Part 22-(pink-mauve are flashbacks of 7 years ago)
Mayank woke up in the middle of the night. He was surprised to find nupur peacefully sleeping in his arms . When he came back from his bathroom necessities, half asleep, he slightly wondered about her presence but was too sleepy to think over it. He made himself comfortable again under the warm blanket and went back to sleep,in the same position as he was before : hugging nupur, his wife.
**********
"Mayank stop it!" shouted an annoyed gungan. She and nupur were deeply drawn into the movie they were watching on dvd whilst mayank was the least interested by it .He was constantly throwing his tennis ball against the wall since he wanted to let the girls know how bored he was getting with the rom-com : a typical irritating teenage boy he was ! "Stop it you idiot!" she growled again. "Tell him to stop with the ball!" she turned to nupur, asking her help. She knew there was a better possibility he would listen to nupur.
"Mayank please" nupur softly requested mayank who is no time obeyed to her and put his ball away. He had to obey; after all he had developed a soft corner for his childhood friend, nupur, since some time now. And who on earth can disobey such a sweet person?
"Stupid a**" muttered gungan under her breath, loud enough for mayank to hear the abuse targeted at him.
Nupur glared at her younger sister for using abusing language.
"Did you say this to me?" mayank asked gungan shocked and a little angry.
"Who else is an a** here!"
"Gungan!What's wrong with you!" nupur interfered. "Mayank ignore her" she gave a apologetic at him. She knew very well how much he hated to be insulted for no reason. He always had been a little sensitive in such case.
"Why do you always take his side!" gungan retorted at nupur.
"I am not taking his side! I am telling you that you are wrong!" she raised her voice.
Mayank kept quiet, although he somehow felt culpable for being the motive behind the sisters growing argument.
"How was I wrong? He was the one to bug us with his bullshit ball"
"Stop swearing gungan! Just listen to yourself when you talk"
"Oh enough!" gungan screamed and jerked up from the sofa. "You're taking his side just because you like him and it's not fair!" She then turned at mayank and shot him threatening frowns "I hope you're happy now! Jerk" Saying this she harshly threw the remote control on him and left the living room.
Nupur remained silent after this. She was red.; red due to anger towards her sister for being so rude to mayank and red due to embarrassment because the same sister had just openly announced that she liked mayank. Wait how does she know I like mayank? Is it so much obvious! Oh no..!
Mayank was also silently still on his seat. His mind was not thinking about anything else but the fact that gungan uttered that nupur liked him. She liked him too he wondered. Really? Like for real? She also likes me in that sense?
(gungan apologies quickly and fight is over!-gungan was just acting like a early teen!)
------
"Nups buy this dress!" mayank told her, showing a long flowery dress.
"No its not so me"
"But it will really suit you"
"No it wont, the colour is too bright"
"I'm telling you it will look nice on you!"
"Mayank the dress is nice but I don't wear such shocking colour"
"You should then! You look boring with your pale colourless t-shirt and jeans"
"Thanks!"
"Ok forget what I said but please at least try it once"
"And why should I try it if I don't like it!"
"Because I like it and if you like me then you'll try it for me"
"What?" she gasped a bit timidly "Sorry, I'm not trying it"
"So you don't like me?"
"I do but.."
"Oh so you do like me! gungi was telling the truth then hein?"
"Mayank!" she slapped him playfully on his shoulder "Look at the price! It so expensive" she diverted the discussion by showing him the price tag.
"Why are you changing the topic" he said "you know that if you like me I have no objections whatsoever" he smiled mischievously.
Nupur blushed a little but played hard. "Like you? Do you think I've lost my mind to like an ugly guy like you?"
Mayank smiled. He knew she didn't mean it from the heart. "Yet you know what?"
"What?" she asked faintly, walking across the rest of the shelves.
"This ugly guy thinks you are really pretty" Nupur stopped in her way, not looking back. Her heart skipped a beat, her cheeks grew warmer. "And if the beauty and the beast can be a hit story then I'm sure nupur and mayank can be one too" he continued ,talking from her back as he was randomly shifting hanged clothes from one corner to another.
Nupur felt her soul was jumping to the 7th heaven. Butterflies were celebrating her joy in her stomach and her smile was simply fixed to its bigger stretch. "That was a fairy tale mayank" she said in her usual tone. She couldn't let him know about her growing feelings for him so quick! Not so quick! In fact she didn't even know if she would ever have ever the courage to admit it to him. "Now question is: in reality, can the beauty actually like the beast?" She blinked her eyelashes teasingly before rushing out from his view, mentally cursing herself for flirting back with him.
------
"I'm knackered! Should we go sleep now?" gungan suggested . It was almost one in the morning and they were still sitting in the garden catching up the two days mayank was absent since he had to pay a visit to his grand parents. Gungan stood up but seeing her sister and mayank make no move she wondered "You guys not coming?"
