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Chapter 11 (Part 4):
"So, you were with Ranvijay, huh?" Samrat asked, trying to sound casual, as he spoke to Gunjan. The silence was getting to him, even though he was the one who had decided not to talk to her in the first place. Damn!
Gunjan squirmed a bit behind him on the bike as she tried to get used to the feeling of sitting there. "Yeah... Yeah I was... Why do you ask?"
"Just like that..." He shrugged his shoulders.
Silence fell for a few more minutes as he kept driving towards her house.
"Is he your boyfriend?" He blurted out, unable to help himself.
Gunjan narrowed her eyes at his reflection in the rear-view mirror. "Excuse me?"
"Huh?" He muttered.
"I don't think it's any of your business..." she brushed him off harshly as she looked away with a huff.
That did it. He accelerated the bike and didn't slow the speed till they had reached her house.
"Are you crazy? I could have died!!" She shrieked once they stopped and she got down.
Samrat took off his helmet and calmly replied, "You don't think of anybody except yourself, do you?"
Gunjan blinked, totally taken aback. Where did that come from? "What do you mean?" She demanded.
"I was told about your selfishness and vanity; yet I didn't believe it... I had thought you were not all that, but something much more, much better..." He gave a short, sarcastic laugh "Ha! How wrong I was!!"
She gulped. Why was he saying all that to her? It hurt her terribly to hear things like that about herself. "What have I done?" She asked, softly this time.
"The fact that you still don't get it, says it all... Have you ever bothered to look around and see what's happening to people around you?" He spat out bitterly as he looked away, unable to contain the wave of emotion that hit him. "Good night and forget we even talked about anything tonight... I'll pretend everything's fine from tomorrow onwards, but not tonight...Please!" He pleaded with his voice and looked up, only to be shocked with what he saw.
Gunjan's eyes were glistening with tears; her lower lip trembled as she bit back the sobs she didn't even know the reason behind. All she knew was that the one guy whom she thought she could really count on, had been hurt by her in some way and she didn't even know what?
"I ' I'm sorry..." She sniffed "for whatever I did..." She hastily wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek. "But I do wish I knew..." She finished with a whisper and then turned around and ran into her house, leaving a flabbergasted Samrat behind.
He cursed under his breath as he banged his fist against his bike. How could he do this? It's not Gunjan's fault that you like her... A voice in his head nagged him. She doesn't even know how you feel... How could you blame her?
But she used me; used me to get her work done... He sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. Samrat, you willingly volunteered to help her out. Face it ' She does not like you more than as a friend. Period.
He glanced up at the house and saw a shadow in one of the bedroom windows. The silhouette seemed to be sitting still, knees bent, arms folded and head resting on them. He sighed. Clearly, he had hurt her beyond repair, but his frustration and her indifference did not go well together.
Que Sera sera ' What will be, will be... Quietly, he put on his helmet and with this thought in his mind, he left the place, feeling heavier in heart than he had ever felt before.
Mayank pursed his lips together as he wiped his shoes with yet another tissue paper. Beside him, Nupur fussed as she tried to apologise AND help him at the same time, only ending up doing neither properly.
"I'm so ' so ' sorry, Mayank... Let me do it..." She bent down in a sudden movement, just when Mayank moved upwards and her nose collided with the back of his head.
"Owwww..." She yelped, as a sharp pain shot through her nose and she caught hold of it reflexively.
Mayank all but groaned as he rubbed his head. "Nupur, I'll do it... You please sit still..." He spoke tightly, in an attempt to contain his mixture of emotions ' annoyance, anger, frustration and, as he regrettably admitted to himself, attraction.
Attraction, despite the fact that the girl has just puked on your shoes!? You have got to be INSANE!! He mocked himself as he finished cleaning up and looked sideways at Nupur who was still covering her nose lightly with her palm. She had an innocent, remorseful look in her eyes that instantly melted all his anger. Weird! Really, really weird!
