Chapter 24

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Here is Chapter 24!

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Author Pov

After listening to everything-

Everyone was shocked.

No one reacted.

No one could even utter a single word.

Kashvi looked down silently.

Then softly spoke-

"Pata hai..."

"Woh bas 8 saal ki thi..."

"Kitni khush thi woh..."

"Kyuki uska birthday tha..."

"Lekin unlogo ne..."

Before she could continue-

Her voice broke.

And tears started falling again.

Aarohi immediately moved closer.

"Lekin unhone aisa kyu kiya...?"

Ishvik frowned angrily.

"Haan..."

"Woh toh unki beti thi..."

Eshaan clenched his fists.

"Koi apni khudki beti ke sath aisa kaise kar sakta hai?"

Kashvi laughed bitterly through tears.

"Unhe beti nahi chahiye thi..."

"Unki pehle se hi do betiyan thi..."

Ishvik stared at her in disbelief.

"What nonsense..."

Kashvi stayed silent for few seconds.

Then slowly spoke again-

"Pata hai..."

"Jab hum chote the tab..."

Flashback

Little Noor was sitting alone quietly.

Crying silently.

Kashvi noticed her from far away.

She immediately went near her.

"Arey..."

"Meri Noorie ko kya hua kyu to rahi hai?"

Kashvi sat down beside her.

But instead of sitting beside-

Noor climbed directly into Kashvi's lap.

And started crying harder.

"Kashuuu..."

Kashvi softly wiped her tears.

"Haan meri Noorie?"

Noor sniffed sadly.

"Mujhe koi pyar kyu nahi karta...?"

For one second-

Little Kashvi went silent.

Not knowing what to say.

Then she quickly hugged Noor tighter.

"Main nahi karti kya pyar meri Noorie se?"

Noor pouted sadly.

"Kashu toh karti hai..."

"Lekin ghar pe koi kyu nahi karta..."

"Woh log bas gussa karte hai..."

"Chilate hai..."

"Aur Noorie ko dar lagta hai..."

"Jab koi gussa karta..."

"Kyu...?"

Kashvi's small heart broke hearing her.

But even she didn't know the answer.

So instead-

She tried distracting her.

"Arey..."

"Main toh karti hoon pyar meri Noorie se..."

"Koi aur bhi chahiye kya?"

Noor instantly nodded seriously.

"Haan."

Kashvi dramatically gasped.

"Hawww..."

"Kaun?"

Noor smiled shyly.

"Aljun."

Kashvi burst out laughing.

"Ohhh..."

"Arjun?"

Noor nodded happily.

"Haan wahi wahi!"

Kashvi immediately started tickling her.

Noor burst into laughter.

"KASHUUU!"

"Main Aljun ko bata dungi!"

Kashvi smirked proudly.

"Acha?"

"Toh bata dena..."

"Kya hi kar lega woh?"

Noor suddenly stopped laughing.

Then softly asked-

"Kashu..."

"Mujhe chodke mat jana kabhi bhi..."

"Kyuki mujhe koi pyar nahi karta tere jitna..."

Kashvi immediately hugged her tightly.

"Kabhi nahi."

Noor hugged her back instantly.

Flashback Ends

Kashvi wiped her tears.

"Woh bas 7 saal ki thi..."

"Jab usne yeh sab bola..."

She broke down crying again.

Aarohi quickly held her hand.

"Kashvi please..."

"Rona band kar..."

Meanwhile-

Netrabhan was only looking at her.

Thinking silently-

"Us waqt toh yeh khud bhi kitni choti thi..."

"Tab bhi Noor ko sambhala..."

"Pata nahi meri Aarzoo ne kya kya saha hai..."

"Itni si umar mein..."

He wanted to console her.

Wanted to hug her.

Wanted to tell her-

Stop crying.

But he couldn't.

After few minutes-

Kashvi somehow calmed herself.

Then softly said-

"Chalo..."

"Class mein chalte hai..."

Everyone quietly nodded.

Back in classroom-

Saanvi, Arjun and Vedansh were already sitting there.

