S I D D H A R T H

Finally I got a one week holiday from the military. That's so exhausting. I went to the hostel right after I got the holiday. Arav stays in the hostel as he is too small to live alone. My heart aches to see him in the hostel but that's the only option I have . He might be angry because I had told him I'll come two days before but I am coming two days later.

"Mam ?" I came inside the office of the hostel. She greeted me with smile.

"Aap seedha room mein chale jayiye" She said while guesturing me. I thanked her. She is in her 70s, handling the hostel. I took the lift and got into the first floor in kids section. I knocked on the door of Aarav's room and got inside. He was playing. Today is Sunday— he might be resting.

His eyes fell on me and ran towards me to hug me. I knelt down and took him into hug. He wrapped his small arms around my neck. He pulled away from the 2 minute hug.

"You again did the same thing" He said with a pout. I smiled at him.

"I am sorry Aru. The chief doesn't listen to me" I complain with a pout too. He still didn't smile and I realise he is really angry. Before i could hold his hands he went back to take something out from his bag. "Aru i promise I won't do this again—"

He took out his shinchan bandage from his bag and opened infront of me. "You again got hurt" He said and applied right up in my side eyebrow. "Why don't you take care" He glared at me.

"Okay. I promise I will take care. Happy ?" I said and tickled him to laugh and he did finally.

"Till when will you stay ?" He asked— his eyes shining with hope. I caressed his cheeks. He might miss me alot. I miss him alot too.

"A week" I said and he didn't smile.

"You will probably go back before the time" He said and exhaled deeply.

"Hn .....mere seniors kaafi bure hai" I said and he chuckled at me.

"Dada ? I want to go out" He said. I nodded at him. I put my bag on his bed and took a small bag. Carrying his essentials— bottle, little snacks, hanky, an umbrella, a extra clothes because what if he ends up getting wet in case.

I took him in my arms and walked out of the hostel after signing the papers of hostel. We got into a taxi to the house. As we reached out house. A small house— not big because I am not that rich, it's my grandparent's house, but atleast I am able to afford things for Arav. I took my bike out so that I can take Arav where he wants to go.

I settled Arav in front he giggled in happiness. Just then our neighbour, Riya, came as she saw us.

"Oh Arav ke papa aagye" She said and caressed Arav's cheeks. He nodded in happiness. "Khana tab mere ghar mein hi kar lijiyega Siddharth aaj ?" She looked at me with a smile.

"Tumhare yaha ?—" I was inquiring just then Arav interrupted.

"Yes yes yes !!!" He said with happiness.

"Tab aaj pakka ?" She high fived with Arav. "Wait karungi" She said to me with a smile and walked off. I shrugged and started the bike. Arav likes Riya alot. She is younger than me, what was her age ? Ig something 25. It's good that Arav loves companies of some people. He only loves Riya and Aditya bhaiya, my bestfriend's elder brother. She sometimes takes him to home whenever she gets time from her duty. She is a doctor tho.

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I S H I T A

I was so happy that Vivhaan bhaiya asked me to go military. God is also giving me hints and helping me. I am really happy. Even if for some days, I will try to talk to him. I never talk to him directly after he joined military. Even before military— he didn't talk to me much.

Right now I am out with my friend for shopping for my essentials.

"Ishita ? Tu humesha bolti rehti hai pyaar bohot pure hota hai. And I feel that too" Riya said. I looked at her as she said. We are sitting on bench of park for having  fresh air.

"Hn tum bhi toh bolti rehti ho ki tumhe ek ladke se pyaar hai ye hai woh hai" I said and focussed on the kids playing on castles.

"Tujhe kabhi pyaar nhi hua ky ?" She said I turned to looked at her. "Har baar baat kat deti ho tum waise bhi" She said and looked ahead.

"Pyaar ?" I whispered.

Flashback.

Ishita Chauhan, 15 years old.

I took the bag from my bed and walked downstairs hurriedly.

"Gir jayegi beta" Maa said and just then I tripped on my way a little and was about to fall but maa hold my hand before letting me hit the ground.

