Chapter 32
The last rays of evening were reflecting on the Daal Lake and it was almost dark. The last bus from gulmarg reached at the bus stop of lake market area. Antara was standing holding a seat as there was nothing for support. Raghu was standing just behind her. her lost eyes were fixed towards the window and the air coming out of window was ruffling her hairs. A small smile was playing in her lips. Raghu was silently admiring her delighted face. He wandered what was going on her mind. She didn't talk much throughout the journey. But she didn't seem a bit sad. So he was curious to know about her cheerful thoughts. But he was so engrossed with her smile that he didn't even mind to talk to her. he didn't wanted to disturb her from her delightful thought which was making her so happy. As the driver pushed the brake a huge jerk crossed through all passengers. Antara was not standing properly and also she was drifted in her mind. Due to that reasons, she got misbalanced. Startled by the sudden push antara's feet slipped backward and her back bumped with the hard frame of raghu's chest. On the other hand, the jerk didn't bother raghu as he was in better position but she saw antara getting misbalanced and when she hit him, his hand automatically moved and caught her waist to give her support. Due to motion, antara's body twisted a bit in his hand and she moved a bit to his face and then at last she managed to get back her balance holding raghu's collar with her both hand and curving sidewise on the hold of his right hand. After coming back to stable position, Antara looked up in wide eyes to meet raghu's black orbs directly fixed towards her. He was totally balancing her whole weight on his single hand and it didn't seem to bother him a bit. If he left her she would literally bang on floor. His eyes, deep and intense! This new behavior of him was confusing her so much on those days. It's true that so many things had been changed between them, they didn't fight like before. They were enjoying each other's company but still some oddness was still there. That happened always in their sudden close encounter. At first it was just an on that day, whenever they were coming close by chance antara was feeling something very strange. Specially, the way raghu's eyes caught that intensity which she never noticed before, making chill in her spine. She dropped her gaze unable to bear that intensity. She felt a little bit warmness on her chicks also. As she moved her gaze from his eyes with a flushed face, raghu got back his sense. He was really lost in her hazels. The feelings were coming randomly at any moment. He was feeling a sudden urge to be close to antara always. However looking at his flushed face with unreadable gaze, raghu slowly pulled antara's body above and made her stand on her own feet. Antara left his collar quickly and fixed her gaze to a random place. She started to fix her dupatta and hairs to compose her. She could still feel raghu's silent gaze on her. "wooo...tu thik hain!!" he asked in a bit dazed voice. "haan main thik hoon..." she also answered in a bit lost voice. Her eyes moved to his arms. The strong well built muscles were clearly visible under his garments. Man he was strong!! Supporting her whole body weight with a single hand was not easy work. "eee kya dekh rahi hain?!!" raghu asked in confused voice. "nahin kuch nahin!!" antara closed her eyes and took a deep breath to shake out her dizziness, "chalo..." she moved towards the exit of bus followed by raghu's confused gaze. However he also came out of bus following her. then they started to walk side by side through the pavement. The chilly air of lake took away antara's oddness and she enjoyed the view. The darkness was slowly engrosing the water and city and the lights of the houseboats were lighting up one by one. "miscall..!!" raghu's voice roamed in her ear from side. "hnnn..." antara moved his eyes to him. "tune abhitak mere ko bataya nahi kit u mandir mein kya mang rahi thi." He asked with a frown. "kya, tum abhi bhi uss baat ko nahin bhule?!" she asked with a slightly wide eyes. "arey apun pahele hi kaha tha kit u nahi bata ti to mujhe... arey cha lab jhatpat bata de!" he asked. "kaha na kuch nahi...!!" she look away from her flushing. A mild smile was playing on her face. Antara's expression made raghu suspicious. "arey itna bhao kyun kha rahi hain, bata de na!" he said stubbornly. "arey tum to piche par gaye... jaon nahi bataungi!!" she said in a slight irritation. Raghu looked at her silently for some moment. Then suddenly he grabbed her wrist and turned her towards him. antara was startled to c the hard look in his face. What happened to her all of a sudden? "eee kyun nahi batayegi?! Tu kaise chupa sakti hain mere se?!! bol!!" he asked harshly. Antara blinked in musement. "matlab?!! Maine bhagwan ji se kya kaha ye jaan ne ke liye tum itne be chain kyun ho?!! Aur main kyun bataon tumhe apni private batein?!" she said quite loudly. Raghu didn't say anything and kept staring at her. antara observed his silent gaze and saw the hardness was not there. But his eyes and expression clearly showed that he was hurt by her words. God antara!! What have you said? Now what's going on his mind?' she thought. He slowly left her hand and looked away. "raghu!.." antara tried to say but he straightly walked ahead. "ruko..." antara said and caught his hand. Raghu's feet resisted. Her hands touch on his hand again made that strange feeling wash all over him and his bitterness was gone. He didn't look back to her face but stood there at same