Chapter 15

Vidhi's POV



" Shubh, let me go... "

" No... You are with me... "

" You are behaving strangely. Shubh. "

" I don't know... You tell me. "

" What?? "

" Do you like me?? " He asked looking into my eyes.

" Yes... "

" More than you like him? "

" Whom ?? "

" Sid?? "

" Sid is just my friend... "

" And me?? " he asked with so much intensity.

" I don't know... "

I wanted to move away but could not as he had tightened his arms around me.

" Shubh... Please. "

" Please what?? "

" Let me go... "

" No... First, you tell me. "

" What ?? "

" What do you think about me ?? " he again bent his head towards me.

Oh no !!

" Bhai !! " I said looking over his shoulder and he immediately loosens his arms around me.

I pushed him with might and ran out of the circle of his arms.

He ran after me to catch me. He caught me but we lost the balance and fell into one of the coloured water pool.

Oh shit!!!

I could not even breath. I was really scared so I wrapped my arms around Shubh's torso. He realised that I was scared so he got up fast. But I kept clinging to him. I didn't even realise that.

Only when I could breathe properly, I opened my eyes and saw that Shubh was looking at me with wide eyes and a cute shy smile was creeping on his lips.

I saw how I was clung to him as if my life was depending on him. My cheeks were on fire. I was thankful that we fell in pink coloured water otherwise anyone could have seen how pink my cheeks had become.

" Shubh leave me... " I said bit he kept smiling.

Just then I saw bhai coming towards us. Bhai was in a different mood altogether. Bhabhi was also tensed.

" What happened?? " Bhai asked.

" Bhai I was talking to Shubh when all of a sudden, someone bumped into me and I fell on Shubh and he lost his balance and we fell into the water. "

" Oh! Ok. You are really clumsy... Thanks, Shubh, for saving my sister once again. I know I can always trust my sister with you. I hope you are not hurt. " Bhai said.

" No... I am fine. " Shubh said in a deep husky voice. His smile was lost. He seemed to have gone back into his grumpy mood.

" Let's wind up the party... " Bhai said.

" Why so soon Bhai ?? "

" There was a problem. Someone misbehaved with Maurvi and she got unconscious. Gautam and Sid have taken her home. Let's wind up. "

" Who is Maurvi, Bhai ? "

" Gautam's girlfriend... She is like a sister to me. "

" Oh, God !! Is she alright now? " I asked.

" Hmmm... A severe fight broke up. So let's all go home. "

" Ok Bhai... "

" Shubh, come with us... You can't drive. "

" Why ?? "

" Because the thandai, that you drank had bhaang in it. "

" What?? "

" Hmm. Sorry about that... It was Holi. So I thought of being a bit mischievous. But it backfired. "

" Oh ok... That is why I felt a bit different. As If I had no control over me. "

" Still you took care of my sister. Thanks a lot. Shubh. I was scared after that incident. As soon as Gautam left, I thought of my Vidhi. I got so tense, I would have killed the man if he had touched her. Gautam and Sid have beaten him like anything."

Bhai hugged me tight and kissed the top of my head.

We all left for home. Bhabhi sat in the front passenger seat. Shubh sat beside me. I looked at him. But he had his eyes closed. He looked guilty.

But why was he looking guilty?? Earlier, he was behaving differently...

He was more open and said he liked me a lot. He was looking at me so intensely. He kissed my hand and was about to kiss me. He was behaving as if he was possessive about me as if he was getting jealous that I played Holi with Sid. Now he was behaving as if he didn't know me.

Was he feigning then or now??

For the whole time, he kept sitting with his eyes closed. As if he was having an internal turmoil.

What was he thinking?

" Vikram Ji can you please drop us at our place. I am not feeling well. " Shubh said.

" What happened ?? " Bhabhi and I asked together.

" Nothing... my head is hurting, I just want to sleep. "

" Ok, Shubh... I am sorry once again. "

" It's ok Vikram Ji, it was Holi, a bit of fun was not bad. I am feeling sorry for that girl. I would have killed that man too. If he had misbehaved with my sister or my girl... "

" You have a girlfriend??" All three of us asked all of a sudden even before he could finish his sentence.

" I meant if I had one... I was thinking about how your friend Gautam must have felt. " He said and Bhai nodded.

" Same here, I could kill anyone if they had misbehaved with Vidhi or Sandhya. "

Oh, God !! What do we do with these overprotective men around me?

The wedding was to be held in Jodhpur... They all would be going to Jodhpur on the next day. Bhabhi asked me to come with them. Bhai also agreed.

We reached their place and they got down. They said bye to us. Aunty invited us for the dinner and after that, we came back to our place.

******



I just kept thinking about Shubh only. It was evening and both of us got ready and went to their place. Shubh remained in his room saying that he was not well.

I was very upset. I wanted to talk to him. I went to see him upstairs but he didn't even open the door.

I don't know why but I was almost on the verge of crying. I went to Bhabhi's room and washed my face. And came back to the living room.

Bhai was getting sad as bhabhi was going to Jodhpur and would meet her on the day of the wedding directly. But it was a part of our rituals. We both came back.

Next day I went to Jodhpur with all of them. During the whole journey, he didn't even utter a word. We took a halt in a nice place on the way to stretch our limbs and freshen up. We had our lunch there and I got a chance to talk to him when no one was around.

" What is the problem, Shubh ?? " I asked him. He behaved as if he didn't hear me and walked past me but I caught his hand.

" What happened Shubh??

" Nothing Vidhi, nothing is wrong. "

" Then why are you behaving like this?"

" Like what ?? "

" As if you don't know me... As if we are strangers... "

" Nothing like that... Listen I am like this, boring, arrogant and idiot. Just leave me alone. "

" You don't even want to talk to me now?? Only yesterday, you said that you like me a lot, you didn't want to let me go out of your arms. You even kissed my hand. Now you are avoiding me like plague. "

" Listen forget whatever I said or did yesterday. I was under the influence of bhaang. I was not serious. "

" Oh, but you looked very interested in me yesterday. "

" Delete that memory from your mind." He said in a somewhat angry tone.

" Ok, sir... Fine. But at least tell me what happened all of sudden that made you change your mind about us. "

" Nothing... there can be no us. We just can't be together. We are like poles apart. We are not meant to be together, I am sorry for my behaviour yesterday.

" Ok fine...thanks for explaining. I would never bother you now. " I said and went to take a walk alone in the opposite direction of where everyone was. As I was feeling too suffocated. I tear slid of my eyes but I wiped it immediately.

" Just, where do you think you are going?? " he came after me and tried to stop me.

" Are you talking to me, mister?? "

" Vidhi, come with me. "

" Hello, who are you?? I don't know you. Please stay away from me. I don't talk to strangers. "

" Vidhi... " he caught my hand and started pulling me in the direction where everyone was.

" Hey, you... What are you doing?? You can't take me anywhere without my consent. "

" Cut the drama... Or I would pick you up and go there. Everyone is waiting for us. For god's sake, don't create a scene. " He finally pulled me there. We resumed our journey.

We reached Jodhpur and I went to my place without even a glance in his direction. What does he think of himself?? I will not think about him now.

Only a few days were left for the wedding. The marriage preparation was going on in full swing.