SS: Bahut Kathin hai part 8 page 12 (last) 21-7 - Page 5

Hey ranju,

That was brilliant part!!! I won't call jai a moron, because I can get where he is coming from!!!! He had loved bani all his life, had protected her but was so embroiled in his own personal crisis, that he failed to see bani as a woman. Now suddenly seeing bani become into such strong headed lady, he is a bit taken aback because for him she will always be the sweet little girl who never said 'no' to him. She has moved on but he is standing still…He is fighting with time, his past and of course his present…

I am starting to empathize with jai…poor baby!!!! (Why do we always end up doing that, are we so obsessed with the character of Jai?? I guess the answer is a BIG YES)

To be honest, jai and bani's volatile relationship reminds me of Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter…Rupert and Emma brilliantly portray the characters…I love to see the undercurrents of tension between them…they were way too cute in Goblet of fire (though I didn't like the film)

Continue soon!!!!

God bless
Dhani

Thanks for all the comments!!!!🤗. Please ignore mistakes.

- The day they realized the truth cant be ignored-

Bani flung herself on her bed. Her hand felt heavy and she felt suffocated when she was supposed to feel happy. The ring on her finger sparkled in the sunlight, but she had the urge to take it off her finger and throw it out of the window.

Still, Pushkar was a good man. Bani couldn't even understand herself for not liking him. a looked nice, was polite and well behave. He had a nice job and was ambitious in his life. He respected his family. Even to her own ears Pushkar sounded like the perfect man. except, she couldn't accept the perfect man. Why couldn't she be happy?
every question was answered in her own mind. she couldn't be happy because she was marrying someone she didn't love, and she was pining for someone who knew she existed, but that must be about it.

Her engagement last night should have been the most beautiful experience in her life, up till now, but it was the most horrifying experience she had been though. The entire day she was really close to stop it all, but one look at her parents was enough for Bani to get engaged. Still, even if she had cancelled the engagement, what would she have said? That she cancelled it because she was in love with someone else? They wouldn't have been satisfied with only this as an answer. Who's name would she take? Jai's?

As usual he was late for her engagement. And it couldn't get started as long as he wasn't there. Krishna aunty was with her parents the entire day and went home to freshen up. As soon as Jai would get home, she would come with him. But Jai was late. Very late. The priest was cribbing about Mahurat and all when Nishikant and Kiran decided to go ahead with the ceremony. Just before Bani would slip the ring around Pushkar's finger he stepped in the house, glared at her and sat on a stool near the bar. The ceremony was completed, everyone congratulated the couple. Kiran, Nishikant and Krishna hugged her with tears in their eyes, but he only glared at her. and he kept glaring.

If the engagement had happened before their fight, then Jai would have dragged her out of the house and no one would looked surprised. Jai had that right over her, everyone knew. But things had changed between them, otherwise he wouldn't sit there quietly. Had Jai been happy than he would have danced with the rest of the guests, smiled form ear to ear and joked with everyone. Now he only reacted to her parents.

Bani smiled and stood near her fianc the entire night like a statue, smiling like always and receiving all the blessings and good wishes. And now she was crying, thinking about her friend when she should be blushing and thinking about her fiance, experiencing butterflies in her stomach. Not the sickening feeling she had now.

Bani heard her mother call her downstairs. To celebrate her engagement Krishna had invited the Dixits to their house outside the city in their weekend retreat. It wasn't uncommon for them to spend some time there. When Uday was alive they were there almost every weekend. He had liked the company and didn't want to hear any excuses. It became a habit which didn't break after his death. The only time Bani refused to go, making excuses about studies and later her demanding job, was during Jai's marriage. Bani took her bag with clothes. Not too much, just for this weekend.

Pushkar had already called her and excused himself last night. He and his family needed to leave immediately for a family emergency. He left immediately after the party and had not called her yet. And somehow she didn't feel the need to call him and act like a fiance. Bani heard the engine of their car. Her father must be waiting for them in the car. Instead of driving to the highway the car turned to the Walia's house.

**

Jai pulled up in the driveway. He heard some voices coming out of the house and suddenly remembered that they made the plans to go out of the city. He briefly stepped out of the car to take pick up his bag that must have been prepared for him. The Dixits were sitting in the living room with his mother. He saw his mother's accusing glance. .
'Sorry, just some last moment changes I had to brief the office about.' Jai said holdings his hands up in surrender.

A glare from his mother was enough to shut him up. 'Yeh lo tumhaara bag.' She shoved the bag in his hands. 'Hum jaa rahe hai, tumko aana hai to aao.'

