Ch 93. Nid Ka Nirman Phir Phir
"Do not do that ever again," Nishit warned, swiftly unlinking his arm from Ahilya's. He had been returning from his morning run when she had unexpectedly spotted him.
"Long time no see," she had greeted, casually stepping into the elevator beside him.
Despite his outward show of support for Ahilya in front of his parents, Nishit couldn't shake the feeling that he should keep his distance from her. He knew all too well that he could never let his guard down around that woman.
Lost in his own thoughts while the woman next to him tried to draw him into a conversation, Nishit received a text message from a friend just as the elevator doors closed. It was regarding the release of the second list for RD Burman School, a glimmerr of hope for his music aspirations. He had been unable to secure a place at the Rehman School of Music in Chennai due to his lower score in the written test. Heartbroken but resolute in his quest for learning music, he had applied to various music schools in Mumbai, yearning for a chance at his dreams.
Engrossed in downloading the Selected Candidate pdf, his heart brimming with anticipation, Nishit did not really look at her when he looked up from his phone to find Kirti standing on the other side of the elevator. While he had been searching for his name in the list, the elevator had chimed open.
He was bewildered.
Sighting her surged a wave of conflicting emotions in him. One moment he would think their paths have diverged forever and she would appear before him in the other moment.
Questions flooded his mind like a torrential downpour.
Was she here to meet him? But why? Hadn't he made it abundantly clear that he wanted nothing to do with her? Their last meeting had turned out to be so bitter, it can only go worse from there.
A tiny part of him felt a flicker of happiness and a surge of ego too. That treacherous part of him rejoiced knowing that he still held some importance to her. No matter, it was too late, and he had resolved to be done with her.
Before he could process the situation and his emotions, Ahilya swiftly shattered his fleeting sense of happiness by introducing Kirti as her daughter. In a matter of fact tone.
Daughter. From my first husband. My only daughter.
Daughter? The revelation stunned him, as if he had stumbled upon a long-lost secret hidden in the shadows.
Daughter?? The absconding mother was back? And it was Ahilya Lokhande? Bloody FU*K. Of all the women in the world, Kirti was Ahilya Lokhande's daughter?
It felt surreal, and his mind struggled to make sense of it all.
The shock was further compounded when Ahilya's boyfriend appeared on the scene, hurling a remark about Nishit's lack of a job. He knew it was a slight against him. Nishit couldn't comprehend the man's animosity towards him, but he knew that their paths were headed towards a fierce confrontation in the near future. They were going to get into an ugly fight, real soon.
Feeling Ahilya wrap her arm around him, Nishit instinctively recoiled, desperately yearning for some personal space. His gaze, however, gravitated towards Kirti, instinctively drawn to her presence.
In that fleeting exchange of eyes, he sensed the turmoil within her. There was pain etched in her expressions as their eyes met, and he could read the accusation within them. His heart skipped a beat, wondering what he had done wrong this time. It both pierced his soul and confounded him.
His heart trembled, burdened by unanswered questions.
How long had she known it? Was it a recent discovery? If yes, then how was she faring it? And most importantly, was she truly alright? And not the least important, what had he done wrong this time?'
The words lingered unspoken, trapped in the confines of his racing mind.
‘Kirti,’ that detestable man said. It hinted of a long acquaintance. Inexplicable emotions gripped him hard and he couldn’t slide any of his concerns in the steely embrace of the elevator doors.
"Pardon," Ahilya's voice cut through the tension, her gaze shifting from the closed elevator doors. "Do not do what?"
Nishit turned abruptly, his eyes meeting hers with a steely resolve. "Whatever you just did," he replied, his words laced with a hint of bitterness. "It would be best if you respected personal boundaries."
Without waiting for a response, Nishit retreated into his apartment, closing the door behind him.
A maelstrom of thoughts and questions swirled within him, each one entangled with Kirti and the new revelation. In an impulsive moment he longed to seek her out, and to discuss all of it, but his attention was abruptly diverted by a notification on his phone. It was a letter from the music school, outlining the next steps of the admission process.
