Chapter 3: Chapter 3

The Wednesday morning Sneha is all busy with work and Raj is still figuring out if there exists any way to calm her down. Most of his time was spent near Sneha's room. He silently sits at the stairs near her room, but the door is always closed. He does not want to disturb her, nor does he know how to take things further, or make them better.

Sneha gets up from her chair to stretch and relax for a while. She finds a paper near the door. Looks like it was pushed into her room using the narrow gap between the door and the floor. It has a beautiful sorry written over it. Sneha writes back 'Just imagine your sister in my place. A random guy takes her picture secretly. How would you react to that?' and throws it out. A soft voice was heard from the other side of the door. "Hit his face until the nose is all broken".

Sneha teases, "Don't worry, I am not so violent. But I am taking my revenge for sure. Be prepared! Also, you don't have to react so violently. They are proud moments for us. And still, not correct on your part."

Raj has no words to speak.

Sneha continues, "You know what, for the very first time, I liked someone flirting with me. I had a good opinion of you. Even though shifting you from the brother feel to something else was weird, I was happy for the future. You had my contacts, and I was waiting for you to initiate conservation between us. My mom also gave such clues. And finally, whenever we met, like for some formality's sake, you just spoke with me for two minutes. So many times, this was your behavior. It seemed clear. It seemed clear that I was the one who misunderstood you to have taken my pic. I ended things between us, even before anything started. Mom too stopped giving me clues."

Raj sits on the floor leaning onto the door. "I ruined all the chances I had, all by myself".

Sneha asks, "Hey, was I rude to you?"

Raj answers, "We got so less time with each other that I couldn't realize what I felt about you."

Sneha adds, "I almost succeeded in giving up on you, until my best friend got into a wrong marriage and I saw her being unhappy. I started worrying about myself. I am an introvert and we don't really get easy with new people. Trust is a big deal for us, especially over personal life matters. Dad too started searching for matches. That kind of created pressure and there again you enter, into my thoughts."

Raj gets emotional, "Sneha, you too love me right."Sneha too gets emotional, "I can't accept that Raj. You were only a better option. I want you to be my choice. My one and only choice. But I was not sure. Except for capturing a picture of mine, you never again gave such clues."

Raj is again speechless.

Sneha continues, "I was so very much confused. Over everything. Afraid that I might end up like my friend who is suffering because of her wrong marriage. It was so irritating to have the 'good guy' opinion on you. And more irritating was 'It should be fine to take a picture, but why did I have to observe that and end up this way.' I was so disturbed with all these oceans of thoughts.

Just convinced me that when I meet another better guy, I will be able to get over you.' That itself would have happened if not for yesterday."

Giving a moment of pause.

Sneha continues, "I didn't have reasons to pick you Raj. I don't have those reasons, even now. Give me those reasons. Else, I trust my dad's choice for me. I have my right to choose. You entered my thoughts only because I believed you liked me. As time passed, that belief dissolved,

I ejected you. And you again make this comeback."

Raj answers, "Thank goodness, I didn't lose you to another guy! Till yesterday, I too was not sure."

Sneha angrily opens the door. Yes! Raj is still leaning over that same door. Falling onto his back, he ends up lying on the floor. Sneha is standing tall above his head. He can feel her temper!

"What not sure? Is it some carrom board kind of game, that you throw my emotions here and there, confuse me so much and make me feel what, disgusting? I used to move you into my thoughts, might be to answer some unknown questions. And tired of finding no answers, kick you out of my thoughts. Even though everything used to seem impractical and impossible, I still was daydreaming and expecting a lot from you. Waiting, I was waiting over nothing. Upsetting myself, and again struggling to throw you out of my thoughts, permanently! I finally succeeded in doing that. But, why did you have to raise this confusion for me? I was so peaceful when you were like any other cousin or casual friend to me. When do you expect to put some clarity into your brains? After 2070 Christmas? Seriously, you guys are hopeless".

Sneha says this and moves out towards the balcony. Raj sits up slowly to fold his legs, trying to process what just happened. As if speaking only to the walls and doors, he whispers "Wow. Girls are cranky and too good at being angry. I upset her, but I love this cute crankiness. I also couldn't realize it until I looked into her eyes."

Chandu aads, "Yes, crankiness really turned out to be cute. Akka was so emotional just twenty seconds back and now all hyper."

Raj questions, "Chandu, what are you doing here? When did you come up?

Chandu: Stalking your cute love story Bava. (Sisters husband is Bava) Very entertaining it is. (Getting down the stairs) Mommy, I don't want this lockdown. I want to go to school, fall for a girl, and love..."

Chandu only has two more steps left to reach, he suddenly stops dropping off all his excitement.

Chandu: Mommy! Hi!

Chandu giggling and trying to act normal. Mom is holding the ends of this Chapati roller between her hands moving it round in the free space and waiting for Chandu to speak more.

Chandu has sensed the danger.

Chandu: Mom, we are done with breakfast, and am sure you are not making Chapati for lunch. Why do you hold that thing in hand?

Mom: My wish! I will hold anything I want to. Anyway, you were saying something. You were all excited. What is it? Want a girlfriend? Already?

Chandu: No. No. I was saying I don't want. Girls are very tough to handle. I would never- ever want a girlfriend. You heard me wrong.

Mom: Oh, is that so. Ok then, good. I have no work with this Chapati stick now.

Chandu: Sure. Sure. Please take it back to the kitchen. While this comedy is happening below, Raj wants a chance to express his apologies. Sneha is still in his sight. Raj has this serious and guilt filled tone. "Hey. Yes, I see that you are angry at me. I accept that. I will do all that it takes to impress you. To prove I am enough good for you. Also, I had my reasons for not being able to express myself. I had no clue that you knew about my uncertain crush. Please say 'yes' in the end. I can't take a no from you. Please!" Yes, this does melt Sneha, blooming a small smile over her lips. And yes, Raj has missed that smile and that pretty Sneha. Sneha stopped for a moment to hear out his apologies, now continues to walk.

Raj says to himself, "This turns out to be so complicated."

As Sneha reaches the balcony, she finds her Granny speaking over the phone with someone.

Also, granny can sense Sneha more disturbed and emotional.

Granny replies, "Ok, I will call you later. Something just came up."

"It's ok Granny. I just came to relax, you can speak."

"Sneha, how long do you want to be angry. Calm it down soon. You must be lucky. He is sincere."

"My anger is genuine. I have been through hard times. And, I do respect sincere love. I know it should be accepted. I will. I need time to calm myself down and find comfort with him."

"Hmmm."

"Granny, I was under so much pressure that I spoke to dad also. I said, 'Raj look's to be interested in me, but I am not sure dad. Decision over to you'. It took me a lot of guts to do so. Dad was not very convinced. I too was good with it since I wasn't sure."

"You spoke to dad also."

"Granny, Love is a bonding. It's an addiction and a habit. It's an emotional dependency. And I have none of them with him yet. If at all I had so much comfort with him, probably I would have proposed to him. I would have convinced mom and dad, which is easy! But it turns the other way round! I have complaints. Anyway, it's his headache to win me."

Granny teases, "You are not even twenty-five, but how does your young brain think so much?"Sneha proudly says, "Women had the potential to destroy dynasties. Also, you will indeed be happier when you get a person who loves you, rather than a person you love. That was the formula I applied when trying to quit him, and the same when I will accept him soon enough."

"Definitely, he must win your trust. And, take your time. As usual, we will maintain our secrets."

"We are a team, right!"

"Right! But don't play with him too much also. Ok? Sad one!"

"Don't you worry!"Thanks for choosing this story. Please vote and comment as you like my works!