'maa!' he whined, just to lessen angry, or at least fake angry. Nishikant, Kiran and Bani smiled at the known scene. ' I am going with your aunty and uncle. Tum Bani ke saath aa jana.' Krishna said to him. The hidden smile turned into a scowl and Bani couldn't help but feel hurt.

Slowly Bani made her way to his car and sat in the passengers seat. Jai got in, started the car and made his way towards the high way. Normally Bani would fidget with the radio, trying to find a song that would suit her mood, straighten out the glove compartment which would be cluttered with papers and other kinds of mess. Now she sat still, hurled up in a corner of the seat, leaning against the window. Jai had noticed the change in her but didn't make an effort to make her more comfortable. 'Let her suffer.'

It wasn't really what he wanted. But it was true that he thought that this engagement was wrong. Pushkar was the wrong man for her. yes he was nice and polite and responsible and all the other things Bani had said Pushkar was. But along with those 'qualities' he was too serious in his life and his views about marriage differed too much from Bani's. She wanted to work, have her own life and Pushkar didn't seem to be the kind of man who would allow that. And from what Jai had seen of Pushkar, when he obviously had talked to him, and about his family, they were extremely conservative.

Slowly Bani drifted off. Jai noticed it after a good fifteen minutes later and eased the safety belt , which was strung tightly against her, out of her neck. It had left a red mark though. And she was shivering. Jai lowered the ac. He saw Nishikant's car move ahead, out of his sight. Half and hour later he came across a store and stopped there.
Bani woke up when she heard the door close. Jai sat down. She looked around and saw that they had stopped near a store. He handed her a bottle of diet coke and a packet off biscuits. An energy drink was in his hands. It was the usual routine. They always stopped at this store and bought exactly the same stuff. And hour later they reached the house.

Bani settled herself in the room she always had. When he was alive, Uday had made sure Bani had everything in her room he could give her. An attached bathroom, a complete entertainment system and all the books and cd's of her taste. This room was really special for her. She hadn't changed a thing after Uday made some changes for her and he died three months later.

She was wondering whether she should go back downstairs. Jais punishing silence was proving to be too much for her. Still, she went to the living area and met Jai on the way. Without looking at her he got in his room and shut the door.

Krishna, Nishikant and Kiran decided to rest for a while. Ja had not come down since he made his way to his room. Bani looked around in the house. There wasn't a lot too do. She went to the kitchen which she knew would be fully stocked. Maybe making lunch would help her keep her mind off Jai and her engagement.

Two hours later she had made a few simple dishes and a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies. The aroma must have woken her parents and Krishna, because moments after she took the cookies out of the oven they came out of their rooms and joined her. But they were not the only ones. Jai came down too.

How's your headache?' her mother asked him.
Bani looked up. He had an headache and didn't care to tell her anymore. it was clear now. She didn't have the same place in his live anymore.

Jai mumbled something incoherently. He stayed inside even when their parents went out for a walk. Jai loved this area. His head must be hurting badly. Bani had stayed in the house to clean up after lunch and appeared with a few cookies she had saved for later, a cup tea and painkillers he would refuse to take, but she would make him.

Jai did as expected. Grumbled, mumbled and gave up when he took the medicine. They danced around each other the rest of the day. Even their parents noticed that something was wrong with both of them. They tried to pry it out of them but failed miserably. Just some random, unsatisfying assurances of being all right was given to them until they gave up. Dusk fell and Kiran and Nishikant retired to their room for the evening, tired from the journey and the walk they had made. Krishna soon left for her own room when she noticed that Bani, who was usually very chatty with her, preferred to be silent. Jai and Bani were left alone in the living room. Bani had waited for this opportunity. She went to her room, showered and changed into her comfortable pyjama's with her large Snoopy shirt and track pants, before she went to the living area again. The shower helped her to calm her mind a bit, order her thoughts and prepare herself for the conversation she wanted to have with Jai.

Jai, are you mad at me?' Bani asked tentatively.He mumbled and grumbled some more. 'I know you are.' She said lowering her head, trying to shield her eyes from his gaze. ' I'm sorry Jai.' Bani whispered in choked voice.

Jai suddenly stood up. He had never thought she would be on the verge of crying. Yes, he was mad at her, at everything around them. He wanted her to see his reasons and try to understand that she was making a mistake. He didn't want to bring her to tears. In no time Jai sat next to her, at the end of the table where he usually sat when they were her and pulled her in a loving and comforting embrace. It was then that she started sobbing, leaving a stain of tears on his shirt.

'I'm tired Jai. I cant do this without you. You're my best friend.' She whispered in between her tears. He stroke her head lovingly and soothed her disturbed mind until the sobs died down after a while. Jai made her sit up straight and wiped her tears.

