Chapter Twelve
A few moments later, they all were sitting around a larger table enjoying their lunches. While Faith, Jason, and Angad wouldn't stop talking about one thing or another. Kripa was quite. Rishab had to leave as his mother had suddenly fallen ill.
"Kripa, say something." Faith said shaking her.
"What?" she was deeply thinking about what happened this morning. With Angad's laughs and words roaring beside her, she couldn't help but think. "Excuse me." She dropped her fork and stood up. "I'm done with my lunch. I'm heading back now. Karan must be waiting."
"Karan isn't home, Kripa." Faith said with a grin.
"Alright then…"
"Sit," she demanded. "You will spend the day with us. For now who would like some dessert?" She held up a finger to gain attention from the waitress. She smiled and placed the order. She knew what Jason wanted, what Kripa liked, and now she turned to Angad. "Angad, what do you want?"
"Nothing, thank you."
"Sure?" Faith asked him.
"Absolutely."
"Alright." She looked back at the waitress. "That's all." For the rest of their meal, Faith was busy with Jason, while Angad sat fidgeting, and Kripa getting annoyed with him moving endlessly. Finally she dropped her spoon and looked at him.
"Angad stop."
He looked at her with a grin. "So you haven't lost your voice box," he teased.
"No I haven't. But I think you've lost your mind for sure. Stop moving please. It's extremely irritating." She looked at her Apple Crisp, "Just like you."
Faith and Jason were quite now. Angad was annoyed and stood. "I'll go get the tickets for the theater, you guys follow."
"Take Kripa with you." Faith wrapped her hand around Jason's arm. "I would like some time with my sweetheart."
Angad was smirking again, "Come on… sweetheart." Kripa stormed out the restaurant.
"Thank you, Faith. If I'm dead it's your fault."
"I accept the responsibility." She said with her hand up. "Now go!"
Kripa was waiting for him outside when he crashed into her. "Oops." He said looking at her. Just to annoy her more he draped his arm around her and pulled her closer. "Did I hurt you?"
She looked at him; everything about him was teasing her at the moment. "Tremendously."
They crossed the road, holding hands because Kripa was too scared to walk without the 'walk' flashing. They both just walked down the packed mall towards the theaters which was not as full as Angad had expected.
They weren't talking, or trying to talk. "Three tickets for The Omen, please."
"The Omen?" Kripa asked annoyed.
"Yes, I only got three tickets. I know I'll waste money if I get one for you Miss. Kripa Chicken Kapoor."
She huffed in anger and turned to the young boy behind the counter. "The Omen," she snapped at him. He gave it the ticket and she stuffed the cash into his hand.
She walked ahead of him and he followed.
About thirty minutes later Faith and Jason also showed up and they sat down. Faith beside Jason, who was between Kripa and Faith, and Angad on the other side of Faith.
"I want popcorn Jason."
"You're putting on weight sweetheart."
"I don't care. Go!"
"Kripa will you come with me?"
"Yes, I will." She stood up with Jason and they left to get the popcorn.
"What is your major, Jason?"
"Neurology."
"And your minor?" They walked forward in the line.
"The Skeletal System. It's always amazed me." He looked at the young boy to give his order. "Two Small popcorn. Would you like anything Kripa?"
"A coke will do fine."
"And a coke." He paid and gave Kripa her coke.
"Are you serious about Faith?" Kripa asked him.
He laughed, "Very serious."
Kripa relaxed.
"Faith told me you didn't like horror films. Then why are you watching it?"
"To prove that idiotic Angad, wrong. It's not that I'm sacred of them, I just have always disliked them."
Jason smiled at her. "I admire you Kripa, a lot."
"Thank you Jason. But, I haven't done anything special."
He opened the door for Kripa. "I'm sure you will." Kripa smiled and they walked back to their seats. Faith was missing, and absently Kripa sat down beside Angad. Before she could move again Faith was back and she didn't have a choice.
She leaned forward and placed her coke in the holder and then sat back, noticing the popcorn in Angad's hands. His eyes mixed to the large screen. Faith was beside Kripa only because she didn't want poor Jason having to deal with her during the movie.
"You'll live right?" Angad whispered in her ear, and then placed his head on her shoulder.
