Bidding Mayank a hesitant goodbye, Nupur entered her room, all overwhelmed by the sensations of being special. No matter how ordinary Mayank thought he was, but for Nupur, it was an honor that he thought her to be good enough to be his date, and not only his date .. his .. his princess ..
"Nupur ,. "
She was startled by the voice and was even more startled by her dad calling her, "yes dad", she smiled at him and Mr Bhushan came to her and sat beside her on the sofa, "how was the day?", he asked affectionately and recalling the events, a pink streak flushed her face, "it was amazing dad", she tried to say normally, but unaware of the keen observing eyes of her father, who was noticing this unusual glow very much.
"You went out somewhere today"?, he asked and there Nupur felt her heart to come at a halt,
"I am just asking because driver said your car was parked the whole day and you seem dressed up", he smiled and Nupur fumbled, she hadn't changed yet and obviously she was out today.
"yes dad, I just went to the nearby market"
"alone?", he asked skeptically and Nupur felt herself in the most difficult test of her life.
She had never hid anything in her life form her father, but before she didn't have anything to hide, she could easily tell him that she refused the proposals of boys around her and that she didn't like any of the elite class boys who drink and smoke, but today she had to actually tell him that she was out there, enjoying food on an open stall with the man who was supposed to be her tutor.
"nupur?, what happened?", Mr Bhushan insisted and Nupur swallowed a lump in her throat, still in dilemma that should she tell her dad or not, or should she ask Mayank once or should she ..
She was trying to come to a conclusion when Mr Bhsuhan stroked her hair, "is there something you want to tell me?", her soft affectionate voice did it for her and she quickly hugged him, "dad, promise you won't get angry .. please".
Mr Bhushan was expecting this from nupur, he was sure she was hiding something, he hugged back and kissed her head, "okay I promise I won't, come on now I want my princess to be honest, where were u you beta", he was stroking her head softly and slowly moving away, Nupur looked in his eyes and prepared herself for confession, "dad .. today I went out with Mayank .."
Her pitch was much low than usual and for a moment Sashi Bhushan couldn't understand the real meaning, but noticing the fear he understood what she meant, "where?", his voice got unconsciously firm.
"to the market .. nearby market", she fumbled
"how?"
"by foot", she almost murmured.
"and why were u going to the market with Mayank?", his voice was not losing firmness and nupur's eyes started brimming with tears, "dad you promised you won't get angry", she pouted, with shining tears, and completely melting, Sashi Bhushan placed an arm around her and she cuddled to him crying, "I am not getting angry doll, just asking, why did u both went to the market?, and today is a Sunday, why was Mayank here"?
For a moment Nupur frowned that how could her father be so nave to ask these questions, it was so obvious that she went on a date!
"dad!!", she looked up frowning, as if trying to convey that these questions were awkward!, and finally getting assured of his hints, Mr Bhushan took a deep breath, "how come you agreed to go with him when you hated him",
Nupur was again shocked that her father was so well aware of her feelings before and again he was aware of them now, getting shy Nupur lowered her eyes, "I don't hate him , I ..", she looked up again, "I like him ..",
She said and when she observed no change in his expressions, she impulsively said, "and you also like him I know!, you cannot now say that he is not a good person or worst he is a gold digger!, I know you like him!", she completed her sentence in a desperate tone and Sashi Bhsuhan chuckled, "OMG!, relax beta!", he smiled and kissed her head while nupur relaxed and hugged him tightly, "dad please I didn't want to lie, I like him And ' he is a nice person", she said slowly.
"I know he is a nice person, and I wasn't angry, I like Mayank , and moreover I trust him, but Nupur you need to think very carefully before you make a commitment, you both are entirely different persons, from entirely different backgrounds, it's not going to be easy, male ego is very sensitive"
"I'll take care dad", she smiled and her father pulled her cheeks, "good girl", and he got up and was heading towards the door when nupur shouted from his back, "you are the best dad in this world papa .. I love you"
He turned back to find the only asset of his life smiling affectionately at him, he smiled back and went away, there was no way he could fade that smile of hers', with any of his inhibitions of fears regarding this new relation she was forming, and not only forming, she was getting involved, the ways he stood for his defense, he got scared. He knew Mayank, he was a man of dignity, but with that he was rigid and his daughter was fragile, Mayank won't ever surrender even the slightest bit when it came to his ego and his daughter will always end up being hurt, but with all that, somewhere he had a faint idea maybe finally a person had entered in his daughter's life who is more dominating than her., No matter how strong Nupur tried to be, his father knew she had a heart of a child, she had a wish to be protected always, and somewhere only a person like Mayank could protect her, cherish her, and he will make sure it happens!, and he was knew it because apart from what he knew, his firm belief was that .. Mayank was not a cheat.
**
Nupur felt some heavy burden lifted off her shoulders, her father knew it and he approved!. GOSH! God was being grateful.
She glanced at the clock, it was 1.30. She was pretty sure that Mayank will wish her good night, and thus all the ringtones of her mobile were on loud, and now after making sure gunjan learnd all the details of her date by heart, she was snuggled by in her bed, holding her mobile in her hand, waiting for it to ring.
The clock now showed 2.00 AM, and getting extremely anxious, she decided to call, she was so sure of his wish, that her mind started to give warnings of something bad that he didn't message or call, moreover she didn't even know he reached safely or not!
Suddenly feeling a high pulse, she dialed his number, anxiously waiting through the dial tones, her eyes started brimming with tears with increasing numbers of tones, when finally , "hello ..", a half asleep groggy voice made her cry in joy!,
"MAYANK!!", she almost shouted and Mayank opened his eyes immediately, "NUPUR??", he also shouted which obviously made samrat open his eyes, "KIA HUAA??", he also shouted and exchanging a nervous look with his roommate, he whistled, "oye hoyeee .. NUPUR!!!", sam said loud enough for his voice to travel across the phone which made Nupur turn crimson and Mayank glare, "just a minute Nupur", he slowly whispered and glaring sam, he grabbed his sweater, and went out of the room, leaving a grinning samrat.
**
Yes nupur, everything alright?", he asked as soon as he was out of the room and Nupur bit her lip, because now she was sure she was going to appear like an idiot.
"umm, yes .. everything alright .. ", she said and Mayank smiled, "doesn't seems like", he said, and with that he wearing his sweater and Nupur bit her lip, "actually I was a bit anxious, you didn't call after reaching hostel, and moreover I was expecting you'll wish me good night, and I waited and then u didn't call so I got more anxious and so I called!!", she said in one breath, and then she expected him to chuckle or giggle, but there was complete silence at the other end, and just when she was about to confirm that was he still there or not, his stiff voice uttered words which made her heart skip a beat
" I didn't know I was being cared so much, from now I'll take care to inform a delicate princess who gets anxious for me"
Nupur wasn't sure he was smiling or not, but this made her smile from her heart, "umm ' mayank ..", totally clueless over what to say she was fumbling when he interrupted again, "now no need to say anything, I am alright, and now it's pretty late, u should go to sleep .. good night beautiful", his last wish conveyed a tenderness in his voice which made her heart yet again skip a beat, but pulling herself she replied, in a cheeky voice,
"good night handsome", she chuckled and disconnected the phone before he could make her blush, while Mayank was left smiling in awe.
It was beautiful to know that someone cared.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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