She wrapped her arms around his neck, seeking comfort in his his arms, he too held her gently and felt the depth of her pain in her whimpers. In that moment, he got reminded of all the hardships she had endured, struggles she had gone through, and the battles she had fought alone at a very tender age . She was still a young girl with scars hidden beneath her smile Yet, there was a fierceness in her spirit, a determination to show the world that no darkness can consume her and no storm can dim her light. Somewhere he knew that she was capable enough to take care of herself yet he felt a surge of protectiveness for her, a desire to shield her from the harsh reality of this world.
As she held onto him tighter, he felt her body temperature rising rapidly, accompanied by shivers. He wanted her to release her emotions fully, yet feared she might faint. Witnessing Sameera cry had always made him utterly uncomfortable, but with this girl, he felt a unique sense of protectiveness. "You are pushing yourself too hard. Take a break, then cry again," he murmured softly, wishing he could offer more comforting words.
She suddenly got alerted, she broke the hug and retracted her hand from his neck. The abrupt disconnection from her bothered him, she felt incredibly soft and squishy.He hadn't been physically close to many women in his whole life and in the last 12 years,it had always been Sameera.He never liked cuddling or hugging ,but there was an undeniable sense of comfort he experienced during that two-minute hug. Sidharth felt the urge to draw her closer again and immediately felt a sense of uneasiness, he felt that it was somewhat inappropriate to even think this way.
"Hey... easy... it's ok" he said as he saw her getting conscious and rubbing her face vigorously.
"I don't know what happened..."She wasn't the one to easily succumb to sentimental outbursts,this was really awkward for her,shd tried to steady her erratic breathing, she fought to regain control over the flood of emotions that had consumed her few moments back.
"Sorry... sorry... I should not have..." she said, her voice was barely audible.
"There is nothing to be sorry about,we are still somewhat strangers and trust me I am not judging you." he asserted but a cold realization that she had made a grave blunder made her feel regretful.
" well... umm...."Despite not feeling well, she knew the best course of action was to quietly go away from there.
"I need to go." she uttered as she needed some distance from him to think clearly. As she turned to leave, her head spun and he noticed her unsteady steps.
"Hey! Where?" he inquired.
"I need to go....." she replied, continuing to walk with unsteady steps.
"Don't worry about the cost sheet, I'll redo it tomorrow," she said and her steps faltered as she continued to walk.
"Listsn.... ruko" he said,she stopped but couldn't stand still,at that moment he knew he can't leave her alone and reached out, gently capturing her hand.
"Gir jaogi?" He said as there eyes met the next second.
"And you are running a high fever, had any medicine?" He asked next. But she couldn't answer,the memory of the emotional hug haunted her. She struggled to comprehend how she should behave around him now.
"Listen, sir," she began, her voice was just above a whisper as she folded her trembling hands before him, She mustered the courage to speak,she just knew that she can't present herself as a weak girl.
"I know I let you see me in my lowest point,thank you so much for giving me your shoulder to cry on
but just remember that I am no damsel in distress." She paused, and tryed hard to put on her brave face "So you won't have to behave like a knight in shining armor." She concluded.
"Hello... mujhe shauk bhi nahin hai, CCTV bahar bhi hai, gir jaogi mere ghar se nikal ke toh police mujhe na pakad le." His tone dripped with irony and his sarcastic reply cut through the tension like a knife but
"Chal nahin pa rahi ho...but look at that attitude... you can't just go like that"Despite his jesting tone, there was genuine care in his words which didn't go unnoticed by her.
"I'll walk you home," he offered, his voice was gentler now.
"No need,main chali jaungi." Shehnaaz replied even though she was uncertain as she had no clear destination in mind.
"Then sit down here... and give me your dad's number," Sid said.
"What... why?" she questioned, puzzled by his request.
"Why would I take the risk? If something happens to you after leaving here, who will be responsible?" He said.
"Huh....Silly...," Sana murmured softly then she turned towards the door,She just wanted to leave the awkwardness behind. But before she could take another step, she felt a sudden, swift grasp on her hand from behind. Her heart skipped a beat as she was caught off guard, her balance faltering,she couldn't keep her balance and was about to fall but In that next split second, Sidharth's strong hand gently held her as she landed against his chest and then fell in his arms.
"See....Girti abhi" he said.
