A Beautiful Mistake (UPDATING SOON) - Page 46

Chapter Dedication: DreamyReader and Prachijainn

Chapter 8: The one with the hiding. (Unedited chapter)

"Randhir just passed from the library so you have exactly 20 sec to reach at the front you got it?" Kaustuki's voice echoed through Sanyukta's phone as she glanced past the deserted hallway.

"Ok meet you at front in 20 seconds." Sanyukta responded and snapped the phone shut.

She swallowed several deep breaths before she hustled through the door and speed-walked all the way to the end of the hall glancing both the ways to make sure she was alone. When she reached the stairs, she stopped trying to catch her breath.

All this hiding work was because of the mission ignore Randhir', Sanyukta started the day her heart started reacting towards Randhir in a weird way. The first 4 days went okay. Randhir did try to get in touch with her but with the help of kaustuki, she was able to hide or vanish whenever Randhir came in front of her. Everything went downhill the 5 day when Randhir stopped her before she could enter the class. He questioned her about her weird behavior and told her to wait after he class since he needs to talk to her about something. As soon as the lecture ended, Parth tried to block Randhir's way so Sanyukta could flee away from there. Today was the 6^th day and Randhir called her early in the morning asking her to meet him in the library but when didn't show up, he texted her at 9 in the evening that he's coming to her room in about 30 min. Therefore, she had no option but to take off from her room and try to hide all the way back.

Sanyukta was so caught up in her thoughts that it took her a few beats to figure out something was not right.

A muffled sound came from the hallway at the rear.

"Hello?" Sanyukta called out then slapped her forehead for doing such a brainless thing. She is trying to hide from Randhir, not trying to make her existence known.

The hall light flickered two times before disappearing completely.

"Ghost?" Sanyukta whispered. She called kaustuki. "Electricity just went out."

"I know. Where are you?"

"At the end of the hall of the hallway. Where are you?"

"What?" Kaustuki said. "I'm already at the front. You are walking slower than a snail!"

"Hey I'm pregnant!" Sanyukta protested. The light flickered again. "Uh mind coming here and keeping me company?"

"Not now."

Sanyukta rolled her eyes. "Then when? After I am dead from trepidation?

"When the lights are back. I can't see."

Sanyukta hung up and tried to see with her mobile flashlight. The light flickered again and they didn't go this time but they were dim.

Subsequently she heard another sound. A faint squeak of a door closing. The sound meant someone was out there, just out of site. There was a suggestion of movement from beyond the doors, inside the classroom. It was formless and indistinct, like a piece of shadow shifting

The darkness pressed in on her. Sanyukta swallowed. "Kaustuki?"

There came another crunch, this time lighter and slower as if the maker of the noise was trying to be quieter, to sneak up on her perhaps. She fought the urge to turn back.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Anxiety pinched her stomach as she yelped, swinging around.

***

(Continuation of chapter 7)

"I'm going crazy! I'm crazy!" Sanyukta screamed as soon as she was inside her room. She was breathing heavily as if she just came from a marathon.

"Sanyu!" Kaustuki jerked up from her bed, throwing off the blanket and scrambling into the sitting position on the bed. "What in the world's the matter?"

Sanyukta had one hand splayed across her chest and the other one flattened against the wall supporting her. "I'm going crazy."

Vidushi looked up from her laptop. "I thought you already were."

Sanyukta ignored her and collapsed onto her bed.

"What is the matter and what time it is?" Kaustuki pushed her hair off her face and looked at the watch owlishly. It was a little before midnight.

"Something just weird happened!" Sanyukta puffed out her cheeks.

"Awesome!"

Sanyukta and kaustuki jumped at Vidushi's laugh. For a moment, they forgot she was still there with them, in the same room.

Vidushi was flipping through some book. She, as if sensing Kaustuki's negative vibe like voodoo, looked their way. "What?"

"Why are you laughing?" Kaustuki asked.

