Old love: Zaroon and Kashaf Ss

The heartbreak

The next morning Kashaf and Zaroon met at the city cafe, their usual hangout place after college. The moment she had made her entry in the cafe,  he knew something serious had happened. Suddenly, he felt a rush in his body, a sense of desperation, to know what brought that frown on her face, made him shudder. 

She silently took the seat opposite him. A strange aura could be felt. Taking a deep sigh he broke the silence

"Kya hogaya hai Kashaf? "

"Hum pehle kuch order kar lein? "

She pleaded. 

"Sure. "

After placing an order, he again raised the same question

"Masla kya hai? Tumhari yeh silence meri tension me izafa kar rahi hai. "

"Zaroon kal ammi ne.. "

She closed her eyes for a while letting out a cold sigh while he waited silently praying that at least now he could understand her feelings towards him. 

".. Ammi ne mere liye ek rishta dhunda hai. "

She din't know how he would react. She spluttered lowering her gaze,  waiting for a response. 

He laughed leaving her in shock. She looked up at him with questioning eyes. He understood the expression and spoke sweetly

"Toh kya woh ladka tumhe pasand nahi? "

She sat there in disbelief trying to figure out if he was really asking such a stupid question. Hasn't he noticed all those dumb things she did in the past few days making it so evident that she loves him? Is he that dumb? She wondered. No, he isn't, she knew this. He always understood such gestures. They were not alien to him. A man who is always hit on by girls and the way he always tried to politely escape such girls makes it so obvious. Doesn't it? Wait a minute,  does it mean he knows she loves him but he doesn't hold such feelings and hence is trying to escape?He doesn't want to hurt her and hence is pretending that he din't see it. It was all clear in her mind now.   What a fool she was!  Tears started welling up in her eyes but she somehow controlled herself. 

"Kashaf. "

A loud voice broke her trance. 

"Haan.. Woh.."

She decided on not making a fool of herself anymore. 

" Woh aaj araha hai. Mujhe dekhne. Halake hum ek dusre ko jante hai."

Gaining courage, she spoke in a shaky tone. 

"To isme kaunsa masla hai? Yeh toh tum koi pehli ladki nahi ho jiske saath yeh ho raha hai. Aur Kashaf yeh toh hona hai hi. Aur abhi toh woh sirf tumhe dekhne araha hai kaunsa woh aaj hi tumhara nikah padhwa rahe hai?  Aur tumne toh mujhe aise dara diya pata nahi kaunsi afat aa padi ho?  Maine toh pata nahi kya kya andaze laga liye the? "

"Par mujhe yeh shaadi nahi karni. "

She spoke closing her eyes, letting out those tears she had been holding long. 

He moved uneasily in his chair seeing her like this. He had never seen her this upset and those tears. It seemed to him as if she never had them. She was an ever smiling girl. Though cold in her gestures and hardly expressive. Seeing her like this today he felt an ache in his heart. He wanted to console her but he din't know what to say. He waited for a while and then spoke again. 

"Dekho Kashaf tumhare uppar koi pressure toh nahi hai. Main aunty uncle ko janta hoon woh tumhe kabhi force nahi karenge. "

She let out another deep sigh and wiping her face spoke