Chapter 39

Heyyyy girlessss 💞
Here’s another update
Do votes and comments
And share your thoughts
Go and enjoy 🌸

The moment the door burst open and doctors flooded in, our eye contact broke. She stepped back abruptly, almost as if caught in something too intimate. Embarrassed, she stood up and moved aside, brushing her kurti down with shaky fingers.

But my eyes… they followed her.

Koch badla hai, par kya? Pta nahi.

( Something is changed but what? Don’t know. )

Before I could make sense of it, Maa reached my bedside and began running her fingers through my hair, then my cheeks, sobbing like she’d held it in for too long.

Papa stood beside her, composed, trying not to cry. But I could see it. His eyes. That slight tremble in his jaw. He was breaking inside too.

“Nav, tune kaafi tang kar diya sabko.”
(Nav, you’ve troubled everyone enough.)

I smiled
“ sorry papa. Agli baar thoda kam kruga.” I said and papa chuckled while mmy gave me a little slap at my head.
( Sorry papa, I’ll trouble less next time)

“ shehtaan” mmy said.

[ Naughty)

Doctors started checking my pulse, muttering numbers and calling for reports, but all I could think was,

Where is she?

My eyes scanned the room again. Nothing.

Bhai insaan abhi maut ke muh se aaya hai…

Where are you, Vani?

✧

After few days

“ hi solnyska.. you again?” I said when vani entered in my ward.

“ were you expecting someone else Mr brar?” she said with a little tease in her voice.

I smirk.
Yaar tumhi ko yaad to kar raha tha ..

( I was missing you only)

“ You know, there was my business partner Miss kareli.. aj kal voh dikh c nahi rahi… Kahi dekha usko?” My voice laced with tease and amusement,

( She is nowhere to be seen, have you seen her?)

She glare at me.. to be precise fake glare at me, she was trying hard not to smile..

“ tumhe baadi yaad aa rahi hai uski, mai pasand nahi ayi kya?” She asked with the same amusement tone.

( Aren’t you missing her too much, why you didn’t like me?)

Pasand? Vani…. Vani …… I stretched her name in my mind.

( Like?)

“ tum theek ho.. but shee… She was a compitition, jesi bhi thi meri kareli best thi…” I said and she finally laugh at this, ufff… Jaan hi lele gi yeh to …

( You are alright…but she . She was a compitition, however she was she was my bitter gourd)

“ you can’t digest respect, can you?” she said and i smiled ear to ear.

Yaar maja ata hai tumhe tang krne mai…

( Friend ,its fun to mess with you)

“ dekho meri kareli… Although i am bedridden, I still can take comebacks, so don’t go easy on me. ” i said fake challenging her.

( Look my bitter gourd, …..)

“ oh my my….” she said in fake astonishment. “ mai to dar gai. Now listen… You get to see this version only for a few days, to jaab tak hai, cherish it.” she said and I smiled.

(…. I am scared, now listen.. you get yi see this version only for a few days, so as long as it is, cherish it)

“ okay solnyska” I said and nodded  while slightly tilting my head.

“ yeh naya naam dundha hai tumne mera, what does it mean huh?” she asked while raising her brows

“ kareli ka dusra version.” I said and she narrowed her eyes and shake her head in disappointment.

( Kareli’s second version)

Worth it.

Solnyska means sunshine but she doesn’t need to know that.

✧

Everyone’s here today, Ma fussing over my medication schedule, Papa and uncle quietly reading my reports, near the window, and divya aunty adjusting the flowers by my bedside. It feels warm. Whole again.

“Waise,” I lean back on the pillows, voice louder now, “yeh batao, Galla kisne jeeta?”

( Btw, tell me who won the galla?)

There’s a pause.

“Beta tu zinda bach gaya, tujhe ab bhi Galla ki padi hai?” Ma lightly scolds, but there’s a smile tugging at her lips.

(“Son, you survived— and you’re still worried about the Galla?”)

“I’m just asking! trophy toh jeetni banti thi na.” I wink at Subh.

( It was deserved to win the trophy)

Vani is still looking out of the window, distant. When I turn to her, I ask gently, “Vani? Batao na, kya hua? Kisne jeeta?”

( Vani.. tell me  what happened… Who won?)

