Ishqiya - Chapter 16: Chapter 16

• Simran's POV •
"Arre koi light bhi laga yega ya vho bhi ham hi lagaye"
(translation: Hey, will someone get the lights installed or will I install that too?)
I was abruptly woken up from my short nap by my mother ranting at my father again. I rubbed my eyes with my fist to get a clear vision and walked towards the bathroom. Taking a refreshing shower I dressed in a simple kurti and walked towards the kitchen for my evening tea. Tea was my love. I couldn't function properly with tea in my system after waking up.
"arre tumhi toh utt jao re, papa ko toh tumhare yaad rhta nhi hai, khud ki mithai ki dukan hone ka kya hi fayda. At least lene dene wala soan-papdi hi na laa do. Per Nah! laad Sabah ho phone per tick tick karne se fursat hi kaha hai. Ham na iss ghar meh pagla jayenge"
(translation: at least you get up, your Papa doesn't remember anything, what is the use of even owning a sweet shop. At least bring some soan-papdi . But No! Laad Sabah is not getting relief from ticking the phone tick by tick. I am going to go mad in this house.)
The moment I stepped inside the kitchen I heard mummy going on and on about how irresponsible the rest of the family members were. She started from yelling at Papa to scolding and taunting Aryan. Uff
"bas mummy, itna hyper mat ho aap. Ham jakar le aate hai mithai aur baaki ka sara saman aap bas list de dijiye", I tried pacifying her. She looked pissed at first but her anger melted once she saw me. Her eyes softened and she passed me my evening tea cup.
(translation: Mummy, don't be so hyper. I will go and get the sweets and all the other items, just give me the list.)
"Ek tum hi toh ho yaha, warna kisiko koi fikar hai bhala. Ek vho behen hai tumhari jiska pura dhyan kaan meh thhepi lagakar sangeet sunne meh hai. Hey Ram! Kya hoga mera iss ghar meh", she massaged her head and sat on the stool placed beside the aate ka dabba.
(translation: It's you who is here, who else cares about me? See your sister who's full attention is in listening to the music . Hey Ram! What will happen to me in this house?)
I consoled her for some time and passed her a glass of water. Festive season for always hectic and my mother hated the slagging nature the most. She wanted everything up to the mark. Each and every corner should be cleaned to the utmost perfection. Not even a tiny particle of dust should be visible. I shook my head and took the list from above the fridge and walked out of the door towards the market.
On the way, my phone rang and a smile adorned my lips. Sumedha
"kaisi ho? Thik se pahuch gyi?", she questioned from the other side. "Ha thik se pahuch gye", I replied back
(translation: How are you? Did you reach well?
: yes I arrived safely)
"Vaise, when will you return?", I asked. "Most probably after chhath, maybe you would be gone by then", she answered
Sumedha still works in West Bengal while mine is in some other state. Every year she travels to her village during Diwali to celebrate the festival as well as Chhath Puja. We haven't met properly since the last time I visited home. Either she was traveling or I wasn't in the state. The busy schedule and career priorities kept us from having a proper meet and greet. Without Sumedha I knew I wouldn't go to any of the school reunions no matter how much they insisted on me. I terribly miss our good old times. I don't know when did we grew so old that now it takes lots of planning to even have a proper phone conversation.
"that's sad, I was planning to meet you at least this time", my tone came out more dejected than I intended to. "Don't worry, I'll try to come back a day early then. Moreover, you already have someone to give you company. Then why would you even miss me in his presence", her tone went from all sensible to teasing in the end.
"Kuch bhi yaar Sumedha. Tumko pata hai na Aisa kuch nhi hai.", the sheer mention of him was enough to make my insides feel giddy. Even after years he still had that effect on me.
(translation: Anything Sumedha. You know it's not like that)
I remember those embarrassing moments. Those fearful and sneaking glances. Those nostalgic moments. He was special, he indirectly made me feel special. Because he was my first childhood crush, the first ever being who made my heart twist a bit. He made me feel emotions I didn't even know I was capable of feeling.
Like a warm embrace on a cold winter night, like an umbrella in a stormy rain, like the soothing breeze of spring, like the shattering leaf of autumn, like the blazing sun of summer, he became my everything.
But then a storm hit us like a disaster. Ruining everything, shattering my heart, breaking me into pieces which led my heart to crack into several small pieces but the hopeless soul in me still preserves my broken pieces in a glass box, with a hope that someday, somewhere we'll still collide paths and he would fix those pieces again.
I was so lost after disconnecting the call that I didn't know when I bumped into someone making me lose my balance. But before I could kiss the ground and embarrass myself in the middle of the bustling market I was pulled by my forearm and a warm presence surrounded me.
My eyes closed on its own accord but I forced my lashes open when I felt myself being steady. My breathing hitched in my throat and I felt as if my lungs forgot to breathe. My heart hammered against my cage and I could hear it in my ear. The pulse on my neck throbbed and a bead of sweat trailed from my forehead down towards my jaw and escaped inside the fabric of my Kurti.