The rest of Nishit's day unfolded within the sacred walls of the esteemed Burman School of Music. Immersed in the ambience of the campus, he explored its hallowed grounds, taking in the auditorium, the library, and various rooms. He encountered fellow students, some already immersed in their musical journeys, while others, like himself, were preparing to embark on their own in the coming days. The atmosphere seemed to infuse him with a sense of serenity and reverence, reigniting a long-lost fire within his soul.
He ventured into the hostel, curious to experience its facilities firsthand. Having applied for accommodation there, he sought to familiarize himself with the surroundings that would soon become his new home. As he walked through the corridors, glimpsing into rooms and other areas, a spark of excitement ignited within him, fueling his anticipation for the days to come.
On his way back, Nishit decided to make a stop at his house to share the exhilarating news with his sister, Prasanna. Together, they drove to their grandmother's place, where the joyous occasion was marked by Mrinalini lovingly preparing dishes, and them indulging in their favorite childhood delights. Amidst the celebration, Mrinalini couldn't resist teasing Nishit about enrolling in new courses when he should be enrolling in new relationships. Although tempted to share Kirti's mother's revelation with his sister, he reminded himself of the mistakes of his past and restrained that impulse.
Later, as they gathered around their grandmother, she began recounting tales of their late grandfather's encounters with the tabla, immersing them in a wave of nostalgia. Time seemed to slip away unnoticed, and it grew too late to leave. It led to Nishit and Prasanna spending the night at their grandmother's ashram, cherishing the precious moments with her.
The following morning, as Nishit made his way back home, he unexpectedly crossed paths with Kirti again. If he were being honest with himself, he would confess that he had quickened his pace to catch up to her, and then proceeded on to pretend that it was all a mere coincidence.
Initially, lost in her own thoughts, she didn't get that it was him beside her, but when she did, he witnessed a flicker of wariness in her eyes.
Hurt by her guarded reaction, he chided himself for his impulsive actions. This time, his hastened steps were to distance himself from Kirti.
The next few days were a whirlwind of orientation programs at college and finding new things about the art that music was.
He found himself encountering Kirti on multiple occasions. Every time it would happen, his treacherous heart would mercilessly torment him. How was so easy for her to keep pulling him in only to push him away? To be so near and be able to avoid him.
He had gathered that she was living with her mother, but additional insights were revealed by Buta.
"Bhaiyya, can you believe it? Kirti Di is living next door to us! Kirti Didi! She had been living here for quite sometime now. But, bhaiyya, she has a younger brother who lives with her," Buta exclaimed.
"Biplab?" Nishit inquired.
"She never mentioned him before," Buta responded with a tinge of accusation.
"Why? Did you consider yourself her only brother?" Nishit quipped, teasingly.
Buta's silence hinted at the truth, before he quickly shifted to another piece of information. "By God, Bhaiyya, her mother is so different from Kirti Di!"
"I bet!" Nishit agreed silently.
"But you know what, Bhaiyya? Kirti Di's mother has adopted Radha," Buta continued, sharing the bewildering revelation. "I found out when I met Radha on her way back from school. She confided in me that she was adopted. It's such a complicated story! Can you wrap your head around it?"
"Complicated, indeed" Nishit echoed, his mind swirling with unanswered questions.
With this newfound knowledge, Nishit began noticing Kirti more frequently, now often accompanied by Radha, particularly in the evenings. He would often catch glimpses of her from his balcony, at times getting a feeling that she was actually waiting for him there. All stupid theories of his idiot heart.
One day, as Nishit was heading towards the elevator to attend his classes, Kirti unexpectedly joined him. Determined not to speak, regardless of the numerous questions swirling within him, he was taken aback when she broke the silence.
"I was always fascinated by your height and your crew cut hairstyle." Kirti said, her words carrying a sense of familiarity and an unabashed frankness.
Caught off guard by her directness, Nishit struggled to find his voice.
"Nishit, when did you first notice me? Was there anything about me that fascinated you?"
Her question left him speechless, his mind racing to comprehend the depths of her curiosity.
When did it start? When was the first time he had noticed her, he kept thinking the entire day.
It had started with Nid Ka Nirman, he decided. Yes, that was it!
Edited by Meerkat - 3 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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