"Aap ke wajeh se" she replied still in his arms. The suddenness of her fall into his arms had sent a rush of adrenaline to both of them.Her trembling lips and the vulnerability in her eyes stirred something extremely unfamiliar within him, a sensation he hadn't felt ever,he suddenly felt his blood rushing down there.He though that he might be missing the closeness he had with Sameera as he had always been accustomed to physical intimacy. He blamed the unethical urge to the long dry spell, but his conscience interrupted him, "Shit... what the hell are you thinking? She has a fever... just drop her home"
"Is se pehle ki situation aur filmy ho jaye... let me drop you home, but before that, have a paracetamol if you haven't taken yet," he asked, his tone had a hint of humor and concern.
"That's not possible... By the way, what did you say outside? Tum meri mummy thodi ho jo tumko jhut bolunga, so apko bhi meri fikr karne ki bhi jarurat nahin hai... you are not my daddy," Shehnaaz asserted, lightly pushing against his chest to straighten herself. Unintentionally, he smirked at the daddy remark.
"Dad... papa... I meant you are not my father," she clarified once again.
"Let me drop you... chalo..." he said, still smirking at her daddy statement.
"Utne shafrif ho nahi aap, Mr. Sharma, jitna main sochti thi... Anyway, aap mujhe nahi drop kar sakte," she stated again.
"Why?" Sidharth curiously inquired.
"Because mujhe khud nahin pata main kahan jaungi," Shehnaaz confessed with frustration.
"Matlab?" Sidharth asked further, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"I've left my flat key in the adjacent flat, and just because of you, I forgot to get that flat key too."Shehnaaz sighed after admitting,
"What did I do?" Sidharth asked.
"It was because of you that I had to come out in anger. Why did you say that I am a naive college-going girl?" She questioned,she was trying her level best to keep her pitch high but her heath was not suppirtting it.
"Suno...whatever it is... just calm dowm...you seems really unwell" he said.
"Let me go" she said.
"But kahan....ghar na? Who is at home?" he asked.
"No one...no one is at home, and don't ask me more questions..." Shehnaaz replied, frustration was creeping into her voice. She was clueless about where to go, without her phone and house key. On top of that, she had to send pictures of her sketches to Sameera, redo the cost sheet, take rest too as she was feeling really unwell, all these added to her distress.
"Listen...I have no interest in stopping you... but I need to ensure that you reach home safely just because you are leving from my place, either you let me drop you at where ever you want to go or call someone. " he said getting little serious this time.
"Alright... get me a paper," Shehnaaz said angrily.
"Why...?" he asked, puzzled by her sudden demand.
"Ok... switch on your phone's camera," she said.
"Dimag kharab hai tumhara?" he asked, bewildered by her behavior.
"Phone dijiye," she requested.
"Apna use karo." he said, hesitant to hand over his own phone.
"Woh bhi chutt gaya, us ghar main.. thanks to you... now give me yours," she said loudly. Reluctantly, he took out his phone, unlocked it, and gave it to her, wondering what she intended to do. To his surprise, she switched on the front camera and started recording herself.
"Hi! This is Shehnaaz Saini, I am 19 years old. If anything happens to me, Mr. Sidharth Sharma will not be responsible for it," she declared. After her statement, she handed back the phone.
"19 years 8 months," he corrected casually, still in a daze by her antics.
"Acha...mera yaad hai...khud ka bhul jaate ho?" She said gritting her teeth in anger,"anyways now no one will bother you,you have proof...abhi mujhe roke toh kar dungi kuch... " she threatened.
"Kuch Matlab.. mera khoon?" He asked,he just knew that he didn't want to let her go,not without knowing where she was going.
"Oh...yaad aya...Ganda wala rumors... ab toh bol bhi sakti ho,mere ghar bhi aayi,jab main ghar pe akela tha" he uttered,she didn't know what to do she felt like smiling but reminded herself that her situation was not a funny one.
"Ap thode se dimaag se paidal ho kya? I appreciate your attempt to help, but I don't need it. I am quite capable. You might be oh-my-god...oh... so... hot... type handsome but maximum I can do is ogle at you for hours ,I can't accept your help," she vented her frustration, only to regret her blunt honesty the next moment. "Oops, itna nahin sach bolna tha" she thought.
He felt his cheeks getting flushed instantly, a sensation he hadn't experienced before in his entire life after receiving a compliment. He pressed his lips together, trying to maintain his composure, and then awkwardly attempted to mask his expression by swallowing hard."are you fucking blushing! " he thought and got alerted.
