Chapter 21. NGO

🎶 Tum Mile - Refresh Version (it's my new obsession)

Published on 01.07.2022

| AUTHOR'S POV |

Rahul bursts into Ayansh's room without any warning, taking him by surprise.

"I've news for you." He says enthusiastically but his brother's face remains impassive.

Rahul frowns. "What happened? You don't look happy."

"What's the news?" Ayansh asks in a small voice, ignoring his concerns.

"You told me about your start-up plan, remember? I've found some people who would like to associate with you and help you out in your plan." He waggles his eyebrows in mirth.

Ayansh looks sceptically. It's so unlike his elder brother to actually lookout for him. So, the information takes a good amount of time to be registered by his brain. Rahul snaps his fingers in front of him.

"You're... serious?"

Rahul gives him a bored look. "Duh? Of course. Anyways, I've given them your contact number and they'll reach out to you and then, you can carry on further."

There's surprise that Ayansh feels but there's gratitude which overpowers that feeling, making a lump get formed in his throat. "Than- thank you." His voice cracks and Rahul chuckles.

"No problem." He dismisses him with a wave of his hand and leaves the room.

Everyone wants to be a priority in someone's life, especially when you prioritise people over yourself again and again. And this is something Ayansh has hardly ever experienced. Family prioritises family but not in his case. He was never the most important for his parents nor his brother. His grandparents were there who loved him unconditionally but they left him years back. Ever since he told his brother that he's going to teach Inaaya how to ride a bike, there's been a difference in his behaviour. The glimpses of hostility had disappeared completely. Rahul would smile at him, talk with him every now and then. The conversation would always have a mention of Inaaya which usually puts Ayansh off because everything seems fake. It's like a give and take relationship, robbing him of experiencing something genuine, making him feel as if he's missing out on something that others get without even asking or craving for it.

And Inaaya has been his ray of hope, she has been like the sun whose presence is unavoidable and when the world turns cold, you turn towards it to bask it's warmth, wanting to get consumed by it completely. She has been his flicker of happiness, raw and selfless, his glimmer of smile, contagious and engulfing. Every moment spent with her felt real, so real that after a point he forgot that it all started with a lie said by him. And yet when time came, she didn't hesitate to choose family over him. A harsh realisation burnt him that she'll choose her family, her brother even in the smallest of matters. Then why can't he do the same? Why was he so hesitant and almost against to what his brother asked him to do, especially when now he sees there's a possibility? Yes, it was wrong but if that helps him get the approval, the acknowledgement, the love he has been deprived of, then shouldn't he do it? Why care about others feelings when didn't care about yours? Choose your brother, do what he wants you to because he's family and people choose family even if it's wrong, even if it's a little messed up and you love them no matter what.

Today, when Rahul came to talk to him, give him a news, it was the first time where he didn't bring up Inaaya or ask about their equation. It felt real. Maybe he was warming up to his younger brother finally. Maybe everything he did wasn't based on some sort of terms and conditions. And that overwhelmed Ayansh. It truly did. He has been devoid for things he deserved for so long that the smallest of them manage to overwhelm him.

His phone chimes and it's Inaaya who's calling him. He picks it up.

"Hello." He answers, his voice void of any emotion.

"Hey!" She says excitedly. "Why aren't you replying to my messages since yesterday?"

Ayansh rubs his temple. He hadn't checked her messages the whole day yesterday. He just didn't feel like. He was a little too affected and he hated that such a small thing troubled him so much. "I was busy."

"Okay. Nevermind." She says casually as if she buys his excuse. "Anyways, since you hadn't seen my messages, I had to call you. I'm going to the NGO. Would you like to come?"

"NGO?"

"Yes. NGO for kids. Usually, my Mom goes there in a few weeks with clothes and books and few other things but she can't today so I'm going. Would you like to accompany me?" She asks, hope lacing her voice.

Frankly, Ayansh doesn't want to. But it seems so petty to keep his personal grudge over doing something noble. He wants to ask why is she asking him and not her brother or any of her friends but decides against it, not wanting to give the impression that he isn't interested. "Sure. Text me the address, I'll be there."

"Thank you so much." Ayansh can hear the smile in her voice. "On other note, I'll pick you up instead and then we can go together. We're just two people anyways." She suggests.

