“Sh-shourya?”

He snapped out and pulled his hands away.

“Baal sambhalo apne. Baby ko chub rhe the. Darr jaata wo tumhare chudail jaise baalo se.”

(Handle your hair. They are itching the baby. He would get scared seeing your witch like hair.)

The atmosphere lightened again and everyone chuckled. Except for a few people. Mohit noticed. Harshali did too. And Kashish did too.

It had been a month since Harshali’s delivery and Shourya was going mad. The talks about his marriage with Kashish were starting again and he didn’t know how to handle it.

Shourya reached his office and got out of his car only to stop in surprise. Kashish was there. Smiling at him.

“Tum yaha?”

(You’re here?)

“Tumhe surprise dene aayi thi. Kaise ho?”

(I came to surprise you. How are you?)

She asked softly and Shourya smiled. 

“Thik hu. Tum batao.”

(I am fine. You tell.)

“I’m good. umm….Shourya…kal tumhari chhuti hai na?”

(Ummm…Shourya…you have an off tomorrow?)

Shourya nodded and Kashish asked.

“Toh umm…coffee peene chale?”

(So ummm…can we go out for a coffee?)

He froze. She was asking him for a date. And he didn’t know what to do.

“I…ummm….yeah….sure…”

She smiled but then noticed his unease.

“Hey? Sab thik hai na Shourya?”

(Is everything fine Shourya?)

“Anokhi mai-”

(Anokhi I-)

“Kashish! Mai Kashish hu.”

(I am Kashish.)

She stopped and he realised what he said. He blinked and apologized quickly.

“I’m sorry. I know. Kashish I-”

He stopped when he saw Anokhi reach the building but stop short seeing the two together. Kashish noticed his gaze and held his hand, breaking the eye contact between him and Anokhi.

Anokhi too, snapped out and started walking inside.

“Kal milte hai Shourya. Hmm?”

(We will meet tomorrow Shourya.)

He nodded and quickly rushed inside after Kashish left. He called after Anokhi and saw her stop just before she could enter the elevator.

“Kya hua?”

(What happened?)

“Tum…tum please naraaz mat hona. I didn’t know why she came here. I-”

(You…please don’t get upset.)

Anokhi smiled. Shourya stopped.

“Mai kyu naraaz houngi Shourya? Wo fiancee hai aapki. Jab marzi jaha marzi aa skti hai. Mai kaun hoti hu naraaz hone wali?”

(Why will I be upset Shourya? She is your fiancée. She came home wherever she wants whenever she wants. Who am I to get upset?)

“Please! Don’t do this. I know it matters to you. Mai…mai nhi krna chahte ye sab. But I have no option. I-”

(I…I don’t want to do all this.

Anokhi cut him off and said.

“Mujhe kyu farak padega? Wo aapki fiancee hai. Ye aap dono ke beech ki baat hai. Mujhe toh ye samajh nhi aa raha ki aap mujhe ye sab bata kyu rhe hai?”

(Why will it matter to me? She is your fiancée. This is between you two. I don’t understand why you are telling me all this?)

She asked with a painful chuckle, trying to pretend it didn’t hurt.

“Stop pretending Anokhi.”

“I’m not. Why would I pretend? And why are you doing this?”

She asked in a higher tone and he held her shoulders before whispering.

“Because I love you dammit!”

She froze. He did too. He gulped and she kept staring at him in shock. He held her hand and took her outside, away from the prying eyes.

“Kuch bolo, Anokhi!”

(Say something, Anokhi!)

“You…you…what?”

She was shocked. Her mind wasn’t processing what he spoke. Shourya dropped his forehead against hers and whispered.

“I love you! I love you Anokhi! I love you!”

She clutched the lapels of his suit jacket and released a wavered sigh.

“B-but Kashish?”

“I haven’t given any answer yet. Kal milke usse sab clear kr dunga. But I need to tell you this. Jis din se tumne apni feelings ke baare mai bataya hai aur kuch nhi soch paa raha hu. Pehle samajh nhi aaya ki kya hai. But then I realised what it was. I’m in love with you Anokhi.”

(I will clear everything to her tomorrow…..Since the day you’ve told me about your feelings I am not able to think about anything else. At first I couldn’t understand what it is.)

“M-meri feelings? Maine kab-”

(M-my feelings? When did I-)

“You won’t remember…because of that….drug.”

He whispered and clenched his jaw remembering that night. But his eyes softened when he recalled her confession. 

“You’ll talk to Kashish tomorrow? Tell her about us? But agar usne nhi maani toh? What if she is adamant to marry you?”

(But what if she doesn’t agree?)

“I…”

He didn’t know what. He wouldn’t be able to say no. The debt felt too much. He told Anokhi about everything. About why he couldn’t say no earlier and about why he couldn’t say no now.

“Toh agar wo sachme nhi maani toh aap…”

(So if she really doesn’t agree then you…)

Shourya had no answer. Anokhi cupped his face and said.

“Jab aapko iss baat ka jawab mil jaaye toh mujhe bata dena. Mai iss confusion mai nhi reh skti Shourya. Aap usse kal baat kro, decide what you want to do…and tell me what you’ve decided.”

(When you find an answer to this let me know. I cannot live with this confusion Shourya. You talk to her tomorrow, decide what you want to do…and tell me what you’ve decided.)

She caressed his face once and then got out of his embrace, leaving him in deep thought. All day, Anokhi kept to herself and did not meet him.

She entered her apartment and sighed. Just as she put her bag down, she heard the doorbell ring.

Frowning in confusion, she opened the door only for her eyes to widen in surprise.

“Aap yaha kya-”

(What are you-)

She couldn’t even complete her sentence because he had pulled her closer and taken her lips in a hungry kiss.

Anokhi kept looking at him in surprise for a few seconds as he continued to suck her lips. Finally processing what was happening, she closed her eyes and round her arms around him, kissing him back with equal fervour.

Shourya broke the kiss and rested his forehead against her, panting heavily.

“I’m going to tell her about us and I am going to marry you. Even if she disagrees. I want you Anokhi. Only you.”

He said with no hint of any doubt and she hugged him tightly. 

Shourya was sitting in the cafe they decided to meet at. His leg was bouncing due to nervousness. 

“Hi Shourya.”

He heard Kashish’s soft voice. Shourya got up and shook hands with her. She smiled and settled down.

“Kya hua? You look so nervous.”

(What happened?)

She asked and he spoke.

“Listen Anokhi I-”

“Kashish! My name is Kashish, Shourya! And this is the second time you’re doing this.”

She said a little sternly. He could see hurt marred across her features and he knew this was going to be a lot more difficult than he imagined.

He licked his lips which had suddenly turned dry and spoke.

“Right…sorry. Kashish mai…”

(Kashish I…)

“You love her. Right?”

He looked at her in a little surprise. She smiled sadly and said.

“Jab usse pehli baar tumhare ghar pr dekha tha tab nhi samajh aaya tha. Uss din hospital mai…the way you looked at her. Mujhe doubt hua tha. But uske baad tumhe uske saath jab bhi dekha you behaved so normally as if wo sab ek imagination thi. But yesterday….you were so lost into her. I knew.”

(When I saw her for the first time at your home I couldn’t understand. That day in the hospital…the way you looked at her. I had a doubt. But after that you behaved so normally with her as if it were all an imagination. But yesterday…you were so lost into her. I knew.)

A few tears escaped her eyes and he felt the guilt in full force.