Chapter 8
"Hey baby, I missed you so much!" She picked the phone up, excited.
"Hey." Shabd said, blandly.
"Okay, what are you doing?" Mahi said, disappointed.
"Stuff." He said coldly.
"Fine, if that's how you want to be, don't call me! I have people around here that actually think I'm important." She said hurt and angry. Shabd sighed.
"Go spend your time with them then. I just wanted to call to see if you were okay. You sound happy."
"I got happy when you called, but you sound too thrilled for your own good." She said sarcastically.
"Mahi, you know I miss you and I love you and you're very important to me." He asked. Mahi felt dumb for nodding into the phone. Shabd knew her well enough to know that. "What are you and HIM doing?" He asked simply.
"Nothing. Just laying around." The words sunk in to boths' heads. "Sitting around! I meant sitting around!!" she quickly corrected.
"Mahi." Shabd laughed, "Chill, okay? I know you guys aren't together. You definitely wouldn't sleep with him." He laughed again. Mahi sighed relief loudly. "But then again, when me and you did….we weren't together either." He teased.
"Shut up, Word Dog." She whined, her tone turned flirtatious. "Accha sun zara."
"Bol zara."
"Papa's not home." She sat smiling in anticipation, waiting for his voice.
"So?" He said smiling.
"I think you should come over." She pleaded innocently.
"What about your company?" Shabd asked.
"Screw him. Come over please. I need to see you!"
"Fine. We'll figure out what to do with lover-boy when we get there." He said, about to hang up.
"No other lover boy for me but you. Suno."
"Bolo." He sighed.
"I love you." She blushed quietly.
"I know." He chuckled extrovertly.
"You stupid monkey donkey idiot son of a goldfish!"
"Wow, you just invented a new species. But I love you too. See you in five minutes." Shabd laughed, about to hang up again. Mahi gave him a loud smack of a kiss through the phone.
Different than most times, Shabd used the front door. He didn't ring the doorbell or knock; he turned the knob and went in. He was about to greet Mahi, but before he could Mahi threw her arms around him and kissed him hard on the mouth. Three minutes, breathlessly they pulled away.
"God Mahi, it's only been two days. What a welcome." She held onto his chest, hugging him as if she'd never let go. He laughed at her clinging to him, "What a change. Wanna sit down? I mean it's your house." She shook her black-purple curls. "I wanna hold onto you forever and die right here." Reluctantly, he picked her up and sat with her on the couch. She sat in his lap, facing him.
"What's wrong with you, Mahi? Why are you so….clingy today?" Shabd raised an eyebrow.
"Cuz I missed you like crazy and two days with HIM, I realized he's the closest thing to perfect I've ever met. I mean he's sexy and sings and dances. He's a complete gentleman and he understands me and listens. And I've had a crush on him since like forever ago."
"Mahi, are we breaking up?" He tries to push her off his lap, she scoots closer into him. Leaning on him, she whispers, "No. He's like perfect…but I realized. He's not perfect for me. You are." She kissed him again.
"You realize how amazing you are?" Shabd asks her unbelieving. Mahi didn't nod, she blinked and put her arms around his neck. They kissed until they ran out of breath and then they'd breath and resume. What seemed like hours passed before they heard footsteps and a voice.
"Mahi?" a deep voice asked. Not panicked, Mahi turns breathlessly. "Angad?"
"Yeah. Who's that?" He asked, flicks of jealousy adorning his well structured face.
"This is Shabd, my bo-" Mahi said, before Shabd cut her off.
"Friend." He said, pushing Mahi off his lap. He stood and shook Angad's hand.
"Pleasure to meet you." Shabd said diplomatically.
"Um. Yeah, same here. Friends, huh? You guys were just making out." He raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"We're friends," Shabd repeated. He pulled Mahi's waist so that she was in his embrace.
"With benefits." She winked at Shabd, wondering if that would be enough to scare Angad away.
"Oh." Angad said. "That's interesting." He said thoughtfully. "Well don't let me bother you, feel free to continue. I just wanted to know where you keep the towels. I was gonna take a shower." He said coolly and left. "I'll find them myself."
"How besharam was he?!" Mahi attempted to free herself of Shabd's grip but he held her close.
"Very besharam. Now let's do some besharami of our own." He said, kissing her neck.
