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"Dr. Ashutosh ... plz no" cried Nidhi running around the house to escape from Ashutosh .
"Nidhi ... do you really think you will escape from me..." ashu replied running behind her to catch her.
"I m really sorry Dr.Ashutosh ... main abse aise nahi karungi... I promise plz"
"Nidhi tum aage se karo na karo par ab jab kiya hai toh sazaa toh milegi tumhe" and Ashu ran behind her. Nidhi saw the ajar door to his bedroom open and she ran in to save herself.
She was about to close the door when Ashu reached there and stopped her from closing it from his left hand as his left hand was smeared in the cream from the black forest cake they had just cut together for celebrating the occasion of Ashu's birthday. Nidhi had arranged a special private party at his house for only the two of them.
The whole day she behaved as if she didn't remember his birthday and that resulted in an indifferent behaviour from a grumpy Dr.Ashutosh towards her.
After his baba left him he lost all enthusiasm to celebrate his birthday but today he wanted her to wish him, to make him feel special and wanted but not getting that attention from his new found dear friend and the person he wanted the most to wish him frustrated him all the more.
She was having a hard time controlling herself from going and wishing him but she was enjoying this grumpy side of Ashutosh too.
She so wanted to pulled his puffed up cheeks and pinch that flaring nose.
Their friendship had reached a new level of comfort and understanding. They now understood each other better than anyone else could do.
It all started from 'The drenching in rain after Priyanka's wedding' incident when Nidhi had insisted Ashu to come out of the car and enjoy the rain.
Nidhi loved rains and it was the first rain marking the arrival of the monsoon... the time of the year she so waited to arrive so that she could just drench in them and forget all her worries. She wanted Ashu to experience the same thing... to wash away all his worries and inhibitions in the rain and smile... A happy smile which should reach his eyes and light up his soul.
They had had a cup of AKC on the roadside stall after that... Nidhi still could not believe that he was Ashutosh...The Dr. Ashutosh... Dr. heartstone... She wondered if it was the right nick name for him because the Ashutosh she witnessed today was nowhere near the heartstone she had seen in the hospital.
He was so relaxed, and looked so innocent and pure enjoying the rains... letting the drops wash all his reservations and introvertness with them and let the music the droplets created penetrate into his soul. She couldn't help smile at that gesture of his spreading his arms and welcoming the monsoons with a sweet smile. An unadulterated smile... free of hesitations. He looks so handsome when he smiles... She had thought.
But he was Dr. Ashutosh... He gave her another shock by laughing too... this man knows how to laugh. She had chuckled remembering her thoughts that he did not have those muscles in his face which could help him laugh. He had raised his brows in his typical style as if asking what she was chuckling at and she has just shrugged not knowing what should she reply. Dr. Mallika calling at that time was the only thing she had not liked that day... don't know why but she felt that that call was an interference she had not wanted at that moment. She wanted to witness more of the Ashutosh he hid behind his facade of Dr. heartstone... but then Ashu had gotten up as they were getting late and dropped her home.
A month had passed after that incident. Ashu had started finding solace in Nidhi's company... He loved talking to her, hear her nonstop chatters, see her smile, hear her tinkling laugh which lit up her face and had started looking forward to spend time with her.
Her coming or rather barging into his home when he was sick due to the drenching in rains was a thing he can never forget.
Nidhi was no different... She so loved to barge into his house when he would be at home. She had started to love cooking... Her DB was in a state of shock for a moment when she learnt that Nidhi wants to learn to cook but then had happily agreed and taught her a new thing each weekend and she would share that dish with Ashutosh. One Sunday she had caught a cold so due to DB's strict warning to rest she had not gone to his house. He had immediately called and directly asked her that why she hadn't come and though surprised at the sudden question without any proper greeting Nidhi had answered that she wasn't well so she won't come. Ashu was so tensed at hearing that he had scolded her for a good 10 minutes for not being careful of her health before lecturing her to take care and have her medicines on time etc etc...
She had just pouted and said a "hmmm" at all his scolds... Ashu realising her miffed had let out a laugh which was joined by her a few moments later.
