I couldn't concentrate on my studies. Not because my life was in turmoil. I mean, when it wasn't. But because my father, Armaan Jha was continually bombarding my phone with his calls. Every fifteen minutes. Sometimes the phone would start ringing as soon as I put it down. And I got sick of answering every second to him.
He went back on the condition that I would answer him whenever he called and as a fool I agreed. But I didn't think he would call me every fifteen minutes.
The blaring phone wants me to throw it out of this window. I kept glaring at it as it rang. I begrudgingly answered as the song was about to end. Because I think if I don't he will catch the next flight and will fly over here. Who knows he might be on his way.
"What happened?! What took you so long to answer a call?! I thought something went wrong," Worried, he asked. Such a dramatic father. Something wrong?! In just fifteen minutes. Gad!
"Oh! Maybe because I was in the bathroom. Has it ever crossed your mind?!" I replied, bored, as I rolled my eyes. Though he can't see me, I find it necessary.
I heard a woman's laugh. Had he put this call on the speaker. Well, I don't care if anybody hears me. "Stop disturbing her every fifteen minutes, Armaan." I took a sigh of relief as I heard Ahana Jha try to put some sense in him.
But she can only try. As I knew he wouldn't be listening. "ugh! Can't a father call his daughter," I heard shuffling on the other side. Also hear Ahana Jha saying like he needs to relax.
"No one will disturb me here," I listened to him mumbling as he shut the door to a room. Yup, he moved away from his wife to talk to me.
I am touched. "So tell me what you did since your last call, Keya?!"
I groaned yet again. Is he serious?!
☆☆☆
"You are hiding something," it wasn't a question. Also, there's nothing surprising to hear from her. Afterall, Aj is my smarty pants.
I nodded wordlessly, staring ahead. The shade sun has spread all over the sky while it sets is sublime. One of the most pleasurable sights our eyes could afford without a cost. Delighting, isn't it.
"How do you know?!" I whisper, afraid that if I speak louder than this, I would lose the calmness within.
Still blessing the sight infront, I watch from the corner of my eyes, Aj shrugged without turning, "don't know if you have noticed, you interact less when you hide something."
Told ya, one smarty pants I got.
I hummed but didn't deny. And she didn't question further. As we silently embrace the serenity of the sunset, perfectly lost in our mind.
We both know that we are hiding some things from each other. The things we are not ready to share yet. Not because we don't trust each other. But because we do not want to drag the other one into our troubles. To protect our friendship.
I know Aj has some secrets hiding under her sleeves. But I never ponder her on those to reveal. Because I know she would prefer distancing herself rather than telling me. And I don't want that.
"You won't ask?!" I broke the silence. Outer one along with inner. I want to know what her opinion was. Does it affect her, I, hiding secrets from her?!
"It's better that way, isn't it?!" Aj turned to me, frowning. She struggled, but said no matter, "otherwise why would you have hidden?!"
I smiled wholeheartedly after what felt like an era and turned my attention back to the view iinfront. Cause I realized that I have a gem called Adhira.
☆☆☆
I try to focus on studies avoiding Kanan's constant gaze on me. We are studying together as exams are held next week. Actually he needs my help in studies and we don't even have the same subjects. Brilliant aren't we?! Also, he is my senior afterall. What benefits him from these study sessions was an actual wonder in itself.
I was solving my equations when Kanan started tapping his nails on the table. His tabla techniques are bizzare to him as his rhythm of tapping sounds irritating to ears. He was doing that to gain my attention which I didn't pay to him.
First it was my fa___ Mr. Jha and now him. Why don't they let me study?! And oh, Mr. Jha hasn't stopped his calls if anyone was wondering about it. He has just distanced the gap between his calls. Like he calls after every thirty minutes rather than fifteen. Progress, I guess.
"Kanan, if you are bored, go and entertain yourself. See yourself outside," I assert to which he ignored and continued his tapping.
I'm failing this equation thrice. "Kanan don't test my patience." I mumbled scratching the method I used.
Yet my warning was being ignored. Again.
After a few moments of silence I thought he listened. However I was wrong.
"This equation. How important is it to solve this one, huh?!" Kanan tsked. His tone was accusing.
I turned my focus from my book to him. Raising a brow at him, I retorted, "yes." Then focused back on my equations. Which type of Question was that?! Ofcourse it's important to get that equation solved. We are studying dude not playing.
"I wish you had given this much attention to your life. This wouldn't have happened," though he mumbled, I heard it clearly.
I sighed, defeated. "Hmmm, like my two years old self have paid more attention. Then I wouldn't have been kidnapped." I remarked sarcastically. Kanan rolled his eyes while I continued cursing my two year old self, "but poor me had no idea it would be like this. Otherwise, I would definitely have paid more attention."
"I was talking about your marriage thing, not the other one," Kanan explained.
Don't knowing what to say I found myself tongue tied. I wasn't expecting that. But was it true?! What Kanan had mentioned and I failed to realize. If I had paid more attention to my marriage life, would it be different now?! Has my marriage failed because of me?! Am I the only one who failed in this?!
But the effort should be from both sides. Shouldn't it?! And as far as I am concerned, Gashmir has not made any special efforts to last our marriage. Infact he didn't object when my father asked for divorce. Instead he signed the papers without a blink of an eye. As he couldn't wait to be freed any more.
Sensing my lost state Kanan reverted my attention back, "look K, I know you might not agree with me. But I have seen you guys. You were not perfect but you were adjusting. Gashmir was adjusting. I know sometimes he loses his temper. but he regretted afterwards,"
I couldn't control my laugh at this. Regrets and Gashmir?! Wonderful joke.
Kanan gave me a serious look and I couldn't help but snicker, "are we talking about the same person here?!"
He scoffed, "ofcourse."
"Well then I must say Gashmir has a way of showing it," I concluded.
Kanan grunted, "Keya, it was all new for him. As it was for you. He made mistakes. A lot of it. Doesn't mean he doesn't regret them. He just___ doesn't show,"
I stared at him, skeptically. "Doesn't show?!" I questioned.
With a shake of head, I continued, "the truth is Kanan he shows. He shows it all. His disdain for me. He shows his disliking for me. He despises me. You know what his last words were. No?! Let me rephrase it for you. 'I would have been more delighted if you had never come in my life.'"
Clenching my jaw I refrained myself from crying. That bastard's words couldn't hurt me. Not like this.
I didn't give Kanan a chance to defend further. "But you know what, I feel more than grateful to have him out of my life. And now let's focus on studies."
I ended the topic pointing towards my unsolved equation which needs my attention. He rolled his eyes before focusing back on his books. "Fuckinh stubborn heads," was what I heard Kanan say as we drowned back into our studies.