Preeti clutched the phone tighter... the colour deepening on her face.
Naina and Swati looked at each other... her expressions giving a hope... a positive signal...
"Ek... ek minute... itna lamba kaise bolun... Naina ko... dheere dheere bol na." Preeti stuttered.
Pandit pursed his lips, squeezing his eyes more... did she think all this was to be conveyed to Naina...
"Par... yeh sab... Pandit... jijaji toh Naina ko bachpan se jaante hi nahi... fir yeh dosti... yeh samosa... yeh kachodi... yeh sab... kya... " She swallowed, wanting to be sure...
He let out an audible sigh, "Sameer nahi Preeti... yeh main keh raha tha... yeh mera message hai... bhabhi ke liye nahi... unki behen ke liye... main apne dil ki baat bata raha hun... tumhe... "
Preeti disconnected... her heart in her mouth...
Naina looked in panic, "Kya hua, Preeti... phone kyon kaat diya?"
She kept sitting like a stone... oblivious to the surroundings... Pandit's words echoing in her ears.
Naina leaned closer to her, her hands in the hold of mehendi wali, "Preeti, kuch bola kya Pandit ne?"
Nodding her head, Preeti gulped.
"Tujhe gussa aaya sun ke?" Naina asked with bated breath.
Preeti sat still for sometime... then shook her head slightly.
A relieved smile spread on Naina's face... she looked at Swati, who stared back expectantly.
Naina pressed her lower lip under her teeth, nodding at her with a twinkle in her eyes.
Swati broke into a wide grin... then flicked her brows, indicating at Preeti.
Naina shrugged... they didn't know Preeti's answer yet... but she was not angry... she had accepted that much... and it was a big solace.
Preeti got up swiftly, and ran to the room. Once she had closed the door, she stood against it, breathing hard... clutching the phone against her heart.
What was this... what did Pandit say... he said he had moved ahead from friendship... where... what was he trying to convey... he had always been a jovial, carefree person, who cracked stupid jokes... she made faces at the jokes but admired his ability to laugh and make other laugh along... he shared the same likes and dislikes as her... no doubt they were quite similar... but...
And he didn't call her 'tu'... today he addressed her with a 'tum'... why... wasn't she the same friend... wasn't he the same friend...
She was drowning in different feelings and emotions... her heart wanted to convince her that he meant what she thought he did... but her mind was not ready to believe. Pandit could never fall for anyone... he himself had said many times that thankfully, he had no such ailment called love... like his other two friends.
Her throat felt dry... it had to be a prank... maybe they all were pulling her leg... yes, it had to be that... they were just teasing her... maybe Naina and Swati were a part of it too... she shook her head... no, they won't let Pandit joke about such a thing...
She shut her eyes... few tears that had gathered in them spilled down her cheeks... she had never mentioned anything to anyone, hiding her feelings under her chirpy demeanor. When she had felt the similarity between herself and Pandit, her heart had started to melt for him... a few times she had given a coy smile on his jokes, and he had laughed aloud.
"Preeti, tujhe aise dekh ke lagta hai kisi drame ki practice kar rahi hai... kya yaad aa gaya jo aise sharma rahi hai... tujhpe yeh sab achha nahi lagta... jab tak naak phula ke ghoorti nahi hai tab tak lagta hi nahi Preeti se baat kar raha hun."
