Chapter 8
Mayuri heard her phone buzzing while she took off her dupatta and was about to unhook her blouse. She tried to ignore and not to answer the call but then something urged her to pick the call. She made sure she's bolted the door from inside and quickly opened her bag to pick the phone. "Hello" she said softly
Rishab smiled "hi, I was waiting for the midnight so I can call you"
Mayuri didn't knew what to say and how to explain him that she won't be able to talk to him anymore
"Say something" he said after waiting for few seconds for her to speak up...
"I am scared" she said coyly
He gave a thoughtful look at the phone "scared? Of whom?"
Mayuri knew it would be better if she explains him about his family, in that way he would stop talking to her "Of my family"
Rishab waited for her to complete. This was the first time she was trying to open up with him "my family is very conservative and orthodox. Even now they consider a girl and boy talking over the phone as a crime. And if they find out, they will kill us"
Rishab smiled and shook his head "so, you don't want to talk to me anymore?"
"No, it's not like that" startled at his words she said as if scared of losing something prised.
"So you want to talk to me?" he asked the innocent girl who was standing near the window in a Lehnga Choli.
"Yes, I like talking to you" she admitted honestly "what about you?" she asked closing her eyes waiting for the same answer back
Rishab was quiet for a second "don't you know" he whispered
"I think you do" she said shying a little.
Rishab heard the other line on his phone, he checked the number "just hold. One second"
He spoke to his mother then went back to her "I have to drive back home"
"Are you not at home?" she queried as if worried
Rishab reversed the car and put his Bluetooth on "yes, my house is far from the city and I had to attend a wedding today"
"Wedding?" she repeated again "do you like weddings?"
"Hmmm, not really. But this one was important to attend" he said casually.
Rishab recalled the girl with a long plait till her hips, the fair skin on her back and a heavy maroon dupatta. "You know what happened today"
"What" she asked
Rishab smiled recalling the whole scene "I saw this girl at the wedding, I didn't see her face only her back. Diffident girl, she seemed so helpless at that time. She had henna on her hands and was wearing a Lehnga that must be heavier than her own weight. On top of that she had pinned her dupatta with her blouse and when I saw her, her safety pin was coming out of the blouse and was about to pierce her skin. I fixed that for her..."
Mayuri's smile vanished, her hands went ice cold. So it was him, but he didn't see her face, thank God she thought...
"Did you like her?"
Was her next question out of blue and Rishab was silent "what? Well I haven't even seen her and I don't even know her so how can I say that?"
"You saw her from behind. Right?" she immediately asked again
"Oh come on sweetheart...from behind! Well she was looking quite pretty" he said nonchalantly
Mayuri thought over "sweetheart? Why did you say that?"
"Can't I say you a sweetheart?" he whispered making her heart beat against her chest... she felt as if numerous butterflies with twiddling in her stomach...
Mayuri wanted to control herself but this was something she wanted to clear "no, because you can call sweetheart only to your girlfriend"
Rishab wanted to laugh but he controlled and wanted to tightly embrace her "what if I say, that I feel you're my girlfriend. Then?"
Mayuri walked towards the bed. He was making her insane with his talks. "I want to sleep now" she said softly avoiding any further talks that can make her body shiver...
"You didn't answer me?" he asked again tantalising her through the core. Her cheeks blushed hotly with her hands ice cold.
She looked herself in the mirror and blushed again. How a stranger can without even meeting is asking her to be his girlfriend "but you haven't seen me yet. And how can you say?"
"That doesn't matter. You already have what I want in my girlfriend" he whispered...
"Can I tell you later" she asked
"Hmm ok" he said
"I have to sleep now. I will talk some other time" she said and disconnected the phone.
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She looked herself in the mirror, what does she have that this man is talking about. He hasn't seen her than what was he talking about? What does she have that makes him so confident that he asked her straight to be his girlfriend?
She slowly took off her heavy dress and wore a light salwar suit. Still engrossed with his words and thoughts she brushed her silk hair.
How can she be his girlfriend? She always loved love stories but talking to someone, and then becoming girlfriend boyfriend. Is this love? She mused over...
Her mind kept reeling back at the point when he was actually standing right behind her and setting her dupatta. Her face turned scarlet, no wonder she started liking him.
His voice had already made her hooked to him but now she could feel his touch as well.
Whoever he was, he knows Trishna's family or he was from the groom side. So there was chance that she can meet him tomorrow, he will be attending the wedding as well. But then she was scared of her family. She has to hide this truth from everyone.
Her mother knocked the door...
"Ma"
"Mayuri! You haven't slept. It's so late" Meena walked towards the huge dressing table and took of her expensive bangles.
"Your dad is not coming for the wedding and he wants us to return immediately once the wedding is over"
Meena sadly took out the bag from the huge wardrobe...
"But Ma, how can we immediately leave. Veena Massi might need you after Trishna's marriage and..."
"I know Mayuri, but you know your Papa...he will not listen" Meena took her clothes and arranged them neatly for tomorrow...
Mayuri kept looking at her mother who was not happy, but it wasn't something new. She had seen this many times since childhood because her mother did not give the heir to the family, she never got any respect and after she was born the doctor said her mother developed some complicacies due to which she can never become a mother again.
Her father was strict with no ideologies, never married another woman but always ill-treated Meena. "I have taken out your suit for tomorrow" she said and went towards the washroom...
Mayuri always thought marriage is not an easy thing, especially when it is like her parents. She looked at her phone and slowly went on the bed closing her eyes... she felt him close to her heart, as if he was the only boat in the storm that she can sit on and move away...
She will meet him tomorrow, she thought. Should she tell him the truth that the girl he was talking about was nonetheless herself... but then he may insist her to meet which she cannot do.
She closed her eyes and dozed off to sleep
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