CHAPTER FOUR
It's late in the evening in Excel, and the college is still buzzing with students. Reharsals for the play are going on in full force. Samrat, for a change was helping Uday in coordinating the reharsals, instead of rehearsing. Usually Uday had either Gunjan or Benjy helping him out, but today both of them had to go home early. When he was through helping Uday, he went to collect Sheena, so he can drop her home. He also needed the script, so he may rehearse his dialogues at home. When he got to the music room, almost all of the students who were rehearsing, were gone, only very few were left.
Samrat : Hey babes, sorry I couldn't rehearse with you today. I hope you didn't miss me too much.
Sheena : Well, I didn't miss you, but Miss Tamana sure missed you a lot.
Samrat: What ? I hope you didn't tell her that I was helping Uday.
Sheena: Of course not Samrat !
Samrat : That's my girl !
Sheena : Ok, stop flirting now, and lets go, or we'll get home late.
Samrat : Samrat stops flirting ? Not happening babes. And you called that flirting ? I haven't even started yet.
Sheena : Samrat ! Let's go !
Samrat : Alright babes, anything you say ! Btw where is my script ? I wanted to ask you about a scene I have been having trouble with.
Sheena ; It's there on the table.
Samrat walks to the table and picks up his script. As he opened it, he realized that the script he was holding wasn't his, but Mayank's !!
Samrat : Looks like, cool dude Mayank has taken my script with him home, by mistake.
Sheena : What are you going to do now ? You haven't had a chance to rehearse all day today.
Samrat : Chill babes ! Samrat knows how to find solutions for his problems. You don't need to worry. Let's go !
After dropping Sheena home, Samrat didn't have any choice but to go to Mayank's house to pick up his script, as tomorrow is the first collective rehearsal with all the characters and he would need his script to learn his dialogues. He just hoped that Mayank was home. When he got there, he got off his bike and pressed the doorbell. It was Mayank's mom who opened the door.
Samrat : Hello Aunty !! Namastay !! Is Mayank home ?
Shilpa : Namastay Beta. Mayank has just gone out to run some errands. And you are ?
Samrat : I'm Samrat. I study in the same college with him. Actually Mayank has brought my script with him by accident. I just came to pick up that, but if he isn't home, then its ok, I'll take it from him tomorrow.
Shilpa : Why would you take it from him tomorrow ? Mayank will be home in a few minutes, so why don't you come inside and wait for him ?
Samrat : No aunty, its ok, I don't want to trouble you.
Shilpa : It's no trouble ? And you wouldn't be here if you didn't need the script tonight, right ?
Samrat didn't know what to do. When Mayank's mom had opened the door, he had become extremely nervous ! He is not very good with parental figures. But he really needed the script and it seems Mayank would be back in a bit, he could wait a few minutes for him.
Samrat : Alright aunty, if it's no trouble, then I'll come inside and wait for him.
Mayank's mom told him to come in and then sat down with him in the living room while they waited for Mayank.
Shilpa : I'm glad you came over, at least this way I got to meet another friend of Mayank's . You know how Mayank is ! He hardly makes friends and when he does, he doesn't socialize with them much. Although I have heard a lot about you !
Samrat : From Mayank ?
Shilpa : No ! From Nupur !
Samrat : If you heard things about me from Nupur, then I must worry, because you never know what she might say.
Shilpa : That's true, she does talk a lot, but whatever she says, is very sweet, just like her.
Samrat suddenly realized that he isn't nervous anymore. In fact he was having a good time chatting with Mayank's mom. She is such a sweetheart and very easy to talk too. Mayank indeed is very lucky to have a parent like her. She seems more like friend, then a parental figure.
Shilpa : Don't worry, she didn't bad mouth you too much.
Since she was smiling, Samrat knew she was teasing him.
Samrat : Aunty if you really want to know about me, that you should ask Miss junior Morena. She knows me better then I know myself.
Shilpa : Miss Junior Morena ?
Samrta : Yes ! I'm talking about Chashmish !
Shilpa : Chashmish ?
Samrat : I mean Gunjan.
Shilpa : Ok, the next time I get a chance to meet your Chashmish, I'll definitely ask her about you.
Samrat and Mayank's mom was so busy chatting that they didn't notice that Mayank had come home.
Mayank : Ma, you don't know, but only Samrat has the copyright of calling Gunjan Chashmish. He gets a little sensitive when someone else calls her that.
Samrat : Little ? I'm very sensitive !
Shilpa couldn't help but laugh. She found Samrat to be very sweet and a charming child. She was glad Mayank was making more friends in college. And she knew she had Nupur and Samrat to thank for all this, after all she was the one who had planned to make sure Mayank participated in the play. She also knew that Samrat has helped Nupur in executing that plan. She was delighted to meet him after she has heard so much about him from Nupur.
Shilpa : It's good that you are back, Samrat has been waiting for you.
Mayank : You are here ?
Samrat : You brought my script home by mistake. I would have taken it from you tomorrow, but I was helping Uday out and didn't get a chance to rehearse. If I didn't need to learn the dialogues, I would never have bothered you or aunty at this hour.
Mayank : It's ok dude ! You haven't disturbed us.
Shilpa : Mayu ! You brought someone's file again by mistake ? Do you know Samrat, Mayank once brought Nupur's file home by mistake too !! Poor thing had to come home and get it herself ! God knows where his mind is these days ?
Samrat felt mischief and decided to pull Mayank's leg
Samrat : I can understand that you brought my file home my mistake, but did you deliberately bring Nupur's file home MAYU ???
Samrat is now wagging his eyebrows up and down at Mayank, who hates being called Mayu in front of his friends, and glares at him.
Mayank : If this name is repeated in college, I won't be responsible for my actions.