"Angad up."
"I won't until you say you're sorry."
"For?" She looked at his head, and then down.
"What you said this morning."
Kripa knew she should say sorry. "You can sit like this, when your head is tired you will get up yourself."
"I'm very comfortable, thank you."
Kripa groaned, "Angad please."
"You know what I want, a simple sorry."
She just pushed him off of her, "I will never say it." He fell back on her and defeated she threw her head back. "I'm not going to say the word."
"I'm getting more comfortable, Kripa."
"Continue, I'm a doctor and I would love to make someone as brainless as you comfortable." The theater suddenly had a ten second black out before the previews started again.
When the screen displayed its first light again Kripa found herself holding Angad, and his head wasn't on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and pushed him back quickly turning to the screen. Angad again in his mood to irritate placed his head on her shoulder and held her hand. "Next time if you get scared don't punch me." Kripa felt embarrassed. "It doesn't suit your hands that save lives." Left her hand but kept his head on her shoulder. "I'm sorry about what I said last night Kripa I was just trying to frustrate you."
Kripa made him sit up. "It's ok."
Angad looked at her for a second. "Don't you have to say sorry?"
"No." She reached into the popcorn and ate a few kernels. "Only because since I've met you all Faith and Karan can think of is getting me married. Even your father has the same idea."
"You have to get married someday Kripa." He said looking at the screen that was still playing more previews. "You can't avoid it forever."
She nodded in agreement. "I'm not against getting married, Angad. I'm just not ready."
"Ok, then at least date."
"I can't. That's not what I want from life."
Angad couldn't understand what her problem was. Was it just Aman or more than that? "Is it just Aman, Kripa?"
Kripa's hands paused and she looked at him eating the popcorn. "Part of it is. But there is much more than that. Much more that no one knows. No one but myself."
"Not even Faith?"
She nodded, "Some of it." He watched her looked down at her hands, and he looked at them as well. Where he surprisingly found the ring he had given her. So maybe she wasn't mad, but like always frustrated. She needed a man who could help her realize she was special. Special to so many people in so many ways. She needed a long vacation to relax. She should be sent to Hawaii or Florida or Europe, to relax for a month. Live life without anyone around her. No one she knows. No one but strangers. He wasn't paying attention to the movie, but musing over the thought. She needed to live life the way she lived until that terrible summer that changed everything. He wanted to see that carefree Kripa, who loved to love. Who knew how to live life to the fullest without worrying about anyone or anything. She was lost somewhere deep within Dr. Kripa Kapoor. He had to find her.
Kripa got through the move without tugging, holding, or punching Angad even once. She enjoyed the movie and compared to the previous movies she had seen this one wasn't horror at all. There were a few scenes that had her jumping in her seat, to a few scenes where she relaxed in her chair and then suddenly with a sudden boom, felt her heart run to her throat and then back down.
Angad hated the movie; it wasn't what he had expected. He found watching Kripa more exciting than the movie. She acted like a little girl who came into the dark theaters for the first time to experience horror.
Faith and Jason, for them it was time to just sit holding each other. They watched the movie, but without to much excitement. They decided what they wanted to do after the movie, and where they were going to have dinner. Jason commented about noticing how reserved Kripa was about a few matters. He admitted she wasn't the way he had expected her to be. Faith didn't tell him why she was that way. Although she loved Jason and trusted him, she couldn't tell him about Kripa's life. Not unless Kripa didn't mind. And Faith knew for a fact that beside herself, and Karan, so far Angad had been the other person she shared her feelings with.
When Kripa stood upon the movie ending she felt her knees shiver for a few seconds. "That was amazing." Angad teased. "You sat without holding or pulling me. Good job."
Kripa honestly felt like slapping him and telling him to shut the hell up. But she couldn't. So she just smiled and walked out the theater behind Faith and Jason.
It was seven when the movie ended. The sun was starting to set and the winds got chiller than they were a few hours ago. This was the perfect weather to shop, according to Kripa.
For the time the four sat in the garden of the huge shopping center. "This place reminds me of London." Faith said looking at the fountain in front of her. "It's large, like a city in it self."
"And, it's very beautiful." Jason wrapped his arm around Faith agreeing. "It reminds me of when we first met." Faith nodded agreement.