"Thank you for the compliment,but I am just helping myself,bohat hua take my phone and call who ever stays with you... call Laxmi Masi or your Dad...just call and say that you have fever and ask them to take you from here" he said bluntly.
"Mr Sharma, I am telling you last time...I don't need your fucking help" she almost screamed,and turned around to walk out and it enraged him a bit.
"Why shenaaz why.... you need to know that it's s ok to need help. It's ok to break down at times. In fact, sometimes asking for help is the bravest thing we can possibly do." He said and she turned back and then her eyes meet his gaze and they stood there staring at each other.
"Whom are you trying to prove and what? You sre human, Shehnaaz, it's okay. It's just fine to ask for help. You don't have your keys, no phone, yet all you want is to walk away... why? There's a thin line between being brave and being stupid. You are being stupid now. You don't want to take my help because you are afraid I'll think you are helpless, can't take care of yourself... weak, right? But trust me, there's no bravery in that,you are just being plain stubborn" he uttered, his eyes pierced hers, and she knew at that moment that he had sensed the real her. The one without the attitude, without the facade.
"Chalo...be a good girl I will drop you" he said calmly.
"Kahan drop karoge...I really don't know where to go,I don't have the keys as I told you already..." she too replied calmly as she shimmered down, her usual loud demeanor just faded away, revealing the vulnerable child within her.
"Who stays with you... do you stay alone? Does Laxmi Masi live with you?" he gently inquired again.Shehnaaz simply nodded, her eyes displayed a sense of loneliness.
"Laxmi Masi must be at home, right?" he asked further, but Shehnaaz shook her head softly.
"Your Dad... he stays nearby, right?" Sidharth asked. Again, she nodded silently.
"Do you want me to drop you at his place?" Sidharth offered, but Shehnaaz violently shook her head. Sidharth noticed the shift in her overall aura, sensed the soft Shehnaaz that lay beneath her usual strength.
"Okay... so you just want to go to your place... Block C, right?" he asked gently, awaiting her response.Shehnaaz remained silent, her thoughts were somewhere else,she was extremely stressed.
"Shehnaaz, do you just want to go to your place?" Sidharth asked again, trying to understand her needs.
"No... I can't go... keys..." she murmured softly, her voice barely audible.
"Spare key?" Sidharth inquired, trying to piece together the situation.
"Dad has one, Laxmi Masi has taken one," Shehnaaz replied.
"Should we go get the spare key from your dad's house?" Sidharth suggested, offering a solution.
"No... I can't tell Dad that Laxmi Masi isn't at home. He will be furious at Laxmi Masi for leaving me alone," Shehnaaz replied with a baby like innocence. Sidharth wanted to know why he doesn't stay with Shehnaaz but reminded himself that it was non of his concerns.
"Where is Laxmi maasi, is she your maternal aunt?" He asked.
"No...She is with us since my birth,Her daughter is not well.. dekhne gai hai, kal ayengei" she replied.
"Kahan pe?" He asked next.
"Gaziabaad de bhi aage...aage..aage..
bohat aage..." she said making an animated face.
"Acha... we will think about it.Tell me...Medicine khai ho?"he asked and she shook her head again.
"Let's have Medicine. But First, we'll have to eat something... then we can think about how to get you inside your home," he spoke tenderly, as if addressing a child. His approach was just like how one of his cousin deals with her stubborn 6-year-old. Though she was no child, rather a grown up girl, yet he approached her with caution, he was scared of her obstinate nature.
"I don't..." she began.
"Shehnaaz, please...Allow me to check your fever first," he urged and quickly
got his first aid box.
"Open your mouth," he gently requested as he slid a thermometer beneath her tongue.
"Oh God, 103," he exclaimed with concern.
"Sit down first" he said
grasping her hand as he guided her to sit on his sofa. He then went inside his bedroom and came back with a comforter.
"Listen i am fine" she said while shivering.
"Yeah I can see.....yeh oudha doon, you are feeling cold no?"he asked, she nodded and he draped it around her shoulders.
"Per upar karke lait jao,I will be just back" he said, and she followed his instructions.
"Kya karna chaiye...shall I call up mom and ask.... no...not a good idea,I should make her eat something first " he thought and returned with a protein bar and a glass of water, he offered them to her.
"Here, have this," he said, her eyes looked droopy due to the rising fever.
