Removed - Page 6

Chapter 36 B

10:30 p.m.

After a drive of almost 40 minutes they reached Rawte Mansion.. Neha went in after saying a big Good Night' to Ashfaq n walked with short n little unsteady steps.. she reached the drawing room n saw Aryan n Arjun sitting on the sofa n discussing something.. they saw her coming.. she saw anger building up in Arjun's eyes while Aryan was quite surprised at her behavior.. but the half-empty bottle of liquor in her hand made it easier for him to add 2 + 2..

Arjun -[trying to keep his voice as normal as possible] Neha! you drunk again???

the word again' caught Aryan's attention.. this was something he'd never imagined.. he was not sure what to say.. he kept alternating his gaze on Neha n Arjun..

Neha - why?? what's wrong with you now??[she replied irritatedly]

Arjun - first answer my question! [he demanded]

Neha shook her head n went upstairs.. not listening to either of them..

Aryan - [after Neha went] ye sab kya he Arjuna??

Arjun - bhau wo.. to.. mujhe bhi nahi pata ki ye sab kya he.. do din pehle hi meine use warn kiya tha lekin aaj phir se.. bas ab bahot ho gaya.. I need an explanation now.

Aryan looked at Arjun n nodded.. he knew Arjun could handle this better.. Arjun headed upstairs only to be stopped by Aryan..

Aryan - abhi nahi Arjun. subah baat karna.. iss waqt baat karna thik nahi hoga..

Arjun - ji bhau..

~

little later, around 11, Arjun was going to his room when he heard sobs in Neha's room.. he was little surprized as to why would Neha cry? he knocked on the door softly.. but there was no reply.. but there was no sound of sobbing now..

Neha was in her room.. crying.. as she felt bad about her behaviour towards Manushi, even when it was not her fault Neha blamed her for everything but still Manushi didn't retort back.. she stopped crying when she heard the knock n wondered who could be there but soon she heard the voice..

Arjun - Neha?? darwaza kholo.. [he said softly!]

she wiped her tears n then opened the door..

Arjun - tum ro rahi thi na? [it sounded more like a statement than a question]

Neha nodded negetively

Arjun - jhoot mat bolo! me jaanta hu ki tu ro rahi thi.. tumhari aankhe bhi keh rahi he..

Neha was about to close the door but Arjun stopped it with his hand

Arjun - why??

Neha was not sure about the question.. what exactly did he mean??

Arjun - chalo.. baat karni he..

He held her hand n almost pulled her out.. she followed him silently.. they reached the balcony where the swing was kept.. this was their favorite place since childhood.. they'd always sit there n chat.. the swing's roof covered with a vine of small white jaai' flowers.. the air filled with it's sweet smell was refreshing.. that balcony was filled with only white color's flowers of different kinds..

Arjun cupped Neha's face in his hands gently n made her face him.. he asked in a soft n concerned voice

Arjun - baby.. kaay jhala? [kya hua?]

Neha didn't know what to answer him.. she was too upset n sad to say anything.. she hugged him started crying..

Arjun didn't know what made her cry but he hugged her back n tried to console her.. a little later she composed herself n stopped crying..

Arjun - kya hua baby? tum kyu ro rahi thi?

Neha - bhaiya.. wo.. [she narrated the above incidents in short]

Arjun - to phir.. aage kya karne ke baare me socha he?

Neha - sabse pehle to Manushi se maafi maangungi.. aur kuch to nahi socha..

Arjun - chai??

Neha - abhi?? [she looked at the watch.. it was around 12:30] nahi.

Arjun - ok.. [he gets up from the swing n moves towards the kitchen n Neha sits for a few seconds n then follows him]

Arjun is in the kitchen.. preparing a cup of tea for himself..

Neha - [excitedly] me bana du??

Arjun - [smiles] uski koi zarurat nahi he.. pata chala chai me shakker ki jagah namak daal diya! aur namak waali chai peena mujhe nahi pasand! so, I don't wanna take any risk!

Neha felt sad.. she sat on the kitchen's parapet, watching Arjun make tea.. he was also doing something else now.. he took a glass of cold water, n added sugar into it.. then he took a lemon from the fridge n cut it n poured it's juice into the glass n also put a pinch of salt into it n was stirring the liquid.

Neha understood that he was making lemon juice..

Neha - chai aur nimbu pani?? dono ek saath nahi lete..

Arjun - ye chai mere liye he aur ye nimbu-pani tumhare liye..

Neha - mujhe nahi chahiye!

Arjun - [stopped stirring] it's ready.. [he then poured his tea into the cup] dekh kya rahi ho.. jaldi se nimbu-pani piyo..

