Chapter 2 : Yaaron, Dosti...
"Monkey Mayank!! I have not---"
"Maam, Sorry to interrupt, but Mr.Singhania's here to see you..."
"Rosie, I told you to cancel all the morning appointments, didn't I?" Nupur flashed her an angry look. Mayank suppressed a smile.
"Maam, he doesn't have an appointment but it's regarding the campaign that their company is going to launch this weekend. It's an important one and---"
"Nupur, don't be so stubborn!" He looked at his watch. "I have to leave now, anyway... You please get on with your work..." He smiled at her as he started to get up.
Nupur sighed. "Alrite, fine, as you say, Mr.Know-it-all!!"
Mayank narrowed his eyes as he looked at her and then at Rosie, who was still standing at the door, pretending not to listen.
"Rosie, send him in my office in 5 minutes... And take these cups too." Nupur ordered.
Mayank waited while Rosie cleared the table. As she closed the door behind her, he spoke up "God, You're SO bossy!!"
Nupur rolled her eyes. "Mr.Sharma, I AM her boss!!" She retorted matter-of-factly and both laughed.
"Chalo, I'll go now... Oh, by the way, I totally forgot to tell you the other news!"
"There's more??" Nupur raised her eyebrows.
Mayank sighed "You'll never be serious, will you?" She shook her head and he smiled. "Don't worry, this one's good..."
"Then say it na!!" She asked him impatiently as she leaned forward.
"I called Samrat, Gunjan, Diya, Benji and Uday too... We're all planning to meet up this Saturday evening..."
"Hawww, Gunjan never told me!!" She was shocked.
"I wanted to keep my homecoming a surprise... Plus, I wanted to have some Mayank-Nupur time!! Its been ages, hai na?"
She smiled at his reference of what they used to do in college when Mayank was dating Riya. Every weekend, they would go out alone, for a movie, or to the park or wherever; just the two of them. Their Mayank-Nupur time. Nupur strongly believed that Mayank did that to stay sane or as she liked to put it, to get a rest from the Riya-syndrome. Well, she was never able to get the truth out of him, though, regarding this arrangement. He would just brush it off saying she was just as important to him. And she could also never comprehend how the Riya-syndrome went so out-of-hand!
"That's really sweet of you, Mayuuuu..." She leaned forward and pulled his cheeks as she smiled widely. Mayank pulled back disgusted, as he rubbed his cheeks.
"Nupur, yaar!!"
"Achcha fine, you don't have to get all Sadu now... After meeting them, I'll come with you home... Saturday's also my'"
"Shilpa aunty time!!" He completed for her. "I know about that too..." She was confused. "Maa told me that you go over every Saturday to give her some company... Thanks, Nupur! I really appreciate it..." He said softly.
She smiled. "Please Mayank, don't mention it... She's not ONLY your mother, OK?" She scolded him lightly. "Waise bhi, that was all a part of my plan... Now you wait and watch whose side she will be on when we fight!!" She wiggled her eyebrows naughtily.
He laughed. "Oh please, I know why you went over..." He rolled his eyes.
"Why??"
"Because you two are SRK-drooling partners!" He said in a bored voice "You guys went to watch a movie every Saturday, didn't you? Aur new release nahi hui, toh rent kar lo...Right?"
She grinned sheepishly "Oh please... Why are you so jealous of SRK? That was always co-incidental, OK?"
"Jealous and me?? Yeah right! Co-incidental my foot..." He laughed at her nautanki. "OK, now I've really got to go...See you Saturday, then?" He stood up.
"Yup, definitely..." She too got up and hugged him lightly. OK Nupur, you have GOT to STOP doing that!!
Mayank was slightly taken aback, but he hugged her back, smiling softly. It truly felt good to be back. He felt a sense of self after years and Nupur ' she was, is and will always be his angel, looking out for him.
"Bye!!" He said softly and left the office, not before looking back once before closing the door. She was still smiling at him and he smiled back.
He felt a different emotion as he walked away from her office; something he couldn't understand. As if a part of him was unwilling to walk away. He shook his head and put on his shades as he walked towards the lift.
The elevator ride was long enough to ponder over his life ' something he had stopped doing since he had realised how badly he had ruined it by marrying Riya. He was sure of one thing ' he could never again trust any woman enough to let her into his life, come what may. One betrayal was sufficient to last a lifetime.
He sighed as the lift stopped. He headed towards the parking lot and turned back once to look at the building before getting in. Nupur had looked almost the same, but her eyes had seemed so guarded. She had obviously not put on any weight (he chuckled as he remembered their argument) but there was something different about her. Maybe it was the business suit, maybe it was his eyes, but she did look nicer. Really pretty, he added mentally.
Mayank, focus. She's an amazing friend. That's it. Nothing more ever comes out of any relationship. Period.
Yes, Mayank Sharma had become a cynic as far as love was concerned and was bound to stay one. Not unless he found a way back into love.
**********
"Where are you, Di? We are all waiting for you!! Even our coffees have arrived." Gunjan spoke worriedly into the phone.
"Gunjan, I'm almost there... This traffic, by GOD!!!"
"Achcha? Come soon, Di... I have a news to share with you..." She added shyly.
"News??" Nupur shrieked. "Good news, kya??" She asked naughtily.
"Diii!! You come here, then I'll tell you... And you need to tell me about Riya too..." She added softly, unconsciously moving further away from the table where Mayank sat with the rest of the gang.
