Dear Readers,
I haven't been doing well health wise, the updates might take longer. Will update as and when I can. Please bear with me.
Thanks for understanding 🙏 💕
Hope you like and enjoy this chapter. Do share your thoughts and don't forget to hit the star 😊
Love Preet❤
Chapter 22
Shaurya's shocked mind finally registered Anokhi's last line 'Was it the same girl from last week you hung up on me for??'
'When did I hang up on her??' thought Shaurya confusingly. What GIRL is she talking about and why does she think I hung up on her?? I would never do that...suddenly he remembered the incident from last Friday when he was on the phone with Anokhi and got the call from the USA and he cut his call with Anokhi short. Oh my god!! She thinks I was on the phone with some girl and that's why I cut her call. Is that why she has been behaving so oddly with me since Monday? Why does it bother her if I was talking to a girl?? Is she JEALOUS?? But why?? Does she think I was talking to my girlfriend or something?? Is that why she is jealous?? But why would she get jealous, even if she thought I was talking to my girlfriend?? You get jealous only if you love someone….. Wait, does this mean she loves ME??? Is that even possible??
He looked up and scanned Anokhi's face one more time to try and figure out what exactly was eating her?? She looked furious. No answer from Shaurya was making her really mad.
Seeing her mad like this, Shaurya's heart fluttered with happiness and a small smile made its way to his lips. If what I think is right then it means...Oh my...I gotta find out how she feels about me!!
"Anokhi, what happened to you suddenly?" asked Shaurya very calmly.
"Nothing, don't bother!!" Anokhi snapped back.
"I think you didn't like me talking to someone else..." Anokhi cut his sentence short and bitterly said "Why would I not like that??" Then sadly she added "Anyway it doesn't matter what I like and what I don't. Don't worry about me, I am not that important...there are many more important people in your life, worry about them."
"Who said you are not important in my life?? You are very important" Shaurya said frustratingly.
"I can see how important I am," replied Anokhi sarcastically. "I am not important to you at all, I am just one of your students who is crazily in LOVE with you."
"What???" Shaurya asked in shock, he was not able to believe his ears, not able to believe what he just heard.
Realizing what she had just blurted out, Anokhi covered her mouth with her hands in shock. 'What have I done?? He will get mad at me now! Oh my god what have I done????' thought Anokhi and closed her eyes in fear.
Shaurya's happiness knew no bounds and he asked Anokhi again "What…. What did you say??? Did I hear you right? Did you just say you love me??" He asked so many questions one after another, he couldn't hold his excitement.
"Uhhh I I I..." Anokhi was really scared and hence unable to come up with an answer, she was scared to say YES but didn't wanna say NO either.
Anokhi slowly looked up at him fearfully with mixed emotions of embarrassment and worry.
"You love me, that's what you said, didn't you?" asked Shaurya in a cheerful tone.
Anokhi looked up and got shocked seeing his happy face, without realizing she shyly nodded her head in a YES.
Shaurya couldn't believe what he saw, after a few seconds of blank stare at Anokhi. He slowly put his hand on her hand and squeezed gently to get assurance if she really meant what he heard. Sudden blush on her face gave him the courage to move further, he lovingly pulled her in his arms and hugged her tightly. "I LOVE YOU TOO, SO MUCH, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU..." he just kept repeating. Anokhi was completely lost in his warmth...slowly but timidly she encircled her hands on his shoulders and closed her eyes with deep contentment. After a minute or so he pulled himself back and held Anokhi's face in his hands and looked at her lovingly, he had a huge smile on his face and just couldn't stop looking at her.
Anokhi was in shock, she couldn't believe Shaurya also loves her. 'HE LOVES ME!!!!!!' She was unable to believe her own ears, Tears pricked down her eyes as she saw him looking at her lovingly. Shaurya gently wiped her tears with his thumbs and kissed her forehead tenderly. Anokhi relished his first touch with closed eyes. Then Shaurya looked at her and saw her eyes closed, he couldn't stop himself from kissing her beautiful eyes and she blushed as she felt his lips on her eyes. Shaurya smiled seeing her blushed face and then he kissed those blushed pink cheeks slowly, lovingly, one by one. He pulled back and waited for Anokhi to open her eyes and look at him but when she didn't, he whispered "Anokhi" prompting her to open her eyes.
Anokhi shyly opened her eyes, she was blushing heavily, she couldn't look at him in shyness. She was looking down. Shaurya held her chin between his finger and thumb and slowly tilted her face up. Anokhi looked at him shyly.
He bent down towards her lips to kiss her. Anokhi turned her face to one side in shyness while smiling, blushing, feeling butterflies in her stomach.
Shaurya smiled seeing her feeling shy and then he went close to her ear and whispered "You are so beautiful Anokhi. I Love You So Much!"
Shaurya gently held her face again with both of his hands and turned it towards himself and asked "Anokhi do you love me?"
Anokhi looked at him lovingly while nodding her head shyly, in a yes. She couldn't look at him anymore, she felt shy and closed her eyes again.
Shaurya felt ecstatic knowing she loves him too. "Anokhi, look at me please" pleaded Shaurya.
