THE LOVE BIRDS [COMPLETED]

39. PANCHI

  It was past midnight but I kept tossing and turning in my bed. One thought resurfaced my mind no matter how much I shove it back. Had Vihang kissed me if dad didn't show up? And I should be happy about dad coming, right? This feeling of disappointment just stuck with me, and I don't know what to think.

The other day at the hospital too he stood up to Saroj Maami for me. I'm suppose hate him but somehow seeing this side of Vihang makes me want to like him more and more. The way he treats me, the way he gets close to me. Why do I feel so comfortable by his touch?

I checked the time and decided to text Sid and ask him if he's still awake. When I unlocked my phone my hands somehow grew their own brain and instead of texting Sid I sent a message to Vihang asking if he was awake. I thought of deleting it but it was too late. What was he even doing up so late anyways. I can say I texted by mistake but let's admit it that would only lead him to mock me.

"Missing your boyfriend little sparrow?" he texted back. I winced and cursed myself silently.

"I will when I have one" I typed. It took me a few seconds to find the perfect emoticon.

"Well you have me at your service" he texted with a salute emoji. I simply reacted with a laughter expression on his text. And then asked him what he was doing so late at night.

"Are you sure you wanna know" he texted following a winking sticker.

"You are a sick person" I wrote and sent it along with an angry sticker.

"Kidding. I was just catching up on my studies" he said and attached an image of his bed covered with books.

"I thought the hot and handsome Vihang Ahuja can easily charm the teachers with his looks and pass" I replied to him with a smirking emoji.

"Did you just call me hot and handsome, little sparrow" he wrote using the same emoticon. Shit did I really just wrote that? Now I have move out of the country, get a new identity and live in hiding forever. Without replying to his last text I simply sent a 'Gn' text, locked my phone and buried my face in the pillow.

Next morning I woke up to some sounds coming from the kitchen. When I checked my phone it was half past eight. Initially I thought it was Manju didi but she never made this much noise so I got suspicious and decided to leave the bed.

"Dad what are you doing here? Tell me what do you need, I'll do it" I asked dad tying my hair into a bun. After arguing for a good five minutes I managed to get him out of the kitchen. Since it was an open kitchen he took a chair and sat infront of me. He had already picked up the newspaper and milk packets from the door.

"Why didn't you wake me" I asked him while making tea for him and brewing some coffee for myself. He gave the same excuse every parent would, he didn't want to disturb my sleep. I gave him a warning not to do it again. "So what are your plans for today" he asked me while turning the pages of the newspaper. I shrugged and asked him if he has something in mind.

"Actually I do. You know there's this event today at the college I'm a board member at, and they invited me as guest to attend my daughter's performance. But she decided to lie about it after giving me a hard time about all the lying" dad said watching me carefully. I looked at him with mouth wide open since my mind froze and I didn't know what to say.

"I'm not leaving you pa, Dad. Not after what happened" I said without making eye contact. I served his tea and biscuit, took my coffee and settled on the sofa near him. He countered every excuse I gave him for not going, even offered to call Vihang to be my partner again.

"You remember when you were little, there was dance competition at your school and you didn't shut up about it even for a minute. You were like "paa this, paa that" about it. Since that day I wanted to see my princess perform. Will my angel fulfill his paa's wish" he said emphasizing on the word paa. Before tears could roll down, I shut my eyes tight.

After a speech like this I had to agree. Now the biggest problem was to talk to Vihang after my last night's embarrassment. It's going to be tough but I can tolerate his smug face for life if it keeps my Paa happy.

"Hello, where are you? Actually doesn't matter. Before you gloat or mock me I have a favor to ask you so just check my text and meet me at my house by eleven o'clock" I said and hung up without giving him a chance to speak. He replied with a thumbs up emoticon on my text.