One look at Arjun-

And everyone understood he cried.

But nobody said anything.

Everyone silently sat down.

Kashvi and Netrabhan sat beside each other.

Classes started again.

But Kashvi wasn't listening at all.

She was completely lost in thoughts.

Her hands were trembling.

Her legs too.

Netrabhan noticed immediately.

Softly-

He called her.

"Aarzoo..."

No response.

Again-

"Aarzoo..."

Still nothing.

This time-

He slowly placed his hand over hers.

And softly called again-

"Aarzoo..."

Kashvi suddenly came out of her thoughts.

"Haan... boliye..."

Netrabhan looked at her calmly.

"Calm down."

"Shant ho jaiye."

Kashvi quickly replied-

"Haan toh shant hi toh hoon."

Netrabhan looked towards her trembling hands and legs.

"Woh toh dikh hi raha hai."

Kashvi followed his gaze downward.

Then finally noticed-

He was still holding her hand.

She immediately looked around nervously.

Checking if someone was watching.

Then whispered softly-

"Hath toh choriye..."

Netrabhan smiled slightly.

"Yeh hath chorne ke liye thodi pakda hai."

And held her hand even tighter.

Instantly-

Kashvi's cheeks turned soft pink.

Both got lost looking at each other.

So lost-

That they didn't even hear the teacher shouting.

"KASHVI!"

"NETRABHAN!"

Both instantly stood up startled.

And the whole class looked towards them.

"Get out of the class!"

Both together said-

"Sorry mam..."

But the teacher didn't listen.

"OUT."

Quietly-

Both started walking outside.

Still unaware-

That they were holding each other's hands the entire time.

Then suddenly-

Ishvik whispered dramatically-

"Bhai..."

"Tumlog park thodi jaa rahe ho..."

"Toh hath toh chodo ek dusre ka..."

Both froze.

"Huhh?"

Ishvik pointed towards their joined hands.

Both instantly left each other's hands.

Completely embarrassed.

And quickly walked outside.

The whole class was shocked.

Especially because-

The class topper was standing outside for punishment.

Inside-

Classes continued.

Meanwhile outside-

Kashvi sighed dramatically.

"Mujhe bore ho raha hai..."

Netrabhan looked at her.

"Aarzoo..."

"Hume punishment mili hai yaad hai na?"

Kashvi nodded innocently.

"Haan..."

Then suddenly she brightened up.

"Acha mai kya soch rahi hu... unlog ko bhi bahar bula lu kya?"

"Kyu?"

"Kyu ki mujhe bore ho raha hai."

"Aarzoo..."

"Acha theek hai na..."

After few seconds she looked toward him again.

"Ek baat puchun?"

"Haan puchiye."

"Aapko koi pasand toh nahi thi na?"

"Nahi."

Kashvi instantly relaxed.

In her mind-

Bach gayi... warna woh ladki ka muh hi fod deti mai.

Netrabhan was already staring at her expressions.

Then she asked again,

"Aap sach me koi social media account use nahi karte?"

He nodded in no.

Kashvi thought,

Theek hi hai... warna pata nahi kitni ladkiya followers list me hoti.

Netrabhan smirked slightly.

"Koi bhi nahi hoti... agar mai use bhi karta hota toh."

Kashvi looked at him suspiciously.

"Maine thodi na kuch bola hai. Waise kaise pata chala?"

"Bas chal gaya."

Soon the classes ended and both went back inside the classroom.

Vedansh Pov

I don't know what exactly I was feeling today.

Jealousy?

Pain?.

Or maybe fear.

Fear that no matter how much I tried...

Kashvi's eyes would always search for someone else.

The moment she started talking about Noor, everything inside me went silent

I had already heard this story before.

I knew every single detail.

But seeing her cry today in front of everyone... it hurt differently.

She still blamed herself somewhere.

As if she couldn't save Noor.

As if an 8-year-old child was supposed to fight the whole world alone.

I looked toward Arjun.

His eyes were red again.

Same pain.

Same helplessness.

