This is the story of Shivangi and Abhinav.<br /> Two hearts... that once beat for each other. They themselves didn't realize when their story, which began with friendship, transformed into a love filled with depth. But as soon as love took root, life... This is the story of Shivangi and Abhinav.<br /> Two hearts... that once beat for each other. They themselves didn't realize when their story, which began with friendship, transformed into a love filled with depth. But as soon as love took root, life took such a turn that their paths diverged.<br /> <br /> But do relationships nurtured by the heart end so easily?<br /> <br /> Time passed, wounds began to heal... but that incomplete feeling remained alive in some corner of the heart.<br /> And then... fate brought them face to face again.<br /> <br /> Now that the hearts have started beating again, and that old love is reflecting in their eyes...<br /> Is this meeting a second chance?<br /> Will the silence between them be able to transform into words again?<br /> Is a new beginning possible by healing old wounds?<br />
Page 1 of 11
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
Delhi, Sagarpur
"Chaudhary Niwas"—a four-story house built on 50 gaj, its nameplate, written in golden letters, drew attention from afar. Stepping through the gate, a large courtyard lay ahead; a basil plant in the center, and before it stood a woman, a blend of simplicity and dignity. A plain sari, sixteen adornments, and a gentle smile on her face—this was Sandhya Chaudhary, the mistress of this house.
To the right was the drawing-room, to the left the dining area, and a curtain-covered open kitchen. Downstairs was a room and a veranda at the back. The two floors above had four rooms, each with an attached balcony. The uppermost was the terrace—adorned with flowerpots and chairs. Sitting on a chair in one corner was Suresh Chaudhary—around 50 years old, engrossed in the newspaper with a serious expression.
Sandhya ji worshipped the basil plant and, after placing the puja thali in the temple built in the hall, went to the kitchen.
As she was making tea and straining it for everyone, a stern voice reached her ears.
"Sandhya ji, how much longer for our tea?"
Upon hearing the voice, Sandhya ji immediately placed the tea cups on a tray and, coming out, said, "Yes, I'll bring it right away."
Saying this, as she was about to proceed through the hall towards the stairs, someone knocked on the door. She looked towards the gate with a hint of helplessness, then placed the tray on the table and went to open the gate.
As she opened the gate and saw the young man standing there, who appeared to be about 24-25 years old, tall, and good-looking, Sandhya ji looked at him and said with a smile, "Oh Kshitij, son, what brings you here so early in the morning?"
"Namaste, Aunty," Kshitij greeted her respectfully, joining his hands. In return, Sandhya ji affectionately patted his head.
Kshitij's smile widened. "Aunty, Abhi is leaving this evening. I don't get a chance to meet him during the day, so I came early in the morning."
"It was good of you to come. Go, he's in his room. Wake him up, and until then, we'll make tea for both of you."
Kshitij agreed and, with a smile, ran up the stairs towards the room in the farthest corner on the upper floor.
Sandhya ji took the tea and first went into the room downstairs. An elderly woman was sitting on a chair, chanting. Without disturbing her, Sandhya ji placed the tea cup on the table in front of her and left the room.
This was Mrs. Kaushal Chaudhary, his mother-in-law.
As Sandhya ji came out of the room and was heading towards the stairs, her eyes fell on a young girl descending the stairs.
The girl saw her and, coming towards her, smiled and said, "Good morning, Mama."
"Good morning, daughter. You're late today. Your father has been waiting for his tea."
"Sorry, Mom. I was studying late last night, so I just couldn't wake up."
The girl lowered her head and offered an explanation. Hearing her, a smile played on Sandhya ji's lips. She affectionately patted her head and said, "It's alright, dear. Now that you're here, take this tea to your father, and we'll make tea for Kshitij and Abhi."
She finished speaking, handing the tea tray to the girl, Anjali. As she finished speaking, Anjali looked at her with shining eyes and chirped, "Mom, is Kshitij Bhaiya here?"
"Yes, he is, but first, you take tea to your father, and then you can meet your Kshitij Bhaiya."
Hearing Sandhya ji, Anjali readily agreed and, taking the tray, ran upstairs. Sandhya ji watched Anjali go and said with a smile,
"She's twenty years old, but her childishness hasn't left her; it's good, at least her liveliness brings some cheer to the house."
She smiled and went into the kitchen. Anjali ran to the terrace, but as soon as her eyes fell on Suresh ji sitting there, her steps faltered. The smile vanished from her face in an instant. She lowered her head and walked towards him with slow steps.
"Papa, your tea," hearing Anjali's voice, Suresh ji looked up, first glancing at her serious face, then taking the cup of tea, he said,
"When you came here, you were very happy, and as soon as you came before us, your smile disappeared, why is that, daughter?"
