BROKEN BUT BEAUTIFUL

3.I missed her

Kartik started searching for Priyanka in the college. He would try to check the classrooms in all departments whenever he gets a chance. But till now, all his efforts were in vain.

"Yaar Kartik mujhe lag raha hai tu ek watch ke liye bekar mein itni tension le raha hai. Jiski ye watch hogi na usne ab tak nayi kharid bhi li hogi." Kavya said when the three friends were sitting at the cafe near the college.

"Kavya kya bol rahi ho tum! Ye watch bhabhi ki hai aise kaise tension na le?" Vikram commented, for which, he received a glare from Kartik. Kavya slapped him in his arm.

"Kavya, aisa bhi ho sakta hai na ki woh ladki iss watch ko dhoondh rahi ho." Kartik replied.

"Par Kartik, you tried na usse dhoondhne ki, but kya fayda hua?"

"I don't know yaar, bas mujhe itna pata hai ki mujhe iss watch ko lautana hai, chahe mujhe kuch bhi karna pade." He said in a tensed voice.

"Accha tell me one thing, iss watch ko lekar itna serious kyun hai tu?" She asked him again.

Kartik had no answer for this question. He himself didn't knew why was he so desperate to return the watch. But his inner self was very determined to find the owner of that watch.

"Woh.... " He stuttered, trying to avoid the question.

"Lo bhai, ye bhi aagayi." Listening to Vikram, Kartik and Kavya turned their faces and saw Shanaya standing at the door of the cafe, waving at them and coming towards them.

"Ise kisne bataya ki hum yaha baithe hai? Ab ye mera sar khayegi!" Kartik whined.

Shanaya joined them at the table and went to sit near Kartik. He tried to avoid talking much with her as he didn't wanted to waste his energy on her as he had other important issues to deal with.

"Kartik tumlog yaha kab aaye, mujhe bulaya kyu nahi?" Shanaya asked him.

"Shanaya ham toh bas ek ek coffee peene aaye the, Vikram ka sar dard kar raha tha isiliye. Waise bhi we were going to leave in 5 minutes." Kavya replied to her, knowing well that Kartik was not in a mood to talk to her, and if she irritates him, he was definitely going to burst out on her, because he was already tensed about that watch thing.

He gave her a 'Thank you' look, to which, she gave a warming smile in return.

"Ohh ok! Then i will also order one cup, todhi der gossip karte hai." Shanaya said with an intent to spend some time with Kartik, for which he had zero interest.

Suddenly Kartik looked up from his cup and saw someone, whom he was searching for quite a long time. Yes, of course it was Priyanka!

He felt so happy on just getting a glimpse of her. He got numb for a second, he didn't knew how to react at that moment, the girl was right in front of him, whom he was searching like a madman for days.

He saw that she was going out of the cafe with a friend after paying the bill. Maybe he didn't noticed her being in the cafe as she was sitting in the other part of the cafe, that was inside. He immediately stood up from his place to follow her.

"Kartik where are you going?" Shanaya immediately stopped him.

"Mujhe kuch kaam hai, main abhi aata hoon." He replied to her and tried leaving but she again stopped him by grabbing his hand. She was reluctant to let him go. She thought he was doing this on purpose to get away from her.

"Shanaya, leave my hand and let me go." He tried to free his hand from her grip, but she was being stubborn.

"Nahi! Yaha baitho mere saath. I will not let you go today."

"Shanaya hato!" He almost yelled at her and slightly pushed her and she stumbled besides the table. He immediately ran out of the cafe. Vikram and Kavya were seeing all the drama happening in front of them and they were also shocked at his sudden behavior. They followed him out of the cafe, leaving Shanaya there, who was feeling very insulted by now as everyone in the cafe was watching how he behaved with her.

When he came out of the cafe, Priyanka was nowhere to be seen. He searched for her near the cafe, but it was of no use. Vikram and Kavya also appeared at the scene.

"Kya hua bhai, tu aise baagh kar bahar kyun aagya?" Vikram asked him.

"Chali gayi yaar." He replied, facepalming himself, with an emotion, mixed with anger and sadness, visible on his face.

"Kon chali gayi? Kya bol raha hai tu?"

"Woh ladki! Jise mein itne dinon se dhoond raha tha. Woh cafe mein hi thi, I saw her coming outside, but I missed her."

"Oh no!" Vikram showed his disappointment.

Then, Shanaya also came out. She didn't liked how Kartik behaved with her inside the cafe.

"Kartik, ye kya tha jo tumne abhi andar kiya mere saath." She asked him feeling upset.

"Shanaya chali jao yaha se, abhi issi waqt." He replied to her. He was trying to control his anger. Because of her, he missed the girl he was searching for god knows how many days.

"Kartik kya hua hai, tum.... "

"Maine kaha na jao, just get lost, dikhayi mat dena mujhe." He burst out in anger and Shanaya was taken aback by his behavior. She didn't like how he was behaving with her. He went from there fuming in anger. Kavya also went behind him to ensure he is okay.

"Kartik bahut gusse mein hai. Tum do teen dinon tak uske saamne mat aana." Saying this Vikram also went behind them, leaving Shanaya there, who was wondering what just happened now, why Kartik got so angry all of a sudden.

___________

"Are aagaya mera baccha!" Suman said when Kartik entered into the house.

"Ji mumma." Saying this he went to his mother and sat beside her, resting his head on her lap.

"Kya hua baccha?" She asked him being concerned. As a mother, she immediately understood by Kartik's mood that something was wrong and he was very upset.

He explained her the whole incident and also expressed his anger towards Shanaya.

"Idhar dekh." She turned his face towards her.
"Ab jo ho gaya uske liye hum kuch kar toh nahi sakte na. Magar tu aisa soch ke aaj tujhe ek ummeed mili hai. Tu itne dinon se uss ladki ko dhoondh raha tha, lekin aaj tujhe woh dikhi na finally. Bahut jald aamne-saamne bhi milegi."

"Ummeed milkar wapas toot bhi gayi na mumma." He said being sad.

"Kartik, teri life pe toh na main film nikalungi, tu hero woh ladki heroine. Hero-heroine bhi toh aise sabr se hi milte hai na, jaldi mil jaayenge toh koi maza nahi hai." She said dramatically to lighten up his mood.

"Mumma yaar!" He chuckled at his mother's statement.

"Chal ab zyada udaas mat ho, mil jaayegi woh ladki, bharosa rakh." He nodded at her mother with a warm smile, absorbing her words.

"Aa mera baccha khana kha le. Tujhe energy chahiye hogi na uss ladki ko dhoodhne ke liye."

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