Never let me go Ever

11

"Mom, please trust me. No one is more important to me than you. Please mom come outside. Don't scare me" Siddharth is sobbing like a maniac making everyone pity him. It's been half an hour since she has locked herself. Even Suraj apologised to her a thousand times. In all these messes, Neha was the only one who didn't feel like calling for Ishu. She was in another world of shock. As she recollected everything, she slowly knocked on the door.

"Ishu, stop crying and come out" Neha voiced out, not audible to all but Ishu heard it correctly. From her voice itself, it shows Neha knew something and it made Ishu open the door instantly. Sid hugged his mom tightly.

"Mom, I am sorry" Sid mumbled as his lips wobbled a lot. She cupped his cheeks with a meek smile as her eyes fell on the autograph over the floor. She picked it up slowly and kept it over his hand.

"I am not angry. It's just." Ishu tried to explain but no words came right at the moment to justify her actions.

"I didn't expect you to be angry like this. Arjun is my recent friend and I wanted him to meet Sid to make him happy. Trust me Ishu, I didn't mean to hurt you" Suraj grabbed her shoulders as Ishu looked at him with no emotions in her eyes. 

"Relax. I was in another tension. It's nothing. I am just angry that you guys have gone to meet a rockstar without me. I would have enjoyed it a lot" Ishu replied and kissed Sid's forehead. Siddharth slowly wiped down his tears and faced his mom with a smile. He clutches the autograph.

"Will you frame this for me?" Siddharth asked with twinkling eyes, making Ishu smile broadly.

"Of course My dear" Ishu again kissed him on his cheeks and that's when Suraj sighed in relief. He was scared that his immature actions went overboard and he might lose Ishu forever. But it's not what he thought. 

"Show me all the pictures you have taken" Madhavan dragged Sid and Suraj inside to see all the pictures and Arjun pictures in that cafe.

"Is it him?" Neha asked in a calm and composed tone as Ishu stoned in her position. 

"Arjun Rathore, who wanted to be an actor. Is this the same as The AR whom we knew as a great actor?" Neha elaborated her question with a loud gasp as she connected all the dots. Ishu closed her eyes and lowered her head, accepting it, making Neha gasp loudly.

"How could he marry anyone?" That was the first question she asked as tears brimmed in her eyes. She feels too sorry for her friend. She is not even ready to look at any other men but there, he married a girl and even had a daughter with her. Disgusting. All those little sympathies she got for him had gone as Neha ran to the room. Ishu slumped down there comprehending the questions of Neha. How does she wish to question these all by herself to Arjun? She just wanted to run to him and ask them all. But will it change anything? He has already given her place to another woman. What explanation can justify that action?

******

Arjun was emotionally attached to the kid as he couldn't think about anything beyond Sid. He was the most mature and disciplined kid he has ever seen. The way he smiles gives immense pleasure. He touched the frame in his room which was sent by Siddharth. He is his number one fan. His lips curved up automatically. At the back of his mind, the kid's actions did remind him of his Ishu.

"Ajju, Pihu's headmaster wants to meet you. Seems like she wanted to invite you to the school day event" Shagun spoke entering the room.

"Shagun, you should deny them yourself. I don't encourage such stuff" Arjun stood up from the couch making Shagun singh tired. Pihu always wants to brag about her actor dad to all her friends but Arjun doesn't like to spoil her. 

"It will upset Pihu." Shagun tries to convince him but he glares at her in such a way that she stops talking more than that. Arjun never gets angry but no one can withstand it if it happens. He strongly believes that Pihu should learn to be humble and lay low and be friends to all standards of students. 

******

"Should I tell you my remaining story?" Ishu wants to tell everything to Neha. She doesn't like it when Neha blames Arjun for everything. She should know how much he loved Ishu back then.

"Yes," Neha replied with a frown. She is upset with this fact but nothing can stop her from knowing everything. 

"After that Arjun took some part-time jobs and stayed there himself to survive. He didn't drop out from his college and managed to give his exams. My parents are grateful for his help during my engagement so they compelled him to stay in our upper portion of my house." Ishu started with excitement. But Neha is not at all feeling good to hear anything about Arjun.

2005

"I can't accept your acting wish nor your atrocities with that girl, Ishitta Kapoor," Ved yelled at Arjun as he stood tall before him.

"My mom and dad spent too little time with each other, they were happy and content. I don't want to live long but want to live that happy life even if it's short-lived." Arjun tried to convince his grandfather for the first time. He doesn't want to sound rude or arrogant. But wants him to understand his side.

"You will be useless like your father and unlucky like your mom" ved snapped at him as he turned away his face.

"I am living here only because of my mom's last wish. But it doesn't mean that I would sacrifice my life here." Arjun took his bag as Ved enlarged his eyes. He didn't expect Arjun to leave this luxury life just for a girl and thay stupid dream of him. Ved was very angry when he saw Arjun with Ishu. But Arjun seemed to be so serious about his love for her that he even confessed everything to Ved.

"Even I am not begging you to stay here anymore. Five years, we have spent too much for you. So get out of our lives and house." Ved yelled and closed the door for him. No one in the home seemed to be upset with the decision. Arjun looked at all and expected a little sadness in their eyes but seeing their expressions, he chuckled sadly and left the home. 

Ishu listened to everything and consoled Arjun. 

"I didn't confess my sad story just for sympathy. You can do something in surprise to make me happy ``Arjun snapped at Ishu making her confused.

"As in?" Ishu asked, crossing her arms.

"As in, a sudden hug or kiss" Arjun winked at her making her give a tight punch to his shoulders. Whom she was sympathising with. He always searches for opportunities to flirt with her. Nowadays, he looks calm and happy and his whole concentration is on how to impress Ishu and how to attend all his auditions without any delay.

"In your dreams" ishu replied and stood up to leave the place.

"You can never imagine what all I am dreaming about," He replied cheekily.

"Arjun, if you talk like this, I won't talk to you" Ishu Threw the pillow over him and left the place. Arjun took his mom's frame and kept it on his table.

"Mom, I miss you" His eyes filled up with tears as he saw the email of rejection again. He knew that his grandfather was one of the reasons for this. He values his family name more than anything and he made sure that Arjun was never accepted by any of the production team. 

"I will never lose hope, Mom," he added as he deleted the mail. Ishu looked at him from far away and wiped down her tears. Her heart aches whenever he gets such rejection emails. He is too fragile to overcome such rejections. He wants to fly high in this world but his wings are cut by his own grandfather. It's painful when we have no one on our side even though we have a full family. 

"Should I tell him that I too like him the same way he does?" Ishu mumbled with a small smile. It's been months since Ishu realised that she wants to be a part of Arjun's life. But she wants him to be stable in his life first and she would uniquely propose to him. The moment should be special. 

"Tomorrow, there is a high chance for me to get selected" Arjun mumbled as he saw the poster. It was a live contest and so many people were judging it. It is a superb chance to enter into television. He has full confidence that he would get selected. He already passed 4 stages of the competition and now it will be an onscreen test and the top 50 people are participating in it. 

"Maybe if you get selected tomorrow, I will confess my feelings to you," Ishu mumbled looking at his backside. It will be the best gift for him. Ishu felt too happy to even imagine their life together. They won't be leading a smooth life but the understanding and love they share is something magical and she is excited to spend her life with him.