She shrugs. “Mujhe kya pata? I was the one kidnapped, yaad hai? And maybe… hum disqualified hi ho gaye ho.”

( I don’t know… I was the kne kidnapped.. so you remember ? And maybe we are disqualified.)

I nodded in underground

“ point.” i said quietly.

Subh and Ayanshi exchange a glance. Then, without saying anything, Subh pulls an envelope from his hoodie pocket and extends it toward me.

“What’s this?” I take it cautiously.

“see it yourself,” he says.

I tear open the envelope. Inside is a printed letter and i started to read it

I stopped mid-line. Blinked once. Twice.

Vani frowned. “What?”

I didn’t respond. Just turned the letter and showed it to her

SHe stared. So did out parents.

For a second, no one moved. The air turned still, like time paused

CRECTA TECH LOGISTICS
Official Partner Letter

Date: August 3, 2024

To,
Brar Enterprises & Rathore Group

Subject: Heartfelt Congratulations on Winning Galla 2024 and Our Decade-Long Partnership

Dear Team Brar Enterprises & Rathore Group,

It gives us immense pleasure to extend our heartfelt congratulations on emerging as the winners of Galla 2024. Your dedication, strategic excellence, and collaborative spirit truly stood out, setting a new benchmark of brilliance in this year’s event.

We are equally thrilled to announce the commencement of a 10-year partnership with your esteemed teams. This collaboration marks the beginning of a journey we believe will be filled with innovation, growth, and mutual success.

Your performance not only won the title,but also our trust. We look forward to building something extraordinary together.

Once again, congratulations on this well-deserved achievement. Let the journey begin!

Warm regards,
Team Crecta Tech Logistics
Moving Forward, Together.

^⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠_⁠^

My heart stops for a second.

“What the—?!” My eyes dart to Vani, who looks equally shocked. Her mouth parts in disbelief.

“We… we won?” she breathes out.

“Par yeh hua kaise?” I whisper.

FLASHBACK TO THE GALLA NIGHT

The Galla presentation was due that night, the one thing they were supposed to do as a team.
But now? Their team didn’t exist anymore.

It was Ayanshi who sat outside the auditorium first. Elbows on her knees, face blank, eyes dry because even crying had lost meaning. Everyone else had paired off, submitted things, dressed up in gorgeous outfits, excited for the winnings,

And her? She sat there silently , knees bouncing restlessly.

“is di alright? Kya unhone di ko dundh liya hoga? ” her throat burned, “…di please be safe.”

(“Is di alright? Will they have found di by now?”
Her throat burned.
“…di, please be safe.”)

She didn’t notice when he sat beside her. He didn’t speak either.

Just silence. Thick. Awkward. Uneasy.

Then he placed a pen drive between them. Not close. Not pushing it at her Just… leaving it there.

“I am doing the presentation ”His voice was raw. Tired. “If you are not doing it with me, I’ll do it alone. But the thing is I will do it.”

Ayanshi turned sharply. Her voice was a whip.
“Presentation? Seriously? Tumhe abhi Galla ki padhi hai? I don’t know if my sister is—”

“Meri bhi family hai, Ayanshi,” he interrupted, sharp for the first time in days. “There’s been 2 hours and mere bhai ka bhi koch pta nahi hai…”

(“I have a family too, Ayanshi,” he interrupted, sharp for the first time in days. “It’s been two hours, and there’s still no news about my brother either…”)

Silence again. It punched them both in the chest.

Subh looked away. Jaw locked. “ what you want then? We just sit here, hand on hand, and be like, GODDD you will do something i know… Ayanshi, listen…. We did months and months of hard work not for someone mother fucker to ruin it in some minutes, I will not sit here and do nothing. If I can’t help them physically, I will help them win this. If not win. Atleast I am not sitting here, and doing nothing.” his voice came out raw and hoarse

Ayanshi didn’t reply.

He stood up. Slowly. Collected the pen drive. Began to walk away.

And then… she said it.

Barely a whisper.

“wait.”

He stopped.

“I will do it too..”

He turned. Confused. Unsure if she meant it.

She stood, brushing her palms on her dress. Still not looking at him. Her voice low. Bitter.

