SIRF TUM.....💓❤ (only you)

CHAPTEE 14 -THE SUPRISING CONNECTIONS

The library was quiet, its silence only broken by the soft turning of pages and the occasional rustle of papers. Sanjay wandered through the aisles, his mind still preoccupied with the strange distance between Hariday and Mahalakshmi. He knew something was brewing, something unsaid, but it seemed neither of them was willing to confront it directly. As he reached the reception area, his eyes caught Suhani, who was walking with that same effortless grace he had noticed before. There was something about her that today felt even more captivating—her confidence, the way she moved, so unaware of his gaze. She was completely absorbed in her own thoughts, but to Sanjay, it felt as though time slowed down just to allow him to appreciate the sight of her.

He couldn't help himself. He walked toward her, his steps slow, almost as if he was savoring the moment. Her sharp features were softened by a smile that seemed to light up the room when she caught sight of him. The warmth of it struck him right in the chest, making his heart shift in a way he hadn't expected.

He cleared his throat as he knocked lightly on the table. Suhani's smile widened, and for a brief second, Sanjay forgot about everything that had been weighing on his mind. Her presence was like a breath of fresh air.

Suhani tilted her head slightly, studying him. "Is something bothering you, Sanjay?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

Sanjay didn't immediately respond. He was still lost in the thought of how much he had been admiring her from afar. But then he snapped out of it, realizing they were supposed to be discussing something much more pressing.

"Still no word from Mahalakshmi, huh?" he said, his tone heavy with concern, but laced with a certain weariness.

Suhani nodded, her brow furrowing slightly. "No, she hasn't apologized to Hariday yet. It's strange. She seems distant... like she's holding something back."

"Yeah," Sanjay sighed. "I spoke to Hariday about it. He said he doesn't need her apology. He told me that she's going through something worse than what he went through. And I can see it in his eyes... that he gets it. But he also wants her to come to terms with it on her own."

Suhani's eyes softened. "What do you mean by 'something worse'? What did he go through?"

Sanjay hesitated, his gaze dropping to the table as if looking for the right words. He knew he wasn't ready to share all the details. "Everyone has a past, Suhani. Hariday... he was never like this. He wasn't always this stubborn, manipulative, or brash. He used to be this calm, trusting guy. But life... life shaped him differently. Time changed him. He became who he is today because of things he's been through. I can't explain all of it now, but trust me, there's a lot more beneath the surface than anyone realizes."

Suhani listened carefully, her pen still resting between her fingers, her expression one of deep thought. "So, you think Mahalakshmi's situation is similar?"

Sanjay's gaze shifted to the window, watching as the sunlight filtered through the trees outside. "I think so. Everyone who's here today—everyone who is what they are—has been shaped by their past. Maybe we don't know the whole story, but that doesn't mean it's not there."

He leaned back in his chair, looking at Suhani, his eyes a little more vulnerable than usual. "I don't know, Suhani. This whole thing with Hariday and Mahalakshmi... it's just been too much. Why can't we just get them to talk? Why can't we fix this?"

Suhani paused for a moment, staring at the file in front of her. "I understand where you're coming from, Sanjay. But you're right. It's not that simple." She let out a thoughtful sigh before her eyes lit up, as if a solution had just clicked in her mind. "What if we bring them together at the village fair? You know, the one we organize every year?"