Even though the meeting with Dhruv left me miffed,there was another thing that bothered me.
Nikhil's parents had called.
Nikhil's parents had called.
Nikhil's parents had called.
For marriage.
Has Nikhil gone nuts?
I take a deep breath,annoyed,having too many things to think. I sigh,running a hand through my hair,when I hear another sigh.
I glance at my best friend,"Go to sleep Anshu. I'm fine."
"Are you?",she cocked an eyebrow.
"I...",I clear my throat.Spit out the words Sandy."Idon't want to marry Nikhil",I tell my mother."Oh",the disappointment in my mother'sOhrings in my ears,making me squeeze my eyes shut.I can never make anyone happy."Is there a particular reason?""Just...I spoke to him for a bit. I don't think we are compatible",I lie through my teeth.I'm Sorry,Mom."Sandy",my mother tsks,"You decided you weren't compatible in just one conversation? Take some time beta. Try to get to know him better.""Ma!",I exclaim,"You said
I glance at the clock anxiously.Twenty minutes.My leg bounces up and down ridiculously,as though I have restless leg syndrome.Ido.But that's not the point.Eighteen minutes.Whythe heck are peopleneverpunctual!?Maybe because you came an hour early? It's slightly anoverexpectationif you want the other person to jump into your head and come an hour quickly as well.I glare at the menu in front of me.
Angry tears well my eyes,making it difficult for me to read Nikhil's expressions.He clears his throat as I grab a tissue, quickly wiping the one drop of moisture that leaked my eye, blinking away the others back to their original place."Why haven't you told Dhruv about it Sandy?"I flinch, looking down,"I... tried to tell him",I start off softly,"But he wouldn't believe me. And Nayan was feeding him lies that I was going behind his back. For petty revenge. And...and Dhruv came to know that you liked me just a few days before that. He was already very angry with me. Nayan's lies just pushed him off the edge I think.""But I don't understand why you didn't fight for your innocence", Nikhil frowns.
Two months later."Are you ready yet?""Yup. Almost.""You better come out in the next ten seconds",I hiss, jumping up and down to hold my pee."Yeah. Yeah. Wait a sec.""You're so annoying Anshu",I complain."Get in before your bladder bursts",she rolls her eyes as she walks out.I relieve my bladder,sighing in content. I scowl at my reflection, irritated when thedupattawas off it's place. It wassohard to wear one on a cold shoulder dress."Are you girls ready yet?",I hear Avyukt
I snap my fingers, trying to get attention,"Where are you lost Anshu?"She only shakes her head,sighing loudly,shutting the books in front of her.I roll my eyes,"Don't tell me you and Avyukth fought again. You guys literally patched up two days ago."My best friend rolls her eyes, tapping the pen on the table."Sandy, I'm going to ask you something. Will you give me an honest answer?""Sounds very interesting",I pull my chair towards her,"Are you going to use an hourglass?""It's not funny.""Ask away",I say bored."Do you still
There's a pause in my steps when I hear a suspiciously familiar voice, surprised."Have a good day! Bye",Waves Ananya at her brother,who only smiles,nodding his head,as he stands there watching her zoom past the gate in her car,out of sight.I didn't know why I did what I did next,but my steps became hurried, hoping Nikhil didn't see me.I sigh when I was almost in safe zone, cursing myself when I look into the glass beside the entrance to see Nikhil looking up in surprise at the exactsametime.Our eyes meet in the mirror. I groan,turning around,"Hey",I give him a small smile,my lips thin."Hi",he smiles,"I joined as an SR",Nihkil fills me up.
"Yes. Idolove you",I say, exasperated."No. It'snotlike that",I continue, irritated.I balance the mobile between my ear and shoulder, continuing my work."Of course not!",I exclaim,"I just didn't think it was necessary."I wince when I hear a loud screech, pulling the phone away from my ear."You lied to me."I roll my eyes,"Don't be dramatic."When there's a longer than necessary pause,I huff,"Stop it Sne.I really didn't find it important enough to worry you about it."My darling sister,
I look up at the heavens, as if silently asking for help.Orglaring at the universe.Whicheverworks.I kick the punctured tire of my two wheeler, irritated beyond belief.Why didn't Ijustbook a cab.To the supermarket.I look around,feeling helpless.I was beginning to get odd looks from passerbys every few minutes. There weren't many people at this time,but the ones passing by would make sure to just glance my way and continue their journey.Thanks Universe,for letti
I give Nikhil a sheepish smile, mentally kicking myself as he gives me a teasing smile.I'm breathless when he places a kiss on my knuckles,the gesture making me swoon.So in Sandy style,I flip my hair behind, shrug,"I know. I'm just reminding you."Nikhil's face swirls with amusement,"You don't have to. But that's a nice remind-Ouch",he laughs when I punch his arm."So?"I raise an eyebrow."So?",Nikhil questions back, entwining our hands,the simple act makes me blush.I try not to show the nervousness on my face as I narrow my eyes,"You went to meet someone."
