Shivin Shots▪

4~Te amo💙

Within half an hour Mohsin was at her doorstep, breathing heavily.
Not thinking twice, he rang her doorbell. Huffing and panting from the lack of oxygen in his wind pipe, he ran his clammy palms through his disshelved hair. Sweat gathered on his forehead and temples. Not knowing what to expect from a girl who just told him about an age old case of depression, he was staring at nothing in particular, scared and anxious. Not because of what he was told, but because she was not a random girl. He felt a different pull for her.

Almost a lifetime passed and the door had not opened. It was freaking him out. Just then a creaking sound brought him back from his unpleasant thoughts.
Shivangi opened the door completely, looking a little pale she gave him a small smile and a silent invitation. He knew she was disoriented in her head right now. Here, she was mentally mocking herself for calling him like that, blurting out about her childhood trauma with such impulsiveness.
But she also knew now, there was no escape. She had to tell him. Definitely, he would give her time and space but eventually, as her best friend, he would want to know.

Shivangi sat on the floor leaning on the front of the sofa. Mohsin just followed her.
After a moment of silence she spoke.
"The best years of a person's life are the childhood years. My childhood was great. I had the best set of parents. Good schooling. Nice friends. One mistake. And it took just 2 minutes. I lost something I would never get back. Someone I'd never get back. The only person to be blamed was me. My grandfather was my best friend. When I was 5, he was diagnosed with a paralysis. On my 7th birthday, my parents planned to surprise me with a theme party. They were out seeing to the arrangements in our lawn, and I was dressing up for my party. I wanted dadu to join my birthday celebration too. So I went in his room and saw him seated in his wheelchair. He wasn't in a position to move or speak, but his eyes shone with an emotion, which I think, was happiness. I wanted him to see the party decorations and meet my friends so I took his wheelchair till the staircase so that he could look down at the party.
Mumma called me in the lawn to meet a guest or something. When I came back.. "
Shivangi couldn't complete her sentence. She broke into sobs. Mohsin hugged her head close to his chest, caressing her hair.
After a while when she was stable she continued.
"He- he had tumbled downstairs...and his eyes were w-wide open...they took him to the hospital. And I-" Tears flowed and drenched his shirt but heck, if he cared.
"I never saw him again." Shivangi shivered a bit as she completed her sentence. He sat there, stroking her hair, calming her down, telling her it will be okay.
"It was my mistake and I didn't tell anyone about how dadu fell for a very long time. I used to replay the incident in my head and get seizures. Mumma and papa started noticing. I was taken to different therapists but I could never open up properly any of them. I knew that they'd tell my parents. So I was recommended anti-depressants. Actually it could have gotten worse, like, electric shock treatments or something, but I finally told them. I told my parents everything and instead of hating me they just hugged me and said it wasn't my fault. But it was. I know. They moved on and expected me to do the same. I didn't move on exactly, but I did accept the fact that there's nothing I could have done to rewind that day. Slowly the seizures stopped and I was normal. I spent two years of my life just in the guilt of something I couldn't change."

Mohsin kept rubbing and caressing her back.
She turned and looked in his eyes that were shining with pride and something more. Something they couldn't name.
"Shivi I always knew you were brave and strong but you are so much more than that. And I'm so proud of you. It's incredible how you dealt with all of that at such a young age. It is very hard to overcome depression but you did it. I love-" Those words were the tip of his tongue edging to fall out but he helped himself by somehow twisting them.
"I love having you as my best friend."
He quickly gave her a hug so she wouldn't see what a blunder he was about to do on face.
Quietly she whispered in his chest "Game continue karein?"
"Hmm.." He chuckled.

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