Chapter 58

Roli glared at Sid as he firmly held on to her hand while gazing at her face as if he was waiting to hear something precious from her. Just then her phone started ringing, disturbing them. Roli pulled out her hand from his hold and attended the call while Sid gritted his teeth as he cursed the caller for spoiling the moment. 

After ending the call, Roli got up as she got to attend the meeting with a client. 

"Are you going anywhere?" Sid asked, still unpleasant with the disturbance.

"I have a meeting to attend now. You can leave" Roli replied as she walked to the door.

"Leaving? In your dreams" Sid said as he followed her out of the office. "Come I will take you to your meeting place" holding her hand, he moved near his car.

"I can go by myself" Roli stopped as she pulled her hand back.

Sid sighed as he had expected it. He turned to her side as he spoke "I'm offering you to be your driver for today. It's a one time chance in life. Don't miss it, Miss Roli". 

"I don't need your offer" Roli stared at him and turned around to leave. But, soon was pulled back by Sid and even before she could resist, he gently pushed her in to the passenger seat and locked the door.

"Let me go" Roli glared at Sid as he settled down in driver's seat beside her. 

"Let's go then" Sid smiled at her coolly and started the car. Roli had to suppress her anger and looked away from him. 

"Roli, seatbelt" Sid reminded her as he noticed her not having her seatbelt buckled up. She acted like not hearing him and continued to look outside the window with stern face. 

Rolling his eyes, Sid stopped the car at side. With a jerk due to sudden halting, Roli turned to him with a frown. Sid leaned on to her, making her stunned.

With the sudden closeness, Roli held her heartbeat as she felt tingling in her stomach, something which she hadn't felt since so long. 

"W-what are you doing?" Despite of her tries to be strict and strong, she still felt herself go weak in his presence, not to mention when he was just an inch apart from her.  

Sid just smiled and moved even closer to her face, making her more restless. Roli had casted her gaze downwards to avoid looking at his piercing eyes. 

"When I say something to do, you better listen to me" saying so, Sid buckled her seatbelt and moved away from her. Roli let out a slight sigh as she tried to compose her heartbeat which was at rapid speed. She hated to admit the affect his presence still had on her.

Next few hours had passed by quickly as Roli got busy with her meeting and Sid patiently waiting for her. After the meeting got over, they were on the way back to Roli's office. 

Sid kept humming as he gazed at her now and then while Roli didn't speak a word and ignored to look at him. Ironically, it seemed like they both have interchanged their personalities.

"Did government has implement any tax for talking?" Sid queried as he looked at Roli while she frowned at him.

"Then why are you not talking as if you're saving some tax money" Sid giggled, gaining her glare. "Okay fine. If you continue to be silent like this then I'm surely gonna sleep in this silence". 

"How many kids do you have?" Roli asked calmly as Sid literally pushed her to talk.

"What?!" Sid nearly had a heartache at her question. He looked at her incredulously.

"I thought you might have got married by now. So, just asking about your kids" Roli explained, ignoring his killer glare. 

"Well, yeah! I have a dozen kids at home" Sid replied amidst gritting his teeth.

"Dozen? Did you get married to a pig or what?" Roli asked with the same calmness. 

"Abey, chup!" Sid shouted as he wasn't interested to continue the weird conversation. "It's better you shut your mouth than talking". 

Roli tried not to laugh at his reaction and turned her face away. She was enjoying to make him annoyed after so long time. She just realized how badly she was missing bickering with him. 

Rest of the journey continued in silence as Sid didn't dare to force her to talk after her weird and stupid questions. He wanted to spend time with her, but he got a call from his office. After dropping her at her office, he drove away, though reluctantly.

At night, Roli was still in office, signing files and checking mails. She didn't realize the time as she got immersed in work. A little while later, she received call from her dad.

"Hello, Papa" Roli answered.

"Roli beta, you still hadn't come home. It's so late" Jamnalal said worriedly.

"I was working and forgot to check the time. Will be leaving soon, Papa" Roli said as she checked the time.

"Okay. Is Siddhant with you?" Jamnalal asked. 

"No" Roli answered slowly, wondering why her dad suddenly asked about Sid.

"Then where else he might be?" Jamnalal mumbled, forgetting that the call was still on line.

