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image uploader" />~~Khamoshiyan~~ (Dedicating this story to a beautiful soul Mo)
Chapter 2
Next morning,Shaurya stood in his balcony sipping his black coffee and reading a newspaper. Mahek came out in her balcony looking sad. Shaurya saw her and waved,she waved back sadly. "Good morning Miss sharma! How are you?" She stood there quietly suppressing her tears. "Aaj bhi maun vrath hai Kya?(is today too your vow of silence?) Mahek wanted to say a lot of things but she couldn't. She looked passed him for any sign of Simran. "Are you looking for someone?" He asked. When she didn't reply he offered her a coffee. "Come join me for a coffee if you don't mind." Mahek shook her head in no. "Ok fine I'll come there then!" Shaking her head With widened eyes she ran inside. "Oye ruko! Miss sharma!"
Shaurya and vicky were at the breakfast table and Karuna was serving them quietly. "Mom,where's Simmi? Isn't she going to school today?" Karuna ma nodded in no and sat down. "Mom,aap ka bhi maun vrath hai Kya?(is it your vow of silence too?)" Karuna nodded in no. "Then papa must have said something na? Dad..!!!" He howled. "Shaurya it's not your dad...it's Mahek...she's getting engaged tonight...Simmi got a text message from her this morning." Shaurya couldn't believe his ears. "What the hell!" He pushed his plate away! "I'm done!" He got up and grabbed his coat. "But beta you haven't touched your food!" "I lost my appetite mom! Get the car out I'll go get Simmi." He told vicky. Shaurya stepped in Simmi's room to find her hugging her teddy and sobbing. "Simmi...what's wrong? Why are you crying?" He sat beside her and wiped her tears. "Don't tell me you broke up again." He teased her. Simmi hugged him. "No bhai...it's Mahek...her parents are getting her engaged even though she doesn't want to." Shaurya ruffled her hair. "I know that ..mom just told me ..tell her to reject the proposal ..it's that simple!" "I already did! She said she will try...I'm worried for her bhai...she's so innocent and so naive and you know I have reserved her for you...I can't let her go like this!" Shaurya hugged her. "Don't worry she won't get engaged." "And how do you know bhai?" "I just feel it." He replied. "Bhaiya we are running late!" Howled vicky from downstairs. "I assume you are not going to school today." Simmi nodded in no. "I'll stay,Mahek might need me." "Ok then I'll see you when I come back." Planting a kiss on her forehead he left. "Love you bhai!" Simmi howled behind him. "Love you too bacchey!"
That day in the office,Shaurya couldn't concentrate on his work. His mind was with Mahek. "Bloody hell! What is happening to me? Why can't I just get her out of my mind?" He held his head in frustration. "Please Mahek sharma just leave me alone! I don't care if you are getting engaged or what! Just get out of my freaking mind!" He banged on the table so hard that the water from the glass spilled all over his file. "Bloody hell!!!" He threw the file away and the papers flew and settled on the floor. Just then vicky entered his cabin. "Bhai we have a meeting to attend in an hour...oh what happened here?" He asked looking at the paper covered floor. "Go to hell vicky!" Vicky left with a confused expression.
Shaurya missed his meetings that day. He kept on looking at his watch. "Simmi had said the engagement will be at night,there's still plenty of time..I wonder if Mahek had refused the marriage proposal or not..I'll call Simmi and find out." Blabbering to himself He quickly dialled Simmi's number. "Bhai,you never call me at this time...is everything ok?" Asked Simmi. "Han Han I'm ok...I just called to see if you are still at home and how's everyone? What about Awara?" He wiped the sweat on his forehead. "Bhai you don't sound normal ...you never ask about Awara! what is it?" Simmi was pretty worried for her bhai. "Can you just go and check on miss sharma and see if she's ok?" Simmi raised her brows and clamped her lips to suppress her giggle. Shaurya hung up before she could say anything. "I know bhai you have started liking her but when you find out she's mute,will you still like her?" Thought Simmi.
Shaurya rushed home early,leaving vicky behind. Simmi wasn't home. "Mom where's Simmi?" He asked restlessly. "She went to see Mahek...you came early today beta..where's vicky?" Shaurya hurried towards his room. "I left him behind ma!" He closed the door. "Huh? He left vicky behind? What's wrong with him?" Karuna stood there thinking. Shaurya came out in his balcony expecting to catch a glimpse of Mahek but she wasn't there. Sun was setting and pretty soon it would be dark. He quickly dialled Simmi's number. "Bhai I can't talk right now...they are here." She hung up before he could say anything. He threw away his phone and hurried downstairs and towards sharma house.
