Zephyr~ A Short Story Collection

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Anubhav opened Haseena's side of the car door for her to enter, Haseena was bewildered by his actions but her heart filled with a strange warmth after he took a stand for her in front of Shilpa.

"Tumne Vicky ko pick up karne keliye bulaya tha?", "Haan humaari scooty puncture hogayi toh humne usse theek karne keliye bhej diya, aur auto nahi milrahi thi toh bula liya Vicky bhai ko, aur humne unhe bike pe aane keliye bola tha, aapke mehengi car mein baithne ka koi shauq nahi humein", Haseena said with a frown thinking that he had made any wrong perception about her intentions.

Anubhav understood that and tried to clear the misunderstanding, "Areee humaara matlab tha ki Vicky ko hi kyun bulaya, hume- "Hum toh Karu ko bulaane waale the, par who thaane mein haina, Mummy-Papa bhi kisi business party mein gayethe aur waise bhi unhe hum pareshaan nahi karte, Vicky bhaiya humaare bhai hain isiliye unhe bula liya, woh pehle bhi humein lene aa chuke hain", Haseena huffed.

Anubhav's knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheels hard, "Hum Haseena ko pick up karne waalon ke options mein hi nahi aate, damn it!", he thought angrily, well you were the one who told her to stay away, the small voice in his head mocked.

"Yeh saari gaadiyan luxury, sabkuch tumhari hai, kya matlab mehengi car mein nahi baithna, tumhaari cheez hai tum nahi baithogi toh kon baithe ga, and next time call me for picking you up sweetheart", he said with a lopsided grin, pressing his lips to her knuckles, making her breath hitch.

Haseena was bewildered at the sudden change in his behaviour, "Aap zara gaadi rokenge?", "Gaadi kyun?", "Rokiye na!", "Ok, yeh lo rok diya", Anubhav said stopping the car.

Haseena suddenly leaned in towards him, her scent of strawberry and peaches invading his nostrils making him intoxicated, his trance broke as he felt the touch of her soft hand on his forehead.

"Aapko bukhar hai kya Mr. Singh, are you alright?", Haseena asked concerned, she was sure he was not keeping well and that's why he was behaving weirdly. Anubhav smiled at his cuteness, he always had a grumpy face, and he was surprised at the number of times he had smiled in this short span of time with Haseena.

He gently removed her hand from his face and held it to his heart, "I was alright, but that was before I met you sweetheart", Anubhav smirked an intense emotion flashing in his eyes.

Haseena snatched her hand out of his grip, "Ek toh aap humein yeh sweetheart kehna bandh kijiye, aur aapne pi rakhi haina? pata hi tha, isiliye aisi behki behki baatein karrahe hain, toh kon hai woh khushnaseeb ladki jispe Anubhav Singh ka dil agaya, haan haan!?", she said teasing him, but she breaking all over again from her insides.

Anubhav had been her childhood crush, she had feelings from him, but when he had come back to Delhi, she had heard him saying to his parents that he had no interest in love and marriage and especially never in the Mallik household because they were money hungry sharks and moreover, he had never felt anything for Haseena.

That was almost 5 years ago, when her stepmother was desperate to tie her to the Singhs, Haseena had overheard the conversation and she had said a firm no, but fate had other plans, so her stepmother again started pestering Anushma's parents for Haseena's marriage in the Singh household, threatening Haseena to say a yes otherwise her deepest darkest secret would be let out in front of everyone.

Haseena shook away her bitter thoughts and put on her mask of indifference, she hated when people pitied her so she was sure of keeping her emotions in check.

"Oh no! sweetheart humne pee nahi rakhi hai, obviously I hate people who drink and drive", Anubhav said starting the car again.

"Phirse sweetheart, aap na ufff!", Haseena turned her face away angrily. Then she remembered that her nani would be coming to visit them and she expected Anuseena to be a happily married couple, just like Haseena had told her.