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Awesome Chapters & Sneak peak. 👏
Really loved it.
Update next part Soon & Thanks for d PMs. 😊
Really loved it.
Update next part Soon & Thanks for d PMs. 😊
chapter 33
Swayam stepped upto her, cornering her by the side-table placed nearby. Placing one hand on it for support he said, "Really Sharon? Main tumhe nahin jaanta? Poore college mein shayad ek main hi hoon jo tumhe sabse ache se jaanta hai."
The close proximity made Sharon nervous, but she continued bravely, "Not anymore, Log change hote hain. Aur main bhi change ho sakti hoon."
Swayam crossed his arms across his chest, never letting their closeness dwindle and taunting her asked, "Tum? Aur change? Fine. Bolo Miss Sharon Rai Prakash. Tum kaise change huyi ho?"
"Main tumse Vishakha ke behalf mein apologize karne aayi thi". Swayam's jaw dropped at that. The sight encouraged her that she was proceeding in the right direction and she continued, "Vishakha ko aise baat nahin karni chahiye thi. Na ab Niyati ki mistake hai aur na tab Taani wrong thi. Tumhara reaction for once sahi tha", she said, trying to hide her appreciation under the many layers of 'diva' attitude.
Swayam couldn't believe his ears. Sharon was actually agreeing with him. Not only that, she also admitted that his sisters were ill-treated by their friends. Before he could ascertain whether she genuinely meant that or was just pretending to get in his good books, the entire gang trooped in effectively bringing their 'SwaRon' moment to an end.
Swayam stared stonily at them all. Nil began tentatively, "Sorry yaar. Pata hi nahin chala kab hum sab Taani aur Niyati ko isolate karne lage. But sach yaar! intentionally nahin kiya."
"Haan Swayam", Rini jumped in, eager to explain and make peace. "Last year hum thode overconfident hogaye. Pehle charity event successful hua, phir Footloose bhi hamara college jeeta. Basketball bhi, jo hamare liye bilkul new tha, wahan par bhi humne champions ko beat kiya. Is success ki wajah se hum dance ko bohot casually lene lage. Isliye Taani ke dedication aur uski mehnat ko samajh nahin paaye. Use pointlessly strict samajh kar use avoid karne lage."
"There is no excuse for what we did", Simmi intervened as Rini's explanation seemed to do more harm than good. "Humne Taani ko sideline kardiya and that was wrong. Aur hum Niyati ke saath bhi same kar rahe hain."
"Haan dude!" Vicky said crestfallen. "Hum past ko badal toh nahin sakte. But we promise, aaj ke baad ye discrimination nahin karenge. Dancer or non-dancer, group ke har member ko equal importance denge. Please tu naraaz mat ho."
"Sach kahoon toh main tum logon se utna upset nahin hoon jitna apne aapse hoon", Swayam replied dejectedly. "Mujhe ye stand bohot pehle le lena chahiye tha. Agar main Taani ke liye bhi tum logon se fight karta, toh shayad aaj woh mere saath hoti. Uske jaane ke baad mujhe realize hua main kitna akela pad gaya. Main phir se akela nahin hona chahta. I am glad ke tum sabko bhi meri tarah apni mistake ki realization hogayi hai. I just hope from now on, ye dobara kabhi repeat nahin hoga."
Everybody readily promised. Little did they know that this promise was going to be their anchor in the turbulent times that lay right ahead.
*********
Niyati sat on the edge of her bed, barely able to control her tears. Vishakha's words kept resonating in her ears. She could understand how Taani must have felt. Being lonely in spite of a crowd thronging around her. How easily both the sisters were blamed for no fault of theirs. Everybody was so intent on judging them, that nobody seemed to consider that they might just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. It seemed so unfair that their brother had gelled in with all others so perfectly, as though he had known all of them for ages and Taani and herself were always treated as outsiders. And she could still understand if all of them held a grudge against her. After all, she wasn't 'sunshine and roses'. But Taani and Swayam had identical temperaments. Both were calm, composed, easily forgiving, adaptable and open-minded. Then why Taani was scorned at and their brother welcomed with open arms was beyond her.
She was tired. Tired of fighting against every other person, every single day. Everybody she had encountered was very opinionated about herself and Taani and though she claimed it never bothered her what the world thought about her, she knew she was lying through her teeth. Living in a society, everyone obviously cared what opinions other held. And she was no different. She was strong, but she wasn't immune to all the ridicule she had faced all her life. She had spent years building walls around her, just so that no one could come close enough to hurt her. And here, these people were hurting her time and again by either blaming her or accusing Taani.
A knock on the door halted her mental excursions. Knowing it would definitely be her brother coming to check on her, she immediately pretended to make the already made bed. "Come in Bhai, darwaza khula hai." She deliberately had turned her back towards the door so that she could buy some time to compose herself. Continuing to sweep invisible specks of dust from her bed she said, "Main thik hoon bhai. Hamesha ki tarah aapki chinta bekaar hai. Aap jayiye, party enjoy.. " She stopped abruptly.
Since she had her back to the door, she hadn't seen the entire gang make its way into her room. The moment her eyes rested on them all, a dejected and apologetic expression graced their faces. Nobody opened their mouths and Niyati went back to cleaning her already clean bed. She could do without their shallow apologies. She just wanted to be left alone.
"Tumhara anger bilkul justified hai", Sharon began and unconsciously Niyati stiffened. Sharon was special to her brother and she fervently hoped she wouldn't have to lock horns with her as well. "Hum sabne tum donon sisters ko thik treat nahin kiya. There were a lot of times jab Taani bilkul akeli hogayi thi". Both Niyati and Rey looked at her. "Uske paas baat karne ke liye bhi koi nahin tha. Looking back, I realize agar main thodi zyada supporive hoti toh shayad things would be different. Agar hum sab thode aur flexible hote, forgiving hote toh shayad Taani ye college chod kar nahin jaati."
Rey twitched uncomfortably at that, for he knew Sharon was only partly right. Even if the behavior of his friends contributed to strengthening Taani's resolve to leave, Rey's 'fake break-up' had been the final straw. Had he not made that gigantic error of judgment, who knows what might have happened! Nevertheless, he was happy his friends were beginning to realize their mistakes. They didn't think dance was important enough to be pursued as a profession, but considered it supreme when it came to befriending people and inviting them in the group. This ritual had claimed Taani as a victim and now Niyati stood at the altar. And both did not deserve any of it, not even an acerbic girl like Niyati. She had a tough exterior but she imbibed all the qualities her brother possessed. Strange he mused. 3 siblings; 3 different personalities.
"I think ab hamare paas do options hai is issue se deal karne ke liye. Ya toh hum poori team ye blame-game continue kar sakte hain. Apne past behaviour ko yaad karke guilty feel kar sakte hain. Or you can find it in yourself to give us another chance. Hum ache dost ban sakte hain. If you let us Neeti." Niyati narrowed her eyes at her. Both Rey and Swayam facepalmed. Sharon immediately getting the gist corrected herself hastily. "I mean Niyati. What say? Dogi humein ek chance?"
Nil had a sudden inspiration and added, "Dance toh hamara bohot dekh liya tumne.. Ab hamare Dil se Dosti karne ka style bhi dekh lo!"
Niyati looked at all their faces, saving her brother's for the last. He was almost pleading. And well, they all had apologized and most importantly cleared Taani of everything she had been charged with. And maybe, just maybe this meant the end of all her troubles.
Or so she thought.
Precap: Parth Virendra Rathore
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