"So how long have you guys been dating for now?" Angad asked them.
"Well formally about a few weeks. But we met about six months back at a seminar in London."
Faith hadn't told anyone about Jason. Kripa knew about this mysterious guy she was slowly falling in love with, but Kripa had suspected it wasn't going to reach love. But it had, the beautiful Faith Cruz was in love, madly in love with the very handsome Jason Law.
"Where do you guys want to eat?"
"BJ's," both Kripa and Angad replied.
Faith laughed, "Would you mind if we left you guys?"
"No." Angad said with a grin. "It will give me a chance to catch-up with Kripa."
"Wrong." Kripa stood up crossing her arms. "It will give him a chance to annoy me some more."
"I promise I won't!"
Kripa scowled. "You guys can figure that out yourselves. We will leave." Faith gave a quick hug to both Kripa and Angad and left with Jason, who had shook hands with both.
After they left Angad turned to Kripa. "I won't bother."
"Promise?" she said unsure that she even asked.
He held his hand out, "Promise." She smacked his hand down and they walked towards BJ's.
Angad held the door for Kripa and they walked into the packed restaurant. "This is terrible," Kripa gasped horrified.
"It sure is." Angad said looking around. The place was packed, obviously over the capacity of bodies it could hold. Someone opened the door behind Kripa and Angad, pushing them into each other. Angad held Kripa close to him, with both arms protecting her until they both could make their way out of the crowded place.
Angad left Kripa outside and they both left out a breath.
Twenty minutes later they both sat on a wooden bench in a small park, watching the water fountain, eating ice-cream.
"I'm going to propose to Amna." Angad said looking at the ice-cream in his hand. Kripa stopped eating her own and looked at Angad. He wasn't sure about the idea and they both knew it. He looked at Kripa who was setting her cup down on the bench, looked up at him. "What do you think, will she say yes?"
"If she wants to ruin her life she will," Kripa smiled, but her smile vanished when Angad didn't smile back.
"Alright then." Kripa took her hands out of her lap and slid on the bench closer to Angad. She held his hand in hers, looked up at him again. "She will say yes, Angad. She doesn't have a reason to say no."
Angad looked down at her and pulled her closer. "Would you say yes if I asked you?"
Kripa looked down at her hands and played with the ring Angad had given her. "I'm never going to say yes to anyone Angad." She whispered. "And, I'm not going to cry either." She said in a lower whisper than the last. "Anyways." She looked up at him again. "Don't worry, Faith says you can charm a lady without having to worry about it. She would never say no." Angad nodded, Kripa looked away for a few seconds and then back at him. "Why are you worried about it, Angad?"
He looked down at her and took a deep breath. "Sana tells me that I'm not in love with her. That, I think I'm in love with her." Angad with one hand tossed the cup of his ice-cream into the trashcan and held Kripa. "Shouldn't I be the one to know who I love?"
"Yes you should." She was stiff in his arms for some reason, they both felt it. Angad however didn't let her go.
"Why do you still think about him, Kripa?" He waited, she didn't answer. "Come on lets go home. Maybe we can get Karan to cook us something again. He's excellent at the task." Angad stood up and gathered his jacket.
Kripa stood up picking up her cup. "You're going to have to drop me off Angad. I didn't know Faith and Rishab had this plan cooking." They walked through the open shopping mall. Very few people were left at the place, Angad and Kripa among those few. Angad unlocked his car and opened the door for Kripa. She was about to sit down when she turned and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I want to talk to you before we leave Angad."
