Second Chance (Vol.1) Squandered

56: Much Adi About Nothing

PC: @DrMrsShawnMendes

Adi: What!

If Aditya had yelled at her she may have felt less scared. The single word escaped out shocked in a low tone; his eyes narrowed to thin slits. As if she had insulted him with some lowest ugliest dirtiest blasphemous profane term ever.

Noor: I mean...

Noor had not meant to say pawn or stop at pawn; toy game sport and property were the next words on the tip of her tongue but none the right word. Thank God her lips froze after pawn. But why was Aditya overreacting like this.

Aditya was now clearly losing control. He tried to stand still but she saw his hands ball into tight fists, veins stand out and his eyes shut and he breathed in deeply slowly. With suppressed anger and speaking with great difficulty with a jaw clenched so hard she could hardly make out what he was saying.

Adi: Now before I lose my head... and we both regret... what I may say... or... what I may do to you... just leave... (and he stormed off)

Noor froze she had never seen Aditya or anyone like this. She had heard about Aditya's epic tantrums and rages from Appi and others at Zosh but never had been at the receiving end ever.

Aditya always treated her like a little kid. He always put up with any nuisance of every kind from her. Noor had been first wary of Aditya the monster. But with each interaction Noor had quickly developed a notoriously cheeky bonding with Aditya.

Noor felt sorry for Appi. In their initial days Aditya had been horrible to Appi every time they met. If this is what she had faced everyday then Poor Appi!

Noor, the undaunted, who prided herself as indomitable, for the first time in her life, was close to tears because someone was angry with her. Noor was distraught. What had she done? She had only not liked the way Aditya and Arshad had treated Appi like some sport; some game.

Noor: (running after him, almost tearing up, almost pleading, called out) Aditya... Aditya... listen... (Almost saying sorry; Noor never apologized/pleaded to anyone and guys never)Please...

Aditya stopped when she called out again. He tried to calm himself down and failed. But despite being more furious than ever he turned. And then he saw how desperately Noor was struggling between containing her fears and tears. This was something new. Noor terrified! Noor almost on verge of crying! Shocked and worried, all his anger drained away instantly.

Adi: Uh-huh! Sorry!

Noor turned her back on him more to hide her tears in case any escaped.

Adi: Oh no! Noor! Arrre Yaaaaaaar! You gonna do this silly crybaby (stress on crybaby) act on me. Ab manaana padega?

The crybaby reference made Noor very angry. The tear formations stopped instantly.

Adi walked around her and faced her and he held his ears, lowered his face to level his eyes with hers.

Adi: Very... very... sorry! I am an idiot! Okay? Your Appi is correct. You know? She calls me an Aimak! Then there are the generous B-graders... Bewakoof Besharam Behaya Battameez Baddimaag. Then the ungenerous singular Kamzarf. Recent addition Naah-i-am-cool (the last one he said like SRK with hand spread out Main Hoon Naa style)

Noor braved a watery smile.
Noor: (corrected him) Naamakool!

Aditya pulled her into a soft hug, put his cheek to her wild curls and pressed his palm on the back of her head.
Adi: I am sorry.