"Erm I'm not so tired" mayank told her quickly. He glanced at nupur and hoped she would reply the same.
"Yeah I might stay a bit longer too, not so sleepy now" nupur told gungan. Despite the dark night, she could clearly observe the smile formed on mayank's face by now.
"Fine. I'm off to bed. Goodnight" she said before heading out.
At last alone with nupur, mayank silently heaved a sigh. He had longed to be left alone with her and talk to her. Just talk to her: to her alone. Only he knew how much he had missed being with her the last two days. He had missed her sweetness, her cuteness, her sternness: literally her everything! It came as an actual shock to him to witness how much he could miss her. He had never missed anyone so badly before, especially not a girl. He was aware that he had started to like nupur more than necessary but these two days apart from her made him realize the real effect she was having on him. A girl was affecting him. It was definitely not an issue to overlook.
"So?" mayank uttered after a short silence.
"So what?" she calmly said. Little did mayank know that during these two days, nupur experienced the exact same phase of "missing someone so badly". Although she was busy with gungan and mayank's parents doing various activities, she found herself strangely bored. She did spend a nice time with them but, honestly, her heart was not fully satisfied. She was feeling down and she didn't know why she felt this way. And now that mayank came back, she recognised the only reason behind her low spirits: she was missing her dear friend; she was missing him way more than meant to be.
"What did you guys do over the week-end?" he asked.
"Hmm , loads of things"
"Like what?"
"I don't know, we went to the movies.."
"Look like you got bored"
"No" she made clear "In fact I had a great time" she justified. "Did you have fun?"
Mayank smiled "Yeah I did! It was good" he lied a little. He did have good time but he knew that 'that' good time was nothing compared to 'the' good time he could have spend with nupur.
"What did you do?"
"I slept, ate and slept"
Nupur chuckled "Poor grandparents! They didn't get to see the real mayank!"
"And what's the real mayank?"
"Hmm,the one that you are usually?"
"I don't know you tell me.."
"Hmm the one that makes everyone laugh and entertain, the one that never get short of weird ideas and the one that is always adorable and loving with everyone" she said not conscious of how impressed and actually touched mayank was left after hearing this.
"Wow" he muttered
"What?"
"I've never heard anyone describe me so sweetly"
She smiled dimly. "Don't get flattered. I didn't mean all of it." she teased him.
"Grandma wants me go back next week-end" he said. Well, he lied; never was he asked to be back. He simply wanted to see nupur's reaction about telling her he might be off for another two days.
"No mayank!" she quickly exclaimed. He grinned. "I'm here for two more weeks only; you can't go for another week end! It's not fair! I don't care I wont let you go this time! I mean gungi and me are supposed to be your guests this summer then why are you leaving us alone .Do you know how bored I got this week-end? Bored to death! You're so rude!" she blabbered all in one breath.
Mayank smart trick worked pretty fine, she did admit she got bored. "Didn't you say you had a great time?" He was happy, very happy. It was such a happy feeling to know he was being missed by the person he was missing.
Nupur immediately blushed due to the embarrassment of being caught red handed in her lies. She gave up and smiled, saying nothing further.
"You're not from the area, are you?" the newsagent shop owners's son asked nupur as she was paying for the items she bought. Mayank who was still deep inside the shop, choosing what drink to get, heard the boy initiate a conversation with nupur. Mayank had been coming to this shop ever since he was small and he had known the boy for as long. However they had never talked. And now this boy was talking to nupur: he didn't like it at all! He purposely stayed where he was and tried to hear the remaining of the conversation on the sly.
"No I'm from Southampton" nupur politely replied.
"Oh, so what brings you here then?"
"Well my father is out on a business trip so my sister and me are staying at some family's place for the summer"
Mayank was irritated. Why was nupur telling her life story to a guy she doesn't know. Why was she even talking to him?
"But summer is almost over" the boy said
"Yeah, I'm going back in few days actually"
Again mayank shook his head furiously. What was wrong with this girl he thought? Why would she speak to a total stranger? And why is she being so over polite-friendly to him he further stressed.
"I hope you enjoyed your time here then, and if you want any special visit you can count on me! I would love to guide a visitor like you"
Ok that is it! This was the final touch to make mayank extremely furious. The boy had the guts to flirt with nupur? How dare he?
Mayank stormed towards the till section and angrily muttered "Lets go Nups"
"You're not buying your drink?" she wondered.
"Not from here!" He glared fiercely at the boy and added "This place sucks"
"Mayank!" she was shocked at his behaviour and in no time she was dragged out, as far as possible, out of the shop.
"What got into you?" she asked with disbelief.
"The guy was flirting with you and you're stupid enough not to notice it!"
"No he wasn't"
"He was! But of course it's a total different story if you were enjoying it" he taunted meanly.
