Chapter 11

LoveYourself

@LoveYourself

PART 11

Sanyukta stood facing her back on the door, dumbfounded. Just then somebody knocked the door. She screamed with fear and a shivering voice, "Ka..kaun hai?" "Sanyukta, it's me, Kaustuki! Open the door." Sanyukta calmed herself down, took a deep breath and opened the door. Kaustuki was shocked to see Sanyukta in that state. Completely drenched in rain, and lost somewhere.

Kaustuki: "Oh my god!! Look at you! You look so disheveled. Are you alright??"

Sanyukta: (Hesistantly, faking a smile)"Umm...I am fine. It's just that it started raining and I got drenched. I'll go and get freshen up."

Sanyukta took her towel and clothes and went to the bathroom. She stood facing the mirror. She felt as if, all the previous encounters that she had with Vardaan were one by one playing on the mirror, in a cinematic form. She removed her clothes and turned the knob of the shower. Water started sprinkling on her already wet body.

Sanyukta: "Did that thing..actually happen? Or was I dreaming? Did he actually...try to...try to kiss me? How could he? And what I was I thinking then? I thought of giving in?? I almost lost my self-control? Why? I have never let any guy come so close to me? Why him? He's arrogant, he's rude, because of him I landed in a lock up, he never leaves a single opportunity to insult me, he ignores me...". "So, the fact that he ignores me, does it hurt me somewhere?"

Suddenly, she saw her wrist. It had running red-purple marks on it. Those were given by Vardaan. She tried to soothe her wrist by rubbing her palm on it. But, no use. She wrinkled her eyebrows together as her action was causing her more pain. "Itni zor se unhone mujhe pakad rakha tha? Why didn't it pain me then? Dhyaan kaha tha mera?", she thought. She wore her clothes and came out of the bathroom, with so many questions still left unanswered.

Vardaan was still on the terrace.

Vardaan: "Yeh maine kya kiya? Kya karnewala tha? How did I land up so close to her? What the hell happens to me whenever I see her? magic does she create on me? Aisa kyu lagta hai, ke koi dabi hui chaahat, ubharkar baahar aa gayi hai? Yeh kaisa khel rahi hai zindagi mere saath? Jiske kareeb jaana chaahtha tha, use zindagi ne mujhse dur kar diya. Aur jisse dur jaana chaahtha hu...baar baar, zindagi har raah par, har mod par, use mere same laakar khadi kar deti hai."

He saw an iron fence kind of a thing on the wall of the terrace. It had some sharp protruding small iron twigs on it. He went near the fence and kept his hand on it in full anger, to cause him pain. Yes, it was hurting him. It was paining him. His palm was also bleeding, thinking about Sanyukta. After sometime, he removed his palm, took out a handkerchief from his pocket and tied it to his palm tightly. He was on the terrace that whole day. It was evening and the sun had set. He decided to head towards home, as he could not think straight.

That night, Sanyukta just couldn't sleep. She kept tossing and turning on her bed, remembering the day's incident. She woke up abruptly and looked at the time. It was 5 AM. She decided to freshen up. After getting freshened up, she sat at the study table, to study something. She first took out "Cost Management" book. But then she changed her mind and then then took out another subject book. After a futile attempt at studying, it was 7 AM. She thought of taking a walk in the garden. She went to the garden. She started walking on the grass barefoot. The dew on the grass was tickling her feet and she was enjoying it. After yesterday's debacle she decided of bunking and not going to college today. She proceeded towards the canteen to have breakfast. She thought of doing the task which immediately soothes her mood, i.e go shopping.

At his home, sleep had completely eluded Vardaan completely. His bed was left untouched that night and he tried to sleep on the couch. His thoughts were continuously juggling about Sanyukta, leading to nowhere. It was morning. His blackberry beeped. It had a reminder. It was the day of the results to be declared. He remembered about the past.

FLASHBACK:

Vardaan: (To the entire class) "So class, with this I have finished my job i.e teaching you all. Now, the ball is in your court. Let me assure you, I usually set the toughest paper every year and thus beating my own record every year. Thank your stars, even if you manage to pass in it. Also, I have a deal for you all. The person who gets the highest marks in my subject, I promise, will get a cool gift from me. So, you can consider this as a small bribe. So guys, give your best."