Anokhi smiled and nodded her head in a NO.
Shaurya chuckled a little and again said "Anokhi please look in my eyes and tell me."
Anokhi quickly opened her eyes and asked in confusion "Tell you what??"
Their eyes met and they kept gazing at each other lovingly. Finally they both felt content with their feelings now out in the open.
Shaurya gently kept his hand on Anokhi's cheek and let his fingers slide down her soft cheek, feeling her soft skin.
Anokhi felt a shiver run through her whole body with his sensual touch. She started trembling.
He reached near her lips and traced her lips with his thumb lightly, they trembled in response to his sensual touch.
Shaurya couldn't stop himself anymore and he bent towards her lips to kiss her, Anokhi closed her eyes in anticipation.
Shaurya bent further and closed the distance between them, their lips were now so close that they were almost touching each other.
Shaurya held her from her shoulders and said "Anokhi! Anokhi! What happened?? Are you okay??" His voice was filled with fear and concern. He was staring at Anokhi in confusion.
Anokhi opened her eyes and looked around confusingly, unable to understand what just happened. "You...you were...just now..." Anokhi fell quite unable to understand what was going on.
"I was what??" asked Shaurya all confused. "I was on the phone and saw you were thinking something and then you looked angry, then you were suddenly smiling and then you closed your eyes. What is going on? Are you feeling okay?? Do you still have the headache??"
Anokhi realized she was imagining all that and he didn't really say anything to her. She was shocked at her own imagination and thought 'OMG!!! I WAS DREAMING!!!' Few seconds later she grinned shyly and thought 'Oh my God!!! Can this actually happen?? Can I tell him I love him?? Will he react the same way as he did in my imagination?? Does he also love me?? I really hope this dream comes true.' She smiled thinking all this while Shaurya looked at her bewildered by her silence and mysterious smile with changing expressions on her face.
Suddenly the doorbell rang and before Shaurya could ask anything further Anokhi went out to open the door for Meenu and Jassi.
Meenu and Jassi asked together "Sir is already here?? We saw his scooter downstairs."
"Yes he came a bit early today," replied Anokhi, hiding her blush.
"Good evening Sir" Meenu and Jassi said in unison.
"Good evening," replied Shaurya, still bewildered.
"Since we are still waiting for Niti, I'll take these cups inside in the meantime" said Anokhi while quickly picking up the tray she almost ran out of the room.
Anokhi felt elated, reminiscing her dream confession. Suddenly she noticed Shaurya's cup of coffee, there was still a little bit of coffee in it. She picked it up as she reached the kitchen, turned it and held it as Shaurya did, then she looked left and right and then put her lips, where Shaurya's were, kissing the cup she drank that last sip. Feeling happy about what she just did and smiling at her mischief she kept the cup in the sink. She took a few deep breaths to calm her heartbeat which was beating at the speed of an express train and composed herself and then she started walking back towards the room where Shaurya and others were. As she reached she saw Niti on the stairs. Opening the door for her, Anokhi let her in and they both went into the room together.
Finally the class started after Anokhi and Niti took their seats.
Throughout the class Anokhi and Shaurya kept glancing at each other. Shaurya looked at her in confusion and concern while Anokhi looked on in hope that maybe her dream can one day come true.
Soon the class got over and as usual all the girls were copying from Anokhi's register so Shaurya had to leave without being able to talk to Anokhi.
'I came here confused and am leaving here confused' he thought sadly. He turned and looked at Anokhi who seemed lost in some thoughts and was smiling dreamily. He smiled seeing her smiling and thought 'This girl is making me crazy. No no...not making, she has already made me crazy.' He shook his head while smiling a bit and left.
While driving home Shaurya kept thinking about the whole interaction between him and Anokhi and her confusing behavior, trying to figure out what was going on with her.
After thinking for some time he decided to call Anokhi after reaching home and talk to her and try to find out what was going on with her.
Once Shaurya reached home he called Anokhi hoping to get some answers from her and clear his confusion.
Anokhi picked up the phone and sweetly said "Hello"
Shaurya always loved hearing her sweet voice but today it sounded different, it was sweet but somehow felt a bit different...perhaps it was too sweet.
"Hi Anokhi" replied Shaurya.
"Oh Hi sir" said Anokhi extra sweetly as she blushed hearing his voice.
"Are you okay Anokhi?? Uhh I mean how your headache is!" Shaurya asked cautiously.
"Oh it's fine, don't worry I'm fine." said Anokhi cheerfully. 'See he cares about you, worries about you' told Anokhi herself gleefully.
"Hey Anokhi, are you still there??" asked Shaurya due to the silence.
"Oh sorry, yes I'm still here!" She paused and slapped herself on her head and scolded herself 'what are you doing Anokhi? "You called because you were worried about me?? To check up on me??" asked Anokhi, surprised.
"Yes I was worried." Shaurya replied honestly.
Anokhi smiled hearing Shaurya's answer.
"By the way I also wanted to ask what is going on??" asked Shaurya.
"Huh!! Meaning???" Anokhi asked confusingly.