position, feeling the tenderness and cherishing that. His eyes were slightly amused. As antara couldn't c his face, she became a slightly worried. "bura laga?!! Naraz ho?!" she asked in a voice full of guilt. He was still silent. She got worried thinking about his anger. She knew that he was not less than any sleeping volcano, which could irrupt anytime. So his silence was sending her alerm. "sorry!!..." she said with a low voice. Raghu smirked secretly. He was really enjoying her tension. On the other hand antara thought that she had really created a big mess and that couldn't be solved soon. So she loosed her grip on his hand and slide back. But before she could get back her hand raghu hold that quickly in a tight grab and dragged her near him. antara got starteled and bumped on him again. his left hand landed on his chest. Before her confused and startled mind could understand anything she felt his hands around her waist leaving no place for her to escape. Antara again felt that electric pulse through her spine by his touch. For a moment she totally became dazed. Then she lifted her face to meet his irresistible smirk. Antara suddenly flushed looking at him. God, what's happening to her?! Raghu observed the faint glow of pink in her chicks. For some unknown reason he really felt good sensing her uneasiness. The feeling of her tender feature on his hold was feeling so damn good and he always felt his heart became uneven in her closeness. His wide confused gaze on him automatiocally broadened his smirk and antara sensed the mischievous glint in his eyes. She understood that he was making fun of her all the time. "raghu kya hain ye..!!" she asked in a slight irritation but a huge smile intact on her face. "kyun?!! Tujhe kya laga ki mere ko mazak karna nahi atta... subah tune ek ki aur ab apun ne ek kiya... samjhi?!" he said in a taunting voice. Antara remind how he made him run behind him in morning when zoya di missed them as couple. "thik hain... ho gaya tumhara badla pura?! ab choro..." She said. "naiii... pahele mere ko bata...!!" he said tightening his grip. "kya?!!" she asked in confusion. "arey tu itni jaldi bhool kyun jati hain... itne wakt se tere kaan ke piche bake ja raha hoon..." he was slightly irritated but again his eyes became urging, "bata na tune kya kaha tha mandir me...!!". Antara silently looked at his begging eyes for a moment. Why he was so worried about her some mere talks to god. The thought ticked in her mind for a moment. "aisa kuch khas nahi tha... sach mein.." she try to convince him but he was raghu after all. "arey kuch khass nahi to bata kyun nahi rahi hain... mere sun ne se kya bhagwan gussa ho jayengey ya shivji se teri agreement huya hain ki tum dono ke baat kisi se nahi karne ka..." he urged again with his eyes. He felt like if he didn't know about her everything, the insanity would kill him. "har batein batane wali nahin hoti... please, zid mat karo aur mujhe jane do..." Antara said. "naii... Jabtak tu nahi bata ti apun tere ko nahin chorne wala... agar uske liye tere ko aise pakarke puri raat mere ko idhar khara raheneka hain to wohich karunga... to chal fatafat bata de..." he said stubbornly. "uff tum fir se suru ho gaye... Tum aise hi karte ho humesha... koi tumhara baat na mane to gunda gardi pe utar ate ho..." she said with a slight irritation. "tu sidhi tara se baat maan jati to mere ko bhi gunda gardi nahi karna parta..." he said. She suddenly let out a mild mischievous smile and he understood that something had started to cook. "aur tumhe kya lagta hain ki main apne aap ko nahi chura sakti?!!" she frowned a bit. "koushis kar ke dekh le miscall... nahi idhar pani ka nalka hain jo tu mujhe pani maregi... aur..." his expression became so naughty, "agar fir se tu apun ko ka hath kaat na chahta hain to saukh se kaat le, apun fir bhi tere ko jane nahi dega..." he said with determination. Antara remembered how she bite his on that day when anwar and his men were following her when she was running away from that handloom shop. She flushed a bit remembering the moment. But again she looked at him with that naughty glint and said, "nahi... main waisa kuch nahi karoongi... main ye karungi..." raghu didn't notice that antara's one hand was moving upward. Suddenly she touched his side limbs and tickled there. "ee kya kar rahii hain..." but he couldn't finish and laughed out due to the ticklish feeling. Unwillingly, his grip loosened. Antara slipped out of his grip and rushed giggling, "kaha tha na main fir se chura loongi..." She said while rushing. "eee antara!!.." he rushed behind him thrpugh the pavement. Antara moved a bit to look at raghu then suddenly she bumped with a man standing at front. The man was also talking in mobile so he didn't notice her. Antara looked at her with startled face. the stranger person was also amused. Raghu was also standing at a distance and looking towards and the other man with confused look. "Chipkali!!..." suddenly the man said with startled voice. "Ayaaannn!!!!" antara suddenly jumped in excitement. "god!! Chipkali where have u been now this days?!" the boy stated with cheerful face. "ayan, what are you doing here?! God after such a long time.." antara's eyes were gleaming with utter joy. "Me too yaar chipkali..." ayan gave antara a friendly hug and antara hugged back too. Standing at some distant raghu was looking at them with stern face. when he saw antara talking so casually with that young boy he suddenly felt his feature becoming tightened. His face and eye expression was becoming hard. And when at last ayan hugged her, although it was a