~The Way You Hate Me~ SHAKHI FF

Part-11 The Silence

"Shaurya...tumhari coffee" Aastha said while handling a cup of coffee. Shaurya took it silently.

"Kaha gye the tum? Tum college me to nhi the" Aastha sat on the couch next to him

"Kapurthala gya tha" he said, taking a sip

"Tum Kapurthala gye the? kyo? Tumhara dimag kharab ho gya hai! Kyo gye tum aur wo bhi mujhe bina bataye, agar tumhe kuchh ho jata to!" She got up from the couch and screamed, scared of what would had happened if he came across Anokhi's family again.

"Relax...kya ho gya mom! mai thik hu" He was surprised at his mom's outburst. He held her hand and made her sit

"Kyo gye the tum?" Aastha asked him again

"Kuchh kam tha"

"Achha aur aisa kya kam tha jo tum fir se us jagah gye"

"Mai thik hu, aur mai Kapurthala hi to gya tha kon sa jang pr gya tha" he said with a slight smile

"Ha...ek bar pehle bhi Kapurthala hi gye the!" Aastha looked away

He swallowed the lump formed. He was sitting silent while Aastha was staring at him. After so many days he was sitting with her. She had forgotten how he used to roam around her, laughing, cracking jokes, talking about his college. His silence is killing her.

"Tum aisa kyo kar rhe ho?" Aastha broke the silence, he stopped sipping his coffee at her question

"Kya kar rha hu" he asked, Still looking at his cup, pretending to be unaware of what she was talking about

"Don't pretend! Mai Anokhi aur tumhari bat kr rhi hu" she said annoyingly
While he remains silent.

"Kyo kar rhe ho tum ye...kyo us se dur bhag rhe ho...or should I say why are you creating a wall between you two?" she blunted whatever she had been holding for a month.
he swallowed the lump in his throat

"Khud ko kyo punish kar rhe ho iss sab ke liye" Aastha put her hand on his shoulder, her voice was heavy

"Aisa to kuchh nahi hai" he denied with a fake smile

"Don't do this! tumhe kya lagta hai tumhara usse dur rehna solution hai? Iss se wo khus ho gyi hai ya ho jayegi?" She asked

"At least she won't be hurt by me anymore" He smiled sadly, did not meet her gaze even for once

"You're wrong! I know tum use kabhi intentionally hurt kar hi nhi skte" Aastha said with the faith that she has in her son

"Kya fark padta hai, intentions don't matter, mai chahu na chahu...every time I went near her I have always ended up hurting her"

"Jab tumne than hi liya hai khud ko punish karne ka, to mera kuchh bhi bolna bekar hai" Aastha was disappointed with his pessimistic behavior.
He didn't say anything and Aastha got up to leave, she was furious.

"Aur ha, kal Tej Bhaisahab aur Devi Bhabhi wapas aa rhe hai!" reminding him she left

Devi and Tej were out of town with their daughter Kanchan when Shaurya married Anokhi.
Aastha asked Shaan to tell Devi and Tej that Shaurya has done a love marriage and did not tell them. Because she did not want them to know under what circumstances Shaurya married Anokhi.
She knows how Devi will react knowing about Anokhi's family behavior. She is no less. She too will think that her family is right and both Devi and Tej Shabherwal will look at her with disrespect. Who neither Aastha wants nor will Shaurya tolerate.

___________

"Aastha meri file kaha hai, kab se dhundh rha hu..." Shaan asked Aastha, while she was sitting on the bed