Author's pov

Sanjh was hiding behind a piller. She was continuously staring towards Rudra's door. She was biting her nails in anticipation. Her eyes were extremely puffy for crying a pool of tears from the last two days.

Tomorrow her parents will send her to the hostel.

She is feeling so helpless and sad. She is only looking for Rudra. May be he is mad at her for throwing that gun. Today she will apologise to him for her mistake.

"I don't want to go to the hostel"

She sniffed on her tears. She is getting scared. She has stopped eating. She is even having nightmares.

Suddenly she found the door of Rudra's room is opening. Within a second Tony and Zain came out of Rudra's room.

"Dude we are so happy... finally you agreed to fuck... that's awesome you know....Cheers for our lion...dude don't disappoint us...Fuck like a lion....make that whore limp at least for a week"

Sanjh almost ran and stopped near the door.

Rudra was standing by leaning on the door. He is standing shirtless with a beer can on his hand.

As soon as he saw Sanjh, his eyes widened but he immediately hide that expression with a cold mask.

"Damn Rudra,,,why did she appear everytime in between our dirty talks"

Zain was looking absolutely irritated.

"Hey kiddo...just go away... don't you have any manners???"

Tony said to Sanjh but she was only looking at Rudra with too much hope. While Rudra was not looking at her. He walked inside his room and immediately Sanjh entered his room.

"Why are you doing this Rudra? Are you still mad at me? I'm sorry.....I will never do that again.....They are sending me to the hostel......please do something.....Rudra, look I'm holding my ear....."

Sanjh cried while holding her ears. She also knelt down. Tears were not stopping off her eyes. Her vision is getting hazy in each second.

Rudra was not looking at her. He was wearing his shirt while turning his head in opposite.

"Rudra,,, I'm scared....please do something..... don't send me away from you....I want to stay with you.....I was happy with you....you were so good to me.....Please....."

"JUST SHUT UP"

Rudra's growling make her numb in fear. She stared at his angry face in shock.

"Stop this,,you are not going to get everything just by crying...you have to go to that hostel and that's final...."

He buttoned up his shirt and was about to walked out but Sanjh caught his little finger.

"Why are you behaving like this? You promised me you will fulfill my every wish and will stay with me forever...."

Her voice is shaking way too much.

Rudra clenched his jaw and then he jerked her small hold and straightly walked out of the room.

She ran after him madly and hugged him from back.

"Don't do this to me Please....I will never talk to you again if you don't stop them....i will never come back to you...."

She cried and hiccuped while Rudra's all confidence is fading away with her tears.

Suddenly Mahi appeared from somewhere. She grabbed Sanjh's elbow and pulled her away from Rudra.

"After seeing your drama, mom has decided to send you away right now....."

Mahi said with a smirk by staring at Sanjh.

"I won't go...."

Sanjh screamed and pushed Mahi by her chest.

Mahi got angry and within a second she slapped her hard across her face.

Sanjh directly collided on Rudra's torso after receiving the slap.

Zain and Tony were watching the drama with a boring face.

Rajiv appeared in the scene. Sanjh was still crying by holding Rudra but he was standing with a blank face.

"Sanjh,,,say good bye to everyone..."

Rajiv said while pulling Sanjh away from Rudra. She was hiccuping so much but she didn't speak a word.

Rajiv wiped her tears.

"You are a good girl...You will be more good if you go to the hostel...okay"

Rajiv tried to make Sanjh understand. She didn't say anything. Her crying has also stopped.

Rajiv held her hand and slowly walked away from there.

Mahi has a satisfactory smile on her face. Zain and Tony tap on Rudra's shoulder who is standing by fixing his gaze towards the main door.

"C'mon... it's time to have some fun"

Zain said on Rudra's ear.

"Where are you going guys? I wanna go"

Mahi said.

"You are underage...you can't go with us but one day we will take you there"

Zain said to Mahi.

Zain and Tony moved from there while Rudra stood silently for some moment.

He held the relling and lowered his head. Mahi stood behind Rudra and was shocked to find his grip tightening on the relling with each second.

"Rudra...are..you...."

Her sentence stopped midway when a very fierce Rudra caught her wrist on his deadly grip.

"NEXT TIME IF I GET TO SEE YOU SLAPPING SANJH...I WILL CUT THIS WRIST OF YOURS...."

Mahi stared at Rudra in pure shock and fear. Rudra left her hand and straightly walked inside his room. He locked his door and collapsed on the bed.

Zain and Tony came back and kept on banging his door but the door didn't open.

....................................

"You will behave like a good girl....you will only focus on your study....you will stop dancing and singing....these things can hamper your study....Am i clear Sanjh?"

Rajiv asked her standing outside the hostel room.

Sanjh stood by hanging her head. She didn't say anything.

Rajiv got irritated with her silence but he failed to see the pain of a 10 year old girl. The amount of fear she felt, the amount of helplessness she felt is something too scary to even describe.