Neha - meine kaha na.. mujhe nahi peena! [she said in a louder tone]

Arjun - sshhh.. jyada aawaz mat karo.. sab so rahe he..

Neha - be it.. mujhe nahi peena.. [in normal tone]

Arjun - ek baar kahi huyi baat samajh me nahi aati kya??

Neha - same to you!

Arjun - behes mat karo.

Neha - aap.. rakh dijiye.. I'd drink it later on..

Arjun - no.. abhi mere saamne ise khatam karo.. [he puts the glass in her hands]

Neha - [mutters] khadoos!

Arjun - maine suna..

Neha - toh?? darti nahi hu aapse!

Arjun - accha?? [crosses his hands across his chest n looks straight at her]

Neha silently finishes the contents of the glass.

Neha - wo.. to.. meine isliye peeya kyuki aapne banaya tha..

Arjun - meine to kuch pucha hi nahi!

Neha - aapki chai thandi ho rahi he..

Arjun - hmm..

they again went n sat on the swing.. Arjun sipping his tea n Neha rested her head on the headrest.. closed her eyes..n started speaking

Neha - I've been quite rude from few days.. right?

Arjun - [sipping his tea] hmm..

Neha - aapko bahot bura lagta he na jab me aapse iss tarah.. rudely baat karti hu tab..

Arjun - ye tum puch rahi ho ya bata rahi ho??

Neha - pata nahi..

Arjun - o.k. tell me.. when did you start drinking?

Neha - 18..

Arjun - what??

Neha - on my 18th birthday, I had tasted alcohol for the first time.. it was yuckk..!! I had never thought at that time that I would be drinking it like water!

Arjun - why didn't I know this before??

Neha - aapko batakar mujhe marna tha kya? aur kaise batati aapko?? uss din to sirf taste kiya tha.. phir 2 saal tak haath bhi nahi lagaya tha sharab ko! 5 saal pehle, bhau ke accident ke baad meine phir se peena shuru kiya.. phir London gayi.. It's a cold sountry so I started drining regularly.. but never more than 2 shot in a day.

Arjun - to phir ye puri ki puri bottle kab se finish karne lagi??

Neha - [in mind] all thanks to that b****y b******d Vivaan!! he made me addicted to it.. n then to forget him n all I started drinking more..so much that the count went to 3-5 bottles in a day.. but slowly managed to reduce it up to 2 bottles maximum! Now I drink when things are totally messed up n I don't find any other option.. par aapko ye sab nahi bata sakti bhaiya.. sorry!

Arjun - baby!! so gayi kya? [he asked after waiting for the reply] lagta he so gayi.. [he gets up n goes to kitchen to put the cup of tea n then returns back]

Neha woke up as he came back..

Arjun - quit drinking baby!

Neha - no..I won't! aur mujhe iss baare me samjhane ki koshish bhi mat karna.. me ye sab apni marzi se karti hu.. to kisiki baat nahi sunungi.. chahe wo aap ho ya koi aur. mujhe neend aa rahi he to me sone jaa rahi hu.. good night!

she goes to her room without waiting for reply.. Arjun moves his hand through his hair..

Arjun - kuch to karna padega ise samjhane ke liye.. before it's too late..

~

Morning..

Neha wakes up early n after completing her daily routine, gets ready n goes to Manushi's house..

Manushi opened the door after the second ring of the doorbell.. n is surprised to see Neha..

Manushi - hi Neha! good morning!

Neha - good morning Manushi!!

Manushi - waise itni subah mere ghar? ander aao na! [they go in]

Neha - Manushi, tumse kuch baat karni he.. umm.. samajh nahi aa raha kaise kahu..

Manushi - Neha.. sorry' kehna chahti ho na?? lekin please.. wo mat kehna.. you know that in friendship no sorry,no thank you! [smiled]

Neha - [hugs her tight] I'm really sorry Maan.. meine tumhe galat samjha.. mujhe maaf kar do.. please..

Manushi - [hugged her back] kaha na sorry mat kaho.. phir bhi nahi maani.. chal iss baar maaf kiya.. lekin agli baar agar sorry bola na to maafi nahi milegi!

Neha - [parting from the hug] tumne mujhe sach-much maaf kiya na?

Manushi - haan re.. maaf kiya na.. mein jaanti hu.. isme tumhari galati nahi thi.. ye sab Sharon ne kiya tha..

Neha - ye tumhe kaise pata chala??