"Shabd!" She whined. His kisses eventually melted her back into a pile on the couch. Angad came out minutes after they did. He was wearing jeans, revealing the waistband of his boxers. He had no shirt on and water glistened on his chest and head. Mahi's jaw dropped.
"Yo." He said, turning the TV on. He sat on the couch next to them and glued his eyes to a very uninteresting documentary on himself. He heard them ramble on about his failed love, Kripa Sharma. "They really should get over that." He sighed, turning the TV on. "So?" He turned to the couple.
"Angad, we're supposedly getting married?" Mahi asked, not noticing Shabd's hand resting on her thigh and back.
"Yeah." He said.
"And it doesn't bother you the least that I'm making out with, or sleeping with Shabd?" She said, holding her breath. She wish he would explode saying it mattered immensely and he was breaking the engagement off. But alas.
"Listen Mahi. I'm an artist. I've had my share of flings. It's momentary. Nothing lasts forever except marriage. If there isn't a 'till death do us part' it means nothing." With that, he got up and began walking away. Over his shoulder, he yelled, "By the way, I think uncle-ji is home." Mahi's eyes widened as she and Shabd bolted into her room. Running UP the stairs probably wasn't the best idea. When she heard her father's footsteps up the stairs, she felt like she was going to die. He knocked on the door. She shoved Shabd in the closet. She stood at the doorway, nervous. "Yes Papa?"
"Beta, I needed to talk to you. Can I come in?"
"NO! I mean, come to the hallway. My room's a mess." She pulled him into the hallway. Before he could talking, she interrupted. "Hey papa. I just heard the dumbest thing. It was if you need to get out and you know it, clap your hands." Singing obnoxiously loud, "If you need to get out and you know it, clap your hands. If you need to get out and you know it and you don't have time to show it. If you need to get out and you know it clap your hands." She heard two clapping noises from her room. Shabd is an idiot, she thought.
"Beta, are you alright?" He checked her head for a temperature.
"Yeah, yeah. Just Angad. He cooked me something. I think the cheese has gone bad or something. What were you saying?"
"Nothing. You rest. I'll talk to you later when you're up for it." He asked, she nodded and went to her room. Relieved she was for not finding Shabd there.
"God. Thank you." She muttered.
Chapter 18- Abstaining
"So, how long have you guys been going out?" Maya asked, stroking her paintbrush to harshly that the hairs were sticking off the canvas in its ugliness. She had the skill, but right now she was painting for the sake of moving her hands.
"A while." Suhani said, gingerly stroking the light onto the left of the lake.
"Oh, darling. That shade is far too dark." Said Maya with what seemed like pity. She turned and dropped a glass of red paint all over Suhani. Suhani gasped, mouth open.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry." She took the napkin and dragged the paint around her white t-shirt. Suhani glared at her, as Rajvir moved toward her.
"What's going on?" He asked, sternly. Maya shrugged mischievously and said, "White really doesn't suit you anyways. Sorry bout your painting though." She said as she moved her arm, swiping a river of green over the translucent blue of the lake. She foe-gasped, apologized and walked away all smirks.
"Why didn't you say anything to her?" Rajvir scolded. She looked down and shrugged. He sighed at her kindness towards the wrong-doer. Tearful, Suhani stood face down. She was ashamed at her idiosyncrasy. She was so dumb.
"Hey." Rajvir said, rubbing her shoulder. "I didn't mean to yell at you. But Maya is a complete psychotic bi***. Don't let her walk all over you."
"I…I…What am I supposed to do?" Suhani cried.
"If they want to play dirty; then retaliate please, would you?" His British accent was making it hard for her to grasp anything he was saying. Had she heard him, she would've nodded and responded but her eyes were fixed on his mouth; his lips. His voice is so…, his lips…make me wish I could…Eventually, Rajvir noticed her admiring gaze. He stopped talking, and lifted her chin so her eyes met his. Oh God, Oh God, Oh God…
He smirked, thinking of the conversation on the plane. "So if I kissed you, you'd kiss back, right?" He muttered softly. She smiled and broke their fixation on the other's eyes as she looked down. She was being shy; who did that anymore?