Hearing Suresh ji, Anjali immediately looked up at him and said, "No, Papa, I was late today, so I thought you might be angry. That's why…"
She trailed off, perhaps not knowing what else to say. Suresh ji also didn't react much and started drinking his tea. Anjali stood there holding the tray, but inwardly she wanted to leave as soon as possible. Understanding her restlessness, after a while, Suresh ji looked up at her and said,
"If you have to go somewhere, you can go."
Anjali immediately shook her head in denial, "No, Papa, I don't have to go anywhere. Kshitij Bhaiya is here, I just want to meet him, I'll meet him later."
"Kshitij has come?"
"Yes," Anjali readily agreed. Neither Suresh ji said anything further, nor did Anjali. When their tea was finished, Anjali placed the empty cups back on the tray and went downstairs.
Meanwhile, Sandhya ji had made more tea. She put two cups of tea and some snacks on a plate and sent them to her son Abhi's room, where Kshitij was at that moment.
No response from Groq.
"But the truth is, you are the son of this house. So, if you talk such nonsense again, I will stop coming here."
Kshitij had said this with mild anger. Perhaps he was displeased with what Abhinav had said. Abhinav had smiled faintly at him but said nothing. His silence seemed strange to Kshitij, but he couldn't figure out what to say.
An awkward silence fell, which Anjali broke. She got up from the bed, looked at Abhinav, bowed her head, and said,
"Sorry, Bhaiya."
"No need for sorry," Abhinav stopped her before she could say anything else. Anjali no longer dared to say anything. After a few seconds of silence, she looked up at him and said,
"Bhaiya, Maa has sent tea for you and Kshitij Bhaiya. Please drink it."
"I don't want to drink it, take it back."
When Abhinav refused, Anjali started to leave with one cup, but Kshitij took the cup back from her and told her to go. Anjali quickly ran away from there.
As soon as Anjali left, Kshitij turned to Abhinav and said angrily,
"What do you want? Why do you wander around with a sulky face twenty-four hours a day? Why do you hurt others by saying such things? You have such a loving sister, can't you be a little loving with her? Don't you value your family today? See, after you leave here, you will understand their importance. Everyone here loves you so much, but you don't say a few loving words to them, keeping your pride aside. But the day you don't have these people, you will yearn for them, but they won't be with you then."
Abhinav gave no response to his words, but a strange emptiness began to appear in his eyes. A strange pain and torment were evident on his face. The pain and torment of losing someone very special.
Abhinav's silence was increasing Kshitij's anger, but when he saw his face and moist eyes, he forgot all his anger in an instant and said in a worried tone,
"Abhinav, why are you like this? Is there something you are hiding from me? If there's a problem, you can share it with me."
"There's no problem, you're thinking too much. I've been like this since childhood. Not worthy of relationships, I am. That's why relationships are snatched away from me. Anyway, forget all this and drink your tea, it's getting cold."
Abhinav had changed the subject. Kshitij understood that Abhinav was avoiding the topic, meaning he didn't want to talk about it, so he also dropped the subject and changed the topic, saying,
"You have your flight in the evening, right?"
"Hmm."
"When is your joining date?"
"Day after tomorrow."
"Will you join as soon as you get there?" Kshitij asked with some surprise, to which Abhinav agreed without any emotion, saying, "Yes, I'm going for work, so what's the point of a holiday?"
"You and your words! You should just marry your work. You'll be happy, and your work will be happy with you."
Kshitij taunted him, but Abhinav, on the contrary, agreed with his statement and said, "I would, but my family has to agree. I have no problem, they will raise objections."
Hearing Abhinav's reply, Kshitij shook his head helplessly, "There's no hope for you."
Abhinav said nothing. Kshitij handed him the tea cup. Abhinav took a few sips reluctantly and put the cup back in the tray.
"Why don't you get your transfer done there too? We'll stay together, work together."
"Hmm, I'll try. You go now, then we'll see what happens next. By the way, you have a flight in the evening, have you packed your bags?"
"No, I'll do it this afternoon."
They were just talking casually when Sandhya Ji's voice came from outside: "Son, you can talk later. Come downstairs after bathing. If you don't come for breakfast on time, your father will be angry."
Hearing the voice, both turned their heads and saw Sandhya Ji standing at the doorway. Perhaps she had come to call them.
Kshitij agreed after hearing her, but Abhinav immediately responded to her words,
"When are they not angry with me, Maa? No matter what I do, I can never get rid of their anger. Everything I say, every habit of mine, every action of mine, everything seems wrong to them."
