Shravani's POV:

'What the heck... who the hec' and again before Udit could complete what he attempted to say yet another punch landed on his face. And my eyes popped out. I ran and pulled Sattu back but like a raging bull he went all into him and kept blowing punches on him.

Without knowing what to do I hugged Sattu tightly pressing myself into his back and snaking my arms around his torso and shouted

'Sattuuuu please stoppp noooooo... please baby please calm down please!!!' and I heard him push Udit away and in one go he turned around and hugged me into his chest posesively. He held my wrist and slowly caressed my wrist which had a scratch due to Udit dragging me by my wrist and the sharp bangle pricking my hand. He may have done it unknowingly but it hurt me enough to make me hiss. Sattu was fuming looking at the scratch and I could say it because his heartbeats were really fast and I could feel the heat radiating from his body even through that cotton shirt. He was heavily breathing and once again pressing me more into his chest he kissed my hair gently and asked

'You are ok right Shravu...I will kill that idiot' he was still raging but I tightened my hold on him and he caressed my head. I softly whispered...
'Sattu relax...it's fine...he's a old classmate...more of a friend... please calm down...I know him and believe me his intentions weren't wrong' I said but he was growling like a lion.

'Who the hell is he Shravani...and what nonsense is this...he almost broke my nose' Udit stood up trying to touch his bleeding nose. While I turned around and apologized to Udit...
'Udit...I'm sorry...Sattu probably misunderstood that'

But before I could speak up Sattu pulled me back and snaked his right hand onto my waist and said gritting his teeth...
'No I didn't misunderstand anything!!! Even if you are a friend, acquaintance or whoever you maybe to her you can't force upon yourself to her...there is a way you behave with women!!! Specially 'my' woman!!! I don't tolerate shit with 'my woman!!! My WIFE' I go for their throat directly!!! And you bloody gave a scratch??? I have made sure to be careful even when a bee bites my Shravu and you think I'll let you go while you grab her hand like an animal and leave a scratch on her hand? I'll rip your throat!!! ' he said still spitting anger and Udit gulped looking at me and I smiled showing him my ring!

'Look Bro...I didn't mean to hurt Shravani...it's just that I met her after so many years...I wanted to catch up with her...and believe me I didn't know Shravani was married...I mean she told Varun expi' and Sattu took another step closer to him looking sharp into his eyes and said...

'So if her husband was dead you would think she becomes liable to hang out with you and you have a chance? No ...first of all tell me why do men like you think that a woman cannot be happy and single both at the same time???
Ok tell me are you single?' Sattu asked him and Udit nodded.

'Wow so is that ok if a girl whom you are not interested in you makes a move upon you making you uncomfortable?' Sattu growled and Udit looked here and there and the hospital crowd accumulated.

'Sattu please...it's ok' I said to him and he shot me a glare and said ...
'No Shravani...it's NOT ok!!! And it's not just about you being my wife!!! It's about any and every woman and her consent. Forget woman!!! Even for a man I wouldn't accept a woman behaving like this!!!  Single, married, divorced or widowed!!! It's a person's choice to go with someone or not and if the person doesn't agree then you should understand the word 'NO'!!!
Remember Shravani??? You taught me this!! I didn't forget it!!! And I'll never let anyone forget!!!

He said and my eyes pooled up thinking he still remembers.

My own words strike my mind...

Stop it Sattu!!!
This is not how it happens!!!
Consent matters!!!
It's a NO Satyendra Mehra!!!
And it's a NO Forever!!!
I love Varun!!! Accept it & Move On!!!

'Shravani I'm sorry' I heard Udit and I was out of my trance and looked at Udit saying ...
'Its fine Udit... maybe you didn't realise'

'I swear I didn't mean to Shravani..I'm sorry again and I'm sorry Mr Sattu'

'Its Satyendra Mehra for you Dr Udit!!! And next time don't forget if I can fund to appoint doctors in this hospital for the prosperity of this village I can very well chuck them out with a mere snap of fingers too!!!' saying he took a step closer to Udit.

'Sattu please...' I said holding his shoulder and he groaned a little and held my hand in his and we left from there.

On our way to home he didn't utter a word. It was all silent and suddenly he broke the silence while still having a firm face...

'I saw the pregnancy test kit in the dustbin...are you pregnant?' he asks at once and my eyes pop out...

'You went home?' I asked and he nodded with a light smile and looked at me.

I huffed with a relieved smile and said...
'Gosh I waited to see that smile on your lips you angry young man!!!' I said and he chuckled.

'Thats even better!!!' I smiled and he rolled his eyes

'So... what's the result?' he asked casually and I gulped nervously as I could still sense the tension in the air.

'It was negative...not pregnant' I said and there was silence again in the jeep. Again he broke the silence...

'So you are happy?' he asked and I wondered what kind of a question was that...it was suddenly getting hot in an open jeep. We never discussed this or family planning. Heck I don't even know what he feels for me.

'Shravani...' he called while his eyes were still darted on the roads and I spoke up at once saying...
'Yup...of... ofcourse...' this was odd!!! I didn't really know what to tell him!!!

Oh Really Shravani...
While you jump like rabbits upon each other doing the 'deed' it's okay ...but discussing it is embarassing is it!!!
Wah re tere double standards!!! (Oh your double standards in hindi)

Shutup!!! Nayi (dog in tamil)

My thoughts were broken when Sattu stopped the Jeep...
He stopped at a ice cream shop and asked...
'Biwi...wanna try strawberry or still stuck on chocolate since ages???' he asked and I giggled saying ...
'Ummmm...well ok...let's see get me a chocolate, ummmm a tuti fruity, and let's say how about some mango' I said greedily and he giggled saying...
'Even today you won't compromise with strawberry hannn???' he asked and I smiled nodding a no.

