“Hum yahan aise kyun baithe hai?” Rey looked across the empty round table at the restaurant.
“Speak when you’re being spoken to. Now eat!” Armaan pointed at the plate of food in front of Rey.
“What?” He was about to argue when he saw Taani, Shivam and Sid walk towards them. “Inko bhi aapne bulaya?” He questioned Armaan.
“I’m really sorry traffic mein phas gaye the hum.” Shivam apologized once they all settled in.
“We’re sorry too. Bhook lagi thi toh order kar liya.” Armaan chuckled.
“Why are we here?” Taani asked.
“Teko bhi nahi pata?” Rey questioned her.
“Mujhe bhi matlab?” Taani narrowed her eyes at Rey.
“Shivam can you explain me at least?” Rey looked at Shivam.
“I have no idea, Sid asked me to accompany!” Shivam raised his hands.
“What the f*ck is going on?” Rey was now irritated.
“Chup chap kha, hangry mat ban.” Armaan rolled his eyes at him.
“Tune toh mera suggestion bohot hi seriously le liya yaar.” Sid chuckled at Armaan.
“Siddo, what’s going on?” Taani asked sensing Rey’s building anger.
“Arre maine Armaan ko suggest kiya tha ki usse Rey se badla lena chahiye for getting Riri here without telling him. I asked him to get Rey here as you two need to decide the date for engagement and joked that don’t let Rey take any decision. He’ll have to agree to whatever you say.” Sid explained to Taani.
“That won’t happen! Aur date toh mumma aur aunty ne finalize kar di thi na?” Taani narrowed her eyes.
“Koi date final nahi huyi hai.” Shivam confirmed.
“Wait, what did you mean by that won’t happen?” Rey questioned Taani.
“Tujhe sirf yes bolna allowed hai, to whatever we decide here. Nothing else!” Armaan glared at him.
“Armaan bhai engagement uski bhi hai. He gets a say in it.” Taani defended Rey making him grin at her.
“Riddhima ko yahan laane se pehle usne mera opinion liya tha? Nahi na? So, he too doesn’t get any say!”
“Can you guys stop arguing and come to the point?” Shivam intervened.
“Any particular reason for bringing him along?” Armaan asked Sid pointing at Shivam.
“I am here to tell you that maine wedding planner select kar di hai. She just needs the date to start working.” Shivam informed.
“Aise hi kisiko bhi le liya? Uska work experience kya hai?” Rey argued.
“Meri behen ki shaadi hai, aise kisiko bhi select nahi karunga main!” Shivam replied back.
“Engagement!” Rey and Taani corrected him.
“Dono ke thoughts kitne milte hai.” Sid smiled in glee at them.
“Shut up!” Rey scowled.
“Yeh dekh work experience.” Shivam showed a few pictures on his phone.
“Tu toh serious hogaya. I was joking.” Rey put his phone away.
“Sarcasm mere bhai ko samajhta nahi.” Sid chuckled.
“Voh sarcastic nahi tha.” Shivam argued.
“Hum main topic se bhatak rahe hai.” Armaan intervened. “Date?”
“Bhai main soch raha tha..” Rey spoke.
“Tereko kisne pucha?” Armaan stopped him.
“Arre?” Rey argued.
Armaan ignored him and looked at Taani. “Taani, tum batao.”
“I.. don’t know.” Taani looked at her hands on the table.
“Great!” Armaan rolled his eyes and sat back.
“How about we decide the venue and stuff, phir availability dekh ke date decide kar lenge.” Shivam suggested.
“Kitna unromantic hai tu, pehle date phir baki sab!” Sid stated.
The argument kept going on throughout dinner and at the end of it all they were back to square one, deciding the date. In the middle of this discussion, the waiter came with the check and placed it in front of Rey. He removed his card while still talking and paid for the dinner. Taani looked from him to Armaan, to Sid, to Shivam and found Shivam looking back at her with the same question written on his face as hers. She smiled awkwardly at him and shifted her attention back to the conversation.
“We’ve played around with a lot of options now so let’s do one thing, tum dono ghar jao aur socho aaram se and come up with a date. Abhi toh koi decision lena impossible hai!” Armaan came up with a solution.
“Accha now I get a say?” Rey narrowed his eyes at him.
