Chapter 49

chapter 42

                    Niyati was confused. If she was being very honest with herself, confusion was a huge understatement for the tumult of emotions running pell-mell inside her. She just couldn't understand this absolutely infuriating guy walking next to her. Whenever she thought she had a handle on him, he would go and do something that would throw her off completely. Like the very moment for instance, they were almost at the end of the tour. She had shown him his classes, the administrative section, common rooms, atrium, almost everything of importance. And all throughout her forced impromptu tour, never had he once made her uncomfortable. No mention of the past and no taunting, cutting remarks that were his forte. He made not a single attempt to wound her again, let alone rub salt with a dash of lemon on them. That was inexplicably strange. He hadn't even tried getting her in the tight spot. She was tired keeping her guard up because he wasn't doing anything to reinforce it.

 

          All through-out her internal monologue, she never realized they had reached their final destination. It took her a while to gather her bearings before she realized she had reached the place she loathed the most. The Rehearsal Hall. For some reason unbeknownst to her she couldn't step in there. Didn't want to go in there would be a better expression. She would freely admit that Rehearsal Hall had never been in her list of top five places to be at St.Louis. True, she would be found there along with her brother and his friends, but she never voluntarily ventured there. If someone asked her about her revulsion to that place, she honestly couldn't explain. She never paid much attention as to when she developed an aversion to dance and the Rehearsal Hall. And to top it all, she never wanted to go there with him. But of course, her Krishnaji had to have some fun at her expense, merging the two things she hated the most together in such a way she couldn't decide who or what she hated more. Better get this over with she thought and steeled herself.

          This is The Rehearsal Hall, she gestured around her after stepping inside. "As such zyada rules nahin hai. Juniors cannot use this room without prior permission aur use karna bhi chahte hain toh they have time limits. But since you are a transfer student, tumhe GS ya CS se enquire karna padega ke tumhare liye kya allowed hai. That's it then." She turned around to leave. She was glad to finally have finished this unwanted task without any casualties. As she made a move towards the door, she found her path blocked by the devil incarnate himself. Hay Krishnaji! Ab aur kitni pareeksha lenge aap! She turned to look at him menacingly and if looks could kill, Parth would have been six feet under already.

          "Badi jaldi hai jaane ki", drawled Parth. "Apne purane dost se hi-hello karne ka bhi time nahin hai." Niyati looked at him disinterestedly. "Kya zamana aagaya hai!" he continued. "Naye log mile hi purane friends ko bhool jaate hain log."

          Niyati had just about enough. She had hoped that she wouldn't have to get into a verbal spat with him. She was about to give a gut-twisting, shame-inducing reply when she held herself back at the last moment. Isse ulajhna hi bekaar hai, she thought darkly and opted for the evasive route and continued towards the door. But if she thought things would be so simple with him, she was sorely mistaken. When she sidestepped him towards the right, he did the same. She huffed audibly and moved towards the other side and again found her path blocked. She looked up at him irritation and anger clear in her fiery eyes. She turned towards the right and again Parth was standing in her way.  

          That did it for her and she lashed out, "Ye kya badtameezi hai? Samajhte kya ho tum apne aap ko? I have been maintaining my calm and silence, lekin ek minute ke liye bhi ye mat samajhna ke main sab bhool gayi hoon.  Tumne jin haalaton mein ye college join kiya was out of my control, lekin agar tumne mere liye yahan problems create ki, toh God help you Parth! Mujhse bura koi nahin hoga!"

          Parth took a step forward and said pretending to be afraid, "Oh! Tumhari dhamkiyon se main toh dar gaya! But just so that I am prepared, batao na aisa kya karogi tum?" He cocked his head to one side and whispered, "sabko sach bata dogi?" He shrank back in mock horror clapping his hands over his mouth. Then smiling slyly he continued, "Actually main chahta hoon ke tum sabko sach boldo. Because last time jab tumne sach bolne ki koshish ki thi, tum mere saamne haari huyi khadi thi. And I wouldn't mind seeing you again like that again."

          He had totally expected Niyati to begin her round two of Fury, but to his surprise she smiled sickly sweet smile. She shook her head sympathetically at him. "It's been two years Parth. Tum ab hi mujhe wahi bholi bhaali Niyati samajh rahe ho? Tumhe tumhari aukaat dikhaane ke liye mere paas aur bhi kayin tareeqe hain. You forget", she took a few steps back while fanning her arms out, "ye mera college hai. Mere kehne ka matlab hai ye mera ilaaka hai. Aur woh kahawat toh suni hi hogi tumne. Apni gali mein kutta bhi sher hota hai. Those people just got the gender wrong."

          Satisfied at the dumbstruck look on her arch nemesis's face, she started walking towards the door. As she crossed him, Parth opened his mouth, determined to have the last word. Niyati capitalised on her barely there restraint and stomped hard on his left leg. When he doubled over in pain she elbowed him sharply in his ribs and left him groaning in pain on the floor. Parth recovered fairly quickly, his aggravation quickly escalating to fury at being one-upped by an elf of a girl. He followed her out, hollering her name all the while before he caught up with her on the stairs. But before he could say anything, his eyes landed on a lone figure standing ahead of them and he realized why Niyati had frozen still in the first place.

          Jesus! This wasn't going to be good, he muttered to himself before steeling himself for the wrath he was sure to incur.

[NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]