Ayansh sighs. "Do you know where I live?"

"I know that. I know the area but I haven't ever been there. I'll figure it out, don't worry."

"I'll pick you up. Don't bother." He says firmly. "Do we have to go now?"

Inaaya doesn't argue with him. "Be here in half an hour if you can."

"Fine with me."

"Cool."

Ayansh reaches her house, they load everything that needs to be given to the kids in the car and they leave. Throughout the drive, Inaaya makes small talks, she even cracks jokes but her energy isn't returned. Ayansh settles on one to few words responses or a chuckle. He doesn't initiate anything but that doesn't seem to bother Inaaya, although, it manages to irk Ayansh even more. How can she be so oblivious? How can she be so cherry while he finds it so damn hard to even force a smile? Why isn't she affected even the slightest when he feels as if he lost something, something that he now feels he never even had to begin with. Why is she so normal when he's anything but that?

It takes around twenty minutes for them to reach the NGO. A couple of workers from the NGO help them unload the materials and carry them inside. When Ayansh and Inaaya come back to the car, to carry the last bag, Inaaya reaches out and holds his hand, forcing him to turn around. Ayansh glances at her hand circling his wrist and then, meets her eyes. It's the first time in the day when he actually sees her, taking a pause to notice her.

"Are you okay?" She questions, her voice so soft, her eyes curious yet concerned that makes him feel out of words because there are too many emotions on a war with each other within him.

"Yeah." He answers after a moment of silence, his voice uncertain.

Inaaya continues to stare at him. Her obsidian eyes penetrating in an inquisitive manner and he finds himself in a trap where he's neither able to avert his gaze nor speak anything. Her thumb brushes the underside of his wrist, almost subconsciously. Everything is so gentle, so tender, so warm; her hold, that brush, the gaze that it threatens to melt his cold insides. It's terrifying and all he feels like is succumbing to it.

"Okay." She whispers and just like that her hand slips away, taking away with it the softness he craved and she moves to pick the last bag from the trunk of the car.

Kids have a way to brighten up anyone's day. They make you want to smile, want to laugh. They make you learn some of the most important lessons of life without even trying, unintentionally and it's amazing to see how they don't care about the superficial world. When Inaaya and Ayansh enter the place, they're greeted with squealing and grinning of children who were excited and happy to see people other than the ones they usually see. They had already known Inaaya, loved her as well and were a little too happy to see her back. Inaaya reciprocated their love by waving at them happily, a broad smile etched on her face and her eyes gleaming. She bent down when many of the kids rushed towards her, some hugged her and some high fived her. Ayansh stood there witnessing the scene and without his knowledge, a smile had already touched his lips and was refusing to leave. There were roughly around 25 kids in the NGO and most of them were below ten years.

"Where is Anita Aunty?" One of them asked, referring to Inaaya's Mom.

Inaaya kneeled down in front of the five year old and ruffled his hair. "She has got a teeny weeny fever so she's resting but she has sent a lot of gifts for y'all." She speaks animatedly. "And there's another person who has come to meet y'all." She says to everyone, gesturing towards Ayansh who gives a nervous smile and hopes the kids don't feel weirded out or scared by his presence. "His name is Ayansh. Make him feel welcome."

The kids were quick to scramble on their feet and crowd him with everyone stretching out their hands and waiting to introduce themselves despite Sparsha, the one who works here, telling them to make a line. Inaaya laughs at the scene because she remembers how it was her Mom who taught them all to introduce themselves by forwarding their hands months back when she had been here. Ayansh seems taken aback by all the attention on him, he finds it hard to socialize with people but these are kids so he calms his nerves and then no sooner he knows, his hesitation, anxiety, dilemma is replaced by the urge to get alongwith the kids who have been nothing but giving with the happiness and excitement radiating from them.

"Okay, okay, one by one. One by one." Ayansh raises his hands in surrender and pretends to be surprised and thrown off by the kids. They all giggle as they quickly assemble themselves in two lines.

Inaaya smiles and snaps a picture of Ayansh talking with the kids, knowing them a little bit and her heart warms at the sight of him genuinely smiling for the first time in the day. She goes towards the kitchen area with two of the coworkers for serving and bringing snacks for all.

