Prashant was scrutinizing Ankita who was happily enjoying the cold mocktail. He approached her with a hesitant smile, and said - "Hello, I hope you're enjoying yourself here."
"Yyyes," Ankita replied to him in a low voice.
"Aap apne husband ke saath nahi aayi?" Prashant asked her calmly.
"Nahi," Ankita said, wondering on which inauspicious day she went to watch that movie with Sameer. Since then this caterpillar has been behind her.
"Oh, isn't it a strange coincidence? I mean jab bhi hum mile, chahe woh cinema hall me ho, cafeteria ho, Naina ke birthday me ho. I found you alone, aapke husband se mila hi nahi main kabhi." Prashant spoke with a surprised expression, though Ankita could see very well how his voice was showing doubt regarding her nonexistent husband. She huffed and passed him a tight-lipped smile.
"Yeah, actually he's kinda a shy guy," Ankita said with a fake blush on her cheeks.
"Oh really?" Prashant looked at her doubtfully.
"Haan, woh sirf ghar pe rehta hai ya fir office," Ankita told him sweetly.
"Acha? But us din aapne hi kaha tha aapke husband bhi aapke saath study karte hai...toh office?" Prashant questioned her with a raised eyebrow, his suspicion proving to be right bit by bit.
"Haan toh studies ke saath job nahi ho sakti? If he won't work toh humara kharcha kaise chalega?" Ankita said in a sharp tone, though her artificial smile didn't make him feel awkward and discomfited because of his perpetual interrogation.
"Yeah, right." Prashant agreed, half-heartedly.
"Now I remembered, aapne us din koi answer hi nahi diya tha, meri behen beech me aake mujhe lekar chali gayi thi, but ab pata chal gaya hai mujhe. Your husband is studying and working together. Good choice." He apprised her with a cheeky smile after a few moments of dead silence, and Ankita cursed herself for revealing these unimportant details. She squeezed her eyes and curbed her tongue that wanted to rebuke him for poking his nose in her personal life.
"By the way, I've found one mutual friend on your list. How do you know Pranali?" Now it was Ankita's time to test Prashant's lie.
"Pranali?" He repeated the beautiful name with a shocked face, and added - "I am...just, her friend."
"Really?" Ankita looked at him amusingly.
"Yes, of course, why would I lie," Prashant said with a nervous smile.
"You enjoy the party, I will go and have a chat with my friends." He whooshed away, and Ankita couldn't stop laughing at his terrified expressions when she mentioned Pranali's name. That girl lives in her neighborhood but they share no special friendship. It's limited to Hi-Hello. She knowingly mentioned Pranali's name to know whether her doubt was right or wrong as she had seen Pranali often posting romantic pictures with Prashant, which a Good Friend doesn't do.
"Aaya bada mujhse information nikal ne wala," Ankita murmured vexedly under her breath and enjoyed the cold drink passing through her parched throat, giving her ephemeral relief and pleasure.
Sharad was feeling better now and energetic enough to converse with Naina. He advanced her with an impeccable grin, and asked her curiously - "Hi again, you're the same girl who won the intra-state Dance competition?"
"Yeah." Naina gently answered him.
"Oh wow, you're so talented, maine pictures dekhe the internet pe...aapke reels bhi bahut viral hue the," Sharad said while beaming like a kid who had just got his favorite lollipop.
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Prem Vivah
FanfictionSameer Raut - A person surrounded by the walls of insecurities, and his temper is truly unbearable. He is a bad boy. But no one has ever met a real Sameer concealed inside him, everyone so far has judged him for his discourteous behavior. His yearni...