Inside sharma house,the boy's family and the sharma's were talking over snack and tea. Mahek was sitting with the boy and Simmi was standing beside her. Mr sharma cleared his throat. "Look Mr abc,we want to tell you something about Mahek..." Mr and Mrs abc cut him off. "We don't want to hear anything mr sharma! My son likes Mahek and that's all it matters! We'll go on with the engagement." "Sorry to intervene but Mahek has something to say." Said Simmi. Everyone looked at Mahek. "Han bolo beta,what is it that you want to say." Asked mrs abc. Simmi handed her a note pad and a pen. Mahek wrote on the pad and showed it to them. "I'm a mute,I can't talk! This is what my parents were trying to tell you since you guys came here but you guys won't listen!" Standing in the doorway,Shaurya felt like the floor slipping away from under his feet. "What the hell!" He couldn't believe his eyes!. "I'm sorry I can't marry a girl who can't talk and I don't think anyone will!" The boy said and walked away with his parents. "Oh get lost! my Di will get someone better than you! You don't deserve my Di you hear me!!!" Rahul screamed. Sunil and Meera comforted their daughter along with Simmi. Maheks eyes fell on Shaurya and her tears rolled down. Tears formed in Shaurya's eyes as well and he went back towards his house. "I don't blame you Shaurya ..I knew you would leave just like the others did but it would have been nice if you had said some comforting words to me." Mahek said in her heart. Shaurya went home and paced his room,eyes blazing with anger and palms balled into two hard fists. He couldn't digest the fact that Mahek was a mute. He called Simmi. "Simmi,Miss sharma must be devastated, can you somehow bring her here with you..she can stay over if she likes..just don't leave her there please at least not today...she needs somebody to keep her company and she'll have you and mom here by her side." "Thanks bhai i wanted to do the same. I'll try and bring her over." Shaurya hung up.
Simmi brought Mahek home that night. Karuna ma greeted her at the door. Mahek went in her embrace with tears. "Don't worry beta,a prince will find you one day,he won't care if you are a mute or what ..he will love you the way you are and you will fall in love with him..he will marry you and take you to his palace...my words will not go void you will see beta." Shaurya was watching them from the stairs. He had a glass in his hand. His hold on the glass tightened as he saw her tears flowing. He was pissed because Mahek couldn't talk. He regretted saying things to her and forcing her to talk. The glass smashed in his hand and the blood oozed out. Everyone's gaze landed on Shaurya. "Bhai! You are hurt!" Screamed Simmi. Seeing the blood on Shaurya's hand,Karuna passed out. "Mom!" Screamed both Shaurya and simran. "Bhai I'll look after mom..please go bandage your wound! You know mom can't see blood and neither can I! ." Simmi told him. Mahek and Simmi helped Karuna ma to the sofa. Shaurya left towards his room to get a first aid kit. "You look after your mom,I'll go check on your brother." Mahek signed to simran and hurried towards Shaurya's room. She found him having hard time with the first aid kit. Mahek knocked on the door. Shaurya looked at her. "Miss sharma,are you ok?"
He asked with so much care and concern in his voice. "I'm ok but you don't seemed to be ok!" She signed but Shaurya didn't seem to get any of her sign language. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the washroom. "How can you be so careless?" She asked using her sign language again but for Shaurya it was going over his head. Her soft hand on his arm felt so good. He swallowed and just stared at her beautiful face. "I Know you are tired of these marriage proposals and I know you are hurt. I know you are scared to befriend any guy but I really wanna be your friend.. I know those guys Who came with marriage proposals have broken you badly but I won't let that happen anymore. He said in his heart. He was shaking with anger wanting to beat them up! She washed his hands and dried it with her dupatta. Shaurya hissed in pain. "I'm sorry! Does it hurt?" She signed. Shaurya just nodded. She brought him out of the washroom and made him sit on the bed. Blowing her breath on his wound to soothe the pain,she applied antiseptic. "You know Miss sharma you are very sweet!" He said. She didn't look at him and continued with the wound. "You are sweet too Shaurya,but I can't be friends with you or any other guy from today onwards." She said in her heart. The hair strands on her cheeks were being a nuisance,she pushed the hairs back but it fell back on her cheeks to caress her soft skin. "Bloody hell!" Mahek trembled at his voice and looked at him terrified. "Not you..I was saying that to your hair...it's blocking a beautiful view." Mahek lowered her gaze and bandaged his wound. Having a mind of its own,his hand reached for the hair strand on her cheeks. Mahek looked at him and their eyes met. He gently touched her cheek, and stared deep into her eyes. He saw his whole world there. "Bloody hell! Stop right there!" He argued with his inner being. Mahek felt very uncomfortable and he knew it. He tucked her hairs behind her ears. "I'm sorry miss sharma..without knowing about your situation I had said a lot of things to you ...please forgive me!" Mahek just gawked at him with wide eyes. "And please forget about what happened today...that looser doesn't deserve you...you'll meet someone better than him who'll love you unconditionally the way you are." Blinking her tears away she signed, "I have vowed,I will not marry anyone." Shaurya didn't get that as well. Putting the first aid kit away she walked towards the door. "Miss sharma!" Mahek turned and looked at him. "Can you teach me your sign language?" "For what?" She signed. "So that I can talk to you." Tears formed in her eyes and she left. "Miss sharma please say you'll teach me!"