"Uth ke baitho pehle, bas kha ke so jaana " he said and help her to sit on the sofa.
"Per upar hi rakho" he asked her to lean on the armrest and keep his feet on the sofa.
"Yeah lo Khao" he opened the wrapper and gave it to her,she didn't hold it,he took it near her mouth and made her take her first bite. She couldn't remember when was the last time someone had fed her.he kept the protein bar near her mouth intill she finished the first bite and then she took another bite. She took forever to eat as she was loving every bit of it,strangly he didn't even ask her to hurry up,rather he waited patiently untill she finished one bite and then took the bar again near her mouth.
"You need to take this,see this is paracetamol, composition padh lo" he said once she finished the bar.
"Aap padh lo" she said, he smiled
tearing a tablet and holding it near her mouth.
"See .. you don't know me that well so it's better that you should check yourself what am I giving to you." he said and Shehnaaz cutely opened her mouth, and he placed the medicine inside her mouth, following it with a glass of water.
"You will feel better soon," he reassured her, gently touching her forehead. It was too hot to the touch,He glanced at her face which had turned red and she was still shivering.
"Try to sleep" he said and hurried to his bedroom, he was truly scared,and immediately he thought of her dadi who had home remedies for almost everything. He called her going to his balcony.
"Dadi... kahan pe ho?" He asked.
"Arey mera Munda... aise hi beta thoda kuch saheliyon ke saath hoon" his dadi replied.
"Acha, kya kar rahe ho waise, aur ho kahan?" He asked
"Kahan jaun aur is Umar main, club ayi hui hoon... aise mujhe chod ke chala gaya tu... dukh dard bant rahi hoon.." she replied.
"Oh, really... kitna ml baant liye 30 ml or 60ml?" He teased.
"Kya karun ab... tu gham deke gaya toh bas Rum ka Sahara hai" his dadi said.
"Okay, listen dadi... what should one give for a high fever to reduce it quickly... chills bhi aa rahe hain.?" he asked.
"What happened to you? Tu thik hai mera bacha?" she questioned, immediately.
"Yeah... yeah... I am fine... it's for someone else here who has a fever," he replied, uncertain of how to address Shehnaaz to his dadi.
"Munda ya Kudi?"she inquired in her mischievous tone.
"Why does the gender matter for the remedy?" he questioned.
"Samjh gai... kudi hai warna tu phat se bolta ke munda hai" she said.
"Dadi.. bohat fever hai please batao koi remedy hai,bohat shiver kar rahi hai." he asked.
"Sameera hai toh mujhe koi nushka nahin pata... us nakh chadi pe kaam bhi nahin karega kuch." his dadi replied getting annoyed.
"Nahin hai Sameera,ufff woh kahan se nakh chadi hai...now. please tell me" he said.
"Sardi bhi hai kya? Garam pani main brandy mila ke pila de... waise hai Kaun... tu live-in relationship main reh raha hai kya...isi liye dadi ko chodke chala gaya" she asked.
"No, dadi koi relationship nahin hai... and I don't have brandy, nor can I give it to her. Do you have any other suggestions?" he asked, feeling exasperated.
"Send me a photo her." she insisted.
"Dadi... bye " he got annoyed.
"Acha Sun le, agar sar jyada tap raha hai toh thande paani ki paati kar de,aur pair main thoda sarso ka tail jor jor massage karne bol" she suggested.
"Sarson ka tail... I don't think I have that" he replied.
"Toh koi balm lagake ,massage ache se karke jurabe pehne bol aur tujhe meri kasam hai uska photo bhejna mujhe... warna dadi ka mara muh dekhega" she threatened.
"Dadi... she is not even my friend,kya karoge photo dekhke." he said.
"Jo bolna tha bol diya... chal ab disturb mat kar. 3 Patti chal raha hai," she said, brushing off the conversation.
"Dadi... gambling... Dadaji dekh rahe honge upar se aapko," he joked, expecting a light response. However, her reply caught him off guard.
"Pata hai beta dadji dekh rahe hai, dadaji pyaar karte hain mujhse, dekh rahe honge isi liye khush rehti hoon. Rote hue dekhke seh nahin payenge... chal ab tu ja doctor doctor khel aur is great gambler ko apna kaam karne they... photo ka wait rahega" she disconnected and he was truly in owe of the love his grandparents shared,In that moment, he reconsidered his belief that there was nothing called love. If there was such a thing, he realized, he would love to experience it at least once in his.