Samrat burst out laughing !
Samrat : Chill dude, your secret is safe with me. Its not the first time that I know something that you don't want to share with anyone else.
Shilpa : Does he know about Nupur too ?
Samrat : Wow dude !! You have caught at home too ? Someone has right said, its not easy to hide it when you are in love/
Shilpa : Absolutely correct !
Mayank : Ma ! What do u mean absolutely correct ? If it is so difficult to hide love, then how come Nupur hasn't seen and feel it yet ?
Samrat : Express dude ! Express ! You should know how to express your feelings, because until you don't express it, how will she know ?
Mayank : If you two are through talking about my love life, can I please go and get Samrat's script from my room ?
Shilpa : Sure ! But not right now. It's dinner time. I'll go set the food on the table. Samrat will join us.
Samrat : Its ok aunty, please don't trouble yourself
Mayank : Samrat, Ma is right ! Now that you are home, we would love it of you will join us for dinner.
Samrat was extremely touched. He never thought Mayank's mom would invite him to stay for dinner.
Samrat : Are u sure ?
Mayank : Positive. Why don't you have a seat while I'll help Ma out.
Samrat : May I help ?
Shilpa : No beta it's ok.
Mayank : You ? Do you know how to make raita or salad ? How to set a table ?
Samrat : If you had asked me this a few months back, I would have said no, but I have learned a little under Chashmish influence. I don't like it when she works alone, with no one to help her, so I have learned all these small things to help her out.
Mayank : Although I really don't want to miss the chance of watching Samrat the coolest dude of Excel whipping up a salad, but you have come home for the first time, so I'll spare you.
Samrat : Seriously dude, I would love to help.
Shilpa : Beta, Mayu is right ! You are our guest. Have a seat and dinner would be served in 10 minutes.
Samrat : You call me your son and then a guest too ?
As soon as Samrat said those words, he felt as if he has said too much. He should have kept his mouth shut. While Samrat was scolding himself for over stepping his boundry, Shilpa had noticed the vulnerability and insecurity in his words. She has seen and experienced enough in her life to notice that this child is starving for love. She felt her heart aching for him.
Shilpa : In that case beta, why don't you make the salad ?
Ten minutes later, they all sat down to eat. Samrat after taking the first bite, exclaimed the dinner to be delicious.
Samrat : Wow Aunty, the food is delicious.
Mayank saw his chance of paying back Samrat for teasing him earliar and grasped it.
Mayank : Really is it more delicious then the food cooked by Gunjan ?
Mayank knew he had him right where he wanted him. It would be fun to see, how Samrat got out of this situation.
Shilpa : Mayu !!
Samrat : It's different when Chashmish cooks for me. She is my best friend. But anything cooked by a mother is always delicious then any food cooked by anyone else.
Mayank was surprised to see that Samrat wasn't being charming, he meant every word. It seems there is more to Samrat then cool dude personality and his charming and flirtatious nature. He should have known not to judge Samrat on the basis of what he shows of himself in college.
Shilpa : Thanks beta, you are very sweet, and you are most welcome to come over whenever you feel like eating something cooked by me. But you'll have to check with Mayu before coming, because we both takes turn cooking three times a week.
Samrat felt a lump in his throat, because there was so much affection and love in her invitation.
Samrat : Thanks aunty. I will definitely trouble you again for such delicious food. Btw Aunty could you teach me how to cook ? Especially how to cook Gajar ka halwa !
Shilpa : Sure beta anytime !
Mayank : Oh so now cool dude Samrat wants to learn how to cook ? Who are you planning to impress?? Sheena ? Isn't she already impressed with you ?
Shilpa : Sheena ?
Samrat : A friend.
Mayank : His special friend.
Shilpa : Oh ! Like that.
Samrat : Nope ! I don't want to learn how to cook for Sheena
Mayank & Shilpa : Then for whom ?
Samrat : Actually I promised Chashmish that I would learn how to cook one day and then invite her to dinner.
Shilpa : But Mayank just said that Sheena is your special friend, then why do you want to learn how to cook for Gunjan ?
Samrat : Because Chashmish is my best friend. She is very special to me. She is always taking care of me. I should do something special for her right ? She is forever pampering other, especially me, then she should have someone to pamper and take care of her too.
Samrat had no idea about how much of his feelings, which was unknown to him were quite obvious to both Mayank and his mom. They also realized that he simply had no clue about his own heart.
Shilpa : Nupur and Mayank has told me a lot about Gunjan, but after hearing about her from you, I really want to meet her now. Why don't you come over the next Sunday after the play ends ? I'll teach you how to make all her favorite dishes, especially Gajar ka Halwa.
Samrat : Thanks aunty. You are such a sweetheart.
Shilpa : You are also very sweet and charming. Sheena is a lucky girl.
Samrat : That she is ! But I wish I was that lucky too ? Why don't we have beautiful babes like you in our college ?
Mayank : Samrat, stop flirting with my mom !
Shilpa : Nupur was right ! You are such a flirt.
Samrat : I should be leaving. Thank you so much aunty.
Shilpa : My pleasure beta. Consider this your home now too. You are most welcome here, any day. Any time.
Before Samrat knew what he was doing, he bent down and touched her feet.
Shilpa : God bless you !
Surprise would be a mild word for what Mayank and Shilpa were feeling.
Mayank : Let me get the script from the room.
He was back in a minute with the script.
Mayank : Ma I'll see Samrat to the door..
Samrat : Its ok dude !
Mayank insisted.
Samrat : Bye Aunty.
Shilpa : Bye Beta !
Samrat : Thanks dude ! Your mom is terrific. You are very lucky.
Mayank : I know.
Samrat : Take care dude. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye !
Mayank : Bye Samrat.
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