"Oh god Angad." She stepped closer to him touched his shoulder gently. "Come with me." She didn't want Karan waking up at this time at all. He would do nothing but worry. She grabbed his hand and dragged him into her room. She turned the light on and first found a dry towel and held it in front of him. He didn't respond, he was numb.
"Angad you're going to get sick." He didn't respond. He was as still as a statue. Giving up she took a step closer and wiped his face and then ran the towel through his hair. "Sit down, I'll get you something from Karan's room." He didn't sit. "Angad, sit!" She took his hand and made him sit down on the bed. "I'll be right back."
A few minutes later she came back with a pair of sweats and a shirt. Angad was sitting still with the towel in his hand. She nodded her head unable to understand how to react. She placed the cloths on the bed beside him and just looked at him.
"What happened?" she asked lifting his face slightly. As she took her hand back, Angad pulled her closer and hugged her around the waist, crying.
It took her a few seconds to hold him back, but she did. He was sodden against her, and as he hugged her tightly, squeezing her stomach she felt her stomach churn. But she held him back, passing a hand thought his damp hair.
"She said no." He mumbled against her stomach. "She said no." He was crying miserably and Kripa couldn't see him like that.
"Stop crying Angad, please." She sat down beside him embracing him again. "Come on change out of these cloths or you'll get sick. I'll get you some coffee and then we'll talk."
He nodded his head slowly and Kripa left the room closing the door behind her.
Angad was standing in the window when Kripa got back with his coffee. He had changed into the dry pair of cloths Kripa had got him. He knew Kripa was in the room but didn't react until she placed her small hand on his back. He only stood a little straighter, she wanted him to talk to her; he was silent. Helplessly or absently she placed her arms around his waist and her head on his back. Angad stood for a few seconds before turning and hugging her tighter than he had ever before. Kripa felt her pulse raise as she stood in his arms. For the next few minutes Kripa didn't try to ask him anything, she stood lax in his arms. The five minutes of silence were like five years. She was yearning now, for him to say something or even cry. She wanted to be out of his embrace.
"You're coffee will get cold." She said rubbing her hand on his back, "come on."
He left her, but didn't look at her. "I'm sorry for coming here at this time Kripa. I didn't want to go home and…"
"Hey, it's ok." She tried to smile but it didn't help.
A few minutes later Angad placed his empty mug on the desk beside Kripa's bed and looked back at her. "I still can't believe she said no." It was true, Kripa couldn't believe Amna had said no to him herself. "It was so simple for her to tell me that she didn't love me. That she didn't want to marry me. Not now, not ever."
Kripa shook her head and rested a hand on his. "Don't worry about it Angad, maybe she needs time. Give it to her. You just suddenly proposed to her, out of the blue. Give her time."
Angad smiled sadly, "She doesn't want to see me again, Kripa. She had agreed to come to dinner today for a break-up. To tell me that this was it." He looked at her and pulled her closer again. "Why me Kripa?"
She closed her eyes and relaxed. "I asked myself the same question years ago Angad, why me? But when I talk to Faith sometimes I think I shouldn't have asked myself that question disappointed. I should have learned something from it. Maybe I did, but along with everything I learned not to love. I don't want you to be the same way, Angad. I know I can be rude and mean sometimes but I still have a heart, and I still care."
"I'm honored Miss. Kapoor." He said in a lighter tone. "I didn't expect you to really comfort me so much." He said after pressing a kiss on her head. "You're a true friend. Thank you."
"You're welcome. You should go to bed now, I'll sleep outside."
"I'll leave Kripa, it's really late."
"Exactly, it's very late and it's raining like hell outside. I wouldn't want you to die at this age. Maybe Amna will want to say yes when you wake up tomorrow."
"I promise if she does I'll give you anything."
She smiled still unsure about Angad's sudden change in mood. "For now let me sleep." She stood up, out of her bed and took a pillow with her, and then suddenly fell, startled by the sudden shout of thunder outside. Thundered growled outside once again, this time making Kripa hold Angad closer.
