Dilkash

(ii) style

"Ah, I was around like everyone if I'm not kidding. You wouldn't find me at the same place for more than 5 minutes." I chuckled a little and took a bite of the pasta.

"Oh, so you were one of the extroverted kids, huh? That's nice. I was a little introverted back then, but with my job I've learnt to be extroverted." She said and focused on her food.

"Being a workplace extrovert really helps, believe me." I chuckled and focused on my food too.

We were almost done with our food before I became restless and wanted to know her so badly. It was like I was a curious kid and my mind wasn't letting me think about anything else.

"Well—" We spoke together and laughed for a moment. I nodded at her and asked her to go on.

"I was saying that don't you think it's time to know each other's names already?" She spoke and wiped her face with a tissue.

"I was about to say just that. Well then, I'm Advait Singh Mewar and it's nice to meet you—?" I paused expecting her to tell me her name too. But all I saw was the smile on her face disappear. What did I do? She looked like she was 5 and someone has just told her Santa isn't real.

"I'm In— Inayat Sharma." She stuttered and for a second I wasn't able to comprehend what she actually said. She didn't say that. There's no way. I saw her eyes get a little teary and she immediately looked away. I sighed. What was Bhabhi Sa thinking?

I asked the waiter for the bill and she immediately snatched it from my hands when he gave it to me. What's her problem? It's not like I arranged this shit. She paid the bill and started walking out of the cafe. She sighed and closed her eyes for a minute or so before calling someone. She acts like she was the only one who got hurt. She most definitely was not, she didn't even lose anything.

I walked closer to her and she started walking away. She walked away until we reached my car. What does she even want to do?

"Bhaag ke kahaan hi chali jaogi tum?" I said, being extremely irritated by her.

(Where would you even go by running?)

"Tumse matlab? Apne bhai ka intezar karne bhi nahi ruk sakti ab mai?" She crossed her arms around her chest and looked in the opposite direction. She was standing in front of my car and I leaned on its door. She rolled her eyes on me. The audacity!

(Why do you care? I can't even wait here to wait for my brother now?)

Before I could say anything to her, I got a call from my mother— Vaidehi, I mean. Before I could even say a hi or hello, a scolding voice greeted me.

"Advait Singh Mewar, reach the Sharmas' place right now. I will kill you if you're not here in half an hour and if you think your excuse is going to work this time, it isn't. She isn't even here right now, even if she was I'm not letting you miss my Roka. So get your fucking act together and reach the house." She demanded and cut the call before I could even say anything else. I sighed and moved a little. I opened the car door and eyed the one last time.

I sat in the car and started it. She tried to call whoever she wanted to call once again but they weren't picking up. Tears formed in her eyes again. I changed my mind and got out of the car immediately. I grabbed her right wrist and dragged her and made her sit on the passenger seat.

"What are you doing? Are you out of—" She tried to oppose it. I shushed her and she finally shut up.

"Chup chaap gaadi mein baithi raho. Tumhare hi ghar ja rahe hai. Zyada tamasha kiya toh dekh lena kya karta hu mai." I said in a commanding voice and increased the volume of the music.