ᴇx-ʙᴏʏʀꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ɴᴇxᴛ ʜᴜꜱʙᴀɴᴅ

Chapter 36

Yuvaan

I should be fine, but I'm not. Why is that? Why are her words, her behavior, her actions bloody affecting me so much?!

When she said that I should have had my own plans, a part of me broke... again. Is that what she wants? To stay away from me?
Why do you care?
I don't know.
I sat in the hall while she was in the room and I hated the bloody awkwardness between us. We used to talk everyday, about everything, and now I can't even have a simple conversation with her. Why is she so repelled?!

I felt my phone ring and checked it. Mom.
"Yes Mom." I said, on call, "How are you?"
"I'm good. How are you two?"
"We just reached. We will head out at 4."
"Are you guys okay?"
"Yes." I lied, "we're fine."
"I know it's difficult but... please try."
"I said we're fine Mom. Don't worry."
"You can't lie to me. I knew about the smallest fights you two used to have, you think I won't know about this?"
I sighed, "Mom... I'm trying. It's difficult for me to be with the same girl who instigated Vamika against us and then accused my Bua and lied to every one of us."
"Beta... I... I don't think that's true. Deep down you know it as well, you just don't want to think of it that way."
"Mom... I loved her. Why would I ever not want to see it that way?!"
"Beta, you were 22, you're 26 now. Things have changed, your naïveté, maturity, everything."
"Doesn't change the truth."
"What if that wasn't the truth?"
What if she's right?
"Mom, please, let's not dig old wounds now. You say that you me to be civil with her but here she is, assuming that I will have my own plans."
"What?"
"Mom, I don't think she wants to make anything even work. I think she's.... She's done."
"Beta... just think back to how rude everyone was to her. You threw her out of the house."
"She deserved it."
"One day you'll find out that you're wrong, and that day, Yuvi, it's going to hit you like a brick that you her go, that this distance is there, and it'll pain you to even stay away from her even a bit." Mom said and cut the call.
What was that?

I looked through my phone and stumbled on a memory. Our pictures. I never had the heart to delete them. I don't know why.

Mom's words were still running through my mind when I noticed the time. 3:30pm. We had to leave soon, where was Nishtha?
"Nishtha?" I called out.
"Yes?" I hear her voice as she came into the hall.
"Are you ready?"
"For?"
"The tour..."
"Oh. Right. Yeah I'm ready."
"You're coming like this?" I asked her.
She looked down and then back at me, "what's the issue in this?"
"Nishtha, it's a factory casual tour, not a temple visit. What are you wearing?"
"Can't I wear kurta's casually?"
"You can, but now that you're here, go wear something different. Plus, it's going to rain so you need something warmer than that."
"Okay." She said and left.

I waited in the hall, by the door and she came back outside. I tried not to stare but she was wearing ankle length jeans and a spaghetti top.
This woman, I told her it'll be cold.
I chuckled and rolled my eyes.
"What happened?" She asked me.
"I told you it'll be cold, and you come wearing a top even more thin than the kurta." I said.
She looked at me, "I.. I'm not cold."
"Not right now, you'll be cold later."
"I don't feel cold."
"Nishtha, you get cold in the AC of malls."
"I... I don't."
"Sure, anyway, let's go." I said, getting up.

We got outside and sat in the car and I started driving. With barely any connectivity, there was no radio, so we sat in utter silence.
"What do you want to do for dinner?" I tried to ask.
"Anything is fine." She replied.
I sighed, "Nishtha, I told you so many times that give a proper answer. Why don't you?"
"Sorry... I... we can eat anywhere. Indian?"
"You decide. I'm deciding tommorow."
"Why tomorrow?"
"We're taking turns, Nishtha. Don't overthink."
"Oh. Okay." She said.

What has happened to her? Why does she think 5 times before saying anything?