Angad held the scared Kripa back, amazed at how scared she was. "I can't believe it's raining in July!" She said leaving his shirt. "I hate rain."
Another wired discovery. "Kripa you always loved rain, and you were never scared of thunder."
"I never knew you would fall in love with a girl like Amna," she tossed back. Then kissed his cheek quickly, absently. "Good night, Angad."
He watched her walk out of the door and close the door. He shook a little as thunder struck outside once more, "Good night Kripa." he mumbled before laying down in bed.
Kripa laid in the sofa unable to sleep, when she suddenly realized that Angad was at her place and no one knew about that. She snuck back in her room and looked at Angad sleeping already. He would be fine, she decided looking at him. She picked up his phone and then her phone and brought it back outside. She browsed his call list and found Sana's cell number and called.
Sana was waiting for Angad, he said he would be back by ten it was almost one. Her phone buzzed in her hand and she quickly picked it up upon reading Angad's name.
"Angad where are you, it's one."
"I'm sorry Sana, it's Kripa." No one said anything. "Angad is sleeping here tonight, he came over about an hour ago stressed."
"Oh," Sana said more relaxed. "So things didn't work out between him and Amna?"
"I'm afraid not Sana. He was really miserable." She sighed closing her eyes. "I just called so you wouldn't worry."
"Thank you Kripa."
"Sure, good night."
"Yes, good night." Kripa closed the phone and set her alarm on her cell for five. She laid down hugging her cushion against her stomach.
Angad's state sometime back reminded her of what happened years ago with her. How miserable she was. When she had told Angad she didn't want him to be like her she meant it.
Only Karan knew that it was more than Aman that had made her life miserable. There was so much more. So many reasons, secrets, so many questions still unanswered.
Kripa tossed again and closed her eyes, burying her face in the back side of the sofa between more cushions. Her life was a question mark and she didn't know when all her questions would be answered. Maybe when she awoke tomorrow, maybe when she awoke in a few years, or maybe never.
Never, the thought scared her. Although Kripa told everyone she didn't want to be married, she didn't want a life outside of her hospital, she did. But she was petrified by her past. Petrified by the fact that history will repeat itself again and again. It didn't matter how many times she tried.
This was the apprehension that kept her away from moving on in life. This was the fear in her heart because of which she had made it a rule to not move on in life. Not now, not ever.
Angad moaned when the alarm in Kripa's room went off, he rolled in bed, opened his eyes, realized he wasn't at his place, but laying in Kripa's bed. At that point, last nights event also came back to him, but he smiled instead of frowning. It was Kripa's comforting coffee, her hospitality that forced him to smile.
He sat up musing over her words. Maybe Amna will say yes. he thought. She needed time.
He shook his head. Why am I in denial that she said no? he asked himself. Is it because she's the first lady to reject me. Is this love or ego?
He closed his eyes, and then opened it again when the alarm went off again. "Damn!" The door flew open and Kripa marched in, half asleep and hit the alarm's off button. "You wake up at five every morning?" he asked in shock.
"Yes." She sat down and pulled the tie from her hair. Passed a hand through it, tied it back. Slowly, lazily she turned to Angad. "Don't let Karan freak out if he gets here before I'm out of the shower."
"Ok," he said confused. He felt the bed jump as Kripa stood up and dragged herself to her closet. "I'm going back to bed."
"Whatever," she mumbled closing the door behind her.
"Angad wake-up!" Kripa yelled at seven as she came back into her room to gather her stuff. He moaned, groaned, turned in bed, and then went back to sleep. Now extremely angry Kripa came back with a glass of water, without another warning she spilled the glass on his head.
"Kripa!!" He yelled sitting up and pulling down on the bed. "You idiot!" She bounced on the bed laughing. "You're a loser. Gosh!" he ran a hand through his hair, eye wide open. Karan walked into the room surprised by the noise, even more surprised to see Angad sitting on the bed with a wet head, and Kripa laughing laying down.
"What are you doing here with a wet head?"
Still angry he walked to Karan and punched his stomach, not to hard, but hard enough to make him yell. "You get that for having a spoiled sister Karan."