"It's fine, Nupur..." He told her gently for the tenth time since she had become a little self-conscious and aware of her actions "Shit happens!" He smiled as he shrugged his shoulders, to ease her a bit.
She gave an embarrassed smile as she looked at him. Since she was fairly sober by now, she was feeling like a total fool and utterly stupid after what she had done. She wondered what else she must have done and said under alcohol's influence? And her nagging thoughts couldn't stop but return to the same point ' Why was Mayank being so nice to her after all of this? She held her head in her hands. It felt as if it was hammering against her skull.
Mayank noticed her action and stood up instantly. "Let's get you home... Anyway, you are way past your dad's so-called curfew!" He muttered.
"Oh, that's only for Gunjan..." She enlightened him casually as they made their way across the parking lot to her car. She rummaged her purse for the car keys and started approaching the driver's seat when two strong arms caught her shoulders, bringing her to a stop.
"Don't even think about it! I'm driving..." He grabbed the keys from her hand and gestured towards the passenger's side.
She frowned, but couldn't summon the required strength for an argument, so gave in. Mayank chuckled at her torn expressions and got in and started the car's engine.
"So, your sister has a curfew, and you don't? That's unfair!!" Mayank commented as he pulled the car on the main road.
"Yeah well...It's an unsaid understanding between papa and me... Not something she knows..." He raised his eyebrows at this "I know, I know...I don't usually break the rules..."
Gunjan's knock broke into her muddled thoughts. "You awake, Di?" Her whisper reached her and she stirred a bit to indicate an affirmative.
"Can I sleep here tonight?"
The question jerked her into a sitting position. Slowly, Nupur nodded.
Gunjan quietly got inside the blanket next to her and hugged her tight.
"Hey, what happened? You've still not changed?" Nupur asked her.
"Just tired...let's sleep na?" Gunjan closed her eyes as she clutched her tight.
Nupur lay down next to her, feeling exhausted herself. Good that Gunjan came to sleep with her. She could do with some extra warmth. She placed a hand on Gunjan's arm around her waist and cuddled closer to her.
Reaching forward, she switched off the table lamp.
"Good night, Di..."
"Good night, Gunjan... Sweet dreams..." she sighed, unsure whether either of them would have them or not!
"So, you were with Ranvijay, huh?" Samrat asked, trying to sound casual, as he spoke to Gunjan. The silence was getting to him, even though he was the one who had decided not to talk to her in the first place. Damn!
Gunjan squirmed a bit behind him on the bike as she tried to get used to the feeling of sitting there. "Yeah... Yeah I was... Why do you ask?"
"Just like that..." He shrugged his shoulders.
Silence fell for a few more minutes as he kept driving towards her house.
"Is he your boyfriend?" He blurted out, unable to help himself.
Gunjan narrowed her eyes at his reflection in the rear-view mirror. "Excuse me?"
"Huh?" He muttered.
"I don't think it's any of your business..." she brushed him off harshly as she looked away with a huff.
That did it. He accelerated the bike and didn't slow the speed till they had reached her house.
"Are you crazy? I could have died!!" She shrieked once they stopped and she got down.
Samrat took off his helmet and calmly replied, "You don't think of anybody except yourself, do you?"
Gunjan blinked, totally taken aback. Where did that come from? "What do you mean?" She demanded.
"I was told about your selfishness and vanity; yet I didn't believe it... I had thought you were not all that, but something much more, much better..." He gave a short, sarcastic laugh "Ha! How wrong I was!!"
She gulped. Why was he saying all that to her? It hurt her terribly to hear things like that about herself. "What have I done?" She asked, softly this time.
"The fact that you still don't get it, says it all... Have you ever bothered to look around and see what's happening to people around you?" He spat out bitterly as he looked away, unable to contain the wave of emotion that hit him. "Good night and forget we even talked about anything tonight... I'll pretend everything's fine from tomorrow onwards, but not tonight...Please!" He pleaded with his voice and looked up, only to be shocked with what he saw.