“Kya karu after all bhai hai tu mera!” Armaan shrugged his shoulders.
“Nautanki!” Rey shook his head. “Accha Shivam, would you mind if I drop Taani home?” He asked.
“Kyun? Aayi toh main bhai ke saath thi?” Taani raised her brow.
“Toh jaa mere saath sakti ho.” Rey gave her an innocent look.
“Nahi aana.” She mocked.
“Please?” He pouted.
“Aajao na uske saath, kuch baat karni hogi usse.” Shivam encouraged her.
“I can’t believe you just said that!” Taani widened her eyes.
“Aise kyun dekh rahi ho? Voh tumhe ghar hi to drop karna chahata hai, kaunsa kahin ghoomne jaa rahe ho?” Shivam said tongue-in-cheek making Sid and Armaan laugh at Rey’s expense.
“Muskaan ko bohot tang kiya tha na tune, sabka badla lega mera bhai!” Sid said proudly patting Shivam’s back.
“Shivam tell me honestly, tujhe merese kya problem hai?” Rey confronted him.
“Tujhe batana main jaroori nahi samajhta!” Shivam smirked.
“What the hell!” Rey protested. Armaan and Sid laughed at him.
“Bhai?” Taani looked at him controlling her laugh.
“Kya bhai? You too can laugh at my expense!” Rey sulked.
“Main kahan hass rahi hoon?” She said as her lips twitched while trying not to laugh.
“Sir your card.” The waiter handed back his card.
“Fine then! I’ll leave!” Rey got up inserting his wallet in his back pocket.
“Wait, you’re supposed to drop me home.” Taani got up.
“Kyun mere saath toh aana nahi tha na?”
“Mann badal liya. Kyun abh lift nahi deni?” Taani wiggled her eyebrows.
“Chalo.” Rey grabbed her hand before she changed her mind again.
…
“Ice cream?” Taani’s eyes lit up as he pulled up in the lane of the ice cream parlour.
“Yes luv!” Rey grinned at her.
“Aaj bohot pyaar aa raha hai?” Taani teased.
“Tumhe kab hoga.” Rey mumbled looking ahead but Taani caught onto it.
“Mujhe hogaya hai Rey, par samajh nahi aaraha ki tumhe batau kaise.” Taani thought as she trailed behind him to the parlour.
“Kya logi?”
“Mint chocolate chip.” She replied.
He ordered for them and they settled on a bench in the garden.
“So?” Taani looked at him.
“Tumhare saath time spend karna tha. So.. this.” He smiled.
“No.” She replied, and he narrowed his eyes at her. “There is something else.”
“Let’s just enjoy this for now.” He pointed at the ice cream in his hand.
“How is Sharon? Haven’t had a chance to talk to her since her return.” Taani asked.
“She is getting back to normal now. All of it happened so sudden that it took a toll on her. Swayam aur maine usse yahan bohot busy rakha hai just to stop her from calling uncle every ten minutes.”
“Usse wahin rehne dete na uske papa ke paas.”
“Sharon was the last thing Gautam uncle needed. Voh wahan rukti toh uncle ko pakka dusra attack aata aur seedha upar!” He shut his eyes immediately as he realized what he said. “Sorry, I.. I didn’t mean it.” He held her hand.
“It’s okay but please next time kabhi aisa mat kehna.” She squeezed his hand.
“So, this engagement date, socha hai kuch?” He changed the topic.
“Kahan kuch. Mujhe laga tha mumma kar degi fix waise bhi roka wagera unhone hi plan kiya tha na.”
“Tum khush ho na?” He questioned.
“Of course! Aise kyu puch rahe ho?”
“Usually aisi sab cheezon ke liye excitement hoti hai. I mean I know that yeh decision and all tumhara hai, but I guess.. I don’t know.” He looked away.
“You guess what Rey?” She made him face her.
“Is it because you don’t.. I mean you’re not in love with me?” His voice turned into a whisper by the end of it.
She broke eye contact and looked away to control her racing heart. She wanted to tell him that she loved him back, but words had refused to come out of her mouth.
“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that. Mera intention tumhe guilty feel karane ka nahi tha. I don’t know why I said it.” He apologized instantly.
“Rey I know what you want to hear but..” Taani looked at him tongue tied.