When Inaaya returns, she finds Ayansh seated on the floor with his crossed legs and being genuinely intrigued by whatever the little enthu cutlets were speaking. A part of her doesn't want to break the moment, disturb them but she knows she has to. She claps her hands, attracting everyone's attention. "Pehle pet pooja, fir kaam dooja." (First, fill your stomach then move on to the rest of the work)

Everyone hurries to take their place on the carpet spread on the floor. Ayansh comes to Inaaya and asks if she needs some help but she politely declines and ushers him to sit as well.

"Go and take a place beside your favourite kid." She says playfully.

Ayansh gasps dramatically, the theatric of the children rubbing off on him. "Picking between kids is a horrible thing to do." He replies solemnly. "And I'm a very unbiased person."

"I'm a very unbiased person." Inaaya imitates him childishly, mocking him and he laughs before sitting on one end of the carpet.

Inaaya, alongwith two others and Sparsha serve the plate of snacks to everyone and then take a seat themselves. There was cold cream cheese sandwich, poha cutlet and a sweet on every plate. Everyone joined their hands to recite a prayer thanking for the food on their plate and the life they had and Ayansh followed their actions as it was new for him. His gaze followed Inaaya who was sitting across him and he closed his eyes. After a few moments, they all opened their eyes and dig into the food.

"Inu di, you'll sing for us?" Swati who was sitting beside her asked.

Inaaya gave her a thoughtful glance and pretended to think. After a few seconds, she says, "What will I get in return?"

The children exchange looks amongst themselves, not knowing what to answer.

"I'll give you my sweet." Adi says, forwarding his otherwise empty plate except for the untouched sweet to make his point.

Inaaya narrows her eyes at him. "That's because you don't like sweets." She deadpans and he sinks back in his place sheepishly. The adults in the room laugh at that.

"I'll return you the necklace you'd given to me last time." Riddhi says, referring to the pendant which Inaaya wore last time when she had visited the NGO and gave it to her because she couldn't stop staring at it enamored.

Amusement and surprise flashes across Inaaya's face at that.

"I didn't know you had so many fans of your singing." A low husky voice whispers in her ear, the words, the breath prickling her skin and suddenly she feels the air being knocked out of her lungs and her mind getting fogged. Everything else seemed to cease to exist for a brief moment. She snaps her head to her side when the warm, making her heart race sensation disappears like a fleeting moment to find Ayansh moving toward the dustbin to throw his plate away. She didn't even notice when he had gotten up from his place and moved towards her, so close that her skin below her ear is still reeling from that tiny, insignificant, unintentional, innocent moment. She takes a deep breath and gets up with her empty plate.

"Trust me, I didn't know too." She whispers back as she brushes past him when he's returning. A low laugh rumbles through him and it pierces right through her heart, making her question her sanity.

"Di, you'll get love and blessings in return." Krishna says adorably when Inaaya returns and is picking up the empty plates. Ayansh collecting the plates of children sitting in the other line.

Inaaya chuckles heartily at that. "Very smart." She says, impressed and boops his nose.

"Okay, now everyone wash your hands properly and then we can sing and dance and play." She adds, enticing the kids.

Inaaya had sung for them all when she had been here the last time but she didn't know everyone liked her singing so much. It was as heartwarming as it was surprising. She opens up a virtual piano application she had in her phone and Sparsha passes on a mike to her as the children scurry over and sit on the floor in a crowd. Ayansh, too, sits with them with a four year old Tani on his lap. It was amusing how easily Inaaya had agreed to singing despite the fact she wasn't much fond of it. He had never heard her sing so he was excited and a strange tingle made him feel jittery for some reason but he ignored it.

Kal tak tha tanha ye safar

Kal tak thi dur har kadi

Har sire ko milata

Jud gaya jaise naata jo tum mile

Inaaya's voice reverberates and Ayansh doesn't know what he was expecting but a pounding heart, eyes that couldn't move away from her, lungs that seemed to have forgotten to suck the air wasn't one of them. And then when she lifts her head from her phone, her eyes sweeping over the kids to finally meet his and she smiles at him, the one which would've made him trip if not for the fact that he's sitting right now, his heart skips a beat and his stomach flutters. The kids squealing and grinning and cheering breaks his trance.

