Junoon

09| The Accidental Call!

Roohi

"What are you doing?" I smack Nishaan's hand in astonishment when I saw him peeking into my phone.

"Your phone kept buzzing up, irritating the hell out of me." He retorted.

"That doesn't give you the right to touch it. You could've woke me up."

"Get over yourself, I have zero interest in looking at your sex chat with your boyfriend. Now move."

"Excuse me?"

"Your house." He said while looking at my small apartment. "We have reached the address you gave me."

I looked outside the surrounding and realised we are outside my house. I was peeking out of the window, hoping no one is outside to watch me get out of his car.

"Thanks for the ride, sir."

He nodded while scrolling his phone and again not looking at me. He always makes me feel like he is irritated with my presence. I shut the door of his car angrily (which obviously that arrogant man didn't take notice of) and went inside my house.

"Quite late, aren't you?" My father inquired, rising up from the couch.

"The bus wasn't arriving." I answered.

"Then how'd you come?" My mother paused her cooking and questioned in worry.

"My professor offered a ride."

"Who?" My father interrupted with the same look a suspect gets from the police officer.

"Nish- Nishaan Chaudhary."

"You could have called me. I don't want you to roam around in a stranger's car even if he's your professor."

I was baffled. I knew he was saying all this not out of a father's care for his daughter but as a person who thinks more about how the society perceives his actions than his own family. He doesn't want anyone to gossip that his daughter roams around with someone that would otherwise tarnish his reputation.

"I'm sorry." Unable to answer him further, I just apologized.

"My college is organising freshers tomorrow so I will be little late." I exclaimed and he ignored me and sat on the dining table as if I don't even exist.

Somehow I see a similarity between my father and Nishaan. Both are ruthlessly cold with me but my delusional self feels that Nishaan only acts cold, deep down he has a soft caring side for me?

Cafe town, 8 p.m.

Nishaan

"Took you long enough." kirti asserted in a sarcastic tone while devouring her white sauce pasta like an animal.

"Traffic."
I retorted while adjusting myself on the empty seat beside my mother.

It's my parent's wedding anniversary today. In turn, we planned a small dinner at a restaurant. I love spending time with my family. I share a lovable bond with both my mother and younger sister, although kirti is tad annoying. I used to have a good bond with my father but we started drifting apart when I revealed my interest in teaching.

He aspired for me to take on the mantle of his business and carry forward it's success, but I crashed his glass dream with my rock of literature. My sister who's two years younger than me, however, is handling the business now. I tease her by saying that her business is failing, when in reality, she's actually adding golden feather on the hat.

"You could've taken a leave today, to celebrate with us. Kirti has been doing all the preparations herself." My mother mocked.

"Sorry, ma. I can't skip lectures and I also had to attend two meetings in a day."