“Main jaanta hoon ki jab kabhi tumhe mujhse pyaar hoga tum bataogi, but I don’t know why jab bhi tumhe dekhta hoon I feel that you too are in love with me. I know I’m reading too much into you, but I just can’t help myself. Jitna easily tumne mujhe forgive kiya aur phir trip pe meri wajah se mere friends ne tumpe jitne pranks kiye uss sab ka bhi bura nahi maana, yeh sab dekh ke I sometimes feel that I don’t deserve you. I made you question your trust on me, aise insaan se tumhe kya mujhe khud ko pyaar nahi hoga.” He sighed.
“You don’t give a lot of credit to yourself.” She entangled her fingers in his. “Yes, you made one mistake and yes I doubted my trust on you, par tumne kabhi voh trust khone nahi diya. It’s still intact. In fact, it has grown stronger now. I know you care deeply for everyone around you. Aur tumne toh suna hi hoga, you hurt the ones you care about the most.” She smiled.
“Suna toh hai but I don’t get why. Jinki hum care karte hai unhe toh kabhi bhi hurt nahi karna chahiye hume.”
“Itni philosophical toh main hoon nahi, so iska answer tumhe kahi aur dhundana hoga.” She giggled making him smile.
“Tum bilkul pagal ho.” He head-bumped her.
“Tumhare saath rehke thodi ban gayi hoon.” She bit her lower lip and saw his eyes unintentionally linger on it. She straightened up.
“Abh toh tum mere aur Aashi ke baare mein jaan chuki ho, so I hope you’re not mad at me anymore for that.” He looked at her hoping for a positive reply.
“A little maybe.” She said tongue-in-cheek.
“Really?” He challenged her reading into her playfulness and shook his head as she started laughing.
“Accha tell me, agar Siddo mera bhai nahi hota, toh what would have been your explanation?”
“I don’t know. I was trying to come up with one par tab tak Sid saamne aagaya.”
“Agar nahi aata toh? Jhoot bolte?”
“Poora sach nahi bolta bas. Voh fake relationship mein aane ka koi reason bana deta maybe.”
“Tum na ek alag hi character ho. Sid ka secret safe rakha aur abhi Purvi ko aise selflessly help kiya.”
“I wasn’t completely selfless.” He confessed.
“I know that since she is my friend you helped her but jis tarah se uski help ki was selfless.”
“If you say so!”
“She told me about Juhi aunty.” She studied his face. “Is that why you never were in a relationship?”
He gave a throaty chuckle and said, “you know I always argued with myself that I never found someone who I liked to be in a relationship with but somewhere deep inside I knew that I didn’t want to. I couldn’t bear the thought that someone would break ties with her family for my sake. Maa ne kiya, but deep down I know she still misses her family. Muski too almost did that. So, I’ve seen both sides of this and it’s not easy being on either side. I just never wanted this possibility to ever occur if and when it came to me. Also, in hindsight this maybe the reason why I helped Purvi so selflessly as you put it.”
“Rey tum..” She hugged him and rested her head on his chest.
“Abh keh bhi do Taani. Tumhari aakhein tumhare dil ka haal bayan kar rahi hai. I’m dying to hear it from you.” Rey thought.
“I want to tell you how much I love you, par bol hi nahi pa rahi hoon.” Taani thought.
They sat in each other’s embrace for a long time till a ringtone disturbed them.
“Muski?” He looked at the name flashing on his phone and answered. “Hello.”
“Riri se baat kara meri.” Muskaan said urgently.
“Kya hua sab theek hai?” He asked worried.
“Kiara ko bohot tez fever hua hai jo kam hi nahi ho raha hai. Abhi last option medicine hai and I just want to crosscheck with Riri to know what is safe.” Muskaan informed.
“Main abhi bahar hoon, uska number teko forward karta hoon. Call me if you need any help.” He disconnected the call and forwarded the number to Muskaan.
“All good?” Taani asked him.
“Kiara ki tabiyat environment change ki wajah se thodi upar neeche rehti hai.” Rey informed.
“We should leave, it’s already very late.” Taani looked at the deserted garden.
“Tum chalo, main pay karke aata hoon.”
“Paise jyada hogaye hai?” She immediately closed her eyes and mentally cursed herself for saying it out loud.