Gunjan's eyes were glistening with tears; her lower lip trembled as she bit back the sobs she didn't even know the reason behind. All she knew was that the one guy whom she thought she could really count on, had been hurt by her in some way and she didn't even know what?
"I ' I'm sorry..." She sniffed "for whatever I did..." She hastily wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek. "But I do wish I knew..." She finished with a whisper and then turned around and ran into her house, leaving a flabbergasted Samrat behind.
He cursed under his breath as he banged his fist against his bike. How could he do this? It's not Gunjan's fault that you like her... A voice in his head nagged him. She doesn't even know how you feel... How could you blame her?
But she used me; used me to get her work done... He sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. Samrat, you willingly volunteered to help her out. Face it ' She does not like you more than as a friend. Period.
He glanced up at the house and saw a shadow in one of the bedroom windows. The silhouette seemed to be sitting still, knees bent, arms folded and head resting on them. He sighed. Clearly, he had hurt her beyond repair, but his frustration and her indifference did not go well together.
Que Sera sera ' What will be, will be... Quietly, he put on his helmet and with this thought in his mind, he left the place, feeling heavier in heart than he had ever felt before.
**********
Mayank pursed his lips together as he wiped his shoes with yet another tissue paper. Beside him, Nupur fussed as she tried to apologise AND help him at the same time, only ending up doing neither properly.
"I'm so ' so ' sorry, Mayank... Let me do it..." She bent down in a sudden movement, just when Mayank moved upwards and her nose collided with the back of his head.
"Owwww..." She yelped, as a sharp pain shot through her nose and she caught hold of it reflexively.
Mayank all but groaned as he rubbed his head. "Nupur, I'll do it... You please sit still..." He spoke tightly, in an attempt to contain his mixture of emotions ' annoyance, anger, frustration and, as he regrettably admitted to himself, attraction.
Attraction, despite the fact that the girl has just puked on your shoes!? You have got to be INSANE!! He mocked himself as he finished cleaning up and looked sideways at Nupur who was still covering her nose lightly with her palm. She had an innocent, remorseful look in her eyes that instantly melted all his anger. Weird! Really, really weird!
"It's fine, Nupur..." He told her gently for the tenth time since she had become a little self-conscious and aware of her actions "Shit happens!" He smiled as he shrugged his shoulders, to ease her a bit.
She gave an embarrassed smile as she looked at him. Since she was fairly sober by now, she was feeling like a total fool and utterly stupid after what she had done. She wondered what else she must have done and said under alcohol's influence? And her nagging thoughts couldn't stop but return to the same point ' Why was Mayank being so nice to her after all of this? She held her head in her hands. It felt as if it was hammering against her skull.
Mayank noticed her action and stood up instantly. "Let's get you home... Anyway, you are way past your dad's so-called curfew!" He muttered.
"Oh, that's only for Gunjan..." She enlightened him casually as they made their way across the parking lot to her car. She rummaged her purse for the car keys and started approaching the driver's seat when two strong arms caught her shoulders, bringing her to a stop.
"Don't even think about it! I'm driving..." He grabbed the keys from her hand and gestured towards the passenger's side.
She frowned, but couldn't summon the required strength for an argument, so gave in. Mayank chuckled at her torn expressions and got in and started the car's engine.
"So, your sister has a curfew, and you don't? That's unfair!!" Mayank commented as he pulled the car on the main road.
"Yeah well...It's an unsaid understanding between papa and me... Not something she knows..." He raised his eyebrows at this "I know, I know...I don't usually break the rules..."
"Usually!!" Mayank emphasised and she blushed, getting all the more embarrassed.
She ignored him and continued as if he had not spoken "Plus, he's far more protective about Gunjan than me... She's very naive and innocent..." She smiled.
"Why does everything have to start and end with your sister? You never think about yourself? That you could also get hurt or fall in some trouble?" He said and instantly regretted his over-friendly, caring words as Nupur turned to look at him. He kept a straight face and concentrated on the road ahead to avoid her questioning looks.
"No..." She spoke softly after a few moments' pause "No, I know better..." She added resolutely.