Later in simran's bedroom,Simran was trying to cheer up Mahek who sat there thinking about how she was rejected for marriage not once but other times too. Just then Shaurya stepped in the room with a tray full of goodies and beverages. "Voila! This is for you girls!" "Wow bhai! I'm surprised! You never allow me to have sweets at night but today turned out to be my lucky day! Thanks bhai!" Simmi took the tray from his hand and placed it before Mahek. "I'm sure he brought it for Mahek." Simmi said in her heart and smiled. "Have it Mahek!" Said Simmi. Mahek shook her head in no and signed. "I don't like sweets,I like spicy snacks...you enjoy I'm not hungry anyways." Mahek told her. "Bloody hell! Where will I get spicy snacks at this hour of the night?" Shaurya ruffled his hair in frustration. He came downstairs and paced the kitchen. Awara was done for the day and had left. "What should I do? I can't let her sleep empty stomach.." "why do you care Shaurya?" His inner being questioned him. "Bloody hell! I don't know why I care but I care!" He called Simmi. "Simmi,go in the balcony away from from miss sharma and tell me what food she really likes?" Simmi excused herself and came out in the balcony. "Bhai,you like her don't you? Or are you falling in love with her?" Asked Simmi. "It's nothing like that ...I care about her that's all." Replied Shaurya. "Ok fine then! You can ask her mother what she likes!" She was about to cut the call when Shaurya stopped her. "I like her Simmi...very much!" Simran was on top of the world! "Really bhai? I just knew it! Now I'm pretty sure this like will turn into love in no time!" "We'll see about that...but for now just tell me her favourite food." "She likes hot and spicy chowmein noodles,if you really want her to eat then make her that." Shaurya hung up and got busy preparing noodles for the first time in his life.
Some minutes later,Shaurya entered Simmi's room with a bowl full of noodles. But to his surprise,Simmi was fast asleep and Mahek had disappeared in the thin air! "Damn! Where did she go?" He looked around the house with the bowl in his hand hoping no one should catch him like that. Otherwise he would become the talk of the khanna house. Mahek was nowhere to be found! "Bloody hell Shaurya! What is wrong with you?You are running behind a middle class girl with a bowl of noodles in your hands! Shame on you!" He blabbered to himself. Carrying the bowl he came out in the lawn. And there she was! Looking at the moon! He sighed. "Miss sharma,you are here and I was looking for you inside the house!" Mahek turned at his voice. She had tears in her eyes. She was already broken by the time he had found her, shattered. It hurt him to see tears in her eyes. Right there and then, he planned a mission to piece her together like some impressionist art. "You are still crying? Come on miss sharma let it go!" He placed the bowl on the little patio table and walked towards her. "I made your favourite noodles,taste it and tell me if it's good or not." Mahek dried her tears. "That's so sweet of you but I'm really not hungry..." signed Mahek. Her sign language was getting on his nerves. "Miss sharma! Give me your phone!" "But why?" She signed. Without replying to her,he grabbed the phone from her hand and added his number in her contacts list and gave it back to her. "Now text me whatever you were saying just now." Mahek pouted with a frown and messaged him. Shaurya was smiling inside that he got her number finally. "Shaurya khanna,thank you for the noodles but I'm not hungry!" Shaurya read the message and replied. "Bloody hell! For the first time I cooked for a girl... And wasted so much time and energy in this freaking noodles and you will show me an attitude? Fine then! Throw it in the trash can!" Angrily he walked towards the door. She lifted her hand to stop him but he was gone. "Your name should be grumpy khanna and not Shaurya khanna!" She said in her heart. Picking up the bowl she went back in the house. "Please don't be mad,I'm having the noodles...come and see if you don't believe me." Mahek messaged him but no reply came. "I know he won't come...I'll go to him myself." She carried the noodles to his bedroom. He pretended to be in deep sleep. "Chi besharam! Sleeping without a shirt!" She shook him gently without looking at him but he didn't get up. "I'm sorry I made you upset...I'm not feeling ok after whatever happened tonight ..trust me I didn't mean to be rude ..you know what? I'll sit here in your room and eat,when you get up in the morning you'll find my empty bowl here then you'll know I have eaten it all." Sending him the message she sat on the sofa and began eating. "Yummy! This is the best noodles I ever ate! Must say you cook really well!" She messaged him again. Shaurya half opened his eyelids and watched her eat. A satisfactory smile crept on his face. Mahek finished eating and dozed off on the sofa. He wanted so badly to lie down next to her on the couch, to wrap his arms around her and sleep. Just sleep together in the most innocent sense of the phrase. He wanted to protect her from everyone But he lacked the courage,he was gawky and she was gorgeous and he was hopelessly boring and she was endlessly fascinating. "Bloody hell Shaurya ! Stop this nonsense!" He exhaled and sighed. Getting up gently,he scooped her up in his arms. she looked at him with sleep derived eyes and smiled,he was paralyzed with desire and longing. "Shit! This girl will drive you nuts Shaurya khanna!" She went back to sleep in his arms. Shaurya carried her to Simmi's room and placed her nicely on the bed. Tucking her in,he looked at her face. "I will not forgive your god for taking your voice from you,never! But I'll do my best to bring your voice back because I think you deserve all the happiness in the world miss sharma!"
