Canvas of Destiny

Chapter seventeen

Happy reading.

~~~

Author's POV

"Ishikaaa," Nitya's voice rang out, punctuating the morning air with urgency, calling for Ishika. She stood poised by the entrance, already dressed for the day ahead.

Following an hour of ceaseless dancing, both hastened to their respective rooms to prepare for the day ahead in the office.

On her inaugural day at GlamVine, Nitya resolved to depart earlier than her norm. Upon swinging the door open, she encountered a collection of items neatly arranged on their doorstep.

Ishika quickened her pace upon hearing Nitya's call. "What's wrong?" she inquired as she approached her friend. "Why did you shout?"

"I believe this is meant for you," Nitya replied, gesturing towards the items arranged on their doorstep.

A frown creased Ishika's face as she stooped to retrieve the penguin plushie, a red rose, and a book.

Delicately, she plucked the sticky note from the penguin's head and read aloud, "To, my angry young woman."

"Told you," Nitya chirped, her voice filled with certainty. "I have faith in him."

Hurriedly, Ishika made her way to the kitchen, swiftly pouring a glass of water and carefully placing the rose within. With equal haste, she carried it back to the dining table, positioning it in the center before returning to join Nitya.

"Come on, let's check the book quickly, we're running late," Nitya urged, her patience wearing thin.

Ishika hastily seized the book, revealing it to be "Twisted Love" by Ana Huang. As she flipped through the pages, her eyes widened in shock.

"It's annotated," she murmured in barely more than a whisper.

Nitya hurried to Ishika's side, peering into the book alongside her. Together, they flipped through the pages, discovering every occurrence of "You," "Are," "My," and "Sunshine" meticulously underlined and highlighted in blue.

"Oh my god!" Ishika exclaimed in astonishment.

"He's so sweet," Nitya breathed in awe. "Forgive him, forgive him!"

Upon hearing Nitya's plea, Ishika snapped back to reality, swiftly closing the book and slamming it shut on the dining table.

"We're running late, let's go," she declared firmly.

"But-" Nitya began, only to be silenced by Ishika's stern gaze. "Okay. I'll head out. Bye," she uttered hastily, grabbing her bag and hurrying out the door.

Minutes later, Ishika also made her way out, locking the door behind her. As she descended the stairs, she abruptly halted in her tracks.

There, before her, Siddhant stood with his eyes closed, leaning against the wall, his hands crossed over his chest.

She descended the stairs with caution, careful not to make a sound. Drawing closer, she observed the dark circles under Siddhant's eyes, evidence of a sleepless night spent annotating the book. She pondered whether he had actually read it or not.

Sighing, she opens and closes the gate without making any noise and starts for the bus stand. Several thoughts swirling in her mind, but one thing she was sure of was not forgiving him easily.

He needs to understand what power a simple word holds, She thought.

As Ishika made her way to the bus stop, her mind buzzed with thoughts. Finding her regular spot by the window once aboard the bus, she prepared for the journey.

The bus was on the verge of departure when a man rushed in, drawing everyone's attention.

Moments later, passengers resumed their activities. Some were engrossed in their phones, others plugged in their earphones, while a few simply gazed out the window or drifted off to sleep.

However, Ishika's attention remained fixed on the newcomer even as the bus began to move. She observed Siddhant, who appeared breathless and exhausted, as if he had just completed a marathon.

As the bus lurched into motion, Siddhant made his way over to Ishika and took the empty seat beside her.

For a few moments, Siddhant remained silent, his breaths audible to Ishika as he composed himself. Then, he turned to her, meeting her gaze.

As Ishika peered out the window, she felt Siddhant's presence close beside her, their shoulders touching lightly. Siddhant noticed how tightly she clutched her bag, sensing her effort to steady her breathing.

"I was waiting for you," Siddhant admitted, still keeping his gaze on Ishika, who remained composed. "I don't know when I dozed off," he chuckled softly.

Taking a moment to gather himself, he glanced away and swallowed nervously. Then, turning back to Ishika, he looked at her again. "I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely.

"I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I know I don't deserve it, at least not yet," Siddhant admitted earnestly. "But," he continued, determination in his voice, "But I'm going to earn it. No matter how long it takes."

Ishika tightened her grip on her bag, holding back tears. She had anticipated this moment ever since she found those gifts on her doorstep. She understood how Siddhant would move mountains to win her forgiveness.

"Can you please look at me?" Siddhant requested, his tone pleading. "It wasn't intentional. I was consumed by anger after what happened, and all night I couldn't shake off the 'what ifs' until I burst out at you. I would never say those things to you in my right mind. Please, tell me you know that."

His voice grew heavier with emotion as he struggled to swallow the pain in his throat.

Despite the turmoil raging within her, Ishika remained resolute, refusing to give in. Every fiber of her being urged her to glance at him, but she fought against it. She understood that if she met his gaze, she would crumble into his arms and break down.

The memory of yesterday morning weighed heavily on Ishika's heart. All she had wanted was to find solace in his embrace, to release her tears and hear his reassurance that everything would be alright, that he was there for her.

Yet, instead of finding comfort, he had questioned her character, leaving her wounded and conflicted.

He understood the significance of Ishika's self-respect, a value she had held dear since she was eighteen. Her dignity meant everything to her, and she refused to tolerate any disrespect. It was a principle she upheld above all else.

Siddhant kept his hopeful gaze on Ishika, yearning for her to acknowledge him even with a brief look. However, she remained unmoved, her attention solely on the scenery outside, disregarding his presence altogether.

As the bus reached their stop, Ishika quickly exited and briskly made her way towards the office. Siddhant let out a sigh and followed suit, maintaining a distance of ten steps behind her, respecting her need for space.

~~~

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