"Why is that a crime now?" Vidushi retorted back. "And anyways I'm reading shakespeare. You won't understand it."

"Oh we won't?" Kaustuki said. Sanyukta was fighting back a smile. "Ah Vidushi thou art a heartless bitch."

Sanyukta let out a giggle and Vidushi frowned. "What?"

"And we are doesn't understand shakespeare."

Vidushi closed her book and stood up. "Whatever.'' She muttered and swished back out the door.

As soon as her footsteps faded down the hall, kaustuki scoffed. "She's an alien to our planet."

"And so are my feelings!" Sanyukta said shutting the door close. She wanted privacy before she could blurt out all these feelings to kaustuki.

Kaustuki smiled and scooted over to Sanyukta. "So what's up?"

Sanyukta took a deep breath. How is she supposed to explain about all this fluttering? About all these blushes and her heart, doing summersaults whenever Randhir came closer to her.

"I think I have feelings for Randhir," Sanyukta finally said realizing it was the explanation to all her feelings.

Kaustuki stared at her for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"I'm serious kaustu!"

Kaustuki gave her a thumps up. "Yeah sure!"

Sanyukta gave her a death glare that made kaustuki stop laughing. "Ok tell me what happened."

"I was walking and he decided to join me." Sanyukta said.

"Then?"

"Well..." Sanyukta didn't wanted to tell kaustuki about what Randhir said about her. She just wanted it to be for herself. "We were talking and then he laughed at me mockingly and that's when my heart started to do summersaults."

"Then?"

Sanyukta gave her a sly look. "Isn't this enough? I obviously stormed off from there."

Kaustuki clutched her stomach and stood up. "These are because of your pregnancy hormones."

"Huh?"

Kaustuki chewed at her bottom lips. "Pregnancy hormones?" she repeated in a matter of fact tone.

Sanyukta pushed a few puzzles pieces around her mind trying to take in what kaustuki was saying. She did not wanted kaustuki to think she knew nothing about her pregnancy. She tried making sense of Kaustuki's word but failed.

"I'll tell you what that is." Kaustuki explained noticing Sanyukta's blank face. "Pregnant women experience one of the most profound physical and emotional changes through the period of gestation, labor, delivery and birthing. Oxytocin is a bonding hormone that is released, often contributing to a greater connection between adults who experience both a physical and emotional connection. Oxytocin occurs into the blood stream, resulting in a feeling of euphoria often leading to a bonding with the individual or event, which created the stimulation. So in teenage pregnancy it is normal for a girl to be attracted towards her mate physically."

Sanyukta just stared at kaustuki rendered speechless, her brain desperately scrambling to make sense of it all. Her comment was so out of character, so far from what Sanyukta knew of her, she just stared at her open mouthed. She closed her mouth, and then looked at her toes before glancing back up to catch her eye. "I'm the mother. How come you know all this?"

Kaustuki shrugged feeling proud. "I read. So this is just pregnancy hormones, not you."

"Oh." Sanyukta managed to utter a single syllable. My heart reacting that way was because of these pregnancy hormones? Sanyukta wondered. That means I don't have feelings for him the other way.

Just then, Sanyukta's cell chirped interrupting her thought process.

It was Randhir.

"Oh my god it's him!" Sanyukta gasped tossing the phone over to Kaustuki.

"What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Answer it!"

Kaustuki shook her head tossing it back to Sanyukta. "No why should I?"

"Because we are best friends and you were there for me with everything. The memory of everything had gone wrong since day 1 eclipses every time I talk to you about it because the mere fact that I had you as the best friend in the world and even if everything changes, our relationship will be rock solid and unbreakable. Nothing could change that."

Kaustuki stared blankly at Sanyukta. "Oh please give it a rest; I'm not taking the phone!"

"Please! Pretty please with a cherry on top!" Sanyukta pleaded.

"Fine!" Kaustuki grunted taking the phone back. She pressed the answer button.