"Oh c'mon.....how can you be such a brat??? Have you seen your sister? God...I will turn crazy for this girl...listen,,i will come every month to see you...i will take you home on the vacations but if I get to hear any kind of your misconduct from your teachers, I will not take you home, not even on vacations...do you get it?"

Sanjh stood stubbornly. She didn't even look at her father.

"You are exactly like your mother....stubborn and arrogant..."

With that Rajiv walked out but his heart ached and he looked back to see Sanjh standing just like that.

An old memory flashed infront of Rajiv's eyes.

"If you can't quit your profession, then I'm quitting on this relation Nina...."

"This is not only my profession Rajiv....this is what I live for....An artist will prefer to die but she will never going to compromise with her art....You better go somewhere else...."

"What about our love huh? Don't you have a heart? My family will never going to accept you"

"If you want me in your life,,,then you have to accept me like this.....with my profession,,,,otherwise.....you can leave...I won't compromise with my art"

Rajiv wiped a single tear from his eyes and walked hurriedly.

.......................................

Sanjh was sitting quietly on the stairs of the museum. 1 month has passed already. Today they came to visit the museum from the school.

She didn't smile in this month. She didn't speak a word. Only pure sadness is residing inside her chest.

Everyone left her.

She is feeling so loveless. She is feeling like a trash. The thing that nobody loves her is making her more sad from inside.

Noone came to see her in this one month. Many times she thought that Rudra will walk through the entrance and pick her up on his arms and straightly walk out. Many times she imagined this scene.

But never it turned into reality. She cried every night for her home. She didn't even go to bathroom. One night she lost it and make the bed wet. Next morning the amount of bullying she received from the seniors was indescribable.

She is even scared to go to the school. She didn't even eat properly. She didn't go to play. Every time she just kept on staring at the entrance with hope.

Hope to see Rudra.

She has developed a kind of attachment for Rudra. His ignorance broke her little heart cruelly. She was not angry with her parents or Mahi di. She is only sad that Rudra did nothing to stop them. He behaved so coldly.

She thought she is special for Rudra but her understanding proved wrong.

Rudra doesn't care for her at all. Infact he hates her for throwing that gun. He will always hate her probably.

He will never smile with her again. He will never listen to her stories with patience. He will never caress her hair. He will never pick her up again on his arms.

Just like everyone, he too hates her.

"I know you"

Sanjh's trance broke with the voice. She lift her eyes and immediately her eyes widened after seeing Amir standing infront of her.

She stood up and immediately her face covered with a broad smile.

"Your name is Amir...I know you...what are you doing here? Where is your flute? Where is your father?"

She spoke after one month.

Amir smiled at her.

"What is your name?"

He asked her in amusement.

"Sanjh....do you live here?"

She asked.

"I live in a hostel....today they came here to show us the museum....I have learnt to write...I can even spell my name...A, M, I, R....Amir...i can even spell your name...S, A, N, Z"

Sanjh strated to giggle.

"No, it's J and H....not Z"

She said to him.

"Oh...okay.... actually I'm just a beginner...wait, I will show you something...."

Amir immediately took out a new flute from his pocket.

"Can I hold it?"

Sanjh asked in amusement. Her eyes were glistening with true happiness.

"Sure..."

Sanjh held the flute and smiled broadly.

"Play it for me"

She said to Amir.

Amir took the flute from Sanjh's hand and started to play it. She smiled through the whole time. When Amir was done, she clapped loudly.

Suddenly Amir started to sing. His voice make her feel goosebumps and she slowly started to dance along with his song.

She forgot about all her sadness. She danced without any care. Amir was also feeling so much happiness when he saw her dancing. He too started to dance along with her.

After a long time Amir felt true happiness. After his father's death, he rarely smiled but today he smiled from heart.

Finally they both stopped and smiled wholeheartedly.

"You are amazing Sanjh"

He praised her.

"Really? Thanks...i want to learn this song....will you teach me?"

She asked him. Her eyes were shining with so much hope and courage.

Amir nodded his head eagerly.

"I think you are my soulmate..."

Amir said. He is remembering his father's words.

"Who is soulmate?"

Sanjh asked him.

"Soulmate is someone who is a part of your soul and life"

Amir said.

"And what is soul?"

Sanjh asked him.

Amir started to scratch his head.

"I don't know"

He replied with little embarrassment.

Sanjh smiled after looking at his face. Sanjh took the flute from Amir's hand and tried to play the flute but only she created some funny sounds out of it.

Amir was laughing after looking at her attempts.

"Don't laugh at me....teach me"

Sanjh said with slight anger.

"Let's go there..."

Amir showed a tree. They both sat side by side on the ground.

"You have to press these small holes in rhythm to create music..."

He started to show her the technique and she gave her all attention to his every words. Her eyes were shining with amusement with every second. She is a quick and Amir got equally amazed after seeing her skills.

"You will be a big artist some day"

Amir said.

"Do you think so?"

"Yeah"

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12 years later......