Khwabon pe na nigahein meri jee rahi thi

Koi nahi tha, ye akeli meri thi zindagi

Khamosh tha, hothon pe baatein nahi thi

Koi nahi tha, ye akeli meri thi zindagi

Inaaya continues to sing. She doesn't has the sweetest voice but she has a voice that's alluring, that's bewitching like trapping you in and then, you find yourself wanting to be trapped for as long as possible, it's deep like the ocean, sultry like the air and it seeps through you like the apricity.

Tum mile toh mil gaya ye jahaan

Tum mile toh har pal hai naya

Tum mile toh sabse hai faasla

Tum mile toh jadoo chaa gaya

Tum mile toh jeena aagaya

Tum mile toh maine paaya hai khuda

The kids are now swaying happily as the song moves forward.

Tune duayein suni, dil ki sadayein suni

Tujhse mai maangu aur kya

Tujh bin adhura hu mai, tere sang pura hu mai

Karta hu tera shukriya

Kaise kahu...... (Kaise kahu)

Kaise kahu...... (Kaise kahu)

Whenever Inaaya's eyes find his, which are fixated on her the whole time, there's a shiver and a flitter that makes it's way up their body. There's fire being ignited and doused off immediately, repeatedly. He stares at her as if seeing her for the very first time. The strands of hair, escaped from her hairdo, that falls over her eyes again and again as she moves her head around, her animated, sparkling, mischievous yet kind eyes, the bracelet on her wrist that jiggle as her fingers gracefully hit the keys on her phone lying on the table, the smile that puts you in a dilemma if you want to smile the same way or simply stare the whole way or maybe both.

Kaise kahu lamhe mujhe chu rahe hai

Aisa laga hai inme tera hi ehsaas hai

Kaise kahu dil mein nayi aahatein hai

Aisa laga hai inme tera hi toh ehsaas hai

It feels like somebody is constantly tugging at his heartstrings, playing with them at his expense with every note she takes. And when her gaze connects with his as she sings the last two lines of the verse, he finds his breath lodged up in his throat. It simply feels too intimate that he questions if it's right or not. The twitch in her voice, like a wave rising and then crashing down resembles with the way his heart did a somersault.

Inaaya moves her gaze towards the kids and beckons them.

Tum mile toh mera dil gaya

Tum mile toh sab kuch mil gaya

Tum mile toh logo se kya vaasta

Tum mile toh jadoo chaa gaya

Tum mile toh jeena aagaya

Tum mile toh maine paaya hai khuda

Everyone happily obliges as they're quick to be on their feet, dragging Ayansh too, singing the lines on repeat with mismatched lyrics, jumping and dancing and having fun. It's a sight for the sore eyes. Inaaya's heart takes a leap when she sees Ayansh offering no resistance as he goes on both of his knees and twirls a little girl. He does the same with many others. Some hold his hands and wiggle it in an attempt to dance. It's so beautiful that it makes Inaaya's cheest squeeze to witness him being so carefree and happy and unbothered and so himself. She has never seen him this content and joyful and all she feels like doing is watching it with a giddy grin plastered on her face.

A name flashes on her phone's screen and it breaks her bubble. It's Alisha. She goes outside the room to attend the call.

"Hello." Alisha's frantic voice makes Inaaya frown immediately.

"Is everything okay?"

"Where are you? Can you come? I really don't know how to handle Nikita."

"What- what happened?" The urgency in Alisha's tone makes Inaaya panic.

"I just- I," Alisha sighs. "I'll tell you everything when you're here but I think she needs us both right now emotionally."

"I'll be there, don't worry. Where are y'all?"

"Global city. I'll send you the exact location."

"Great."

Inaaya hangs up and turns around and her shoulders slump in mild relief to see Ayansh already in front of her.

His brows knit together in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm but I need to go. It's about Nikita. I don't know what happened but Alisha said she needs us." Inaaya explained and his frown deepened further.

"Let's go. I'll drop you off." There's so much tenderness in his voice and solicitude in his eyes that for a moment, Inaaya feels like wrapping her arms around him, close her eyes to just know how does it feel to let yourself be held by someone, to lean on someone.

"Thank you." She speaks in a low, grateful voice.

***

Hoping for a good number of votes and comments on the chapter :) May this new month be fulfilling and enriching for all. Smiles and love to all.

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