Gehraiyaan.

Chapter 38

Sleep ditched me that night.

I laid on my back with my eyes flung open, wide awake, and needless to say - my brain was a thought generating factory. Somehow, everything felt novel and the air around me felt different. It's something I'd never felt in years. I absolutely adored the warmth the feelings radiated, and my heart endlessly prayed for things to remain unchanged. I didn't want anything to change for good - or for bad - I simply wanted everything to remain as it is.

I'd overslept next morning, and ran three hours late to the café.

"Why didn't you call me up, when you noticed that I was late?", I question Meenu, as I tie the apron around my waist. "I thought you'd scold me for that, too. That's all I've been eating since yesterday - your scolds", Meenu answers, grumpily, fidgeting with her order and I giggle.

"Arrey, I'm sorry, Meenu ki Bachi", I lovingly utter and pull her cheek. "I don't want your love, or apologies, Akka. Just don't yell at me. I feel so bad when you scold me", she frowns and I hug her from the side. "I'm sorry, Meri Jaan. I was so, so upset yesterday, but you're right - I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'll give you complementary breakfast today, take whatever you want", I offer her, happily.

"Something good happened last night, right?", she smiles at me. "What happened last night?", I furrow my eyebrows. "Everything must've been set with Darshan Raval, right?", she teases. "Besharam! Go do your work. If I give you some space, you find a way to stand over my head", I scold. "It's written on your face and when people point it out, you're getting mad? Weird, Akka", she mumbles under her breath and walks away with the order.

Maybe, she's right. I'm hovering way over the clouds, evidently. I should keep it subtle and tone down everything. I lock my thoughts into a cage and focus on my work for the rest of the morning, and at lunch break when I checked my phone for any notifications, Darshan had dropped a message.

Darshan : Good morning, Madam?

Holding my phone between my hands, I beam at it like a lunatic. I cannot believe that back to where we started seven years ago. But even today, I don't know where we're heading towards and now what terrifies me the most are the consequences that await for me at the end of the tunnel. As much as the thought of it troubles me, I cannot help but think - what if there aren't any consequences at all? What if all of this ends well? What if?

Me : Morning, Sir :) Everything good with you?

Darshan : Perfect. Everything must be good with you, as well, since I blessed your morning.

Me : No wonder I spilled milk all over four times already and I was wondering who cursed me.

Darshan : Acha Ji? Go clean that mess, phir. I'll find someone else to talk to.

Me : Sending all my strength and condolences to your next victim, she'll need it :) Bu-bye.

Darshan : I wanted to be nice to you, but Navya Shekhawat...fuck you. You hurt my heart :(

Me : Oh, you had a heart?

Darshan : Even though it's with you, it still does get hurt ;)

Me : Chii, yaar. Bas bhi kar do ab. If the world reads it, half of the population will die.

Darshan : Girls die to hear these lines from me.

Me : Haan toh unko jaake sunao, I'm not interested :)

Moments later, I receive an incoming call from him, out of nowhere.

"Hmm?", I mutter into the phone, seconds after answering the call. "Hmm? Where did all the sound go, Madam?", he questions, challengingly. "Haan toh unko jaake sunao, I'm not interested", he reads out my text, mimicking my voice, and I purse my lips together, concealing my smile.

"There are a thousand girls to listen to me, okay", he boasts. "So, go! I'm not stopping you", I shrug, studying my nails. "I'll go", he warns. "Go", casually, I utter.

"I'll go, okay? For real", he repeats. "Do you have wax in your ears? Go for real", I smile. "Nah, you'll feel bad and then you'll cry. I don't want your curse to fall on me, God save me from all of that", he dramatically backs off and I giggle, inviting a moment of silence between us on the line. I don't know what to say. Maybe, I should simply hang up and run back to work.

"Uhm..." ---- "Did you---", both of us make an attempt to initiate a conversation at once and fall silent, right away.

"Yeah?" --- "Yeah?", we say in unison.

"You say", I give him space. "No, you were gonna say something?", he cues. "No, I actually...I have to go. I've taken a long lunch break", I reveal. "And what were you going to say?", I pause. "Nothing. Some rubbish. You go", he answers and I smile, shaking my head to the sides.

"Acha suno...", his deep voice trails off. "Yeah?", I chip, curiously, and the silence forces my heart to pound underneath my chest. What is he going to say, that's taking too long?

"Actually, uhm...", he clears his throat and it opens door to more anxiety. "...today is Wednesday", he laughs and at this moment, I want to throw a hot cup of coffee on his face. "What were you expecting? Gulzar Sahab's poetry?", he teases.

"Asshole", I mutter under my breath. "What did you say?", he gasps. "Your name! Check your passport, you'll find it", I roll my eyes and hang up on him.

Right after the call with Darshan, my surveillance officer calls me. Kesh. I wish I could've dodge the phone call, but it would make it more than obvious that I'm hiding something from her.

"Did you talk to Darshan - or that chimney-dude or whatever - and tell him that it's a big no from your side?", Kesh goes full on, at once. "You can spare a moment to ask how I'm doing, you know", I play around with time.

"Answer my question, Nivi. I've been so worried about you. I even dreamt of you agreeing to everything. I've been stressing about you, I feel even during my delivery, I'll be thinking about you", Kesh whines and my heart races... because - Congratulations, Kesh; your dreams turned into reality. Well, not entirely, yet.

"You said no, right?", she prompts. "Yes", I lie. "How?", she questions. "No...with my mouth", I shrug. "I'll book an appointment and laugh at your joke in three business days", she utters flatly.

"I meant, did he call you, did he come meet you? How did everything happen?", she digs into the details I don't have. "Forget about all of that...I don't have time. But it's over", I brush it off.

"Meri Pyaari Jaan...listen to me carefully - if I ever happen to find out that you're out with Darshan Raval and that you're lying to me. I'll chop you into pieces, peel off your skin, marinate you in spices, salt you well, cook a stew out of you and feed you to the fucking dogs!", she warns.

"And before you even think of taking a step in his direction, think about my words, okay? The idea of having your cooked meat eaten by dogs isn't too settling", she tells me and the thought of it makes me sick in the stomach.

"Arrey, Kesh...all this stress isn't good for your baby. Calm down", I say. "You never let me live in peace. One day, you're rejecting men and the other day, you're talking about Darshan. Will my baby ever get to see her favourite Aunt get married?", she dramatises. "Even God doesn't know that so let it be", I sigh.

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[Today is a triple-dhamaka, so don't even waste your time - SWIPE DOWN!!!!]