Hearing Abhinav's response, the helpless Kshitij could only stare at him. His voice held pain and resentment along with anger. When Sandhya Ji heard his words, she tried to explain,
"Son, it's not like that. They are your father; whatever they do, they do it for you, they want what's best for you, son."
"Oh, please Maa, let it be. I don't want such good intentions that force me to live a suffocating life. Whenever I say anything to you about them, you always silence me. You start explaining to me and just defend them, try to understand me sometime. If he is your husband, then I am also your son. But no, you only see your husband."
Hearing his words, Sandhya Ji fell silent. As soon as Abhinav finished speaking, a stern, authoritative voice echoed, "Talk to them respectfully, don't forget they are your mother."
Hearing the voice, concern appeared on Sandhya Ji's face. She turned and saw Suresh Ji standing right behind her. Seeing him, Abhinav's expression became stern. Suppressing his anger, he said in a stern tone,
"You don't need to remind me of that, because I know very well what my relationship is with whom and in what tone I should talk to whom. Anyway, I am talking to my mother, so you have no right to say anything in between, especially not to interrupt my conversation."
Suresh Ji was about to say something when Sandhya Ji grabbed his hand in panic. Suresh Ji's angry gaze now turned towards Sandhya Ji. Sandhya Ji shook her head in refusal, so Suresh Ji glanced at Abhinav standing inside, then looking at Sandhya Ji, he said,
"Your pampered son is getting worse day by day. Before he completely goes out of control, find a nice girl and get him married so that she can come and handle him."
"Yes, I will talk to him."
Sandhya Ji immediately agreed. As soon as Suresh Ji stepped forward to leave, Abhinav's angry voice reached his ears,
"I will not get married."
Suresh Ji heard his words but left without reacting.
Poor Kshitij could only stare with wide eyes at what was happening there. Sandhya Ji now came to Abhinav and lovingly touched his cheek and said,
"Why are you so angry, son? What kind of tone was that to talk to your father? How bad must he feel that everywhere he has respect, but his own son does not respect him."
"Respect has to be earned, Maa, and in my opinion, they have not done anything for which I should respect them. They are not a father to me. Like a dictator, they just want to impose their will on me. Since childhood, they have been running my life according to their wishes, and even now, they want to control me and my life, but I am not a child anymore."
"You said it right, you've grown up. You've grown up so much that now, in your eyes, there's no respect for the father who spent his entire life building your future, nor is there any importance for the words of the mother who gave birth to you after enduring unbearable pain."
Tears welled up in Sandhya Ji's eyes. Seeing her moist eyes, all of Abhinav's anger subsided at once. He reached out to wipe her tears, but Sandhya Ji flicked his hand away.
"Mom…" Abhinav said, writhing in pain, but before he could say anything further, Sandhya Ji's voice, filled with pain and resentment, fell upon his ears.....
"Don't call us Mom... You were right, your husband is more important to us than you because he brought us into this house after marriage. While taking the seven vows with the sacred fire, we promised to stand by him in every situation. Because of him, you and Anjali came into our lives."
"Whatever we have today is because of him. He is our husband, and we haven't given anyone the right to insult him... not even you... But we don't support him just because he is our husband, but because in our eyes, he is right. However, you won't understand him now. The day you become a father, you will understand what he has done for you. And then you will regret your behavior."
"Always remember this, my child, that no parents in the world ever wish ill for their child; they are not their enemies... even if their methods might be wrong, they always want their child's happiness... Yes, sometimes they can also make mistakes, but haven't you ever made a mistake? Haven't they forgiven your mistakes? When they can forgive your thousand mistakes, why can't you forgive their one mistake?"
"What do you think, we don't know why such bitterness suddenly filled your heart for him? We know everything... Perhaps your father was wrong then, but there was his own reason behind what he did, which we cannot tell you. Just understand that he is not your enemy... whatever he did was for you... His method and decision might be wrong, but his intention was not wrong, and one day you too will understand this... We will only pray to God that when you realize your mistake, you are not so far away from your father and family that a return is not possible."
After speaking her piece, Sandhya ji turned and started to leave. Abhinav just kept looking at her.
"I am telling you this for the first and last time. Stay away from whatever girl you meet and talk to. If we find out that even after we have forbidden you, you are still talking to them and meeting them, then this time we are warning you, next time we will directly go and talk to that girl's parents and tell them what their daughter is doing behind their back? After that, you will be responsible for whatever happens to them, and not only that, if you go against our decision, we will send you away from here too..."
"Now you think about whether you want to distance yourself from your family because of one girl, or distance yourself from the girl who just arrived yesterday for the sake of your family and end whatever relationship you have with her right here. Remember that the impact of your decision will not only affect you but will also have consequences for that girl."
