Hey Guys. I'm so sorry. Yet again I'm updating after such a long time. But I hope you all will like this part, cause personally, this is my fav part amongst the other seven :) Hope you all will like it :) Chapter 8:
"Hey" Mayank said sweetly.
"What are you doing here?" Nupur asked coldly.
"Well, I just wanted to meet you." Mayank replied.
"I'm busy." Nupur said quickly and then turned her back towards him. She didn't want to make eye contact with him at all. She moved over to her shelf and pretended to pick up a file and study it.
Mayank didn't give up. He walked into her cabin and stood right behind her. He looked over her shoulder to see what file she was studying.
"There's nothing in this file."
"That's none of your business." Nupur snapped. She suddenly looked up at him. "Haven't you tried enough already? Why can't you just try and understand that I'm not interested in speaking to you?"
"Well, I understand that, but I want to know the reason for it!" Mayank replied stubbornly.
"How does it matter to you anyway?" Nupur asked.
"It does! We were friends, Nupur! Do you even remember that?" Mayank asked.
"I do! But do YOU? When were we really friends? You never even bothered to speak to me properly. And you have the audacity to say we were friends?" Nupur replied.
Mayank just stood still and stared back at Nupur. He didn't know what to say.
"Got no answer to that one, right?" Nupur questioned. "Just let it be Mayank. Like I said, it'll be better to maintain just professional relations."
"Well, I guess you're right." Mayank said, sounding dejected. "So, how about we discuss the project with the other team members, Ms. Nupur Bhushan?"
Nupur suddenly felt guilty. Maybe Mayank was genuinely trying to be her friend again, but she was over reacting. One part of her wanted to forget the past and go back to being his friend again, but another part of hers was afraid to do so, fearing the repeat of past incidents.
"Miss Bhushan?" Mayank interrupted her thoughts.
Nupur was brought back to the present. She faintly nodded at him. "Let's go."
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"What do you think about Nisha?" Tanvi asked Aditya, and on seeing his reaction, burst out laughing.
"This isn't funny Tanu!" Aditya snapped.
"Come on Adi. I've given you a zillion options already, but you don't seem to like even one of them!"
"Maybe because the options you gave didn't really include her." Aditya replied.
"Her?" Tanvi asked, sounding confused. "Who's this 'her'?"
"Nobody"
"Stop being such a nerd Adi! Now speak up!" Tanvi said indignantly. "You like somebody, and you haven't told me about it!"
"I said it's no one!" Aditya snapped. "Now just leave me alone."
"Adi, what's wrong with you?"
"Nothing"
"Adi cut it out please!" Tanvi snapped back. "I want to know, now!"
"Nupur" Aditya replied softly. "She's the one I like."
Tanvi was shocked. She suddenly felt the earth beneath her shaking. She was half expecting Aditya to take her name. She had always felt for him, even while she was dating Harsh. That was mainly the reason why she had broken up with him. But Harsh got promoted, and she got a good reason to tell everyone why she broke up. She knew Aditya cared a lot for Nupur, but she had never expected him to actually feel for her, more than a friend.
Tanvi looked at Aditya with moist eyes. She was almost about to break down, but she managed to control herself. With a lot of effort, she composed her expression, and spoke up. "So why don't you tell it to her?"
"How can I?" Aditya asked. "I mean, she'll never accept me."
"Why won't she? Any girl would accept you, so why not Nupur!" Tanvi replied.
"Nupur loves Mayank!"
"She has to move on someday. I think you should talk to her." Tanvi suggested.
"Will you help me?" Aditya asked her.
Tanvi was blank. She didn't know what to say. On one hand, she wanted him, and on the other, he was actually asking her to help him with another girl; and not just any girl. It was Nupur. Nupur.
Tanvi gave it a last thought, and then finally spoke up. "I will."
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"Hey Tanu, Adi" Nupur said sweetly, as she joined them at the canteen, with Mayank standing right beside her.
"Hey Nupur" Tanvi replied, and then glanced over at Mayank. "Mayank"
"Hey Tanvi" Mayank said, smiling sweetly at her.
"You can call me Tanu"
"Sure, Tanu." Mayank replied, and they both smiled at each other.
"Adi, what's wrong? You still didn't greet me." Nupur said, looking at Aditya.
Aditya just shook his head dully. "I'm fine. Just not feeling alright."
Tanvi looked at Aditya and felt bad for him. No matter how much she liked him, all she wanted was to see him happy. He had done a lot for her, and it was her turn to return the favor.
"I'll tell you" Tanvi spoke.
Nupur looked at Tanvi, indicating her to continue.
Aditya suddenly looked at Tanvi, and immediately held her hand from beneath the table. Tanvi looked up at him, and Aditya simply shook his head. Tanvi looked at him questioningly, but Aditya shook his head again, and she got the message.
"Tell me Tanu" Nupur insisted.
"It's seriously nothing Nupur. I just feel a little over-worked. I guess I need a break." Aditya replied.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Nupur asked him.
Aditya just nodded in response.
"Hey, I think you should go on leave for maybe a week." Mayank suggested. "Don't worry; we'll all fill in for you."
