𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔

𝟲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗼𝘅

Chapter 6: The Silent Chatterbox

The next day arrived sooner than Shubman had hoped, and he found himself walking through the lobby, dreading the inevitable encounter with Nehmat. As he approached, he spotted her animatedly chatting with Jaiswal. He couldn't help but assess her appearance, from the beanie perched on her head to the flannel shorts and sneakers she was wearing. "What era is she living in?" he thought with a chuckle. Her fashion sense seemed outdated, and he couldn't shake the image of her mouth opening wide whenever she spoke.

Trying to shake off his thoughts, Shubman continued walking, but he couldn't deny the judgmental thoughts that swirled in his mind. He wondered if this was why no one seemed to want to be with her. After all, who would want to spend time with someone so seemingly out of touch and with such questionable style? And the ones who are with her are only there because she's Virat Kohli's sister.

As he passed by, Nehmat noticed him and waved enthusiastically. "Hey, Shubman! Good morning!" she exclaimed, her bright smile contrasting with his internal criticism. He forced a smile in return, offering a half-hearted greeting.

The three of them proceeded towards the assigned car for the day, and Nehmat confidently took the driver's seat, causing Shybman to freeze in his spot. Unable to hide his surprise, he blurted out, "Do you even know how to drive?"

Nehmat looked at him with a frown, puzzled by his question. "What do you mean, how to drive?" she responded her tone a mix of confusion and mild irritation.

"I mean, do you even know how to drive?" Shubman asked, his tone laced with a hint of disdain as he flashed a disgusted smile.

Nehmat's expression shifted, her eyes igniting with a fiery determination. "Let's find out, shall we?" she retorted sharply, her resolve clear despite the challenge presented.

Jaiswal nervously chuckled as Shubman took his seat next to Nehmat, a challenging smirk playing on his lips. The tension in the air was palpable as Nehmat confidently started the car, her hands firmly gripping the steering wheel. Shubman, still wearing a hint of disdain, observed her every move, ready to pounce on any sign of hesitation.

By the end of the car ride, Shubman had a hand on his heart, clearly taken aback by the unexpected thrill of Nehmat's driving skills. On the other hand, Jaiswal sported a huge smile, thoroughly enjoying the exhilarating ride.

"What did you say to me?" Nehmat questioned with a smirking tone, her anger simmering beneath the surface as she directed her gaze at the man in front of her. In her frustration, she couldn't believe she had fallen for this fool.

Shubman, unable to contain his emotions, suddenly cried out, "I hate you!"

"Not more than I do now," she said as she got out of the car, with Jaiswal following her. Shubman, still sitting, caught his breath, while Nehmat shouted, "Shall I lock you in the car, or will you get out?"

Exiting the car, he followed the other two inside the cafe for brunch. Seating himself, he swiftly downed a glass of water, prompting the waiter to give him a quizzical look. Nehmat, sensing the tension, gestured discreetly to the waiter to leave them be, a silent plea to avoid any further awkwardness.

Nehmat sighed, acknowledging that, despite his foolishness, she couldn't deny her feelings for him. She placed her petite fingers on his large hands and uttered, "I am sorry." However, Shubman's ego, towering like the Alps, prompted him to withdraw his hand, responding curtly, "Let's order and get done with the day."

All of them ate in silence, none of them speaking, and Nehmat couldn't help but feel guilty that, as always, she had managed to ruin everybody's day. She bit her lips to control her tears as she ate, realizing that perhaps her enthusiasm and talking had once again disrupted the harmony. A sense of self-awareness dawned on her, and she contemplated the idea of simply shutting her mouth and moving on with her life to avoid causing further trouble. The silence was abruptly cut by Jaiswal's phone ringing with a notification. As he read the message, a smile formed on his lips, but his eyebrows furrowed as he glanced at Shubman and Nehmat.

"Guys, there's an old friend here in New Zealand, and he wants to catch up. I'm sorry, but we have to cancel our plans for today," he said, a guilty look on his face.

Nehmat glanced at Shubman's face, noticing a hint of relief, and she realized he was mentally cheering at the prospect of being away from her. Suppressing her disappointment, she turned to Jaiswal and smiled, saying, "Oh, it's not a problem at all. We'll have plenty of opportunities to explore other places during our tour. Let's plan another time. Go on, enjoy catching up with your friend."

"Thank you so much, guys, and here's my share of the bill," Jaiswal said, pulling out some notes. Nehmat scolded him, saying, "Chup kar, dost se koi paise leta hai kya? Now go and meet your friends," she added, pushing him playfully and sharing a laugh.

After Jaiswal left, hugging his friends, a heavy silence settled over the table. Shubman glanced up to find Nehmat quietly eating her food. He had initially thought he was getting the peace he wanted, but even without her words, it seemed like he couldn't digest his meal. Confused by his own thoughts, he decided to focus on his food, attempting to drown out the mental chatter.

During the billing process, surprisingly, a peaceful atmosphere prevailed. Both Shubman and Nehmat managed to divide the bill without any awkward exchanges.

Both of them stood outside the cafe door, silently gazing at the road for five minutes until Nehmat finally spoke, breaking the tension. "Here are the car keys. You can go about your day, and I'll go with mine," she said, moving away without waiting for him to respond.

Shubman watched her walk away, feeling a mixture of frustration and confusion. He had wanted peace from Nehmat, and that's what she was giving him, yet his stomach churned with unfamiliar emotions as he observed the chatterbox reduce her words to just a few. Her hair fluttered in the wind, strands dancing along with the oversized flannel he was sure she had stolen from Virat. He watched the diminutive figure of Nehmat Kohli vanish into the crowd.

Glancing at the car keys and then at the car, he made a conscious decision not to let the annoying Kohli cloud his mind. With determination, he moved forward, intending to enjoy his day despite the unresolved tension between them.