Abhinav's ears were echoing with a stern voice. Those were the words Suresh ji had said to him once. Abhinav was lost in that past moment when Sandhya ji's voice reached his ears.
"Come down after bathing, and if possible, apologize to your father for your behavior. At least speak a few loving words to him before you leave... no matter how upset you are, this truth cannot change that he is your father. We hope that from now on, you will not forget this truth while talking to him."
Sandhya ji left from there after saying her piece. Abhinav was still looking in the same direction. He loved his mother dearly, and the thought that her eyes were moist today because of him pained his heart.
Kshitij, who had been trying to understand the situation by listening to everyone's conversation, saw Abhinav standing there like that, and he came closer, placing a hand on his shoulder and said, "Abhi, are you okay?"
"Hmm." Abhinav, composing his emotions, just said that much. After thinking for a few moments, Kshitij spoke again.
"Abhi, what's the problem between you and Uncle? Ever since I've known you, I've also noticed that there is a lot of bitterness in your heart towards him. If you can tell me, I would like to know what happened between him and you that you talk to him so rudely, even though your nature is not like that at all."
Abhinav listened to him silently, then let out a deep sigh, turned his head towards him, and said, "Nothing much... He did what perhaps every father does, but I was the one who objected to his decision... If you look at it, I made a bigger mistake than he did."
"What is it? And what wrong did you do?" Kshitij was a bit confused by his words. Abhinav, trying to evade the topic, said,
"Let it be for now, I'm not in the mood to recall those things. We'll talk about me some other time when I'm free. You go down now, I'll come after bathing."
Kshitij couldn't say anything. Abhinav took off the wristband he was wearing and placed it on the dressing table and started to pick out his clothes when Kshitij's voice reached his ears.
"It's okay if you don't tell me that, but at least tell me what's so special about this band that you don't separate it from yourself even for a moment. For the last five years that I've been with you, I've seen that no matter what happens in the world, even if you forget the most important things, you never forget this band. It's always seen on your wrist. Is there something special about this band that you keep it so carefully and always with you?"
Abhinav stopped taking out his clothes upon hearing his question and turned towards Kshitij, who was standing holding his bracelet and looking at it.
Abhinav turned his gaze back towards the wardrobe and said, "There is something special. You have time until I return after bathing; if you can find out, then find out what's special about it."
Abhinav took his clothes and entered the bathroom, looking at him. Kshitij first looked at him in surprise, then looked at the bracelet in his hand.
In that bracelet made of Rudraksha beads, he couldn't see anything different or special.
After a while, Abhinav came out of the bathroom after bathing, but Kshitij was still looking at the bracelet, appearing troubled.
"What happened? Didn't you find anything special?"
Kshitij turned his gaze towards Abhinav and said with a frown, "You're fooling me, aren't you? This is just a normal bracelet; I didn't see anything special or different in it."
"Stop trying pointlessly, because either I can understand what's special in it, or the person who gave it."
Kshitij looked at Abhinav and said with a frown, "You're kidding me, right? This is just a normal bracelet, I don't see anything special or different about it."
"Stop trying to be clever, because only I or the person who gave it can understand what's special about it."
As he said this, Abhinav's expression softened slightly. Kshitij was watching him intently. Hearing Abhinav's words, he asked, looking at him with suspicion,
"Who gave you this bracelet?"
"Someone you don't know. I'll tell you when you do. Now stop obsessing over my bracelet and go downstairs, I'll be ready in two minutes."
Abhinav snatched the bracelet from his hand, pushed him out of the room, and locked the door from the inside. Kshitij looked at the closed door with a pout and left.
Abhinav now looked at the bracelet, and a faint smile touched his lips. He put it back on and walked towards the bed. Opening the bottom drawer of the side table, he started searching for something. After searching for a few moments, he took out a photo that was hidden at the very bottom and looked at it with great affection.
This photo was exactly like the one Shivangi had, the only difference being that in that photo, Shivangi was pulling Abhinav's cheeks and giggling, while in the photo Abhinav had, Abhinav was lovingly gazing at Shivangi, who had pouted her mouth. Perhaps she was asking Abhinav to do something, but he hadn't.
Looking at the picture, a sweet voice echoed in Abhinav's ears once again,
"I'm angry with you now... See, my photo got ruined because of you, I won't keep it now."
"You're getting angry for no reason. Look how lovely and cute you look in this. I actually like this photo even more than the previous one."
"That's good. Then you keep it, and cherish it always. I'll keep one, you keep the other, and when we get married, we'll hang both these photos together in our room."
A strange sadness washed over Abhinav's face. He put the photo back in the drawer and went downstairs after getting ready.
