Chapter 31: Chapter 31

"It's so ironic that it took so much time for people to realize your real value. They come knocking right when you have finally closed your door."

Shree's Perspective

I descended the stairs to see everyone on the breakfast table. As their eyes snapped upon me, surprise practically oozed out of them.

"When did you come?" Mom asked as I took my seat next to Vidhi bhabhi.

"Um... yesterday!"

"Obviously but when? We didn't see you coming." Bhabhi threw another question at me and I looked at Abhimanyu for support. He seemed to gauge it, "Actually I went to her home yesterday and..."

"Oh so finally you couldn't resist!" Badi ma interjected and looked at me. "He was restless since the day you were gone and was losing his temper on everyone."

He was restless because he was guilty, not because he was missing me. I wanted to amend her views but the pasta served before me, seemed too delicious to wait for. So, pasting a fake smile, I dug in to my food. I didn't know if my decision of staying here was right or wrong, the only thing I know was, I was happy and I'd love to keep it that way only.

***

"Hmm.....so the whole furor generated in your life is because of his ex-girlfriend!" These words came out of my best friend's mouth as she heard my jeremiad. Tranquility fell before, she shot up her eyebrows, "And she is also the reason of the rift between you guys."

"Rift?" Snorting humorlessly, I conceded, "She's raised to the whole Mount Everest between us. She's the one who'd indirectly made me subjected of downcast spurn."

"That's a pretty serious matter." She sighed, digging into the hot croquet crispy rolls mom, as in Abhimanyu's mom, had baked for us.

Sighing, she tapped her fingers on the plate, a habit I scornfully endured as it's unwholesome to talk some sense into her. She gazed to the pale chromic ceiling. "Still I think you should be wary and..." She turned to me with a cocky grin, "...get a grip on your heart."

"What do you mean?" I shot up my eyebrows, chewing the roll.

"I meant what I said." She rolled her eyes, "As we both are aware of that you like him, I suggest please don't let him put you to good use."

"JUST SHUT UP!" I glared her, red. She burst into laugh and pinched my cheeks, "Don't pretend babe! I know you like him."

"What nonsense!" Swatting her hand off, I scoffed and she rambled on, "No seriously, how you were crying!!"

She cleared her throat and I glared her completely aware what's in queue, she cleared her throat, patronizing me, "Oh Rhea! I did that. I finally did that..."

"RHEA!!"

".....I want to kill him then bring him back to life then kill him...."

"RHEA! JUST SHUT UP!"

"....it's just I've lost a part of me. You won't understand, Rhea." She completed and plopped on the bed, laughing while I managed to hit pillows on her. After office, she landed up in home to persuade me to go back in my home, my paternal home. Vexed, I'd to divulge the whole situation to her and that's led us here.

"I don't like him. I hate him, he's a jerk." I twitched my lips, trying hard to consent with myself.

She flipped on her stomach, balancing her weight on her elbows and gave me a knowing look, "If we subside this hotchpotch, I bet you like him. The girl who'd had knock off a boy to hurt her, is affirming on staying with a massive jerk says she's in love."

"Use your brain Rhea, How can I love him when all he do is to hurt me? Perhaps, he's just a knack or infatuation." It's more like affirming my heart, not her.

"Denial won't make it lie, Darling. If you don't like him, why the hell you drank? And why the hell you get in here? Notice that I'm completely ignoring the part where you shamelessly demanded to get kissed." She winked, making me regret that why the hell I'd to tell her EVERYTHING.

"I was drunk."

"According to Google, 97.45% people speak truth about themselves in drunken state." She surfed through the Google and showed me, "And psychologists have also given it a certification."

"But...." 'Stop denying! You know you like him, even before you got married, even before you got engaged.', this time it was ESV.

"I...do...like him." I confessed, stuttering and she clapped, "Hey we go...you fell for a jerk. Great!"

"Shut up!" I grimaced, "If I ignore his recent devilment, he's not that bad." I had a good word to say for.

"Albeit I'm still not so supportive of him but I just hope you won't be casted upon." She hugged me slouching on her knee and I met her halfway, "I hope that too."

"Okay, so now I've to take my leave. Mom must be waiting for me." She landed on floor and flattened out her dress.

"I'll walk you out."

"No, I'll be my own. You just clear the mess we've done." She laughed, pointing to the plates and pillows scattered on the bed.

"Okay! Bye!" I hugged her tightly before resuming to my work.

Rhea's Perspective

"Rhea! You going?" Abhimanyu's mom asked and I touched her feet, "Yes aunty, I'm getting late. Mom would be waiting."

"Okay! But I'll hope you'll visit soon." She smiled and I nodded, "Of course aunty. Bye!"

Making my way to the exit, I got lost in notions. I mean where did Abhimanyu get his evil genes from? His whole family was decent, complaisant and benevolent. Then how come he was arrogant, unmannered and reckless?

Kicking the ground, I came to my Alto and drove it, taking back gears. I asked the gateman to open the main door, and I reversed the car, I hit someone. A male, precisely.

His groan hit my ears. I jumped off the car and scurried to him, "I'm so sorry....Abhimanyu."

He was rubbing his foot, slouching to the ground and looked up to glare me but his gaze suddenly turned soft. Well, only his not mine.

"Did I hurt you?" I feigned concern and he got up on his feet, "No not actually. It's just an impact."

"Tch..Tch...too bad for me. I wished to crumple you under my car." I stood ten feet tall and his eyebrows drew closer but that wouldn't stop me, "I still can do it if you're planning to hurt my friend. She's being gullible enough to not understand your motives but you can't play upon me. I'll kill you if you so much just as try to pinch her."