Nikhil's POVI'm restless as Prachi and I have our dessert.Being with another supposed-to-be a romantic female company seemedwrong. Even though it was just a lunch,it somehow felt like I am cheating on Sandy, inspite of her knowing it.I grin, shaking my head as I have the last bite of dessert,my cheese cake, heart full as I recall how displeased Sandy was when she came to know I was meeting someone.It obviously means she feelssomething.I let the feeling wash over me,the girl I like likes me back, however little or lot it maybe."Uh",I hear a clearing of throat.
"You guys didn't even kiss?""No.""Not even a peck?""No.""What about—""Shut up Anshu",I hiss."Who are you texting?", Anshu peeps into my mobile,"Show me."I tilt my mobile away from her deliberately, even though I'm just texting my sister.Anshu gasps,"You guys didn't even kiss yesterday, but you'resextingalready?""Anshu!",my cheeks turn red.The loon only grins, wiggling her eyebrows dramaticall
"Are you going somewhere?""Yes",I go through my cupboard,look down at whatever I'm already wearing."Where? Withwhom?"I give Anshu a you-know-who look."Where are you going?",she repeats."Dinner."She scans my attire,"You look fine,if it's just dinner, unless you haveotherplans,you know."I try hard to keep the blush out,as I roll my eyes, underplaying it even if my heart raced for a second,"Lol.""Are you returning?"I frown,"What?"
I pull away after a few seconds, acutely aware that we're on the road,inpublic.I sniff,my eyes dry."Okay?", Nikhil questions.I nod, unable to look at him.I sigh in relief when his mobile rings.Nikhil clenches his jaw,"Excuse me",he moves a few feet away."No. I don't want to. I've already told you",I hear Nikhil's side of the conversation.I'mtotallynot eavesdropping.He just happens to be inmyhearing range.Lol. Keep
I'm not sure if I have to be amused or horrified when Nikhil looks extremely uncomfortable,having been caught."Uh...Hi",He pockets his hands, looking at me for a second,and turning his head, although a smile plays on his lips.I recall the conversation with my mother,sighing in relief when I hadn't contributed much,it was mostly my mother talking after I had explained the situation to her.I wonder how long he'd been standing there.Did he... listen to my side of the story?"Hi",I nod,forcing a smile.Apparently, Nikhil didn't have anything to say as he merely stared at me.Anxiet
Things wereextremelydifferent from what I had anticipated.The day Nikhil had accompanied me to the hospital, thirty six hours ago,claiming he had somework,but actually turned out he wanted to give me company as he stayed with me for the majority of time I'd 'hosted' Niranjan uncle and Akhil, quietly monitoring as I let radiologists do their work.My heart felt oddly hopeful when he had even dropped me back at the hostel, giving me only an extremely heated look that had me blushing when I asked him why he had accompanied me.I had thought things had magically fallen into place.I expected us to be awkward for another day or two,and then kiss,and make up,literally.
Is the pain after a break (up) and the strength of a relationship proportional?I ponder at the question, painting my toe nails,three days after Nikhil decided we need to take a... break.There's a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.I letWhatever It TakesbyImagineDragonsplay in the background, conveniently ignoring the tap on my door.I hum to the lyrics,getting up to iron my clothes for the day, ignoring the way my best friend is yelling from the other side."I'm fine. I'm alive",I yell back.There's a pause, followed by a 'Fuck You'.Good.
"It's alright",I smile at a child,about five to six years old when she apologises for bumping into me,in the corridor.I hum to myself,taking a seat."Umm.""Where are we going?"The both of them look at each other.I scroll through my mobile, looking for new places to eat at,as I continue to hum."What do you think of— What?"Anshu looks at me worriedly,and then glances at her boyfriend,to which he just nods.I roll my eyes when Anshu pokes my arm, jumping back a good two feet when I don't respond.