Ishqana Dil

Part 3

"Rachitaji."

She stiffened and looked up. The class was empty but for Ramashrey and her, and she was not at all interested in talking to him or seeing him either at the moment. Clenching her jaws together, she gathered her things to leave.

"Rachitaji, please humaari baat sun lijiye. Sirf ek baar."

"Rama, I don't have anything to say to you. Please, mera raasta choodo!"

He stood his ground but maintained his distance from her. "Humein galat mat samajhiye, Rachitaji. I only want to apologise to you." She eyed him with a disbelieving grimace and hugged her folder closer to her chest. His face was ernest and pleading. She really didn't want to give him ideas but she could not make herself so stone hearted either... Half-heartedly, she gestured him to continue and a small smile lit his face up. "I was wrong to have misunderstood you, Rachitaji, and I am very sorry for that. I know that saying this will not rectify my mistake and I will not get your trust and friendship back so easily but it is important for me that you know how much I regret hurting your feelings. I did not even think of making sure about your feelings for me before... before doing what I did... It's up to you to see if you can forgive me and give me another chance, but I will not annoy you about this anymore. I will come to this class only to improve my English in preparation for my exams for the government jobs. I just wanted you to know, though, that your friendship meant a lot to because you were the first person to understand me like that, especially my sankipan.."

"Rama!"

He smiled. "Yes, I'm sorry. My OCD. But I mean it Rachitaji, I regret ruining our friendship. I am sorry..." he laughed nervously and shrugged. "I don't know... I wish there was something I could do to make things better, make everything between us right again... But Rachitaji, I only want you to be happy. And if not seeing my face again will do that, you know that you just have to say it."

Rachita shifted on her feet, unnerved, and avoided looking at him. "Are you done now?" She tried to be as sour as she could but it was no easy task because Rama was always so sweet... Hurting him was like kicking a puppy but she was forced to do it. Did she have another choice? He loved her, and after Rohan she knew she would never have the heart or the confidence to fall in love again. If pushing him the farthest away possible from her would eventually make him move on from her, she would steel herself and do it. But she was not going to let him ruin her life for her. He shook his head and left the class.

She took a few minutes to set herself right. She had never been this cold to people before and Dad would not be pleased at all with her if he could see her now... "But you understand why I'm doing this, don't you, Dad?" she whispered. She stepped on the road, deep in thought, and didn't notice that it was considerably darker now.

"The night is coming Rachitaji, let me drop you home."

The folder fell out of her hands and Ramashrey immediately scrambled off his bike to pick it up and hand it back to her. She seized it angrily and stepped away from him. "How many times should I tell you to leave me alone, Rama? Why do you always have to come back?"

He frowned in dismay. "Rachitaji, I am just concerned about your safety. It's getting dark and there are a few streets ahead that are visited by the kind of people you would rather avoid. I am offering a lift to my teacher, that's all."

Her fingernails scratched her folder. "Thanks, Rama, but I can go home by myself."

"Rachitaji-" He tried to insist but her discomfort was so visible he backed out.

"Is this boy troubling you, beta?" She looked up at the burly man who had just joined them and nearly dropped her file again. It was the very man who had insulted her parents and maternal grandfather in the Shravan Puja the other day... He glared at Rama as he gestured her towards his car. "Get in the car, beta, I'll drop you home."