Chapter 21

nolee3097

@nolee3097

Back with another chapter! Finally done with my exams and vacation break begins! Haven’t proofread. Please ignore the mistakes!

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Chapter 21

——————At the park———

Shiva advanced towards her asking her to reveal who had told her, when she says "Hardik Bhai"

And Shiva is surprised and confused as to how Hardik Bhai told her since he was out of town today. 

As though, she read his mind she explains, "Hardik Bhai ka message aaya tha, saying he’s sorry ki woh nahi aa paaye meri party mein, toh mujhe samjha nahi kis party ki baat kar rahe the woh, toh maine Krish se saara sach ugalwaya". 

Before Shiva could react to it she said, "Aur phir iss liye maine Krish se bola ki mujhe yahan leke aaye, dekh Bhoothnath, tu usse bilkul bhi nahi daatega, samjha?" threateningly.

"Main kyun usse daatunga, zindagi mein pehli baar hi sahi half ticket ne kuch toh acha kaam kiya jo tujhe yahan leke aaya, main toh kaafi khush hoon ki tu yahan mere saath akele aise—" said Shiva taking a step forward, playing with her.

"Shiva" she said about to break away, chiding herself for blushing, when he pulled her back into himself, causing her to crash into him. She did not look up as she couldn’t meet his eyes, but he continued to gaze at her. 

Finally he said, "Waise aaj tune bohut hi accha perform kiya Raavi, sab dekhte hi reh gayi, main bohut bohut khush hoon tere liye" causing her to look up into his eyes which were so deep and full of pride.

"Thank you Shiva, mere bina bulaaye aane ke liye, aur sab ko bhi laane ke liye, Aaj kal mere bina kuch kahe hi bohut kuch samajhne lag gaya tu" she said, sincerely smiling at him.

"Tere liye kuch bhi" said Shiva in a flow causing her to tear her gaze away.

"Umm, so cake cut ho gaya ab kya?" asked Raavi rather enthusiastically.

"Khaana? Dhara Bhabhi ne tere saare favorite dishes banaye hai" said Shiva excitedly as he was now feeling hungry too.

"Oh wow, aaj ka din sabse best hai" she said squealing in happiness while Shiva smiled at her childishness.

They continued their bickering as they set to feast on all the food that was laid on the table. Raavi gorged on the food as she was famished and hadn’t eaten anything since afternoon due to her nervousness leading to the performance. Shiva couldn’t help admire how the smallest of things could lit up Raavi’s eyes. He had started to understand that all she wanted was for someone to be there for her, to walk with her and support her every step of the way. And he wanted to be the one to do that for her. To help her bring back her "khushiyaan".

His thoughts were interrupted by her waving her hand in front of his face, "Kaha kho gaya tu?" while he shook his head saying nothing.

"Woh khaane ke baad Krish ne socha tha, music chalayenge aur sab dance karenge toh" 

He plays the music and offers his hand to her and asks hesistantly, "Dance karegi mere saath?"

She just looked at him for a minute in a trance but he thought she didn’t want to, so he was about to withdraw his hand when she placed hers into his and got up.

He pulled her closer and put his hand on her waist and she put hers on his shoulder and they swayed slowly looking into each other’s eyes. Raavi broke the eyelock this time saying, "Waise yeh shirt thoda dekha dekha sa nahi lag raha" caresses his shirt with the hand she had placed on his shoulder.

"Haan woh mere saath ek bandariya rehti thi, usse laga tha ki yeh uske bandar pe accha lagega toh socha azmaa ke dekh loon" said Shiva with a wide grin on his face making Raavi’s cheeks turn crimson red.

"Kya lagta hai, woh bandariya sahi thi?" persisted Shiva in a teasing way.

"Maana padega, bandariya ki choice badi acchi hai" said Raavi giggling and getting in on the joke, as she swayed along with Shiva.

"Woh toh hai, aakir woh Somnath ki Sabse Sundar ladki hai" said Shiva twirling her around and as she completes one circle, he tightened his hold around her and pulls her closer, just as the song ends and they share an eyelock.

