"It's not a dream. You're real." I said pinching myself. Preeti felt her heart give a little pump. "yes", she said softly giving a smile. "I'm real", she said and gave a soft peck on the other cheek. "I thought I was dreaming." I said.
Next day, I was smiling, an unknown happiness creeped into me, everything around me looked new, was looking so cool. I didn't go to the office. And the entire day I was in my dreamland. At 4pm my mobile started buzzing. It was from Raj.
"Ha! bol bey, wassup?" I asked. "Hmm... nothing much happened other than training. Baap just come to Irani Cafe' by 6pm, we need to talk something about preeti" Raj said. "Ok, I'll come" I said.
I reached Irani Cafe' @6pm ordered a cup of tea and lit a cigarette. Lucky & Raj arrived at 610 pm. "Hi!" I said. "hi avi" both said in unison. "Tho kya baat hai, whats with preeti that we need to talk." Lucky asked in curiosity. Raj said, "When did you guys started liking each other?"
"I don't know about her but I started liking her since yesterday that's it, why are you asking?"
Lucky said, "preeti has a crush on you". "Haan re, so what happened.." I said. "Well she gave verbal warning to Rachana today to keep herself away from you" Raj said. "What crap are you talking?" I shouted at Raj. Everyone in the hotel stared at us. "What's Rachana saying?" I asked looking at Lucky. Lucky said, "well, the entire day she was silent in the office." "Oh my GOD! what is preeti up to?" I said.
Next day, I was smiling, an unknown happiness creeped into me, everything around me looked new, was looking so cool. I didn't go to the office. And the entire day I was in my dreamland. At 4pm my mobile started buzzing. It was from Raj.
"Ha! bol bey, wassup?" I asked. "Hmm... nothing much happened other than training. Baap just come to Irani Cafe' by 6pm, we need to talk something about preeti" Raj said. "Ok, I'll come" I said.
I reached Irani Cafe' @6pm ordered a cup of tea and lit a cigarette. Lucky & Raj arrived at 610 pm. "Hi!" I said. "hi avi" both said in unison. "Tho kya baat hai, whats with preeti that we need to talk." Lucky asked in curiosity. Raj said, "When did you guys started liking each other?"
"I don't know about her but I started liking her since yesterday that's it, why are you asking?"
Lucky said, "preeti has a crush on you". "Haan re, so what happened.." I said. "Well she gave verbal warning to Rachana today to keep herself away from you" Raj said. "What crap are you talking?" I shouted at Raj. Everyone in the hotel stared at us. "What's Rachana saying?" I asked looking at Lucky. Lucky said, "well, the entire day she was silent in the office." "Oh my GOD! what is preeti up to?" I said.
I was shocked when I heard this. I felt bad, some unknown worry started troubling me. I dialed Rachana's number. "Hi Rachana" I said. "Hi Avi, wassup, how was your day?" She said. "Ha, did nothing at all, except Khana, penaa and sonaa. And what about you?" I asked her. "Me, nothing much, same boring training class. Missed you today anyways. Hey Avinash I need to go outside, I'll call you later. is that ok?" she enquired. "Ok, then bye" I said and hung the call. Then next minute my mobile started buzzing, it was Preeti. "Hi Preeti" I said. "Hi sweetheart, why didn't come to office today" She asked. "I had some work so didn't come" I said. "Hey I was trying your number, I was getting engage tone, with whom were you talking?" she asked. "Yeah, I was talking to Rachana." I said. "Oh OK, whats she saying?" preeti asked. "Nothing much, I called her just like that." I said. " Preeti I need to go out to get some groceries, will call you later ok, bye" I said. "Ok , bye take care".
The next day also Rachana stayed silent, and she didn't talk to me. Sameera said, "Avinash, Preeti called Rachana to her mobile and said not to talk to you." Now I didn't know how to handle the situation, it was becoming worse than I thought. This continued for the entire week. None of us talked to each other.
On Monday, as usual Rachana came on my bike, and our mood was good. We started talking normally and everyone us planned to go to movie after office. The day was fine today. In the evening break, we all met to cafeteria, I was teasing Rachana about how his instructor was showing special interest on her. She got up and chased me down. She held me by my collar teasingly and we were laughing. Preeti came from nowhere and freed me from Rachana's clutches. She said," What are you doing, huh? you wanna kill him or what?" . To this Rachana went back to the table and started crying.
I got so frustrated that I couldn't control myself and shouted at Preeti, "Preeti listen what... I HATE YOU, I never told you I love you. But now I hate you, did you get that? you just know me for a month or so, but you know what I know her from the age of 5 in fact we 6 know each other from childhood. And they mean a lot to me OK!!! what are you trying to show, huh??" and left preeti crying. I walked over to Rachana and said, "Rachana what is this, huh? all this has happened and you didn't even tell me a word about this... don't you know that you guys are more important than anyone else, the reason for alienating me all these days is because some stupid girl says to stop talking to me and you stop, GOD what happened to you?"
Uma and Sameera tried to calm me down but I just walked out saying nothing. Tears started to roll out of my eyes. I head back straight to my home and locked myself in my room.
At 9pm in the night, Raj and Lucky came to my house and took me to Rachana's house. Preeti was also there. She tried to say something, but I ignored her. Sameera came towards me and said, "Avi! you know what, this incident could never have happened if you already told about us to Preeti." I turned towards her and said, "forget telling about us, ask her what made her to behave like this. She never asked me about you guys and I never told about us. Moreover if she had a problem with me talking to Rachana then she should have told to me".
while the argument was going on Preeti stood up and said, "I was a fool to believe whatever others said. My batch mates said that you and Rachana had liking for each other and so I felt insecure and was afraid that I may lose you. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry Rachana, I'm really sorry Avinash this all happened because of my stupidity." And she broke to cry out loud. She turned to me and said, "I'm sorry Avinash, I did all this because I love you and I didn't want to lose you for a stupid reason." She hugged me and cried.......
....................the ENd.....................................