"Thanks buddy" Aditya said, and shook hands with Mayank.
Nupur looked at Mayank. Since when did he become so understanding? Or was he just trying to get these two to be on his side? Whatever he did, Nupur was sure about one thing. She would definitely not let him talk her into being his friend again.
"I think we should get back to work now." Mayank announced. "We've got work to finish, before the final meeting with our clients."
"I'll leave early today. I'll go and speak to Harsh." Aditya said, and then left from there.
Mayank looked at Nupur. "Shall we get back to work?"
Nupur just nodded at him.
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"Gunjan, you really want to do this?" Samrat asked her.
"Do what?" Gunjan replied.
"You really want to go to Delhi?"
Gunjan just nodded. "One last time I'm asking you. Do you want to come with me?"
Samrat didn't answer.
"Samrat, don't you love me?"
"I do. But how can I just leave everything behind and move in with you in Delhi?" Samrat said. "Think practically Gunjan."
"Fine, do what you want!" Gunjan snapped. "But I can't stay without bro!"
"I'm not asking you to. But then, at least end this relationship before you leave." Samrat requested. "I can't wait forever, can I?"
"You know, it's only today that I found out how sick you are! You just want the freedom to sleep around with other girls' right!" Gunjan yelled.
"It isn't like that." Samrat tried to clarify.
"It is! You're sick! Seriously sick!" Gunjan yelled.
"Will you stop saying that?" Samrat yelled back. "I've had enough of your mood swings! I've always tried to keep up with you and your stupid mood swings, and I've had enough now! You're just a rich spoiled girl! You want everything to go according to you! You can't stay without your brother, and you expect me to stay without my family?"
Gunjan just looked down at the floor. He was right. How could she be so selfish? She couldn't ask him to stay without his family just for her. If she couldn't do it for him, how could she expect him to do it for her?
"I'm sorry" Gunjan said, her voice suddenly just a whisper. "You can stay back."
Samrat looked at her and saw her eyes moist. He didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you."
"I don't blame you." Gunjan said. "I'm serious Samrat; you can stay back."
"Are you sure?"
Gunjan nodded. "If I can't stay without my bro for you, how can I expect you to stay without your family for me?"
"I'll wait for you." Samrat said.
Gunjan looked up at him. Samrat simply nodded at her.
"I'll wait for you Gunjan. I do love you enough to wait for you."
Gunjan was crying now. She just hugged him tightly. "I love you"
"I love you too." Samrat replied. He broke out of the hug. He gently kissed her forehead. Gunjan closed her eyes, cherishing the moment.
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Mayank, for the first time, was unable to focus on his work. He wasn't able to take it that Nupur wasn't ready to listen to him. He had never gotten rejected by anyone before.
He looked over at Nupur. She was busy concentrating on the file she was reading, and was occasionally scribbling down something into her notepad.
Nupur was hoping she was successful in fooling Mayank. She knew it was no use trying to fool herself; but she was at least hoping she could fool Mayank. She didn't want him to know about her vulnerable side; that just his being beside her was enough to draw her away from her senses.
She wanted to forget the past and accept his friendship, but she was scared. But the more she tried to run away from him, there more she would hurt herself. She didn't know what to do. She just began thinking, as to what she should do. What was a better option? Ignoring, or accepting?
Mayank saw Nupur looking thoughtful, and stared at her. The moment Nupur turned to look at him; he went back to looking at his file.
Nupur looked at Mayank. "Uh, where's Tanu?" Lame attempt, she knew it. This was no way of getting to the point.
"I thought she told you that she'll be leaving along with Adi." Mayank replied.
"Oh, yeah." Nupur replied.
Mayank again got back to looking at his file, expecting her to say something more.
"Mayank?" Nupur spoke.
Mayank looked up at her. "Yeah?"
"Can we be friends, again?" Nupur asked him.
Mayank was stunned. This wasn't something he was expecting from her. "You actually mean it?"
Nupur nodded her head. She didn't know whether what she was doing was right or wrong, but at that moment, this was exactly what she wanted to do. For the first time, she had decided to follow her heart, and not her brain.
"Yes" Mayank replied. "Yes, we can be friends again. And this time, I mean it."
Nupur automatically smiled at him. "Thanks."
Mayank brought his hand forward. "Friends?"
Nupur stared at his hand for a moment. It was as though her life had completed a full circle, and she was back to where it had all begun. Only thing is, now she knew she wasn't supposed to repeat the same mistakes again. Now she knew; she would be more careful. It all seemed so ironic. Nupur smiled, as she recollected the way she had first become friends with him. That memory, which once seemed bittersweet, now only felt like a sweet memory of the past.
"Nupur?" Mayank interrupted her thoughts again.
Nupur came back to reality. This wasn't seventh grade. This was a new beginning. She smiled back at Mayank, and shook her hand with his. "Friends."
"Friends?" he asked, bringing his hand out. Nupur looked at him and smiled. She brought her hand forward and shook it with his.
"Friends" she answered.
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Hope you all liked this part. Please please please do comment, as your comments mean a lot to me, and do press the liketab. And my silent readers, please press the liketab so I know you've read this part.
Edited by utfracks - 15 years ago
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
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