FF: Last thing I expected - Mayur. Chapter28 Pg148 - Page 93

hey please you know what i m missing neev nd u r delaying the update when it is crucial turn of events....

i hope u r done with packing,, so enjoy ur trip nd update before gng

Originally posted by: archieeps

Hi Guys! I'm really really sorry, I know I told you all I'd update by the weekend but as my luck turns out, I'll be out of town in a couple of days, so was very very busy packing, getting ready and all, so couldnt manage to update.... :(

I'll try to write it tonight, but really dunno how soon I cant put it up though! Very very sorry guys!

aww...its ok kainath....actually we all r spoiled now...😆

omg update as fast as u can! please! i spent alot of last night wondering when u were oging to update!

excellent part i loved it plz cont soon

kainath wen r u updating next????

Ok guys, I'm sitting here at the airport, ready to leave and I've managed to write some of the Chapter 24....let's say Part 1 of Chapter 24...I know it's not much, but I hope you guys understand that I had to move location, so it took some time to get set and all :)I dunno when I can update Part 2 of the chapter, but pls pls stay tuned! I haven't abandoned this FF yet ;)

xx Kainath

Chapter 24 - Part 1

"Nupur, Nupur don't close the door- Nupur!"

She slammed the door in his face and sank to the ground against the door. Hugging her knees close to her body, she felt the tears stinging the corner of her eyes. This was probably the hundredth time in two months she had cried since that ill-fated moment back in her school when she laid eyes on him. The hundredth time in two months, and all for that git on the other side of the door. The tears flowed, unstoppable now. He doesn't deserve my tears, she thought as she hiccoughed and sobbed.

Mayank's chest constricted as he heard the muffled sobs through the door. He didn't understand why she had reacted that way.

Well, actually you do Mayank. Why? Why did you have to do that? Couldn't you have controlled you stupid heart for one minute? Obviously she got scared by your forwardness. But...but why did she have to get scared? I thought...I thought she wanted this. For us to be...us. Wait, hang on a sec Mayank, do you want to be us? Since when? I thought you....you didn't like her? Oh who the hell are you kidding Sharma? You're hopelessly, desperately, ever so in love with her! You've...you always have been. Why does your ridiculous ego have to get in the midst of all this? Your goddamn ego! That same ego which ruined everything you once craved for, pined after...you knew nothing was your fault, then why didn't you go confront her? Tell her the truth? Why did you just take her accusations, blow after blow, and just leave it at that? Why did your so-called ego have to get in the way and why did you resort to the worst route imaginable? You left her? You left Nupur? Why, Mayank? Why?

His head throbbed with the plethora of emotions pounding inside it. Why was he telling this to himself now? He had just admitted something he continuously was denying for five years. Why? Just because of that moment of weakness? Or because he simply could not hold it in much longer? The stance he had been standing for, for so long just came crashing down in that one moment. He felt an extremely heavy burden lift slowly off his chest. He felt new, refreshed, aware. Aware that he was still madly in love with her. Aware that how crazy this all was, realising it so suddenly. Aware how he loved this crazy feeling. Aware of how much he wanted her. Aware of how much he wanted this togetherness. But he was also aware of the past, the hurt, the pain, the sorrow, the emptiness. Aware of falling, falling at break-neck speed into a bottomless pit. Aware of her muted sobs on the other side of the door. On the other side of the barrier.

He brought his fists down on the door once again, yelling, pleading, imploring for her to open it. To remove that barrier. To evaporate the distance between them.

"Goddamn it Nupur, don't do this to me! Open the door!" Mayank shouted, banging against it. After a few more futile attempts, he dropped the idea. He slumped against the door only his stricken thoughts for company.

Nupur and Mayank spent the evening like that, lost in their thoughts, with Nupur leaning against her door and Mayank sitting up against it.

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Hearing the fists rain down upon her door, Nupur inadvertently let her thoughts wander to that night, that godforsaken night – which snatched everything she had. She remembered how she told him to leave, how regret dawned on his face, his pleadings and her rebuttals, his apologies and her rejections. At the door, she had made him go without any goodbyes. She had closed the door on him, just like this time. She had leaned her back against it, shaking against his pounding fists, one arm gripping her belly and a hand across her mouth, as he spoke through the door, first promising her that he would come back, then screaming at her for not listening to him. She stood there until he had tired, until he gave up, and then she listened to his uneven footsteps until they faded, until all was quiet, save for the fireworks erupting in the sky in celebration of Diwali and her own heart thudding in her belly, her eyes, her bones.

The same silence gripped her now, the same thumping of her heart, the same feeling of nothingness. The sheer weight of feelings overwhelmed her, and she felt her eyelids slowly drooping, probably wanting to shut out all of her grief.