There he stood, as perfect as always, that it made my whole existence insecure about how perfect he was. Tall height, thick eyebrows, long lashes fanning his high cheekbones, long button nose, crooked jaw, luscious black shiny hairs and especially his intoxicating brown eyes. I felt my insides churn and my self-consciousness dizzy because of his velvety smell.
A few minutes ago I was partially arguing with my best friend over him and now I was standing face by face in front of him. My first ever childhood crush, ex crush to be precise. Avinash Thakur
My worst nightmare. I thought I might have forgotten him and his memories but they were still there, as fresh as a deep wound. Standing so close to him reminded me of those days when we sat in the same seat in the tuition classes. We were so close yet still so far then. And I felt it even now.
His potent brown eyes cast a spell on me. Nearly making me breathless. Several emotions floated in them yet I couldn't pinpoint any as I stood almost immobile while he balanced my body while holding me by my forearm, if not for him I would have been on the ground shaking like a lead because of the intensity of the emotions.
I felt tears gathered in the corner of my eyes and I wished he wouldn't have recognised me. Because all he did was give me pain, indirectly. He didn't even know that he was the cause of a lot of things. Cause of my tears, cause of my madness, cause of my hollowness, cause of my everything.
It has always been him. Even when I didn't want it to be. Even when it broke my heart, over and over again. It was always him. It was always Avinash Thakur. It was painful to see him almost after years and still feel those emotions rush back like the metro of Japan. Super fast, exactly on time, not a minute early or late.
I internally slapped myself for joking even in the most serious situation. But I couldn't help it. It was a part of my personality.
I seemed to have lost track of time as we stood almost in the middle of the road. A horn from a vehicle brought me out of my daydreaming and I quickly detached myself from him. I internally winched at the lack of his warmth but I pacified my hopeless heart.
"T-thank you", I cursed myself for shuttering in front of him. A red hue covered my face as I blinked several times looking everywhere but him.
"Wait! Do I know you?", he questioned making my eyes widen. A hint of recognition flashed in his brown orbs but I was quick enough to cover my face with my hair by shaking my head in denial.
I bent down to lift my phone from the ground which I didn't remember ending up there. The last I remember it was in my hand, maybe while I collided with him it might have fallen. How much more clumsier I can get?
"You were in DAV, right? Your name I remember it was something like Sim-", I quickly dashed away from there even before he could complete his statement. He almost did recognise me which I didn't want. If I was the old Simran I would have been dancing knowing that my crush remembers me, but I think situations and priorities changed me over time.
Thanking my stars on the way I reached Papa's shop and passed him a big smile showing all 32 teeth. But even if no matter how much I try to decline, I know his presence did affect me. He was so close, so close that we could even kis-
I slapped my head at my insane thoughts and Papa looked at me weirdly. I just gave him an embarrassed smile.
"Chal abhi tum aa gyi ho toh thoda dukan per dhyan do ham godown se ho aate hai", Papa said as he walked towards the godown. "Ji papa", I whispered to no one in particular busy with my own thoughts.
(translation: you have come now, so pay attention to the shop, I will come from the godown.)
My mind was contemplating whether to call Sumedha or Akshi and inform them about the recent happenings. Sumedha was busy with her family in her village while Akshi was traveling back to her hometown. So Akshi it is.
But before I could click on the screen where her caller id flashed I was interrupted by a masculine voice making me shiver to my bones which I could even recognise in deep sleep.
"Are you still going to avoid me Miss Bhagat ya aapka Luka chuppi ka game khatam hua?", there stood Avinash Thakur opposite to me in all his glory. His hands were stuffed in his pants pocket while his eyebrow was twisted upwards.
(translation: Are you still going to avoid Miss Bhagat or is your look silence game over?)
I bit my lips at the realisation. Iss neh mujhe pehchan kaise liya? I gulped and tried to neutralize my expression. Not this time was I going to let him win because of my foolish emotions. He had that teasing glint in his eyes, two can play the game. Smirk
"I don't know what you are talking about Mr. Aur aap mujhe yaha Tak follow karte hue aa gye?!", it was more of a statement than a question. His eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly that they would go unseen if not for my keen observation of him. I was always observant around him
(translation: I don't know what you are talking about. And you followed me all the way here?!)
"drop the act, Simran. I know you know who I am"
Fck! He knows my name. It means he even remembers all of those embarrassing moments and encounters we had. I was a total monkey back in those days. But the way my name rolled on his tongue, and his heated gaze made my knees feel jelly. Control Simran control
"I don't know what you are talking about and-", I was interrupted mid-sentence by Papa who made his presence known after 1walking inside the counter space.
"Oh Avinash beta tum yaha", papa beamed his huge smile at him, looking at him fondly. "Namastey Uncle", he acknowledged drifting his gaze from me to Papa
(translation: Oh Avinash beta you here)
And I prayed to every God I could remember. But none seemed to be on my favor as Papa decided to pour water on my plan.
"Simmy beta tumne isse pehchana nhi? Avinash Thakur your senior from school. You were in the same tution as well", papa said so fondly looking at me and I almost felt like crying.
(translation: Simmy, didn't you recognize him? Avinash Thakur your senior from school. You were in the same tuition as well)
Avinash stared at me with a victory smirk and I just stood there like a deer caught in headlight. I almost felt like a cat in cold water.