Chapter 44

chapter 37

          Swayam was about to mount on his bicycle when a care screeched to a halt right in front of him. Rey stepped out of his car and dragged Swayam along with him to the nearest bench along the road. After forcing him to sit, he sat next to him and asked,

          "Kya hua hai tujhe? Aise react kyun kar raha hai?"

          "Aisa kuch bhi nahin hai. Tu bhi kuch bhi sochta rehta hai."

          "Don't lie Swayam. Maine tujhe notice kiya tha. In fact hum sabne notice kiya tha. Jaise hi tune us ladke ko dekha, teri body language hi change hogayi thi. Aisa lag raha tha jaise tu use maar hi daalega."

          Swayam remained silent and Rey probed, pleading with him. "Please yaar! mujhe batana kya problem hai? Main tujhe is condition mein nahin dekh sakta. Tu jaanta hai na tu mujh par trust kar sakta hai."

          "Baat tujhe trust karne ki nahin hai Rey. Tujhe pata hai tu mera best friend hai. Mera bhai jaisa hai. Secret meri hota toh kab ka tujhe bata chuka hota. Tujhse aaj tak kabhi kuch chupaya hai kya?" he rhetorically asked.

          "Ye baat Neeti se related hai.  Aur jab tak woh disclose nahin karna chati, tab tak mujhse bhi koi expectation mat rakh." Swayam revealed.

          "Thik hai. Itna toh tere bataye bagair hi samajh gaya tha ki Parth Niyati ke past ka hissa hai. Lekin I promise you ke aaj ke baad tujhse aur na hi Niyati se is topic par koi baat karoonga", Rey acquiesced. Realizing then that Swayam was off to somewhere he enquired, "waise itni raat ko tu kahan jaa raha hai?"

          Swayam's face darkened and he looked positively dangerous. "Us Parth ko warn karne ke agar woh apni haddiyon se pyaar karta hai toh Neeti se door rahe."

          That sounded ominous. As Swayam stood up to leave, Rey volunteered to come along. Swayam protested but Rey cut him off. "Tujhe lagta hai main tujhe kahin bhi akele jaane doonga? Are you mad? Tu best friend hai mera. Teri har problem meri problem hai. And agar ye jerk tujhe trouble kar raha hai toh uski aqal thikane lagana bhi mera job hai."

          Swayam still didn't seem convinced. Rey added, "dekh tera dost hone ke saath saath AGS bhi hoon. If zaroorat padi toh use is designation se threaten kar sakte hain."

          "Nahin yaar!! main nahin chahta tu meri wajah se apni position ko misuse kare."        

          "Aur woh Niyati ko pareshan kare, use hurt kare, you are okay with that?" Swayam was stumped. "Dekh jab tak woh apni limits mein rehta hai, kisi ko bhi kuch bhi karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. okay? chal! Let's pay him a visit."

          "Tu jaanta hai woh kahan rehta hai?"

          "Main? Nahin toh. I thought tujhe pata hoga."

          "Mujhe kaise pata hoga? Main toh khud aaj pehli baar mila hoon usse."

          "Phir tu cycle le kar kya karne waala tha? Har ghar ke saamne khade hokar uska naam call out karne waala tha kya?" Rey sniggered.

          "Shut up! Ab ye soch karna kya hai?"

          "Tu car mein baith. Main Kria ko phone lagata hoon."

 

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                    Parth was sprawled leisurely on his couch, disinterestedly flipping through tv channels. He couldn't get Niyati out of his mind. Now that he had calmed down, he could recollect her countenance more clearly. She had changed a lot. She used to be quite chubby back in the days. He remembered Swayam and he tease he calling 'kaddu', that would bug her to no end. She looked nothing short of the perfect figure girls died for. Her hair had grown longer than he remembered and she had thankfully left her braids behind. And her eyes... they were...dead. Before he could mull any further, the doorbell rang.

          The house-help opened the door and Parth was taken aback to see Swayam standing at his doorstep. Closely on his heels was another guy he had seen in the morning but had forgotten the name. Before he could open his mouth to greet his guests, Swayam began. "Kyun aaya hai tu yahan?"

          "Excuse me?"

          "You heard me Parth, kyun aaya hai tu Mumbai?"

          Parth who probably thought Swayam had come to reconcile, composed himself and answered good-naturedly with a hint of cockiness, "What's the big deal Swayam? Tumhara college poore world mein famous hai. Kria jaise exceptional dancers produce kiye hain. Agar main aise college ka hissa banna chahta hoon, toh what's the harm? I have every right to choose the best education for me you know?"

          "Mujhe achi tarah se pata hai tu kya soch kar yahan aaya hai", Swayam retorted angrily. Rey had to restrain him before he pounced on Parth. "Tujhe itna kuch kar ke bhi chain nahin mila? Kyun wapas aaya hai hum sabki life mein? Ab  aur kitna hurt karna chahta hai Neeti ko?"

          "Mujh par trust kar yaar, mujhe nahin pata tha ke Niyati yahan hai", Parth seemed desperate to convince him. "Agar mujhe pata hota toh main yahan kabhi nahin aata. You've got to trust me!" he implored while taking a step towards him.

          "Trust ki baat tere muh se achi nahin lagti Parth", Swayam replied venomously. "I don't care tujhe kya pata tha aur kya nahin. I just want you to stay away from Neeti."

          Parth smirked devilishly. "That wouldn't be a problem for me mate. But kya teri Neeti mujhse door reh payegi?"

          Swayam lunged at him and Rey had to put himself between both boys to prevent things from escalating further." Swayam!!" he yelled. "Calm down!! This is not the way!" As Swayam continued to struggle, Rey shook him hard and told him, "Tu side mein ho jaa, let me deal with him. Just relax!"

          "Oh! And how are you going to deal with me Mr. I-don't-care-what-your-name-is?"

          "Mujhe kuch zyada karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. You see, main is college ka AGS hoon and Swayam CS. Almost Niyati ke sabhi friends important designation holders hain. Aur college mein hamari zyada chalti hai. Toh tera yahan jeena hum kitna difficult kar sakte hain, iska tujhe idea bhi nahin hai. "

          Parth listened to Rey dispassionately. He was almost bored. As Rey continued though, he seriously began panicking within. "Tu exchange student hai na? Tere graduation ke liye tujhe yahan se at the very least 'more-than-satisfactory' remarks chahiye honge. Well, itni toh power student body ke paas hai ki tujhe 'worst dancer ever existed' the title dilwa sakte hain. Kria already tere institute ki student hai aur ye college ke heads hamari muththi mein. Aage tu smart dikhta hai hi. Prove karke bhi dikha de. Niyati se door reh. Uske against ek word bhi bola, ek rumor bhi spread kiya; trust me. I will know. Teri story apne paas rakh. Warna is exchange ko teri life ka worst decision banane mein mujhe ek second bhi nahin lagega."

          With that, Rey pulled Swayam out the door. Parth stared after them for quite sometime. Interesting he thought. People are very protective of Niyati. Swayam ka samajh aata hai, but this guy? Aakhir kya jaadu kar rakha hai is ladki ne? Do people here know the truth? Kya Niyati ne sabko bata diya? Oooh! This is turning out to be a lot more fun than I thought! He plopped down on the couch and started to flick through the channels again.

[MEMBERSONLY]