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PART 13:
Kripa started shivering as the water and vinegar started evaporating from her skin. Angad looked around, but could not find anything to cover her. He took off his partially dried shirt and placed it on her shoulders, "just wear this for now….I will go and get some dry clothes for you."
Kripa looked at her shoulders and felt his large cotton shirt around her. She snuggled inside the shirt and folded her arms.
Angad found an old half sleeve t-shirt in her collection of turtlenecks inside her closet. He put on a clean t-shirt himself and came back to the kitchen.
"Here….you can put this on,"
"Actually, I would like to have a shower," she sneezed a couple of times.
"Not yet……you may still have some toxin on your skin, you should wait to get under water for a couple of hours…..hey are you cold?" Angad asked
She nodded her head.
"OK…..let me make some hot chocolate for you…..why don't you sit on the couch," he helped her settle down in the living room.
He came back with some hot chocolate and toast, "here you go…..it will make you feel better."
Angad smiled as he saw that she had not changed into her t-shirt yet, instead was still wearing his shirt.
"Thanks," she smiled, 'wonder who is the caretaker now?"
"Well…..remember we are just friends and not caretakers anymore," he sat down beside her. He watched her sip on the hot chocolate cautiously, holding the cup firmly with both hands.
"Kya dekh rahe ho?" she looked up at him gazing at her.
"yahi ki, in 3-4 dino mein tum kitni badal gayi ho…..I wish I could capture this sight with my camera," he grinned.
She felt a little self-conscious and wrapped his shirt on her snugly, "don't tell anyone Angad."
"What do I not tell anyone? That you were stung by a jellyfish?" he chuckled
"No…that you have …..you have seen me….." she turned red with embarrassment.
Angad laughed out loudly, " Seen you without your turtleneck? Oh Kripa…..don't worry…..this will be our little secret…OK?" he became a little serious and held her hand, "after all what are friends for?"
Kripa felt her skin get warm again as he held her hand; she was beginning to react more overtly to his touch now. Earlier, his touch confused her; she was not aware why her body reacted to him like that, but now it was becoming clear to her- he not only touched her skin, but her heart and soul each time. She felt a warm and soothing feeling inside her whenever he was close to her; she wanted him to come closer…..she wanted him to hold her…..she wanted to rest her head on his shoulder……bury her head in his chest…..she wanted every part of her to belong to him……….she had never felt this way about anyone before.
Angad noticed the blood rushing into her cheeks as he held her hand. He looked into her eyes; he could read them clearly: SHE WAS FALLING FOR HIM! Was she in love with him? He could read the longing in her eyes; the tenderness and yearning in them……..what had he done?
Angad withdrew his hand and looked away, "Hey Kripa…..I think I should go and shower….why don't you rest here for sometime."
"I like your company, can you sit with me for a while?" she requested.
"Sure," he was pleasantly surprised; the girl who hated people around her was requesting his company!
He obliged and leaned back on the couch.
Kripa sat back too and then started talking, "Angad, I need to tell you something about myself."
"Yeah?" he asked
"You wanted to know why I hide behind turtlenecks and pants? Well….I think I have been hiding from myself all those years and not from anyone else……," she went on to tell Angad about her childhood and traumatic teenage years, her struggle with her eating disorder, her compulsive behaviors and her inability to please her mom despite her best efforts.
Angad had tears in his eyes when he heard her poignant story. He thought, "no wonder…..she was hiding from herself for so many years…..feeling guilty for something she never did…..how could her mother be so heartless…..I am going to make sure she will get the recognition she deserves……she is such a wonderful and beautiful person……her self esteem has been crushed by so many people….I will always support her and be there for her….I will always be her friend…no matter what."
Angad put his arm around her shoulder. Kripa instantly rested her head on his shoulder and started sobbing. She had never confided about her innermost fears and feelings to anyone- not even to the counselor her parents took her too during her teen years. Angad understood her better than anyone ever had…..he recognized the real person inside her… …..he saved her life…..he made her realize that she was a wonderful person….. he called her BEAUTIFUL!
They sat quietly in each other's arms for sometime. Angad wanted Kripa to feel secure and comfortable with him; he wanted her to trust him completely.
He thought, "I can not play with her feelings. She is very sensitive and vulnerable….our friendship is so pure and self-less, I don't want to ruin it by giving her any wrong messages…..I don't want her to get hurt…….I don't want her to have any expectations from our relationship…..this friendship is very dear to me, and I will not let my physical desires ruin what is between us….I don't trust myself…..I know myself, if I get too close to her physically, I might never feel the same way for her and spoil our friendship….Kripa, I promise I am your friend for life, but please don't fall in love with me……I don't deserve your love…..I mean love in the physical way…..you are too dear to me….I don't want to lose you."
Kripa sobbed silently on his chest, crushing his t-shirt with her fingers. She thought, "I don't know Angad if this is the love they talk about in books and movies, but if it is……I love you and always will…….I don't know if you feel the same way for me……you have changed my life forever……I love you…I love you….." she whispered very softly, her voice muffled in his chest over his heart.
