Strings Of Love

Chapter 60

Shehnaaz walked into her apartment, sulking around and about having no plans for the evening without Sidharth. He had left early in the morning with his team for Pune and she was really upset that they could not talk it out. She was feeling guilty for snapping at him because she was insecure whereas he was trying to help her there.

"Call karu? Uthayega toh nahi." She talked to herself and then threw her phone on the bed, making her way towards the washroom.

She had a couple of beers later and engulfed herself with alcohol to bear with the loneliness his absence brought her. She wasn't just missing him, the fact that she couldn't clear things up with him before he left was disturbing her even more. There had not been a single day where the two would have slept without clearing their differences, but today she had brought this upon herself. However, her last conversation with Preeti helped.

"Chai ya coffee?" Preeti asked Shehnaaz as she welcomed the girl to her place.

"Nahi thanks, mai-" she was replying.

"Koi formality karne ki zarurat nahi hai, mai chai waise bhi peene wali hu." Preeti interrupted.

"Aapko kyu laga mai formality karungi. Chai, it is." Shehnaaz replied, taking a seat next to her.

"Good. So what's up? You fought with my brother?" Preeti asked unexpectedly after gesturing to her cook to get them tea.

"Um. Not exactly. Wo, ek misunderstanding si ho gayi hai." Shehnaaz replied, not sure how to answer. The lady in front of her was her boyfriend's sister and she didn't want to give her a bad impression of herself.

"Are you happy with him?" Preeti asked again, again straight away.

"Ofcourse I am. Aisa kuch nahi hai Preeti." Shehnaaz assured, nervously.

"Then why do you look so worried?" Preeti couldn't help her questions.

"I- it's just.. Sidharth busy hai aur mujhe usse kuch baat clear karni thi. It's fine, everything's fine." Shehnaaz replied with a smile this time to make sure his sister doesn't misunderstand her.

"Ok. Dekh Shehnaaz, I'm his sister and that might not make you comfortable enough to share anything with me. It's ok. Mai itna kahungi ki Sid kabhi kabhi unavailable ho sakta hai. He's a bloody workaholic. Par usey galat mat samajhna, wo sirf passionate hai apne kaam ko leke. He really really wants you in his life, I've seen it myself." Preeti told her, just in case worrying if her brother's work was interfering in his love life again.

"I know Preeti, I know. He's a great guy. It's not him, it's me. Aap- I don't know how to put it into words you know. Aap tension na lo, maine sab sort out kar lena hai." Shehnaaz replied, keeping a hand over Preeti's. They were interrupted when their cook brought them tea and served them.

"Tu itni pareshan dikh rahi thi, mujhe laga koi baat hai." Preeti chuckled in relief, continuing their conversation.

"I can understand, relationship me bade ups and downs hote hai. Bas bharosa rakhna khud pe." She added.

"Mujhe laga Sidharth pe bharosa rakhne bologe!" Shehnaaz chuckled.

"Uspe baad me, pehle khud pe. Wanna know why?" Preeti asked, making her nod.

"Kyuki khud pe believe karna zyada zaruri hai, ke tu ye chahti hai aur tu ye deserve karti hai. Be it a relationship or anything, you need to have that faith in yourself that you got this despite of the other person's response, you know." She explained.

"Hmm, thanks Preeti." Shehnaaz nodded. "Oh consider me your free therapist!" Preeti had joked.

Later when Sidharth arrived and the family had dinner together, he told her that he wasn't going to stay the night because he had to pack and leave for his meeting the other day. Even though he wasn't sure if he had to stay, he had packed a lot for himself. Shehnaaz being herself didn't want to initiate anything complicated related to their relationship before the meeting he had been chasing for a while now.