Feels Like Love!

|Chapter - 3|

Dragging Avni along with himself, Neil introduced her & Karam to Ali. Once the formal introductions were done, Shweta asked all of  them to get settled on the dining table, and the very obliging kids did as they were asked to. Kareena & Ali were the first ones to get to the table while Karam & Prakash followed them as they talked about some business issue. Avni had almost offered help to Shweta & Bebe for serving the food to everyone but her phone started ringing at that very moment.  The elder ladies became busy with heating the food, and Neil was still sitting sulkily on the sofa.  

C'mon, Neil! Uske saamne teri bolti kyu band ho jati hai? Say something! At least, compliment her! - his brain commanded. 

Determined, he got up from the sofa & walked upto Avni who was still busy talking on the phone, probably instructing some nurse about the treatment of some patient. He stood besides her, patiently waiting for her to cut the call. In a minute or two, Avni did disconnect the call & turned around only to find Neil standing in front of her. 

A- Yahan kya kar rha h? Chal table par? 

N- Ah, yeah! -he gave her a sheepish smile. 

As the two started walking towards the table, Neil abruptly stepped ahead & stood in front of Avni, taking her aback by his weird behaviour. 

N- Uh, woh...you..you look.. -he gulped in nervousness & then chuckled, another failed attempt to calm his racing heart down, you look...like cassata ice cream? - it came out more like a question. Yeah! You look like a cassata in this rainbow looking dress of yours! -he complimented nervously.

Oh God! Just go somewhere & die! Is this how you compliment someone? Cassata kon bulata hai bhai!? -he scolded himself.  

Avni couldn't quite comprehend if he complimented her or was just annoying her. Blinking her eyes in confusion, she eyed him down with a look on her face which made Neil almost quiver in his position. 

A- And, you look like an autorickshaw in this lemon-yellow shirt & olive pants, you idiot! Hatt ab saamne se! -she scowled as she moved towards the dining table. 

N- Autorickshaw? Do I look like an autorickshaw? Why is she so rude!? And, why am I such a fool, goddammit! -he thought to himself as he followed her up to the dining table. 

Neil was embarrassed enough that he didn't make any attempt of talking to Avni at least during the dinner, however, throughout the dinner, he was completely zoned out, thinking of tactics to start a decent conversation with Avni, not that it was awkward talking to her, but he surely didn't want to make a fool of himself in front of her.  

Karam & Avni left soon after the dinner, and Ali left in a while too. Neil was now unpacking his stuff, but, since Shweta knew her son a little too well, she knew that he'd just crumble all the clothes into the cupboard instead of arranging it well. And, that was why she had made her presence in his room at around 11 in the night. 

N- MOM! Thank god you came! Look, this cupboard is too small to accommodate my clothes & electronics. Mujhe Kareena wala rack dedo! -he whined.

S- Neil, try arranging your clothes a little decently, ghar mein sabse bada cupboard tere hi room ka hai! Aur, yeh kya sab kapde aise roll bnake rakh diye hain! Move aside, let me settle it! 

N- That's why I wuv you! -he grinned while wrapping his arms around Shweta's while she shook her head in amusement. 

Neil was scrolling through his phone when Shweta was finally done with arranging his stuff. 

S- Neil, ab phone chhod & get some sleep. C'mon, keep it aside. 

Neil just hummed in response & Shweta turned to leave but stopped in her tracks as she realised something. Inhaling deeply, she moved towards Neil's bed, and sat near the bedpost slowly. 

S- Neil! -she called. 

Neil didn't miss the seriousness in her voice & that was why he sat up straight, looking into her mother's eyes with pure innocence. 

N- What is it, Mom? 

S- Neil, it's about Ayesha & Ashish Ji. 

N- Ah, yeah! Where are they? Why didn't they come for dinner? 

S- They are no more, Neil! 

N(shocked)- What? What are you saying, Mom? Is this some prank? 

S- You think I'll prank about such grave issue? They died in a car accident ten years back!

N(confused)- When exactly? I mean, why don't I know? How did Avni & Karam Bhai manage? It must have been so tough! -he mumbled, more to himself than to Shweta! 

S- The accident happened day after you left for New Jersey...tab tujhe nahi btaya kyuki we didn't want to bother you about all this, you were going to start a new journey, & were all alone, aur tu Ayesha aur Ashish Ji se itna close bhi tha, isliye nhi btaya! 

N- What do you mean you didn't want to bother me, Mom!? It does bother me! Avni..woh akeli thi yahan pe, and I...feel like such an asshole right now! No wonder she didn't reply back to my texts. Aur, phir mujhe lga ki shayad woh interested hi nhi hai baat krne mein, that's why I stopped texting her! God! I've been such a jerk to her! Aur aaj bhi maine puch liya ki uncle aunty kahan hai! Shit! -he said through gritted teeth, half annoyed at his lack of knowledge & the other half was still figuring out how to mourn the death of his beloved uncle & aunt. 

S- Neil, I know you must be feeling betrayed right now, par aur koi choice nhi thi Beta! Hum tujhe-

N- C'mon Mom! Do you think I'm that much of a fool? Thik hai, aapne starting mein nhi btaya, par mere settle hone ke baad toh bta skti thi naa! I could have come & met her once yaar! -he was now controlling himself from shouting out loud. 

S- We did want to tell you, Neil. In fact, tere Dad ne toh tujhe call bhi lga diya tha, but Avni stopped him from telling you the truth. -now that shocked Neil.

Did she think he didn't deserve to know? Didn't she want him to be with her? They were friends, or weren't they? Did she only think of him as a nuisance? 

All these thoughts had clouded Neil's mind but before he could assume anything more, Shweta cleared the matter. 

S- She didn't want to hamper your studies. Usse pta tha ki agar tujhe pta chlega toh you'll come back here & she didn't want you to do that, she wanted you to focus on your studies, your career, aur phir time ke saath humein bhi lga ki tujhe phone par btana shayad thik nhi hoga! 

N- That just makes me feel even more guilty!  Main tha hi nhi uske saath, jab usko actual mein need thi! I feel like such good for nothing! -he grimaced. 

S- Neil, tujhe kya hua hai? Tu kabse itna self-blame krne lag gya? -she pondered.

N- Pch! I don't know, Mom! I really don't know, its just that whenever it comes to her, mujhe pta nhi kya ho jata hai! I mean, you know me right! I never behave this clueless or, you know, all over the place. But, when it comes to her, I just want to do it right, I want to make her feel right, about herself, about me, about us, about everything! 

Neil would have continued ranting about Avni but stopped himself from continuing further when he saw the ghost of a smile on Shweta's face. Annoyed at how a mess he was regarding his feelings, he asked Shweta the reason of her smile by raising his eye brows. 

S(shaking her head)- Time aane par tujhe samjh aajayega that why she affects you so much! But for now, just sleep for the night aur kal jaakar usse mil lena. Talk it out with her. Okay? 

Neil nodded half heartedly while Shweta left the room after wishing him night. 

N- I don't think I'll be able to keep it together till morning, I need to see her right now!