She woke up before he did the next morning. She had such a pleasant sleep that she wondered if the sheets were silk, they felt great. She was feeling light as one of those organic snacks she would find around in grumpy khannas kitchen. The window let a faint ray of light in. With it the illusion of warmth, and it too was strong. Simmi was still sleeping. "Such a sweet friend you are simran!" She said in her heart. She crawled out of bed and came out. She looked at the grandfather clock. It was 6 am,soon it would be time for her school. Glancing at Shaurya's bedroom she stepped out of khanna house.
Mahek went home,had a shower and made breakfast for everyone. Meera was happy that her daughters smile was back. Mahek didn't know she was smiling until little Rahul told her. "Mom,we should send her permanently to khanna house." Said Rahul. "You know we can't do that bacchey." Rahul snapped his fingers. "Idea! There is one way mom! We can get her married to shaurya khanna!" Meera's eyes popped out. Mahek choked on the tea she was drinking. Rahul laughed and ran before his Di could grab him.
Mahek reached school and later took her special needs students for a walk. Shaurya found out about her school from little Rahul and reached her principals office. After talking for some time the principal guided him to where Mahek was with the kids. He stilled at the beautiful view in front of him. Her hairs were blowing back in the breeze as she strolled down the sidewalk between all the tall trees with a smile that revealed every one of her teeth and the dimples of her red, flushed cheeks. "Mom was right! she's an angel!" He stood back,watching,mesmerized by her beauty and only able to muster the words,"Miss sharma..." she turned at his voice. The cold wind softly caressing her cheeks,that held crimson red color,and Shaurya melted just by looking at their redness. "Shaurya yahan? Doesn't he have work to do?" She thought. Before she could use her sign language and gestures he said. "I'm your student from today miss sharma!" Maheks eyes popped out and her jaw dropped open! "I can't teach you ! I only teach the kids here!" She signed. "See I don't understand your sign language that's why I want to learn so that we can communicate with each other without any problem!" He told her honestly. Mahek was still disagreeing. All the special needs kids surrounded Shaurya and welcomed him with hugs and kisses. "The kids already love me...what's your problem miss sharma?why can't you teach me? I promise I'll be a disciplined child...I mean a student." Mahek was motionless for a moment. "Hello friend! My name is Bebo!" A little girl extended her hand for a hand shake. "Hello Bebo I'm Shaurya ...I see you can talk." The little girl smiled. "Yes I'm the only one that can talk here,I come here for my little brother who's a mute and Mahek Di teaches him." Said the little girl. "Oh I see! You accompany your brother to school,that's very sweet of you Bebo!" Shaurya ruffled her hair. "I'm gonna need you and your other friends to teach me some of the sign language miss sharma uses,can you do that for me?" Bebo flashed her missing teeth. "Of course my friend! We will teach you and insist Mahek Di to teach you as well." "Thank you Bebo!" Shaurya looked at frowning Mahek and fixed his tie. "Let's go friend I'll show you our classroom." Bebo grabbed his hand and headed towards the school building. Stomping her feet,Mahek left towards the principals office. "Miss sharma,Shaurya khanna has donated a lump sum to the school board,my hands are tied..I can't say anything to him and I don't see anything wrong if he wants to learn the sign language." Mahek came back to her room. "I really don't know what's up with you Shaurya but we can't be friends! Tomorrow you might end up in love with me who knows? And I know I'm not fit for you..you deserve someone better than me...a normal human being which I'm not so it's better to keep our distance." She thought sadly.
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