He returned with a bowl of cold water, she was sleeping closing her eyes, but was awake, her forehead was still burning and she was still shivering." bohat thand lag rah hai?" he asked, she got alerted and just blinked her eyes.
"Is se jaldi fever kam hoga" he said and dipped a handkerchief in the bowl of cold water and she like a compliant child nodded.
"Thoda head upar karke so"He placed a pillow near the armrest, and she rested her head on it.
he placed the cool, damp handkerchief on her feverish forehead.
"Ahh..."Shehnaaz hissed as the wet, cold handkerchief made contact with her burning forehead.
"Ho..gaya...ho gaya... bas." his assured.
"Yeah thanda hai bohat" she murmured.
"Hm.. thabhi fever kam hoga na." he replied and kept repeating the process again and again.This level of care was unfamiliar to her,while her Laxmi Masi was caring, she had never experienced such attentive treatment and the reason was she,herself .She had always been independent, never showed vulnerability or the need to be looked after, infact she had this bubble around her and she never let anyone come too close to her,emotionally or physically. This moment strangely reminded her of her childhood days, when her mom was alive.
"Look... the fever seems to be going down," Sidharth remarked with a hint of relief as he observed Shehnaaz's condition.
"Now show me your feet" he asked and she got little shocked.
"Relax... let me just rub some voporub to your feet..You won't get chills" he said, as he dragged another couch near her feel and sat down.
"I will do it myself... I'm not comfortable," she uttered, and he understood her reluctance. He handed her the tub of balm and she gotup partially to reach her feet and apply the balm. He went inside and returned with a new pair of black socks, noticing that she hardly rubbed her feet.
"Ho gaya... yeah pehno" he said.
"Yeah?" She asked.
"See I don't have interesting printed socks like you have... so is se kaam chalana hoga" he replied.
"But why?" She asked.
"It will keep you warm," he replied, handing her socks She attempted to reach her feet, but he noticed she had applied the balm on the upper side, giving a glossy appearance while her feet remained dry.
"You didn't apply it to the bottom of your feel, did you?" he inquired.
"no, I didn't want to... it's okay," she responded.
"Apply it properly there," he insisted, but she only applied a little before stopping.
"Ah, not like that... Give me the tub," he said, snatching it from her hand and kneeled down beside her feet.
"Shall I do it...?" he offered.
"No... it's awkward and my feel feels ticklish " she replied.
"Relax, socho doctor ke paas aai ho?. " he just said abruptly "dadi ne majak kiya tha,tu toh seriously doctor doctor khelna laga hai," he thought,s
Reluctantly, she gave her feet in his hands, and with a feeling of hesitation he delicately held her feet, and began to rub the balm onto them with care. The softness of her feet surprised him – just like the length of her eyelashes made him feel the other day.His each touch made her flinch a little, when he looked up at her face ,he saw that she had closed her eyes and stopped breathing,he smiled a little and quickly rubbed the balm.
"done ...sans le lo." he said and she opened her eyes.
"Ticklish feel na ho isi liye saans roki thi" she replied hiding the electrifying sensation.
"Can I use your phone?" Shehnaaz requested.
"Yeah, sure," Sidharth replied, handing her his phone before retreating into his bedroom, giving her privacy to make her call,he thought she was going to call Raunak,her potential boy friend.
"Laxmi maasi... suno... mera phone main thoda issue hai ,aap aapki beti kaisi hai? She quickly called Laxmi and asked.
"Woh.. thik nahin hai,aap choti ho main aapko kya bataun? Aapka gala kyun bhaari hai" Laxmi said and Shehnaaz got up from her sleeping position as Laxmi's words were filled with helplessness.
"Aap batao pehle...main abhi adult hoon na" she asserted, glancing around, unknowingly casting a look towards his bedroom where the door was ajar.
"Main bataungi aake." Laxmi replied.
"Main kal thoda isko hospital main dikha ke phir wapas aaungi,12 baje tak,subhe Cook aa jaegi aap bas darwaza khol dena." she requested.
"Ok ok" she wanted to request her to come back that night but her conscience didn't allow her .