Going to coffees between breaks in hospital cafeteria or outside sometimes or her discussing her complex patients and sharing her fears which she felt at the start or her coming to his house at weekends with her new new recipes and experiments with food and him having them with great enthusiasm no matter however they were had only helped to solidify their relationship. One weekend when she had again brought his favourite methi muthiya and hare chane ki curry and he was happily relishing it Nidhi had casually asked him that if he considered her just as his junior. He was stunned for a second before he composed himself and asked what she meant.
"Kya aapko main sirf ek colleague ya sirf ek junior doc hi lagti hoo... usse zyada kuch bhi nahi.." she had repeated the question. He was not knowing what to say. He just said "You are a good doctor... tumhara record bohot improve hua hai... toh..."
"Ufff... I mean you don't consider me as your friend. I mean we are so comfortable talking and sharing things with each other so I thought I am your friend mow" she had cit him in between and said with a sweet smile.
Ashu had laughed at that and replied
"Of course Nidhi... You are a very good friend too... Mujhe laga ab tak tum samajh gayi hogi... Anyway I consider myself lucky to have found a friend l I ke you..."
Nidhi had smiled so broadly at that... the sincerity with which he had uttered those words had floored her and there smile had bought a smile on his face too.
Anyways back to present... Nidhi tried to cajole him not to smear her face with the cake as she did after cutting the cake. She had taken some of it in her fingers and smeared it across his cheek. Ashutosh was left stunned for a second but then Nidhi's giggle turned into a hearty laugh when he said... "Nidhi yeh kya kiya... mai cake mooh se khata hu... gaalo se nahi... Mere chehre ko cake kyu khilaya..."
The next moment Ashu himself took the cream too and tried to do the same with her when she dodged and escaped from him.
Ashu somehow pushed the door and moved in his room to punish her for her mischief and Nidhi again escaped. She took the pillow from the bed and threw it towards him. He caught it and threw it on the bed. They were running around the bed like two school kids where he was trying to catch her and she was trying to escape.
"Dr. Ashutosh... aaiye naa... pakadiye mujhe... aaiye" she teased him.
"Dr . Nidhi you will have to pay for it..." Nidhi giggled at that when suddenly she slipped on the carpet laid adjacent to the bed. She closed her eyes waiting to land on the hard floor but she felt an arm around her waist and then she felt her soft body landing on a hard yet firm masculine frame.
Ashu sensing her slipping had tried to save herself from his left hand and due to imbalance they landed on the bed with Nidhi upon his body and his left hand wound firmly around her waist.
Time went still for them as Ashu gazed in those beautiful deep brown doe like eyes and Nidhu found herself melting in his arms due to the heat emanating from his eyes. Her body was closely pressed to his chiseled one and her softness crushing against his body.
The warmth emanating from her body was something Ashu had never experienced before. Being deprived of female relationships in his life with only Mallika being one whom he just considered colleague and a good friend and nothing else. Their hearts were beating so wildly that they feared that the other could hear them. A stray lock of her hair was kissing Nidhi's cheek. Ashu gone in a daze with her so close to him slowly blew to shoo it away from her face. His warm breath on her face and neck tickled her skin and she closed her eyes at the feeling.
Ashu couldn't help marvelling at the beauty in his arms. Eyes closed, lips slightly parted, cheeks gone pink, uneven breathing... She was an irresistible sight. Ashu could not restraint himself and kissed her eyes one by one, then her cheeks and then he smeared her lower lip with the cream in his fingers and pulled her for a scorching pious lip lock.
He captured the soft petal of her lower pink plump lip in his mouth slowly suckling it, enjoying the taste of the black forest cake on her lips.
Nidhi was left stunned for a second but then her eyelids started drooping and her stiff body staryed relaxing as she started enjoying her first kiss... and the feel of lips on hers was magical... much better than what she had fantasized about how would it feel to kiss Ashu.
Yes! she fantasized and dreamt about Dr. Ashutosh... She was always attracted to him... She doesn't know whether it was love or not but she certainly liked him a lot... much more than a friend... or a senior or her dean... and would certainly love to love him... see him in the shoes of the love of her life and also to be the love of his life.
