Hey guys!!
It's Hinal :)
I wrote this last week itself after the episode where Aliya texts Malvika instead of Ishaan, but I didn't want to post it during exam time. And so I delayed it till here. I hope you guys enjoy it :)
Do like/comment and let me know :D
Here it goes:
Start of Something New
"Actually thank you Dr. Aaliya! You just made me realize ki Ishaan jaise manipulative, fraud boyfriend ko dump karne ka mera decision sahi tha!"
I saw Ishaan's shoulders slump as Malvika walked away. I messed it up big time!
Placing a hand on his shoulder, I took a few steps to come in front of him.
"I'm sooo sorry Ishaan!" I apologized. I felt terrible! "Everything was going so well, and I had to ruin to it like this."
But as if he wasn't affected by it at all, he smiled in response. "It's not your fault Aaliya, relax! Coffee?" he offered.
I accepted his offer and began walking with him to the cafeteria, but I was still unsure. "So you're actually not mad at me? I mean tum dono ki setting ho hi jaati had I not messed up."
"Toh you want me to be mad at you?"
"No, of course not!"
"Then don't worry about it! Just chill! These type of situations... or well, fights... bahot normal the humaare relationship mein. It's no big deal!"
We sat down at a table as he ordered two coffees. "But leave that, let's talk about you."
"Huh?" I replied in an instant; he had caught me off-guard with that. "What about me?"
"How are you doing Aaliya? I know it must have taken a lot for you to do what you did today. I just want to make sure you're okay!"
I shut my eyes, trying to get the memories of that surgery out of my head. "I guess I just realized that to save thousands of people, I was going to have to save that..." and I breathed in deeply, not wanting to even start describing that man.
He put his hand on mine, "I'm really proud of you Aaliya!"
"Thanks," I smiled at him. "I am too!" I added, in an attempt to shake off the seriousness in the air. "Do you want to head to the stairs? I'd like to be somewhere quiet right now," I told him. He agreed, and so we headed off with our coffee mugs in our hands.
"So how come you never said anything about your father being in the army?"
"Just the way you never spoke about your father either," I counter-argued almost too quickly.
"Dodging the question, but fair enough," he commented. He let the conversation pause right there.
This was probably one of his qualities which I admired the most. He never pushed too far; and I guess that's why he's a good psychiatrist. You just feel comfortable talking to him, not to mention how smoothly he eases you into sharing everything with him eventually. But unlike Malvika, I didn't see this as his way of manipulating people. I saw it more as him trying to get a person to be honest... with him so he could help them out... but more importantly, he wanted the person to be honest with themselves.
We sat down on the steps in silence. No one spoke a word. I had shut my eyes for a while, and when I opened them, I found him looking at me.
"Are you ready?" he asked softly.
It didn't surprise me that he had brought the topic back to square one. But oddly enough, I was glad he did. I can't remember the last time I had an open conversation about all this.
"I don't know where to start," I whispered. My breath hitched, as all those memories came flooding back. I inhaled deeply before I began...
"At first, he was deployed for a few months here and there. I remember, I was about 5 or something, and I would keep bugging mom about when papa will come back. Tab mujhe nahi pata tha what he did exactly. I just thought he fought the bad guys like a superhero," I smiled, recalling those moments. "But then, jab main 10 saal ki thi, my mom got into an accident and was in coma for a long time. Pape bhi humaare saath nahi the, so it was only dadi and I. Before he was able to come back home, mom had already died."
I only realized I had been crying when I saw him take his handkerchief out, offering it to me. I cleared my face from the tears, but that didn't stop more from falling.
"I still remember how different he looked when he had returned, knowing what had happened. That was the first time I saw him crying. Regretting that he wasn't there for...," but I couldn't continue.
Minutes went by in utmost silence... After which I finally found the courage to speak.
"After that, every time papa was deployed on a mission, I would always cry and request him not to leave. Woh kaise bhi karke mujhe convince kar lete. Lekin har baar main unse ek promise leti thi, ki woh mumma ki tarah mujhe chod ke nahi jaayenge."
My voice broke off; and then I whispered, "but he did."
That was the last straw for my breaking point. I dug myself into my knees, not wanting him to see just how broken I felt. I hated it when my vulnerabilities were exposed because all people gave me in return was pity. I didn't want people feeling sorry for me, no that's not it. I just wanted people to understand me, understand why I was so insecure with relationships.
I knew Ishaan was different, that wasn't going to feel sorry for me, but I couldn't help it. I had grown accustomed to hiding my sorrow in a faade of happiness.
His hand snaked around my frame, bringing me closer to him. "I rea-... really miss him Ishaan!" I finally spoke out, looking into his eyes. I hugged him tight, and he responded equally.
"Ssh Aliya, don't cry," he attempted to console me as he patted my hair.
I pulled out of the hug, "and you know the worst part?" I asked him. "What?" he asked back as he wiped off the tears on my cheeks with his hands. "That I don't even know if he is alive or dead," I said, only to have more tears falling down.
CID
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
