Aashiqui - A Love Story.

.XX.

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Paris, France.

Abir didn't know how to react, what to speak, whether he should laugh or cry. Voluntary euthanasia. Mishti had signed up to end her life, on her own will, in another hospital. And they had agreed. So all of this going with the flow, doing crazy things, was just an act. A final act of hers. He felt utterly betrayed. His heart thawed at the feeling of pain. His chest constricted, as the thread connecting to his beloved's heart, had been pulled apart.

Unknowingly, tears began to flow. He tried very hard to hold back but at last, his composure had ruined. Slightly disturbed by the noise, Mishti awoke, only to find Abir in a haphazard state. He was uncontrollably weeping, not even lifting his face. Akshara had left, apparently, to give him some space. She whispered his name as he stilled. He rubbed his face harshly and decided to leave the hotel lobby without answering.

"Abir! Stop running damn it! I can't keep up." Mishti loudly shouted but to no avail, Abir had already crossed the road. Without a second thought, she pushed the wheelchair faster but it stopped working when she was right in the middle, with a vehicle approaching towards her. She shrunk her upper body to her right side, and closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the impact. Mishti heard Abir screaming her name. And then, nothing happened.

The car had stopped just inches away from her as everyone sighed, in relief. Abir thanked and apologises to the driver, moving Mishti away from any danger. He held his head, and tried to calm his breathing.

"Could've just told me you wanted to see me die-"
"And you'd do it without blinking an eye, won't you!" His shout made her shudder. The anger made Abir ten times redder but before she could make a joke about it, he rashly slapped the letter onto her lap. Mishti's brain went black for a second.
"Abir, I can explain-"
"And I don't want to hear." He interrupted her.
"Hard pass, douchebag. But listen to me first." She pleaded.

"Mishti, I couldn't save you. Not here in this road, not back in the Oxford Street. I'm as useless as my mother and you think. You deceived me and came all the way here, just to die. And I couldn't even catch a clue about it. I am a fool." Abir's outburst made her cry.
"Abir, I'm really sorry but I don't know how to convince you, Akshara or anyone. I just know this is not how I want to live. I really am tired. Please, understand." She broke down.
"I need time, Mishti." That was his answer. She nodded and he walked away.

After some time passed, they met in her room again. The whole time Mishti faced the window.

"Before I begin, please don't interrupt. And I won't be able to see you the whole time I talk." She said as he settled down on the couch.
"Abir, no matter how hard I try to cajole myself, I've come to realise that I cannot give you what you deserve. You can't reach those heights you wanted to. Instead you'll be on the ground, watching those who don't deserve rise higher. The life out of the walls I created can give you so much more than this crippled woman." She chuckled.

"You'll have the freedom. An opportunity to choose. You can be a writer and not a disappointment anymore." Mishti continued.
"I must add, I'm not guilty that I'm holding you back. I'm guilty that I can't change my decision despite all the humane things I've felt in these past 5 months with you." She could herself and him sobbing.
"Preethi helped me get the confirmation from the hospital, and I've barred people from visiting me. So this will be our last goodbye." Abir couldn't breathe anymore.

"All my life, an emotion I held close to my heart was fear. After I met you, I threw away that too. But I can't let you affect me so much, knowing it'll drag you down with me. I'm a bad disease Abir. Maybe like influenza that makes your nose run way too hard." He chuckled, despite weeping like a small kid.
"Until we meet again, in another life, as another, better and non-crippled humans." Mishti said her last words.

Abir stood up, and engulfed her into a hug from the behind, kissed her head and sighed.

"I'm never forgiving you for this, Mishti. I love you, and choose to let you go. I cannot see you suffer anymore. In another life, I hope we never meet. And even if we do, I hope we stop at being friends, because love gave nothing but pain to us. I don't wish that upon any alternate versions of us." He said.

And that day when Altair and Vega were galaxies apart, two hearts were broken beyond repair.

Present

Pembroke Castle, UK.

Abir stops narrating and sits down on the chair, with a thud. Akshara rushes to offer him water but he doesn't accept it. After she revealed the information about the letter, Mishti had decided to cut ties with her. So she was equally guilty for causing all of that pain. But some miracle had changed her mind, so she was thankful that Mishti was alive.

"Your mother helped her get on the death bed, Jiya. That's the ugliest part. But after two weeks, I received a phone call that she was alive. And that she had decided against euthanasia. For that, I'm forever grateful to Preethi." Jiya wipes her eyes and nods.
"And I'm sorry for being an arse. I just don't want you to do things for me. I can make my own decisions. You could feel guilt for the rest of your life if things don't go as you had planned. I was trying to save you from that." He explains.

"I'm sorry. It was rude to invade your personal life and even worse, make it public to other people. But, if you don't mind, can I read that letter?" Jiya questions.

In the next second, Abir drops down unconscious on the floor, making everyone worry about him.

But he's the one, who's mostly tensed, because he knew he couldn't see her. He knew he'd be gone by then. He knew he didn't have enough time.

And he knew, he had lived enough to make her proud.

To be continued