SS: Tu rooh ka humnava hai. Yeh jismon ka rishta nahin. Update Page 67 - Page 23

What’s up my Rooh readers ?
Finally the next chapter is here. Neil and Saira are continuing to show how much they mean to each other without realizing how and why.
I particularly loved writing Saira’s anger part. How Neil tried to pacify her and how she confessed what exactly made her angry.
I really wanted a scene where Neil and Saira’s relationship will be questioned and here you go.
I chose Saira and Samir’s engagement day for that. I really loved writing that part where no one existed around them but only them.
I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.
The coming chapters will be better with all the twists and turns.
Thanks again for reading.

Neil and Saira were ditched by Naira for Saira’s engagement shopping. She wanted to let them spend some time together hoping for them to realize their love for each other. She also knew that Neil was deep down affected by the wedding even if he wasn’t expressing it. After their shopping when they arrived near his car he started feeling unwell. Saira started to panick and was about to call the ambulance or a taxi to take him to the hospital but he refused. He wanted to go home instead. Saira wanted to call a cab but he refused to leave the car there and asked her to drive. First she refused but when he said that if not her then he will, she took her courage in both hands and drove. Neil saw her tears rolling down her cheeks even though no sound came out of her mouth. She parked the car near Neil’s house and helped him come out of it. Once inside the house, she made him sit on the couch and went to get him a glass of water. When she came back he was fit and fine. Confused and shocked, she finally realized he was never unwell.

« You… did you just fool me ? », she asked.
« I wanted you to overcome your fear of driving before you get married. », he said.

Furious, she didn’t say a word and ran out of the house. Neil quickly picked the keys and ran behind her. He wanted to sort out as quickly as possible as it started raining heavily. He grabbed her arm and pulled her.

« Saira, we will both catch a cold. Please, let’s go back home and talk about it. », he said.
« Good. At least we will get sick for real without faking it. », she taunted him.
« Let’s go home. », he requested again.
« I don’t wanna talk. You fooled me, end of discussion. », she said.
« Don’t take it like this Saira. You want to hit me or get angry at me then do it but please come back home. », he said pulling her closer.
« Leave me alone. », she shoved him away.
« Then let me drop you home at least. », he said.
« No thanks, I will take the bus. », she replied.

She walked to the bus stop and waited a few minutes before the bus came. She got on and took place. Someone sat next to her with a thud. She turned her head and saw Neil seated next to her. She rolled her eyes and turned her head again to ignore him. He didn’t say a word and his eyes were looking everywhere but her. When he realized that she was shivering he tried to warm her up but she jerked her hands away. Once off the bus, he walked by her side till her house. She didn’t argue or ask him to stop following her but she didn’t want to talk to him. Without saying bye, she closed the door.

That night he called her a few times but she didn’t take the calls. This was the first time she was that mad at him and he had no idea what to do. The next day after his work, he went to see her at her place. Her mother opened the door and welcomed him. Saira came downstairs a while later and was surprised seeing them together. Saira rolled her eyes.

« Meena Aunty your chicken curry is so delicious. I need the recipe. You should also teach your daughter so that after the wedding she can make her husband happy. », Neil said.
« I don’t even know if you are praising me or trying to tease my daughter. Ok, no answer from her. It means something happened between you two. », she concluded.
« She wants to kill me but she can’t because she knows she will miss me after that. », he said placing his arm on her shoulder.

Her silence was killing him inside. He would gladly take her taunts and insults if only she gave him any kind of reaction.

