Here's the 36th chapter.
Enjoy reading.
Anokhi was working in the kitchen during her break.
She was determined to ask Shaan about the Aastha matter.
Since the morning fight with Shaurya sir, her mind had been stuck on it.
"Main jaldi – jaldi kaam khatam kar leti hoon..."
"Aaj toh main Shaan Sir se pta laga kar hi rahungi ki aakhir baat kya hai..."
She spent a little more time on the canteen work before she was finished.
She hurriedly made her way to Shaan's cabin, not wanting to waste any more time.
She reached there and peeped in to check if he was there.
She was hesitant and felt awkward talking to him because of her fight with Shaurya, but she, too, had no choice. She can't take his condemnations every day for no reason anymore.
"May I come in Sir ?..."
Shaan looked up.
"Arre Anokhi beta..."
"Aao na...", he stood up with a faint smile.
Though he couldn't talk to her these days, every time he sees her, a smile appears on his face because she reminds him of his "NOOR", because Anokhi was her shadow for him.
Anokhi approached slowly, her heartbeats increasing. Though Shaan had always been friendly when speaking with her, the fact that she had come to speak about his own son made her nervous.
"Shaan Sir..."
"Maine aapko disturb toh nhi kiya...", she asked politely.
"Nhi beta..."
"Main abhi free hoon..."
"Tum btao tumhe koi kaam tha ?..."
"Jee sir... Vo... Actually...", she paused.
"Kya baat hai Anokhi beta ?...", Shaan asked softly, noticing her nervous expression.
"Asal mein... Vo... Shau... rya... Sir...", she said in low tone.
Hearing his son's name from her mouth, he had an epiphany that Shaurya had said something to her in anger.
He had seen his son in a bad mood after his morning argument with him. So it was possible for him to vent his frustrations on her. After all, he blamed Anokhi for everything that was going wrong.
He was sorry that Anokhi had to face his son's wrath yet again because of him.
"Bolo Anokhi..."
"Shaurya ne tumse kuch kaha ?..."
Anokhi looked up, perplexed as to how he had figured it out.
"Ha... Haan matlab..." she finally decided to reveal the problem.
"Darasal Shaan Sir..."
"Mujhe aapse yeh poochna tha ki Shaurya Sir ko mujhse kisi baat ki naaraazgi hain ?... Kya mujhse koi galti ho gayi hain ?... Vo mujhe aaj subah keh rhe the ki mai... main yaha padhne aayi hoon... aur sirf usi par focus karu... Shaan Sir kya vo Aastha Mam ko kisi tarah se jaante hain ???...", she stated everything bluntly without taking a breath.
Shaan looked at her shocked. He was right. Shaurya had clearly said something to her about Aastha.
"A... Anokhi..."
"I'm sorry beta...", he said this with his head bowed.
Anokhi widened her eyes as he apologized.
"Shaan Sir..."
"Aap... aap sorry kyu bol rhe hain..."
"Please aap aise mat boliye..."
"Main toh bas yeh sab savaalo ke javaab jaanna chaahti thi..."
Shaan let out a tired sigh.
"Dekho Anokhi beta..."
"Shaurya ne jo bhi kaha... uski taraf se main maafi maangta hoon..."
Anokhi was about to speak up, but he cut her off.
"Meri baat suno Anokhi..."
"Usne tumse jo bhi kaha... Vo gusse mein kaha... Ho sake toh use maaf kar dena..."
Now Anokhi finally spoke up.
"Shaan Sir..."
"Please..."
"Aap baar baar aise mat boliye..."
"Main toh bas yahi jaanna chaahti hoon... Ki kya maine kuch kiya hain ?..."
"Jab maine ek din unse poochne ki koshish ki toh unhone mujhse kaha thi ki iski vajah yeh hai ki..."
"Ki main Aastha Mam ki student hoon..."
Shaan was taken aback and stared at her, speechless. The issue had gotten so far out of hand.
"Isiliye Shaan Sir..."
"Main aaj aapke paas hi directly aa gayi kyunki mujhe pta hain... Shaurya Sir toh mere savaalo ka javaab denge nhi..."
"Unhone mujhe... Unhone mujhse yeh bhi kaha tha ki main aapse Aastha Mam ke baare mein koi bhi baat naa karu..."
"Mujhe toh unki koi bhi baat nhi samajh aayi Shaan Sir..."
"Agar vo mujhe btaayenge nhi ki maine kiya kya hain... Toh mujhe kaise kuch samajh aayega..."
A minute of silence prevailed there.
"Anokhi...", Shaan spoke up after some time.
"Beta mai... main tumhe abhi tumhaare in savaalo ka javaab nhi de sakta..."
Anokhi's expression changed from shock to disappointment.
"Sahi samay aane par tumhe sab apne aap pta lag jaayega..."
"Abhi ke liye main tumhe itna keh sakta hoon ki main Shauyra se baat karunga..."
"Nhi Shaan Sir..."
"Mera vo matlab nhi tha..."
"Main yah Shaurya Sir ke against koi complain karne nhi aayi thi... Bas yeh jo bhi misunderstandings hain... Inhe door karne aayi thi..."
"Main samajhta hoon Anokhi..."
"Tum chinta mat karo..."
"Aisa dobaara nhi hoga...", he gave a faint smile.
Anokhi smiled back and then left for her class, saying good afternoon to him.
She couldn't get answers to her questions, and she couldn't figure out what the real problem was, but Shaan's assurance gave her the impression that he would talk to Shaurya Sir, and that this would at the very least clear up the misunderstanding.
But the most important thing she learned from her conversation with Shaan was that they were both (Shaan and Shaurya) known to Aastha in some way.
The way Shaan Sir told her that he couldn't answer her questions and that she would find out everything at the appropriate time made created an ambiguity that there was something she didn't know about.
And Shaurya's repeated call of Aastha's name had strengthened her belief that they had some sort of relationship with Aastha that she was unaware of.
If Shaan and Aastha both claimed to be colleagues, how did Shaurya come to know Aastha Mam ?
This was the question that led her to believe that Shaan and Aastha were hiding something when she asked them about their relationship.
Nonetheless, after clearing her mind of all the misinterpretations and confusions, she allowed herself to believe that whatever the matter is, it is between them (Shaan, Shaurya and Aastha).
Although she was curious whether they had a relationship with Aastha Mam that she was unaware of, it was not a source of concern for her. She has no right to interfere, and she shouldn't.
So she pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind and returned her attention to her studies.
She arrived at her class and sat down to listen to the next lecture.
How was it ?
Do tell me in comments 😊