Pranbir Short Stories

Heartless (5)

The next morning:
Prachi was the first one to get up as she was excited to go back to college.
Reaching the kitchen, she saw Pallavi making breakfast.
Pallavi: "You woke up so early?"
Prachi: "I need to go to college today. It's resuming and I have class in an hour."
Pallavi: "Then go and sit... I will bring your father-in-law's and your breakfast as well."
Prachi: "Let me help you..."
Pallavi, smilingly: "Ok just serve it to Vikram."
Prachi nodded and went on. She wished Vikram good morning and then served him.

Vikram: "All the best for the new beginning and for the last semester. I could say it's difficult but at my time it was different."
This made her chuckle.
Prachi, jokingly: "The difficulty level is the same. Everything is tough."
Vikram: "You are studying exactly what?"
Prachi: "Psychology."
Vikram, surprised: "Oh great. I will not have to seek help from outside when I turn insane."
Prachi took a moment to understand the sarcasm and they both laughed at it.

Pallavi, bringing her breakfast: "What are you two laughing about?"
Vikram: "Secret..."
Pallavi: "Ohhh ok, then I won't interfere.
Prachi, where is Ranbir?"
Prachi: "He was still sleeping when I came down. He slept late so I didn't disturb him."
Pallavi: "He usually keeps his meeting of Monday late so there won't be any issue."
Prachi smiled at that.

The trio finished their breakfast and Vikram spoke.
"Let's go, Prachi. I will drop you."
That surprised her and she looked on.
"It's okay, Uncle. I will go by cab."
Vikram: "No, no... I will drop you. Even I will get a chance to drop my daughter to college."
His affection overwhelmed Prachi who turned slightly emotional. She nodded yes and followed Vikram to his car.

As soon as they left, Pallavi heard footsteps and looked up to find Ranbir hurrying.
He sat at the breakfast table and Pallavi began serving him.
However, his attention was somewhere else as his eyes searched for a particular person.
His mother noticed it and a teasing smile formed on her lips.

Pallavi: "Who are you searching for?"
Ranbir, denying it: "No-one... I was just looking around."
He heard a small chuckle and turned to his mother.
Pallavi: "Sorry..."
She took the plates and went to the kitchen, but just before disappearing from his view, she turned back.

Pallavi, teasingly: "Not that you are searching for her, but Prachi went to college today. Your father went to drop her."
Ranbir recalled Prachi asking him about her college but he was unaware that it started today.

He reflected onto something and then continued to eat.

On the other side:
Prachi was already dropped and she had already thanked Vikram.
Once she reached locker, two arms surrounded her and hugged her tightly. She startled at first but relaxed when she recognized the person.

Prachi, relieved: "Shahana..."
Little giggles followed and she turned to see her laughing best friend.
Prachi: "You should stop scaring me like that."
Shahana: "Never..."

Shahana: "Ready for our last semester."
Prachi nodded and went to her locker.
Shahana: "So, Ranbir came to drop you."
This halted Prachi's movement and she nodded no: "Vikram Uncle came to drop me."
Shahana: "Why not Ranbir?"

Prachi: "You know only mom had dropped me before... never a father figure... It felt weirdly special today. And I wouldn't have been able to feel that if Ranbir had come with me today."
Shahana smiled at her best friend and they heard the bell. They both rushed to their first class together.

Ranbir's cabin:
He was joggling between meetings when Mayank stopped by.
Mayank: "How is it going, buddy?"
Ranbir: "Good, good... actually really good. But I have another meeting in 15 minutes."
Mayank, chuckling: "I won't be long. I just came to see you."
Ranbir got busy checking another file: "If everything is okay in next meeting, then you and Aryan can come play the game tomorrow night."
Mayank: "Great..." he tried to be as excited as he could but he had something up his mind.