*::.~FF Dostana~.::* OLD CHAP PUT UP AGAIN - Page 17

*.::CHAPTER 11::.*

'Khanak!'

'Tashu!'

the two girls hugged each other, 'oh god I missed you!'

'Oh me to... Guys are good for so many things but not talking, not so much anyway...'

Khanak laughed as she saw Rohan making a face at Tashu's comment.

'Rohan! I missed you too!'

Khanak went and hugged Rohan, they bear hugged eachother, and rohan picked her up from the ground for a second.

'Rohan and Tashu, the lovebirds you guys are back from Panjim...'

Shantanu hugged Tashu and high fived Rohan, as they all sat on the chairs, 'main ek minute mein aaya, do you want juice, drinks? Anyone?' asked Shantanu.

'beer?' Rohan asked The two girls.

'ya beer is good...' agreed Khanak.

'but I will have a punch please.'

'okay, three beers, and one punch, coming right up,' Shantanu got up and went towards the bar.

Khanak turned to Tashu, 'so tell me all about it!'

'Khanak Panjim is all about relaxing, and quiet, admiring nature's beauty... And we went for walks, and to beaches, the usual stuff- but you! Oh my god, I can't believe you went the WC way!'

'WC?'

'in Madhvi aunt's words wild child...' answered Rohan.

Khanak smiled at Rohan then looked at Tashu, 'but why are you talking in the abbreviation language?'

'Just a phase...'

'a very irritating one,' added Rohan.

'hey! it's not that bad.'

'It is.'

'whatever... It's kinda fun, so bear it my dear BF and BFF... But yeh sab chodh tell me about the partying, drinking, boys...'

'Shaan ne sab bada chada ke bola hai! It wasnt that wild!'

'kya batein ho rahi hai?', Shantanu turned to the waiter behind him, ' Bhaiyya yaha rakh do...'

Then he sat next to Khanak. '

what have you been telling these two!?'

'oh nothing why?!' SHantani looked at Khanak then at Rohan and Tashu.

Khanak wacked him, 'You told him I am acting like a WC...'

'WC!?'

Khanak turned to Tashu, , 'you dont know WC?!' she mimicked Madhvi, 'Uff shantanu! how can you not know WC! Wild Child idiot!'

they all laughed, ' god mom we are sorry...' Shaan said in between laughs. Causing them to laugh harder.

'Anyway, he is lying I'm just having fun, I am not a wild child.'

'Ya she is right, she parties until the wee hours of the morning, drinks- a lot, does adventure sports, flirts with guys but no she is not even a tad bit of a wild child.'

Khanak slapped him on his arm, 'it's not as bad as it sounds!'

' well it is still wild for you miss ''responsible''. You have always been the one who does the right thing; I am so happy that finally someone came along who dragged you to the ''dark side''.'

'Thank you Tashu, I feel so special hearing that,' said Shantanu.

'Oh you should!'

'Tum log meri bezati kar rahe ho yaar! Tashu you make me sound like an aunty!'

'nahi Khanak, you are not an aunty, just boring!'

'Shantanu! How mean!'

'I still don't believe it though.'

Khanak looked at Tashu, 'fine. You can see me in action, tonight! There is a party…'

'OO!!!! Fun! As it is quiet Panjim se bahut bor ho gayi hoon! I am a delhi girl, I need the noise!!'

They all laughed.

Shantanu looked at a the bar, where a girl was looking and smiling at him.

'guys, excuse me…'

'Oh my god Shaan!'

Shantanu mouthed "what?!"

'yeh Kabhi nahi sudhar sakta!'

Khanak looked at Rohan, 'rohan I want to ask about Aisha.'

Tashu spit out her punch, 'Khanak I thought you got over that!'

'news flash, I pretended! Rohan please yaar!'

'what do you want to know? It the basic, they met in college, they fell madly in love, and they were pretty much inseparable, then….. they broke up. Out of the blue, it was quite a shock though, I really though they were the meant to be couple. But what do I know? But Shantanu nevere talks about it, none of them did, they both just kept quiet about it. But why are you asking?'

'because she thinks, he still loves Aisha.'

'Oh god no! he doesn't believe me, otherwise he would have not let her go.'