Raavi breaks Shiva’s trance as she steps away, suddenly missing the warmth and says, "Ab humein chalna chahiye kaafi der ho gayi hai" as Shiva nods in agreement. 

————Streets of Somnath——— 

Shiva and Raavi set out on the gallis of Somnath, making their way to Hardik Bhai’s house. As they walked beside each other, there was a comfortable silence that they shared amongst them, a few stolen glances at each other. Both of them hadn’t felt this at peace in a very long time. There was an odd looking stranger who suddenly came beside Raavi from nowhere, causing Shiva to grab her hand quickly and pull her to the other side, such that she was walking at the side of the street with only him beside her. Shiva glared at the fleeting stranger and continued to walk, still not letting go of her hand, while Raavi gazed at their hands entwined. He only realized that they were still holding hands when they walked further more inching closer to the house, and thus let go of her hand and pocketed them awkwardly, hoping to have not made her uncomfortable. 

Voicing her thoughts out loud Raavi said, "Aaj chaand kitna sundar lag raha hai na, aisa lag raha hai jaise aaj ka din khatam hi naa ho"

"Chahta toh main bhi nahi hoon, ki yeh raat ki subah hi na ho, pann phir jab main kal ka sochta hoon toh mujhe utna bhi kharaab nahi lagta yeh raat ka khatam hona, kyun ki kal ek nayi umeed laakar deta hai mujhe, ki main dheere dheere apni galtiyaan sudhaaroon, aur tujhe jitna bhi akelapan aur dard pichle kuch mahine sehna padha, woh kal kabhi na sehna padega, kal humaara bohut hi zyaada khoobsurat hoga, aaj se bhi zyaada" added Shiva looking at her with utmost honesty and integrity as he promises her.

Raavi didn’t utter a single word in response and just held his hand in hers, squeezing his palm a bit as if acknowledging his hope and continued walking quietly beside him, hand in hand with a slight smile on her face.

"Waise Raavi mujhe tujhe kuch dikhaana hai aur kuch kehna bhi hai, toh kya tu kal mere saath chalegi?" said Shiva suddenly as Raavi looked at him puzzled and with a hint of hesitation.

"Nahi main tera zyaada time nahi loonga, aur kal toh Sunday hai, tera college bhi nahi hai, toh kal subah mere saath chal sakti hai?" answered Shiva clearing her doubts, asking her.

"Shiva main—" started off Raavi when Shiva cut her off thinking she will refuse saying, "Bas ek do ghante ke liye, uske baad main tujhe turant ghar chod doonga! Promise!" he said and added a "Please?" with his soft pleading eyes which Raavi couldn’t refuse.

"Theek hai, kal 10 baje aa jaana" said Raavi giving in, causing Shiva to smile.

They continued to walk further more in silence enjoying each other’s company. It was something different for both of them. Shiva had begun to realize the more time he had spent with her, the more he was at peace in his heart. All that anger, the frustration, the stress about everything would cease to exist and only him and her would be present in that moment.

——————Outside Hardik’s house-------

Shiva mentally groaned as he saw that they had reached the destination, unable to decipher it on his face. Raavi laughed looking at him, as if reading his expression saying, “Ek raat ki hi toh baat hai, kal subah mil toh rahe hai” amused that her Bhoothnath was acting this way.

He rolled his eyes that she was enjoying and laughing at his agony and muttered a low "Good night" before turning back and heading his way home dejectedly.

As he took a few steps further, his phone buzzed with a text from Raavi which read, "Ab raste pe bhatakti hui dukhi aatma ki tarah chalna bandh kar, tune hi toh kahan tha ki humaara kal khoobsurat hoga, toh jaa ab jaake so jaa, aur sapne dekhna, Good night, Bhoothnath"

He turned around to see her, waving at him smiling and with the brightest smile he could produce, he waved back and finally headed home, a happy soul.

To be continued…

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Where do you think Shiva wants to take Raavi? 

Trying to focus more on ShiVi progression in the next couple of chapters. Let’s see where this story goes.