He saw his grandmother and went to her, smiling, and said, "Good morning, Grandma."
"Live long, my son," she said, patting his head lovingly. Anjali was watching them both with wide eyes. In front of his grandmother, Abhinav seemed like a completely different person. But the next moment, he became normal, as this wasn't the first time.
Abhinav had such a relationship with his grandmother, but why he was so comfortable and calm with her, and so rude to everyone else, remained a mystery to Anjali even today.
Meanwhile, when Sandhya ji saw Abhinav smiling, a sense of relief spread across her worried face. Suresh ji was also there, but his face was expressionless.
Abhinav glanced at Sandhya ji. Sandhya ji averted her gaze from him with displeasure and started serving food to Suresh ji.
A strange sadness spread across Abhinav's face. His anger towards Suresh ji had grown so much for some reason that he could no longer speak to him directly, even if he wanted to. When there is bitterness in the heart, how can sweet words come out of the mouth? But he loved Sandhya ji very much. He couldn't bear her displeasure, and for his mother, he had to bow down to Suresh ji, which was a very difficult task for him.
For a while, he kept looking at Abhinav, sometimes at Sandhya ji, sometimes at Suresh ji, then he clenched his fists, forced himself greatly, and looking at Suresh ji, said,
"I needed to talk to you about something."
Along with Suresh ji, everyone else's gaze also turned towards Abhinav, because he hadn't mentioned whom he was talking to, but his eyes were fixed on Suresh ji.
Suresh ji's expression changed abruptly, and then the same expressionless face appeared before everyone again, making it impossible to understand what was going on in his mind.
Abhinav struggled to put his words together, which Sandhya ji understood perfectly. For a moment, Abhinav looked at Suresh ji, then said emotionlessly,
"Sorry... I spoke rudely to you upstairs... but don't worry, if I leave today, no one will come to be rude to you."
Saying this, Abhinav quietly went and sat on the chair next to Kshitij. Anjali, who had been observing the tension between her brother and father for a long time, was not particularly affected. A deep sadness washed over Sandhya ji's face. She had explained so much to Abhinav, but it was of no use. She was about to interrupt him when Suresh ji refused to say anything with his eyes.
Sandhya ji remained silent, but her face clearly showed worry. Suresh ji's expression had not changed. He glanced at Abhinav, then returned his attention to his food. Sandhya ji served food to everyone, but didn't sit down herself. Abhinav then came and made her sit, and while serving her food, said in a low voice,
"I apologized to him for your happiness only. Don't expect more than this from me and don't be angry, because I cannot leave here being angry with you."
Sandhya ji watched him with teary eyes, but Abhinav didn't look up at her even once. After serving her food, he asked her to eat and sat down in his chair. An awkward atmosphere had settled there. Somehow, they had breakfast, and then Suresh ji left for his office. Kshitij also had to go to the bank. Abhinav, along with Kshitij, had also been promoted to the manager's post, but only Abhinav had been transferred to the Nainital branch. Kshitij had to work at his previous bank, so he also left.
As Anjali was about to leave for college, Abhinav went outside with his bike keys. As soon as Anjali stepped forward to stop an auto, Abhinav called out to her from behind,
"Hey, Chutki, come on, I'll drop you to college today."
At first, Anjali was startled by Abhinav's voice, then hearing 'Chutki' from his mouth, her eyes widened in surprise, and when he said he would drop her at college, Abhinav's surprise knew no bounds.
She turned towards Abhinav and, staring at him with wide eyes, asked in astonishment, "You... you called me Chutki?"
"Why can't I? Did you forget? I gave you this name because you were as small as a mouse, and even though you've grown older today, your height is still just a span. So, you are indeed Chutki."
Abhinav replied nonchalantly. Anjali, who was perhaps surprised and also emotional hearing him call her 'Chutki', because she herself couldn't remember when Abhinav had last called her by this affectionate name, a name that had always belonged only to him.
But as soon as she heard Abhinav's entire explanation, her expression completely changed. Her wide eyes suddenly became small, and glaring at him, she asked angrily,
"I am just a span tall?"
"Absolutely. Come on, let's measure and see who is taller?"
No response from Groq.
Anjali remained clinging to Abhinav for some time. She didn't even remember when was the last time she had been stuck like this to her brother's chest. Today, after being in Abhinav's chest, she felt a sense of peace which she wanted to reside deep within her heart. Despite her unwillingness, her eyes started shedding tears.
When you don't have any thing, relation or a person with you, you don't feel its absence as much as you feel when that thing, relation or person is with you but still far. When someone is far from you even after being with you, their absence troubles you more. It was the same with Anjali. He had a brother, but she always yearned for his love. So, today when she received her brother's love, she couldn't stop herself and tears started flowing from her eyes.
