Chapter 4As I drove with Om in the front seat beside me and the two girls behind. We had let Rudra and Saumya to come in a separate car. We were all on our way to Mallika, our friends party.
On our way, I kept stealing glances at her through the rearview mirror. She looked absolutely breathtaking. She caught my eye and raised her eyebrow. I couldn't help but chuckle. She was cute.
She motioned me to keep my eyes in front and not on her by her finger.
I smiled and looked ahead still looking at her from time to time.
~
I looked confused as I saw Om and Gauri enter the house holding hands. I turned to see Shivaay looking equally confused. We went inside behind them.
Mallika was my batchmate. We were really good friends. I had just found out that Mallika was Shivaay's ex girlfriend and so we all ended up in her birthday party.
"Anika! Shivaay!" She came towards us, with a glass of juice in her hand, and side hugged us.
"Mallika! Long time. " We both said at the same time. And then we laughed.
She looked at me and then Shivaay before saying, "I didn't know you guys are together. Anika bataya kyun nahi. Apni dost ko bhool gayi?" She laughed. My eyes widened in shock and I looked at him. I shook my head but she said, "You both are really looking good together. Totally perfect." She smiled.
"Nahi." We both said at the same time again and I looked away awkwardly.
"We aren't together." Shivaay said.
"Oh," Her face fell. "Koi nahi. Hopefully you'll be." She said softly but I heard it. And by seeing the look on Shivaay's face I realised he did too.
Mallika then excused herself and went to meet Om and Gauri.
I looked around taking in the surroundings. It was a pool side party. I looked at Shivaay when I felt his gaze on him. I snapped my fingers bring him out of his trance.
"Kya hua, billuji? Aapki nazrein mujhse hat hi nahi rahi hai." I said with a small smile.
"Nothing like that." He looked away awkwardly.
"Really? Woh.. what were you saying earlier. That I was staring at you? Now you are billuji." I said twisting the ends of my hair.
"So you accept it that tum mujhe "tadh" rahi thi?" He replied back.
"Main tadh nahi rahi thi. I was just observing." My full attention was on his eyes now.
"God. Stop." He laughed, covering his eyes with his hand. "You're making me feel.."
"Insecure." I looked away laughing.
~"Bhaiya!" Rudra came running towards me. "Did you see Anika Di?"
"Nahi. Kyun? Kya hua Rudy? Is she okay?" I asked all serious.
"I can't find her."
"What do you mean you can't find her. She'll be around only."
"Bhaiyaa! Aap samajh nahi rahe ho. She's drunk."
"What?!" I was shocked. A couple of minutes back, Siddharth, Mallika's fiance came and we were talking about business. I could see that Anika was really bored so I told her to go and hang out with Rudra. Little did I know that he would get her drunk.
"Woh bhaiya, I went to the bar and got a glass of juice for Di and one glass of cranberry juice with vodka for me. And I accidentally ended up giving her the cranberry juice. I realised what I did, after Di had gulped down the whole glass."
"Rudy!" I said slighly annoyed but mostly worried and I went away searching for her.
~I let out a sigh of relief as I saw Anika sitting beside the extension of the actual pool. Her legs in the water giggling.
She spotted me and squinted her eyes, "Billuji? Why're you standing there? Come here na. Mere paas betiye." She leaned sideways. I slowly went towards her and sat down.
"Put your legs in the water." I shook my negatively, "Dalo na. Please. It's really relaxing." Reluctantly, I dipped my legs in the water. I jumped, it was freezing cold. But after sometime it was fine.
She started giggling again and I raised my eyebrow. "Has kyun rahi ho?"
"It's tickling."
"What is?"
"The fishes."
"Fishes? Here? Seriously?" I looked down to see what it was and saw a pot of artificial grass lying down. I laughed.
I looked at her to see that she was already looking at me.
"Your eyes, billuji. They are so freaking frustrating."
"Thanks. I've never been told that before."
"But they're really beautiful too. Aapko pata hai, aapki inhi aakhon mein mujhe aapka chupa hua dard dikhta hai."
"What do you mean?" I stammered.
"You think no one can see what you're trying to do out there? Trying to show people that you're happy and content? You're not. I've only seen you truly happy when you're with Omkara and Rudra."
I was taken aback. She didn't know what had happened. She didn't know about Tia. Then how did she know that I was disturbed and hurt?
