kya karu? Ek taraf Raima hai, jiska maine chaar saal intezaar kiya, aur ab wo aa gayi hai. Lekin aayi bhi aise time pe, jab maine Sona se itne promises kiye, and I was willing to move on.”
“Is that all that is bothering you?”
“Nahi. Sona… I can’t believe that she would do this. But Raima explicitly pointed at her.”
“Rohit, tu Sonakshi ko jaanta hai. Ye wahi ladki hai jisne humari Pooja ke liye itna kiya, aur wo bhi tab jab tum dono dost tak nahi the. Humesha sabki help karti hai, no questions asked. Apne dil ki sunn. Kya keh raha hai?”
“Dil to yahi keh raha hai that she can’t do this. But Raima…”
“Har kahaani ke do pehlu hote hai Rohit. We heard Raima’s side of the story. Don’t you think Sonakshi should get to tell hers? Aur tujhe yaad hai tune Sonakshi ko kya kaha tha jab use police le jaa rahi thi?”
Akeli nahi ho tum. Main hoon tumhare saath - humesha!
“Rohit, be fair to both your past and future. That’s all that I can say to you.” His mother smiled at him. He got up, kissed her on the cheek and thanked her. He needed to go see Sonakshi, right now. “Kahaan jaa raha hai itni raat ko?”
“Sona se milne. I can’t let her spend the whole night thinking I don’t trust her, or that she is alone. She deserves to be heard. Please sleep mom. And happy birthday once again. I will make up for this mess, I promise!”
He then walked out, calling out for Ravi, who was ever present. Ravi grinned as Rohit asked him to drive to Sona’s house. Thank god his sir wasn’t being an idiot right now.
——
Who the hell was at the door at this time of the night? Everyone else was asleep, except Sona. She opened the door to the find Rohit, the last person she was expecting to see.
“Rohit… tum yahaan kya kar rahe ho?” She asked.
“Tumse baat karni hai.” He answered with the ghost of a smile on his face.
“Rohit, I don’t think there is anything left to discuss. You asked me to leave remember?” She was trying to be cold, trying so hard. But the broken look on his face did not help.
“Of course I-” he paused. His ring was still on her hand. She hadn’t taken it off. A lump formed in his throat. “Look, can I please come in? I really need to speak to you.”
Sonakshi took a deep breath. “Rohit, you should go back. Raima needs you.”
“Raima ke saath nurse hai. Dr Dimpy bhi hai. Mujhe tumse baat karni hai. Tumse, do you understand? Please.” He pleaded, his voice breaking.
Weak, she was so weak. She stepped aside, letting him in. They sat on the couch, awkwardness enveloping them. He didn’t like this, not one bit. “Sona, I once-”
“Sonakshi, I am Sonakshi to you.” She spoke, stressing on her full name.
“No, you are still Sona to me. And please hear me out.” He needed to keep his anger in check. Rohit needed to explain his behaviour to her, and she had every right to be upset with him. “Look, I once told you that I would never leave your side. And I meant it. Main hoon tumhare saath, humesha, chahe tumhe achcha lage ya nahi.”
“To mujhe jaane ko kyun kaha Rohit?” Her voice was suddenly thick with tears, and she hated herself for slipping so easily.
“Because I was frustrated, confused. My life had just turned upside down Sona. Mera pehla pyaar chaar saal baad laut ke aa gaya. Just like that, she was there, while I was just about to start my new life. Tum jaanti ho mujhe, pehle bhi tum par apna ghussa nikala hai, iss baar nahi karna chahta tha. So I asked you to leave. I needed time to clear my head.”
Sonakshi was stunned into silence. He didn’t ask her to leave because he suddenly didn’t want her? Or hated her?
“What the hell are you doing here? Tumhari himmat kaise hui humare ghar pe aane ki?” Suman Rastogi yelled. She was livid. How dare this man, who had so deeply hurt her Sonakshi, show up here. How dare he!
“Aunty main-”
“Get out right now!” She bellowed, stressing on each word.
“Aunty, aapko jitna chillana hai chilla lo. Lekin main aapse pehle bhi keh chuka hoon, main Sonakshi ki life mein permanently hoon, whether you like it or not. Kahin nahi jaane waala.” Rohit stayed put in his spot.
Suman was still angry. “To dil kyun dukhaya meri bachchi ka? Kab se ro rahi hai apne kamre mein, pata hai tumhe? Khokle vaade hai sab Rohit. Chale jao yahaan se!”
The thought of her in tears because of him killed him. “Main nahi jaa raha. Kahin nahi jaa raha, not until you tell me what happened on the 26th of September.” Rohit directed his last statement towards Sonakshi. “Sonakshi, trust me. Like I’ve asked you before, please trust me. We’ll work this out together, I promise.” Tears were now flowing down Sonakshi’s face unchecked. He looked at Suman. “Aunty, main sirf Raima ki baat sunke koi faisla nahi le sakta. I need to know, from both of you, ki uss raat hua kya tha. Please aunty.” He pleaded.
Suman could tell that he was being sincere, but she was still skeptical. “Aur sach pata karne ke baad kya hoga? Meri Sona ka kya?”
“We’ll cross that bridge together too, I promise.” He looked at Sona; he body was shaking uncontrollably. Rohit knelt in front of her, and took her hands in his. “Sona, please trust me. Please batao ki uss raat hua kya tha! I need to know. Main jaanta hoon tumhe, tum kisiko aise willingly hurt nahi karogi. Jis ladki ne mujh jaise khadoos ke haath ki choti si chot ko khulla nahi rehne diya, wo kisi ko aise hi road pe chod ke bhaag nahi jaegi. Please talk to me!”
Sonakshi looked at Suman, who nodded. He was being honest. She asked her mom to join them on the couch, and together, they relayed the events of the night that had hurt her so badly that she didn’t think she could ever recover from it. But she did, and the man in front of her had helped put her pieces back together. She wasn’t sure what would happen to them and their future, but he did deserve the truth. Hell, she deserved to be heard.
Rohit bid Sonakshi goodbye later that night, but something didn’t feel right. And he knew what it was. He walked back to her apartment, and pulled her into a bone crushing hug the moment she opened the door. Her hugs healed his soul like nothing else like nothing else ever could, he realised. Days later, Rohit would realise that this very moment, this very hug would help him decide which path to take.