"Did you say something?" Angad asked as he pulled away a little.
Kripa shook her head; she was too shy to say those words loudly.
Just then the phone rang. Kripa answered the phone.
"Hello…..Oh Hi Prithvi…..abhi…..Oh you are off today? Actually, I am not well," she looked up at Angad, "No..No…You don't need to come…..I just need some rest…..may be in the evening…..I will call you later….yes, Angad is doing well…..Oh you want to come and see him tonight? OK….at 7….see you then." Kripa hung up the phone and muttered under her breath, "chipkoo!"
Angad laughed, "I heard that! Dr Chipkoo! Why did you not let him come now? He could have checked you out too!" he teased her. Angad was kind of relieved that Kripa did not care for the desi doctor-saab!
"I don't need a doctor….I have a friend," she smiled and stood up.
After they both showered and freshened up, Kripa came out wearing a sleevless V-necked white dress with her wet hair left open on her shoulders.
"Hey…I didn't know you had a dress in your closet!" Angad exclaimed
"Mishti brought it for my last birthday, but I never wore it till today," she smiled
"You have beautiful shoulders….and a beautiful neck," he remarked, "you know I am a photographer…I notice these things."
Kripa just blushed, but was a little disappointed that he was observing her though his camera lens and not his eyes at this point.
"I need some help from you."
"Sure…I am always ready to help a friend," he said.
"I know you should not be driving yet, but I need to get to Eye Masters before noon today, otherwise, I will be blind as a bat all day."
"Sure…I will drive you….don't tell Dr Chipkoo!" they both laughed and left the house.
At Eye Masters, Kripa checked out several frames, but Angad kept making dirty faces at each frame.
"You need to let me select at least one Angad!" she sounded frustrated.
"OK…come with me…..sit down here," Angad asked the sales rep for help, "can we see your contact lens specialist?"
"Contacts?" Kripa gasped.
"Yes! You have the most beautiful and expressive pair of eyes in this world…..I can't let you hide them from the world….so keep quiet now!" Angad said authoritatively.
Kripa relented. They were out of the store in an hour, with new contact lenses in her eyes. Kripa felt like a new person today.
"Let's go to the mall now," Angad suggested.
He helped her select a few skirts, dresses and tops, "these will look great on you….go and try them," he handed her the clothes.
"How do you know?" Kripa asked
"I have an eye for women, Ms Kripa Sharma! My job is to make people look beautiful!" he smiled.
Kripa was happy with his choices; he even got her size right, "how does he know so much about women…..or does he know so much about me only?" she blushed at the thought.
They had a quick Sushi lunch at the mall.
"We have one thing in common," Angad said as he ate the spicy sushi roll with his chop sticks.
"What?" Kripa nibbled at her salmon.
"We both love Sushi! I will take you to my favorite Sushi place in uptown….hey where do you live by the way?" Angad asked
"I live with my parents on Long Island…..I don't go to the city often." She said softly
"What about college….you went to Columbia…didn't you?"
"Yes….my dad dropped and picked me…..my mom feels I might not be able to handle city life on my own."
"So how did she let you come here alone for a week?" Angad asked
"Well…..my dad gave me permission….mom thinks I am with some college friends," she added
"OH…so your dad has more faith in his daughter?"
"Yes…..I am very close to dad, but dad cannot say anything in front of mom…..so he told me to keep it a secret." She said
"Why does your mom feel you cannot take care of yourself?" he asked
"I guess she is over-protective….she is afraid I might do something to myself if left alone for too long," she defended her mother
"Or over-destructive!" he said sarcastically
"Angad! She is my mom! Why would she want to destroy me?" Kripa said indignantly
Angad was surprised that Kripa was still ready to forgive her mom for what she had done to her life.
"Hey…..we have some vacant apartments in our building….why don't you move there? Convince your parents that you need independence now…..you need to experience the city…and then we can meet often and hang out together…..I still have to take you to my favorite bakery and ….."
"…and Sushi place," she laughed and completed his sentence.
Kripa pondered with the idea of moving to the city, and that too near Angad's apartment. The very thought gave her goose bumps, "OK…I will talk to dad when we get back."
That evening, they both spent time at home and went out for a long walk on the beach. Kripa walked bare foot on the beach and did not bother to collect any more white shells. She abandoned her writing for the evening; she could not concentrate on it anyhow.
Prithvi arrived at 7 pm, but they were out on the beach at that time. Prithvi rang the bell and called Kripa's phone several times, but did not get any answers. He was really disappointed and left the flowers he had purchased on the door step with a note, 'MISSED YOU…..WILL TRY AGAIN"
Angad and Kripa came back, but never bothered to look outside the front door; they had both forgotten that Prithvi had told them that he would be there that evening.
Kripa prepared their favorite midnight pancake snack. As they were mixing and playing with the batter and syrup, they heard the backdoor unlatch.
"Hey guys! It's me! I am back from Miami!" Mishti walked in with a big smile. Her smile faded when she saw Kripa in a skirt and sleeveless top mixing the batter and Angad standing close to her in his shorts and shirt, cracking the eggs!
….to be contd…..
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