“Sorry?” He was taken aback by her words.
“Mera matlab hai wahan restaurant mein bhi poora bill tumne bhara aur abhi bhi pay kar rahe ho.” Taani stated awkwardly smiling at him.
“Mujhe koi shawk nahi hai kharche karne ka. Voh toh bas check mere paas aaya so I just had to.” He explained.
“Had to?” She questioned.
“It’s kind of our pact.”
“Pact?”
“Well, jab tak hum college mein they, tab tak wherever we went we used to contribute equally. Phir job lagi, tabse it started getting weird ki pay kaun karega as all of us wanted to. You know new job, so thoda show off sabke saamne.” He chuckled.
“Phir?”
“Phir, I observed bhai. Voh jab sab friends milke bahar jaate the toh the person paying was the one who received the check in front of him. So, we started doing that to avoid arguments. And now it’s become a habit, almost a second nature. Shayad yahi tumhe awkward laga hoga ki bhai tha wahan yet I paid, right?”
“Haan, in fact even Siddo didn’t mind that, toh mujhe thoda weird laga.”
“Don’t worry you’ll get used to it.” He chuckled.
“So now if I pay for the ice cream, you won’t mind right?”
“I..” He paused and then said, “will mind.”
“Why?”
“Because see, you aren’t working right now, so that’s technically not your money. It’s complicated yaar. Hum itni raat ko yeh discuss kyun kar rahe hai?” He wailed.
“No, I want to know. Suppose ki kal agar I decide that I don’t want to work and sit at home, phir toh according to you I’m broke. right?”
“Tum kahan se kahan le ja rahi ho? I didn’t mean it that way.”
“You did. Tumhare kehne ka matlab hota hai ki I’m not allowed to spend money on myself because it’s not mine.”
“Seriously Taani? Why are you reading so much into it? I just meant ki aise treats wagera lena meko nahi pasand. Especially because that’s your pocket money.”
“No, it isn’t! It’s the savings money which my father saved for me to use.”
“Okay sorry. Tumhe pay karna hai, kar lo.” He raised his hands in defeat.
“Meherbani nahi chahiye. Pay karke aajana, I’ll wait outside.” She walked off.
“Isse achanak kya hua?” Rey wondered.
“What was I doing? Itni sab bakwas karne mera muh khulta hai but ek simple I love you bolne nahi ho raha mujhe. God, I want to just..aggrh!” She stomped her foot.
“Taani listen, I’m sorry if I offended you. Main aage se dhyaan rakhunga. I know you are independent, and I’ll try my best to not repeat this.” Rey came out paying the bill and saw her frustrated.
“Can we leave? I’m really tired.” She shrugged her shoulders.
“Sure.”
“Good morning sir!” The receptionist greeted Rey.
“Good morning, Zenia!” Rey greeted her back as he made his way to his cabin.
“Watch where you’re going!” Kiya cursed as she bumped into someone and her files dropped on the floor.
“Excuse me?” She heard in return and paled on recognizing the voice.
“Armaan sir, sor..ry. Voh me..mera dhyaan kahi aur tha.” She fumbled.
“Relax.” Armaan responded and bent to pick up the files.
“I.. I’ll manage. You don’t worry.” She hurriedly started to pick up the files.
“Let me help.” He offered.
“No sir, aap takleef mat leejiye. Main kar lungi.”
“Okay!” He handed her the file and left.
She sighed in relief and heard a roar of laughter. She looked up to see Rey holding his stomach and laughing at her expense.
“Bhai se itna darti hai tu?” He asked moving towards her and still chuckling.
“Sir Mumbai kab aaye?” She questioned him.
“Aadat daal lo abh se regular aane wale hai.” He helped her gather all the files.
“Thanks.” She almost lost her balance picking them up.
“Idhar lao.” He picked up half of them and followed her. “Yeh sab files ke saath kar kya rahi ho?”
“Mansi ma’am ne mangwayi hai.” She informed.
“Thode thode lekar jati ya kisi ko help ke liye bulati.”
“Abh aap aagaye na, hogayi help.” She giggled.
“Kiya!” Mansi’s voice startled her.
“Files ma’am!” She forwarded them.