We reached the factory and entered the tour. It was filled with couples, families with children. The guide arrived and started to talk, "Your wrist bands are here, please put them on, this will allow you explore the whole area without having to stand in line."

We walked ahead to him and Nishtha took her hand out. He grabbed it.
Excuse me?
I felt my jaw clenching as he held Nishtha's hand and helped her put the wrist band on.
She can tie it on her own.
I went forward and grabbed her hand, "Hey, come on! Let's go." I then looked at the guide sternly, "I would like my band."
He silently gave it and I walked ahead, with Nishtha's hand in mine.
"What happened?" She asked me, "why are you hurrying?"
"Nothing. Just come." I said, in anger.
"Yuvaan... I..."
I stopped at the mention of my name and turned around, "What happened?"
She looked at our hands, my arm had caught her wrist tightly, "It's... it's hurting."
I instantly let go and looked at it.
Shit. It's red.
Ugh. I took his anger out unknowingly.
"I... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't —" I tried to explain but she cut me off.
"It's okay. I probably deserved it, right? Isn't that what you were going to say?" She gave me a sad smile, "Let's go. The tour started." She said and walked away.

The feeling of a 1000 needles being pressed into you slowly... that's how her words felt. I was genuinely sorry. I didn't realize how hard my grip had become because all I could picture was that bastard flirting with my wife, and my wife being extremely oblivious to this. Like always.

I watched her join the crowd. Composing myself, I followed and caught up with her. I looked at her listening intently and then looked at the guide, who kept on glancing at her every now and then. The audacity of this man.
I caught her hand in mine and looked ahead.
I saw her looking at me, probably confused, but I didn't look. She looked back later on.

After a while, we were led into a beautiful room where all their products were kept on display. It had a bunch of machinery and thankfully, the guide wasn't needed.
I was on the last nerve with that man.
We walked in and started to read. I noticed her focusing towards everything while I just looked around, not really interested.
"Excuse me!" A lady said as she bumped into us.
Nishtha and I looked at her and smile, "No worries." We said in unison. We then looked at each other, then looked away.
The lady chuckled, "Are you two married?"
I nodded.
"How long has it been?" She asked.
"Going to be a month soon." I replied.
"That's wonderful! Best time!" She said. She was met with a man and 2 young children, "Oh, this is my husband, Samar, and these are my kids, Siya and Manav, and I'm Manasi."
"Nice to meet you!" Nishtha said, "I'm Nishtha, and.... This is my husband, Yuvaan."

I felt a somersault in my heart hearing her say that. Stop it Yuvaan, you can't feel this way.

"You two look very good together!" Samar said.
"They really do!" Manasi added, "So, this is your honeymoon?"
We hesitated, "Ye...Yeah."
"Enjoy this time! It gets so busy when you have kids, it'll be very difficult to get this time again!"
Kids.
I never thought I'd rethink this memory again. The thought of having kids. We had always planned this together. Don't go there, Yuvaan.
"Anyway, we'll leave you to it. Where are you all staying?" Samar asked.
"Lakeside Resorts." Nishtha said.
"I see! We're there too! Would you two like to grab dinner once?"
"Sure!" She replied.
"Amazing scenes!! Here is my number, I'll text you!" Manasi said and I saw her give Nishtha her number, while Samar and I smiled.
We bid them a goodbye and walked on.

"The tour was very good." Nishtha said once we reached our bungalow.
I turned, "Yep. Sure."
That bastard wouldn't stop staring.
"Why are you saying it like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like... you seem unsure..."
"You're overthinking again, Nishtha."
"Yeah. Sorry." She said and went to the room.
I walked behind her and caught her hand and turned her around, "Nishtha?"
"Y...Yes?"
"Where is your mangalsutra?"
"What?" She asked, evidently surprised.
"Where have you kept your mangalsutra?"
"It's.. with me."
"Where?"
"In my purse."
"Wear it tomorrow. Don't ask questions." I said and walked off.

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