My Favourite Dream

10. Friends?

"I wanted to ask you something." Parineet looked at him with curious eyes as she sat in front of him, at some distance, on the same brown coloured couch.

"Yes?"

"Why did you come after me? I mean you dropped me and you were supposed to go home.."

"Oh yes. I must tell you this." Pari saw him getting awkward and uncomfortable in front of her when all this time he was fine.
"Actually when you left, the jam got cleared in a minute only. And I almost made my car fly when I saw your phone lying on the seat. I stopped my car and took it in my hand. And yeah I must tell you that there were notifications of 5 recent missed calls from one of your friends I guess. You must be home or near your home so I thought that I should return it to you and hence turned to your block. But I found you in a grave situation. So yeah."

"Baba ji ka shukr hai." Parineet sighed in relief as she got saved from getting killed. She can never forget what happened with her, her fears and weaknesses flashed in front of her eyes and if it hadn't be Taran there with her, she must have passed out or have got herself killed by them. She saw Taran smiling at her and so lost, that she waved her hand in front of his handsome face.

"Your Punjabi is so cute." He blurted.

"Sorry?"

"I mean -"

"Forget it. So where is my phone?" Parineet let that comment go because she didn't want to get on the other side of it.

"I - I am so sorry!" Taran started sweating and licked his dry lower lip, not meeting her gaze anymore.

"What happened?"

"With my watch and wallet it's your phone I had to give them."

"Oh!"

"I'm genuinely sorry Parineet for that. Trust me I thought of giving you your phone back and come back in a minute. Hence I didn't take my mobile with me and with my belongings your phone got stolen."

"Taran-"

"Parineet if I had my phone with me, I wouldn't have given yours to them. I swear." He was rambling without a pause and in the process he stood up from the couch to explain himself better. Parineet also stood up and took his hands in her. He froze in her presence and started looking at her assured eyes. She wasn't angry. He let out a breathe finally.

"Taran! Taran! Calm down. I am already ashamed and apologetic of you losing your money and watch because of me. And I know you would have done that for me. But please. It was a situation and you had to give everything away to save me. Please don't be sorry. I don't want to hear it from you. In fact thank you so much for saving my life, thinking about my whereabouts, my safety all the time. Back then I was so stubborn at the clinic. I reprimanded you for accompanying me. But thanks to you. I am alive because of you. I will forever be grateful." she explained in a sweet and calm manner, taking away all the heaviness from his mind. 

"If that is the case. Then Madam! Dosti mein no sorry no thank you." Surprisingly his voice was more jolly and happier this time and Parineet looked clueless at his bollywood dialogue.

"Haan?"

"Oh god! I need to make you watch movies." Taran rubbed the bridge of his nose with right hand, other still in her hold. Parineet looked at his drama and giggled. 

"You have to. I agree." Taran laughed at her reply. At that moment he wanted to tell her that she looks the prettiest to him when she giggles and smiles, but restrained himself. They are at a very delicate stage of friendship, because she has never been open to conversations with him and when now, finally she is, he should be careful to not lose her. They stood like that for a minute, staring and laughing when Taran's empty stomach made a growling sound and he got embarrassed. "By the way I am super hungry. Do you have Maggi or something?" When Pari fell on her way, the food they bought from the restaurant also fell on the road.