"Acha maasi..agar Dad call kare toh bolna so gai hoon phone silent karke aur kal subhe isi number pe call karna,main cab book karungi, mera phone kharab hai " she said and disconnected the call. Meanwhile, Sidharth caught sight of his reflection in the mirror of his room and noticed his T-shirt was still inside out. Quickly he decided to correct it and took it out,and then realizes that the door was ajar. Before slipping the T-shirt back on, he glanced outside to see if Shehnaaz had caught the sight. And she was looking at her,their eyes locked in an unexpected moment and then quickly, he turned away, and Shehnaaz too averted her gaze.
" bhagwan ji, I was just wondering about how he would look without t-shirt aap toh aj trailor hi dikha jiye.. ab mujhe puri movie dekhne ke koi jaldi nahin hai ..I mean interest nahin hai...aap keys dilwado please" she invertly prayed when Sidharth came out of the bedroom.
"Woh...baat ho gai thi Laxmi Masi se so I was looking around, intentionally nahin dekh rahi thi" she clarified.
"Kya boli laxmi masi?" He asked avoiding the uncomfortable conversation.
"Woh Laxmi Masi aapke number pe call karegi kal subhe.. so... I don't know how I will coordinate with you.... Waise room ka darwaza band nahin hota hai kya?" She asked as she wasn't ready to let go that topic soon."shit... apne problems solve nahin ho rahe, in chijon main jyada interest hai, pehel soch karegi kya" she ranted to her own self.
"Bhul gaya tha ke tum ghar pe ho for a microsecond.. by the way that's my personal number, you can keep it with you,for the time being." He said. " dekh le kamini,tu yahan pe hai aur yeah bhul gaya tha,tu bas sochti reh iske ware main"she thought.
"Lag raha hai fever kam ho raha hai" he said and got his hand near to her cheeks "may I?" He asked this time and she nodded. He touched her cheeks with the back of his hands and as her fever was going down and she was well in her senses, his fingers felt like electricity to her. "Shhh..." she made an uncomfortable sound as she felt his touch.
"Kya hua..Kam hua hai fever...but abhi bhi hai." He said she just looked at him.
"Take rest , I will ask someone to break your lock" he said.
"No, we can't do that.... the guards will get to know and then my Dad too." she said.
"Listen... there is no way out, either key todna hoga ya phir key kahin se lana hoga ....hai na" he said and she nodded in agreement but clueless about what to do.
"Tell me if you have any friend or relatives jiske ghar tum jana chahti ho, you can take my phone along and use it, just don't pick any calls ,waise no one calls on that number except Mom"he said.
"I don't have anyone's number,I think I should call Raunak, but uska bhi number yaad nahin hai" she uttered,as she didn't want to give an impression that she truly had no place where she could go .
"Oh," he mused aloud, "Raj must have his number. Should I just call him and ask?" With that thought, he retrieved the other phone from his pocket,was about to dial Raj's number when he glanced once more at her, he noticed her nervously biting her nails while lost in thought. She looked truly innocent and something within him prompted him to cut the call. ,
"Raunak isn't officially her boyfriend yet. Who knows how he would handle her, she is unwell? What if he pressured her into intimacy? Or just force himself on her... No, she needed rest." he though.
"But that's not my concern,she would get close to him if she wants to,what the hell I am thinking ,aise thodi hai ke mera dry spell chal raha hai toh sabka action band rehna chaiye." he rationalized. "Who knows if she would be more comfortable with him? She can't stay here anyway... well, she can, but she wouldn't want to. She would be more at ease with him,I should call him." He was torn between conflicting thoughts when his gaze returned to her. This time, she was deep in her thoughts and was pouting, playing with a few strands of her hair, twirling them between her fingers.
"No... no way I am going to call Raj," he concluded quietly, slipping the phone back into his pocket, uncertain of the reasons behind his decision.
"If you want to log in to your social media account to get connected to any of your friends, you can use my laptop or phone," he offered and internally justified, "If she needs to connect with Raunak, she has plenty of options." This excuse eased his conscience for not connecting her with her "potential boyfriend."
"No, it's fine," she uttered softly.
"Mr Sharma,thank you so much for landing me your phone, now I am feeling much better, I can go to the terrace and just be there... I love spending time there so I will be just fine and incase I need anything I will call you." She assured as she wanted to go now.
"Shehnaaz... you know well that I won't let it happen." he said firmly.
"So, what do we do?" She asked.
"Let me see if I can manage to open the glace fence of the balcony." he suggested.
"You can't open it, you'll have to break it," she stated the obvious.
"Hmmm..." he said , considering the options.