When Kashvi started crying more, everyone looked disturbed, shocked...

but my eyes automatically went toward Netrabhan.

He wasn't shocked.

He was hurting.

The way he was looking at her...

I understood everything in one second.

He loves her.

Maybe he himself doesn't fully realize it yet...

but I could see it clearly.

Every time Kashvi's eyes filled with tears, his expression changed instantly.

As if her pain physically hurt him.

And strangely...

that realization made something heavy settle in my chest.

Because for the first time in years, I felt scared of losing.

Not friendship.

Her.

I tried ignoring it.

Really.

But when class started and I saw him holding her hand under the desk...

the way Kashvi instantly calmed down around him...

I looked away.

Because deep down I knew-

She trusted him.

I rested my head against the bench and closed my eyes for a second.

Funny thing is... I used to think I still had time.

But now?

Now every small thing was changing.

The way she smiled around him.

The way she waited for his replies.

The way her eyes searched for him first in class.

And him?

He looked at her like she was the only thing worth looking at.

I hate admitting it... but they looked right together.

Still...

That doesn't stop the pain.

Because no matter how much I smile or joke around, one truth remains the same-

I fell for her too late.

I know she loves him.

And honestly?

I think I knew from the very first moment she talked about him two years ago.

The way her eyes used to shine while describing him...

The way she unknowingly smiled...

The way her voice softened...

I understood it back then only.

And when I finally met him, I realized-

It's him.

Exactly him.

Exactly the kind of person she once described to me.

Calm.

Protective.

Quiet.

But completely gone for her.

Sometimes... yeah, I do feel jealous.

Not because he's wrong for her.

But because he got the place beside her that somewhere deep down...

I wished for too.

Still, when I look at them together, I can't even hate it.

Because they really do look good together.

He cares about her in ways most people don't even notice.

The way he immediately understands when something is wrong with her.

The way his eyes automatically search for her in every room.

The way he looks at her...

Like she is the only person existing in his world.

And Kashvi?

She becomes softer around him.

Lighter.

Happier.

Maybe that's why even with all this jealousy inside me... I still can't dislike him.

Because if someday I can't stay beside her...

Then at least I know she'll be with someone who will protect her heart carefully.

Someone who will love every broken part of her without asking her to change.

And honestly?

That matters more to me than my own feelings ever will.

But sometimes... late at night... I still wonder-

What if I had met her before him?

Would she have looked at me the same way she looks at him?

Would my name have made her smile like that?

Would she have waited for my texts?

I know thinking like this is useless.

Because no matter how much I try to ignore it, the truth stays the same-

Her heart already chose him long ago.

Maybe before she even realized it herself.

And him?

God... that guy doesn't even try.

Still somehow every small thing he does becomes special for her.

The way he says "Aarzoo."

Yeah I know he call's her "Aarzoo"

The way he softly scolds her.

The way he notices things others don't.

I noticed it too.

when her hands were shaking in class, before anyone else could even

understand what was happening, his hand was already over hers.

As if calming her was the most natural thing in the world for him.

And the worst part?

Kashvi trusted him enough to calm down.

I smiled bitterly remembering it.

Maybe love really looks like this only.

Quiet.

Unintentional.

But strong enough to change someone completely.

Arjun once asked me if it hurt.

At that time I laughed it off.

But now?

Yeah... it does hurt sometimes.

Especially when she smiles at him in that way.

That soft smile she doesn't even realize she gives him.

Still... I'll never come between them.

Never.

Because I know what kind of girl Kashvi is.

After everything life took away from her...

if she finally found someone who makes her feel safe-

Then I would rather protect that happiness from afar than ruin it with my feelings.

Even if it hurts me.

I looked toward them again.

She was talking continuously while he silently listened to her with that small smile on his face.

And for a second, I smiled too.

Because maybe... some peo

ple are simply meant to find each other.

And maybe my role in her story was never to become her love.

Maybe I was only meant to stand beside her until the person meant for her finally arrived.

So here wraps up the chapter ✨

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See you in the next chapter 🎀

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