He leaned more saying...
'I promise to make sure you will have strawberry some day...wait for it!!!' he said and I rolled my eyes.

He made me wait for more than usual in the jeep but came back the ice cream cones with the flavour I asked him to but also got two more plastic bags. When I asked him he said...
'Rest of flavours including strawberry' and I rolled my eyes thinking he still thinks he could make me eat strawberry...
Did he forget that afternoon?

Flashback begins...

'Shiiiii I hate strawberry...don't ..just don't eeks' I shouted and began running as Shonali kept shoving the spoonful of strawberry ice cream closer to my nose.

I have never liked strawberry flavoured ice cream. I think it's just a steriotypical mentality which says 'Girls like strawberry!!!'

Chuck it!!! I love chocolate!!!
So I ran when Shonali ran to make me smell that strong scented strawberry ice-cream. We had just finished our lunch post the Lakshmi Pooja of Diwali and we were savoring various items from everyone's household.

Shonali being the 'big tummy' in our gang had already eaten her lunch and was now torturing me with the strawberry ice cream. She knows I hate it!!!

I was savouring the delicious coconut barfi....jalebis by Shonali's mom and other sweets made by Mrs Iyer. I was being appreciated by everyone for the items I cooked this year. I really wanted to.

Every year dad used to make something. After mom's demise everyone used to tell dad to just make one sweet and rest they managed themselves. This year I didn't want to put a step back. So I decided to go through my favorite cookery show 'Khana Khazana' noted down the Diwali recipes suggested by the chef in my diary and made raw mango pulav, rasgulla and chocolate pudding.

Everyone kept appreciating the items I made but I couldn't stop eating the jalebis made by Shonali's mom and coconut barfi...god alone knows who made it!!! But it was delicious.

Hiding from Shonali I finally took a corner in the empty parking area where there were a few vacant chairs. I sat there peacefully and digged in my spoon and fork to take a peace of jalebi and I closed my eyes and moaned a 'ummmmmmmm!!!'
Next I took a spoon full of the soft coconut barfi and put it in my mouth and I felt like I was in heaven...
'Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!' I moaned reaching another level of ecstasy while I heard someone cough and then I heard someone giggling.

I opened my eyes and saw Gogi, Chetana, Shonali, Rishika giggling and literally falling on each other but my eyes landed on a certain someone who was gawking at me with his hawk eyes like he would eat me raw and smirked.

I quickly turned my chair in opposite direction and continued eating.

While suddenly I felt the plastic chair next to me being dragged and the backrest of my plastic chair felt a sudden weight and a strong fragrance hits my nose and I feel the barfi is stuck in my throat.

He was sitting exactly behind me...

Leaning his plastic chair into mine!!!

Back of his plastic chair rested on mine and I swallowed nervously!!!

While Shonali giggled saying...

'Sattuuuuu try this mango pulav, rasgulla and chocolate pudding na....they are the most tried and appreciated dishes for this lunch...'

I jumped from my chair at once and cursed Shonali all dirty abuses in Tamil, Punjabi, Hindi, English and broken Bengali!!!

'Sattuuuuu do you also need fork and knife to eat these?' she taunted me again and this time I turned around and shot her a look but the shampoo fragrance from his hair hits my nose and I swallowed nervously realising how close we were sitting!!!!

Dankkkkkk!!!!

I got up from my chair and was about to leave when I heard...

'Shonali...Im not the kaatachuri (knife n fork) category daaaaa....
I'm 💯 Pakka local da...Unlike sophisticated types'

And I shot him a look and this time he took a morsel of chocolate pudding and kept in his mouth. His eyes closed.

I smiled.
He definitely liked it.

But next second he said...
'Hmmm it's good...but I think the strawberry flavoured pudding would be better..I like strawberry more...this is good! I liked the strawberry ice cream which 'Kanishkkkkka' sent to us' and I shot him a look. He was smirking!!!

He was taunting? Bloody hell he was enjoying this now!!!

So this time I went to the ice cream stand picked a big scoop of strawberry ice cream and went and banged into Shonali's hand and said...

'Please serve people the extravagant 'strawbbbbberry' ice cream which was sent by someone's 'girllllfriend!' looks like even on a Diwali lunch people still prefer eating outside junkkkk rather than homemade sweets!!!
Huhhh who cares!!! It's all about taste!!!
Anyways I have decided to go upstairs...exams are approaching! I have loads to study unlike people who can waste their energy on random timepass!!!

You see people can spend their father's money and run behind skirts na ...but I want to be a doctor and got better work than deciding whether I want chocolate or strawberry!!!' I said and suddenly I heard the plate being banged on the plastic chair.

'I think I'm done Shonali...I have to look at the arrangements... please excuse me'

'Sattu please eat something bro...you didn't eat properly' Shonali said but he left from there. She looked at me angrily...

'Why is your tongue so sharp Shravani... why do you give him back like that' and I looked at her giving a 'Are you serious?' look and said...

'Because I have a sharp tongue...I'm rude ruthless happy??? Now do the heck you want.. I'll see you in evening... maybe!!!' saying I marched towards the elevator while I heard Shonali...

'You were rude Shravu...I am upset with you' and I gave it a deaf ear. Tears kept rolling down my eyes.

Flashback ends...

Suddenly I felt something cold on my nose and I realised Sattu applied the chocolate ice cream onto my nose and I giggled.

'Its melting Biwi...eatttt' he said and I wondered why wasn't he eating.

'Yours?' I asked and he said... 'Later' and began driving back home. I kept savouring my icecream. They were all delicious.