Rab Rakha

Chapter 50

"Wo 4 packet lays ke dena. Aur 4-5 diet coke. Actually na, poora box hi dedo diet coke wala." Shehnaaz bought a few snacks for their movie plan.

Upon calling Advait, she came to know would be arriving soon and he had decided the movie for them as well. It was horror movie, the boy seemed fond of some psychological and cult horror shows. Since it was their first time watching a movie, she let him chose but made up her mind to show them some good Punjabi comedies as well.

She sighed, making her way into her building to Sidharth's apartment because they were not on good talking terms and she wondered for how long was this going to prevail. She had tried to look af the situation from Sidharth's point of view as well and only found him overreacting to it.

When Naman reacted with disappointment but later approached Shehnaaz to rebuild a friendly rapport, she saw an opportunity to alleviate any discomfort he might feel around her. Shehnaaz genuinely wanted him and his girlfriend to feel secure, understanding firsthand how delicate relationships can be. Her intention was purely to ensure a harmonious work environment and to uphold respect for her own relationship.

The turn of events surprised her when Sidharth expressed disapproval. She was hurt by his reaction; it struck a chord deeper than she expected. His belief that she was unnecessarily involving herself in others' affairs stung because it implied a lack of trust in her judgment and intentions. She had always been clear about her boundaries and loyalty to him and his suspicion left her questioning whether he truly understood her.

She felt conflicted, torn between her loyalty to Sidharth and her innate desire to help others. She valued empathy as a core part of her personality; she couldn't simply ignore Naman's feelings after rejecting him. She saw it as a chance to set things right and build a respectful friendship, nothing more. She had never intended to give Sidharth a reason to doubt her commitment.

"Mai snacks le aaya tha." Sidharth told her, as he opened the door when she rang the bell with her handful.

As she reflected on the situation, she resolved to communicate openly with Sidharth. She needed to reassure him of her affection and commitment to him while also asserting her need to show empathy towards others. She hoped that through honest conversation, they could bridge this gap with a deeper understanding of each other's perspectives and values.

She walked in and saw loads of popcorn, lays and doritos and some coke. She smiled, realizing how both of them were looking forward to this movie plan and keeping her stuff next to his she went back to her place to freshen up.

"Fresh ho ke aati hu, Adi aata hi hoga." She told him and turned back.

"Mai aa gaya. I hope you all missed me! Movie night, yay baby!" Advait stood at the doorstep with a sleepover bag on his back.

"Hi Adi." Shehnaaz giggled, greeting him with a hug and excusing herself.

"Hello didi! Jadli se wapas aao, tab tak mai thoda room set karke rakhta hu." Advait told her.

"Wassup Mama!" He met his uncle the next.

"Why do you have sound like this?" Sidharth chuckled, hugging his nephew and taking his bag from him.

"Itne time baad aapke flat aaya mai, pehle hi bol deta hu kal college nahi jaunga! 2 din ki permission leke aaya hu." Advait excitedly announced, jumped on the sofa and made himself comfortable.

"Movie konsi hai?" Sidharth asked, taking a seat next to his nephew.

"Hereditary." Advait replied, logging into his uncle's prime video account on TV.

"Mama aap aise kyu dikh rahe ho?" Advait asked.

"Kaisa bey?" Sidharth asked back, fishing out his phone and turning on the camera. He checked out his and it seemed fine.