The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 63

Nishant rested his head against the seat and shielded his eyes with his hand against the bright streetlights just as the car stopped at a traffic light. A throbbing ache had already started its slow and steady build-up around the middle of his forehead and was gradually spreading to his temples.

He breathed hard trying to appease the pain but nothing happened. They were on their way back home but everything felt alien to him. All he wanted to do was to close his eyes and slip off into a dreamless world. But the moment he closed his eyes, he only saw her looking at him accusingly. Tormented, he opened them and winced. His eyes burned with unshed tears but still the more he tried to cry the more his brain resisted it.

Suddenly, he opened the door and climbed out of the car. Opening his mouth, he dragged in the air as much as he could. He needed to breathe but he couldn’t. A sudden disturbing yet tell-tale throbbing started with severe intensity.

Dhruv was by his side the moment he saw Nishant slumping against the car door.

“We will be home soon. Don’t worry,” he said placing his hand on his shoulder.

Nishant looked at him but did not say anything.

Get out of here, his brain screamed at him. Otherwise, you will never find peace.

Shaking his head, he sat down in the car again and waited.

The moment Siraj parked Nishant’s car in the designated parking spot at the apartment building, he saw two cars parked alongside. His eyes widened as he recognised them.

He pulled Dhruv back as he was about to help Nishant get down from the car.

“They are here,” he said gesturing towards the cars.

Dhruv looked at them and frowned with indignation.

“Dammit!”

Nishant stepped inside his apartment and instantly was engulfed a much uncomfortable hug by Rushali.

“There you are. We have been waiting for so long.”

Ignoring her, he was about to go inside his bedroom, when he heard his father call from behind. But he did not turn around.

“Now that all this is over, we were thinking of getting you and Rushali married as soon as possible. Once you are fully recovered, will fix a date,” Naresh Naik said placing a hand on his son’s shoulder.

Nishant did not respond at all. Nothing was making sense to him. He wanted to rest but more than that he wanted to be alone.

Rushali came near him and twined her arm around his and dragged him towards herself.

“Come on, Nishant, smile for a selfie. It will be our first selfie before marriage.”

Dhruv and Siraj looked on with bated breath as Nishant did not even look for once at the camera. He just kept on looking down at the ground.

Dhruv saw him closing his eyes and knew instantly that Nishant was gradually losing his patience. It wouldn’t take long for him to react if this fiasco kept on continuing.

“You guys look so good together,” Meera Naik said looking at the selfie.

But he still did not respond. The throbbing pain had already taken the shape of a full-blown migraine and every time he heard Rushali’s voice, it just ached with growing intensity.

“Come on, Nishant. Smile. Everything is over now. That woman is gone and by tomorrow everybody will know that you and Rushali are getting married. So, the scandal will also settle down. Don’t you worry; nobody can tarnish your name now.”

Rushali seized the moment and hugged Nishant hard and instantly he winced.

“Rushali, you are hurting him. Be careful,” Dhruv said trying his best to appease the situation.

“Oh, so now you are going to tell me what is best for him? He is mine and I know him all. We are all his family. We know him better than you and that filthy woman.”

Dhruv just looked at him and lowered his head not knowing what to do.

“Yes, you and that woman have done enough damage. Now let us take care of him. He is my son and I know what’s best for him,” Meera Naik said taking Nishant’s arm in hers.

Nishant closed his eyes, inner core frying up with every little word they said. Rushali wrapped her arms around him and every pore of his cried out with resentment. As their decibels increased, his mind slowly started to cease and suddenly every little cell in him screamed with animosity.

“Enough!”

As his voice ricocheted around the room, everyone became silent. He jerked off his arm out of Rushali’s grip and moved away.

“Nishant, come on. Everything is over now. Stop all this nonsense,” she said frowning disapprovingly.

“Shut up!” Nishant shouted at the top of his voice.

He turned and looked at her.

“You think you know me? What do you know? You know nothing.”

“Nishant let it be. You need rest,” Shefanjali Naik said as she came in front of him.

“No, Bhabhi, they think they know me. Mom, you think you know everything about me, right?”

His mother nodded confidently.

“Then, tell me, mom, what’s my favourite food? When am I in my deepest of sleep at night?”

For once, Meera Naik was completely at a loss for words. She kept on looking at her son incredulously.

“Dad? Bhaiyya?”

When none of them answered, he turned towards Rushali and gestured her to answer but she also didn’t say anything.

“Dad, do you know that your son has chronic sinusitis and migraine? Mom, do you?”

Nobody said anything.

“Do you guys know that I can’t eat chillies?”

He looked all around but none of them answered.

Nishant smiled sadly and turned towards Shefanjali.

“None of them know these things about me. But you know, Bhabhi, that woman they are talking about, she knows everything. And, believe me, I did not tell her. She found out.”

He turned towards them and said, “You know why? Because she cared. Because she loved me,” said Nishant, tears streaming down his eyes.

He shook his head and stepped back as everything that had happened in the past hours came back to him again. He was again standing there on the street arguing with Aparna, trying to convince her not to leave. But she still left. As the sound of her words resonated in his mind and suddenly the aching pain became unbearable. He pressed his palms against his ears trying to not hear anything but still her voice kept echoing.

“You are Nishant Naik, the mighty Nishant Naik. It’s shameful for someone like you to even breathe the same air as me.”

“Naik, Naik, Naik! Is this what is it’s all about? I am nothing but a name to you guys, right?” he asked as he glanced towards his mother, father, and brother.

When they did not answer, he looked away and his eyes fell on the knife lying on the table.

“If that is so, then I will destroy this Naik name forever.”

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