Chapter 51

Chapter 49-Jaspal

The night was young ge thought as he stared outside the window at the pelting rain,pitying the poor souls who had gotten caught in the downpour.He knew he was being cowardly by hiding away. He knew he ought to be helping Gurleen with the wedding preparations and the business in general.Yet here he was in Patiala in the pretext of work.The conversation with Jassi di had rattled him enough to cut off contact with everyone at home including Gurleen,yet a part of him was disappointed that she didn't even try calling him for courtesy's sake.

As he wallowed in his thoughts,a loud knock on the door disrupted him.Manoj poked his head inside nervously .

"Er..sir you have a visitor."

He frowned at his frightened countenance and nodded.Manoj disappeared and a hooded figure entered his hotel room.It took him a few seconds to realise that his visitor was wearing a black raincoat which was dripping all over the floor.He stared at his guest while the door closed behind them.

"Hello,who are you and how may I help you?"he asked politely.

The visitor snorted rather inelegantly and pulled down the hood to reveal a familiar face and the eyes which had entranced him.Eyes which were currently shooting daggers at him.

"You can leave your raincoat on that coat stand ,it will dry there.And I'll get you some towels."

He left before she could answer.When he returned,he found her shivering,rubbing her arms while her teeth chattered.She looked so bedraggled that a laugh escaped him.She glared at him in annoyance which only made him laugh harder.

"I've gotten you dry clothes as well.They are mine so they might be a little large on you.You can change in my room."

She huffed her thanks and left.Meanwhile,he prepared two mugs of tea which he placed on the coffee table and settled on the couch awaiting her.She emerged from within the depths of the suite half an hour later clad in one of his kurtas and a pair of patiala pants.She had discarded his proferred clothes and dug around his closet .He raised an eyebrow at her while she simply gave a level stare .

Conceding defeat,he proferred her a mug which she gratefully accepted and to his surprise,sat right beside him,their knees touching.They drank the tea in silence,listening to the thunder roar outside.Placing his empty cup down,he started combing through her wet hair, untangling the knots and smoothening the strands.She stiffened at first before relaxing under his touch.The comfortable silence lasted about twenty minutes after which he finally spoke .

"So,what brings you to Patiala?"

"Inder veerji asked me to talk to you.You haven't been answering any of their calls.Your family is worried about you."

"Is that the only reason why you're here?Because Inder veerji asked?"

"Were you expecting some other reason?"

He felt a surge of anger.

"Obviously!I honestly hoped you would talk to me of your own accord."

"For you to ignore my calls?No thanks!"

"But you didn't even try!"

"I thought you wanted space and time to think,so I didn't want to bother you."

"Had this been your brother or Parjaai,would you have let things be?You would've bugged them till they responded."

She pulled away and turned to face him,looking at him incredulously.

"You can't compare those relationships with what we have."

"Why not? We're going to be married."

"But we barely know each other."

"Then why do you find it alright to travel to Patiala to meet a man whom you barely know and stay with him alone, unchaperoned?"

He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth but he found himself unable to stop.

"I have been honest with you about my feelings.If you don't return them, it's alright but atleast respect them.Just stop giving me mixed signals."

"Mixed signals? I've made it clear that we're nothing more than friends."

"You don't kiss your friends and pretend nothing has happened.And you don't let them comb through your hair or even touch you in general."

He started pacing the room agitatedly.She rose, vibrating in anger,yet her words were as clear and and sharp as a knife.

"My feelings towards you haven't changed even one bit.I apologise if I led you to believe otherwise.I have clearly made a mistake by coming here.I'll take your leave now and won't impose on your hospitality."

He caught hold of her hand as she turned to leave and pulled her close .

"I just want you to answer me honestly.Do I honestly not mean anything to you?"

"You are a really good friend.I don't harbour any sort of romantic feelings towards you.",she replied stiffly,refusing to meet his eyes.

He let go of her,his eyes brimming with tears.

"It's raining heavily outside so it's not safe to venture outside.Please stay here tonight.There's a spare bedroom you can use.If you need anything,you can contact room service or Manoj."

With that,he left, ignoring the woman who stood there in the middle of the hall,tears streaming down her own face.