"Randhir it's me Kaustuki."

A few mumbling was heard. Sanyukta stood up and sat beside kaustuki pressing her ears to the phone as much as she could.

"yeah I know. Sanyukta isn't here. She is..." kaustuki clutched the phone to her chest giving Sanyukta a questioning look.

Lie, Sanyukta mouthed.

Kaustuki stood up and went to stand at the there side of the bed. "Uh... she... um... She stormed of because she needed to pee. Badly."

Sanyukta jaw dropped open and her eyes widened. She grabbed a pillow hurling it at her. Kaustuki sidestepped and it flopped against the wall.

"Yeah she's still in the washroom." Kaustuki continued.

Sanyukta lunged towards where kaustuki was standing but kaustuki, contouring Sanyukta's move, scurried towards the other side of the bed. "Probably she's drinking water a lot and her bladder is really small."

"Kaustuki!" Sanyukta hissed ripping second pillow of the bed and heaving it violently at her. This time Kaustuki caught it with one hand. "Ok yeah I'll tell her you called if she comes out anytime soon." She shut the phone and looked at Sanyukta who was gaping at her with a horrid expression.

"So that was Randhir." She said dropping the phone on Sanyukta's bed.

"Oh god!" Sanyukta cried trying to hide her flaming cheeks with her hand.

Kaustuki just stood as gormless as a guppy. "What?" she said innocently.

Sanyukta's face was the color of an over-ripe tomato. Her eyes and her mouth frozen and wide open in an expression of stunned surprise. She lunged towards kaustuki and tried to dig her nails on Kaustuki's hand.

Kaustuki pulled her hand back with a jerk. "Sanyukta, my nails are way bigger and than yours. Don't make me do that to you too."

"I'm so angry that swear to God I will do something to you that will be chronicled on Investigation Discovery for years to come" Sanyukta threatened hitting kaustuki with the pillow. Kaustuki snatched the pillow from her hand.

Sanyukta sat at the edge of the bed. She ranked her hand through her hair.

Kaustuki pursed her lips. "You told me to lie."

"Wow a huge round of applause for your great lying skills!"

"It wasn't that bad Sanyu!" Kaustuki said, her tone suggesting she might be over-reacting.

That earned kaustuki a stare that had disapproval stamped all over it. "He thinks I'm peeing from the next one hour!" Sanyukta cried.

Kaustuki gave her an apologetic smile. "Okay now when you put it this way..." Sanyukta covered her face with a pillow. "But then it's a good thing that male mates are attracted towards their female mates."

Sanyukta looked up with anticipation. "They are?"

"I'm not so sure but I think yes."

"How do you know?"

"I read it. But I'm not sure!"

Sanyukta stood up. "We need to know. Ask someone."

"Who are we supposed to ask?" Kaustuki said. "Do we know a guy who is close to us and probably won't ask us questions to why we are asking about these stuffs?"

"Ok thanks Parth night."

Sanyukta snapped her phone shut and heaved out a sigh.

"So? What did he tell ya?" Kaustuki asked.

"He said he doesn't know about these stuffs since he never got a girl pregnant." Sanyukta answered.

"And?"

"And that he wants Anaya's no. since he's trying his luck with her."

Kaustuki pulled out her cell from her jeans pocket. "I'll text him her number."

Sanyukta lowered herself onto the corner of her bed, staring into space. Five minutes ticked away and then ten. Sanyukta stared at the ceiling recalling all the fluttering she felt. Though it was just her pregnancy hormones, she still felt all that. The butterflies swaying in her stomach. She couldn't even talk to him on the phone let alone in person. How can she talk to him the next time she sees him? How is she supposed to look him in the eye? His eyes, which tell more about him then he probably will.

Sanyukta glanced at kaustuki who was busy typing. "What should I do now? About my feelings I mean."

Kaustuki looked up. "Well we have to do something about Randhir because feelings can't be controlled.