For some time, Abhinav stroked her back silently. He understood that his little sister was still very emotional. So, he didn't say anything and didn't even try to stop her. But when even after some time, Anjali continued crying, Abhinav reacted according to his nature.
"That's enough, little one! Now, are you going to cling to me like a gecko? And what's with all this crying? I know very well that when you cry, your nose starts running, and you're clinging to me just because of that. I understand everything. You're just using my hug as an excuse and actually, you want to wet my shirt with your tears and clean your running nose in my shirt. But I won't let you do that... now move away and leave me, or you will clean your nose in my shirt with your tears and make it dirty."
Anjali took her face out of his chest and looked at him in surprise. Her small nose had become red like a tomato.
Abhinav held her shoulders and moved her away, making a stern face. At first, Anjali looked at him with tear-filled eyes, but as she understood what Abhinav meant, her face turned red with anger.
"You... you are very bad... my nose runs, and you see, now I will really make your shirt dirty."
Anjali said angrily while staring at him and moved towards him. But Abhinav immediately caught her small face with his hand and moved her away, saying, "I was just joking, you know. You weren't stopping to calm down, so what else could I do?"
Anjali was quite annoyed. A while ago she was clinging to her brother and now she was enraged with him. She pushed his hand away and turned her face to another side.
Abhinav listened to her while smiling. Abhinav said in seriousness, "How can I be Ravana with ten heads? I only have one."
Anjali immediately replied while pouting, "The other nine are not visible, but you are still Ravana with ten heads."
Abhinav's face showed a mysterious smile. He turned Anjali towards him and said while smiling, "Okay, then if I am Ravana, then you are Surpanakha, because Ravana's sister was Surpanakha. But her nose was cut, whereas your small nose is completely fine."
Abhinav pulled and stretched her nose and made her smile. Earlier she was annoyed, now she got even more annoyed. She removed his hand from her nose and said, "Don't talk to me; otherwise, I will hit you."
Abhinav's expression changed. He looked at her with narrowed eyes and raised his eyebrow, saying, "So, you're going to hit your elder brother?"
Anjali became calm seeing his stern expression and said while pouting, "Are you intentionally troubling me? I won't talk to you now."
Anjali pouted again. Abhinav caught her hand and pulled her close. He then cleaned her tears with his fingers and said, "You can be annoyed, but don't cry anymore. I don't know how to calm people down; otherwise, I will have to crack another joke and you will get even more annoyed. And I don't want you to be annoyed."
Abhinav seemed quite calm. His eyes showed love and concern for Anjali. She looked at him silently for a while and then said while pouting, "But I am still annoyed with you. You called me 'Chuhiya', and 'Chhipkali' and said that my nose runs."
"Well, it does run; what's wrong with that?"
Anjali looked at him angrily on hearing his nonchalant reply. She then moved away and said, "My nose runs; so stay away from me; otherwise, you will have to clean it in your clothes."
"Do it; I will get it washed by you."
Abhinav sat on the bike and said while putting on the helmet, "Now come on; let's go. I have to complete some tasks after dropping you."
Anjali, who was already standing while pouting, heard Abhinav and said while pouting, "So go; go and do your tasks; I will go to college myself. You don't have to trouble yourself to drop me."
Anjali showed her attitude to Abhinav. He turned his head, looked at her and said while showing his eyes, "No drama... listen to what I say and sit silently. I am dropping you today; that's it. By the way, it's not often that I get a chance to ride my bike with you, so no need to show more attitude."
Anjali got scared of his eyes and sat behind him, still showing her annoyance; she didn't hold him. Abhinav looked at her in the mirror and then said while starting the bike, "Hold tight; otherwise, I will move ahead and you will end up in Mother Earth's lap while waving in the air."
The bike moved with a jerk and Anjali actually felt like falling. She held Abhinav's shoulder tightly and said while being annoyed, "Can't you say any thing lovingly? Is it necessary for you to show your rotten attitude in every conversation?"
"Those who don't listen to talks, listen to kicks; and those who don't listen to love, don't listen at all; they only understand this language."
Abhinav gave a witty reply. Anjali understood what he meant and pouted. She looked at his back silently for some time and then slid forward slowly. She put her head on his back and closed her eyes.
It indeed felt very soothing when she sat behind Abhinav. And it was her first time sitting behind his bike; or maybe she didn't remember it earlier, so it was a completely new experience for her that she was enjoying thoroughly.
Abhinav's lips also showed a soothing smile. Years ago, something happened due to which he started to be far from everyone. Relations started to break down. He realized it today and wanted to fix these broken relations before leaving.