"Can you break it?" She inquired.
"Yeah, but my landlord might not like it," he replied with a hint of reservation.
""You guys have so much money, khareed lena yeah ghar," she casually suggested.
"Khali paise hone se ho jaata hai kya?" he raised his eyebrows, questioning the simplicity of her solution.
"Aur kya?" she responded with a nonchalant shrug.
"Acha... so so..." he pondered, considering how to make her understand, her way. As he glanced at her biting her lips, an idea struck him.
"So, if you have plump, inviting lips, that doesn't mean you can just go ahead and kiss anyone, right? The other person should also be interested in kissing you. Similarly, the landlord should be interested in selling the house," he explained, drawing a parallel to help her understand his point.
"Your comparison was a bit cheeky, but I like it," she said, raising her hand for a high five. She loved how he responded with the comparison, mirroring her own style. He hesitantly reciprocated with a high five from a distance.
"Dude, you are truly missing some action. What a highly sexualized comparison that was!" he thought to himself, "This happens when you don't appreciate things in life. You never really appreciated the actions you were getting with Sameera, and now look at yourself. Even the little closeness with a girl is making you go in the wrong direction," he further contemplated but some corner of his heart knew that he never lacked opportunity nor female attention, so it was much more than just her being a girl.
"But you know what, that's not the case with girls," she remarked with a hair flip, bringing him back to reality.
"Well, in that case, you are meeting the wrong kind of guys... the desperate kinds," he responded, his voice had a hint of self-praise.
"Right kind of guys toh sare supermodels ke peeche rehte hain, toh kya kiya jaye," she murmured loudly, unaware that he could hear her. His mind wondered if she was referring to him and Sameera. Did she really call him the right kind of guy? He gave her the benefit of the doubt, and diverted the topic.
"Let's break it" he said.
"Maine balcony door bhi laga diya hai... shayaad.." she replied
"So...now?" he asked, his mind already formulating possibilities.
"Shall I offer her to stay here? Mujhe pervert toh nahin samjhegi, she will be safe here," he thought.
"I guess I just need to go and collect the key from Laxmi Masi,but phir who pareshan ho jayengi...aap ne already kaafi help kiya ,can you book a cab for me,and lend me some cash.... I will return tomorrow " she said and thought that now she had openly asked for help so he will not stop her.
"I have an idea... you stay here," he said, and she looked at him in shock."is he out of his senses, mera pata nahin,iska izzat sach main khatre main hai" she thought.
"Relax... sun lo pehle... you stay here, I will check into a hotel for the night," he reassured her. "You have the phone, you can call me if you get fever again or need anything," he continued and somehow it felt like a practical solution to her.
"Which hotel?" she inquired.
"I will just check," he replied.
"But I will pay for it..." she said.
"Pay for what?" he was genuinely surprised.
"I'll pay for your hotel," she insisted.
"Abhi tum mujhe yeah ghar buy karne bol rahi thi na... mad you are," he chuckled as he started looking for his charger to take along. She tried her best to maintain composure, concealing the flutter in her chest. His smile had a captivating effect on her, she was mesmerized by the way his eyes twinkled when he smiled."Isko sach mein jaldi jaana chahiye, main kuch galat na kar doon iske saath." She couldn't help but smile at her own stupid thoughts,
"What's so funny?" he asked, noticing her suppressed smile.
"Nothing... agar main pay karungi tabhi aap ja sakte ho or else I will go to the terrace," she replied, trying to maintain a casual tone.
"Ok... we will see to it later," he said abruptly, retreating into his room to pack. She sat there on his sofa and yearned for him to turn back, feeling uncomfortable as he distanced himself from her sight.
"Mr Sharma" she called him after 5 minutes as she wanted to see him.
"Comming" he said and came.
"Thik ho, right?" He came back and asked getting little concerned.
"Woh...main...I was asking...." She stumbled as she didn't really have anything to say. She simply wanted to see him, to feel his presence close by.
"I was asking... aap Kaun se hotel main rahoge?" she finally managed to ask.
"Hmm... Taj Mansingh... " he replied, his tone was calm and collected.
"Packing kar leta hoon.....you can use the guest room to sleep... I will just leave now, so that you can go and comfortably sleep," he suggested as he thought she will be comfortable in his absence and he too had some work related to his EV project which he would do at the hotel,peacefully.
"And tell me dinner mein kya khana hai?" he asked.
