I know I am updating after a very long time, so a BIG apology from me! 😳 I hope you like this part! And a lot of you will get suprised after reading it, I kind of changed the story! 😳 Here goes:
PART SIXTEEN
Prem felt his mouth go dry as he sat rooted in his seat, finding it incredibly difficult to speak. How was he meant to tell her? What was he meant to tell her? Gulping anxiously, he gathered his nerves and got up to stand beside Heer. Staring at the picture in what felt like weeks, he felt his heart burden. He hadn't even braved himself to look at it the other day, knowing it would only make him feel worse. As Heer smiled up at him Prem looked down to meet her eyes with his. 'Yes' he answered, deadly quietly. Heer beamed and looked at the picture and then back at Prem. 'Awww, you look like him! Where is he? I've seen your mother, but I haven't seen your father around. Is he at work?' she asked politely.
Prem looked at her hesitantly and fought back the tears. Each moment became more difficult that he unsure that he could overcome it. 'No actually...he...' he cleared his throat and looked away. '...he passed away...eight years ago...car crash' he croaked, choosing not to beat around the bush. Heer let out a gasp and her hand found his shoulder out of its own accord. 'I'm sorry Prem' she said softly and he smiled awkwardly, shaking his head. 'It's okay, you didn't know. I don't like talking about it much' he stated.
Heer gave him a small nod out of empathy, feeling a lump arise in her throat, 'Of course, I can understand that it must be hard for you' she said. Prem nodded and gazed at her hand which rested on his shoulder. Noticing this Heer awkwardly drew her hand away, staring at the floor. He surprisingly found himself missing the warmth of her hand that had seeped through his shirt. 'It was my fault' he stressed suddenly and she looked up at him, narrowing her eyes. 'What?' she asked, shocked at what he was saying. Why was he blaming himself?
'It was my fault he died' Prem repeated, looking into her eyes intently. He couldn't understand why, but he felt like he could tell her everything. He felt that she wouldn't judge him, and that she would understand him. 'Don't say that Prem, how can it be your fault?' asked Heer. She brought her hand back up to his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. 'It was my fault. If I wasn't distracting him, he would have seen that car coming. We wouldn't have crashed. If I had just sat back and stayed quiet, he would still be here. I'd still have my father, my mother…my mother wouldn't be a widow' he admitted, his voice cracking with pain.
'Prem,' Heer whispered, shaking her head and unable to think of the right words to say, it was all so overwhelming. 'How can you say that? You were a little kid, you weren't to blame' she said reassuringly. 'Prem, think about how your dad must feel if he saw you like this, blaming yourself for his death. I'm sure it must upset your mother as well' she added. The tears now over spilled from Prem's eyes, and Heer herself felt her eyes moisten. 'Whenever I see her I just see her alone and always dwelling in memories of him. And I can't even tell her how sorry I am' he cried.
Heer let him cry, grateful for him considering her worthy of being told what was in his heart. 'It was an accident. You can't keep blaming yourself, and your mother doesn't blame you either' she said, rubbing his back. He looked down at her with red swollen eyes and apologized. 'I'm sorry' he said abruptly. 'I shouldn't have said all of this. I'm sure you have better things to do than to see a geek wallowing in self-pity' he said, turning away and wiping his tears with the back of his eyes. 'Prem...' she started and sighed.
He was so insecure about himself that it surprised her. 'Maybe this isn't the best time to continue studying. I should go' she said. As she reached the door of his bedroom she turned to look at him for the last time. 'Prem, sometimes we have to accept things as fate' she said finally and left, leaving him alone to stare at the picture of him with his father. He stood alone for a few moments, wondering whether he had done the right thing by telling Heer about his father. She was right in what she had said but he would never admit that. The sight of his mother with no magulsutra hanging around her neck and a forehead missing the red sindoor haunted him. He could not help but feel responsible for being the one who had caused his father's death.
~
'Heer...?' Gayatri called as she turned and noticed Heer walking out of the house. She was in the kitchen preparing them snacks when she had heard someone coming down the stairs and had turned to see Heer ambling out of the house. She narrowed her eye brows in confusion, wondering how their studying session could be so short. She hurried up the stairs to see Prem. 'Prem Beta...' she started, strolling into his room. She raised her hand to her mouth as she saw Prem sitting on his bed quietly tears falling down his face and his knuckles pale as he tightly clutched on to the bedcover. 'What happened?' she asked, rushing forward and kneeling down on the floor in front of him. He looked down at her and lowered his eyes to the floor, unable to meet her eyes.
Eeeeh, finally the raaz is out in the open! I know you all weren't expecting Prem's dad to be dead. I changed the storyline just recently! 😆 I looked back and realised that I didn't actually say that he wasn't dead, neither did I say that Prem hated him! 😳 So yeah, this is why Prem is depressed all the time when it comes to his father! 😳 Hope it was a good surprise!
Love Zahra xx
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
Vanshaj