« Bye Maa, will be back in an hour. », she said ready to leave.
« Bye aunty but don’t forget to send me the recipe on WhatsApp.», he rushed outside after winking at her. « How long will you ignore me ? », he asked to Saira once they were away from the house.
« I don’t want to talk to the person who doesn’t understand me. », she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.
« Ok I am sorry. I souldn’t have forced you to overcome your fear. », he apologized.
« You still don’t get it. », she replied with welled up eyes.
« Then explain. What’s pissing you off ? », he asked.
« I am not pissed, I am hurt. », she shouted at him her tears menacing to roll down her cheeks.
« Explain it to me, what’s hurting you ? If it’s not about making you drive then what is it ? », he asked.
« It’s how easily you faked being unwell. How could you do this to me ? Do you know how worried I was ? I almost died thinking something happened to you. », she cried.
« So you were mad at me because you were worried for me not because you had to drive ? », he asked.
« I f*cking don’t care about that. Had you applied another excuse to get me behind the wheel, I would have kicked your ass or slapped you on the head. », she said.
He pulled her against him, « Thanks. Good to know that losing me or something bad happening to me is one of your fears too. »
« Shut up ! », she hit his chest.
« I am sorry. », he caressed her cheek with a smile. « Are we fine now ? », he asked.

She nodded smiling back at him. He walked away from her but came back and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Her one day anger was a thousand deaths for him. He himself didn't know why and how she became so important. He was happy to know that the way she meant the world to him he too was special for her.

**************

Family members and close friends reunited to celebrate Saira and Samir's engagement. Saira's parents being a little conservative didn't want music and dance but as Samir's family wanted to enjoy they ended up agreeing to their demands. After the would be married couple exchanged the rings, Samir's siblings and friends performed on stage for the couple. Naira, Neil and Saira's cousin didn't want to stay behind. Just when the music stopped, a thunder clapped loudly. It was heavily raining outside. Neil smiled and walked towards Saira. He grabbed her hand and took her outside while the crowd watched them jump up and down like kids from the glassdoor. The song Rim Jhim by Jubin Nautiyal played on making the situation awkward for her parents. The lyrics « Saare sheher mein sirf humko bhigaya hai. Pehli mohabbat hai aur pehli yeh baarish hai. Bhar lo baahon mein asmaan ki nawazish hai. » made them look like two lovers. If the scene looked that way for others, for Saira and Neil it was another story. Saira had told him once that she had a weird wish. She wanted God to pour his blessings through the rain on one of her special days like the engagement, mehendi or even the sangeet.

« You made a wish and God wouldn't fulfil it ? Is it even possible ? », he winked at her.
« I am a good kid that's why. », she said proudly.
« No, God must be amused by the peculiar wish. He must be laughing at himself for creating an unique piece like you. », he laughed.

Saira pouted and glared at him but then his laughter was too contagious to continue to sulk.

The next day, Saira woke up late. She joined her mother in the living room and shared her breakfast with her. Her mother was a little unhappy about her daughter and Neil's friendship. When she requested her to distance herself from him because she was getting married, Saira got pissed.

« Samir has no problem with our friendship. He himself has the same friendship with Nassiha. », Saira reminded her.
« You should be careful. You have no idea how quickly a man's heart changes. », Meena said.
« Then he is not the right guy for me. », Saira replied.
« Saira try to understand what I am trying to say. Samir may not have an issue but his family will sooner or later. », Meena said.
« Maa, if you want me to choose between marriage and friendship then I will choose friendship. I am not dying to get married. You are. So don't push me. I can easily call off my wedding but I can't leave Neil. I hope you get that ? », Saira replied angrily.
« SAIRA. », Meena didn't like her attitude.
« If you can't understand Neil's importance in my life then why should I accept your demand ? », Saira asked.

Saira spotted Neil who heard their entire conversation. He felt guilty for being the reason of a mother and her daughter's fight but he was extremely happy that Saira was ready to call off her wedding for him. Saira didn't say a word and in front of her mother she held his hand and dragged him outside.

**************

Neil organized a dinner party at his place. During the pre-dinner, they played a game. It started with a blindfolded Saira who had to guess the object by the smell, feel or taste. Naira sprayed Neil's perfume on a tissue paper and asked her to guess what it was.

« Neil's perfume. », she said with a smile.
« Not bad, not bad. », Naira applauded.

It was Samir's turn to guess the taste of lauki ka halwa which was brought to Neil by his mother. Samir knew it was a halwa but he didn't know which one. Naira had to feel a plush toy. They all teased her and scared her by telling her to be careful. Thinking that she was touching a furry animal, she made a few funny sounds and faces. Nassiha had to taste a rotten gummy which she threw immediately. Saira made Neil smell a mixture of egg and after shave.