A tranquil smile formed on his lips, "She's lucky to have a friend like you and don't worry, before hurting her I'll prefer to die."

I fell out of words. In those brown eyes, I tried tracing adulteration but they seemed sans. His features were naive and his words holding gravity.

Perhaps Shree is right!

"Good for you, because if you don't. I'll provide you with cyanide." I quoted false words before glancing at his foot, "And I'm sorry for that and also for calling you names."

"Don't be! I needed that rap on my knuckles. You made me realize the fear of losing her. So, thank you in a way." He enunciated and I nodded, looking away awkwardly.

Two minutes more and I'll start hating myself for mistreating him. Akshat was right, it was their matter and I should stop poking my nose.

"Bye!" I mumbled before ducking into my car and he moved aside, "Drive safe."

Lesson learnt! Don't judge a person for their behavior with someone close.

Abhimanyu's Perspective

I entered my room to find Shree working on her laptop. I cleared my throat to grab her attention and casting her short gaze on me, she moved back to computer screen.

"How was your day?" I asked, removing my tie but she didn't utter a word, "Are you being unmuzzled?" I asked as she refused to look at me, talk to me and I guess, even listening me.

"I'm talking to you." I stood before her and pressed my hand on screen. She glared me, okay good at least I've received one reaction.

"Which part of 'I am not here for you' was so difficult to get? I told you I'm staying here for our family and don't you understand I don't want to talk to you!" She said, scornfully.

"You won't talk to me?" I asked sternly, folding my hands.

"No!"

"Fine! You've got only one day to do this. So that you won't complain about me domineering you but after that, I want you to behave normal."

Her eyes creased short, throwing daggers at me, "For your information, you're still domineering me. I talk or not, is completely my decision and you've to comply with it."

I shook my head, "No. Not when I know you like me. I won't allow you to go away from me."

"What is this? Some sick obsession or your psychotic episode?" She got up on her feet, possessing a tone of belligerency, "I don't like you."

"Okay!" I repelled back and heard her unwavering murmur of what. I shut close the bathroom and discarded my shirt to dive into blue water of relief.

"If it's so easy to accept why were you torturing me since yesterday?" She targeted me with her question when I came out, wiping out my hair with towel and threw it on the bed.

"Come here!" I pulled her closer to me and she stapled to me as she wasn't prepared for the sudden pull, her eyes grew wide as saucer and I could hear her fasten heartbeats.

"If you don't like me," I touched her eye lashes, blowing hair off her forehead, "Why are you breathing heavily?"

"I...am. Not." She stuttered and squirmed in my cage but I breathed, looking at her adorable face and that delicate pair of plum lips I sucked upon yesterday.

"You wanted me to kiss you" I traced my fingers on her quivering lips, "And I know you want it now too."

Shree's Perspective

"You wanted me to kiss you yesterday." He traced his fingers on my lips, accelerating my heartbeats and his eyes shot up in mine, "And I know you want it now too."

Yes, I do.

ESV gasped, 'What? Are you crazy? No I don't want it. I'm telling you if he kisses me, I'll self destruct myself'.

Go and kill yourself. I want him, I love…

"But I won't do it now." He backed off, the heat his body emitted, was suddenly void, I looked at him dump. What the hell just happened?

"Don't you think I am backing off because I don't like you? I do but you're not ready now." He said out loud as if reading my mind and I frowned, "Ready?"

"You don't accept that you like me and I won't kiss you until the day you say you love me." He was confident.

"Dream on!" I muttered, ten feet high and whip away but halted on my steps as I heard him, "I do. I dream of you, and one day I'll make them carved in reality."

He padded to me and grasping my chin between two fingers, made me look at him, "That day, you won't be able to run away from me and I won't let you either. Good night!"

Blissful, that's what I felt when he pecked me before I could object and pressed a chaste salute on my forehead, delicate and promising. He retreated to take his pillow and I opened my eyes.

"Where are you going?" I asked as soon as I found my voice and he whipped his head to me, "As much as I want to sleep taking you in my arms. I presume you won't like it. Hence, I am on to sofa."

His words had become magical, his smile addictive but I still needed to restrain myself until I got sure.

"Good night!" I murmured, plopping on the bed. It felt too big for my fragile frame and too cold to my comfort. I closed my eyes and the morning scene flashed; I was trapped in his arm cage; my hands around his waist and his chin above my head.

A gratifying smile crept on my face. I wanted him to succeed; succeed in wooing my heart; succeed in making me fall for him, all over again.

Days in my adobe started wending exhilarating and nights started being convivial. Abhimanyu changed into something of an aficionado. I was still receiving bouquet and those cards, now they'd transformed into wish cards.

I was still trying to treat him silently and he was still managing to penetrate the wall of fortress I'd momentarily built around myself. Recently, he'd decided to surprise me with a jewelry box. A freaking Ruby Diamond Set.

It took my entire volitions to reject that. ESV cried her heart in this regard. He retorted back and affiliation swarmed up in his eyes.

"Diamonds can't woo an aching heart. I'll fix up everything and then, these diamonds will be on your feet. I will make up for your pain." He'd said and kissed my head.

I was not angry with him, nor was I despondent. I just wanted him to be with me. To saturate my heart's craving, I'd succumb into his wish of sleeping together. We shared bed but that was only the way as it'd been always.

Though, I slipped in his embrace in midnight when he wrapped his hands in lethargy, I cocooned myself in his arms and hid my head in his chest and slip out as soon as sense started trapping him.

I'm just this close to let go of myself in him but the only restraint is because of his words that still rings in my ears what he uttered that day. I know he means the least of them but…

ESV plopped on the bed, 'Really? If it matters that much, why do you kiss him when he asleep?'

Just. Shut. Up.