Chapter 27

Chapter 23 (A)

                   

                              The Freshers' had done The D3 team tons of good. At least Rey thought so. It had re-ignited that passion for dance that wasn't forgotten, but was perhaps overlooked in the face of other issues and concerns. If that wasn't the case how could anyone explain the sudden, unexpected appearance of all of the boys in the Rehearsal Hall one fine day and all the more surprising declaration of the intention to dance. Normally, Rey and Swayam would have to drag their bottoms to the Rehearsal Hall and here they were on their own free will and volition. And that was all Rey and Swayam needed.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4xm9SEKu6c (this is probably what the boys could do, fooling around, cracking jokes and dancing like there's no tomorrow. Watch it! Khud pata chal jayega!)

 

                    It felt just like old times. It was as if they had never stopped dancing at all. It was just like driving a car. No matter how many days go by without driving one, you never forget to drive. Before anyone could any more emotional, Vicky proposed an impromptu celebration in the canteen in view of their successful event.

"Abbe woh sab thik hai, ye bata canteen ka bill kaun bharega?" Bharat asked.

"Obvio hai yaar! Swayam!" Vicky answered cheerfully.

"Hain?? Main hi kyun?"

"Arre! Maine kaha tha na, iski hamesha galat question poochne ki aadat hai. Sun", Vicky said looping his arm around Swayam's neck, "as ACS, Freshers' tera headache tha. Ab event acha hogaya toh party kise deni chahiye? tujhe! samjha?"

"Phir toh Rey ko bhi party deni chahiye", Swayam retaliated pulling Vicky's arm off. "Woh bhi toh AGS hai."

"Eh! Tu dost hai ki dushman? Khud toh mar raha hai, faaltu mein mujhe bhi phansa raha hai."

"Hum toh doobenge sanam, tumhe bhi saath le doobenge!" Swayam said dramatically.

"Abbe! Tal na bohot hogaya. Pehle palty de! Phil dlama kalna", Amar said pulling Swayam out the Hall.

"Rey!?" Swayam cried out.

"Tu chal. Main abhi aata hoon. Cool?"

As the boys moved out, neither Rey nor anyone else noticed Swayam's phone by the music system.

 

 

                                                                                                    ***********

 

"Bhai! Aapke paas Bedi sir ka number hai kya? Mujhe chahiye tha", Niyati asked on entering the canteen. The entire gang seemed to be there minus Rey. She thanked her Krishna Ji for keeping him out of her way.

"Haan hai na, ek minute." Swayam said checking his pockets. After a few seconds of frantic searching he exclaimed, "Crap! Mera phone shayad Rehearsal Hall mein hi choot gaya. Ruk, main lakar deta hoon tujhe."

"Relax bhai! Main jakar le loongi. Aap aise beech khane se uth kar mat jayiye."

"Sure?"

"Haan. 100%"

 

                                                                                          ***********

 

          On reaching the Rehearsal Hall, she wished she had allowed her brother to get the phone for her. Because standing there was the very person she wished to avoid. Acting as if he wasn't there at all, she looked around till she located her brother's phone. As she proceeded to the Wall unit housing the music system, Rey wished her.

"Hi Niyati."

She faltered momentarily before continuing forwards and mumbled a hi in return.

There! She was doing it again. What on earth had Rey done to affront her. It was beyond him now. Rey noticed her expressions on entering the Rehearsal Hall. Like she wanted to be anywhere but there. Every attempt at conversation was thwarted. It was too much for him now. Advancing towards her he asked, "Niyati, problem kya hai tumhari?"

"What do you mean?"

"Please Niyati. Stop pretending please. Main koi fool nahin hoon.Jabse main tumse mila hoon, tab se dekh raha hoon. Tum bohot ajeeb behave karti ho mere saath. Almost rude. Main aisa kiya kya hai?"

"You are over reacting Rey. Aisi koi baat nahin hai. Tumhara veham hai", she said bending down to retrieve the phone all the while avoiding looking at him.

Rey was infuriated. He normally maintained decorum while dealing with girls. But this girl was getting on his nerves. As she turned around, Rey slammed the wall next to her, shocking her into dropping the phone and effectively stopping her from leaving.

"Will you stop that? Mera veham hai? Really? Tumhara mujhe hamesha avoid karna. Rudely baat karna. Sab mera imagination hai? Mujhe koi fark nahin padta tha, if you would just give me a damn reason!"

Niyati stared at him all the time he was yelling in her face. The moment he stopped to catch his breath, she said in a dangerously low voice, "Aaj kiya so kiya. Agli baar mujhe is tarah darane ki koshish ki; I swear do din tak chalne ke qaabil nahin rahoge tum." She pushed his hand away, picked the phone and started walking away.

"Koi reason nahin hai toh phir tum ye sab kar kyun rahi ho?"

Niyati closed her eyes. There was a limit to everything and currently Rey was testing them all. She didn't want to lash out at him. It would inevitably hurt Taani. But Rey was asking for it and Niyati was dying to give him a piece of her mind. Turning around she said, "Really Rey? Tumhe sach mein nahin pata? I thought you to be a smart man. Guess I was wrong." Sarcasm was dripping freely from her words.

"Niyati, what the hell are you talking about?" Rey asked thoroughly irritated.

"I am Taani's sister!" She bellowed. "Put two and two together and come to a conclusion!"

Rey looked stumped for a minute. Advancing towards her he said, "Agar tum hamare break up ko refer kar rahi ho toh let me be very clear. Taani ne mujhse break-up ka decision liya. Maine toh use jaane se rokne ki har koshish ki. I didn't want her to go. Taani wanted break-up. Not me. Taani moved on. Usne us Vishesh se engagement ki. I didn't want ke ye sab kuch ho!"

"Tum itne shallow hoge Rey ye maine kabhi socha nahin tha. Honestly, you surprise me! Thik hai, agar hum tumhara logic apply karte hain toh mujhe Sharon se bhi nafrat karni chahiye. Aakhir unhone bhi mere bhai ko hurt kiya hai. Unhe time and again embarrass kiya hai. Have you seen me behaving rude towards her?"

Rey stood silent. Niyati continued softly, "Jis tarah tum Taani ko kabhi samajh nahin paaye, mujhe bhi kabhi samajh nahin paoge."

She began walking but stopped and turned around. "Mujhe tumhare break-up se koi problem nahin thi. Mujhe break -up ke tareeke aur wajah se problem thi."

 

To be contd...

[NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]