He lifted her chin again, and confirmed. "Right." His lips pressed briefly onto hers before she heard a throat clearing behind her. "You and I are in the same cabin." Maya glared. She stormed off.
Rajvir laughed, "Did you see her face?" Suddenly the thought occurred to Suhani that he could've seen Maya before and kissed her only to avoid her. Her fear was in her celery colored eyes.
"So…where was I?" He smiled, replacing his lips onto hers again. She heat rose between their breaths as the gap between their bodies closed. Soon, Rajvir had his arms around Suhani's waist and Suhani had her arms comfortably around Rajvir's neck. The kiss got deeper as Rajvir slipped his tongue into Hani's mouth. She gasped a bit. Her stomach was doing flip-flops.
Neither of them knew how long they had been standing there, kissing but when they opened their eyes they turned to see Mrs. Goswami. Suhani pulled away from Rajvir and looked down in embarrassment. Rajvir smiled idiotically at Suhani, even while his mother was scolding him.
"Rajvir! This is not the time, nor the place to be doing…this." She shot her angry glance at Suhani, realizing her son was too busy smiling dumbly to hear her.
"And you, Suhani—err, Ms. Patel. Well mannered girls from good families like yours don't engage in such behavior. Please abstain from it. Is that understood?" Suhani looked down and nodded.
As soon as Mrs. Goswami turned around and left, Rajvir moved toward Suhani with that same frighteningly intense gaze fixed upon her lips. Her mouth curled into a smile as Rajvir brought his lips to her. Before he could kiss her, she placed her finger on his mouth.
"I am supposed to abstain from this, Vir." He moved back and pouted. "I'm not saying anything about that. You keep your bloody abstinence, but one kiss?" He smiled, almost pleading.
She shook her head. "Not even a little tiny one?" He confirmed. He sighed. "Fine. Wait till the weekend." Rajvir said mischievously.
"What's on the weekend?" Suhani asked, truly innocently.
"Well, sweetheart," He started snaking his arm around her waist, tugging her forward to him, "On the weekends, the cleaning people come in. And we have no class. It's like completely off. And the workshop people aren't allowed into their cabins until Monday night." He smirked.
"What shall I do all weekend?" She sighed in fake disdain.
"We shall have to work something out and see." He flashed a smile that was close to making her swoon.
Chapter 19- Facing Fears 101 For the Fearless
"Ishu bhaiya?" Niharika asked, stepping into a place she feared.
"Niharika? What the hell?" A tall, darkly stubbled man looked to her with blood-shot eyes. He hadn't slept in days.
"I couldn't find you when I called so I came looking. Bhaiya. Let's go home."
"NO!" He argued, "These people need me!"
"We'll come back, Bhai. Bhai, I promise. Please." She pulled at his arm. He refused to budge.
"No! These people need help! I can't just let them die." He said. The words brought tears to Niharika's eyes. She was standing in an Institution. This particular department was for people that were mentally unstable and wish to harm themselves. This was the place for the mad suicidal people; this was where her father said their mother belonged. This was it. Niharika had gone through rounds of therapy and counseling. All of the various professionals told her the same thing; when Niharika wanted something she got it. She was bound by nothing, she feared nothing. They were wrong. THIS is what she feared.
"Bhai, please. I don't like this place." She cried as tears finally managed to roll down her cheeks.
"We're coming back." He said firmly. He walked with her on his arm, to the gates of the building. The two sat on a bench and Ishaan finally watched his little sister cry. When their mother died, she hadn't cried. She had never cried; as far as he remembered.
"Ishaan. You know how worried I was?" She said crying, that wasn't the reason.
"Why are you crying?" He asked.
"I couldn't find you." She sniffed.
"17 years, I know you a little better than that. What is it?"
"I hate this place." She gestured to the mental institution.
"Why? Niharika, they need help. Ariana's husband committed suicide too. People can't just go on killing themselves. If I can help save ONE life, it'll be worth it."
Niharika sat silent; "You think Maa deserved to be in one of these places?" She felt more tears press upon her closed lids.
"Niharika…" He sighed, putting his arm around her. "Maa was sick. If she was in a place like this, I'm sure she'd be with us today." He said, calmly.
"Bhaiya. Maa was NOT crazy. I don't care what you say or what Papa says. She wasn't. That's the truth." Her voice was smaller than she had hoped, more tears.
