His Hush Hush Girl

Chapter 19

Viren Khanna

I was so delighted today. Usually, during weekends, I'll be sulking without doing any office stuff. Because weekends indicates that Daksh will visit his parents to spend some time with them. So I'll be in my room. My grandparents will visit some temples and Preeti busy with her projects. But this time I'll be having my other best friend coming. Sharav Ahuja. 

During our childhood, we were really enemies rather than friends. Our family and Daksh tried to resolve our fights, but we never listened to them. We kept on fighting. Our family got tired of our fights so they dropped trying to make amends. 

Sharav Ahuja was the eldest child of Rakesh Ahuja and Sheela Ahuja. The elder Ahuja's worked under my Dad in his company. Sharav had a younger sister just like me. Her name was Sara Ahuja. She was a year older than my sister. But Sara's birth was a complicated one. The doctors told either Sara will make it or her mum. But Sara was a fighter, she made it without impacting her mother's life. 

My parents Vinesh Khanna and Pranita Khanna were so found of Sara. They adored her like their own daughter. Sharav too grew protective towards her. I was annoyed that she was receiving all the attention. Even my grandparents were extremely fond of her. Sharav and she literally grew in my home. 

Once I did something terrible. All were sitting in the hall, my family and Ahujas along with Sharav. I tiptoed from there quietly and went to the room where four months Sara was resting.

When I entered the room, I saw that she was wide awake and looking around the room. She was placed in the crib. I went near the crib and stared at her, whilst she gave me a toothless grin. I left the corners of my mouth twitching to smile. 

But abruptly my subconscious made me recollect my purpose. I went near her, but she stretched her little arms asking me to lift her. Instead, I pinched her nose so badly, that she started sobbing loudly and instantly her nose turned red. I panicked not knowing what to do. 

'What if someone sees me? what will I tell them?', these were the questions that kept running in my head. I went near her and motioned her to shush by placing my finger on my lips. I was about to place my hands on her mouth when she unexpectedly grabbed my hand. 

And the next second, she stopped crying and started playing with my fingers. I was totally amused by that. I tried to retreat my hand but she caught hold of it tightly. By then whole members of the house reached the room. 

All started questioning me. But I escaped saying that I heard her cries when I was crossing her room after completing my work in the washroom.

All of them easily bought my lies except one soul, Sharav. I continued playing with Sara, whilst Sharav continued glaring me. All the elders left the room since Sara has calmed down in my presence. But he stayed anyway. 

I ignored him and noticed Sara very well for the first time. She was so pretty. Her eyes had the color of brown, no not brown but russet brown.

She was just like the angels my mother used to say during my bedtime stories. I slowly went near her ear and whispered Pari in her ear. In return, she smiled at me acknowledging that she liked the name. Then Sharav told me that his sister cried because of me since he saw me pinching her, and warned me to stay away from her. 

But I ignored his threats and continued to play with her. After Preeti's birth, I was so protective of her. Then I felt why Sharav was so protective of his sister. It was something that the brother's treasure.

We grew up together, Preeti and Sara used to play together, whilst their brothers, I meant us, were always fighting. Sharav took good care of Preeti, just like I did. She was another sister to him.

And I grew protective towards Sara, but not in the way Sharav was to Preeti. The one thing Sharav and I had in common was, that we would chase the boys who neared our sisters. 

But one incident changed our whole life. My parents along with Sara died. That's what the elder Ahuja's said. They said the older couple servants of the Ahuja's killed my parents and Sara for money, whilst they escaped.

However, we didn't believe them. Those two were nearly around the age of my grandparents. They were the sweetest. Sharav, Sara, Preeti and I would call then 'Nana' and 'Nani'.

My grandparents never accepted that they could do something like that. At that time Sharav was in the hostel. He was totally devastated on hearing the news. He was so close to Sara than his parents were to them. They both shared a beautiful bond. 

Sara and he were more close to my parents rather than theirs. I wonder why? We did the final rites to my parent's bodies. But we never got Sara's body. We both never shed a single tear on that day. 

How can a 9-year-old boy handle his 5-year-old sister, whilst the other 9 years old lost his 6-year-old sister? During the difficult time, Daksh was the sole one providing comfort to Preeti, Sharav, and me. It was Daksh who brought us close. 

Once I was seeing the album of my parents. Sharav came in search of me calling me for lunch. He then came near me and sat. I was holding on to one picture.

It was a picture of my parents along with Preeti, Sara, Sharav, and me. Tears started rolling from my eyes without my knowledge. I cried my heart out by hugging the picture. I turned my head and saw Sharav was silently crying. 

I put the picture aside and cried hugging him. He too hugged me back and cried out loud. From that day we both grew close. He got the sister in Preeti which he had lost. But Sharav still now says to me that his doll is very much alive,  it's just we can't see her. Sometimes I pray that his wish gets fulfilled. 

I was brought back from my past when I felt him hugging me tightly. Realizing who it was, I hugged him back. 

"Welcome home Mr.Sharav Ahuja"

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I know this was a little boring chapter since it was about the past...

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