When Abhinav dropped Anjali at her college, she said 'bye' and went inside. Abhinav asked her to inform him when she was free; he would come to pick her up. Anjali smiled and agreed.
After leaving her college, Abhinav rode towards home.
Sundhya, who had heard the whole conversation between Abhinav and Anjali, felt some relief on seeing the sibling relationship getting mended. But she was deep in worry due to Abhinav's nature.
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
Shivangi's lips curved into an involuntary smile. After so much waiting, she had heard her name today, and it was the same person who had given her this name who had called her by it. All of Shivangi's restlessness vanished in an instant. A wave of peace washed over her face. She composed herself, wiped her tears, turned towards Abhinav, and with a slight smile on her lips, said,
"Hi."
Though her lips were smiling, her eyes still held a trace of moisture.
After looking at Abhinav for a few moments, Shivangi spoke again, "Long time no see."
Abhinav, who had been looking at her teary eyes, agreed to her statement with a false smile, "Hmm, long time no see… How are you?"
"I am perfectly fine, like always."
"Good."
Abhinav fell silent after saying this. Only they knew how difficult it had been to exchange these few words. But now both were struggling to find more words. Kaki, standing by the side, was watching them both.
Abhinav's nature was such that he wouldn't say much, so even after thinking a lot, he couldn't figure out what to say next, or perhaps he was hesitant to talk to her.
After a period of silence, Shivangi initiated the conversation,
"How are you?"
"I am right in front of you, look."
Hearing Abhinav's question, Shivangi looked him up and down, then said with a faint smile,
"You look different."
"Hmm, I have changed a lot with time."
Then, after a moment of silence, looking at Shivangi, he said, "By the way, you have also changed a lot. You look quite mature."
"Thanks, but time and circumstances make one mature."
"Hmm."
Once again, a deep silence fell between them, and a strange sadness appeared on their faces. Shivangi began to fidget with her fingers, her gaze wandering, while Abhinav’s eyes were fixed on Shivangi's face. Shivangi was aware of this, and that was why her heart was beating faster than usual.
For a few moments, both were lost in search of words, then they simultaneously asked, "You here…"
They both asked the same question and when they realized it, they fell silent together. A faint smile appeared on their lips involuntarily. Seeing Abhinav silent, Shivangi said with a smile,
"I asked first, and ladies first, so you tell me first, how did you come straight to Nainital from Delhi?"
"Unfortunately, I was promoted and transferred just a few days ago. I have been appointed as the manager at the PNB branch about half a kilometer from here. I joined duty today itself."
Abhinav replied casually. Hearing his answer, Shivangi smiled and rounded her lips, saying, "Oh, nice! Congratulations!"
"Thanks. Now you tell me, how are you here?"
"I have been here for the last several years. I work as a Marketing Manager at ASN Beauty Company, and I live here."
"Good."
Both were trying hard to appear normal, but the uneasiness was clearly visible on their faces. They were feeling a significant lack of words, or perhaps they were confused about what to say and what not to say.
Abhinav watched Shivangi silently for a few moments, then looked around the house and said,
"So, this is your house?"
"Hmm."
Shivangi also gave a short answer while looking at the house. Upon her affirmation, Abhinav continued,
"It's good; you finally fulfilled your dream. You wanted to settle in a place like this, right?"
Hearing Abhinav’s question, Shivangi looked at him, startled, and said in surprise,
"You still remember?"
"I can never forget anything related to you."
These words slipped out of Abhinav's lips involuntarily, hearing which Shivangi's eyes widened in surprise, and she exclaimed in astonishment,
"What did you say?"
Seeing Shivangi's reaction, Abhinav realized that he might have said something wrong in his absentmindedness. He immediately corrected his mistake and said with a smile,
"I meant to say that some things are remembered."
"Hmm, you said it right; some things are remembered no matter how hard you try to forget them."
Shivangi got lost in her own thoughts. Perhaps something was going on in her mind. Abhinav watched her for a few moments, trying in vain to understand what was on her mind, then he said seriously,
"This house is yours, isn't it?"
He repeated the same question. Hearing his voice, Shivangi snapped out of her thoughts. She cast confused glances at Abhinav, who then began to continue,
"I came to know that the owner of this house is looking for a paying guest. The bank is quite close to here, so if you don't have any problem, please allow me to stay in the room you wanted to rent out. I will pay whatever rent you ask."
Abhinav got straight to the point, which felt very awkward for him to do, but he desperately needed a place to stay, and this was the only option he had at the moment. Hence, he had to talk to Shivangi.