"Thank you" I smiled sheepishly and she shook her head in amusement. "Maa mujhe na kuch essentials chahiye apne project ke liye toh tution se aate waqt le aaungi. Paise do" I said while showing my palm.

"Papa ne kal hi na pocket money di ?" She inquired.

"Hn toh woh mere liye hai n. Ab paise do mujhe late ho rhi hai" I said and jumped hurriedly. She took out some money and gave it to me. "Bas itne ? Maine socha kuch khud ke liye le leti"

"Itne hi milenge project ke liye" She said and went inside the kitchen.

"Vivhaan bhaiya mangte toh Bina bole bohot paise de deti" I mummered to myself and walked out of the house. He is in US, for doctor degree. He might be enjoying and here i am struggling with school and tution.

A U T H O R POV

Ishita walked huridely while wearing her sandles carelessly. She walked ahead while her eyes were in her sandles which is loosely touching her legs. She sidded her white duppata and just when her legs touched the road after the footpath— she fell down on the road due to a bike. Not really due to bike.

"Aah...." She exclaimed in pain.

On the other side Siddharth came out from his house which is just beside Ishita's. He just had a small fight with his father. His taunts 'you killed your mother' heavy on his chest. He is 18 years old yet the amount of tourcher he is getting from his own family is too much. He spends most of his time out from his house. He isn't able to share his feelings even with his bestfriends. He is already having alot in his life and not wanting to give tension to his bestfriends.

He wore helmet on and sat on his bike determined to go somewhere to calm down his heart and head. Just he sat on his bike and turned it on and took a step head a girl landed on road on her ass. Panickedly he got off from the bike and went to check on the girl.

"Aahh....." She exclaimed in pain and he bent down a little to look after her.

"Are you alright?" He asked in panic and she looked up— Ishita, who got lost in his eyes through the helmet. The time stopped and the wind started flowing making her feel strange things in her chest, in her heart. She was so lost admiring his eyes that she didn't hear what he just said. She momentarily forgot about falling on the road because right now she fell in love with him right at the moment. What do we call this ?

Love at first sight.

He opened his helmet hurriedly because he thought she wasn't able to hear his voice due to the helmet. Right after removing his helmet her heart beated more quickly.

"Haaye...." She whispered to herself— momentarily lost in him. He held out his hand so that she could take it and stood up from the road. She looked at his face then at his hand. With a slight blush she took it. He pulled her up and she got pulled closer to him. Just then little rain started.

"Ye bin bulaye barshat ?" He looked up as it started raining a little. She wasn't even caring about the rain— it was just him for her. He took a step back and sat on his bike and put on the helmet.

"Tum kahi ja rhi thi ? Barrish ho rhi hai halki. Bologi toh chor dunga" He said and she got back to reality and nodded at his words while blushing a little. She glanced at her house, assuring no one is seeing her. She sat behind his back and he pulled the bike away from there.

"I am really sorry. I didn't mean to hit you. I was in a hurry and I didn't realise you were infornt of me. So take this ride as my apology" He said feeling guilty over the incident . She was lost in his words from behind and was admiring his side profile. "Ky hua ? Jyda jor se lag gyi ky ?" He asked and glanced back as she didn't reply to anything.

"Huh ?" She whispered and gathered her courage to say something. "Nhi mujhe nhi lagi" She replied softly with a slight blush. He nodded at her and focused on his ride.

"Waisa jana kidhar hai ?" He asked and she realised they have come far from her destination.

"Yahi rok dijiye" She said and he stopped the bike immediately. She got up from the bike. "Thank you" She said with a smile and he nodded at her and rode his bike away.

She was the happiest after the day she met him. Now it became her daily routine to look at him through the window of her room. His room was right infront of her window. She shifted her study table infront of the window so that she could see him.

She doesn't know, why and what it is but she knows she is in love with him just by that incident. But she knows he is three years older than her and if she will tell her feelings to him he will probably say that she is just 15, she needs to grow up and see the world first.

