Swaraaj : The Devil

CHAPTER TEN

"Hi...." Karan could only say that on the phone, his tone was guilty.... But the sound of smile on the other side gave him hope.... 

"Hey Stranger...." The person said from the other side.... Karan smiled at that.... He sat back on his bed... after completing his drinks with SK he came back to his bedroom and stood in front of his wall of photo frames, wherein he was only looking at one picture, it was Panchhi's picture, she was young at the time when this picture was taken, Karan has never seen her so happy as she was in this picture.... The picture was taken on a beach, Panchhi was playing with tides when this picture was taken.... And that was Karan's breaking point, he couldn't resist anymore, he had to talk to Panchhi, but he was also nervous because when he was with Panchhi last time, he promised her that this time it would be different for them, but since that day he hasn't contacted her.... nor did Panchhi called him.... Panchhi knew the drill.... She had dealt with this before and she was doing it again.... but out of the blue her phone rang and she heard the voice she craved to hear every other second.... "Couldn't sleep, could you?" She asked, she lay there on her sofa, she was staying in a safe house that Karan chose for her... she was alone in her room, her guards kept their posts in the house.... Four guards were in the house and another six around the house guarding it.... 

"No I tried!" Karan leapt out weak smile, "But I couldn't!" he confessed, 

"Something's bothering you!" it was rhetorical, 

"Yeah...." Karan admitted.... In Karan's mind there were so many feelings, he wanted to share with her, so many things he wanted to tell her.... but Karan's couldn't gather right words to explain it... 

"What is it Karan?" Panchhi asked him in obvious manner... she knew something was bothering him, something was keeping him awake; some thoughts, memories or some buried feelings.... 

"It's nothing, I just wanted to make sure you were okay! Sorry to have wake you.... I'll check up on you later...." Karan said hastily, and was about to hang up the call, but he stopped when Panchhi spoke out, 

"Wait. Wait. Wait." 

"What?" Karan asked..... 

"Don't hang up! Look I know you don't have anything to say, but I DO; Could you just talk to me for couple more minutes.... Please!" Panchhi said, she knew Karan would never willingly talk to her more than couple minutes, she knew he wasn't kind of the guy who shares every single thought of his mind with anyone, so if anyone wants to know what's going on in his mind, then one has to dig into his thoughts and pull it out.... 

"Yeah sure...." Karan said, he was amazed... but couldn't complain either, because he himself wanted to talk his feelings to her but it was too much awkward for him.... 

"What do you want to talk about?" Karan asked calmly.... Panchhi smiled.... 

"Everything.... You, Nitu, SK, and little something about me too...." Karan smiled at her thought.... 

"Why don't we make little changes in that?" Karan asked, Panchhi was amazed.... "What kind of changes?" she asked.... "Why don't we just talk more about you, and very much less about us, I wouldn't mind it..." Karan offered.... Panchhi blushed at his offer.... Her smile was reaching to her ears.... 

"I wouldn't mind either...." Panchhi said blushing.... 

"So how are you liking Ahmedabad?" Karan asked and started conversation, she was as excited as any girl would be on her first date. But only difference was she was married to her phone date.... They talked for hours, till Panchhi was tired and wanted to sleep, Karan listened every single thing she said and was attentive to her... he didn't let her feel that he was tired or he wanted to end their conversation, because though he hated to admit, but he actually liked talking with Panchhi... nothing made him more relaxed and carefree; than her voice in his ears....