Karan walked to Kripa and helped her sit up. "What did you do to the poor guy now?"
"Poor guy my left foot, Karan." She tucked her bangs behind her ear and fixed her glasses. "I've been trying to wake him up for almost two hours now, but this guy is impossible."
"Not everyone is like you Kripa." Angad mumbled falling in bed again.
"Who wakes you up every morning, Angad." Kripa said pulling his ear again.
"Ow! Kripa, stop it. Gosh, I promise never to give Sana or Mom a hard time in the morning any more."
"Good." Kripa stood up and picked up her phone. "I'm leaving Karan."
"Wait I still don't know why Angad is here, in my cloths."
Kripa grinned looking at him. "The poor guy had a heart break last night, he was sad so he came here." She pressed his jaw between her hands. "So sad."
He grabbed her hand and turned her around, "Shut-up Kripa. You don't know how to treat a guest."
"Leave me Angad." Kripa said trying to break-free. While she did, Karan just smiled watching them, Angad was making Kripa's life so much better.
"That's enough." Karan said taking Kripa away from Angad. "Have a good day sis." He kissed her cheek and left her.
"Yeah have a good day, loser!" Angad said, then ducked when she threw his cell phone towards him.
"Call Sana, she was worried last night."
"Bye Kripa!" he said behind her, and then fell back.
Karan grabbed his shirt and pulled him back up, "come on Mr. Khanna lets go for a jog."
"Karan!" He yelled as he picked him up. "God you're just like your stupid sister."
Kripa walked into the hospital discussing something on the phone; crashing right into Amna. "I'm sorry Amna." She said disconnecting the call. "I wasn't looking and…" she noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "You didn't sleep last night, did you?" Kripa took her hand and dragged her with her. "Lets have a talk with Coffee Miss. Saran."
"Why are you upset?" Kripa asked sitting down on the chair beside her. "You were the one who said no, not him." She waited for a second, waiting for her to say something before talking again. "Amna he was really miserable last night, you're still miserable. Anyone can tell you didn't sleep all night, and that you're upset. What I don't understand is why you are upset?"
"Because I know that Angad was hurt when I said no." She said quietly.
"Then you should have said yes."
"I don't love him Kripa. I never did, I dated him like he dated any other girl, and I like I've dated any other guy. I never even thought about marrying him. And, I gave him that hint the day I came for my interview. Why doesn't he understand I don't love him."
"If you didn't love him Amna, you wouldn't be upset. Look at yourself. You're a complete mess, how can you say you're not in love with him? Why are you in denial?"
Amna stood up, "No, I'm not in denial. I'm upset for breaking his heart and that's all."
"Fine. Then get back to work!" Kripa stood up and sat down behind her desk. "Call Mr. Khanna, and find out when we can have our next meeting."
"Kripa I don't…"
"I will not take this type of crap, Amna, you will not mix your personal life with your professional life. I want to task done, and an appointment set for anytime next week. Let me know and I will confirm it. You can go now."
Once Amna left the room Kripa rolled her eyes. "Damn both of them."
"What's wrong with her?" Faith asked walking into Kripa's cabin a few minutes later.
Kripa sat back and took the file from Faith. "Long story, but what is this?"
"I narrowed down the lists from each department last night, you can look over them and finalize the equipment."
"I'll do that." She put the file aside and looked at Faith. "Amna refused to marry Angad."
Faith smiled, "I knew it was going to happen. They don't love each other Kripa. I don't know why Angad thinks he's in love with her. It's like so obvious."
Kripa nodded her head sitting back once more. "I don't know, but it took Angad a good thirty minutes, maybe longer, to stop crying last night."
Faith looked at the drifting Kripa. "So he was with you last night?"
Kripa looked back at Faith. "Oh stop it Faith. Can you stop jumping to conclusions. He was upset so he ended up at my place. That's it."
Faith walked to Kripa and turned her chair, then kneeled. "Do you ever think that you guys haven't been in touch in years. And yet you're the first person he comes to after any problem? I would expect him to come to me because we were much closer in high school, but he comes to you. Have you ever thought why?"