“I am not doing it for you. But for my di and our company. And for the hardwork we did the past months”

He almost smiled. Almost.

“Perfect. I am not doing it for you too. Its for my brother and company”

And that’s how it began.

The most awkward presentation prep of all time.

They worked side by side, barely speaking unless necessary. One laptop, two angry people, and a deadline hovering like a sword
Ayanshi typed fast, Subh adjusted the slides. He fetched water without asking a waiter. She placed paracetamol near him, without saying anything.

Little things. Quietly done.

When the final hour came, they stood backstage, both stiff, eyes puffy but jaw set looking like he hadn’t slept.

And right before their names were called, Ayanshi whispered, barely audible over the mic echo:

“agar haar gaye to?”

( What if we lost?)

Subh didn’t look at her. He just replied:

“Atleast gum nahi try bhi ni kiya.”

( Atleast there wouldn’t be guilt that we didn’t try.)

And that was enough.

They walked out together.

Their voices didn’t shake. Their words didn’t fail. The slides ran smoothly.
And for ten whole minutes, they forgot they hate each other.

They were partners.

Fighting.

Surviving.

For the ones they loved.

✧
 

For a solid five seconds, no one in the hospital room moved. The only sound was the steady beep of the heart monitor, which, frankly, felt a little too dramatic for the situation. 

Then, all hell broke loose. 

“WE WON?!” I shrieked, nearly launching myself off the bed before Ma’s iron grip pinned me down. “Beta, stitches! Stitches!”

“ dekha jitva diya na..” Subh said, flexing

( I made you win)

Ayanshi rolled her eyes, but there was a tiny smirk playing on her lips. “Don’t act like you did it alone. I was the one who fixed your disaster slides last minute.”

“Disaster slides?!” Subh gasped, clutching his chest like he’d been shot. “Those slides were a masterpiece!”

“Masterpiece of confusion, maybe,” Ayanshi shot back. 

I grinned, looking between them. “Wait, wait—so you two actually worked together? Without killing each other?”

They both glared at me.   

“It was painful,” Subh added, with fame hurtfullness

Papa, who had been silent this whole time, suddenly clapped his hands together, eyes shining. “Beta, this is incredible! Galla winners! And a 10-year partnership with Crecta Tech?”He looked like he was about to burst with pride. 

Ma, ever the emotional one, wiped a tear. “i knew, my kids are talented”

Uncle hugged her daughters
“ i knew it.. you guys gonna make me proud.” he kissed their daughters head.

Aunty also hugged vani and ayanshi…

Vani finally snapped out of her shock and about to threw her arms around me and i also opened my arms but subh clear his throat and we both embarrassingly shook our hands. “We actually did it,” she whispered, voice cracking. 

I shook her hand, ignoring the dull ache in my ribs.“Yeah. We did.”

Then, because I couldn’t resist, I turned to Subh and Ayanshi. “So… does this mean you guys are, like, friends now?”

“NO.” They said in unison, then scowled at each other. 

I smirked and vani smiled. “Sounds like friendship to me.”

vani glared at me and give me a warning look “ Keep your bekar thoughts in your pocket and don’t let them out.”

( Keep your rubbish thoughts in your pocket…..)

I clutched my chest dramatically. “ aa gai kareli bhahar? You can’t keep it away do you? And seriously after all i have been through?”

( Bitter guard came back)

Vani snorted. “Oh please, you’re already back to being annoying. Izzat hazam ni hoti tumhe.”

“It’s a talent” I said proudly. 

Everyone around started laughing

“ okay now, you have to rest, we’ll celebrate later.” mmy said  

I gasped. “You’re telling me not to be excited after we ‘just’ won Galla?!” 

Ma patted my head and. “ but beta you need rest too, that is important” aunty said( vani’s mom)

Subh smirked. “Don’t worry aunty, he’ll pass out again in five minutes anyway. Let him enjoy.”

I glare at him and point at him,
“I hate you.”

“Love you too, bro,” he said, ruffling my hair like I was a puppy. 

“ tere pitne ka time jald hi hai ….”

( You gonna get beaten soon)

Vani lean back on the wall and looked at me, and i caught her stare.
She gave me soft slow smile, and after seeing her, my lips automatically curled into a smile.