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Mayank lay against the door, fighting with himself whether to break open the door or not. He decided against it – if she didn't want him, why put himself through all that crap again? He refused to tolerate her erratic behavior. One minute she's all cordial and her former self, the next she acts like she loathes him. Why is she doing this to me and herself? Fury surged through his veins. He could literally feel the hot-tempered, irascible Mayank emerge once again. Getting up from the uncomfortable position, he quickly walked towards the main door, but stopped himself at the last minute. Neev.

He went to his son's room, only to find him clutching Rosie in his little arm, sleeping like a log. He immediately softened. Taking a few steps forward, he brushed the stray strand of hair from his forehead and wiped the drool off the corner of his mouth. I don't need her. I have my son. With this notion, he swiftly left the flat in a storm.

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Nupur's eyes twitched. She was having a dream, she knew it – but why wasn't she coming out of it? It was very disturbing, but lovely at the same time.

A groan came out of her. Then a wail. And then she was crying, and when he went to wipe her cheek with the pad of his thumb she swiped his hand away. It was selfish and irrational, but she was furious with him for abandoning her, Mayank, who was like an extension of her, whose shadow sprung besides her in every memory. How could he leave her? She slapped him. Then she slapped him again and pulled at his hair, and he had to take her by the wrists, and he was saying something she couldn't make out, he was saying it softly, reasonably, and somehow, they ended up brow to brow, nose to nose, and she could feel the heat of his breath on her lips. And when, suddenly, he leaned in, she did too.

Nupur had finally awoken in a very painful position with an ache in her head and neck. She realized she had slept against the door and felt stupid. The events of the afternoon assaulted her mind and she took a deep breath to keep from crying again. Silly, silly dream. He'll never come, Nupur. He never did, he never will. Quit hoping.

Grimacing, she managed to get herself off the floor and went towards the washroom to freshen up. She glanced at the clock on the opposite wall. 9.45pm. I'd slept for so long? Shit! Neev! She ran out, not caring to see if Mayank was behind the door and almost barged into her son's room. Thank god, he's asleep. Wait, he didn't eat anything did he? Oh no, I forgot…damnit! Feeling extremely guilty at her irresponsibility, she slowly shook Neev. He stirred in his sleep, murmuring nonsense.

"Neev, sweetheart, wake up. Eat something," she muttered quietly, while rubbing his forehead. He simply turned the other side, unaffected by any interruptions. She tried waking him up again, but all efforts turned fruitless – he was fast asleep in his land of dinosaurs and dragons.

She wrapped the blanket around him and switched off the lights. How could you be so reckless Nupur? You left Neev hungry? What sort of a mother are you? She groaned internally. This whole situation was costing her too much – she was doubting her compassionate nature now. She progressed towards the living room and sat down on the chaise longue. Where is he? I didn't see him in Neev's room nor here nor the balcony. I hope he's alright…he didn't do anything – no Nupur, such thoughts are not to be entertained in your mind. Mayank is a sensible guy, why would he go doing something rash? That you for you? Who are you to him anyway? Just…just a nice lady, who's helping him out in time of crisis. You're not his Morena Express anymore, Nupur. Step out of that illusion.

Feeling absolutely drained and energy-less, Nupur needed some tea – to think. Hauling herself off the chaise longue, she dragged her weary feet to the kitchen and began boiling some water. Just as she was going to add the tea leaves, she heard the front door open. Her heart hammering against her rib cage, she scurried out of the kitchen. She saw him stumbling, struggling to put his coat on the rack. Where has he been? She quickly helped him out of his coat and put it on the rack. She stepped to the side, and as he passed by her into the flat, the vanilla and floral scent lingering on her made him want to take her there and then with her back against the door. But he knew better.

Focus, Mayank, focus. But how could he focus? In fact, he was far from being focused. He was sloshed. Completely drowning himself in alcohol wasn't the best idea to think things over, after all. But his nervous system was not totally depressed yet – he still had some sense left.

Nupur scurried back to the kitchen, careful not to look into his eyes directly. She could smell the reeking stench of alcohol on him. He's been drinking for nearly five days straight now, she could hear Samrat's words ringing in her ears. "So…umm…tea then? You want some tea?", she asked hesitantly.

He nodded mutely, I need something to set my head straight, and she immediately started bustling about in the kitchen. She had washed her face, but her eyes were still bloodshot. Probably was crying for a long time after that, he thought grimly. Her face was still slightly puffy, but hell, she was beautiful. She never looked more beautiful then she did now. You're drunk Mayank – go wash yourself with cold water.

And before he had the common sense to stop himself, the question slipped from his mouth. "Why did you cry Nupur?"

She dropped the tea cup she'd just pulled down from the cabinet, and it shattered.

"Oh dear, I-" She glanced at him for a moment, a tense look crossing her face. "Just give me one sec-". She took the broom and swept the fragments off the floor.

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