ᴇx-ʙᴏʏʀꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ɴᴇxᴛ ʜᴜꜱʙᴀɴᴅ

Chapter 21

Yuvaan

I was driving to Caster Colony - to pick her up. It's been 3 days since our engagement and we haven't spoken since that day. I don't even have her number, but today, Mom insisted that I go and deliver my wedding card to Aaji, so here we are.

I reached her house and walked in. It was quiet.
Where was everyone?
Why was the door open?
I looked around and saw a hot cup of tea.
So someone was here.
But where are they now?
"Nishtha?" I asked, hoping for an answer. I went and looked around but didn't find anyone.

So I walked into her room.
"What are you doing?" Her voice shook me.
I turned around to find her with only her salwar and her pant - no duppata.
"I was finding you." I said, "why are you alone?"
"Neel and Dad are at the restaurant. Aai is with your mom."
"Oh." I said, acknowledging her words.
"Let's go." She said, grabbing her duppata.
"What about the chai?" I asked.
She sighed, "that was for you." She said and walked out of the house.
"If that's for me, I will drink it and then come." I teased and went back inside.

I made myself comfortable on the couch and got the cup. She stood outside and rolled her eyes.
"Come in. Apna hi ghar samjho." I teased.
She walked in rolling her eyes and shut the door.
"Can you just hurry up?" She said.
"No. It's hot. I have to take my time."
"I have work to get to."
"As far as I know, your leave has been extended to until 20th, hasn't it?"
"How do you know?"
"I know everything."
"I wish." She whispered and walked inside.
What does that mean?
I kept the cup down and followed her, "what did that mean?"
"What?" She asked.
"I wish? What does that mean?"
"Nothing, Yuvaan." She said and got her phone.
"Is there something I don't know Nishtha?"
"There are many things you don't know, but the question is: are you ready to listen?" She said and walked away.
"I was always ready to listen Nishtha."
She scoffed, "That's why you thre— Anyway, I don't want to argue with you. Just drink your chai, I'll be waiting downstairs."
"Why won't you wait at your own house?"
"I don't want to be kicked out of here as well, as some people 'would rather die than see me'." She walked off, leaving me alone at her house.

I sat down slowly, closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, revisiting the past.

"Yuvi wait! Please listen to me!" She screamed.
My eyes were filled with tears, "I hate you. How are you Nishtha? I TRUSTED YOU."
"Yuvi, please listen to me."
"NO YOU LISTEN TO ME. YOU HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH MY TRUST FOR MONTHS."
"I haven't, Yuvi. Please." She cried.
"I HATE YOU." I yelled, grabbing her arm, "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW."
"Yuvaan, please don't do this." She begged.
"I don't to want to see you again. I would rather die than see you ever again."

I opened my eyes. They were blurry.
It's the past, Yuvaan. Move on.
I put her cup in the dishwasher and then locked the door and made my way down.
She was standing by the parking, playing with a small puppy. I watched her. She loved dogs. I walked towards her and she got up, getting alert.
"Let's go?" She asked.
I nodded and bent down, picking the puppy up.
"What are you doing? He's mine." She said.
"I'm taking him with us."
"Yuvaan, no, he.. he's mine. Please don't take him." She looked at me.
Why are her eyes watering for a puppy?
"I'm not taking him anywhere. Since you are so worried, you hold him." I gave him to her and then got the car out and opened the door for her.

She sat down with the puppy in her hand. I started driving. I turned on the radio since the silence was disturbing me now.
"Roooh se chahneee waale aashiq, baate jismo ki karteee nahi...."
My grip on my wheel tightened as she looked up and down. I don't want to listen to this shit.
I got my hand and tried to change the channel but my hand collided with hers.
We looked at each other. She pulled away.
"Sorry." She said and looked down.
I switched it off and went back to looking out.

We reached. I unbuckled my seatbelt.
"Nishtha let's go. We reached." I said, fixing my hair through the mirror, "Hurry up."
I got no reply.
"Nisht—" I turned to her and stopped.
She was fast asleep, with the puppy sleeping on her lap and her head pressed against her door.
I looked at her.
She looked beautiful in her sleep.
She always looked beautiful.
My hand went to her ring. I knew she was very shocked that day seeing me remember. I didn't want to talk about it to her, so I never replied. I myself don't know why I remember.
I'm supposed to hate this woman.
"Nishtha." I said, tapping her shoulder. She got up slowly - very slowly.
"We reached. Can you hurry up?" I said.
"Yeah. I'm sorry." She said and got down. I got down as well and when she came near me, we started walking to the temple.
"Wait... what about the puppy?" She asked, looking at the sleeping puppy in her hand.
"Can you just stop talking and follow me?"

We walked inside and met a bunch of familiar faces. I saw everyone look at us in shock and awe. I could guess why.
We haven't come here together in years.
We went straight to Aaji, whose face went as wide as a tunnel seeing us together.
I bent down and touched her feet and so did she.
"Hi Aaji." I said.
"Yuvaan... Nishtha....what's happening?" Aaji asked, "I thought you two..."
"We had a fight Aaji and this woman told you that we broke up, didn't she?" I said.
She nodded.
"Aaji, it's Nishu's habit to dramatize the scene, you know that! We just had a huge fight. We didn't talk to each other for a few days, but you know we can't stay without each other, so we're back."
"Thank God. I was so sad when she told me. But why didn't you come here for 4 years?"
"We.. went to US Aaji. For masters." I said.
"Together?"
"No, we were in different places." I explained.
I felt bad lying to Aaji, but she didn't need to know the truth - of how badly we ended.
"You two are back now." Aaji said, "Oh and you Nishtha, don't scare me like that again." She held Nishtha's ear and yelled at her then let go.
"I'm sorry Aaji." Nishtha said.
"Aaji, we wanted to give you something." I said.
She looked at me.
I pulled out the wedding card and gave it to her.
"You've been our most loyal person. You know us since day 1 of our relationship and it's only fair that you get the first card..." I said and pulled Nishtha close, "We're getting married."
"Oh my God." Aaji said and her eyes filled with tears, "You two... are?"
"Yes Aaji." I said.
I saw Nishtha tearing up as well.
She's still so emotional. Anyone cries, she cries.
"Give the card in front of that idol." Aaji said.
We walked to the idol and prayed and kept the card at Their feet.

It's funny how I wanted to come here as soon as our wedding was fixed, but now everything was different. I sighed.

"I am very happy today." Aaji said and fed us sweets, "May God keep you together always!"
"Thank you Aaji." I said.

After almost spending an hour there telling her a false story of how we managed long distance, we finally left the temple. Nishtha's puppy had been fed a good amount because of my plan to bring him here to eat. She doesn't even listen.
I sat in the car with her next to me.
"Are you hungry?" I asked.
"No." She replied, looking out the window.
"Okay. I'll drop you home." I said.
"Drop me to the nearest bus station. I'll take a bus home."
What's wrong with her now?
"Nishtha, have you hit your head somewhere?"
"No." She said, angrily looking at me.
"Then why would I do that?"
"I don't want you to drop me home. I want to be alone Yuvaan. Please drop me to a station."
"You can be as alone as you want after I go. Now just shut up and let me drive." I said angrily.

I drove fast and silently.
What's wrong with her? Why alone?
The Nishtha I knew hated being alone.

I quickly reached her house and she got down and walked in without even saying bye.
Rude.

✨