"Tia." I didn't know why but I felt the need to open up. And she was the perfect person. I was so comfortable around her.
"Tia Kapur?" I nodded. "God, that girl. She's so annoying." She looked up running her hand on her face. I smiled looking at her expression.
"You know her?"
"I hate her! I was appointed as her wedding planner. And oh my god. Usne na mere dimaag ki dahi kar di thi. And uska Baby." I looked at her confused. Baby? "Dushyant." She said in a matter of fact
tone.
"Baby yeh kaisa hai. Baby woh kaise hai. Baby let's do this. Baby let's do that! And on top of that, she'd always taunt me that I belonged to a middle class family! Mana ki main middle class hoon lekin - "
"Usse kya pata ki insaan ameer aur gareeb apne paise se nahi, balki apne soch aur dil se hota hai." I said slowly.
"Exacly. Kya sau take ki baat kahi hai aapne billuji. Par woh cheapdi yeh baat kahan samjhegi." I smiled at her cute expressions.
We sat there in silence for a few moments staring into the water when I heard her sniff. I looked at her to see her crying. She quickly wiped her tears and looked away.
~I kept my hand on her and stroked it gently, "I can't see Ma and Papa in so much pain. They've already suffered a lot because of me. Sometimes I feel all I've given them is only pain." She sniffed. What was she talking about?
"I was 8 years old. I went out to play with Gauri outside when I felt a sharp pain in my chest and then I fainted. When I opened my eyes, I was in the hospital, the scene in front of me I still remember it like it was yesterday. Ma was crying, Papa too but he was trying to stay strong for Ma. They were scared that they'd lose me. The doctor said that I needed to be operated immediately, but they didn't have enough money for it. That's why Papa mortgaged our house. Years after that I've seen Papa work late night to get the house back. It was just 2 years back, that we cleared up the debt."
She turned towards me, "The operation was done, but the doctors said there were complications. They said my heart was very weak." I looked at her shocked, she was now shaking her head on my shoulder. I rubbed her back trying to calm her down.
Slowly the crying stopped, I looked down to see her tear stained face. She had fallen asleep. I scooped her in my arms and took her back to the house.
~I woke up with a heavy headache. I massaged my forehead when billuji entered.
"Uth gayi meri billi?" He said, his eyes twinkling. I laughed.
He sat down beside me and offered me a glass which had an awful smell.
"Yeh kya hai?"
"Don't ask questions but just drink it in one gulp. The best cure for hangover."
"Hangover? I was drunk?" My eyes widened. When did I drink alcohol? My mind went back to Rudra offering me a drink. It hadn't tasted like normal cranberry juice but I drank it anyway. "Woh Rudra? Juice mein kuch tha? What happened yesterday night? I can't remember anything."
"Nothing much. You got drunk and then you started laughing like crazy. And then we talked. And then you fell asleep. That's it."
"What did we talk about?" I felt something important happened yesterday. But I couldn't remember it.
"You want me to tell you line by line kya hua?" He asked.
"But - "
"Par-Var kuch nahi. Just drink this." Shivaay forcefully made me drink it when I started coughing badly.
"What is there in this. It's tastes so bad." I made a puking face.
"I have no idea. It's Mallika's cure for hangovers." He chuckled.
"Anyway, you freshen up and come down. We have to do a lot of preparations. Shaam ko engagement hai na. Jaldi." He smiled and turned to leave when I found myself calling him, "Billuji,"
He turned around expecting me to say something. But I didn't. I just shook my head. And he left.
~Gauri and I stood outside peeping inside the kitchen to see where all the laughter was coming from. I saw Di sitting on the counter with a chef's hat which kept on falling on her face as it was too big for her. Shivaay wore an apron and was busy cutting strawberries in half.
Di was laughing madly at something Shivaay had said. I smiled seeing the both of them so happy together. It had been a long time since I saw Shivaay so happy. A smile that actually reached his eyes.
I looked at Gauri and she was happy too. "I always felt ki they both had come connection. You know like Raabta." She said interlocking her fingers.
Anika Di had just made fun of Shivaay's cooking when he sprayed the whipped cream on her face. She looked at him in horror and they both started chasing each other in the kitchen.
Gauri and I went away slowly not wanting to disturb them.
Edited by -Rhea- - 8 years ago
Kumkum Bhagya
Anupamaa