"Yeah like what?"

"Be creative."

"Like feed him poisons?"

Kaustuki scratched her eyebrow. "I was thinking more like ignoring him."

"Ignoring him?" Sanyukta repeated. "Yeah I can do that. That's easy."

Only if she knew.

***

"What the hell are you doing?"

Anxiety pinched Sanyukta's stomach as she yelped, swinging around.

Randhir stood there in front of her, his hands tucked inside his pockets. He was warning a black tank top that showed off his muscley biceps. Light acne on the lower half of his face making it scary even more.

"Need help with hiding?" He asked with a twist of his lips. He braced his arm on the wall, leaning into her private space.

When Sanyukta didn't answer, Randhir frowned slightly. "Unless you were trying to hide from..." He scratched his cheek, a show of deep contemplation. "Me."

Sanyukta swallowed stepping back. Her mouth went dry and her legs seemed to b made of straw. "I was not hiding Randhir. Why on earth will I ever hide from you?" Her pitch was all over the place clearly signifying that she was mendacious.

"Really?" Randhir said tilting his head sideways.

Sanyukta nodded frantically. "Yeah, I'm not lying."

"Fat chance."

"Could you be anymore persistent?"

"Cause I know you are."

"Cross my heart and hope to die." She continued when lines of deliberation formed on his forehead. "Randhir I'm not lying. Why would I ever lie to y-?"

"We did outrun Randhir!" Sanyukta and Randhir both turned towards the front from where Kaustuki's voice carried out. Sanyukta blinked. In a heartbeat kaustuki emerged from the corner. "Hey we did outrun Randhir! I cannot see him an- O My God Its HIM!"

She shrieked and stopped short noticing Randhir standing in front of Sanyukta.

Kaustuki swallowed, looked at either side of her and bolted to another side.

"Such a good friend you are kaustuki!" Sanyukta called out to her and she heard something like I am sorry.

Randhir's eyes shifted idly over her. "you look pale."

She felt pale, but did not admit it. "I-"

Randhir pressed his finger on her lips. "Why were you hiding from me?"

"The reason is that... I'm in love with Parth." Sanyukta had no idea why she had said it, other than her mouth got in the way of her brain but she decided to continue with the lie anyways. "We are in a secretly relationship and we see each other all-"

"I saw him making out Anaya yesterday."

Sanyukta's eyebrow lifted in surprise. "He did? That's awesome because he was actually trying to have a way with her since a week and its good he finally..."

She trailed off noticing Randhir's expression. She opened her mouth then shut it close. At last, she managed to fake a gasp.

"Oh god he's cheating on me. I can't believe he's cheating on me that... snake!"

"That's it." Randhir said through his clenched teeth, hauling Sanyukta to the wall and pinning her with his body.

"I'm not going to ask it again." He said, slouching down and putting his face closer to hers. "Why were you ignoring me?"

All the feeling was rushing back. Her stomach did one of that flutter things. She knew she needed to get him of her soon before she has a heart attack. Her mind was spinning badly as she thought of another excuse.

"I-". Sanyukta looked around for some excuse and saw a flyer of a party on the board. She said, using the first excuse that came to her mind. "I and kaustuki decided to go out... in a club perhaps and we thought you'll say no so we... lied and tried to hide."

. "Club." Randhir repeated. The tone of his voice led her to believe he is satisfied.

"Yeah." Sanyukta blew out a silent sigh. "So I'm going this Sunday with kaustu and Parth." She said as confident as possible under the circumstances. And the circumstances were she was lying through her teeth.

Randhir didn't say anything for another two one but stepped back. "Well at least it's good to know you know me well because I won't allow it."

Sanyukta frowned. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Are you telling me not to go?"

"Good girl."

Sanyukta blinked confused. "Hey mister, you can't tell me what to do. I. Am. Going."

Randhir shook his head. "Actually I can. No. you. are. Not."

"I am going Randhir."

