The Invincible Love

A Progression

So, as promised. Here comes the next update.

Happy Republic Day to all.

Go ahead and enjoy this chapter.

Happie reading!!!

Next day Anupama reached office as usual and started working. A few minutes later Devika entered the cabin with some work at hand for her. they both put their heads together and focused on work. During lunch Devika asked, "Anuj kaisa hai?"

"Voh theek hai. Lekin unko vahan acha nahi lag rha. Bas voh yahan jaldi ajaye. Mujhe bhi yahan kuch theek nahi lag rha." She just casually added. But Devika read the underlying sadness.

"Acha! Toh teri roz baat bhi hoti hai. And you are missing him so much." Devika went on to tease her friend as it was a ritual for her.

"Kuch bhi haan Devika!" she chided with a pink hue colouring her cheek.

"Oh my God! Look at you! You're blushing. Puri laal ho chuki hai" Anupama immediately turned away from her to hide her face. Yes, she was missing Anuj immensely. And she also knew that she was blushing real hard but what she didn't understand was the reason behind it. Her heart shouted loud and clear that she started loving him. But her mind feebly argued that it was friendship and nothing more. The battle of heart and mind seemed to be one sided, with heart at the lead.

"Tu pagal hogayi hai Devika. Voh toh galti se maine mirch khaa liya toh bas usi vajeh se aisa lag rha hoga." Anupama replied in a surrendered tone. And she was surprised at her own self the way she sounded.

"Anu, on a serious note, tuney kya socha hai Anuj ke baare mein?" Devika asked a direct question.

"Arrey! Kya socha hai ka matlab? Anuj mere bhot ache dost hai. Mai unko bhot miss kar rhi hu. Bas voh jaldi ajaye. Aur kuch nahi." She stated that like a very normal statement.

"Acha. Anu mai bhi teri dost hu na?" Devika asked as a matter of fact.

"Yeh kaisa sawaal hai? Tu toh meri sabse achi dost hai. Voh kya kehte hai...BFF." She replied.

"Mai toh tujhe mahino tak nahi mil paati hu. Kabhi kabhi toh saal bhi lag jaate hai humein milne mein. Tab tu kya mujhe kaam chhodke bas jaldi aja bolti hai?" Devika tried putting some sense in her friend. Anupama understood where this conversation was going.

"Aise kaise bolungi? Kaam aur career important hai yaar." Anupama replied.

"Anuj ke gaye hue bas 4 ya 5 hi din hue hai if I'm not wrong." Devika added.

"4 ya 5 nahi! 6 din hogaye hai!" Anupama exclaimed impatiently. Her friend caught that impatient tone in her voice that screamed helplessness.

"Bas 6 din hue hai. Aur tujhse raha nahi jaa rha Anuj ke bina. Tu chahti hai ke bas voh kisi tarha jaldi aajaye. Mere liye toh tuney kabhi aisa nahi kaha hoga." she pointed out the obvious which her friend was so ignorant about.

"Lekin voh toh alag hai na Devika." Anupama reasoned.

"Exactly my point! Yeh jo tu Anuj ke liye feel kar rhi hai voh alag hai. What we share is friendship. And what you share with Anuj is more than that. Tu usse pyar karne lagi hai Anu." Devika tried to make her see the difference.

Anupama stood still, introspecting her actions. Her heart and mind seemed to be in a never-ending battle. She was so sure that she could not fall in love with anyone anymore and here she stood doubting her own self. She didn't understand herself anymore. Her emotions and feelings were always out of her regulation when it came to Anuj. She always found herself bewitched when she was with him. It seemed like her heart and mind were on a mission to not obey her. And all this was so new that acknowledging it became difficult for her.