He had always held a a special place in her heart. The case was not better and different with Ashu. Nidhi had the power to make him feel drawn towards her. Ashutosh's hand slowly and sensously moved on her body. The touch was soft yet left her skin burning that too from upon the fabric of her clothes. Nidhi in a daze moved her arms and wound them around his neck. It was a purely involuntary action as if it was the most natural thing to do at that time. She was feeling some tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. Something she had never felt before.
Ashu entangled his hand in her thick black locks and pulled her head closer to deepen the kiss. His tongue urged her to open her mouth and being new to this, after a few moments she understood what she has to do and she allowed him in her mouth. Her lips had started responding to his kiss matching the passion with which he was kissing her.
Nidhi with her fierce self, confident and stubborn persona, child like innocent smile had wormed her way in his heart and he had started liking her... not only as a junior doc in his hospital or just a friend but much more than that. Ashu in that kiss extracted all the tangy bittersweet taste from her lips greedily.
A shrill voice of his phone ringing brought them back to the present world.
AshNi hastily separated and he quickly moved out of the room to the balcony to answer the call without a backward glance at her. Nidhi came to her senses and sat on the bed recalling everything back that had just transpired between them.
Her hand involuntarily moved to touched her lips still not believing that it has happened for real and it was not one of her umpteen fantasies that caused her disturbed sleep these days. She smiled shyly as she could still feel her lips moulded into his lips.
Ashutosh moved in the room after finishing the call only to see a lost Nidhi smiling slightly to herself. He smirked and quickly rushed in the restroom to freshen up without looking at her.
Ananya frowned at that gesture of his and for a second she doubted if Ashu had really kissed her or was it a dream. She went towards the balcony to get some fresh air. That was the much needed thing by her at that time.
She was thinking why Ashutosh had suddenly behaved so weirdly and indifferently with her. Because he had kissed her? If he did not then why did he not talk to her when he finished the phone call or at least looked at me? Is he regretting the fact that he has kissed his junior or is he feeling bad that he kissed his new found much younger silly friend?
She felt her eyes getting moist.
Her chain of thoughts was broken by the feel of a hand on her shoulder. She gasped at the sudden touch but then realising that it was Ashutosh she quickly blinked back her tears as he turned her towards him.
Her eyes were lowered and he could see the pain and confusion written clearly in her eyes. He could always read her eyes as if her eyes were a mirror to her emotions... the mirror that only showed him what's behind them... in them.
He smiled and tipped her chin up so that he could look into her eyes clearly and sincerely uttered, "Nidhi I know tumhe mere youn tumse baat liye bagair achanak andar chale jaane se bohot bura laga hoga... Abhi andar jo hua use galat mat samajhna... yeh mat samajhna ke maine situation ka ya tumhari dosti ka... tumhare trust ka faayda uthakar tumhe... Dekho Nidhi jab mera phone baja toh ek pal ke liye mere bhi samajh mein kuch nahi aaya... main khud us pal mein itna ulajh gaya tha apne emotions mein... but when I came back in the room and saw you smiling and lost in your own world I was sure that what happened was mutual and nothing wrong. We both are very much attracted towards each other. For me what happened in was pure... it was sacred..."
Nidhi tears which were somehow controlled till now were threatening to spill down anytime due to his sincere words. So he wasn't regretting but he was confused just like her. A tear trickled down her cheek, then second and then the dam was broken... Ashu smiled at her innocence... and wiped the tear with his thumb as he cupped her face.
"Nidhi main tumhe pasand karne laga hoon... sirf ek dost ki tarah nahi par usse kai zyada... main nahi jaanta ke it's love, infatuation or whatever... but I love it when you are with me... I crave for your company... For your attention, your friendship... Infatuation ki umr toh na meri hai na tumhari... but for me it's not anything less than love... main apne past ki memories ke chalte... unme itna entangled hone ki wajah se tumse thoda waqt chahta hoon... is khoobsurat ehsaas ko tumhare saath samajhna chahta hoon... I want you by my side as my companion... and I can feel Nidhi that it's the same with you... I guess..."