They stared at each other for three more counts.

"Why you want to go to a club anyways." Randhir finally asked.

"I don't know." Sanyukta answered. And she really didn't. It was merely an excuse and she decided on Sunday she'll tell him she dint go because of her stomachache but when Randhir told her not to, she had this sudden urge to go to club or anywhere. "Maybe because I'm tired kindda all the time," Sanyukta continued raising an uncaring shoulder. "And I want to do something wild for at least one time during my pregnancy and have some fun!"

Randhir looked at her for a moment. "Fine you want to go somewhere?" Sanyukta nodded.

"Do something wild?"

Another nod.

"Ok, this Sunday at 7. Be ready."

Sanyukta's eyes widened. "For what?"

"I'm going to take you somewhere where I can keep an eye on you."

The idea of spending time with Randhir alone turned her stomach into bundle of knots but she dint wanted to show fear in front of him. He already suspects something is off. She said with a straight face. "Stop treating me like a child!"

"Then stop acting like one."

"What I- you were right Randhir I don't wanna go!"

Randhir frowned. "I know you do. Be ready."

"Randhir I can't go with you! "

"Why not?"

Because you are the guy I'm trying to get away from, Sanyukta thought but said. "Just like that."

Randhir shook his head and sidestepped her, heading back to his hostel. Sanyukta grabbed his arm. His eyes dropped to her hand, but he did not pull free.

"Hey you can't ask me to do something I don't wanna." Sanyukta said through her clench teeth. She was very much aware of the fact that she was touching him. However, the fact that Randhir trying to stop her from doing something she wasn't going to do anyways, made her furious. She hated that he was trying to control her.

Randhir eyes scanned her. He grabbed her hand that were on his arm and came closer to her. Sanyukta's hear started beating faster and she very much regretted arguing or touching him. She tried to keep her face masked but her palms started to sweat. Sanyukta felt a blush spring to her cheeks and hopped he missed it in dim light.

"No Sanyukta." Randhir smirked. "I'm not asking you. I'm ordering you to do something you don't want to."

Without waiting for her response, he let go of her hand and walked out of there.

***

There was cold rain all Saturday and Sunday and the air was cool.

Sanyukta had a dog-eared copy on her lap, a pen tucked behind her ear and an empty mug of coffee on her feet.

"What about this one?"

Sanyukta looked up. Kaustuki was holding a pink floral shoulder cut dress. "Tell me what you think kaustu?" she said.

Kaustuki eyed the dress for a min. "Its kindda s**tty. Unless you are trying to seduce Randhir."

"Why, will it work?"

Kaustuki shrugged. "Maybe. It's going to on the normal guy but what you have got is a Randhir."

Sanyukta tossed the book aside and came to stand beside kaustuki. "See I told you, choosing a dress isn't as easy as it looks."

Kaustuki puffed and sat at the edge of her bed. "So you really want to go?"

"No." Sanyukta admitted. "But do I have an option?"

"Actually you do. You can tell him you are not well or something."

Sanyukta tucked the lose strands behind her ear. "Hmm... I just don't wanna lie."

"Or maybe you actually want to go with him." Kaustuki reasoned.

Sanyukta laughed. "You really think I want to go with him knowing how my hormones go crazy around him?" Sanyukta closed her closet door in anger.

"Let me." Kaustuki suggested pushing herself up. She opened Sanyukta's closet and started fiddling through her clothes. "So how are you holding up?"

How am I holding up? Sanyukta thought. She had burned through most of the day with homework's and chores and that had kept her mind off tonight's whatever it was. But now that she was down to final minutes, nervous anticipation overrules all.

"I'm okay." Sanyukta said realizing kaustuki was waiting for her answer. However, the truth was, she wasn't. Every time she thought about it, her heart did summersaults and she would start panicking.

After a moment, kaustuki pulled out a black maternity dress. "This one is hot!"

Sanyukta shook her head. "I don't want Randhir to think that I think it's a date."