"I know beta, she wasn't." Beta? He was only a year older than her but often as children, he called her that when she was hurt or sad. It gave the illusion of him knowing more, being wiser. He wasn't. He was just as confused as she was. He had sorted out this issue years ago though when it had happened. Niharika bottled things up. She resolved things very late.
"Than why did Papa say she was?" Niharika asked childishly.
"Because Papa was angry. He thinks it was his fault. He's sad." Ishaan answered each question with such simplicity that it made Niharika's heart ache.
"Whose fault was it?" Nihu asked in a whisper. She wanted Ishaan not to hear. After all the reassurances, the last thing Niharika wanted her brother to know was that she wasn't okay.
"It was hers," he pointed to my locket with Maa's picture in it. "For choosing to leave us, for choosing the easy way out." He pointed to the sky, "It was His. For not giving her the strength to fight her problem. But ours? We had no fault. We were just living our lives the best we could." He shrugged.
"Why did she leave us? Why was she so sad?" Eras of questions erupted from her heart and eyes.
"Maa was…free. She was independent. She was vast. She was hard to contain in one place. You know what she wanted to do as her career?"
"She wanted to be an archaeologist, so she could know everything," Niharika smiled, despite the memory.
"She even wanted to know everything. She wanted the world. She was meant to do something. And what did she become? A housewife. She was in the confines of the house all day, 24x7. It was her choice. She could have become an archaeologist, had she wanted."
"We suffocated her." Niharika said, wide eyed.
"No Niharika. We didn't. She chose the life she had. Everyone chooses their own life. No one can force you to live a certain way. It's all right here." He pointed to his heart.
"She died of dissatisfaction." Niharika stated simply.
"So you could say." He finally agreed with her. "Niharika, are you still scared of this place?" Ishaan asked, pointing back to the edifice.
"To my barest bones. Like hell I am." She laughed a little through her river of tears.
"Well, it's okay. Because I am too. I'm not sure how I can help." He said unsure. Finally, he admitted he didn't know something.
"I have an idea. Why don't you finish school and then think about it…?" Niharika smiled.
"Well, I'm thinking of switching my major to Psych. And then maybe. My tuition is way late though." He scrubbed his head vigorously.
"I paid it. You better get back though, before your roommates get worried. What's this whole Ariana business?" Niharika eyed his face in suspicion, her mind was in a completely different place but she was still crying.
"Just a friend. Isn't Joseph precious though? I told her to tell anyone that came looking for me that she was my girlfriend."
"Joseph is pretty adorable. I figured. She was too awesome to be your taste." Niharika laughed.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. So what's up with you and your crazy ass friends lately?" Ishaan laughed.
"Mahi's not a virgin. She has a new boyfriend, who used to stalk her. She is now engaged to long time crush, Angad Khanna the rock star. Who she now expresses no interest in. Vidya has befriended the very cocky Sagar Pratap Singh, who she had a little, or actually big spat with. She slapped him and he kissed her and threw her down onto the pool ground tile floor. She was banged up pretty bad and broke a few ribs. But he apologized so she forgave him. Suhani's in Spain with her pretend boyfriend, son of the workshop coordinator who's a good artist too. And I met a guy in Goa at camp, he's a coach. I really like him and he left his job at camp to come accompany me here."
"You and your little teenage drama…wait, a coach?! Niharika, are you like sick or something?!?! How old is he?"
"Nineteen." She said calmly.
"And you traveled alone with him??" He was nearly yelling at her.
"Chill bhai. He hasn't touched me. Except for a little bit of kissing but that wasn't a complete make-out sess-" Niharika started dreamily.
"Okay, I need not to hear this. And on a side note, are you crazy?!?!" Probably not the best place to ask this, they were sitting right outside of a mental asylum.
"I really like him. His name is Vedant. We really click. I can talk to him. And he's REALLY HOT." She said, like a typical teenage girl. He looked at her sternly.
"I'm meeting him when…?" Ishaan asked dumbly.
"Uh, never. I don't wanna scare him away…." She said in a duh! tone.
"Tonight will be a fine time then." He said, walking away sarcastically.
"Oye! Wait! You can't meet him!" Niharika began running, "Rukh! Ishu, stop!" He walked quicker, just to irritate her. " You have my keys, you little b****!!!" He smirked, patting the metal in his pocket.