“Cabin mein jaake rakho.” Mansi instructed and she rushed in. “Rey, tum yahan?”
“Help kar raha tha. Yeh pakdo!” He handed over the remaining files to Mansi and turned to leave.
“Rey?” She stopped him.
“Hmm?”
“I saw Armaan today, is he joining back?” She asked.
“Yes and no!”
“Huh?”
“Yes, he is joining back but I don’t know from when.” He explained.
“Usse Purvi ke baare mein pata hai na?” Mansi asked.
“Bhai tujhe aake question nahi karega, you relax. Usse pata hai Purvi ko maine kyu hire karwaya hai.”
“Great then! See you later!” She left.
“Hey Purvi.” Rey was going back to his cabin and spotted her.
“Hi Rey.” She greeted back.
“How are you? How’s everything going?” He walked up to her.
“You know Rey, you don’t have to check on me every day. I’m doing great, all thanks to you!”
“Yes, I know that, but if you need anything..”
“I’ll manage.” She interrupted him. “Tum already meri bohot help kar chuke ho.” She smiled at him.
“I’m sensing where this is going, so let me just tell you ki I’m not going to accept any money from you. Tumhari help maine apni marzi se ki thi.”
“But Rey, let me pay you back for the plane tickets at least.” She pleaded.
“Bye Purvi, I’ll see you later.” He left before she started arguing with him.
For the past few days, Purvi had been trying to repay Rey for helping her out. He kept refusing her, so she even tried to get Taani involved, but Rey didn’t listen to her and flat out told Purvi to stop bothering him. Later he felt bad for shouting at her and hence was checking on her everyday at the office to make sure she was alright.
“Are you sure of it?” Purvi heard whispers as she came back to her desk.
“I’m just telling you what I’ve observed in the last two days.”
“So, you mean to say that Rey sir and Purvi are a thing?”
“He comes here every morning to greet her. Baki log bhi hai office mein, unhe toh personally jaake kabhi greet nahi kiya sir ne. And did you notice, she doesn’t address him as sir. On top of that, I saw her with Juhi ma’am yesterday.”
“Wow! I feel really jealous of her right now!”
“Main aur Rey?” Purvi’s eyes widened as she overheard the conversation. “I hope this doesn’t reach him. Voh mere baare mein kya sochega? Aur Taani? No, no, no! I’ll have to be careful. These rumors need to die!” She thought to herself.
…
“Yeh tumhare liye kuch aaya hai.” Purvi handed an envelope to Taani.
“Yeh?” Taani thought opening it.
“Accha sunn, I need to talk to you about something.” Purvi hesitated.
“Kya hua?” Taani looked up from that envelope, keeping it aside.
“Voh Rey office.. I mean..” Purvi broke eye contact and struggled to form a coherent sentence.
“Rey!” Taani flared her nostrils at the mention of his name. “Leave him to me, main bhi dekhti hoon how he doesn’t accept money from you. Bohot badi badi baatein karne aati hai bas usse, kya bola tha khudke dum pe kisike help ke bina sab build karna tha. Aisa sirf usse karna allowed hai, koi aur toh kar hi nahi sakta!” Taani ranted.
“Hain? Tujhe kya hua?” Purvi was startled by her rant.
“Dimaag garam kiya hai usne mera!” Taani sat down on her bed pulling her hair.
“Paani pee.” Purvi offered her water.
“Thanks.” She drank the whole bottle in one go.
“Abh bata kal se tera mood kyun off hai?” Purvi questioned.
“I am mad at him. But uss se jyada khud pe gussa aa raha hai!” Taani sighed.
“Par kyun?”
“Kal raat ko hum ice cream khane gaye the. I wanted to pay, and he didn’t let me saying ki yeh mere paise nahi hai. Uske hisaab se main dusro ke paise udati hoon!”
“He said that?” Purvi widened her eyes.
“Yes!”
“Sachchi?”
“First part haan. Aage ka nahi, but it implied that!”
“Then tell him ki aage se aise na kare voh. I’m sure he will listen.”
“I told and he did listen.”
“Toh phir?”
“Yaar khud pe gussa aa raha hai ki khud ka frustration uspe nikal rahi hoon!”
“Seedhe seedhe batayegi?”
“I don’t know how to confess to him.”