"You know what?" Kaustuki said, positioning Sanyukta in front of the bureau mirror. "Leave it on me. I'm going to make you look hot."

Sanyukta checked the clock. It was a few minutes before seven. She had only one more hour to prepare herself.

Sanyukta observed herself in the polished silver mirror. The kohl made her green eyes brighter than usual. Kaustuki had curled her dark locks so that they hung in more waves than curls. Her olive skin was brushed with a light makeup to bring out the sharp structure on her bones and she wore a soft pink shade on her thin lips.

Sweet rose perfume applied to her neck and wrists. Sanyukta exhaled and she relaxed. Kaustuki then fastened an amethyst pendant around her slender neck.

The dress reaches her lower thighs, which were elegant but feminine. The top of the dress ran straight across her chest. A topaz teardrop earring that suited the dress were fastened to her ears that completed her beauty preparation.

Soon, the long shadows of the evening dissolved into the gathering darkness of the nighttime. The air had cooled and the crickets sang.

Sanyukta paced around the room drinking from the water for the 13^th time now. No matter how man times she would lick her lips or wet it with water, her throat felt parched as if the skin had been extracted and laid out in the scorching sun to dry.

When the clock in the room chimed to announce eight, Sanyukta started panicking. "C'mon Sanyu!" Kaustuki said slinging his arm around her shoulder. "Be a warrior not a worrier! Now go and remember text me if something happens!"

Just standing there in the driveway, merely inches from Randhir made her breathing rapid and shallow. She can feel her pulse pounding in her temples.

It was a relief that Randhir's back was turned towards her. It gave her some time to relax and breathe slowly.

After taking a deep breath for the third time, Sanyukta cleared her throat making her existence known.

Randhir turned around. "Good you are early, I thought..." he trailed off noticing Sanyukta. He eyed her up and down, sending a shiver up her already quivering arm. "You don't look like a pregnant old woman." He paused. "Like you used to."

Sanyukta raised her eyebrows, a smile finding its way on her lips. The comment was so likely Randhir. "Well it's not a compliment but I'll take it."

Randhir fetched his cell out of his pocket in order to see the time. This gave Sanyukta a perfect opportunity to check him out.

Randhir wore a black leather jacket under an open-neck shirt with faded jeans. His muscles rippled beneath the cloth as if with a life of their own. His hair was still thick with unruliness that expensive cutting had not completely disciplined. It added to the attractiveness, hinting at an untamed individuality, which far removed from the boredom of conventional male good looks.

Sanyukta's heart ricocheted off her rib cage. Deep breathe, she ordered herself.

"You don't look that ugly too." She said.

Randhir look up, his mouth twitched and Sanyukta was pretty sure he was fighting a smile. "I know."

He then started walking towards his car. When Sanyukta stayed rooted on her place, he raised hi eyebrow. "Planning on joining me anytime soon?"

Sanyukta hesitated. Can I do this? She thought and shook her head rapidly disallowing her second thoughts to get the better of her. And anyways, she had no option but to follow him. Actually, she did have a choice. She could tell him that she is not feeling good. Apparently, in pregnancy a sudden pain out of nowhere wasn't a big deal.

As a result, she did have an option to get away from all this. Nevertheless, a part of her, a really small part of her did wanted to spend some time with Randhir. Even if she wont admit it, she did miss him. She was aware of the fact that it was all her hormones but still, her hormones were made of her.

Hence, Sanyukta did the bravest thing- She smiled and followed Randhir.

"At least tell me where you are taking me." Sanyukta said once she was inside the car. She strapped herself in, her heart thundering behind her rib cage.

Randhir smirked climbing into the driver seat then hauling the door close. He turned on the engine and put the car in drive.

"You'll see."

AN:

So? (Wriggle eyebrows)

How was this chapter? And where do u all think he's taking her? Any guesses... ???

And yes guys, the character of Parth is kindda different.