friendly hug he felt like his whole feature burned into fire. His grip automatically tightened. Ayan observed him standing at some distance. At first he was confused by his hard gaze fixed towards them. but then something clicked in ayan's mind and he smirked secretly. They broke thier hug. Antara was so happy to get back his old friend. "ayan first of all tell me how are you? and what are you doing in shrinagar... you were in Ahmedabad right?" she asked. "chipkali wait wait... how can I answer you're all questions at same time. But don't you think you should introduce your friend to me first?!" ayan gestured towards raghu. "ohhh yeah I forgot..." antara said and turned towards raghu and looking at his hard face suddenly her all enthusiasm were gone. There was something in his silence which shook her heavily. "chipkali?!!!" ayan said from side breaking their trance. "ohh yeah... ayan he is my friend raghu... he is from Mumbai..." antara said and moved towards raghu, "aur raghu ye ayan hain. meri one of the best friend. Hum dono sath mein medical collage mein parte the..." antara introduced them to each other. Ayan sensed the tension between raghu and antara and he was smirking secretly. He came forward and spread his hand towards raghu, "nice to meet you buddy..." ayan said with a cheerful smile. raghu looked at his hand for a while and then shook his hand with him. "haan.. wo...bole toh...hello!!!" he said drily. Ayan sensed the hardness in his hold. Ayan slowly got back his hand and moved towards antara. "hey chipkali, we meet after long time why don't you go there and talk for a while." Ayan offered indicating towards the caf at the road side. "ayan I would like to but the thing is that..." antara hesitated. "miscall!!" raghu said in a cold tone. Antara looked at him with worried face sensing his irritation in his voice. "mere ko ghar jane ka hain..." he said. Antara couldn't give any answer to him. A big silent moment passed between them. At last antara looked towards ayan and said, "ayan I am sorry, I just..." but ayan didn't let her finish the word. "Antara don't be mean yaar! We met after so long and come on we can't even talk for a few minutes? And besides if he doesn't want to join us, send him home. And also it's better if we talk alone... please antara. okk listen chipkali ! if you don't join me now, our friendship will be over!!" ayan said stubornly. "but ayan..." antara tried to say but ayan looked towards raghu and said, "bhaijaan, maaf karna par hum antara se bahut dino baad mile hain aur hum uss ke sath kuch pal bitana chahte hain... to kya please aap akele ghar wapas ja sakte hain?" he asked with a genuine smile. Raghu didn't know that how he was holding himself. Who was he to tell him to leave antara?! Who was he to snatch her away from him?!!! His whole feature was burning with rage. "hey antara, please tell him na! he is not giving any answer. Perhaps you can make him convince." Ayan said. Antara looked at raghu who was again looking to her with silent gaze. She came forward and staood in front of him. "raghu!! Please tum ab ghar chale jao.. main ayan se baat kar ke ati hoon..." she said slowly. Suddenly raghu felt a sharp pain in his chest. she was telling him to leave. For that what so ever boy called ayan!! "tum fikar mat karo... main jaldi aa jaungi!!" antara said in a quite assuring tone. Ayan observed everything between them. antara's sad face and raghu's heart eyes indicated him something and he let out a smile of assurance secretly. "hey come on antara... we are getting late... bhaijaan chalet hain... baad mein milte hain...!!" without giving another chance ayan dragged antara to the other side of road. "hey ayan wait..." Antara said. But ayan didn't stop. Antara looked back and found raghu still standing there, looking at her with empty eyes. Antara felt like those silent eyes were urging her to come back. Antara suddenly felt heavy on his chest. she felt like she was getting apart from something very special. The whole day they spent together with each other and they didn't know how they both had become so badly habituated with each other's presence. Raghu felt like running towards her and snatching him away from that boy and running away so far. A place where no one could reach them! the merrier expression of the most beautiful day changed into bitterness and the day come to an end becoming bizarre. They both continued to look towards each other until a bus came between them hiding them from each other. Taking a deep breath to washout the heaviness in her heart, she went inside the caf with ayan pushing the glass door.
Precap: "chipkali are you that musch dumb about those things? The thing is right in front of your eyes but you can't c them!! Don't you ever feel that why he was so possessive about you?! Why he comes all over from Mumbai to Kashmir just to bring you back?!! It's not for only his ego to get you back as his grandmother's caretaker! It is not just that antaral!!" ayan said with excitement. "hey ayan!! I can't understand a single thing!! What are you trying to prove?!! Why don't you tell me clear cut?!" antara asked in confusion. "damn it dumbo... he just... HE LOVES YOU ANTARA KAUL!!! PYAR KARTA HAIN RAGHU TUMSE!!!" ayan said in so much exciting voice. Blood drooped from her face and she just continued to look at ayan. Frozen by his sudden statement.
ps: sorry guyzz for this wrong crap. 🤢 i just want to get finish this part soon i know you all will throw chappals on me for this update.... but bear this one from now on... and ayan bas aur do din ka mehman hain..🤣