Silence crept in again. ' You really want to do this don't you?' Jai asked her.

'You wont Jai. I promise.' Bani said solemnly.

'So, what do you want to do?' Jai asked her. ' Abhi neend nahin aa rahi hai mujhe!'
'Movie?'

From the very first scene they started discussing what was different in the movie and how much it deferred from the image they had come up while reading the book. Their conversation didn't stop until Jai paused the movie to attend to nature's call. He came back to find Bani resting her head against the sofa with her eyes closed.
'Aage nahin dekhna hai?' Jai asked her. She opened her eyes and nodded her head in affirmative. He resumed the movie but not very long after that he felt her head against her shoulder, which was strange. She never did that, but it was explained when he saw that Bani's eyes were closed. She was breathing deeply and softly. Jai settled Bani in the crook of his arm letting her lean against his chest. He decided to watch the rest of the movie as there were just thirty minutes left.

Slowly he laid her on the sofa drawing his hand from underneath her head. Jai cleared up the mess they had made and turned off the TV before he shook Bani lightly, whispering her name. She moaned something and pushed his hand away.
'Bani get up warna ghaseet ke le jaunga.' He smiled at her.

Bani waved his threat of, turned her back to him mumbling. 'Sone dijiye na.'

'Yahan, sofa pe? Thand lag jaayegi. And you'll be all alone. For the entire night!!' Jai warned her in a tone that always frightened her. To his surprise she didn't react or move an inch.
' Oh God. Ab isko uthaana bhi parega.' He grumbled while gently lifting her of the sofa. Again surprising him she snuggled up in his arms while he carried her to her room.

'Bani, when did you put on so much weight?' Jai asked her with a smile, checking whether she was really sleeping. She was otherwise she would have hit him by now. The door to her room was open, luckily, so he had no trouble getting in the room. He placed her on the bed and covered her with a thick blanket. Jai had not been able to remove his right hand from under Bani's sleeping body, when he felt her roll over on his arm. He couldn't leave now without waking her. He called her name gently.

'Bani, roll back. You are not comfortable lying like this.' He said to her.

She wasn't responding. Jai moved closer to her.

'sweetheart, let me go.' He whispered near her ear. Jai felt a sharp thug in his chest when he smelled the flowery scent lingering in Bani's hair.

His hand moved on it's own to her left cheek with a delicate touch, travelling to her fastened hair burying his fingers in the unruly strands.

Baccha log, and everyone who know they don't like *uhm* *uhm*, out!! (no it's not that bad, but still)

What he heard next blew his mind. His name in a soft moan escaped her lips. Bani's sleep filled eyes fluttered open and stared at him, in an utterly desirable way. Jai ran his hand over her cheek again. The distance between them closed as soft lips touched tentatively first and grew bolder. Bani raised herself slightly to release his arm from under neat her, giving Jai time to remove the scrunchy she had used to tie her hair with. It caused her body to mould against his. Taking that as an encouragement Jai partly removed the blanket from her replacing it with his hands on her hips. Caught up in their emotions nothing crossed their minds except the other, except what they were feeling right now. Bani put her arms around Jai when she knew that the end of their kiss was nearing. It didn't matter though. He continued dropping soft kisses on her cheek, her jaw, the column of her neck and her shoulder, baring her skin where his lips met it. She turned her head away to give him better access to whatever he was doing.

Bani felt his hands travel under her shirt, resting on her stomach and making circles on the skin there when his lips returned where they wanted to be. On hers. He enjoyed the feeling of the soft skin and the womanly curves under his fingers. ' You turned into such a beautiful woman.' He whispered against her mouth when before resuming their task reverently.

Jai's words and fingers were ringing like and alarm bell in her mind. Somewhere there was this image of a man who's ring Bani was wearing.

' No, I want be here.' She warned her mind. This is where she belonged.

Still Bani couldn't shake off the image from her mind.

Jai was surprised when he heard her whimpering. He released her immediately and saw tears rolling down her cheeks from her closed eyes. He straightened her clothes, covered her quickly with the blanket again and kissed her temple tenderly. Jai left her in the dark room, curled up to one side. Bani heard a loud bang and knew he was in his room now. she started crying her heart out.

Hey ranju,

That was Brillinat part!!!! So, the truth is out, well, even after this that stupid jai doesn't realize, I seriously would go and hit him with my floaters (how boring for a girl to wear them, but I love them, highly comfortable)!!!

Poor bani…my heart goes out to her!!!

Continue soon…

God bless
Dhani