He stopped for a moment to search the answer in her eyes. Nidhi when realised that he is asking her the same with his eyes smiled and nodded her head slightly. She was feeling a lump in her throat and words were stuck somewhere down in with that lump.
On her nod Ashu too smiled and continued "Nidhi I want to tell you that you are very special to me and you hold a special place in my heart... woh jagah jo shayad kabhi maine kabhi bhi kisi ko bhi nahi di thi... I feel blessed and blissed with you which I have never felt with anyone. ... But I really don't understand what it is. Main baby steps lena chahta hoon. Sab kuch dheere dheere mehsoos karna chahta hoon. And I guess tumhare liye bhi yeh sab pehla ehsaas hai... tum bhi yeh sab pehli baar mehsoos kar rahi ho. Aur agar aisa hai toh we should discover and feel this emotion together... by being at each other's side."
Nidhi couldn't say anything. She couldn't find correct words to express what she was feeling after hearing him baring his heart in front of her... He has so beautifully kept his feelings in front of her, expressing his pain, confusion, liking towards her all in such a lovely way... She was just feeling like a bundle of entangled emotions. But he like that since always, Although being a man of few words, but a master with those few words too. A quality which she so wanted in her to be but alas... always failed in the same.
She just leaned and went into his arms.
"Dr. Ashutosh... I don't know what to say... Aapne itni achhi tarah se apni feelings ko mere same bayaan kar diya par main... I just feel like... my head feels like a bunch of messed up emotions... main bhi aapko pasand karti hoon... bohot zyada karti hoon... par khud bhi nahi samajh paa rahi hoon ki yeh kya hai... kabhi lagta hai infatuation hai... kabhi lagta hai aapko chaahne lagi hoon... pyaar karne... main bhi is ehsaas ko aapke saath samajhna chahti hoon, jaanna chahti hoon, mehsoos karna chahti hoon..." she said and then stopped to lift her face up to look into his eyes.
She continued as he listened to her feelings now... "Mujhe bura nahi laga jab aapne andar mujhe..." she blushed and lowered her eyes as he grinned at her words.
"I know that it was our mutual desire towards each other... par achanak aapke rukhe bartaav se mujhe bohot hurt hua tha but I can understand your fears too..."
Ashu smiled at her innocence. 'Poor soul! She was so hurt by my behavior still she understands me.' Ashu thought.
" And yes I would love to discover much more of these feelings with you by my side... with you as my companion." she sincerely mouthed and smiled.
Ashu hugged her close to himself. She was the best thing in his life... beat thing that had ever happened to him and said "That's like my Nidhi... ek aur baat... aaj jo mazak tumhe kiya tha aise kabhi mat karna. Mana tum mujhe surprise dena chahti thi par aise achanak phone kar ke kehna ki tum mere apartment ke stairs se gir gayi aur tumhe sar par chot aayi hai... main bohot dar gaya tha... I felt as if my life was sucked out of me. Main car ko plane ki tarah bhaga ke dauda dauda tumse milne aaya tha aur tum yaha cake pakadkar muskura rahi thi. I was relieved to see you fit and fine but at the same time you angered me a lot too... Aur isiliye I scolded as soon as I saw you out of tension and anger... Nidhi aage se kuch bhi karna par apni salamati ko leke mazak mat karna. I was scared to the core..."
Nidhi was moved to tears listening his honest confession. She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"Now enough of this crying... hospital se call tha... it's close to 8:00... need to go for my 9 pm surgery. Tumhari bhi night shift hai naa. You freshen up aur phir saath me jate hai." He said and slowly bent down towards her face and kissed her forehead and then pecked at her lips softly.She closed her eyes at that as a warm blush crept up her cheeks. She then opened her lashes and nodded shyly. She was about to go but then turned and kissed his cheek, smiled shyly and rushed to his restroom.
Ashutosh was shocked at that but composed himself as she grinned and said "I will surely get to see something new out of you every day Dr. Nidhi Verma..."