"There's nothing to tell, Gunjan... She showed her true colours, I guess... Mayank didn't tell me the reason, but it's got to be something big coz we all know Mayank..."
"Hmmm... Main bhi wahi soch rahi thi... He didn't tell anything to Samrat also..." She sighed "I hope he's fine though..." Gunjan said.
"I hope so too, Gunjan, I hope so too..." Nupur bit her lip. "Oh, here it is... Bhaiya, taxi rokna...I'm on my way Gunjan... Bye!"
Gunjan hung up and sat next to Samrat, who smiled at her as he shifted on the couch to give her more place. She smiled shyly as she sat down.
"Ahem!! Check out the Lovebirds, guys... Shaadi ko do saal ho gaye hain, but sharmate abhi bhi newly-weds ki tarah hain..." Benji commented, making them jump as everybody else started to laugh. Samrat threw him a glare, while Gunjan blushed.
"What did I miss??" Nupur spoke up as she reached the table, panting heavily.
"The romance of Mr. And Mrs. Shergill..." Uday replied loudly as he bit into his burger.
"Uday bhaiyya!!" Gunjan scolded him while everyone else sniggered.
Mayank shifted to give Nupur some place as they all got talking. They all had a lot of catching up to do; being in the same city, they still did not get a lot of time to meet up and Mayank's returning had just been one of those rare occasions.
Nupur noticed that Mayank was awfully quiet as he noticed them all talking to each other while sitting silently himself. She nudged him.
"What?" He asked her, surprised.
"Why are you so quiet?" She whispered, not wanting to attract any attention to them.
"Nothing... Just ' just was reminded of old times... Carefree golden days..." He smiled as he reminisced those times and sighed.
"Do you still miss her?"
Her question caught him off-guard. He looked away from her and pondered on it for a few seconds. Then he looked back at her and smiled, which to Nupur seemed almost painful. "I try not to, but it gets hard after a point of time... Though I wish I could block her out, you know..."
Nupur nodded "I know!!" and then looked up to see Gunjan looking at her inquisitively. She looked back at him. "I know you'll sail through... You're Mayank Sharma!!" She said with forced enthusiasm. In truth, his pain twisted her guts and made her want to hunt down that woman and give her a piece of her mind.
"Thanks Nupur... I wish I could trust myself the way you do..." He added softly.
"Then trust my trust, OK??"
He looked confused. "Isn't that the same thing?" He asked.
"By God, Mayank... You don't have to go into the details yaar!!"
"But---"
"Uffo, acha leave this... I'm so excited to meet Aaki... I hope you haven't told her bad stuff about me!!" She threatened him.
"Can I even dare to do that??" He faked fear. "I still want to live, you know..." He winked.
Samrat, who was watching the exchange between Mayank and Nupur from his seat, leaned towards Gunjan and whispered "Do you think it's going to happen?"
Gunjan looked at him and lifted her hand. Her fingers were crossed. He smiled. "Lets hope for the best..." she whispered.
"Gunjan, what news were you talking about??" Nupur suddenly said, quietening the others as they turned to look at Gunjan.
Gunjan turned crimson and exchanged a look with Samrat. He smiled and patted her hand softly.
"Guys..." he began and started clearing his throat.
"Bol na!!" Benji interfered while Diya hit him lightly saying "Ssshhh Benji!!"
"Actually ' umm ' Gunjan and me..." He turned to look at Gunjan, who was beetroot red by now as she looked somewhere near his shoes. "We ' wearegoingtohaveababy!!" He spat it out and looked around for reaction but got only blank looks from all.
"WHAT!?" Nupur was the first one to ask.
"We are going to have a baby..." He repeated, this time slowly and then looked at Gunjan, smiling softly, while she smiled back at him and was suddenly pushed back into the couch with the sudden weight on her, which she slowly realised was Nupur.
"Oh my God, Gunjan...I'm so happy for you!!!" She shrieked as her voice choked with happiness and tears.
"Get off my wife, Nupur..." Samrat tried to pull her back. She didn't budge.
"Congratulations guys!!" Mayank intervened "Having a kid is the best thing ever..." He smiled at Samrat.
"Wow Sammy...I'm so happy!! You guys would make the best parents..." Diya stood from her place and hugged him.
"Thanks Candy..." Samrat hugged her back with a wide grin on his face. Benji and Uday fist-fived him as they congratulated him once he was free.
"Nupur, it's my turn!!" Diya nudged her.
Nupur pulled back, wiping her eyes and smiling widely. She patted Gunjan's head and then hugged Samrat.
"I can't believe my li'l sis is going to be a mother." She said to Mayank once they all settled down.
"Well, she isn't little anymore na?"
"I know THAT! Just, it's hard to believe, you know..." She shrugged.
He smiled. "Hmmm, I know..."
"Guys, this calls for a toast..." Diya announced as she returned with a waiter at her heels, carrying champagne and seven glasses.
"Great idea, Deeds..." Uday piped in.
"So guys, here's to Sammy, Gunjan and the little one..."
Samrat and Gunjan exchanged affectionate looks at that.
"Cheers!!!" All 7 of them clanked their glasses together happily and sipped on their drinks as they got back to chatting and discussing; the ladies agreeing and disagreeing on the gender of the child and the men pulling Samrat's leg about the coming responsibility.
Such is the beauty of friendship : They meet each other after ages, yet that feeling never changes. Cheers to their friendship.
**********
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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