17.

NAINA

A faint hand curls around my mouth muffling all my screams, I try to take a step towards with my entire body shivering.

And the sight in front of me made my eyes pop out of my socket, I take another step forward when I heard muffled voices my head snapping towards the direction. And there I saw a woman standing in front of a body.

A dead body.

Whose eyes were scratched out from the socket, blood oozing from his head like water from a broken pipe. I notice the woman who was standing there.

It was me.

The 22 year old Naina standing in front of her biological father's dead body.

Warm tears form around my eyelids, I shift my gaze to look at the other Naina her eyes were hollow it's showed emptiness sending a shiver down my core.
It's a nightmare, I should wake up.

"It's your past Naina" I heart low voice sending a shiver down my spine, I look at the source of voice. It was me. The past me.

She starts to make her way towards me her eyes cold, I wanted to scream, run but my figure seems to freeze, suddenly everything starts going black I feel a sudden shift in my body.

My eyes shoot open, and I see Reyansh looking at me with concerned filled eyes, "Naina Kya hua?" His
voice filled with concern reaches my ears.

["what happened Naina"]

I get up warping my hands around him, my huge cries echo in the room, he softly strokes my hair and ceases my back.

"It's okay I am here" he says softly. "I am with you" he whispers sweet things in my ears until I calm down.

Breaking apart I look at him, his eyes were filled with concern, shifting me in his lap he hugs me closer "pls Meri jaan mujhe bolo kya hua, tumhe aise roote hue dekhkar Meri jaan nikal jati hai" his voice was calm but I know he was controlling his tears.

["pls tell me what happened I can't see you crying like this my soul tears apart"]

"R-Reyansh mujhe daar lagraha hai" my voice comes out horse and broken. "Kuch nahi hoga mai hoon na" he says softly.

["I-I am scared"]

["Noting will happen I am here "]

The turmoil inside me seemed to calm down by him, he did it again he saved me.

Reyansh me mujhe samhal liya.

"Let's sleep now, we can talk tmrw" he says softly laying us down wrapping his arms around me he pulls me closer to him not even leaving space for air to pass through us.

"I-I don't want to sleep" I tell him,  he looks at me his eyes soften "it's okay sleep, I'll fight away the demons if they come to get you" he says softly tightening his hold around me.

I look into his brown orbs which were already looking at me, I find a different type of warmth in them, the one which puts my souls at rest.

"I am very weak Reyansh" the words leave my mouth without my acknowledgment, his brows twitch in confusion.

"Someone tried to touch Kainaat I-I saw the videos Reyansh, the way he pulled her by the waist, T-the way he was tracing his hands all over her body, I-i wanted to kill him in the most brutally extremely painful way possible" my voice comes out full of anger and pain.

His eyes also go red with anger, "what did you do?" He ask me his deep voice sending a shiver down my throat.

"I slapped him, twice. I dragged him till my cabin  on his knees. I made Kainaat slap him till she is satisfied, Dhruv punched him Aarav broke his nose then I trapped him in my basement he is still there alive, starving for food and water" I voice out with a stern voice.

"How are you weak Naina you did it, you gave him what he deserves" he says in a calm voice, "you are the strongest woman I have seen Baby" he says directly looking in my eyes.

"What's the use of this Reyansh? I couldn't do this when my family needed it the most I was a weak soul  mourning, I was so lost in my own pain that I couldn't see the people around me, I couldn't save Kainaat I wasn't able to save Him" my voice was shaky tears steaming down my face.

"What ever happened wasn't your fault Naina it was destined to happen no one would have been able to change it don't ruin your future for your past" his voice was calm like explaining a child.

"You are also a human not some goddess" he says "now sleep" he adds on placing a kiss on my forehead closing his eyes. "I love you Reyansh" I confess my chest feeling lighter.

"I love you more Naina" his voice slow and soft reaching my ears I close my eyes waiting for slumber to engulf me.

REYANSH

I wake up the sunlight peeping through the blinds, slowly opening my eyes I find Naina sleeping in my arms sleeping.

All the moments from last night flash in my mind, I slowly remove my hands when my hands touch hers, her body was hot like it's burning I quickly get up getting up the thermometer I check her temperature.

Oh hell she has fever, I look at the clock striking 8 AM, I make my way downstairs entering the kitchen I start preparing something for Naina when Mumma enters.

"Kya bane rahe ho?" she asks me looking around, "Naina ke liye khichdi" I answer her serving the food in a bowl. " tabiyat think hai Uski?" Mumma asks in a concerned voice.

["what are you cooking?"]

["porridge for Naina"]

["is she okay?"]

"She has fever" I answer mumma, "wait here" mumma says rushing in the kitchen, I was setting the food in a tray when we hear a loud scream the spoons drop from my hand I rush upstairs.

Opening the door to our room I see Naina sitting on bed with her entire body shivering she looks at me "R-Reyansh" her voice just above a whisper I take big steps to her, and pull her in my embrace.

"Shant Meri jaan Mai yahi hoon" I softly whisper in her ear creasing her back "I-i thought you l-left me" she says between her cries.

["clam down baby I am here"]

My heart crushes into a thousand pieces listening to her, "you had fever so I went to make food for you" I tell her she slowly clams down I wipe the tears away from her cheeks.

"I told you I don't want to sleep, why did you tell me to sleep why!?" She says annoyed I can see the vulnerability in her eyes.

"Mujhe maaf kardo Meri jaan I'll make sure next time Aisa kuch nahi hoga pls maaf kardo is bar"  I tell her in a soft voice she again wraps her arms around my neck keeping her face in the crook of my neck.

["forgive me baby"]

["just forgive me this once"]

I wrap my arms around her waist as well I don't know for how long I we stayed like that but I know it was very long until there was a knock on the door.

Naina gets up entering inside the washroom when I open the door mumma and papa were standing there I let them come in "Kya hua Naina think hai?" Papa asks with a concern voice.

["what happened is Naina okay?"]

"She is fine papa don't worry" I assure me a sigh of relief leaves his mouth, mumma passed me a tray of food "here feed her this" she says I smile at her before putting the tray on the table.

Naina walks outside she sees mumma and papa sitting passing them a smile she sits across them on the chair. "Beta come here" papa says softly Naina gets up and moves towards him.

Papa checks on her before passing her a tablets "here make aye you have these after dinner" he says softly creasing her hair she passes him a soft smile.

Papa places a kiss on her forehead "take care of yourself dear and no need to go to office today" he says "par papa-" papa cuts her off "no buts dare pls rest for one day company band nahi hogai gi if you don't work one day" he says trying to act in a strict manner.

"Don't worry papa I won't let her go, you should you are running late for hospital" I assure him a soft smile he nods his head moving out.

"Naina I kept your food have it and tell me if you need anything I'll make it for you and take rest" mumma tells her this time she smiles at her "thank you Maa" she says in a soft voice with a soft smile on her lips.

"Maa ko koi thanks bolta hai Chalo eat quickly now" mumma says with a smile Naina nods at her taking the food I quickly type a message to Aakriti and Mihir about our absence today.

["does anyone thank their mother"]

I take the food tray from Naina hands and feed her "Choti bacchi nahi ho mai" she says with a smile taking the bite of food.

["I am not a small girl"]

"Meri to Choti si jaan hai aap"