"I mean for the past week, you haven't been talking to me and behaving differently and today, before everyone came...what happened to you??? What were you talking about?? What did I do???" asked Shaurya everything that had been bothering him the whole week.
Anokhi panicked thinking 'Oh god...Oh Nooo he noticed my different behavior...what am I going to tell him???' thought Anokhi anxiously.
"Uhh nothing, nothing happened to me... I told you I am fine" said Anokhi, trying to act as if she had not done anything. "Umm when did I behave differently?? When was I not talking to you??" asked Anokhi feigning innocence.
"Really?? Then why didn't you call me all week??" asked Shaurya confusingly.
"I... I... I thought you... uh... you didn't have time, you were busy" stammered Anokhi and then added almost in a whisper "with other important people."
"What?? I was busy?? With what other important people" asked Shaurya confusingly.
"On Friday you hung up on me while I was still talking when someone from the USA called you, so I thought you didn't have time to talk to me..." said Anokhi in a low voice sadly.
"No!! I didn't mean to hang up on you and I called you back but you had left by then" Shaurya replied instantly but sounded regretful and sad. "It was from the USA so I thought..."
"It was more important??" asked Anokhi disappointedly.
"No, it was just a friend." told Shaurya persuasively.
"A friend or a girlfr..." Anokhi stopped herself from blurting.
"What??" asked Shaurya, shocked as he understood what Anokhi was about to say. "I don't have a girlfriend! Who said I have a girlfriend??" asked Shaurya, perplexed.
"I didn't say that" said Anokhi in a low tone trying to hide her gloomy feeling.
"But you were about to say that! Tell me why you thought I was talking to a girl?? That too MY GIRLFRIEND??" asked Shaurya, unable to understand what was going on in Anokhi's head.
"Ummm uhhh I...I don't know, weren't you?" said Anokhi who was now very confused. "You said you will go stay with umm whoever you were talking to, so I thought...uhhh so who was it then??"
"So you thought I was talking to my girlfriend the other day??" asked Shaurya in horror while letting the implication of this thought of Anokhi sink in. Suddenly something clicked in his mind and he said "Wait a minute, let me get this straight, on Friday you thought I was talking to my girlfriend and that's why I hung up on you and since then you haven't talked to me properly. Oh my god, were you avoiding me?? But... but why??"
"I wasn't avoiding you, I was just mad...uhhh I mean umm... " replied Anokhi in haste and struggled to hide her feelings. "I I I have to go to mumma, can we talk later?" asked Anokhi to change the topic.
Shaurya smirked and asked "Are you taking revenge on me by hanging up on me??"
"No, I'm not hanging up! I just have to go, mumma must be waiting." said Anokhi with a pout. 'If this conversation continues I might end up saying something I don't want to, so it's better to finish the call here and now only. But why is he teasing me?? Seems like he is enjoying it... maybe he likes that I am jealous. Why is he reacting so calmly?' thought Anokhi.
"All right! Go if you have to but we will continue this conversation tomorrow." said Shaurya. 'I need to think this through, what she told me today and what all she was doing for the past week. Something is going on and I need to figure out what it is.' thought Shaurya.
"But what's there to continue?? Oh ya, you didn't tell me who you were talking to...you can tell me that tomorrow" giggled Anokhi. "I have to go now, bye."
"Bye!" smiled Shaurya. And they both hung up.
'I love the sound of her smile.' thought Shaurya and smiled. 'Well at least she is smiling now, all last week I was missing it so badly.' Then he started thinking about all the things that happened in the past few days.
'Hmm so let's see -
1. She thought I was talking to my girlfriend and hence I hung up on her!
2. She got mad at me because of it.
3. She stopped talking to me.
4. She basically avoided me as much as she could.
5. Today again she looked mad when I was on the phone.
6. She was extremely happy to know that I don't have a girlfriend.
7. Why does she want to know who was on the phone...??? Hmmm I will wait for her to ask me who I was talking with.' He smirked.
'All these things indicate that she doesn't want me to talk to any other girl, just her. Now the question is why?? Was she jealous?? Was that the reason behind her silence?? Her anger?? And today also she looked angry when I was on the phone, guess she thought I was talking to my girlfriend again. She looked really mad or maybe it was jealousy!! Does this mean she likes me or maybe loves me….?? Omg!!! Is she falling for me too???? NO, that is not possible, is it?? How can I be that lucky??? She is so beautiful. Can she fall for me??? Why does my heart say every time she looks at me...It is different...She always blushes at my comments... I feel a strong connection with her... Is it because she also loves me!! I would love for it to become possible though. If she also has feelings for me...the same feelings that I have for her then OMG that would be great. She can be MINE. God!! Please make it possible.' All this thinking made Shaurya very happy and excited. 'I have got to find out what's in her heart! I have to!! I will start by asking why she behaved the way she did last week and why she wants to know who I was talking to?? Depending on what her answers are I might get a clue to how she feels about me. Oh god... I can't wait to see her... How will I get through the night tonight???'
That night Shaurya was feeling happy, nervous, excited, restless and eager, all at the same time. He couldn't wait to find out how Anokhi feels about him.