"Whta about you, you can have dinner here then go". She said trying to prolong the moments with him.
"I will not have anything,thats why I had asked the cook to take a leave, you tell me" he said.
"I am also not hungry." she replied.
"You should eat,you are already unwell" he said and straightaway went to the kitchen.
"Spanish omlette?" He asked from the kitchen.
"No..." she replied.
"Masala omlette?" He asked next.
" I am not hungry now." she said from out side.
"Mujhe bas eggs boil karna aata hai and omelette banana... khichdi I can try," he said, stepping out of the kitchen.
"Main kuch bana lungi," she replied, contemplating how fortunate Sameera was. The man in front of her seemed like a complete package.
"Ok... agar baad mein banati toh kya banati?" he inquired.
"I don't know, maybe a cheese omelette," she replied
"Cool, I will make and keep it on the kitchen counter, reheat before eating," he said, disappearing back into the kitchen. It took him around 10 minutes to prepare the meal before he emerged.
"This is your water, yahan rakhun ya guest room main?" he asked, holding a pitcher of water, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his face.
"Abhi yahan rakhta hoon, and socks mat utarna... here is your medicine, Vicks Vaporub... I will put some protein bars here too so that you can eat," he went inside momentarily and returned with a few protein bars and some roasted almonds, placing them on the side table. "In case munch karne ka mann kare toh," he added.
"Samarth was right... he is a fucking private jet," she muttered to herself, utterly captivated by him.The sense of awe was accompanied by a pang of jealousy towards Sameera, "kutti sameera, 12 Saal rahi iske saath... uske liye toh kya kya kiya hoga yeah... aur s*x bhi,pata nahin kitne baar."Thinking of Sameera she realized that she needed to send her the sketches.
"Mr. Sharma," she called again, and this time he returned with a small trolley bag and a blazer casually thrown over his t-shirt, indicating he was ready to leave. She wanted him to stay, but she felt clueless about how to convey it, and a part of her thought it was appropriate for him to go. She momentarily forgot why she called him.
"Are you going now?" she asked.
"Yeah... here's the key. Bina keys mat nikalna... in fact, I will carry one key," he recalled how she had left her key, so he grabbed one.
"Listen....do not go out without the key and phone.. mera number hai us main,and the code is 1212,let me me know if you want me to book a cab for your Laxmi masi,take care." he added, moving towards the door.
She watched him, moving towards the door and the desire for him to stay grew stronger within her with each step he took away from her.
"Mr Sharma" she blurted out, her voice had a hint of desperation. He turned around, a puzzled expression was there on his face"kuch... kuch nahin" she didn't know what to say,he smiled and started walking again.
"Listen" she called out again, He paused, his hand lingered on the doorknob,he turned back to face her with a curious expression.
"When... when will you come back?" She asked, every second ticking by felt heavy to her.
"You stay here until your Laxmi masi comes, I can stay there till late evening " he said,his gaze met hers ,he could see a certain conflict playing out in her eyes but he didn't feel like deciphering it. "Rok le,rok le... remember what they thought at school fortune favors the brave.. bol ke ruk jao" her subconscious prompted her.
"Go to that room and sleep comfortably" he said and was about to turn the door knob again when she again felt extremely restless.
"Wait,Sir" she called out, her voice sounded more determined than before. He turned around,with a confused expression on his face.
"Tell me" he asked.
"Wel.....Just...Stay," she blurted out, surprising even herself. His eyebrows got lifted in surprise,He looked at her with curiosity in his eyes. "I didn't get it" he said.
"No need to go anywhere,Stay back. " she said looking straight into his eyes,this time she wasn't even requesting, she was comanding.
"But... will you be comfortable?" He asked. She didn't say anything, just nodded. However, her eyes held a silent plea, urging him to stay.
He couldn't turn the doorknob he just couldn't.Somehow, being with her brought something to his life ,something that was missing, something full of madness and something truly magical,he couldn't resist the urge to be near her.It was as though she held the key to a world he had never knew existed.
With her plea to stop him and his decision to stay, they unknowingly marked the beginning of a saga—a tale of unexplained attachment, unspoken expectations, and unforeseen heartaches. A tale of
Madness and Magic.
♥️
Hello... who all are excited to be a part of their crazy journey?
High voltage drama begins soon... waise kya lag raha hai,what kind of relationship they would share?
And yes...I am going to update chaos by the the end of this week.
Love you all♥️