"Isha where are you?"

"You can't find me. Ha ha ha..."

"Don't you want to play with me?"

"I am already playing hide & seek with you."

"But I want to play something else."

"Nooooo we are playing hide & seek only."

"Okay, Isha as you wish but next we are playing my game."

"Ha ha ha nooooo."

I wake up with a jolt while my breathing starts to get heavy. I try to take the glass of water from the nightstand but I can't find it in there. My vision is getting blurry because of tears and also my hands are shaking badly.

"P-ap-a" I try to call him but only a whisper is coming out of my mouth. Again and again, I try to call someone but all my attempts are getting in vain. Drowsiness starts to take over my body and.....

"Ishu!" Someone yells my name but I can't see clearly who it is. I feel like I am being lifted in someone's arms and they are telling me not to close my eyes. However, soon enough I feel everything fading out of my sight and a complete blackness consume me.

•••••••••

"I have told you so many times Vinod that Ishita's case is not normal and she needs a lot of care. I know you and your family try very hard to take care of her as much as possible but her trauma is so deep that it's getting heavy on her mind." That's the first thing I hear when I open my eyes. Like always Doctor uncle is telling Papa the same thing about me and Papa is looking defeated as if he hasn't done a good job at taking care of me.

"Stop it, uncle. Don't say such things to my Papa. He doesn't need to know from others how to take care of his own daughter." I say from the hospital bed where I am laying down.

"Ishu, are you feeling okay gudiya? Do you need something?" Papa asks me while taking my hand in his own. I smile weakly at him because deep down I know I can't be okay after the events of the past.

"I am fine Papa. But why did you bring me here again?" I ask him.

"You fainted Ishu. We all got so scared and rushed you to the hospital." He replies while kissing the top of my head.

"Are you taking your medicines lately?" Doctor uncle asks me while looking at me. I gulp knowing he already has an idea about my answer so I avoid looking at him before answering.

"I have forgotten to take them a few times." I reply softly.

"Stop lying to me Ishita. I have known you since you are a child so don't try to hide anything from me." He warns me but I don't open my mouth instead I turn my head to the other side. I feel a hand being placed on top of my head making me shut my eyes while tears slide down from the corners of my eyes.

"You don't have to say anything Ishu. Just don't cry anymore, I can't see tears in your eyes." Papa tells me while kissing the top of my head.

After a few minutes of talking to the doctor, Papa leaves the room to inform our family about my condition. When I feel like there is no one in the room, I sit up from the bed before getting into the washroom. I clean my fash using the cold water before getting out of there. When I come back to the room I see that Roshni bhabhi is sitting on the bed. Upon seeing me she comes near me and hugs me without saying anything. I lay my head on her shoulders and close my eyes.

"From now on you will not be sleeping alone. I will be sleeping with you and I don't want to hear any argument from you." She orders me while caressing my hair softly. I nod in reply before looking at her with a smile.

After a few hours doctor uncle tells us that we can go home. So without wasting any time I get out of the hospital and find Papa's car in the parking lot. I hear footsteps coming behind me so I wait for them. Soon enough Gautam bhaiya open the passenger door for me. I get inside the car and Roshni bhabhi follows afterward. The car ride is completely silent because everyone is busy with their thoughts.

After getting home, bhabhi takes me to my room and phui stars to rub my back soothingly when I lie down on my bed. No one asks me about my nightmares because they all know how horrible the memories for me to recall them. In no time I fell asleep by hearing Roshni bhabhi's soft singing and Phui's back rubbing.

•••••••••••

It's already two weeks since I have an unwanted visit to the hospital. Currently, I am in my college with Kuhu who is talking nonstop about my wedding which will be held in the next month. She is telling me how much she will be missing coming to the college with me, what she will be wearing at my wedding, how much she will ask from Mr. Bajaj for the stolen shoes etc, etc.

"I am going to be in Mumbai from now on whenever I will get any vacation and spend my time with you in your new house." She comments while eating chips. This girl can eat like a pig but she will not gain a pound afterward.

"You seem to be more thrilled about the wedding than me, so why don't you get married instead of me?" I ask her sarcastically making her huff at me.

"They chose you not me, so I can not get married instead of you. But the idea is not bad you know, who will be in their correct sense to reject that hot piece of meat." She replies while licking her lips.

"Eww, I don't need to know about your thoughts Kuhu. I didn't know you are so nasty." I answer back while shoving her a little. She tries to shove me back but I run away from her before she can catch me. I am not looking forward while running and get smacked with a wall. But to my surprise, it is not a wall. Mr. Rudra Bajaj is standing in front of me with his hands crossing across his chest. I look behind me to see that Kuhu is not there so I gulp in fear before looking back at Mr. Bajaj with an awkward smile. He shakes his head with an amused look.