"Nidhi ... do you really think you will escape from me..." ashu replied running behind her to catch her.
"I m really sorry Dr.Ashutosh ... main abse aise nahi karungi... I promise plz"
"Nidhi tum aage se karo na karo par ab jab kiya hai toh sazaa toh milegi tumhe" and Ashu ran behind her. Nidhi saw the ajar door to his bedroom open and she ran in to save herself.
She was about to close the door when Ashu reached there and stopped her from closing it from his left hand as his left hand was smeared in the cream from the black forest cake they had just cut together for celebrating the occasion of Ashu's birthday. Nidhi had arranged a special private party at his house for only the two of them.
The whole day she behaved as if she didn't remember his birthday and that resulted in an indifferent behaviour from a grumpy Dr.Ashutosh towards her.
After his baba left him he lost all enthusiasm to celebrate his birthday but today he wanted her to wish him, to make him feel special and wanted but not getting that attention from his new found dear friend and the person he wanted the most to wish him frustrated him all the more.
She was having a hard time controlling herself from going and wishing him but she was enjoying this grumpy side of Ashutosh too.
She so wanted to pulled his puffed up cheeks and pinch that flaring nose.
Their friendship had reached a new level of comfort and understanding. They now understood each other better than anyone else could do.
It all started from 'The drenching in rain after Priyanka's wedding' incident when Nidhi had insisted Ashu to come out of the car and enjoy the rain.
Nidhi loved rains and it was the first rain marking the arrival of the monsoon... the time of the year she so waited to arrive so that she could just drench in them and forget all her worries. She wanted Ashu to experience the same thing... to wash away all his worries and inhibitions in the rain and smile... A happy smile which should reach his eyes and light up his soul.
They had had a cup of AKC on the roadside stall after that... Nidhi still could not believe that he was Ashutosh...The Dr. Ashutosh... Dr. heartstone... She wondered if it was the right nick name for him because the Ashutosh she witnessed today was nowhere near the heartstone she had seen in the hospital.
He was so relaxed, and looked so innocent and pure enjoying the rains... letting the drops wash all his reservations and introvertness with them and let the music the droplets created penetrate into his soul. She couldn't help smile at that gesture of his spreading his arms and welcoming the monsoons with a sweet smile. An unadulterated smile... free of hesitations. He looks so handsome when he smiles... She had thought.
But he was Dr. Ashutosh... He gave her another shock by laughing too... this man knows how to laugh. She had chuckled remembering her thoughts that he did not have those muscles in his face which could help him laugh. He had raised his brows in his typical style as if asking what she was chuckling at and she has just shrugged not knowing what should she reply. Dr. Mallika calling at that time was the only thing she had not liked that day... don't know why but she felt that that call was an interference she had not wanted at that moment. She wanted to witness more of the Ashutosh he hid behind his facade of Dr. heartstone... but then Ashu had gotten up as they were getting late and dropped her home.
A month had passed after that incident. Ashu had started finding solace in Nidhi's company... He loved talking to her, hear her nonstop chatters, see her smile, hear her tinkling laugh which lit up her face and had started looking forward to spend time with her.
Her coming or rather barging into his home when he was sick due to the drenching in rains was a thing he can never forget.
Nidhi was no different... She so loved to barge into his house when he would be at home. She had started to love cooking... Her DB was in a state of shock for a moment when she learnt that Nidhi wants to learn to cook but then had happily agreed and taught her a new thing each weekend and she would share that dish with Ashutosh. One Sunday she had caught a cold so due to DB's strict warning to rest she had not gone to his house. He had immediately called and directly asked her that why she hadn't come and though surprised at the sudden question without any proper greeting Nidhi had answered that she wasn't well so she won't come. Ashu was so tensed at hearing that he had scolded her for a good 10 minutes for not being careful of her health before lecturing her to take care and have her medicines on time etc etc...
She had just pouted and said a "hmmm" at all his scolds... Ashu realising her miffed had let out a laugh which was joined by her a few moments later.