FLASHBACK ENDS

His thoughts again started ringing, "Oh no! Now, I have to buy a gift for her!! She has scored the highest marks. Oh no...whyyy? Hmm...whatever it is, I have to buy her a gift. After all, I had promised in front of an entire class. And she deserves this for all her hardwork." Thinking this, he finished his bath and breakfast and set out for buying a gift for her.

Sanyukta went inside the only mall in the small city. She spotted some shops like Vero-Moda, AND, Forever21, Shoppers Stop, GUCCI, GUESS etc. She went to Shoppers Stop. First, she bought herself some jewellery. Then she proceeded to the apparel section.

Vardaan entered the mall and was confused looking at the shops. He absolutely had no idea what to shop for women. He was a total loser in this area. The last time he shopped for Niharika, was a total disaster. He proceeded towards the first shop he saw. Shoppers Stop. The first section was the perfumes section. He thought of buying some women's perfume. He then thought, "gifting somebody perfume would mean that the person stinks. And she doesn't stink. In fact, the fragrance that she wears makes me crave for...". He abruptly put brakes to his thoughts. He proceeded towards the next section that was the shoe section. Now, he really had no clue about what type of shoes she likes or what was her foot size. He proceeded towards the next counter that was the cosmetics section. "A big NO...she looks beautiful as she is. She doesn't need make up", he thought. His mind then wandered about her eyes, her cheeks her luscious red lips which he was about to kiss. He mentally shrugged himself. The next section was the apparel section. It was really huge. It had everything from western to ethnic. From XS to XXXL sizes. He got confused looking at the variety itself. He was about to leave when he spotted a beautiful white anarkali dress. It had a dash of red as well, with sequins at the bottom, at the neck and at the sleeves. It had a beautiful red chiffon dupatta as well. He remembered her cream anarkali dress. "Hmm...this pattern suits her", he thought. Now there was a problem of size. He picked each of the sizes and was mentally assessing it, to see if it would fit her.

Here Sanyukta was at the perfume section. The perfume section was just opposite the apparel section. She was standing with her back towards Vardaan. Vardaan picked up a dress and held it in front of his eyes. He then saw a girl in the perfumes section. He thought that she was approximately close to Sanyukta's physique. He closed his one eye and held the dress in such a way that it looked as if the dress perfectly fitted the girl. He was now satisfied, as he had had decided which size to buy. He removed the dress from the hanger and kept it in a basket. While proceeding towards the billing counter, he spotted the watches section. He decided to buy a watch as well, as he thought that Sanyukta was most of the times late to the class. He bought a beautiful TITAN RAGA watch.

Sanyukta finished her shopping and was standing in the queue at the billing counter. Vardaan came after her and was standing behind her. Both of them paid for the items they bought. Vardaan proceeded towards the elevator. Sanyukta followed suit. Both of them were standing near the elevator waiting for it. Sanyukta's cell phone beeped. Kaustuki had messaged her. She had shopping bags in her hand and the elevator had arrived. Both of them went inside the elevator. Vardaan pressed the G' button. Sanyukta saw her cell phone and opened the message that Kaustuki had sent. It read, "Hey, results are out. Congratulations Sanyu...you stood 2^nd in the class. Also, you scored the highest in Financial Management." Sanyukta jumped with joy. "Yess, yess yess...I knew it. Khadoos ko ab pata chalega, k ek Arts background ki ladki kya karti sakti hai. Ab pata chalega, ke meri insult karne ka nateeja kya hota hai". She then realized where she was. She looked left. There was nobody. He heaved a sigh of relief. She looked right. She got the shock of her life. Professor Vardaan standing right there, looking, no not looking, glaring at her.

She gulped the whatever left saliva her mouth had.

Sanyukta: "Sirrr,...aap yaha? Kyunnn? I mean, kaise???"

Vardaan glared at her, or after hearing her questions. Sanyukta then realized what kind of stupid questions she was asking. She then shrugged her shoulders.

Sanyukta: "I mean...none of my business."

The few moments in the elevator were felt like hours by both of them. Just then, the elevator stopped abruptly. Vardaan pressed the G' button many times. Sanyukta looked with dismay. Sanyukta tried pressing all the buttons.

Vardaan: "What are you doing?"

Sanyukta: (With a twisted face and an irritated look)"Umm...calculating the addition of all the numbers here on the panel."

Vardaan: Whaaatt??

Sanyukta: "I have seen in movies. Whenever the hero and heroine get stuck in the elevator, the door usually opens if all the buttons are pressed together."

She realized what she just said, "hero-heroine".