THE RIGHT TIME - A RUMYA OS

THE RIGHT TIME

"Sumo left for Australia! And what was I doing? I was helping her pack her bags. I am the perfect brother of my Shivay Bhaiyya and O. I pulled on a mask and let her know that I am OK with her decision." Rudra blurted out to Anika.

Anika was teary eyed listening to Rudra. She had always known about the soft corner that Rudra has for Saumya. Just because Rudra was unable to come to terms with their marriage, he concluded that whatever they had between them was invalid.

"I am sorry, Rudra. I really am but pulling on the mask in front of her was the worst thing you ever did. All she ever asked was that you respect your marriage with her. She never asked you to accept but only to acknowledge." She said because she knew that some things need to be spelled out. She took Rudra in a sisterly embrace all the same.

After this conversation, Rudra pulled on a mask again. A mask of happiness, contentment and joy. But his eyes were always sad. His smile never reached his eyes again.

Three months later...

"so, everything was a facade?" Rudra asked in a whisper but Saumya heard it at the highest decibel. She, however, chose to remain silent.

"Answer me, damn it." Fury entered his eyes. He advanced towards Saumya but she held up her hand.

He had seen her in Mumbai itself. He was so happy to see her that he followed her all the way to the NGO. While he had seen her enter the premise, she had disappeared since. He promptly went to the office and enquired about her and came to know that she had been working there for the last three months.

These three months had taken a toll on Rudra. To avoid the knowing and caring gazes of his brothers and Bhabhi, he had started drowning himself in work. While this thing made his father happy beyond measure, it was not the exact same case with his brothers. He left early, came late and tried to shadow his father instead of his Bhaiyya. When the shadowing thing went on for more than a week, Tej couldn't help but ask him. He simply replied that it was business experience kind of thing. Bhaiyya is great, no doubt, but Tej Singh Oberoi had years on his side. This failed to deceive his father dismally because he really did have the years on his side. But Tej decided that it is best to keep an eye on him without making him aware of it. Afterall, Tej Singh Oberoi committed any mistake only once and he had committed this mistake with Omkara. There was no scope of repeating the mistake. Keeping an eye on Rudra meant talking to his other son. Tej started wondering where Rudra goes when the latter started taking time out of his schedule. He had his son followed and came to know about Saumya. It had already been a week and Tej could see his son's patience wearing thinner day by day. Today, when he saw his son going too near Saumya, he knew it was confrontation time. He put on his shades and told the driver to take him to the office. He was smiling. He was smiling because he knew that his son is going to learn the most important lesson of his life. Rudra would either get his lesson and love or he would get his lesson and closure.

"I was cursing myself to hell and back for letting you go just like that. But you don't seem to care what I do or what happens to me. You care more about the strangers in that NGO than you care about me." He clapped his hands sarcastically and continued to stare at her like a hungry predator.

Saumya broke her silence this time.

"I do not think that you should be cursing yourself."

"And why is that? May I know?"

"Because you don't need to, Rudra. I am a bloody nobody to you. You don't need to curse yourself or worry about my wellbeing. You don't need to make yourself sick worrying whether you said something wrong to me or about me. I don't matter to you." Her dam of tears had finally broken.

"Where did you get this notion that you don't matter to me?" A serene calm took over his entire being. At least she cares about me, he thought.

"Your actions are proof enough."

"So, just because you think that I don't care, you think it should not affect me in any way? You think I am indifferent."

"I want you to be indifferent to me. This is the least you can do in the name of humanity." Her tears had gone as quickly as they had come.

"Okay. I will open all my cards now. All you need to do is to listen. I am not good with words, you know that. Just keep our differences aside and hear me out."

"Okay. Go on." She sat herself on the armchair and signalled him to get comfortable on the couch.

"I hated you the second time we met. The reason was you calmed me down the first time we met. It was a feat achievable to my brothers only. You gained entry into my world just like that and I could do nothing to turn you away. I don't permit an easy entry in my life and you did just that. However, things started changing. My perspective of looking at you started changing. I started thinking that you were adorable. First step, checked.

You started caring about me and became protective of me just like I was caring and protective of you. You fought Romi, for me. We got married under the influence. I kissed you on the cheek that day and I could feel that love was around the corner. Step two, checked.

We hid our marriage and the family started seeing Reyaan as the most suitable boy for you. Everytime he came to take you away or held your hand, I went green with envy. Yes, I was jealous of him. That is why I made you wear the ring which was brought by him. Step three, checked.

I know that our marriage is annulled. We are bound by the influenced wedding anymore. But I want to give us a chance and chauvinistically expecting you to do the same. I am miserable without you. And you lied to me about going away from me for my sake. It makes my belief all the more stronger that we are more than just friends. I am not saying that we should start dating right away but I think we will both know when the right time comes. And step four, checked." Rudra took a really long breath after his monologue.

"You know, according to a research conducted by Saumya University, Rudra Singh Oberoi is a complete fool. He himself cries and makes Saumya cry too. Idiot Crybaby."

Rudra laughed out loud and went to kneel in front of Saumya.

"Do I take it as a yes, Sumo?"

Saumya got up and Rudra too got up in her wake. "If you mess up this time, I will leave and not return."

"Definitely." It was all he could manage to say. He was grinning too widely to be able to say anything else.

"According to a research conducted by Oxford University, 93% of the girls agree to what is being..."

She couldn't complete what the research exactly stated because Rudra had captured her lips in an urgent kiss. When they broke apart, Rudra was smirking and Saumya was blushing hard.

"Let's go, Sumo. You have a lot of explaining to do at home." Saying this, he started walking towards his car leaving a perplexed Saumya in his wake.

The End