Chapter 2A:
So my chapter was too long for me to post in one part so I'll put up part B later today.In TaaYam's house – with Taani the next day...
RIIING! RIIING!
Taani's hand shot out and shut off the alarm as she rose from the bed smiling. Then she realized something and laughed. "Good morning Krishnaji! Thank you ki aaj itni dino baad mera subah khushi se shuru hua hai. Please aisa kuch kijiye ki aaj ka pura din aisa hi rahe."
She quickly checked the time and then grabbed her laptop, only to see that there were new messages on the school's website. Tears filled her eyes when she saw the rude comments that were being directed towards her. She scrolled down and then gasped at a particular comment: OMG! I DON"T EVEN KNOW HOW REY PUTS UP WITH THIS STUPID SMALL-TOWN B****H. HE SHOULD JUST DUMP HER, SHE'S NOT EVEN PRETTY AND SHE DEFINATELY CAN'T DANCE! SHE'S JUST A TALENTLESS CONTROL FREAK! Seeing this, she slammed her laptop shut and murmured the question that had been haunting her for days: "Kya me sach mein itni buri hoon?"
But then she took a deep breath and reminded herself that Ary – who she could really talk to, was waiting for her. She then quickly went to get ready, in one of her older outfits that was really different from how she dressed nowadays.
(I'm not allowed to post links so you can check out the Roxy make it up tank on polyvore . com.)
*In her head* Me kitni alag lag thi hoon aisi outfit mein. Lekin mera yeh side toh yahan kisi ko nahi pata... Ary kya kar raha hoga? I'm on time, par mujhe pata hai woh sahabzaade ab thak sapne dekh rahe honge.
She then laughed to herself before grabbing her phone, headphones and slipping quietly out of the house. Her legs started moving in the steady pace she was used to as Taani relaxed into the feeling of jogging again. It came naturally to her, as she'd been doing this for years. Popping in her headphones, she dialed Aryaan's number.
"Hey Tanu! Kaisi hai tu?" Aryaan said happily, but she could tell by his voice that he was still waking up.
"Me toh teek hoon, lekin tu abhi tak so raha tha kya?" she asked, laughing fondly at her best friend.
"Haan, abhi 10 minutes pehle hi utta hoon. Lekin me thayaar ho kar nikal gaya hoon ghar se. Abhi jogging shuru kar raha hoon. Aur tu?" Aryaan replied in his usual defensive way.
"Me bhi 5 minutes pehle hi ghar se chup kar nikaal gayi. Woh Tauji wala drama avoid karna tha." Taani replied quickly, rather than stopping to think over her words like she had to in college. From there onwards, they continued their casual conversation throughout the run. It wasn't until she got home that Taani realized 45 minutes had already passed. By the time she finally got ready, even Swayam had left for college.
In St. Louis – with Swayam...
When Swayam entered the college, he quickly messaged Rey to meet him in the boys' locker room.
*In his head* Kal se Rey ko poochna tha ki Taani teek hai yah nahi. Aur aaj subah bhi Taani itni subah chali gayi thi ki baat karne ka mauka hi nahi mila.
Seeing Rey waiting there for him he got straight to the point, "Rey, kal kya bola Taani ne? Matlab woh zyaada hurt nahi hui thi na?" But even saying it like that, he felt ashamed that he had to ask his sister's boyfriend about all of this. He should have been the one to talk to Taani the other day, but these days everything had become awkward between them. When Taani and Sharon were upset with each other, he'd chosen to support Sharon. Now, he could see that although Taani had forgiven him she didn't trust him as much.
"Mujhe bhi pata nahi hai yaar, kal tho teek lag rahi thi lekin woh iss sab ki baat nahi kaarna chathi thi. Abhi tak aayi nahi hai, lekin me ussi ka wait kar raha hoon kab se. Kal bol rahi thi ki kuch kaam hai, aur uska phone bhi busy aa rahi hai." Rey replied worriedly, as his forehead creased with worry. It was obvious to Swayam that Rey really did love Taani, and even though that still felt odd to him he was really happy for both of them.
"Ek minute, Taani toh mujh se pehle hi nikaal gayi thi... Agar college nahi aayi toh phir kahan hai?" Swayam said, realizing that something was definitely wrong. Just then, his phone vibrated with a new message: TAANI – Bhai, Tauji mere saath college aa rahe hain, please kuch kijiye!
"Oh s**t! Taani ko Papa chodne aa rahe hain!" He exclaimed as he realized that Taani's lie could be caught now.