"Ummm what are you doing here?" I ask him after a few moments.

"I come here to take you out for lunch. I have something important to tell you." He replies.

"But I have classes to attend as my exam is coming," I reply without looking at him.

"I have taken permission from your father and Principal sir so you don't need to think about anything. I will drop you home safely." He says in a gentle tone making me nod my head. He starts to walk towards the entrance of the college and I start to follow him. I notice that students are looking at us with wide eyes so I hurriedly get outside of the college gate. He is already sitting in the driver seat so I get inside the car before sitting beside him. He starts the car and drives the car toward an unknown destination.

••••••••

I was not planning to come to Delhi at least for one more month as I don't have any important meetings to attend but due to the wedding, I need to come here to meet Ishita because some things need to be discussed before the wedding. That's why currently I am driving towards a small place where I used to go when I was studying in Delhi in the past. That place is in a secluded area and not many people go there so we can talk freely without any disturbance.

I park the car in front of the little restaurant before getting out. Ishita also comes out of the car while clutching her bag quite tightly as if she is scared of something, maybe she is scared because of me. When we get in front of the restaurant I open the door for her. We take a seat in the corner and one of the waiters come to take our order. While I order Garlic Butter Naan and Chicken Tikka, Ishita orders Jeera Rice with Matar Paneer. Oh shit, I forget that she is completely vegetarian.

"I am sorry. I didn't remember that you don't eat non-veg, I will cancel my order and re-order something vegetarian." I tell her.

"It's alright. I don't mind you eating non-veg food. My best friend is non-vegetarian so I am used to people eating non-veg around me." She replies softly with a small smile.

"Your best friend means the girl who is chasing you today at college?" I ask her out of curiosity.

"Yes, she is the one and Her name is Kuhu Nanda." she replies.

"She ran away when she saw me coming toward you. Is she scared of me?" I ask.

"Oh, so that's why I didn't see her when I turned around to look for her. I don't think that she is scared of you instead she admires your works." She replies after taking a sip from her water glass. After that, no one between us say anything to each other. Soon enough the waiter brings our orders and we start eating the food.

"How do you know about this place? I have never been here before." She comments after some time.

"I used to come here when I was living in Delhi. Back then I didn't have much money so I used to come to this place to eat delicious food." I answer back. She nods her head in understanding.

"You said that you have something important to tell me. What is it?" She asks. I look up to see that she is looking kind of nervous and for some reason, I am not liking her nervousness.

"It's nothing big. As I have already told you that there will be no love between us but I think it will be better if we at least try to become friends. I hope that as friends we can happily live together after marriage. Otherwise, both of us will feel awkward with each other, and eventually, our families will notice that something is not right between us." I reply truthfully. I can not deny the fact that she is a very nice girl and anyone will be blessed to have her as a wife but I can not love her because there is no place for love in my life. However, I can be her friend and help her in everything by being in her life.

"Frankly speaking I don't have any friend beside Kuhu and I don't feel comfortable with other people. But I think I can accept your friendship as we will be married in a few days." She replies with an assuring smile. I feel relief because I was so tensed about her reaction. After paying the bill we get out of the restaurant but suddenly we hear crying making us look at the side of the restaurant. Ishita starts to walk there and I follow her. When we get near the crying person we see that it is a little boy who is crying non-stop. He is wearing a loose t-shirt which has holes in them with a short pant. Ishita crouch down to his level and wipe his tears with the pad of her thumb.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" She asks the little boy.

"I a-m hu-ngry." The little boy replies while hiccups.

"Okay don't cry. Come with me, I will feed you." She tells him but he shakes his head.

"My mommy is hungry too so I can not eat alone. I have tried to find food in the garbage but there are only rotten foods in there. My mommy is sick so she can not eat the rotten food." He replies.

"That's okay. You can take us to your mommy and we will try to help you both. How does it sound?" This time, I ask him with a smile. I may be a cruel person but not to these people. I am not born with a silver spoon on my mouth so I know how much it takes to earn money.

"You will help my mommy?" His eyes lit up as if he can not believe my words.

"Of course I will. Now let get inside my car and tell us your address." He claps his hands while giggling loudly. Ishita looks at me with a happy smile before taking the little boy's hand in her.

••••••••••••••••••••••|||••••••••••••••••••••••

Finally, I have updated the new chapter.😁

Now tell me how did you guys like this chapter? Is it good or okay or bad?

❤