Part 18
Rano was shacking all over her body. The college gate seemed so high and the buildings looked like haunted houses to her. Natwar felt sorry for his friend. He stood right in front of her and blocked her view. 'Rano sweety. Please look at me.' Rano lifted her eyes and looked straight in the two seablue eyes, she had learned to trust the last couple of weeks. Suddenly her upset stomach eased down and her wild heart slowed down. Natwar looked in Rano's dark eyes and saw how frightened she was. 'Rano. I know this is very hard for you, but you can't run away from you fears. They only way to overcome them is facing them. You have to trust me, nothing bad will happen. I will be with you the whole time. I wont leave your side untill you give me the sign that you are feeling save. That you are able and willing to stand on your both legs and move on in life without my help.' Rano nodded her head slowly. Natwar gave her one of his million dollar smiles and pulled her to him for a comforting hug. After he left her, Rano tried to give him an assuring smile. Natwar winked at her and stretched his hand to her. Without hesistating Rano took his hand and they both walked into the college gate, facing Rano biggest fear.
A couple of students came running to greet Rano and ask how she was doing and why she was absent for such a long time. Rano was overwhelmed. She had never thought that her fellow students woud acctually notice that she wasnt around. Before she could answer Natwar jumped in. 'Dont worry guys. Rano is perfectly alright. I just hope that you guys will help her out to catch up with you.' They all assured Rano that they would help her with her studies. She smiled back at them and thanked them. Natwar pulled Rano away from her fellow students and continued walking towards one of the five huge buildings that were infront of them. 'Rano. I think it's best if we go to speak to your dean first. You will have to give and explaination for your abscenes.'Rano just nodded, too afraid to say a word and be noticed by Sahil and his gang who were standing against the fence on their right. Not even 20 meters away from them. When she had entered the college ground her eyes automatially searched for him. It was obvious that Natwar had not seen him yet. Rano kept waling next to Natwar, who kept talking and talking, but she didnt hear a word. All she was doing was praying by each step she took that Sahil wouldnt see her. Just when she was about to sigh out of relief, because she had passed him unnoticed she heard his voice calling out for her. Natwar felt how Rano's nails cut into his arm. Both of the turned around to see Sahil running towards them. Poor Rano tried to hide behind Natwars back, holding his arm and shoulder in a tight grip. Natwar tried to calm Rano down. 'Im with you, dont worry.' But Rano's senses were just fixed on Sahil, who was now standing infront of them. His eyes fixed on Rano, while hers were fixed on the ground. 'What do you want Sahil? I thought I had made it clear to you to stay away from Rano!' Natwars voice was heavy and threathening. His facial expressions weren't promising much good. Sahil replied to Natwar in annoyance while his eyes were still fixed on Rano. 'Please Natwar. I don't mean any harm. And you just keep out of this. This is something between me and Rano.' Natwar had to supress a scream out of pain as Rano's nails cut even deeper in his flesh. He controlled himself with all his power. 'Wrong dude. There is nothing between you and Rano. Anything you have to say, you say it to me! Forget talking to her. I dont even want to see you anywhere near her!' Sahil turned now to look at Natwar. 'Hey dude. Since when were you assigned as her attorney. Last time I checked Rano still had her tongue and could speak out for herself. So why don't you just get lost and let me talk to Rano in private!' Sahil set a step towards Natwar and there were just 2 inches between them. Both the guys kept looking at each other in anger and before Rano could realise what was happening, they were fighting and in no time they were surrounded by a hundered students. Rano kept looking at them in disbelieve. They kept punching each other and rolling over the floor. She screamed and told them to stop, but they didnt listen. Tears were floating over her cheeks and she asked other guys to interfere, but nobody dares to come anywhere near the two fighting tigers. Eventually it was the voice of the principal that made the boys stop fighting. 'Bloody hell! What is this supposse to mean?! Is this a college ground or a fight club?! Both of you in my office.' Sahil and Natwar kept holding each others collars and both their fists ready to puch the other all over again. 'Right now gentlemen!' The principle walked away, knowing that the two youngmen would follow him. Rano's heart was beating like crazy and in afit of anger she wipes her tears and walked straight to the guys. She hold Natwars arm and pulled him back. Stood right in front of Sahil and looked him right in the eyes. His face softened and he was suprised to see Rano standing infront of him. With a sweet voice he took her name. 'Rano?' She on the other hand wasnt as pleased to look in his face. Without realising what she was doing. She have Sahil and tight slap. Everybody looked in shocked as they hold their breath. 'Dont you ever dare to take my name again. Dont talk to me, dont come near me and basically dont you ever show me your face again. You are the most disgusting person Ive ever came across!' Sahil looked in shock, how Rano grabbed a grinning Natwar from the arm and furiously dragged him behind her towards the principal's office.
Jai led his guests to the limo standing outside the hotel. Since the hotel restaurant was always overfull, he had decided to take his guests to the heart of his empire. the first restaurant his father had opened 40 years ago. The start of the Walia empire. Jai had put Pushkar in charge of the restaurant. Despite the possibilities to make the restaurant the best place in town, Jai had refused to change anything about it. He wanted it to stay exactly as his old men had made it. Small, simple yet cozy and extremely friendly. Every now and then when he was on the edge of closing an important business deal he would take his business partners to dinner in the old restaurant. It gave him a certain peace and for him the restaurant was his lucky charm. Today his guest were all foreigners. Two of them were from Germany, once from Italy and one was mr. Zyad el Hellali. He was from Dubai and despite his young age of 28 he and Jai were true buddies. They had made some good business deals in the past and became good friends.
Bani checked again and concluded that everything was perfectly alright. They just had to wait for the guest to arrive. She quickly walked back to her appartment and changed in a formal black skirt and a white blouse. She tied her hair up neatly and put a little make up on. Before she could walk out again the phone rang. It was Khan uncle telling her to hurry up, as the limo had arrived. Bani rushed back down, taking two steps at the time. She was too late to welcome the gentlemen and seat them down. Pushkar had already done the honor. She gave him a guilty look, but got a wink in reply. 'Its ok goregous. They have just seated and I want you to personally take care of their table as planned.' Bani nodded. She walked up to her bosses table. She saw how a handsome gentlemen was scanning her from top to toe and giving her a dashing smile. Bani felt how a blush colored her cheeks and she smiled back shyly cursing the guy inside. She saw him bending towards the man who was sitting at the head of the table which she assumed to be the big boss she had never met. She wondered what he was wishpering to him. Bani took a deep breath and decided that she wouldnt let anyone ruin this evening for her. This evening she had to show Pushkar that she was thrustworthy and she wanted to make him proud of the fact that he had hired her.
Zyad was used to see pretty girls everywhere he went. He just had to smile and they would fall at his feet, but this one was different. He saw Bani when she came running in and was caught by Pushkar. They said something he couldnt hear, as they were standing at the other side of the restaurant. She nodded and came waling their way. She smiled shyly to him and looked gorgeous and without taking his eyes off her he bent over to Jai to tell him the same. 'Hey dude, I knew you liked to appoint beautiful women, but this one is just an angle.' Jai didn't have a clue who Zyad was talking about. He looked at his friend who had a twinkle in his eyes. Before he could turn around to see which woman was able to shook Zyad el Hellali to the core he heard a voice he would recognize out of millions. 'Goodevening gentlemen.' He turned around only to find Bani standing next to him, with a beautiful smile brightening her face. 'Bani tum?!', said Jai in disbelieve. Bani's smile froze on her face as the blood rushed out of it. She couldnt believe she had ended up working for none other than Jai Walia again.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