Manushi - contest ke khatam hone ke 2 din baad hi mujhe ye baat pata chal gayi thi.. meine Sharon ko uski dost ke saath baat karte huye suna tha.. tumhe ye baat batani chahi lekin tumne nahi suni.. isliye letter bhi likha tha..

Neha - kounsa letter? mujhe to koi letter nahi mila..

Manushi - Sharon ne use tum tak nahi pahuchne hi nahi diya.. usne wo letter phad diya tha.. meine ek-do baar koshish ki tumhe batane ki lekin nahi bata paayi..

Neha - galati to meri hi he.. mujhe ek baar to tumhari baat sun leni chahiye thi..

Manushi - ab bas karo ye melo drama DQ!! Diamond Quean se Drama queen banna ki koi zarurat nahi he [Note - Diamond Quean means a bold girl with a strong n sparkling diamond-like heart]

Neha - I missed you so much maan!

Manushi - I too missed you dearie! [they hugged again] ab chal.. nahi to office jaane me deri ho jayegi!

Neha - haan.. chalo!

Manushi - ek minit ruko, me abhi apni purse lekar aati hu!

Neha - ok..

Manushi went to her room..while Neha looked around the house when she saw a frame n a Diya was lightened under it.. she went near that frame n saw that the frame had pic of Manushi's parents.. Manushi came out n called Neha

Manushi - Neha.. chalo!

Neha - [pointing at the frame] ye kab hua Maan?

Manushi - 4 saal pehle ek road accident me. [taking a deep breath] ab chalein??

Neha - [nods n moves out] mujhe nahi pata tha..

Manushi - it's fine yaar.. ab jyada senti mat ban.. [smiled to hide her tears]

Neha - don't hide your tears maan.. not from me atleast!

Manushi - oh.. aajkal jyaada chewing gum khane lagi he kya? har baat ko itna kheenchti he??

Neha - nahi aisa kuch bhi nahi he!

[both sat in the SUV, Neha at the driving seat n Manushi at the co-driver seat]

Manushi - so madam! what's on in your life?? suna he ke mere bhai ke saath chakkar chal raha he tera! [Karan is her mama's son.. so her cousin bhai']

Neha - koun?? [not sure about what she meant]

Manushi - are Karan bhai! aur koun?

Neha - tumhe kaise pata chala?

Manushi - kyu? meri aankhe nahi he? doubt hua tha mujhe uss din dinner party me, jab tum dono saath me aaye the.. Sameer bhai se pucha to unhone doubt clear kar diya.. waise accha he.. tum dono ki jodi mujhe bahot pasand he.. bhabhi!! [winks]

Neha - Maan! please! mujhe iss tarah pareshan mat kar!

soon Neha's cell rings.. Manushi looks at the caller id.. Rats'

Manushi - Rats? umm.. Karan right?? [she's about to pick up the phone but Neha snatches it n receives the call.. after stopping the car!]

Karan - good morning Darling!

Neha - Good morning Rats!

Karan - kal raat kya kar rahi thi?? pata he kitni baar call kiya tumhe? itni gehri neend so rahi thi ki ek bhi baar call receive nahi kiya?? ya phir mere sapne dekh rahi thi?? hmm?? [he asked naughtily]

Neha - wo raat ko ek meeting me busy thi [she was talking with Arjun, her cell was in her room]

Karan - raat ke 11 baje aisi kounsi meeting thi ki mera phone nahi uthaya?? [sounded upset]

Neha - wo.. main.. [she stopped speaking to him as she heard a knock on the window.. a small kid was selling roses.. she opened the window]

Kid - didi! phool le lo na.. aap ko bahot acche lagenge.. le lo na didi..

Karan - [heard the kid's voice] red roses he??

Neha - haan!

Karan - to meri taraf se apne liye khareed lo.. with love for my darling Jungli Billi!

Neha smiled

Kid - didi.. le lo na..

Neha - wo red roses dena! [he gave her the boquet n she gave him money n also a chocolate, ruffled his hair n bade good bye to him]

Karan - le liye??

Neha - haan..

Karan - ok.. good! [pause] I love you!

Neha - [blood rushed to her cheeks hearing his deep husky voice] hmm..

Karan - kya hmm?? thik se bolo na! [complained]

Neha - I love myself! ok! fine?? [she put her cell down] Maan! close the windows.. [she nodded n Neha drove to ESS office]

Karan - [still listening he hadn't disconnected the call yet] what?? n Maan?? ye koun he? [confused]

He disconnected the call n sat thinking..

Neha saw the call disconnected n hi-fied Manushi.. she said it to make him feel jealous!

They went to ESS office n got busy with a new case!

~ ~ ~

That's it!

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