Angad knew this was coming. He heard the door shut, turned after a few seconds. He leaned against the car with his arms folded waiting for Kripa to start. She stood beside him, not too close, but far enough to maintain a distance. "Angad I know every time you talk to me you want to make me feel better." She looked straight and took a deep breath. "I've lived my life in a certain structure for the past years. Something that neither Karan nor Faith could break. My life, Angad, has a pattern. Nothing unexpected has happened, except you." She pressed her lips together. "I know you don't want to make my life worst, but unknowingly you are. Karan has hope again, so does Faith. I don't want either one of them to hope for something that they won't get. I stopped dreaming, I've stopped hoping." She was surprised Angad was still listening to her so patiently. "Whatever I said this morning was all out of frustration. I care for you a lot still. But as a friend. You care for me as a friend, but Faith and Karan don't, won't understand. I've seen it in Sahil's eyes as well. Your father wants us to be married. Angad I…"
"You want me to get out of your life, correct?" He stood in front of Kripa. She was turned slightly to the other direction. Angad held her shoulders and turned her slightly. She looked at him. "I don't know exactly what happened, why it happened, all I know is that you deserve better." He placed a hand on her cheek, it was so warm, comforting. "I've told you once, I'll tell you again. I love you a lot. You mean so much to me, and I miss the Kripa who I knew during my high school years. I want you to be happy, that's it. If you're concerned about that silly marriage idea wandering in everyone's mind, trust me. I'm not mad enough to marry a stupid, silly, idiotic girl like you." She smiled at him. "If you still want me to leave I'll leave."
They looked at each other for a while, he waited for Kripa to say something to him. "I don't want you to leave, Angad." She finally said softly. "I just…" She didn't know what she wanted. "I want you to get married to Amna, as soon as possible and then you can do whatever you want to with me. I can't refuse anything Karan says. If he ever asks me to get married to you, I can't say no, but I can't say yes either."
"You're worried for absolutely no reason."
"O.k." She turned around and looked up into the sky. "I don't want to see you around unless it's absolutely necessary then."
"That does it damn it!" He slammed his hand on the door, angry. "I don't know what you want, Kripa. Why you worry about nonsense. But, if that's what you want you have it." Kripa smiled pleased. He stepped back and opened the back door for her.
"Please drop me at Rishab's place so I can get my car."
She sat in the car, and angry he drove her there. Kripa called up Rishab, who was still at his mother's place, to inform him she would be picking her car up.
An hour after their silent drive, Kripa got out of the car with a dry 'thanks' and he left her there alone.
Kripa wasn't upset with what had happened. She didn't feel the urge to cry, she was pleased. She knew Angad would be angry, but he would forget. He had forgotten her once it would happen once again.
When Kripa got home dinner was, as expected, ready for her. She didn't mention anything about the evening to Karan. Not once Karan felt something was amiss somewhere. She was perfect, and seemed like she had enjoyed the night.
After dinner, Faith had called Kripa, and again Kripa told her about Angad wanting to propose to the lady he loves. A few chats about the movie, the lunch, of course Jason and Faith's lovely pair. Faith and Jason's dinner. Angad and Kripa's dinner, that they never had, then skipping Kripa's conversation with Angad, and a bye.
Faith also felt everything was fine. Everything was fine. Kripa had no intensions of living her life in a different way. However, she was going to make one minor change to her daily life style.
After her shower she sat in her bed. It was a hot day, the air conditioner was on, and Kripa sat in her chilly room wrapped in her quilt like it was a cold December evening. She leaned over into the drawer next to her desk and took out the diary. She placed the ring into the key, turned it. Got out of bed and looked through her collection of pens, took out the best one she owned. Skipped the first few pages of the diary and then wrote the date in the corner of the page.
She was going to start keeping a diary.
Angad has also been normal. He had discussed his day with Faith, Jason, and of course Kripa. He told Sana everything, including Kripa's, according to him, silly decision.
Sana knew Angad was upset at that point but decided to let him realize it by himself.
Sahil had already discussed what was on Karan's mind. Sana, of course, didn't have any objections. But the two most important people in the matter did.
Sana clearly told Sahil that she would support Angad with the matter. She knew that he was to a large extent very serious about Amna. He made it obvious. If she had to, she would talk to Dev, if he didn't agree she had still decided to support Angad against everyone.
Angad knew Dev would object. At that point he decided Kripa would be the one to help him. If she said no, Dev couldn't force her.
No, Angad though. He would, he was best friends with her father. But Angad didn't know the relationship Kripa shared with her father, and her mother.
Pushing everything to aside he shut the lights after writing in his own diary, and went to bed.
Hey guys,
Hmmmm I don't have very much to say. 😆
Coming up: Kripa continues throwing fits in every aspect of her life. At Angad, but at the end have to give in and act like a friend with Angad. 😊
Hugs and Kisses
Neha 😳
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