“Muh se!” Purvi giggled.
“Very funny!” Taani glared at her. “I’m serious! He is expecting it from me and is feeling guilty for doing that! He has been very understanding abhi tak, I don’t want him to be disappointed for expecting something which I should have told him long ago!”
“Tu bol kyun nahi pa rahi?”
“Whenever I try, uska confession yaad aajata hai. And I can’t just casually tell him, he deserves something grand. Usse poora yakeen tha ki main uss se pyaar karne lagungi. I want to let him know how freaking right he was!” Taani had a dreamy smile on her face.
Purvi shook her head at Taani’s juvenility and came up with a solution for her. “Arrange a date with him and tell him!” Purvi suggested.
“He will suspect it. Aise achanak se main date pe kyun le jaungi usse? There should be a reason na.”
“Treat for graduating!”
“Huh?”
“Next week results hai, bhool gayi?”
“Oh haan!” Taani stood up with a spark in her eyes. “Thanks a lot!” She jumped around the room in joy.
“Pagal!” Purvi shook her head and her eyes fell on the envelope lying on Taani’s bed. “Pratt University, New York.” She read on the envelope and her eyes opened wide in horror.
“Hello aunty.” Rey greeted Tanya as he walked into the house.
“Hi Rey, kaise ho?” Tanya greeted him back.
“Main theek hoon par ghar pe itni shanti kyun hai? Sab kahan hai?” He asked looking around.
“Sid, Abhi aur Nikki koi movie dekhne gaye hai. Taani aur Purvi room mein hai. Aur Shivam, Sneha se milne gaya hai.” Tanya informed.
“Sneha?” Rey looked confused.
“Your wedding planner.” She replied.
“Shaadi meri hai aur main aaj tak uss se nahi mila hoon aur Shivam already teen chaar chakkar laga chuka, maanjra kya hai?” He wiggled his brows with a coy smile.
“You’ve got a point. Kuch toh maanjra jaroor hai.” Tanya agreed.
“Shivam?” Aruna entered in.
“Nahi aunty main.” Rey answered.
“Hi Rey.” Aruna smiled at him and then looked at Tanya. “Accha Tanya, Taani ka mood kaisa hai aaj?” She asked.
“Subah se room mein hai. Pata nahi kya hua hai.” Tanya sighed.
“Rey tujhe kuch pata hai iske baare mein?” Aruna raised her brow at him.
“Jab pata hai toh kyu pooch rahi ho aap?” Rey replied guiltily.
“Kya pata hai?” Tanya looked at them with narrowed eyes.
“Jhagda hua hai dono ka.” Aruna answered.
“Jhagda nahi, she’s just a little upset.” Rey corrected.
“Jiss tarah voh kal tumhari car se nikli thi, uss se little upset toh nahi lagi.” Aruna challenged.
“Aruna kya bol rahi ho tum?” Tanya asked her.
“Kal jab Rey chodne aaya tha Taani ko main neeche hi thi. Aur jis tarah se Taani gusse se nikli thi mujhe laga hi ki kuch gadbad hai. Phir raat ko dinner pe usse shaant dekh ke main samajh gayi ki jhagda hua hai.” Aruna explained.
“Tumhe pata tha toh kuch bataya kyun nahi? Ruko main baat karti hoon uss se.” Tanya got up to go to Taani’s room.
“Arre aunty aap baitho. She is mad at me, let me talk to her.” Rey stopped her.
“Anything serious?” She asked.
“Not at all. Please aap tension mat lo.” Rey assured her and went to Taani’s room.
He knocked on the door and opened it. He saw Taani and Purvi lying on the bed and a laptop in front of them. They were completely engrossed in it and didn’t hear the door open. He saw on the screen a man holding another man by his neck and off the ground.
“Bonjour Monsieur Gatineau. I should let you live to tell of this, but I seem to be on a bit of a roll.” The man said and snapped his victim’s neck and threw him across the room.
Someone whizzed towards him and pinned him to the wall holding him by his neck.
“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?” The woman holding him taunted and he smiled back at her.
“Hello luv!” He said in a throaty voice.
“Hey, that’s my line!” Rey protested from the door.
Taani and Purvi got startled hearing his voice and immediately paused the video.
“What are you doing here?” Taani asked, coming out of her shock and sat straight on the bed.