Going to coffees between breaks in hospital cafeteria or outside sometimes or her discussing her complex patients and sharing her fears which she felt at the start or her coming to his house at weekends with her new new recipes and experiments with food and him having them with great enthusiasm no matter however they were had only helped to solidify their relationship. One weekend when she had again brought his favourite methi muthiya and hare chane ki curry and he was happily relishing it Nidhi had casually asked him that if he considered her just as his junior. He was stunned for a second before he composed himself and asked what she meant.
"Kya aapko main sirf ek colleague ya sirf ek junior doc hi lagti hoo... usse zyada kuch bhi nahi.." she had repeated the question. He was not knowing what to say. He just said "You are a good doctor... tumhara record bohot improve hua hai... toh..."
"Ufff... I mean you don't consider me as your friend. I mean we are so comfortable talking and sharing things with each other so I thought I am your friend mow" she had cit him in between and said with a sweet smile.
Ashu had laughed at that and replied
"Of course Nidhi... You are a very good friend too... Mujhe laga ab tak tum samajh gayi hogi... Anyway I consider myself lucky to have found a friend l I ke you..."
Nidhi had smiled so broadly at that... the sincerity with which he had uttered those words had floored her and there smile had bought a smile on his face too.
Anyways back to present... Nidhi tried to cajole him not to smear her face with the cake as she did after cutting the cake. She had taken some of it in her fingers and smeared it across his cheek. Ashutosh was left stunned for a second but then Nidhi's giggle turned into a hearty laugh when he said... "Nidhi yeh kya kiya... mai cake mooh se khata hu... gaalo se nahi... Mere chehre ko cake kyu khilaya..."
The next moment Ashu himself took the cream too and tried to do the same with her when she dodged and escaped from him.
Ashu somehow pushed the door and moved in his room to punish her for her mischief and Nidhi again escaped. She took the pillow from the bed and threw it towards him. He caught it and threw it on the bed. They were running around the bed like two school kids where he was trying to catch her and she was trying to escape.
"Dr. Ashutosh... aaiye naa... pakadiye mujhe... aaiye" she teased him.
"Dr . Nidhi you will have to pay for it..." Nidhi giggled at that when suddenly she slipped on the carpet laid adjacent to the bed. She closed her eyes waiting to land on the hard floor but she felt an arm around her waist and then she felt her soft body landing on a hard yet firm masculine frame.
Ashu sensing her slipping had tried to save herself from his left hand and due to imbalance they landed on the bed with Nidhi upon his body and his left hand wound firmly around her waist.
Time went still for them as Ashu gazed in those beautiful deep brown doe like eyes and Nidhu found herself melting in his arms due to the heat emanating from his eyes. Her body was closely pressed to his chiseled one and her softness crushing against his body.
The warmth emanating from her body was something Ashu had never experienced before. Being deprived of female relationships in his life with only Mallika being one whom he just considered colleague and a good friend and nothing else. Their hearts were beating so wildly that they feared that the other could hear them. A stray lock of her hair was kissing Nidhi's cheek. Ashu gone in a daze with her so close to him slowly blew to shoo it away from her face. His warm breath on her face and neck tickled her skin and she closed her eyes at the feeling.
Ashu couldn't help marvelling at the beauty in his arms. Eyes closed, lips slightly parted, cheeks gone pink, uneven breathing... She was an irresistible sight. Ashu could not restraint himself and kissed her eyes one by one, then her cheeks and then he smeared her lower lip with the cream in his fingers and pulled her for a scorching pious lip lock.
He captured the soft petal of her lower pink plump lip in his mouth slowly suckling it, enjoying the taste of the black forest cake on her lips.
Nidhi was left stunned for a second but then her eyelids started drooping and her stiff body staryed relaxing as she started enjoying her first kiss... and the feel of lips on hers was magical... much better than what she had fantasized about how would it feel to kiss Ashu.
Yes! she fantasized and dreamt about Dr. Ashutosh... She was always attracted to him... She doesn't know whether it was love or not but she certainly liked him a lot... much more than a friend... or a senior or her dean... and would certainly love to love him... see him in the shoes of the love of her life and also to be the love of his life.
