AASHIQUI : chain bhi..dard bhi

Chapter 32

JANNAT

I grind my molars so hard I'm surprised they don't turn to dust when my phone vibrates with another text message. Rolling over in bed, I peer down at my phone.

Faisu: Talk to me.

I have nothing to say. Or rather, nothing he'll want to hear. I'm thankful he can't barge in here like he usually does because this hotel doesn't have connecting rooms. Won't stop him from calling and texting me all night, though. Dots at the bottom of the screen appear and then disappear, before appearing again.

Faisu: Come on, Muffin. You can't avoid me forever.

Ha. Watch me. It's what I was planning on doing after the tour ended anyway. Now it's twelve days ahead of schedule.

With a huff, I throw my phone across the room.

"Is Bhai still pissing you off?" Zara questions with a frown "According to Shivi Dii, Ladke badhti umar k sth dumb hote jte hai"

Shivi's not wrong. However, despite only knowing her big brother for a short time, it's clear Zara thinks the world of him. I don't want to ruin that for her. Because I know better than anyone how devastating it is to find out the person you care about isn't who you thought they were.

Ugh. It's going to be hard hiding my disdain while sharing a room with her for the next twelve days. I'm about to tell her everything's fine, but she starts tossing some of the clothes and toiletries Shivi recently bought her into a small tote bag.

I glance at the clock on the nightstand. It's almost midnight. "Where are you going?"

"Last I checked, you were Bhai's babysitter Dii. Not mine."

She's right. But the girl has a history of fleeing.

Dread coils my insides and I sit up. "Please don't run away."

I'm thinking of ways to bribe her to stay when her pretty face splits into a grin. "God, you should see your face right now."

She stuffs a pair of pajamas into the tote. "Relax. Shivi Dii invited me to her room for a sleepover. Vo muje makeup krna sikhaegi and then we're gonna give ourselves mani-pedis." A hopeful glint enters her eyes. "Wanna come?"

As much as I don't want to disappoint her, I won't be much fun, given my sour mood. "Mai tumdono ka hi mood bigad dugi yrr jao tum"

Shrugging, she shoulders her bag. "Fine. But only if you let me borrow your Doc Martens."

It seems wheeling and dealing is one of her favorite pastimes. "You got it."

She heads for the door, but I call her back. "Zara?"

She turns. "Ha dii?"

"You swear you're going to Shivi's room, right?" If she runs away on my watch and gets hurt again, I'll never forgive myself.

Tilting her head, she sighs. "Holy crap. Yes." Her expression turns serious. "No cap." I have no idea what that means. "It means no lie," she calls out.

In that case, it isn't genetic. After she leaves, I walk to the other side of the room and pick my cell up off the floor. I'm debating if it's too late to call Mrs. Piya when I hear a knock.

I jog over to the door. "Tum kuch bhul gyi ky—"

I stop talking when I realize he's standing there. As much as I want to slam it in his face, he might be here to tell me something work related. I cross my arms over my chest, mainly because I'm pissed but also because I'm not wearing a bra under my white pajama top, and he can get turn on even by seeing me in jute bag also.