Kripa looked at Faith, her soft blue eyes that made complete sense. Kripa was dumbfounded for a few seconds. "That's something you should ask him, not me. I don't know why he turns to me. Why would I know?" She turned her chair to her desk and check her next appoint, shocked she didn't have any. "Seems like I'm done for the day. I shouldn't have even come today."
"Don't avoid this Kripa." Faith said placing a hand on her leg. Before Kripa could reply the door opened and walked in Rishab with Angad.
"Great," Kripa mumbled before standing up. "Hi Rishab, Angad. What are you guys doing here?" There was an irritation in her eyes, hidden behind the smile, that both Angad and Faith had already discovered.
"I'm leaving, I have seminar to attend in an hour. Bye guys. Kripa think about what I said."
"Bye Faith," Kripa said pointing at the door. She laughed, hugged, and left.
"Bye Kripa."
Kripa smiling at Faith's back sat down in front of Angad and Rishab. "Now, what's the matter?"
"The matter is that we need to discuss when we are starting construction for the last floor of this hospital." Angad said fidgeting with anything he found on her desk.
"Well, I don't exactly want to build an entire new floor." She said careful of the way Angad would react to this new plan of hers.
His hands stopped flipping the pen between his fingers and he looked up at Kripa. "Dr. Kripa Kapoor, explain properly how many times will you change your stupid mind."
"Angad, at least listen to her." Rishab defended Kripa.
"Fine," Angad sat back in his chair. "Continue."
"Well we could built an entire new floor, or we can take the last floor and change it into a children's floor."
"I recommend we don't Dr. Kapoor." Angad said thinking carefully. "It's more intelligent to built a new floor than taking away one. This is a hospital and the more room we have the better."
"I agree with Angad, Kripa. We should just continue with our first plan."
"Alright." Kripa said pressing a button on her phone. "Miss. Saran please come into my cabin with all the files." She looked at Angad and the pain and horror of seeing Amna after last nights events. "How long will it take to built the entire floor?"
"Well just the building it will take anywhere from four to six months. Then decorations and painting. Setting the equipment, and other things just depends on you guys. I'm only in charge of the building." Angad's breath caught in his throat when the door opened and Amna stood beside Kripa.
"Thank you Miss. Saran. You can leave."
"Ok," she quickly glanced at Angad and then away. "Rather, Amna, while I discuss this with Rishab." Amna turned in horror, and Kripa watched anger flash Angad's face. "Do you mind taking Angad up to the terrace so he can look at the place?"
"Yes I can." She said in an low yet angry voice.
"Thank you. Mr. Khanna, follow her please."
Angad glared angry, "I'll get you for this later." He stood up and dropped the pen on her table. "Let's go Miss. Saran."
Amna hit the button on the elevator and waited for the doors to open. They both stepped inside and didn't talk for the first few seconds. "Angad I didn't mean to hurt you last night."
"Then why did you say no? If you didn't want to hurt me, you should have said yes."
Amna smiled because Kripa had told her the same things. She took his hand in her and Angad looked at her surprised. "Look Angad, you are a great friend before anything else. I don't care what happens I need you as a friend. I've never dated you to see us married one day. I've never wanted to share anything more than what we have already shared. I Just know you're not the guy for me."
Angad just looked at her, "Alright. What can I do to make myself the guy who is right for you?"
"For now don't pressure me. Just give me sometime, it might help. Maybe you are the guy and I'm just not ready."
"Fine. I'll give you the time."
"Thank you." She kissed his cheek as the door opened.
Hey guys...
Still in flashback mode. I'll tell you we'll be in Flashback until part 30-40. Somewhere around thoses numbers we'll come back to present life where Kripa is in Coma. 😊 Ask any questions if u have them I don't want anyone to be confused.
So yes, Angad did get rejected by Amna. 😆 Poor kid!
Coming up: 3 Months later... Kripa and Dev have a little conversation that changes things around! 😊
Hugs and Kisses
Neha😊
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