Khanak sighed, 'thanks.'

'are you going to talk to him about Aisha?!'

'I don't know Rohan.'

'well it is going to be useless and probably bad for your health, you are too young to die!'

Khanak laughed, 'bye guys!'

'where are you going now?!'

'sunset… bye.'

:::::::::::::::::::

Khanak looked at the sunset in the horizon; the hot colors of the sun calmed her soul. The breeze from the sea played with her hair, bringing strands of her hair to her face then pushing them away... She closed her eyes, and felt like she was flying, even though her feet were firmly on the ground. A hint of a smiled appeared on her lips as she recalled the past few days...

She had never really been the one who had let her hair down, who had just had fun, Tashu always called her the "responsible one" and she was exactly that. She didn't know what it was, but she had never been the wild child, she had never gone to late night parties, had never drunk more than a glass or two of anything… she had always held back, afraid somehow… she had always been guarded, the only person she had let in was Tashu…

She opened her eyes, and recalled the moments spent with Shaan, I was always the one who never trusted anyone easily, Tashu was the only one who was truly my friend, she thought to herself, as she wrapped her arms around herself. But with Shaan, all the barriers and walls, that I created around myself, he just… breaks them all, like he can see through me.

The past four days had been the most fun she had had, and it was all because of Shaan, without him, she would have never let go, she would have let loose…

'I trust him…' she whispered to the winds.

She stood there, mesmerized by the horizon, by the setting sun, which seemed like it was being swallowed by the mighty sea. Until she heard someone behind her, she turned and a smile formed on her lips as she saw who was behind her.

'I thought you were with that girl...'

'hmm… but then I saw you standing here, and I knew I wanted to talk to you…'

'her loss my gain.' She smiled as she turned back to the horizon.

Shantanu smiled at her comment, and looked at the horizon, 'now I see why you have been standing here for so long.'

'It's beautiful na?'

'more than words can describe.'

'hmm… red, orange, yellow, I never thought the colors of fire can be so…'

'calming.'

'ya…' she said with a smile.

He went and stood next to her, Khanak looked at him, then back at the setting sun, she then slowly rested her head on his shoulder.

'kya hua?' she asked him.

'kuch nahi…'

'hmm…'

Shantanu smiled, 'Khanak… what do you want to ask me?'

'nothing…'

'Khanak…'

'Aisha…' she bit her lip in nervousness as she whispered Shantanu's ex-girlfriend's name.

'what about her?'

'I just- you know…'

'no I don't.'

'Ya you don't, that is such a bad line, you kniow! Of course you don't know that's why you asked- '

'you are babbling.'

'yes I am I should just shut up! Just forget it that I ever said anything!'

'Khanak, this is me, your Shaan, you can ask me anything.'

'I know, I just… thought- maybe you still love her?'

Shantanu smiled, 'a part of me will always love her.'

'that's true…'

'Khanak, she was my first love, I don't know why the relationship ended. I mean things end, right?'

'they do, things end and there are closed chapters in our life, but sometimes, there are things which remain unresolved as if, something is stuck in time- a part of us. Do you think that's it with Aisha and you?'

'I don't know, all I know is that Aisha is a closed chapter in my life and I want it to remain so…'

Khanak looked at him, Shantanu turned to her, she smiled and nodded, 'as you wish… I just want you to know, that I am always going to be here for you, whenever if ever you need me.'

Shantanu smiled, touched by her words, 'I know, and thanks for that.'

Shantanu pulled her into a hug, 'you are by far the best thing that happened to me…' he whispered into her hair.

'and you to me. Minus Tashu.'

'Minus Rohan.'

They laughed, 'god this is a little senti, don't you think?'

'no, this is very senti!' answered Khanak.

'hmm… but I want to stay here with you for a bit more time.'

Khanak pulled away and looked into his eyes, 'me too.'

She turned to the sunset, 'I always wanted to see a sunset on a beach.'

Shantanu snaked his hand around her waist, as he turned to see the sunset.

::::::::::::::::::::

'Here you go woman.'

'eww! I hate vodka shots!'

'Just take one!'

'No Shaan!'

'Come on, for me!'

'Oh fine!'

'at the count of three, 1-2-3!'

