Part 5

"I heard Daksh Bhai had narrated till the part where no one believed you have selective mutism, right? I will continue from there," said Vivaan.

He took his seat by her side, not taking his eyes off her for even a moment, lest she vanish away from his sight, leaving him in the company of destitute darkness like he had abandoned her in.

"Yeah, but before you begin, I want to know about our relationship. You never told about the relationship we shared in the past! I might not live up to the expectations of that relationship but I will try to build one similar to that soon," said Vrinda, remembering his crestfallen face when she had failed to recognize him.

She realized he had expected her to recognize him, despite her state of amnesia. It only hinted at the strong relationship they could have shared in the past, which he believed to be strong enough for her to identify him. Only if her muddled brain had mercy upon her.

Her question had put him in a quandary. Vivaan felt his very breath being stolen from him as he found himself on the receiving end of her question, which demanded to know the relationship they shared. What could he answer her?

Family friends?

Classmates?

Best-friends?

Estranged Lovers?

or Soulmates?

or thanks to the lie which he had planted in her mind about his identity - Strangers?

He turned a deaf ear to his racing heart and ignored the choking sensation in his throat to continue with the lie and allow the woman herself to decide about their relationship. Daksh was right, he realized. His punishment was not distance from her or stealing glances of her when she looked elsewhere. The correct punishment for betraying her in the moment of dire need, whatever be the reason, was standing her indifference and distant behavior.

"Let us start with a new beginning, from a new end, then Vrinda. Let us build a new relationship. Who knows, this new one ends up being much better than the old one," he said, breaking the pregnant silence in the room, as she grew impatient because of his hesitance.

It surprised, yet pleased, her to hear his answer. It was surprising to note that the man in front of her was ready to forgo of their past relationship. She had not missed the way his eyes would not leave her supine form or the way tears misted his eyes. What bond did they share that had sealed his lips tight and yet its essence could not stay hidden? Vrinda knew not, and it only added to the magnetic pull towards him.

It was also pleasing to know that she could know at least one relationship in its completeness, with no one else narrating about it.

A thought at the back of her mind wondered if it was because of a past misunderstanding which he felt was best forgotten, or because they were not as close as he wanted them. She did not know which possibility she would prefer, but she craved the truth.

"Great, Vihaan! Looks like my bond with you is going to be the first bond I will remember in its entirety! I will not stop you any further from narrating the next part of my past," she said, with a smile which had not left lips since their meet.

Her words, yet again, were the harbinger of hope for him. Unaware of the quandary which would present itself to him in the future, he reciprocated her smile as he progressed with their story.

"Like Bhai would have told, everyone had their own reasoning to believe that you were not mute till one eventful day, everything changed......"

FLASHBACK

"Aye! Kya Bey! Uss Maharani Ki Side Le Raha? Chal Chal.." said Sanjay, the class bully.

He edged towards Vrinda, who took her seat beside Vivaan as usual, ignoring every plea and every whining of Vivaan to select another seat.

[Aye! What man? Are you taking the side of Her Royal Highness? Move..]

"Sun, Usko Kuch Mat Karna, Warna Maa Maar Dalengi Mujhe. Unhone Mujhe Iske Saath Rehne Ko Bola, Aur Tumse Door Rakhne Ko Bola Jab Isne Tumhare Khilaf Bola! Tho please Usse Chod Do!" pleaded Vivaan, reminiscing his mother's demand from him, enumerating the reasons he should protect her.

[Listen, please do nothing to her, or my mother will kill me! She asked me to keep her away from you ever since she complained about you. So please leave her!]

"Listen Vivaan, she is our employer's daughter. If you cannot protect her, it might jeopardize our jobs, because of which we have food and shelter. If not because of Sir himself, but others will try to use it against us. And Vrinda wants to be your friend. Friends help friends, don't they? Please make sure that she does not get any reason to complain once again!"

Vivaan prayed to God that Sanjay listens to him so that he does not have to listen to his mother pleading to him once again. He had realized that Vrinda's safety meant a lot for her family and to his family too, and he was not ready to risk her safety for the same reason. He also wanted to use the opportunity to extract a treat from his mother and get the chocolate pastry he was craving since the day before.

"Oh! Tho Tu Ghar Pe Maar Khata Hai Aur Yahan Bhi! Faddu Kahin Ka! Mere Se Maar Kha Ke Tujhe Jyada Difference Nahi Karega Phir! Uska Gussa Ab Tujh Par Utaroonga!" said Sanjay, looking at his fellow bullies authoritatively as he signed them to turn his words into reality.

[Oh! So you are get beaten at home too as well? What a coward! But then it won't make any difference to you, if you get beaten up by me so I will vent my frustration caused by her on you!]

"No!" cried Vivaan as one of Sanjay's lackeys dragged him and pushed to the ground. The entire class gasped but could do nothing by the fear of Sanjay.

Vrinda started shaking as he was getting thrashed by Sanjay's gang. She balled her tiny palms into fists as her legs shook, almost giving way. But she could not leave her friend alone when he was being beaten up because of her. She ran to the next classroom, where a teacher was teaching numbers. She did not care for any etiquette in that fateful moment as she barged into it and ran towards the teachers.

She struggled to form words, feeling the building up pressure. Her lips and tongue refused to coordinate, to articulate the words she knew so well. She felt handicapped, but her will to protect her friend refused to die and wither away. That moment, she told herself that unlike the times in the past, it was her own expectations she had to stand up to.

Not her parents'.

Not her teachers'.

Just her own expectations and for her own satisfaction.

And that worked wonders.

"Vi-Viv-aan.... Bachao!" she muttered, holding the teacher's hand, before darkness took over her and she lost her consciousness, because of stress bursting in every cell of hers and concern tugging at the chords of her heart.

Little did she know, her act of kindness and friendship would forge a relationship that was closest to her heart when she wakes up from her unconscious daze beside the boy whom she had saved.

FLASHBACK ENDS

"Wow! Vivaan was protecting me for a pastry!? But I cannot imagine how much pressure I should have been under that uttering two words made me lose consciousness but at least it was to create a friendship which everyone speaks about," chirped Vrinda, unbeknownst to the storm of emotions which took over Vivaan's heart and soul.

Yesteryear Vivaan was ashamed and taken by guilt after Daksh acquainted him with the fact that he was the reason for Vrinda's unconsciousness. He revealed she considered him to be as good a friend that it was for him she uttered something in the school for the very first time.

Not when students taunted her. Not when teachers questioned her. But for his safety, and yet he never considered her to be a friend. He had vowed to make amends and reciprocate her friendship from his heart.

"But how do you know their emotions during the situation so well? Every nuance, every feeling, every scene? What were we?" she asked, bringing him out of his reverie, only to place him in another tough spot.

What would he answer?

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