FF: After the rejection--new chapter uploaded! - Page 3

Chapter 4:

Anandi stood stumped as she saw Shiv's jeep move away from her. He seemed so angry! He did not even look at me, he refused to even talk to me! Why is he so angry? Khadooss kahin ka! He is so moody, he has no control over his temper! Anandi thought to herself angrily.

Yet at night she could not sleep. She kept thinking about Shiv. Maybe he is angry with Dadisa for making the proposal. But why did he agree to it then? Maybe he wanted to do a favor to me and now is angry with me for saying no. Anandi felt a strange anxiety------I need to talk to him. I need to explain everything to him, I must tell him I appreciate his kindness but I don't need his pity. I will talk to him tomorrow morning, Anandi thought to herself and went to sleep, but mind was constantly thinking about Shiv.

Shiv could not sleep either. Anandi's face kept flashing in front of his eyes, and he felt that pain in his heart once again. Why Anandi, why, why did you reject me so cruelly? Why couldn't you trust me just once? Anandi's rejection kept haunting him. He got up from bed and became restless. I must stop being close to Anandi, he thought…I have to, if I want to remain sane.

Anandi got up very early next morning. She was in a dilemma whether to go for the jog or not. She wanted to meet Shiv but was scared to meet him alone. Finally she decided not to go. Yet, later in the day she was called by the Panchayat office for a meeting with Shiv. Anandi nervously walked into Shiv's office when the meeting had already started. She sat on a chair and observed him. He looked strict and unemotional, his stubbles had become more prominent and he looked like he has not slept all night. He did not even acknowledge when Anandi walked into the room, he was avoiding even looking at her. Anandi felt a little bad at Shiv ignoring her so sternly, she remembered the days when they shared a cordial rapport. Things have changed at one go, Anandi thought with a sigh.

At the end of the meeting, they needed to visit the site of the canal once again. Bhim Singh took out Shiv's jeep and said "Sir you and Anandiji go in this jeep, I will follow you in my bike". Shiv immediately looked at Bhim sternly and said, "No Bhim Singh, I will take the bike, you drive Ms.Singh to the site." "But Sir," Bheem Singh stumbled. "Just do what I asked you to do Bheem Singh, don't argue," said Shiv as he walked towards the bike. "But Sir I don't know how to drive a jeep" said a desperate Bheem Singh. Shiv gave him an angry glare and came over to the jeep and started it. As Anandi attempted to climb on the seat next to him, he said, without looking at Anandi, "Please take the back seat, I have my stuff on this seat". Anandi looked with surprise and saw there was only a slim folder on that seat! But looking at Shiv she decided not to argue. She climbed on the back seat and they travelled to the site without speaking a word to each other.

Suddenly the jeep stopped with a screech. There has been a puncture in the tire. Shiv got down to inspect the tire and started changing it. "Collector sahib, could I help you?" asked Anandi eagerly. "No" was the curt answer. As Anandi sat there watching him work, she could not stop admiring Shiv's hard work. He was sweating profusely in the hot midday sun and certainly needed some help from Anandi, but he refused to ask. His black shirt was wet with sweat and it clung to his muscular body, revealing his strong sinews. His hair was wet and glistening with droplets, his face was red and sweaty too. Anandi felt a strong urge of wiping the sweat off his face with a cold towel, but controlled herself. But just then Shiv let out a cry of pain. He had cut his hand and was bleeding badly. Anandi came running to Shiv to tend his cut but Shiv refused to let her touch him. "It's okay Ms. Singh, you don't have to bother," he said sternly. Anandi felt a little hurt but she was more worried about the bleeding. She pulled his hand forcibly and said "No collector sahib, you are bleeding badly, let me see your wound". Shiv tried to take his hand back but Anandi was holding it firmly. Finally he gave in and watched as Anandi bandaged the wound with her handkerchief. He was lost in her beauty again, touched by her caring nature with which she tenderly treated his hand. Anandi looked up and saw Shiv staring at her without a blink. She felt shy and Shiv immediately looked away.

Anandi finished bandaging and said in a soft voice, "Collector sahib I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Collector sahib, I am really sorry about whatever happened regarding the marriage proposal. I know it must have been very embarrassing for you and you must have felt pressurized by dadisa for agreeing to the proposal, so let me apologize to you on Dadisa's behalf. And I am sorry if I offended you, but as much as I appreciate your kindness I really don't want you to marry me by taking pity on me, trust me I am doing fine as a single woman and nobody needs to take pity on my status, I don't really need to be saved…."

Before Anandi could finish Shiv cut her short , "Who told you that I agreed to marry you out of pity?"

Anandi was confused and looked him in the eye. He was looking intensely at Anandi, his gaze fixed on her, and he had a strange expression of pain on his face. There was something in his gaze that made Anandi's heart skip beats, it was racing fast and Anandi felt like going weak. She lowered her eyes. "Then why did you want to marry me?" she could barely manage to utter a question. "You tell me Anandi, what is the simplest reason why a man wants to marry a woman?" Shiv said in a baritone. Anandi looked up in shock. There was something in the way he said her name. Shiv's looks were piercing through her. Anandi's mind was in a whirlmind. Does that mean he………No it can't be……..How can he……..He barely knows me……Yet all her reasoning seemed to fall weak in front of Shiv's gaze. His eyes spoke volumes. It was not pity that those eyes showed, it was not respect either, it was something else. Anandi knew what it was, but she was too scared to face it. They rode the rest of the journey in absolute silence.

Originally posted by: woman11

Bhim Singh took out Shiv's jeep and said "Sir you and Anandiji go in this jeep, I will follow you in my bike". Shiv immediately looked at Bhim sternly and said, "No Bhim Singh, I will take the bike, you drive Ms.Singh to the site." "But Sir," Bheem Singh stumbled. "Just do what I asked you to do Bheem Singh, don't argue," said Shiv as he walked towards the bike. "But Sir I don't know how to drive a jeep" said a desperate Bheem Singh.