Part - 5

The Broken Heart - Heart That Is Hurt (Part - 5)

After listening to Ashwath, Kaushik ji asked him in a harsh tone - "You have decided to go to Jaipur alone, did you not consider it necessary to ask us even once?"

"I don't think I have taken any wrong decision! If I don't reach the college soon, the syllabus of the students will be left far behind! Exams are near and my job is of utmost importance to me, everything else will come later, so I will leave for Jaipur tomorrow morning itself. I am leaving for it!" Saying this, Ashwath got up from the chair and went towards his room.

Everyone along with Kaushik ji started watching him going. Ashwath was not wrong, he was a professor of Chemistry in a famous college of Jaipur and Aman was a professor of History. College examinations were going to start soon and it was also necessary to finish the syllabus. Ashwath has been very concerned about his students since the beginning, hence it is very important for him to go back to Jaipur.

It was two o'clock in the afternoon. In the room, Ashwath took out the suitcase and started keeping all his important things inside it. Just then the door of the room opened and Kaushik ji entered inside. Seeing Kaushik ji, Ashwath turned towards him and asked - "What happened father, is there any work?"

"Hmmmm... I need to talk to you about something!" Kaushik ji said.

"Tell... what do you want to talk about?"

"You take Shraddha's daughter also with you to Jaipur tomorrow, not even a day has passed since your marriage, so we both will not like it if you both remain separated from now on...!!" Kaushik ji said while giving his decision. Ashwath was surprised at his words.

"But Papa! Shraddha ji has no work there!" Ashwattha said.

"I know and I also know that you want to stay away from Shraddha!"

On the advice of Kaushik ji, Ashwath lowered his eyes. Kaushik ji came to Ashwath and started explaining by placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Look son! I agree that it is a little difficult to forget some incidents of the past but it is not impossible. From my point of view this is a very good opportunity, if both of you stay alone together then you will be able to understand each other very well!" Kaushik ji said while explaining to Ashwath.

"But papa...!" Ashwath tried to say something but Kaushik ji interrupted him.

"You are going to Jaipur with Shraddha, Ashwath, that's the end of the matter... I don't want to hear anything beyond this...!!" Saying this in a strong voice, Kaushik ji went out of the room.

Full of anger, Ashwath sat on the bed holding his head. Ashwath had to stay away from Shraddha but Kaushik ji decided to send Shraddha along with him to Jaipur. Just then the door of the room opened and Shraddha entered inside. Shraddha ignored him and moved towards the cupboard, by now Ashwath had also realized Shraddha's presence.

"Listen Shraddha ji...!" Ashwath raised his head and called out to Shraddha.

"Yes, tell me...!" Shraddha said while putting clothes in the cupboard without looking at him.

"You pack your luggage, you are also going to Jaipur with me tomorrow!" Ashwath said in a flat voice. While keeping the clothes in the cupboard, Shraddha's hands stopped and she started looking at Ashwath with surprise.

"Just...what did you just say?" Shraddha asked with surprise.

"Why don't you listen to me at once Shraddha ji, is there any problem with your ears?"

"Our ears are absolutely safe, Ashwath ji, if you know the condition of our ears then please repeat your words again!"

"I said that you are also coming with me to Jaipur tomorrow!" Ashwath said in a loud voice.

"What...but why should we go to Jaipur with you, you are going with Aman ji, aren't you?"

"Yes, but now you will also go to Jaipur with me!"

"What's our business over there, we are fine here!"

"Okay...then you go and tell this to Papa, it will be beneficial for both of us!"

"Why should we speak, you speak!"

"I have already tried it the first time, so I am asking you to come along!"

"But we don't want to go with you…!"

" Where am I taking you with me by force? If you don't want to go then tell Papa otherwise you come with me to Jaipur because apart from this we have no other option available! There is a train at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning if you want to go. So pack your things...!!" After saying his words, Ashwath started putting his clothes back in the suitcase.