"Mayank!" she screamed. "Go to hell!" she told him before making her own back to his house.
Mayank stood unmoving for a while, realizing he had just been in his meanest form ever with nupur only because he was shadowed by jealousy. He was not able to tolerate seeing his nupur talk to any other guy. He had become possessive over her !
"I can't believe I'm having the crappiest 16th birthday ever mum!" mayank complained to his mother has they parked on the driveway. He had just returned from a two hours long trip to the local food store. "Dad went to work, you dragged me along with you for this boring household shopping, gungi forgot to wish me and nupur plainly said happy birthday in the morning and never mentioned it again!" he further moaned. "I can't believe even nupur ignored how important this day is for me! It's my 16th for god sake. I was expecting her to.." he quickly stopped as he didn't want his mother to know that he was expecting so much from her on this special day.
"Even nupur?" his mother questioned. "What is that supposed to mean hein?" she teased her son mischievously.
"Very funny mum!" he growled. He was not in mood to be mocked at.
He rang the bell to his house and waited to be let in. He had mentally decided that if it was nupur opening the door, he would make to sure to ignore her! She deserved a tough lesson he assumed.
Surprisingly it was his father who opened the door. "Dad?" mayank wondered "You're back from work already? And why is there no lights in the house?" he was confused.
"SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Many people screamed together as the light lit up, illuminating all these people present for his surprise birthday party. His relatives, his friends, his neighbours, and his nupur: everyone was there. Mayank scanned the room widely and felt the happiest 16 years old teenage boy on earth. The birthday party was exactly as how he had wished it to be.
"Happy birthday mayu" gungan came and kissed mayank "Sorry I had to pretend I forgot your birthday! You liked the surprise?"
"It's ok! It was worth it! Thank you so much. I'm loving all this already" he hugged her.
"You're welcome but the real credit goes to someone else?"
"To who?"
"Nupur! She was the master mind behind this otherwise you know we don't give a damn about your birth day! Only she does!" she joked.
"Nupur?" he whispered to himself. He looked at her and smiled a thank you.
"Yes, she had been planning this since a couple of days now.She had been a Hitler on us for making this surprise perfect for you" his mother added.
"Nupur beta why are you standing there? Come and wish him now?" his father gestured her to come closer.
She came out of the crowd, holding a mini cake with a single candle put in the middle, and advanced closer towards mayank. Mayank eyed glittered of joy when he apperceived what she was actually wearing. She was wearing the same bright flowery dress he had so insisted for her to buy when they were gone shopping. He felt his heart jumping hard and was scared everyone would be able to hear the loud sound of it.
"Happy birthday Mayank" nupur softly wished him, a bit shyly. She was slightly timid at his reaction on seeing the dress.
"Thank you" he lovingly whispered, staring right back in her eyes
She blushed at the intensity of his stares. "Make a wish" she told him.
He closed her eyes but could still see nupur's face in front of him: she was ruling his thoughts as well. He didn't make a wish. He purely thanked god for giving him a person like nupur in his life. Her presence in his life had to be the most special gift from god, he believed. He opened his eyes and blew the candle.
"Nups do you believe in love" mayank murmured, finally breaking the silence. It was a rainy afternoon and him and nupur were lying down, side by side, on his bed. He was lying on his stomach and was running his finger onto nupur's palm, drawing continuous circles: she loved him for doing that, his finger touch had such a relaxing sensation to it. (Gungan was with his mother, out to buy some take-aways)
Nupur's sensed thrills going through her spine. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I think I'm falling in love" he said, his tone remaining very soft and whispery.
"Oh"
"You don't wanna know with whom?"
"Who is she?"
"Someone really special to me"
"Who?"
"I can't tell you so soon!"
Nupur was a bit disappointed now. Who was the girl? Was it her? Or was it really someone else. What if she had gotten the wrong ideas all this time? What if mayank never had feelings for her? She bombarded her mind with such questions yet, her heart was telling her he was only teasing her and the girl he was talking about was none other than her herself. "Why can't you tell me?" She drew back her hand from him and he changed his position and laid on his back.
"Because I'm not sure if she feels the same way for me"
"You should have some idea at least"
"I think she does to" he smiled at her and turned his gaze up to the ceiling. "But maybe I'm wrong"
"Ask her directly then"
"You think?"
"Yes you should" Mayank turned his head to look at her once again but this time she looked up at the ceiling "Mayank, girls don't like to take the first step"
He smiled. He knew she knew he was talking about her. And he understood that she was indirectly giving him the green signal to express his feeling for her.
"I think I'm gonna tell her very soon then" he announced, at the same time grabbing her hand back and giving nupur thousand of goosebumps by the mere act of his finger-massage to her palm.
-----
With her heart beating at its fastest speed, nupur unfolded the letter mayank had slip under her pillow early in the morning.