Chapter 20- Juss Doing Stuff
Mahi sat at the hospital with a smiling Shabd, waiting for Vidya. Shabd grinned in anticipation as Mahi spat her Propel out.
"You laced my water?!?!?!" She popped into her mouth a yellow starburst.
"Hm? Yeah. You're fun when you're drunk. A little vodka never hurt anyone. You don't drive anyways." He chuckled.
"So? I'm telling Vidya. Your sister will be deeply upsetted with you and I, am now officially not talking to you." Mahi turned around in anger. He turned her back around and kissed her, pulling away grinning.
"That's not fair!!!!!!" She whined as Vidya walked in.
"What's not fair?" Vidya asked, replacing herself in the bed.
"He took my starburst! It was my last one!!!"
"So?" Vidya asked, folding her sheet.
"It was in my mouth." Mahi glared and grinded her teeth at Shabd, who was happily chewing away.
"Aww," Vidya starts and sees Shabd wink at an angry Mahi, "Ew Bhai…"
"What?" He shrugged.
"Trust me bhai. Mahi doesn't like being touched and/or kissed." Shabd smirked at a blushing Mahi, who was recalling her overly excited welcome for him the other night.
"Really?" He asked, "Your friend can't seem to keep her hands off -" He started.
"Shabd shut up!!" She shot him and angry and embarrassed glance.
"Totally Bhai. I SO don't wanna know what you guys do in your off time." Vidya laughed. Mahi looked at both, infuriated as Shabd, who smiled admirably winked at her. She sighed.
"You two always gang up on me. Why can't you two NOT know each other? Vidya how are you?"
"I'm….angry that you just dissed my brother but he's a jerk so no biggie." Vidya laughed.
"Hey!" yelled Shabd as Vidya and Mahi high-fived. "Good one but I think she meant your health." Shabd smiled sarcastically.
Vidya stood, "I'm great. My ribs are fine now! I'm just a little sore & bruised." She got up and began dancing. Mahi's cell rang.
"YOU TWO!!!! Need to get out!" Vidya said. "Sagar is coming and I don't want you two to hurt him."
"Fine! We're leaving." Mahi said rolling her eyes. "C'mon Shabd." She pulled him out of the room, lacing her fingers through his, they walked to the exit.
"Mahi. Where are we going?" Shabd tilted her head to the side.
"Your house." She smiled naively.
"To do what?" He eyed suspiciously.
"Stuff." She shrugged.
"Mahi, you know I love you but we've been doing 'stuff' for about three months straight and you haven't really been home a lot. Doesn't your dad care?"
"Nope. Are you complaining about us doing 'stuff'?"
"No, no. Stuff is fine. Stuff is great. I don't mind stuff as long as you want it too but I'm saying…"
"Saying….?" Mahi asked, annoyed.
"I'm saying. What if we…" His voice trailed off.
"What if what, Shabd?" She asked, impatient.
"What if we…I don't know, Mahi." He stumbled on his words. "I'm worried about us." He sighed.
"Don't be," Mahi assured. She was about to continue as urgency flashed her face. She ran back to Vidya's room and locked herself in the washroom.
"What's wrong with Mahi?" Shabd inquired, hoping his sister had an answer.
"I have no clue. She's been puking like there's no tomorrow."
About a half an hour of worrying later, Mahi came out red and gasping. She sat with her heads in her hands "That's the fourth time this week." She said.
"What's wrong with you?" Vidya asked, concerned. She was biting her nails unknowingly.
Mahi looked teary-eyed at Shabd and then back at Vidya, "I think I might be…I hope I'm, not…there's a slight chance that I could be…" She began crying. Vidya glanced at Shabd confused.
He finally said, "I think I might have gotten her pregnant." Slowly he made his way to Mahi and rubbed her back. She sobbed harder. Shabd consoled her, "Shhh, its okay."
She glanced at him angry, "It's not okay! I'm 17 f**king years old! I can't have a baby!"
"I know, Mahi. We're not having a baby. Even if we are, you don't have to…" He though and his deep voice shrunk. "You don't have to have it." He finished slowly. Vidya turned slowly to the two. "I'll talk to you later." She said to Shabd, turning to Mahi, she said "Are you even sure?" Mahi shook her head and shrugged. "I'm going to go now, you two need to talk." With that, Vidya left.
