Hi
You there?
(Seen 13:28)

He twitched his lips at counting that Sakshi had seen the message but wasn't replying. It made a wave of nervousness crashing his heart. He bit his lip and thought about doing something else to distract himself. But nothing came in his mind except for thinking about why she hadn't replied yet.

It had been more than three hours, but he waited. His lips pursed at the thought that maybe, she had really grown mature. She now know to ignore troubles like him.

Trouble?

He chuckled at himself. Yes, he was. He was a trouble for his family, his parents, his dear cousin and could become one for Sakshi too.

The confidence in him had gone far way. The courage that he had, was lost somewhere. He was now a scared man. Nervous. Uncertain.

A girl who fell hard for him those years ago, was now not even bothering to reply to him. Then, why did she even tried to save him? Why all those words were written to motivate him? Why she made so much efforts to see him?

Restlessness filled his mind as he stared at the phone blankly.

"Who is it?" His eyebrows raised at his mother who immediately turned frightened. "I mean," she nervously laughed. "You are sure, it's not any reporter-"

"Mom," he sighed heavily. "No friends anymore. No media. I am just checking-"

He stopped, thinking if he should even share this with his mother. About a girl, who played him after giving him such hope. Shrey twitched his lip and shook his head.

"I am just checking our firm's website. I wanted to see how work is going without me involving," he answered thoughtfully.

It only made her more worried. "Oh!" Shrey bit his tongue at seeing her looking at the floor. She glanced back up at him and nodded. Her face showed that she wanted to say more but she didn't want to upset him.

Shrey gave her a frustrated look. "Mom, you can say what you want to?"

Her eyes widened as she said, "Oh!" She straightened the flowers in the pot while swallowing. "You look frustrated and I felt as if someone was disturbing you. Media or friends."

Shrey looked back at his phone, staring at the time when he had sent her the message. Shaking his head, he told her, "I have no friends. No more."

His mother smiled sadly. "There are friends, Shrey. Loyal and caring. Sometimes, we trust wrong people and suffers. But it make us distancing ourselves from the right people too, and it is not right."

Shrey gulped. "I don't know who is right or wrong. Rishabh had always been wrong while I used to trust him blindly. Those monsters, who ruined my life. I didn't know they were this much wrong. I couldn't trace the truth in their eyes."

"Every crime warns before it's arrival."

Goosebumps risen on his skin when he met his mother's eyes. "Their actions define the truth often," she told him. "Look at Rishabh, now. Isn't he roaming all around for you? This shows that he regrets treating you that way and he now, believes that you are innocent."

"About that couple, I had warned you that night at Rishabh's birthday party. The woman seemed like a Vamp to me, already. I saw the way she had approached you in front of her husband." Shrey blinked in thought, at her words. His mother nodded.

"About her husband, you must have felt the strangeness in him sometimes. You just were too careless to give it a thought. If he needed help truly, he could have shared his problems with Rishabh. But no, he told you to not share it with him. This was the first phase where I was worried about this whole episode."

"You had warned me," his eyes glistened as he realized that she was right.

His mother came forward to sit beside him and cupped his cheek. "You have a big heart. That is why, you never paid attention to their greedy eyes. You have been a great friend. That is why, you never cared how much they were using you. But what had to be done, is done. Now, all you have to do is learn from this disaster. You have to be prepared now and not repeat the mistake."

Shrey gulped the lump that was forming in his throat. But his mother's words were surely digging in his mind. "Mistake," he whispered to himself. Yes, he did a big mistake.

"I won't repeat it," he promised, more to himself. His mother smiled while he further said, "I will not trust people so easily again."

Roaming her hand on his face and then hair in blessing, his mother nodded. "Thank you."

Shrey looked away, observing that his mother was thanking him for learning his lesson. He really had been careless and he won't be anymore.

His gaze settled at the phone when his mother got up. "I will have to go and check on your Tau ji. Do you want me to make something for you before I leave?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. I will just take some juice later."

She nodded and left the room quietly. He breathed out and leaned back on the sofa. Now, staring at the phone while biting his lip.

"Not repeating the mistake." He taught himself.

Maybe, Sakshi's words and her care that was all in pity. Maybe, it was just humanity. Not an old love. His heart dropped in dullness.

He felt ditched. Rejected!

But why won't she just reply? Was it just for that much? To that parking lot? To him being discharged and continue his life?

But what if she was shying away?