"When I was telling you that I was falling in love with someone, this someone is none other than you. Yes I LOVE YOU NUPUR. I really do. I've started to have feelings for you for quiet some time now. When I was at my grandparents I missed you so much I can't even explain it. That day when I snapped at you for talking to the boy in the shop, I know I was rude and I'm really sorry but I can't tell you how jealous I felt to see you smiling with another guy. You made me feel so special on my birthday, I still cant thank you enough for it. And you truly looked beautiful that day. I didn't tell you then but I'm telling you now .Nups ,when I saw you wearing that dress, I don't know why I felt like you were giving me a sign telling that you like me in that sense too. Was I right? Nups do you also have feelings for me? Please let me know. You don't have to tell me right now, take your time. But you're going tomorrow .Do tell me before you leave please. And I promise that whatever you tell me ,it will never ever affect our friendship. You have my word for it! Yours Mayank."
-----
"I still can't believe he said this" gungan told her sister.
Mayank who was passing by the living room got curious to hear the girls's conversation. He supposed they were discussing about his letter to nupur and he was very keep to hear what nupur had to say on it.
"Even I'm shocked" nupur admitted
The girls just a had a phone conversation with their father who announced that he had to extend his business trip for two more weeks and so they would unfortunately need to start the school's new academic year without his presence and will instead be supervised by an employed nanny.
"I mean I never thought he would even think about this" gungan said. The 'think about this' meant think about employing a nanny as a replacement of her father.
"I'm so upset with him right now you cant even imagine gungi"
"I know"
"I don't know how I will talk to him normally now, I mean he obviously didn't realize thinking this way might damage our relationship in the longer term"
Tears formed in his eyes, mayank left the place as he was not sure if he could handle the hurtful shock any more. He had never imagined nupur would be so much in opposition to his feelings. Was he really misunderstanding the whole situation from day one? Did she really not like him at all? How could he be such a fool for considering her friendly behaviour as something else? Why was he so stupid to write that letter without thinking twice? He ruined everything, he thought. He ruined their friendship and on top of all that he upset her so much.
-----
"What are you doing here alone? I was looking for you everywhere" Nupur asked mayank as she eventually found him in the timber shed at the back of the garden.
"Hmm nothing" he said in a low tone, not bothering or rather not daring to look in her direction.
"Oh" she managed to say. She was tremendously tensed and was almost shaking .She had decided to confess her feeling to him too. She realized she loved him as well and now that she knew his feelings, she was slightly more confident to share hers openly with him. But confessing face to face was not an easy job. It was nerve wracking; especially considering her timid nature on these matters. She mentally cursed him for choosing the easy way of confession: by letter!
"Hmm ma-yank" and she was already stammering. He was standing a foot away from her, looking out in some random space. "I wanted..I mean I wanted to sa-y..that hmm..well I.." The heart beat coming from her chest were way louder than her voice coming out from her throat.
"Im sorry" mayank suddenly said, cutting in.
"Hein?" she narrowed her eyes with confusion.
"Nups I'm really sorry, I never knew my joke would upset you so much" Nupur stared at him in disbelief, in shock "I don't feel this way for you, please don't be mad at me, I swear I never knew you would take it so badly. Promise me you'll forget I ever wrote this letter please" mayank continued, unknowingly stabbing her hundreds of times with his words. Nupur felt the ground sink under her. All this was a joke? He was joking around with her?
Observing a motionless nupur,mayank moved closer to her and gently hold her by the shoulders. "Nups say something, please, say you forgive me"
Nupur looked up at him, her eyes were red and tears were flowing at a growing speed. Mayank got restless. He felt awfully guilty for making her cry this much "Please nupur don't cry, I know I shouldnt have joked like this but I'm sorry" He could not stand tears in her eyes and if it meant to call his love for her a joke then he was ready to do it as long as it was calming and reassuring her.
"You're forgiven" nupur murmured, her voice barely clear due to her sobs. She then quietly withdrew his hand from her shoulders and said "I need to finish packing" Saying this she ran out of the shed ,heading to lock herself somewhere and cry all the pain away. Her first love was not successful. She fell in love but failed to be loved back.Her heart broke into zillions pieces.
On the other hand, mayank wiped his few tears and swore that he would never let his love for nupur come in the way of their friendship. He would make sure he doesn't repeat the same mistake.
***********
When the day light started to show in the sky,nupur slowly woke. She felt a heavy weight around her waist and suddenly remembered the previous night events and realized she had slept in, mayank,her husband's arms all along: it had been a peaceful sleep indeed.
Guys,i know its not the best scenario to show the silly misunderstanding between them but i had no other idea..i wrote after so long, and i actually found it difficult to do so..so sry if the part is not so good..! Do comments so i knw what you felt about the past that is at last revealed.
Cricket
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Hindi TV Shows
252