Unsuitable Proposal

Chapter 27: He's Back

"Zainab, he's here," I whisper-yelled into my cell phone, "he's back!"

"Calm down! Calm down! Okay!" Zainab screamed from the other end. I heard some shuffling from her side. "Maybe he won't bother with you. He can be there just for his work."

"I hope so, but I don't think so Zainab."

"What do you mean?"

"I went to the club last Friday after work. I didn't see him but I felt him there. Now I am sure he was there too."

"What are you going on about Kashvi? Club? Since when did you start going to clubs?" She asked, surprised. "And what do you mean he was there? He couldn't be stalking you, can he?"

"I went there with Mrinalini," I sighed, "it isn't that big of a deal."

"Girl, it is. Here in Lucknow you barely went out to have tea with me. And now you're dancing in the club. That's a massive upgrade for my Kashvi! So glad you're coming out of your shell."

Before I wasn't allowed by my family to be out with my friends or colleagues outside of work. Zainab was the only exception because my family knew her and somehow trusted her good girl persona.

This new found freedom in Bangalore was exciting. But it would have felt much better if I wasn't estranged from my family.

"Antarang's here, let's focus on that," I reminded my friend.

I heard her sigh. "If you didn't see him at club, how can you be sure he was there."

"I just know it."

"So, what now? He's stalking you?"

I shook my head. "I have no idea what's going on."

"Did you two talk? Did he confront you?"

"Not yet."

"I can't believe Antarang found his way right into your workplace," said Zainab, "but then again it's not that unbelievable. He's a resourceful guy. If he wants something, he gets it."

"What should I do Zainab?" I breathed, leaning back against my chair.

Right now it was lunch break, no one was around. Food was the last thought in my mind after everything that passed in the morning. Thankfully I didn't have to come up with excuse to evade Mrinalini. She had gone out on a date with a guy she met on an online dating app.

"Kashvi, the morning after you left on your wedding day he was..." She paused. "Antarang was shocked. I've never felt that bad for another person as I felt for him that day. The change on his face from a bright smile to dejection was wrenching. In that moment I felt guilty. I knew what we did was right, but still..."

A week later after the wedding day I had called Zainab. It was too risky to call my cousin. She had let me in about all the things that followed the next morning. The denial that I could do something like this on my father's face, my mother's wailing, Mr. And Mrs. Bhatt's taunts. And Antarang... I had hurt Antarang the most. I had brought shame to my family. Ruined everything by running away. I knew it would take years for them to forgive me... if they could forgive me, that is.

"But was it, Zainab. Me abandoning him on the eve of our wedding, was it right?" I said, my eyes watering. "I should've stayed. No married life is easy, there are compromises. We could've talked this out."

"No Kashvi. The only one making compromises would be you. Your family wouldn't have taken your side either. Your father isn't much different than Antarang's mother. Sooner or later they would've made you quit," Zainab told me, "and you heard that night how much stand Antarang was going to take for you."

"I don't know what to say," I said, looking at the diamond bracelet that Antarang had fastened on my wrist on our roka ceremony. I still had it. I didn't know why. I still love him, maybe that's why.

"Everything aside, Antarang is heartbroken. It wouldn't be far-fetched if he's back in your life to take revenge. Your running away was a big blow to him."

I sat up, my breath quickening. "What should I do Zainab? What if he's really here to get back at me?"

"Then this time you can't run away Kashvi," she said, "you have to fight for yourself."

"I don't want to fight him. I abandoned him. I should ask him for forgiveness. Maybe, he'd understand and forgive me."

"Kashvi, I know what we did was wrong? But the onus of everything isn't just on us. Antarang is at wrong too. He promised you something he couldn't give. Don't burden yourself with guilt," Zainab consoled, "but yes, it'd be good if you can sort out this mess peacefully. Talk to him. And maybe we're overthinking, he's most probably there for his work."

I nodded.

*******

Rest of the day dragged by slowly. Ranjan called in another meeting to brief us about Antarang's- no, Brillio's project. We were assigned our tasks. We had to report to Antarang and his colleagues about our progress biweekly. I didn't know if being in a same room with him twice a week was too much or too less.

Right now I was studying about Brillio's product. The whole team was given Brillio's dash-cam to familiarize us with the product we'd be working on. If I had to admit, coding and assembly of the cam was quite complex. I could see Ayush and myself pinging Ranjan multiple times a day while working on it.

"He has curly hair," Mrinalini went on again, "I think I like it. It'll be nice to touch it." The girl had been going on about her date since she returned. "His nose is little crooked...it makes him look cute actually-"

"His eyes are black. White t-shirt suits him. He's not so tall and you love it. His hands are big, so you're expecting something else to be big too... I get it Mrinalini, you're crazy about that boy," I completed, chuckling.

Mrinalini smiled. She was sitting on my desk and reminiscing about her date with Tarun. 

"Would it be too soon to say that Tarun might be the one, Kashvi?" She asked with a shy smile.

I raised my brows. That was a big jump from a single date, especially for someone like Mrinalini. But who was I to judge when I was still pining for my ex-fiancé after leaving him on our wedding eve? "I don't know. I think sometimes you just know you found your one." I shrugged.

She hummed. "I really like him Kashvi. Like a lot. A Loooooot"

I grinned. "I'm happy for you."

Mrinalini blushed before sighing dreamily. "You don't even know how good he sounds when he laughs..." And there she goes again.

I chuckled. 

I wish I could tell her how wonderful Antarang's laughter sounded, or how his deep brown eyes could suck you in with a single glance, or how his big hands perfectly fitted with mine. And how I gave it all up.

********