A hope flickered in his heart. She cared for his life and risked her image by coming to see him in the hospital. If something had provided him such love, it was her words. She didn't mention if he was innocent or not. She had mentioned that she believed him to not be a loser.

He won't be a loser then.

At least, not in front of her.

Clenching his jaws, he opened the contacts. At seeing her name, he took a long breathe and finally called her.

His heartbeats started pacing just as it kept ringing. He waited, waited but no one was picking up. He could swear that his heart was close to burst out of his chest, if she hadn't picked up at the last moment.

If she would tell him to not disturb him, he would happily accept it. Because at least he tried and was aware of her thoughts about him now. After all, what he did to her years ago, he truly didn't deserve this much compassion from her.

Nodding to himself, Shrey waited as the bell kept ringing. He shook his head when it was soon to get silent. He removed his phone from the ear but hurriedly moved it back when he heard a soft voice coming from the other side.

"Hello?"

Shrey closed his eyes as he blinked slowly. Biting his lips, he twitched them in neevousness.

"Hey."

A sweet sigh was heard followed by silence. He was being desperate. He couldn't just show her that he was feeling so ditched by her lack of response. Maybe, she was thinking of an excuse. So, its better if he would just tell her to not bother anymore. But yes, he was extremely thankful foe the humanity she showed.

Though, slowly Sakshi had started replying, "Um, Hi Shrey. How are you?"

"I. . . I am good. What abo-" His eyes narrowed at hearing some sounds from behind. As if she was in a vehicle. "Are you out busy or-"

"Um, Yeah. I was in Chandigarh celebrating Diwali, now returning." She chuckled before explaining, "I wanted to reply to you. But I was feeling nauseated in this bus. I am more used to travelling in trains. Now, even opening my eyes and doing anything, my head is spinning."

Oh.

Shrey's whole mind was cleaned with her silly reason. A small smile lifted the corner of his lips and he muttered amusingly, "I thought you were ignoring me."

He heard her inhaling and silence followed until she said, "No. I didn't mean-" She gulped and breathed slowly.

He looked far at the wall and realized that she really mustn't be feeling well. "Um, it's alright. Now that I know, you can vomit anytime if I continue talking. So, after reaching Delhi and taking some rest, we will talk?"

He waited while chewing on his lip and with no time wasting, she replied, "Sure."

A wide smile came on his face as he hummed. "I will call you sometime in the evening. Okay," he said slowly.

"Okay."

He cut the call before she could even say bye to him. Shaking his leg and putting elbows on his knees, he rested his chin on his intertwined hands. Smiling to himself at her stupid but genuine reason, he couldn't help but chuckle out.

Cute.

How wrong he was at thinking so negative about her within some hours? Just because she hadn't replied, he was being idiotic. He had judged her so soon.

Shrey shook his head.

His heart was still conscious of believing in Sakshi's kindness. He won't repeat his mistake by making contacts with people he didn't really need in his life. But at this moment, when there was no one to share his true thoughts with, when there was no one to give him advices or understand him—he needed Sakshi.

To distract himself from this case. To get his attention more to alive things rather than old and dying relations. With Sakshi, he would feel fresh. He couldn't really wait to see her again. But would she agree to even meet him?

Only the next phone call could tell.

________

"The bride-to-be has returned."

The smiling face of Sakshi, fell immediately. Instead of running into her best friend's arms, she turned around and started walking back but Aarush had already caught her elbow laughingly.

"Sorry," he muttered while hugging her. Patting her shoulder, he pulled away while still grinning. "I was guessing that you would come back being engaged. Aditi and I even had a bet-"

He staggered back when Sakshi started slapping him on the forearm while gritting her teeth. Maintaining a gap, he laughed sheepishly. Sakshi shook her head at him in tiredness but ended up smiling goofily when Aarush came ahead to pick her luggage.

"Come on," he said while getting into the car. Sakshi sighed while getting in and leaning back on the seat, pinching the bridge of her nose. Aarush observed her and raised his eyebrows. "Oh my God, don't you dare vomit in my car."

Gulping slowly, Sakshi gagged knowingly, almost frightening him to the core. Aarush had stopped breathing and watching this, Sakshi laughed out loud.

"I will really end up doing it if you won't take me home soon."

Nodding hurriedly, Aarush drove out of the bus stand, getting on the highway, while glancing at the her. "For the first time, you don't look like you have returned from home. Did something happen?"

Sakshi stiffened at his question and shook her head. Closing her eyes, she muttered, "No. Now, let me rest until we reach home."

