Okay, so while watching the previous episodes, I got really pissed off at how blatantly Karthik took credit for saving Yuvika - while that dhakkan never realised. This is me typing out my frustrations.
Also, my battery's quite low so I want to post this before it dies. Please ignore any typos.
Since When? - NeiVika OS
___________________________________________
"Sir, will you help me take out this tyre? I have sent my assistant for some important work." The mechanic asked Neil.
Neil looked at Yuvika and on her light nod, he got up.
"Sure."
Yuvika sighed softly. Rubbing her arms slightly, she looked around as she waited for Neil.
Both of them were on their way to the location Haseena Malik had traced out, the same address to where her father had been suspiciously sending money all these years.
But halfway through, the car's tyres got punctured before it broke down completely. They were lucky that there was a mechanic's shop nearby.
Her eyes flickered over to Neil's form.
On any other day, Yuvika would have vehemently denied any accusations that she was checking him out. But right now with herself, she could admit with flushed cheeks that - with sleeves rolled up, eyes sharp and tongue poking out in concentration - Neil did look kind of... hot.
Handsome. Dashing. Attractive.
As soon as she felt like Neil was about to look at her, Yuvika turned her head with a silly smile.
After a while, her eyes drifted over to him again. But this time, the smile that was twirling on her lips slowly disappeared as her gaze fell on Neil's forearm.
Right below his elbow, there was a burn scar not less than the size of a palm.
The injury looked recent but it was clear that the skin had healed well, leaving only a pinkish discoloured patch of skin behind.
Yuvika brought her hand to her neck, touching the skin just below her earlobe. She knew, because she had one as well.
Frowning, she looked his arm again, observing it closely.
She couldn't believe how... uncannily similar both of their scars were.
But how? She had gotten the second degree burn a month ago, when Phoenix had burst into flames. A piece of hot metal had brushed against her neck during her attempts to evacuate her guests and hotel staff. It was literally impossible for both of them to get similar scars, in the exact same healing stage unless -
Her eyes widened in realization.
- Unless Neil had gotten burnt around that time as well.
( Contrary to what one may think, DJ, her scorned brother did come to visit her a few days after the incident.
At first, he taunted her with harsh words - which she deserved, Yuvika admits - about her carelessness and negligence. But then, he suggested her a few business books to read, begrudgingly advising her to seek mentoring and guidance from his dad if she really wanted to work with the company.
While that in itself was unusual of him, what really surprised Yuvika were the words he spoke after.
" The world of elites like us is quite cold, selfish and cruel. Not many people have guts to put themselves in danger to save their 'lover'. Only those love you truly, who care for you unconditionally would be willing to jump into a building full of fire, irrespective of the consequences."
There was a somber tone to his voice when he spoke, an unexplainable emotion in his eyes - but it vanished the second he looked at her again.
"You must be really lucky in that regard, don't you think, 'Chuhika'? Karthik truly loves you, doesn't he?"
It was only now she realized why there was that strange glint in his eyes, that sarcastic, mirthful smile on his lips when he had scoffed out those words.)
Four weeks ago, when she was gasping on the hot floor half unconscious, Yuvika had only managed to see an outline, a hazy silhouette of her saviour before she had passed out from asphyxiation.
All this while, she had thought that it was Karthik that had saved her that day, but no.
That silhouette was Neil's.
Why didn't he tell her this? Why did he keep quiet for so long?
Karthik, the pathetic excuse of her ex boyfriend shamelessly ate up all the attention he got from her family. That b*stard even went as far as to use that incident to emotionally manipulate her, making her feel guilty every time they had an argument afterward.
Her eyes flickered over to Neil, who was wiping his hands with a towel after washing them.
Meanwhile this... this man had never talked about that night, never mentioned about his injury, always kept the fact that he had saved her that night a secret.
Even right now, despite knowing that her family was responsible for his father's woes, he was still following her to a random address 500 kilometres away, just because it was important to her.
Selflessly. Without expecting anything in return.
("Neil likes you, Di" She still remembers the words Isha had spoken that day.
"He has feelings for you. It's quite obvious that he cares."
The only question was...
Since When?)
It was confirmed. Yuvika was a blind idiot. A certified one.
"-vika? Are you okay?"
She didn't realize she was crying until she felt his fingers touch her cheek, brushing away the tears.
"What happened?" Neil murmured in concern.
"Ah. Nothing, it's just - " Yuvika instinctively took a step back. Using the heel of her palm to wipe her eyes, she replied,
"Got caught up in past memories."
Both of them were quiet for a moment, unsure of what to speak.
Her eyes dropped to his left arm. This time the sleeves of his denim jacket were rolled down.
Yuvika often had nightmares of the incident. Of finding herself stuck in between the ruins of her father's dream project, unable to do anything as it bathed in flames.
But most of the times, they ended with someone covering her body with a thick fabric and holding her tight. In those dreams, the person would tuck her head under a firm chest protectively as she'd feel herself being carried to a safe place.
Turns out that it was not just a dream.
Coughing wetly, Yuvika couldn't stop herself from asking.
"By the way Neil... how many of these denim jackets do you have?"
Neil stiffened at her unexpected question. He looked at his jacket. Multiple emotions flickered through his eyes as he slowly answered, "This is the only one I have ; my dad gifted it to me on my 21st birthday. Why?"
Yuvika took a sharp breath and she felt a distant ache in her heart.
Oh Neil, you might be an expert at speaking lies, but your eyes aren't.
Feeling tears brim in her eyes again, Yuvika averted her gaze and shook her head, feeling too overwhelmed with emotions to speak in response.
"......It's getting dark. I think we should set up some fire, while the mechanic fixes the car." He spoke after a while, in an attempt to dissipate the thick atmosphere around them.
Yuvika looked up at him with reverence and affection. Taking a step forward, she suddenly cupped one side of his face and pressed her lips to his cheek.
Neil gazed in half surprise and wonder as she stepped back and reached out for his hand. With her eyes fixated on him, she entwined their fingers and smiled softly, before whispering,
"Okay."
comment:
p_commentcount