"Papa, What happened?" Roli began to get worried as she could sense something was off in her father's tone. 

"Woh.. Siddhant too hadn't reached home so, just asked if he is with you" Jamnalal just realized what he spoke and tried to cover up as he didn't want her to be worried.

"Papa, tell me what happened" Roli urged as she grew worried.

Jamnalal knew she wouldn't leave until he tell her, so, he began "Something has happened in Bharadwaj office. The contract details, which Sid was working for, were sold out. The competitor bought one of the employee in the office and stolen the details. Sid has been working so hard for this contract but, now everything is gone. So, he was upset over that and left the office in afternoon. After that no one knows where he went. His phone is also not reachable. Rajender just called me now and told all these. So, I've asked if he is with you". 

"No, Papa. He didn't come here" Roli replied as her mind was occupied with something else. After he dropped her in afternoon, she didn't see him again. Where he might be? She got worried.

"You come home soon. I'm sure Sid will be fine" Jamnalal said to cheer up the mood.

Roli ended the call, assuring her dad that she would be reaching home soon. But, she wasn't in the mood to return home. Her mind and heart were taken over by Sid's thoughts. She knew him very well. If he decided to do something then he would want to make sure it to be successful. And whatever had happened with him, he must be too upset. When he was upset, he couldn't think of and care for anything, not even he himself. And that's what making her worried for him.

When Roli reached the parking area, she found her driver waiting for her. She took the car keys and drove away herself. Obviously, she went to search for Sid. After a few minutes of drive, she stopped the car and got down and as she stared at the place before her.

Rock & Roll. Sid was not a alcoholic. But, it was the place, where he would usually go to whenever he would feel low and upset. Roli remembered his friends talking about it in the past. And she was just hoping to find him there.

As she entered the pub, she could see people in various groups, drinking and some dancing. She felt uncomfortable at the place as she wasn't used to such places. And loud music was literally annoying her. 

Glancing around the place, her restless eyes finally landed on the person she was looking for. There he was seated alone in a table at one corner. She rushed near him amongst the crowd. 

"Siddhant" Roli called to gain his attention. He rose his head and narrowed his eyes to get a clear picture of the person standing before him. 

By seeing his state and the empty bottle on the table, Roli could clearly guess that he was drunk. 

"R-Roli" Sid's voice was slurring due to alcohol he had consumed.

"Let's go home" Roli said as she realized he wasn't in the state to talk anything else at the moment. 

"W-what are... you doing.. here?" Sid asked as he flickered his eyelids to overcome the blurred vision. 

A group of guys, drinking at the near table, started whistling at Roli while throwing away some random comments. Sid, though not being in his right senses, curled up his right fist at their comments and brushed his forehead with the other hand as he tried to sober up himself. 

Roli got tensed as she was aware of Sid's anger. She only wanted to take him home safely and didn't want any unnecessary drama to be created. So, she held his curled up fist and urged him "let's leave, please". 

Hearing her pleasing tone, Sid got up, taking his blazer that was lying next to him. As they were about to leave the place, a guy intentionally tried to bump in to Roli. 

But, to his misfortune, Sid immediately pulled Roli to his side and pushed him away. The guy was drunk and fumbled to stand straight at Sid's push and eventually landed on the floor. His friends seemed to come at Sid, but got stopped at his one chilled glare and silently helped their friend to get up. 

Roli held Sid's arm and literally dragged him out of the place. Helping him to get settled in the passenger seat, she herself took the driver seat. 

"You.. didn't tell me.. why you are here" Sid spoke as he leaned back in his seat and looked at her. Roli just glared without answering and started driving.

"Are you worried... for me" he smiled at her gently. Roli remained silent and just focused on driving. It would be a big lie if she said no. She was obviously worried to death that she didn't even care about the time and went on searching for him at such late hour. 

"I know.. you still care for me and.. you still love me" Sid was satisfied at her silence as it meant she was worried for him. 

"Then.. why do you.. left me Roli" Sid asked with his half closed eyes. "You know.. I have prepared everything.. for a life.. with you. But.. you didn't give.. me the chance".

Roli was puzzled at his words. She stopped the car suddenly and looked at him, who was semi-conscious. 

Wasn't he himself wanted her to leave? And which chance he was talking about? When did he ask for a chance, anyway? Roli couldn't understand anything.