He gave her an irritated look but didn't push her anymore. Driving quietly all the way, he watched her getting out the car with a tired look on her face. He was confirmed that something had happened for sure. 

What if this groom was someone that she knew already? Or she really didn't like him? What if her family had fixed the arrangement already?

Aarush couldn't wait to hear the whole story but Sakshi looked extremely tired. He sighed and followed her quietly up to her flat where Aditi was waiting for them, wanting to know the same.

The door was left open for them to enter. Sakshi didn't wait to enter and sat tiredly on the couch, closing her eyes. "What the hell happened to you?" asked Aarush while sitting beside her.

"Hey!" Aditi came excitedly from the kitchen with a glass of water in her hand. Passing it to Sakshi who smiled at her while muttering a thank you, she too sat beside her on the couch.

"Tell us. Who's the guy?"

Sakshi shook her head at her, pleading with eyes. "Please, don't ask that. You will have the shock of your life."

Aarush's excitement risen by the mere sentence. He squeezed her hand while Aditi pouted, "Come on. We have been waiting for the two days."

"I will give you a head massage if you feeling-" Aarush started pressing on her temple while Aditi too laughed and started pressing her shoulders.

Sakshi groaned and murmured, "I feel exhausted."

"Haven't you slept last night?" asked Aarush while observing her tired eyes. "Why did you return a day before? Not that I am sad about it. But you were coming tomorrow."

Sakshi opened her eyes to look at him. "I couldn't stay there. My uncle and Aunt have started to worry about my future so much. I couldn't take it. They were literally showing off that guys photos on my face. Tai ji even started requesting in front of Bhai and Tau ji that I should try this guy for once."

Aditi stared at her in shock. "Dude, what is so special about this guy? That they have started to request you."

Sakshi sighed and removed Aarush's hand as she straightened up and drank the water left in the glass before putting it away on the table. Both of them were staring at her in such suspense that she felt embarrassed to even mention the truth.

They would shocked for sure, but what would they think of her family? Sakshi swallowed.

"In the party, he came." Aarush's raised his eyebrows while exchanging a glance with Aditi. Sakshi breathed heavily. "It was so exciting for all of them to play me like this."

"Not just Mihir, but his whole family. They were all watching me with such interest when he told me that the guy was standing behind me and when I finally turned around to look at him. . ."

Aarush opened his mouth, "What happened? Does he have a piggy nose?"

Aditi squeezed her eyes shut and opened them to only glare at his amused face. Smiling sheepishly, he muttered, "Fine," when Sakshi had made a move to leave the couch. "Sorry," he told her.

Sakshi breathed out and looked at Aditi. "He was smirking at me. I had even heard flashes. I am sure, one of their cousin had even taken photo of my dear face. I was truly numb."

"But who is he, Sakshi?"

Aditi bit her lip as Sakshi lowered her eyes. "He was in front of my eyes all the time. Mihir had even hinted us many times but we were all so stupid." She looked at Aarush and told, "I was so stupid to not understand that I was not just a mere girl but a target."

Aarush started guessing in his mind hurriedly. He was slightly afraid of hearing the name of Ronnie Shekhawat and kept praying until Sakshi announced his name.

"Kabir Nair."

Silence followed afterwards and none of them even moved except for Sakshi's eyeballs as they moved from Aditi to Aarush. Both of them were staring at her blankly.

"What the hell are you saying?" Aditi widened her eyes while smiling excitingly.

"What the hell are you saying?" Aarush whispered while feeling his whole spine chilling in utmost creepiness.

"Oh my God. He is going to be your fiance." Aditi chirped while squeezing her thighs. On the other side, Aarush was highly disturbed.

"Our professor?" He asked while getting off the couch and kneeling in front of her, looking in her eyes.

Sakshi gulped and nodded. "It's that professor. All this time, I thought that he was dedicated towards discipline. That's why, he was picking on me. Instead he was just having fun, Aarush. He couldn't stop smirking the whole time at party, seeing my shocked face when he was talking to Bhai and Tau ji."

Aditi's smile fell at seeing both of her friends looking unhappy. "Wait! Both of you chickens, were crushing on your teachers all this time. Now, when one of you is getting hitched, you are mourning?"

She pointed at her temple. "Am I freaking crazy? Or you guys are?"

Aarush gave her a blank look and bit his lip, still feeling shocked that it was that professor. "Damn! Mihir was with us all the time whenever we had talked about him."