“Baat karni hai tumse.” Rey pouted.
“Mujhe nahi karni!” She rolled her eyes at him and stopped Purvi when she saw her leaving. “You are staying, and he is leaving!”
“Please?” He asked innocently.
“I need to pee.” Purvi excused herself and ran out of the bedroom before Taani could stop her again.
“Don’t act cute with me!” She sneered at him. “And I’m busy right now.” She laid back down and resumed the video.
“Klaus Mikaelson?” He moved forward and sat next to her.
She paused the video and looked at him with questioning eyes. “Sharon used to watch this.” He answered.
She nodded and shifted her attention back to the laptop.
“Taani?” He called. “Taani yaar, at least let me explain.” He wailed.
“Hmn.” She responded still looking at the screen.
“Taani!” He shut her laptop, forcing her to look at him.
“What the hell!” She glared at him.
“Sorry.”
“What’s your problem Rey? Pehle haan bolte ho phir mana karte ho and now here, kyun? Mujhe tumhe treat deni thi graduation ki but tumhe mujhse koi treat nahi leni. Samajh gayi main. Abh aur kya explain karna hai?”
“Yahi explain karna hai ki maine treat ke liye mana nahi kiya hai. You were very clear about this the other day and I’m not going to make that same mistake again.” He said.
She looked away from him as her guilt of yelling at him resurfaced.
“Toh kyun mana kiya?” She asked.
“I’m not here that week.”
“Then why did you agree in the first place?” She argued.
“Because kal subah pata chala ki I have to leave.”
“You always have to go somewhere. Graduation hai mera Rey, I want you to be here.” She turned on her back making room for him.
He lied down beside her. “I do too. Trust me.”
“Then stay na.” She pleaded.
“If I do, then jab teko milna hoga toh Australia aana padega as I’ll be in a cell for like six months.”
“What?” She sat up at once. “Kya bakwas kar rahe ho?”
“Bakwas nahi hai. Legal notice aaya hai Sydney School of Dance se. Swayam aur meko jana hoga to solve the dispute.” He explained.
“Notice? What have you guys done?” She asked.
“We haven’t done anything. But since six of their dance instructors resigned at once, someone from their team did some research and found out that they’ll be joining D3. So, they decided to sue us for bribing their instructors.”
“Are you serious? Now what are you guys going to do?” Taani panicked.
“Calm down. Main aur Swayam wahan jaake uss idiot pe defamation ka case karne wale hai. Because he forgot that the contract with SSD was over aur uske baad sab ne resignation diya hai. So, his case is void!”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course, I am! Humare khilaaf voh case bana hi nahi sakte. Voluntary resignation tha sabka.” He assured her.
“Toh tum sab kab ja rahe ho?”
“Sab nahi ja rahe. It’s just Swayam and I. In fact, none of them know about this. Inn sab ko pata chala toh udar jaake koi aur scene create kar denge. Office work bolke hum dono ja rahe hai.”
“Pakka tum kisi problem mein nahi ho na?” She asked holding his hand.
“Agar sachme koi problem hoti toh kya main itna calm hota?” He asked her.
“Nahi.” She shook her head and leaned on his shoulder. “I’m sorry for being mad at you.” She whispered.
“You have every right to be mad, luv. And I’m sorry too. I wish I could postpone it.”
“No, I should have heard you out yesterday. Aise gusse mein ghar aana was not right. Mujhe nahi pata what’s wrong with me lately. Uss din bhi park mein bematlab ka gussa kar rahi thi tumpe. You know what, you don’t worry about me. Treat ka kya hai, tumhare wapas aane pe de dungi. Just take care of everything there.” She broke the hug and told him.
“Bematlab ka gussa nahi hai yeh. It’s called sangat ka asar. My habits are starting to rub on you.” He joked.
“How can you joke with all this serious stuff?”
“Arre baba I just explained. It’s not a big deal. You know what, I’ll ask Swayam to handle it on his own. That way I can be here with you.” He took out his phone to call Swayam.
“Are you mad? Don’t be selfish. You should go with him.” She stopped him from calling.
“Will you be fine?”
“Keep me updated with everything. Then I’ll be fine.”
“Deal!”
Posted: August 14, 2019
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