Shraddha's face was already sad due to sadness, on top of that, Shraddha's face became even more sad when she heard about going to Jaipur with Ashwath. Ever since the two met each other, there has always been a sense of camaraderie between the two. It was difficult for both of them to spend even a few moments with each other.

************past**********

Ashwath, standing at the bus stand, was repeatedly checking the time at the watch he was wearing. It was five o'clock in the evening but his bus had not yet arrived. Ashwath had reached Indore today after taking leave from college in Jaipur to meet his family.

"When will this bus arrive?" Ashwath then murmured looking at the time on his watch.

The bus reached there after ten-fifteen minutes. The front and rear doors of the bus opened and all the passengers started entering the bus from both the doors. Ashwath, carrying his suitcase, entered from the back door. Today there was a lot of crowd in the bus due to which Ashwath had to stand near the back door. Just then a girl stood from the back door hiding her face behind the bag hanging on her shoulder. Ashwath realized that someone was standing behind him so he quickly looked behind him.

That girl Shraddha was trying to hide her face by placing her hand on the bag hanging on Ashwath's back.

"Hey, who are you and why are you hiding your face behind my bag… get away from here?" Ashwath asked Shraddha angrily.

"Look, please calm down a bit, otherwise they will catch us!" Shraddha said in a scared voice.

"Why should I calm down... just a minute, are you a thief, yes?" Ashwath said, narrowing his eyes.

"What do you mean? Whatever angle you are saying, from what angle do you see us as a thief?" Shraddha asked, opposing his statement.

"From every angle...!" Ashwattha gave a short answer.

" yes......!!" Shraddha said with her eyes widening.

Just as the bus was about to leave, a bike stopped in front of it. The bus driver did not move the vehicle forward. Two boys from that bike entered through the front door of the bus and were searching every corner of the bus with their eyes because there was a lot of crowd and they had less time. Seeing those two boys, Shraddha took her face behind Ashwath's bag. Ashwath also understood that these boys were looking for him, so he also stood up silently.

"What is it, why did you enter the bus like a thief?" The bus conductor asked the first boy about Prateek. On this question of the bus conductor, Ashwath slightly turned his head backwards and looked at Shraddha, then Shraddha signaled him to remain silent.

"Has any girl come here?" Prateek asked in an angry voice.

"Hey ! There are many girls and women here! Who are you looking for? How will we know?" The bus conductor said while chewing paan.

Prateek looked at everyone in irritation, then another boy Nishant came to him and said - "I don't think she would have come here!"

"Hmmmm... I don't think so either, it seems she must have left in some other bus, come on!" Prateek signaled Nishant to follow him and both of them came out of the bus, everyone present in the bus started talking among themselves.

As soon as both of them left, the bus driver started driving the bus. Shraddha had now taken a deep and peaceful breath when Ashwath's words again disturbed her mind.

"At first I was suspicious of you but now I am convinced that you are a thief, thank me that I saved you from both of them, otherwise they would have got you thrown in jail!" Ashwath said in a low voice.

"Look! Don't talk such nonsense and we are not thieves...okay!" Shraddha said.

"Okay sir... I don't feel like it!"

"If it doesn't happen, what should we do?" Shraddha said shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh... So you are a thief, that means my suspicion was absolutely right!"

"Don't you understand, how many times have we told you that we are not thieves! Don't you understand, do you have bad ears? If so, then go and get your ears treated, otherwise every person passing by will be considered a thief. You will understand!" Shraddha said.

"Thanks for the advice, but my ears are absolutely fine!"

" Good sir.....!"

"Yes, of course Miss Fighter...!" Ashwath said.

"Ho...you just called us fighters?" Shraddha asked with surprise.

"Yes, Miss Fighter...!!"

"We are not fighters, you are the one who fights…!!"

"But you fight more than me!"

"Okay sir, so you are stubborn and ill-mannered!" Saying this Shraddha went to the other side angrily.

"Thank you for the compliment Miss Fighter...!!" Saying this Ashwath turned his face away.

To Be Continued...!