Aditi clenched her jaws when Sakshi too ignored her questions and answered Aarush, "The professor followed me to the terrace when I got angry and wanted loneliness to digest this disastrous fact. He discussed this whole thing with me, speaking sh.t about how he is shy and couldn't approach me directly."

Aarush narrowed his eyes. "Why didn't you slap him hard?"

Aditi was shocked to the core. She stared at him in utter confusion. Why was Aarush not happy with him being the groom? Wasn't he the one who had started teasing Sakshi for this thing only? He too had a crush on his teacher then why was he spoiling it for Sakshi.

Was he jealous?

Aditi's heart clenched when she observed his face. He was really not happy. He looked genuinely shocked and disgusted. This was not what she had expected from him.

"I don't understand, why would he agree to marry someone of your age. Is this about getting loaded?"

Sakshi shook her head at his question. "I don't know. He has a good job here. He has money and a face. Who wouldn't want to marry him if she is of his age? But this is me. He is not my type and he is creepy."

Aarush twitched his lips. "That's what I am feeling right now. Being a professor, he should be all professional. This targeting at you first in the class, two times in line and then impressing you by helping. Now, he has reached your home and is mingling with your family."

He wiped his face while asking, "Is your brother involved in this too? Because I believe that he could sense the wrong in a guy. He is a guy himself. He would know that being a professor and showing interest in your student is damn creepy."

"What the hell is wrong with both of you?" interrupted Aditi.

Sakshi gulped while telling her, "Aditi, I don't want to marry him. He is my professor and I already have a grudge against him for playing with me on that date and then in the classes. This is not acceptable to me. He is even quite older than me-"

"But you were enjoying all the jokes about him and you, earlier. What changed?" She argued back and looked at Aarush. "And this hypocrite, I don't understand what's wrong with him?"

"He must have known about you from the beginning. What if he wanted to have some fun and was still very shy? What if he was afraid of losing his job here and that is why, he didn't react like an eligible bachelor selected-by-your-Tai ji in front of you."

Aarush looked at her, feeling irritated. "All your what-ifs are not making sense. When the girl is not comfortable at his mere sight, why would she marry him?"

Aditi opened her mouth in shock. "What is wrong with you, Aarush? How my what-ifs  are not making sense to you? He likes Sakshi and that is why, he approached her in her home in front of her family. What he and Mihir did while being here, was not as serious as you think? You both were already making jokes in front of Mihir? Won't this already make them feel that you are actually interested? Both in this cousin and your professor?"

She nodded while emphasizing, "And it's great that both are one person only."

Aarush was about to shake his head at Sakshi and tell her that she should just rest for now. Later, they would think of anyway to skip this. But Aditi had spoken some words that had snatched his whole attention.

"Are you jealous, Aarush?"

Aarush was speechless at seeing her behavior as he glanced at Sakshi in confusion. She too was shaking her head in awkwardness.

"Aditi, Aarush is not involved anywhere. You know how we have-"

But Aditi had already got up from the couch. She threw a cushion at Aarush who caught it immediately and heard her saying, "Leave it."

"I don't even want to hear about it. Because it makes me sick."

"How is that professor loving her not making you sick? And I am caring for my best friend is making-"

Aditi laughed humorlessly.

"Because Professor's family has approached her family. He wanted to know her so he let his cousin talk to her. Later, he approached her himself that even in front of her family. Just like any Indian family or decent bachelor would do."

Pointing at him, she scoffed.

"While you are not even daring to mention what you have been intending all this time." She said while Sakshi felt her heart drowning in a new doubt. She wasn't liking both her buddies fighting this way.

"Guys, stop." She murmured absent-mindedly but Aarush was extremely hurt.

"I didn't know you have such dirty opinions about me," he told Aditi who smirked humorlessly with her eyes glistening in hurt.

"You don't know anything at all about me," she whispered before walking away from them to her bed room, slamming the door hard, showing them the level of anger.

"What just happened?" asked Aarush while staring at the door in disbelief. "Did a mental dog bit her butt?"

Sakshi looked away from him and rubbed her forehead, feeling it aching beneath her eyebrows.

"If you had talked about her butt in front of her more often, she wouldn't have misunderstood you like this." She told him while lying on the very couch and closing her eyes.

"It's not me that's jealous." Aarush concluded while still looking confused. Sakshi clicked her tongue while putting her arm on her forehead and sighed tiredly.

"It's her."

______

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