"Oh god, hume sab ko warn kaarna hoga! Chal!" Rey said, springing into action and dragging him to the rehearsal hall. "GUYS!!" Rey shouted, getting everyone's attention immediately.
"Kya hua? Sab teek toh hain na?" Sharon asked, making Swayam's head turn automatically.
"Actually haan," Swayam responded, "Mere dad Taani ko chod ne aa rahe hain, aur unne yeh nahi pata lag na chahiye ki Rey bhi ek dancer hain."
"Lekin iss mein secret types kya hain Swayam?" Aashi asked innocently, as the others murmured the same thing amongst themselves.
"Guys woh hum baad mein baatayenge, lekin abhi ke liye please iss baat ko yaad rakho." Rey said pleadingly.
"Lekin..." Vicky started to say indignantly. But Sharon cut him off, "Sure Rey, joh bhi baat hain woh wait kar saktha hai." she said, her voice ringing with finality.
In St. Louis – With Taani...
*In her head* Hai Krishnaji, kisi bhi tarah bacha lijiye mujhe aaj.
As Taani walked through the college with her Tauji, she was amazed to hear so many people referring to Rey as the basketball captain, AGS and stuff like that. Then, when the dance team came up to them and acted as though nothing had happened yesterday, Taani knew that this had to be her brother's plan. "Accha waise ab mujhe chal na chahiye, meeting hain aur aaj me Delhi ja raha hoon so baad mein milta hoon aap sab se." Tauji said, smiling at all of them before leaving.
"Bhai kahan par hain?" Taani asked, immediately after he was out of earshot.
"Media room mein hain Rey ke saath." Sharon replied automatically. Taani smiled her thanks before running over to the media room. Seeing her Bhai, she ran up to him and hugged him.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much Bhai! Aaj agar aap nahi hote toh pata nahi kya hota." She exclaimed thankfully, trying to convey her gratitude for what he'd just done for her.
"Arre apni choti behen ki khushi ke liye itna toh karna padega na? Aise kaise me kuch bhi hone doon tere saath, mere bhi toh kuch responsibilities hain?" Swayam said laughing, then he looked between Rey and her and casually walked out.
In St. Louis – With Rey...
Seeing Taani so happy and the way she hugged Swayam filled Rey with a sense of relief. Not only because he knew that their secret was safe, but also because Taani-Swayam were okay again. By helping him and Taani, Swayam had fully made up for the entire incident with Sharon. Taani was so innocent that now any remaining awkwardness had disappeared. When Swayam left the media room this time, it was so different from a week ago when he'd left this room upset. But Rey could also see that Swayam wanted him and Taani to talk about this situation with Swayam's dad.
"Taani, iss baar toh hum bach gaye lekin agli baar kya karenge?" he asked softly, taking Taani's hand in his and sitting her down so they could talk.
"Woh toh mujhe bhi nahi pata Rey, ek baar mein hi me itna dar gayi thi me. Agar aisa phir se hua toh me toh pareshaani ke maare mar jaon…" Taani trailed off as he lifted a finger to her lips.
"Aisa sochna bhi mat," he said as he perched himself on a desk beside her, "agar aisa kuch hoga toh sirf mujhe." He said, kissing her forehead softly. Taani looked at him for a minute before throwing her arms around him and starting to cry.
"Bohot buri ho…oon na…me?" Taani sobbed into his shoulder, shocking Rey to the core.
"Taani, kya keh rahi ho? Yeh sab tumhari galati nahi hai, agar tumare Tauji ki thinking old fashioned hain to hiss mein tum kya kar sakthe ho? Aur yeh sab toh humare rishte ko protect kaarne ke liye hain so it's about both of us." He said comfortingly as he stroked her hair. He looked at the door and then pulled her out of the room and the two of them slipped into the fire escape without being seen. Then he sat down and sat her next to him. He kissed her eyelids, wiping away her tears with his thumb. Taani hugged him again, clutching his neck tightly as though she couldn't bear to let go. They stayed that way for at least 10 minutes before Rey took Taani's hands and separated them. He kissed both of her hands, holding them in his own.
"Please don't cry Taani, I can't see you cry." He said, his own voice laced with pain for Taani's suffering. Taani gasped when she heard his pain and looked up at him, cupping his face in her hands. Her hand moved softly over his face and she kissed his cheeks softly. Rey turned Taani around to face him and they both sat there with their foreheads together. He kissed Taani's forehead, and then his lips lingered over hers for what felt like ages. He looked into the eyes of his angel, and only after he saw her acceptance, he pressed his lips to hers. And in that sweet kiss they both found peace.
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