They both gulped down the shot, 'YUCK! God!'

'I know, rocking right?'

'NO!'

'Hey? You want to dance?'

'Are you really asking?!'

Shantanu smiled and pulled Khanak to the dance floor, Shantanu held her hand and twirled her around and pulled her to him, they swayed together, their bodies moving in cohesion, 'so this is how you woo all the girls?'

'no, not all girls, just you.'

Khanak laughed, 'so you are trying to woo me?'

'tumne aab notice kiya?!'

'Shaan no flirting!'

'dosti ke constitution mein flirting is allowed!' he pulled her against him, 'and we are magical when together, it will be a crime, us not flirting.'

Khanak blushed a little, 'woh toh hai.'

Shantanu bent down a little, 'I love it when you blush…'

'and I love it when you make me blush…'

'really?' he whispered as he moved closer to her.

Khanak glanced down at his lips, 'tum mujhe kiss karne ka sooch rahe ho?'

'the idea crossed my mind… and anyway, this is you WC holiday, kissing me wouldn't be too wild, but it will be breaking the rules of our friendship, and wild girls break rules…'

'I didn't know we had any such rule…' she whispered with a mischievous smile.

'you didn't?'

'nope, I just kept wondering why you aren't making your move.'

'hai! toh pehle keh deti, I wouldn't have waited so long.'

Khanak smiled, 'hmm…'

Shantanu wet his lips as he came closer to Khanak, while she bit hers…

'Oh my god this is a ROCKING party!'

They both moved away with a jerk as they heard Tashu.

'oops! Sorry guys! Didn't realize… Umm…. Carry on…' Tashu turned back and went towards the bathrooms.

Shantanu looked and Khanak, who was smiling as she tugged a strand of her hair behind he ear.

'awkward…'

'drink?'

'ya, but no Vodka!'

'fine!'

Khanak looked at him, god! Tashu and her BAD timing, God, ek kiss! Kya ho jata agar hum ek baar kiss kar lete! She thought to herself , when someone bumped into her.

'sorry!'

Khanak smiled, 'It's fine.'

'hey! Aren't you Khanak? Features editor at Trends?'

Khanak smiled, 'yes…'

'Oh my god, great to finally meet you!'

Khanak shook the handsome guys hand, 'thanks, but how?'

'oh I read your article, on how the current media trends are empowering women and changing the face of women empowerment!'

'you read that!'

'of course…'

'I can't believe you still remember it! That was a year ago!'

'I know, but that article… was amazing, I still have it with me, I mean at home. I couldn't believe that the person who wrote that is in fashion journalism, no offense.'

'None taken, you have made me feel too special for me to be offended.'

He laughed, 'a beautiful woman, with brains, fashion sense and humor!'

'well… many think we don't exist, but we do.'

'we?'

'hmm… the perfect women!'

They both laughed, 'god that sounded much better in my head!'

'don't be apologetic, especially when you are turning out to be right!' he said with a smile.

Khanak smiled, 'well…thank you.'

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

'one apple martini and a scotch please.'

'right away sir.'

Shantanu leaned onto the bar and smiled as he recalled what had happened just moments ago. He had not thought about it, until the moment he had pulled her closer. He had been reminded of the time in the garden in Shimla. and in that moment he could not think of anything else but to kiss her, in fact he couldn't believ he flirted before their lips had been a mere inches away, he had just wanted to pull her to him and kiss her… until Natasha came and broke the spell… 'I will kill her when I see her!'

He looked back at Khanak, and saw her talking to a guy, they were walking away from the dance floor and towards the bar, he smiled, 'not two minutes and someone is already with her.'

'sir your drinks…'

'Oh thank you!'

Shantanu turned around and saw the one thing he had never expected to see never in a million years had thought he would see what he saw. He stood there frozen, he went cold with shock, and he felt his body go numb, the loud music seemed to have been muted, and the world it seemed have come to a standstill… 'What the hell…' he whispered to himself, 'no! This can't… oh my god, I can't be here!' he kept the drinks back on the counter. He glanced back at the spot, hoping he had been mistaken… hoping that he was wrong, and it were two different people kissing each other, but he was right it was them…

'I can't be here! I have to go…'

He rushed out of the party, never once looking back…