Mayank nodded quietly and took the turn into The Bhushan's drive-way. He killed the engine and turned towards Nupur, expecting that she must be heading out but instead found her sitting still, staring at him.
"I don't know if I told you this, but you're not as bad as you try to be!!" She said softly. "In fact you're quite nice..."
He grunted disinterestedly in response as he looked away, a strange, warm sensation engulfing his head and heart both. This was the second time she was saying this, that too with complete honesty. He jumped slightly as he felt her hand on his and he turned around to see her coming closer to him. Closer, even more closer. He held his breath, not knowing how to react, once it hit him that she was going to kiss him.
She was inches away from his cheek when he moved back. "Nupur, I think you should go in now... You're not in your senses..." He looked away, his pulse racing with the almost could-have-been and he tried to cloak his expressions.
Shocked would be an understatement for what Nupur felt at that moment. Her cheeks grew hot as she realised what she was about to do and she felt humiliated at having been turned down like this. She swiftly backed away, got out of the car and slammed the door in her wake.
Mayank sighed. The guilt of being here for the wrong reasons hit him hard. He got out of the car and walked away, taking one last glance at the house, hoping to get one last glimpse of Nupur's.
She ignored him and continued as if he had not spoken "Plus, he's far more protective about Gunjan than me... She's very naive and innocent..." She smiled.
"Why does everything have to start and end with your sister? You never think about yourself? That you could also get hurt or fall in some trouble?" He said and instantly regretted his over-friendly, caring words as Nupur turned to look at him. He kept a straight face and concentrated on the road ahead to avoid her questioning looks.
"No..." She spoke softly after a few moments' pause "No, I know better..." She added resolutely.
Mayank nodded quietly and took the turn into The Bhushan's drive-way. He killed the engine and turned towards Nupur, expecting that she must be heading out but instead found her sitting still, staring at him.
"I don't know if I told you this, but you're not as bad as you try to be!!" She said softly. "In fact you're quite nice..."
He grunted disinterestedly in response as he looked away, a strange, warm sensation engulfing his head and heart both. This was the second time she was saying this, that too with complete honesty. He jumped slightly as he felt her hand on his and he turned around to see her coming closer to him. Closer, even more closer. He held his breath, not knowing how to react, once it hit him that she was going to kiss him.
She was inches away from his cheek when he moved back. "Nupur, I think you should go in now... You're not in your senses..." He looked away, his pulse racing with the almost could-have-been and he tried to cloak his expressions.
Shocked would be an understatement for what Nupur felt at that moment. Her cheeks grew hot as she realised what she was about to do and she felt humiliated at having been turned down like this. She swiftly backed away, got out of the car and slammed the door in her wake.
Mayank sighed. The guilt of being here for the wrong reasons hit him hard. He got out of the car and walked away, taking one last glance at the house, hoping to get one last glimpse of Nupur's.
**********
Gunjan's knock broke into her muddled thoughts. "You awake, Di?" Her whisper reached her and she stirred a bit to indicate an affirmative.
"Can I sleep here tonight?"
The question jerked her into a sitting position. Slowly, Nupur nodded.
Gunjan quietly got inside the blanket next to her and hugged her tight.
"Hey, what happened? You've still not changed?" Nupur asked her.
"Just tired...let's sleep na?" Gunjan closed her eyes as she clutched her tight.
Nupur lay down next to her, feeling exhausted herself. Good that Gunjan came to sleep with her. She could do with some extra warmth. She placed a hand on Gunjan's arm around her waist and cuddled closer to her.
Reaching forward, she switched off the table lamp.
"Good night, Di..."
"Good night, Gunjan... Sweet dreams..." she sighed, unsure whether either of them would have them or not!
**********
A/N: Those who have seen da movie will prolly wonder bout da Sajan part - Well, I'm making certain changes, coz da movie henceforth had very vague storyline for them... Just hoping that u all like da changes! 😊
Plz leave ur comments...I hope u all liked it...😳
