Chapter 28

Previously

 

Everyone claps and praises Angad for his singing without seeing or knowing the hurt behind his voice. Angad moves through the crowd and leaves the hall, his family follow after him, slowly the guests leave and Kripa goes home, she runs into her room and locks the door behind her, falls to the floor and cries

 

Kripa's eyes fall on to the present Angad had given her, all the others were in Prithvi's room but she had made sure this particular one was in hers so she could open it personally. Kripa stood up and went to the dresser and picked up the gift wrapped box, she smiled seeing the pink wrapping paper Angad had used, her favourite colour, she slowly unwapped the box to find a card on top of it, she opened the card and read out loud

 

K - dearest Kripa, not sure whether to congratulate you on getting engaged or whether to mourn you leaving my life. I told you before I would cherish every moment spent with you and I will, even if you're not there. Always be happy, forever yours Angad

 

A tear falls down Kripa's cheek, she wipes it away and puts the card down, she picks up the box and sits on the bed to open it, she finds several things, she takes them out one by one and lays them on the bed, she puts the empty box on the floor and looks at the several items. Firstly she picks up a coach ticket, she looks at it carefully and sees it is of the day she first met Angad. She puts it aside and picks up the next item, its a photograph of Angad and Kripa at the park

 

K - what's the meaning of all these gifts?

 

Kripa puts the picture down and picks up the wedding ring which Naina had given Angad to wear when they had faked the marriage, she then picks up several brochures of hotels in Figi. She puts them aside then finds a note

 

K - if you figure it all out, meet me tomorrow night at 7PM, I'll be waiting, Angad......what does all this mean?

 

Kripa racks her brain to figure out what Angad is trying to tell her, she looks at each of the items again

 

K - coach ticket....brochures....picture of the park....the wedding ring....Angad what are you trying to tell me...and meet you where?

 

Kripa tries to call Angad but he doesn't answer her calls. At the Khanna House, Angad's phone continues to ring, the guys are all gathered in Angad's room playing football on Angad's PS2

 

L - bro, you going to get that?

 

Angad glaces at his phone then back at the screen

 

A - no

Ka - what if its important?

A - I already know who it is

S - who?

A - Kripa

 

Sujal hits the pause button and looks at Angad

 

S - if its Kripa, why aren't you answering?

A - because.....ok listen, bhaiya you remember how you asked me if I was going to give up on me and Kripa so easily?

S - yeah...

A - well I thought about it...and I figured that no way was I going to.....so I made a plan

Ka - what plan? and why weren't we told about it?

A - because if you guys knew, it wouldn't look real, you guys have noticed the change in me, i'm not moping around like I was

Ka - yeah, everyone noticed that

A - I wanted to make it look as if I was over Kripa, and I knew Prithvi would come to invite us to the engagement to rub it in my face, and I knew you guys would say no so I had to say yes to make Prithvi think I was over Kripa

L - keep going....

A - so at the party, the gift I handed Kripa, everyone thought it would just be a mutal engagment gift for her and Prithvi....but I know Kripa, she wouldn't let anyone else open it except herself, which is what I guess she has done

S - what's in the gift?

 

Angad smiles and lays his head back

 

A - a photo of me and Kripa taken at the park, the coach ticket I had from the day I met her, the wedding ring mom gave me and brochures for hotels in Figi

Ka - ok.....so what's that got to do with your plan?

A - that is my plan, each of those items is a clue....for Kripa to figure out which of course she hasn't which is why she's trying to ring me, to figure out what i'm trying to tell her, and i can't answer the phone because I can't tell her, she needs to figure it out herself

L - and what does all that stuff mean?

A - do I have to spell it out for you!

Ka/S/L - yes!

 

Angad puts his controller down and sits on the bed

 

A - the coach ticket.....the day I first met her when she ran away from home...

L - means.....

A - means....she runs away from home....duh

S - ok...continue

A - the photo of the park, is where I want her to meet me tomorrow, the wedding ring.....is the ring I want her to give me when I marry her

Ka - and the brochures?

A - is where I'm taking her

S - taking her?

A - ok...I know I should have asked you guys before taking this step.....but I'm running away with her

D - WHAT!

 

Angad looks at the door to see his parents standing there looking furious, Angad stands up

 

A - dad...mom...I was...

D - quiet! what is all this? running away with Kripa?

L - bhaiya wants to elpoe with her

D - did I ask you?

L - well you did tell him to shut up

D - get out, the three of you, leave us alone

 

Sujal, Kavya and Lakshya leave the room, Angad sits on the bed, Naina sits by him

 

N - explain, everything now

 

Angad retells what he told the guys

 

A - mom, I can't let her marry him, and I know she won't back out of this marriage while she's here

N - but eloping?

A - mom....I love her, I want to be with her, and even if it means running away with her, I will be with her

D - Angad, I don't think you have thought this through...

A - dad, its all I have been thinking about, we'll be back home soon after, there's nothing for you to worry about

N - and what if Prithvi has your brother sent to jail again?

A - that will all be sorted once I meet Kripa tomorrow, just please don't be mad and let me do this, I've never asked anything from you guys before, now I am...

N - ok Angad

D - but Naina....

N - no Dilip, he's made his mind up, nothing we will say can change it. Angad go ahead with everything, I just hope Kripa is worth all of this

 

Angad hugs his mom

 

A - she is mom, trust me she is....(thinks) Kripa you better figure this out

 

Kripa sits on the bed with her legs crossed with all the items in front of her, she looks at them one by one trying to find their significance

 

K - ok Kripa put your head into this....the coach ticket....from the day we met..when I ran away....ran away...he wants to run away? ok next....the photo...of the park? what happened that day....ugh we've been to the park so many times I can't remember "meet me tomorrow at 7PM"....at the coach stand? Figi? the park.....yeah it must be the park

 

Kripa puts the picture and the ticket aside and looks at the ring and the brochures

 

K - ok the ring....he wants to fake the marriage again? but why would he send the ring.....unless.....he wants to get married? ok go with that....then what's with the brochures...the honeymoon? or is that where he wants to run away to....I hope i'm right on this

 

Kripa hears a knock on the door, she quickly puts everything away and opens the door to see Prithvi

 

P - are you ok? you've been in the room since we got back from the party?

K - yeah i'm fine....just tired, i'm going to sleep, goodnight

 

Kripa shuts the door and wonders how to get out of the house the next day to see Angad

 

coming up - Kripa sneaks out to meet Angad