"What if I really am, Shabd?" Mahi cried.
"Then…" He sighed, "your father has all the more reason for you to marry." She looked at him wide-eyed.
"Don't tell me that." She pleaded, holding him close.
"Maybe we should…stop seeing each other." She looked at him, shocked. Blinking back tears, she spat bitterly. "Fine, maybe we should."
"Mahi, you've got to understand that…" He tried to show her reason. Mahi got up and walked toward the door. She said softly, "I don't need to understand anything. Its okay, Shabd. I'll love you anyways."
"Well…" Mahi smiled sadly, "Every good thing has an end." She laughed lightly.
"Well what are you going to do about THAT?" Vidya asked, pointing to the pile of EPT tests, all reading the same thing.
"Well, I don't need anyone. Half of my life Maa raised me and the other half, I raised myself. Kids with single parents exist too." She said, clutching her stomach. "She'll be one too. I didn't come out too bad, and Niharika's pretty awesome too."
"She?" Vidya asked.
"Yeah. It'll be a girl hopefully." Mahi said, smiling and still crying at once.
"Well, you know what? This kid is gonna have four moms so…"
"I won't need Shabd?" She smiled sadly.
"Does he even know about this? Like does he know that you are really sure…" Mahi shook her head. "Well, no one's telling him. He doesn't care. I don't need him. I can go on without him. It'll take a little getting used to but nonetheless, I can do it."
"You guys were living together?" Vidya asked.
"Practically." Mahi said, cleaning the mess of pregnancy tests off the table, leaving one forgotten on the desk.
"So there was a lot of…?" Vidya asked, trying to piece the story together.
"An awful lot of it…" Mahi said. If she thought back to it, she could still feel Shabd's warm touch on her waist, her lips, her neck…she shuddered.
"Ohhhhh…." Vidya thought.
"And now, I live at my house again. I wonder how difficult it is hiding your pregnancy from your fianc." She smirked, "Or ex-fianc."
"Mahi, what are you going to do?" Vidya asked.
"Something…don't tell Shabd about this though. I don't want him to stay with me because he has to. Please don't say anything to him."
"Don't tell me about what?" A deep male voice said from behind.
"Shabd, why are you here?" Mahi sighed.
"Because…" He started. Mahi slammed the door shut in his face.
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Comments (4)
hey kiran di... sorry for not commenting before... you know my dilemma right.. anywayss awesomee part... okk so mahi did get pregnant and omg shabd... i feel like punching some sense into him... i mean hes an idiot... aww no sagar vidya part? hani and vir were cute... and ishu and nihus brother sister relation was soo awww... and what hes doing for those people os soo brave of him... hes scared...well kind of...and yet he is doing it for them... overalll it was good... funny, cute, sad etc... hope to see sagar vidya part in the next part... i love this story... oo and that having 4 mother thing... it reminded me of teh movie " Dil Ashna Hai" or something like that... and i remembered that i havent watched teh whole thing... soo i need to find it somehow and figure out who was her real mom... umm yea i know i am just blabbering stuff... anywayss... guess what? I AM GOING HOME TODAY!!!!!!!!!!YAYYYYYYY!!!!!!! well tll now i am... i dont know if i am really going or not... lol
17 years ago
woah...that was great. continue sooon...this ff is good.
17 years ago
ME LOVE THE PART!! lol ishu-niharika = cute-bro sis relationship. no sagar-vidya in this part shabd-mahi= complic8d. i knew she wouldnt abort. i hope shabd stays with her man. and stops adding vodka to her drink she is pregnant! lol hani-vir- cute cute im hating mayaok rest of my comment is down there, have fun, me seriously gonna go work on Revolutions. erier10139295.7339930556
17 years ago
ok.. 2nd! wow!! mahi is pregnant!! uh oh.. but atleast angad's now free!! aww ishaan is so nice.. helping out.. im glad she found him.. and the way she described their lives!! and maya's jealous!! HAHA!! i hope they make her more jealous.. she's going to be sharing a room with her.. well she better gives as she gets! cont soon!bugs_bunny39295.6459837963
17 years ago