Amir ran through the campus. He pushed few boys on his way and reached towards the board where the results of final year has been given.

He tried to look at the list. He is breathing heavily due to tension. He checked the list from the last name but he didn't find his name.

His face turned pale in fear. He cleared the sweat from his forehead and again started to check. His eyes widened when he saw a name.

Sanjh Mathur

Status: Failed.

He came out of the crowd with a sad face. She has failed in her final year exam.

He came out of the campus with a sad face. He even forgot that his name was not even present in that list. He is just worried about her.

How she will feel after hearing this news?

He stood in the middle of the road with a blank gaze.

"Where are you Sanjh? God!!! Your father will scold you again..... I'm so scared for you"

He murmured under his breathe.

Suddenly he saw something that his eyes widened in pure shock.

A rikshaw van was coming towards him and Sanjh was pulling that Rikshaw van.

"Oh my!!! This girl...."

He almost ran towards the van. Sanjh stopped the Rikshaw and stared at Amir.

"What are you doing Sanjh? Your father will come any second and if he see you like this,,, pulling a Rikshaw infront of everyone, he will again get mad at you...."

Sanjh jumped down of the Rikshaw.

"This is not a new thing....my papa always get mad at me....Now help me to unload this Rikshaw....Tiwari uncle was not feeling well, that's why I drove it here....this is not a big thing....now we have to unload the bricks and take the payment....then I will give the money to Tiwari uncle...."

Amir kept on staring at Sanjh in pure shock.

"Are you serious? Your papa will kill you"

Sanjh has already started to unload the bricks.

She was wearing a black denim and a blue t shirt. Her hair was set in a pony tail.

Her cheeks are still chubby just like that 10 year old Sanjh, she is a bit healthy with a 5'2 height. She has small nose and thin yet little plump lips. Her looks is very simple. She is not some extra ordinary beauty with special appearance. But the thing which attracts people is her smile. Her smile reached her eyes and it shows the innocence of her inside.

"Amir, are you going to help me or not?"

She asked him.

"Okay...."

He has not much option. So he started to help her. He was thinking to tell her about her result but everytime he failed.

Amir found the college students were staring at them and laughing on them. He lowered his eyes unable to bear the mockery in their eyes.

"Ignore them....They are good for nothing"

Sanjh said while setting the bricks on above another.

"Sanjh,,,umm....your result..."

"I know I failed.."

"What??? You already know?"

Amir asked in extreme shock.

"Yeah, Pooja called me and gave me the news...and she also said that you topped the exam and I'm happy for you"

This time Amir was more shocked.

"What???? But i haven't seen my name anywhere in the list"

"Because you are an idiot...your name was on the top and I'm sure you are checking the names from the last"

Sanjh tapped on Amir's head and smiled.

Amir covered his mouth in happiness. He was continuously smiling and looking at Sanjh.

"You are a gem Amir....now help me...."

They both started to arrange the bricks with more enthusiasm but suddenly Amir stopped and stared at Sanjh sadly.

"What about you? You failed....what will you do now?"

He asked her.

"I never liked to study....this is not my thing..."

She said with a light chuckle.

"Are you really going to work on that street group?"

He asked her.

"Yes....I like that job...I like to grow awareness among people through our street play....I felt so lively"

"What if your parents get to know this? They will never allow you"

Sanjh smiled.

"They don't care for me....infact nobody cares for me....You know today is Mahi Di's birthday and they are throwing a party.....but I'm not invited"

Though she said it with a smile but the pain came out off her voice.

"You should go home....May be they are thinking that you are busy in studies"

Amir said.

"No Amir....I don't fit among them...look at me, do you think I can fit in a classy place? And most importantly I don't want to.....by the way,,,you are coming in the street play...you will be playing the flute"

Amir smiled.

"Yeah sure..."

After unloading the bricks, Sanjh took the money and headed towards Tiwari's home. After giving him the money she returned to the girl's hostel.

On the way, she met her team of Street dancers. She gave them the instructions about the play and finally reached her hostel.

As soon as she entered the room, Pooja almost jumped in happiness.

"Guess what....I have a news...."

She almost screamed.

"We are invited to Rudra Khurana's party.....a man came and gave the pass...my god...I can't believe that Rudra Khurana invited us.... Sanjh,,,can you believe this....."

Sanjh's face turned pale. She took the invitation card and within a second she tore that card into pieces.

Pooja's eyes widened in extreme shock and she stared at Sanjh unbelievably.

"What the hell you just did??? Are you crazy??? People are dying here to meet Rudra Khurana and here you just ruined everything....what a crazy nut you are....now I can see why your family hates you so much....you are just a jealo

us girl you know....."

Sanjh stared at Pooja angrily. Pooja immediately realised her mistake.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean all these... I'm really sorry Sanjh...."

She started to apologise.

Sanjh ran inside the washroom and she closed the door with a thud. She leaned on the wall and now her tears flow without any barrier.

"I hate you Rudra......I will never going to see you again....You are non-existent for me...."