ANDROMEDA

CHAPTER-2

"You guys know each other, that is very evident but bhai thode details toh do. Yahan sab clueless hai.", he said while laughing.

"Arre we're friends since childhood. Bhai Mohali mei she used to live in the house next to ours. Aur phir randomly ek din batane aayi ki next month sab jaa rahe hai, properly Delhi shift ho rahe hai. Aur phir madam ne uske baad kabhi connect karne ki koshish hi nahi ki.", he said while looking at me.

"Aru?? Tune kabhi bataya kyu nahi bhai ki Shubman Gill tera bachpan ka dost hai?", Gauri didi said while smacking me lightly on my head.

"Aap maan lete jaise haina?", I said while making a puppy eyes. Gauri didi was the only person I could talk back to. She'd made me comfortable and given me that space.

"But how are you here? You shifted to Delhi right?", Shubman asked me.

"Haan haan. We shifted to Delhi only. Mumbai mei college ke wajah se."

"College?? Kya kar rahi ho tum?"

"MBBS", I said and looked down.

"Bhaisahab. MBBS?? Kya baat hai! Is gadhe ke dost itne smart honge idea nahi tha mujhe.", Ishaan said while laughing and everybody laughed. Shubman also laughed but his eyes looked at me as if trying to ask something but could not. Pushing that away he hit Ishaan lightly with the back of his hand and said, "Saale tu toh baadmei mil mujhe." while laughing.

"Aur tum", he said while looking at me. "Number doh apna chalo".

I was stunned for a minute. I couldn't decide if I should give my number or not. "Aradhana", he called out again while breaking my trail of thoughts. "What?? Number do yaar. Shahneel aur mummy ko batana hai."

"Shubman I.."

"Aradhana I said I want your number, koi reasoning nahi karne waale hum yahan pe." I had to give up. There were too many people around to argue or say anything else and so I gave him my number. He saved it and immediately slid his phone back into his pocket.

"Aur ab agar tumne call nahi uthaya na to mai seedha tumhare college hi aa jayunga. But college hai kaunsa tumhara?" he said while laughing but I knew it for a fact that he wasn't joking.

"King Edward Memorial Medical college." Trisha didi said before I could say anything and Shubman thanked her.

"Ghar pe sab kaise hai?", Shubman asked me and Trisha didi looked at me. I stud there contemplating what to tell him. No, I cannot tell him that or probably I don't want to when so many people are around and so I lied.

"Acche hai sab." I said with a little smile on my face to sound more convincing. Before Shubman could say anything else a person came upto us and told Ishaan and Shubman that they were being called for a small ICT meeting which was important. Thank god. I felt so relieved.

"Humein bhi ab chalna chahiye." Akash bhaiya said. Perfect I thought.

"Bye Shunman." I said and hugged him and then pulled back.

"Apna dhyaan rakhna and all the best for world cup finals. I am already proud of you and the entire team." I said with a smile and looked at Ishaan. "All the best Ishaan, aapko bhi." Both of them thanked me but Shubman had something more to say. " Thank you for the wishes but please make sure ki tum ab touch mei raho. Nahi phone uthaya na ab toh tum dekhna."

"Tum dhamki dena band karoge mujhe? Pitna hai tumhe?" I said and a second later I realized the blunder I'd done. Immediately I started apologizing. But that really wasn't my fault. I really used to hit him back in the days. Just a light smack though and he never said just pretended as if I'd dragged a dagger through his head. Some people might not understand this but for me being able to hit him wasn't just normal banter because I wasn't that kind of a person. It was a testament to our bond, a testament to how comfortable I was with him, a testament to the comforting space he'd given me.

I was still apologizing when asked me to relaxed and reminded me that we're friends and that this is okay. "Chill kar tu and we'll catch up properly once this World Cup is over. bye"

"Haan, bye."

The way back to car was just full of curses and smacks and questions for me. Along with a little laughter. But finally they let me reach my hostel alive.

I was climbing the stairs to reach my room when I received a call from an unknown number. First I thought it might be Shubman but then I realized that he was supposed to be in a meeting. I reached my room while my phone was still ringing. I answered the call and held it between my ears and shoulder while searching for the keys to my room.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Aradhana Singh?"

"Yes, speaking. Who's this?"

"Who's this ki bacchi. Kahan marr gayi thi tu?"

"Shahneel didi!!??" My phone would have literally slipped hadn't I held it on time. Goodness. I heard her voice after so long that it just didn't seem real.

"Haan khoti". Oh that just confirmed that it was Shahneel didi. Khoti in Punjabi means donkey. She used to call me that whenever I made a blunder.

"Didi!!!! Kaise ho aap?? Kahan ho aap? Mumbai mei ho?"

"Mai kaisi hun ye chhod. Tu kahan thi itne time se. Abhi jab Shubi se baat hui to yakeen hi nahi ho raha tha. Pagal hai tu??..

Ab tu usse daat'te hi rahegi ya mujhe bhi baat karne degi?" I could here someone say after Shahneel didi.

"Aunty!!!??????" I almost screamed while throwing away my bag and settling on the bed.

"Haan mera putt. Kaisi hai puttu tu?"

I almost wanted to cry on listening to that endearment filled with so much of love after so so long. Puttu and putt are Punjabi endearments which mean beloved baby or small kid.

"Mai acchi hun aunty. Aap kaise ho?" I said with tears accumulating in the corner of my eyes.

"Mai acchi hun bacche. Bohot acchi hun. Tum kahan thi? Bohot yaad kiya puttar tujhe."

"Maine bhi aap sab logon ko bohot miss kiya aunty." and a sob left my mouth as I completed the sentence. Because that was true. I'd missed them so much.

"Offo. Roh to mat ab. Ab toh mil gaye na hum." Shahneel didi said.

"Nahi roh rahi." I said with a smile and wiped my cheek.

"Aru, maine suna humari putt doctor ban rahi hai?" Aunty said.