Javed naam hai mera phir se

Chapter 17

Javed raised his hand to knock when he's heard muffled crying from behind Anjali's door. Panic ran through Javed's mind and he walked in without asking for permission.

Anjali was sitting on a far side of the bed hugging her knees and rocking a bit. When she saw him entering Anjali tried to hide her face and whip out her tears… but she just couldn't stop crying.

- Don't look at me! – she shouted waving him to go away. Javed disregarded her gestures and her words and came closer to squat beside her bed.

- Anjali… are you hurt? What is it? Your leg again?

Anjali shook her head in denial and whined:

- You… you… then…

She really had troubles talking through tears but Javed seemed to have understood the reason behind her devastation:

- Yes, I know. And I am truly sorry!

He was talking with passion and conviction and tried to express how truly sorry he was it has happened this way.

Either Anjali didn't understand him or didn't even hear him but she started sobbing violently and only managed to squeeze:

- I get it! Why come here to confirm your regrets?

Javed looked abashed and even leaned backwards as if from the direct blow. Regrets? Who was talking about regrets?

Anjali stopped crying and was only rocking on a bed trying to get her emotions in order. Her eyes were swollen and… empty. She looked so broken, so rejected…

Rejected! An epiphany has hit Javed like a lightning!

He reached out to take Anjali's hands and help her to sit on an edge of the bed. She'd tried to fight it but he just said "Shhh, it's ok, trust me" and Anjali stopped fidgeting. She was looking at him expectedly… not really being sure what to expect.

Javed raised his hand and touched Anjali's cheek ever so lightly, whipping away one late teardrop. Javed cupped Anjali's face in his big warm hands and touched his forehead to hers. They were silent for a long time, just breathing each other in, getting lost in each other's eyes.

Then Javed spoke softly, tenderly:

- Anjali… I never said I was sorry I kissed you. I meant I was sorry I kissed you the way I did… Our first kiss was never supposed to be like that…

Anjali furrowed her brows being genuinely astonished… so there were some expectations for the first kiss? Javed didn't regret it?

- Um… Javed-ji… I'm a big girl, no need to sugar-coat it for me…

Javed pecked her in the nose making Anjali to stop talking out of surprise. He used this pause to say:

- For such a big girl you manage to be very silly sometimes, Anjali.

She shook her head because what he was saying right now didn't fall into the picture of today's evening… Anjali moved away and looked at him accusingly:

- Javed-ji, I saw you today with the whole Mister Universe act! And don't get me started on your pairing up with Lavanya!

Anjali rested her fists on her hips and made a challenging nod with her chin:

- But for all I know… go on! Marry her, make perfect kids with perfect skin and perfect smiles and… tall!

He chuckled on this sight of adorable aggression from Anjali's side. She really didn't know how to be subtle about her jealousy!