He had always held a a special place in her heart. The case was not better and different with Ashu. Nidhi had the power to make him feel drawn towards her. Ashutosh's hand slowly and sensously moved on her body. The touch was soft yet left her skin burning that too from upon the fabric of her clothes. Nidhi in a daze moved her arms and wound them around his neck. It was a purely involuntary action as if it was the most natural thing to do at that time. She was feeling some tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. Something she had never felt before.
Ashu entangled his hand in her thick black locks and pulled her head closer to deepen the kiss. His tongue urged her to open her mouth and being new to this, after a few moments she understood what she has to do and she allowed him in her mouth. Her lips had started responding to his kiss matching the passion with which he was kissing her.
Nidhi with her fierce self, confident and stubborn persona, child like innocent smile had wormed her way in his heart and he had started liking her... not only as a junior doc in his hospital or just a friend but much more than that. Ashu in that kiss extracted all the tangy bittersweet taste from her lips greedily.
A shrill voice of his phone ringing brought them back to the present world.
AshNi hastily separated and he quickly moved out of the room to the balcony to answer the call without a backward glance at her. Nidhi came to her senses and sat on the bed recalling everything back that had just transpired between them.
Her hand involuntarily moved to touched her lips still not believing that it has happened for real and it was not one of her umpteen fantasies that caused her disturbed sleep these days. She smiled shyly as she could still feel her lips moulded into his lips.
Ashutosh moved in the room after finishing the call only to see a lost Nidhi smiling slightly to herself. He smirked and quickly rushed in the restroom to freshen up without looking at her.
Ananya frowned at that gesture of his and for a second she doubted if Ashu had really kissed her or was it a dream. She went towards the balcony to get some fresh air. That was the much needed thing by her at that time.
She was thinking why Ashutosh had suddenly behaved so weirdly and indifferently with her. Because he had kissed her? If he did not then why did he not talk to her when he finished the phone call or at least looked at me? Is he regretting the fact that he has kissed his junior or is he feeling bad that he kissed his new found much younger silly friend?
She felt her eyes getting moist.
Her chain of thoughts was broken by the feel of a hand on her shoulder. She gasped at the sudden touch but then realising that it was Ashutosh she quickly blinked back her tears as he turned her towards him.
Her eyes were lowered and he could see the pain and confusion written clearly in her eyes. He could always read her eyes as if her eyes were a mirror to her emotions... the mirror that only showed him what's behind them... in them.
He smiled and tipped her chin up so that he could look into her eyes clearly and sincerely uttered, "Nidhi I know tumhe mere youn tumse baat liye bagair achanak andar chale jaane se bohot bura laga hoga... Abhi andar jo hua use galat mat samajhna... yeh mat samajhna ke maine situation ka ya tumhari dosti ka... tumhare trust ka faayda uthakar tumhe... Dekho Nidhi jab mera phone baja toh ek pal ke liye mere bhi samajh mein kuch nahi aaya... main khud us pal mein itna ulajh gaya tha apne emotions mein... but when I came back in the room and saw you smiling and lost in your own world I was sure that what happened was mutual and nothing wrong. We both are very much attracted towards each other. For me what happened in was pure... it was sacred..."
Nidhi tears which were somehow controlled till now were threatening to spill down anytime due to his sincere words. So he wasn't regretting but he was confused just like her. A tear trickled down her cheek, then second and then the dam was broken... Ashu smiled at her innocence... and wiped the tear with his thumb as he cupped her face.
"Nidhi main tumhe pasand karne laga hoon... sirf ek dost ki tarah nahi par usse kai zyada... main nahi jaanta ke it's love, infatuation or whatever... but I love it when you are with me... I crave for your company... For your attention, your friendship... Infatuation ki umr toh na meri hai na tumhari... but for me it's not anything less than love... main apne past ki memories ke chalte... unme itna entangled hone ki wajah se tumse thoda waqt chahta hoon... is khoobsurat ehsaas ko tumhare saath samajhna chahta hoon... I want you by my side as my companion... and I can feel Nidhi that it's the same with you... I guess..."