« Is it the smell of your feet, Nini ? », Neil joked.
« Hahaha very funny. », Naira rolled her eyes.

Neil knew it was egg mixed with something. Saira was made to taste a spoon of ginger wasabi sauce and she was almost breathless. She guessed it right but cursed Neil and Naira like anything. Samir was asked to feel Saira's engagement ring which he guessed it right and everyone teased the two would be husband and wife. Naira was asked to smell a bowl of water and when she couldn't smell anything they all made fun of her. Nassiha had to caress Samir's cheek which she guessed perfectly right. Naira found Saira's silky shawl in Neil's atelier which she left months ago after a party. When Saira saw it she was shocked. She had completely forgotten about it and didn't expect him to keep it. Neil guessed it right as soon as he touched it. It was Naira's another attempt to make Neil and Saira understand that they were soulmates.

« Thanks I am taking it back. », Saira said taking it from Naira.
« Sorry that shawl inspires me for my painting so it will stay with me. », he snatched it from Saira's hand while she frowned.
« You are a painter ? », Nassiha asked.
« Not really. I love to paint though. », Neil replied.
« He is an amazing painter. », both Naira and Saira said at the same time.

Naira blindfolded Saira and brought Neil's thumb near her making him worried. Saira bit his thumb making Neil almost shout in pain but Naira closed his mouth with her hand. Saira chuckled.

« Neil's thumb ? », she asked.
« How the hell do you know that ? That too when Neil has beautiful girly hand. », Naira asked curious.
« Ouch first you hurt my finger then you hurt my male ego. Not done. », Neil said.
« Hey I said beautiful hands so I was praising them. », Naira made fun of him proudly.

The game continued for some time while Naira tried to show how Neil and Saira knew each other and could feel one another like soulmates. This didn't go unnoticed by Nassiha. A few days later when they met again, she shared her opinion with him about Neil and Saira's friendship.

« I have noticed something weird about their friendship. There is something more than friendship, I am telling you. », she started.« Remember the day we met them ? When Neil’s niece praised Saira, the way he looked at her screamed love. And how come his niece knows Saira but not Naira when both are his friends. », she added.
« Naira lived with her husband back then. I am sure she had missed many gatherings. », he replied.
« Come on Sam, do you know how long Neil is friends with Naira ? More than a decade. And how long is Neil friends with Saira ? Just four years. », she informed him.
« Just four years ? It’s long four years. », he said.
« That’s not the point. My point is he knows Naira longer than Saira and vice versa yet they have better understanding with each other than with Naira. I don’t know if I am making sense. », she tried to explain.
« You are not. », he replied with a smile.
« Do you remember Naira said something about Neil. He is not a leader, nor a partner but a knight in shining armor. I am sure it had a hidden meaning. », she continued.
« Nass, you are overthinking. », he said.
« What do you have to say about Neil knowing Saira’s deepest secrets and wishes. How come he knows that she wanted the rain to pour on her engagement but you didn’t ?», she asked.
« Nass enough. What are you trying to do ? Saira told me Neil is her friend and I believe her because I know the value of friendship. You and I are also close but is there love between us ? No. It’s the same with them too. », he replied.
« I don’t know about Saira but Neil definitely has feelings for her. The way he looks at her it shows how deeply he is in love with her. », she said.
« Should I break up with Saira because of him ? What are you trying to say ? », he asked angrily. «Listen Nass, it doesn’t matter what he feels. I only care about what she wants. She said Neil is her friend then I trust her. If I don’t then I don’t deserve her because she was pretty much clear since the beginning that her friendship was very important. How can I expect her to accept us if I can’t accept them ? », he added.
« Believe me, their friendship is nothing like ours. And by the way what was her shawl doing in his atelier ? », she continued.
« Enough Nass, enough. Now it’s actually pissing me off. Call me when you will be over this nonsense. », he said and left.