Nazdeekiyan: Chapter 7 (Riansh fan fiction)

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Raj Raichand entered his mansion with her daughter at one side and as assumed by him, his son in law at the other.

‘I want you both to get ready by 10am tomorrow” he hesitated and continued ‘Confess your love in front of the media and also to apologise for whatever you did earlier. Already my name is spoiled. Now I don’t want anything more to happen! Did you both get that?’

Riddhima and Vansh nodded unwillingly after seeing his anger. Raj left the scenario.

Riddhima’s mom asked the servants to show Vansh the guest room.

Meanwhile, Riddhima ran upstairs to her room. Riddhima’s mom tried stopping her from behind but she didn’t.

Again, these four walls surrounded her. Every house has four walls and a roof, but this mansion, her room. Everything suffocated her. Everyone just wanted her to act how they wanted, not how she, herself wanted! A mere puppet, weren’t these words enough to define her?

It was morning time by now. Riddhima didn’t get much sleep last night. All night all the thoughts that were occupied by her mind were haunting her.

She sighed seeing the birds chirping and flying outside the window. She also wanted to fly, she also wanted to get freedom. But, the problem was that only ‘she’ wanted it. Not her father.

Since childhood she wanted to become a doctor. But, the problem was, only ‘she’ wanted it.

Suddenly, Vansh’s thought came to her mind, he was just helping her? But, now he is also stuck with her. It’s not that she wants him to be caged with her. But, she also doesn’t want him to leave her. She knows that no matter what he says, he respects her, he cares for her, the way no one does.

She hears a knock at the door. Opening it, she sees its Vansh.

‘What to do, now?’ was the very first thing he said after entering the room.

‘I don’t know’ Riddhima murmured.

‘What do you mean, you don’t know!’

‘Please, I am already stressed’

‘I know, so am I but we gotta do something because the media will be here anytime! And you know, My parents also watch the news!’

‘See, it might seem not a perfect idea but what I could think at this moment was just this. Why not accept our love?’

‘What? When did this happen?’

‘Listen! I mean, we’ll confess it. Dad will be happy after this. We’ll ask him that we want to spend some time’

‘What?!’

‘Listen! Then, we’ll go away from Mumbai. You can go to your family and live your life freely’.

‘Seems illogical. And where will you go after that?’

Silence prevailed.

‘I don’t know. Maybe, I’ll go to Sejal?’

‘I don’t know what to say but I hope it goes as planned. I don’t know what will be my parent’s reaction after this’

Soon, the media was downstairs and both Riddhima and Vansh wanted to run but, Alas! They couldn’t.

They descended down, the media and started clicking their pictures. Vansh was new to everything but Riddhima wasn’t.

‘Riddhima mam, there was a news that you ran away from your own wedding. Was it so?’

‘Who’s this man? Is this the same person you ran with?’

‘Where have things gone wrong between you and Kabir Shekhawat?’

Soon, the media bomberred Vansh with questions.

‘Why did you marry Riddhima mam by running away from her own wedding?

‘Do you and Kabir Shekhawat have any grudges in between?’

Raj plastered a smile on his face and gestured to the media that he will answer all their questions. Soon the mics were in front of him.

‘I chose Vansh for Riddhima. And I think they both are made for each other. About Riddhima running from her wedding, that was just a rumour. Coming to Kabir and Riddhima, they just realised that they weren’t for each other. I hope everything is clear to you guys’

Again the mics were in front of Riddhima and Vansh.

‘Will you both tell us how you guys met?’

‘Eh, we actually met- through our friends. I mean, my friend is a good friend of his. So,…’

‘Do you think he’s the one for you?’

‘Y–Yes’

Before Media could bomber Vansh with any more questions. Raj showed his palm and said, ‘I guess you all got your answers’

‘But, sir–‘

‘Guards, show them the path to outside’

The media left, the family left. But, the tangled relations remained tangled.

‘Vansh and Riddhima have your breakfast, it’s already late. You both didn’t eat at night either’ Riddhima’s mom said politely to the duo.

They both nodded because their stomachs were grumbling. And, food was needed.

It was afternoon when Vansh was sitting in the guest room thinking about where he was stuck.

But, something inside made him think that he has been dealing with these things for a few days. But, Riddhima, her whole life has been like this.

He wanted to run from here, but a part of him wanted to take her with him, too. Because she didn’t deserve all these. Actually, no one did. Everyone deserves freedom. So did they.

A knock was heard on the door.

‘Can I come in?’

He nodded knowing it’s Riddhima.

Riddhima came inside and took a deep breath and spoke clutching the hem of her kurti tightly-

‘I am sorry. I am sorry–for everything. For every damn thing that is happening in your life because of me. I n–never wanted this. I never wanted you to be in trouble. I don’t know why all these things happened to you. I am sorry for everything. I don’t think you’ll ever be able to forgive me.

This life, I am used to it. Never got anything that I wanted. Everytime acting how others want. B–but you, you are not used to this kind of life. I don’t know why I came in front of your car that day. Why I chose that road. Why did that cab driver leave me on that road? Why all this happened, with you, with me, with us, I j–just don’t know.

If possible, forgive me’

She was about to leave but Vansh caught her wrist. She didn’t turn, she didn’t have the strength to face him. She just didn’t.

‘You spoke a lot, now listen to me too. It isn’t your fault. Maybe, it was all destined and you think a lot! Stop doing that! Stop blaming yourself for everything that’s happening around you! Just stop doing that!’

Riddhima left the room without showing her face to him. She doesn’t want him to see her crying, at least not now, when she wants to act all strong.

As soon as Riddhima left, Vansh’s phone rang and his caller ID showed his father’s name.

Vansh couldn’t hear anything except the phone’s ringing at that time.