He stopped for a moment to search the answer in her eyes. Nidhi when realised that he is asking her the same with his eyes smiled and nodded her head slightly. She was feeling a lump in her throat and words were stuck somewhere down in with that lump.
On her nod Ashu too smiled and continued "Nidhi I want to tell you that you are very special to me and you hold a special place in my heart... woh jagah jo shayad kabhi maine kabhi bhi kisi ko bhi nahi di thi... I feel blessed and blissed with you which I have never felt with anyone. ... But I really don't understand what it is. Main baby steps lena chahta hoon. Sab kuch dheere dheere mehsoos karna chahta hoon. And I guess tumhare liye bhi yeh sab pehla ehsaas hai... tum bhi yeh sab pehli baar mehsoos kar rahi ho. Aur agar aisa hai toh we should discover and feel this emotion together... by being at each other's side."
Nidhi couldn't say anything. She couldn't find correct words to express what she was feeling after hearing him baring his heart in front of her... He has so beautifully kept his feelings in front of her, expressing his pain, confusion, liking towards her all in such a lovely way... She was just feeling like a bundle of entangled emotions. But he like that since always, Although being a man of few words, but a master with those few words too. A quality which she so wanted in her to be but alas... always failed in the same.
She just leaned and went into his arms.
"Dr. Ashutosh... I don't know what to say... Aapne itni achhi tarah se apni feelings ko mere same bayaan kar diya par main... I just feel like... my head feels like a bunch of messed up emotions... main bhi aapko pasand karti hoon... bohot zyada karti hoon... par khud bhi nahi samajh paa rahi hoon ki yeh kya hai... kabhi lagta hai infatuation hai... kabhi lagta hai aapko chaahne lagi hoon... pyaar karne... main bhi is ehsaas ko aapke saath samajhna chahti hoon, jaanna chahti hoon, mehsoos karna chahti hoon..." she said and then stopped to lift her face up to look into his eyes.
She continued as he listened to her feelings now... "Mujhe bura nahi laga jab aapne andar mujhe..." she blushed and lowered her eyes as he grinned at her words.
"I know that it was our mutual desire towards each other... par achanak aapke rukhe bartaav se mujhe bohot hurt hua tha but I can understand your fears too..."
Ashu smiled at her innocence. 'Poor soul! She was so hurt by my behavior still she understands me.' Ashu thought.
" And yes I would love to discover much more of these feelings with you by my side... with you as my companion." she sincerely mouthed and smiled.
Ashu hugged her close to himself. She was the best thing in his life... beat thing that had ever happened to him and said "That's like my Nidhi... ek aur baat... aaj jo mazak tumhe kiya tha aise kabhi mat karna. Mana tum mujhe surprise dena chahti thi par aise achanak phone kar ke kehna ki tum mere apartment ke stairs se gir gayi aur tumhe sar par chot aayi hai... main bohot dar gaya tha... I felt as if my life was sucked out of me. Main car ko plane ki tarah bhaga ke dauda dauda tumse milne aaya tha aur tum yaha cake pakadkar muskura rahi thi. I was relieved to see you fit and fine but at the same time you angered me a lot too... Aur isiliye I scolded as soon as I saw you out of tension and anger... Nidhi aage se kuch bhi karna par apni salamati ko leke mazak mat karna. I was scared to the core..."
Nidhi was moved to tears listening his honest confession. She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"Now enough of this crying... hospital se call tha... it's close to 8:00... need to go for my 9 pm surgery. Tumhari bhi night shift hai naa. You freshen up aur phir saath me jate hai." He said and slowly bent down towards her face and kissed her forehead and then pecked at her lips softly.She closed her eyes at that as a warm blush crept up her cheeks. She then opened her lashes and nodded shyly. She was about to go but then turned and kissed his cheek, smiled shyly and rushed to his restroom.
Ashutosh was shocked at that but composed himself as she grinned and said "I will surely get to see something new out of you every day Dr. Nidhi Verma..."
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