She started writing small chits about what happened and how she met, what he was doing. She writes one chit everyday and collects it in the jar. Everything is so new to her that she wants to tell someone. She always shares every small detail with Vivhaan but he is in the US and she knows he won't like that she likes someone in this age and that too a neighbour.

One day, She was coming back from school and saw Siddharth resting on his bike looking at something on his phone and beside him Ansh was also resting on bike— both in school uniforms.

Her heart started beating fast as her eyes fell on Siddharth. She made ways to them. Ansh recognised her because she is the sister of his elder brother's bestfriend, whom he met only once tho.

"Ishi ? You are coming from school ?" Ansh asked as she stood infront of him. She nodded and her eyes flickered to Siddharth who was so invested in his phone that he didn't hear her coming.

"Aap dono bhi school se ghar ja rhe hai ?" She asked somehow because due to Siddharth her voice is getting stuck in her mouth.

"Haa. Par thak gye the toh yaha rest kar rhe the. Would you like to have some tea ?" Ansh asked and guestured her at the tea stall just behind the bike. She looked at Siddharth who didn't even acknowledge her presence. Her heart felt a little heavy but she ignored it.

"Nhi Ansh bhaiya, mujhe ghar jana h" She said lowly.

"Ghar chor du ?" He asked and she nodded because atleast till then she can look at Siddharth. "Ky kar rha hai Siddharth?" Ansh said in annoyance as Siddharth wasn't even listening to them.

"Huh ?" He looked up and saw Ishita then Ansh. "Arey ..meri online form dekh tha tha ,NDA wali" He said and showed to Ansh.

She looked at him in surprise. NDA ? Means military? He is going to do military service?

"Selection hogaya" Siddharth said with brows thick. Ansh hugged him in happiness.

"Ye toh achi baat hai n ? Let's celebrate" Ansh said with a giggle. Siddharth shook his head in amusement.

"Acha ? Siddharth phle ishi ko Ghar chor dete hai then chalenge kisi restaurant mein" Ansh said but stopped. "Ishi wanna join us ?"

She wanted to but she can't because her papa and bade papa won't like that she went out with boys.

"Nhi bhaiya. Mujhe bas Ghar chor dijiye" She said with a polite smile. She looked at Siddharth who became busy again with his phone. "Congratulations" She said softly.

He looked up at her and smiled in response. Both of them sat on his bike. She wanted to sit with Siddharth but she had to sit with Ansh.

She didn't understand why Siddharth chose the military? His father is rich and he has a millionaire company. He could work in a company as CEO then why military?

After some months, Siddharth went to his NDA camp and she never heard of him. She thought this was the end of her first love story.

Flashback ends.

"Kidhar kho gyi ?" Riya said and Ishita came back to reality. Ishita shook her head as nothing.

"Chalo we have to go, it's going to rain i guess" Ishita stood up and Riya went in her direction of home. She also walked off the bench just then her leg got tripped and she fell on the ground. A bike stopped infront of her.

None other than Siddharth's.

He walked off the bike and went to check on her. She looked up and saw him— again everything started fading. The wind started flowing across making her hair flow with it. He opened his helmet and held out his hand.

"Are you alright ?" He asked in concern as he thought she fell down because of him. She smiled and was held out to take his hands—

"Dada" Arav exclaimed and Siddharth's full attention went to him. He went towards him to check what happened. Ishita's hand was in the air as she was about to take his hand but he left her to check on his son.

"What happened Aru ?" He asked him and checked if he got hurt or what. Ishita stood up on her own.

"See there mickey mouse" Arav exclaimed in happiness as he saw the tramp there. Siddharth chuckled at his Son's behaviour and caressed his hair.

It's not like she hasn't seen him. She had met him after almost 9 years in Kriti's marriage and her heart got broke after seeing his son.

She looked at the son and father duo. She knows she shouldn't cross limits and stop loving him. She smiled at them and left from there.

Meanwhile Siddharth turned to her to say sorry but she had already left the place. He frowned but let that aside because Arav's happiness matters to him right now.