Hearing Abhinav, Shivangi first fell into thought, then said in a slightly troubled tone,
"Actually, we didn't want to rent out the room… it's a single room, so no one will be able to adjust there."
"You don't worry about that… I will manage."
Abhinav replied quickly, hearing which Shivangi seemed troubled again, thinking about something. When Abhinav was standing at the gate, he had heard some of Shivangi's conversation. Seeing Shivangi troubled, he guessed her worry and said,
"You don't need to worry. You won't be disturbed at all because of me. I will be out all day; I just needed a decent place to spend the night. If you still have a problem with me staying here, then let me stay for a few days, and I will leave as soon as I find another place to stay."
Hearing Abhinav, Shivangi looked at him. Abhinav's innocent face, which she once adored, was in front of her again. Shivangi found it strange to think that she would be living in the same house, under the same roof as Abhinav, perhaps that's why she couldn't make a decision. But when Abhinav requested her, she couldn't refuse and agreed, saying,
"No need to leave. The room is empty anyway, you can stay here as long as you wish without hesitation. And for food and drinks…"
Before Shivangi could finish her sentence, Abhinav interrupted her, saying,
"I will manage… you don't need to worry, I will eat outside."
Shivangi did not seem to like his words. But now she had no right to say anything to him, so she agreed to his statement and said,
"As your wish… Actually, I was going to say that since there's only one kitchen, you could have your meals with us. As you wish, I thought you still wouldn't prefer outside food, so I just said that, but perhaps your habits have also changed with time."
Sadness was evident on Shivangi's face, which she tried her best to hide. Abhinav looked at Shivangi for a moment, then hesitantly said,
"My habits haven't changed; I just didn't want to trouble you because of me. But if you are saying so, then it's fine. Add whatever expenses for my food and drinks to my rent, I will pay."
Abhinav had said it formally, and he was right in his place. It was different before, but now they didn't have a special relationship, so he felt this was appropriate and said so, but Shivangi didn't like his formal behavior. Unhappiness surfaced on her face, and she said with slight anger and displeasure,
"If you have so much money, then go and stay in a hotel. I haven't opened a hotel here that I will charge you for your food or stay… I am not short of money right now, nor did I want to keep a paying guest in my house. And if it were someone else in your place, I would have shown them the door long ago.
I gave you permission to stay here not for money… I don't need your money, nor am I going to rent out that room. That room is empty, and you need a place to stay, that's why I gave you permission to stay. If you really want to give money, then there's no need for you here; the door is open, you can leave from here.
Because I don't need to take money from you to stay here, nor am I going to charge for food. You can stay here just like I do. Kaki makes my meals, she will cook for you too, that too without money. If you agree, then it's fine, otherwise, there's no need to waste my time; the door is open, you can leave from here and find a nice hotel where they charge for stay and food.
Shivangi seemed quite upset. Suddenly her tone had changed, and Abhinav stared at her, wide-eyed, surprised and confused.
Shivangi fell silent after speaking her mind and glared at him angrily. After a while, Abhinav understood the reason for her anger, and with that, his lips curved slightly,
"You haven't changed even today."
"I am not a season that I change moment by moment. I am a human being, and I am the same today as I was five years ago."
Hearing Shivangi's angry response, Abhinav's smile widened. Looking at the angry Shivangi, he said with a smile,
"Hmm, you said it right. By the way, I accept your condition. I won't pay for my stay and food here, but allow me to bring kitchen supplies… I know you don't need it, but I won't feel good staying here like this, so I am just saying that if you need anything in the house or kitchen, let me know, I will bring it."
Abhinav clarified his intention before Shivangi could misunderstand anything. Shivangi thought for a moment, then agreed, saying,
"Okay, so that you don't feel awkward staying here, you contribute one-third of all the expenses for the house and kitchen."
"Okay, and thanks."
"You're most welcome."
Shivangi replied reluctantly, then said something that surprised Abhinav.
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
A\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
The girl's eyes narrowed with anger as she saw the boy's attitude. She felt like hitting him on the head, but it was the first day of school and she didn't want to create a scene. So, she took a deep breath, calmed down, and tapped on the desk again, "Excuse me."
"Yes, please," the boy replied gruffly, looking at her with narrowed eyes.
The girl controlled her anger and spoke calmly, "Actually, I was supposed to sit here."
"Sorry, but you can't sit here now, so find another seat," the boy said in the same tone. This made the girl's anger boil over, and she glared at him, "Why? Did you buy this seat or is your name written on it? I've always sat in the second seat, so I'll sit here today."
The girl pushed the boy aside and sat down, while the boy looked surprised and then glared at her with anger. The girl smiled triumphantly, enjoying her victory.
The students around them watched with wide eyes. The boy was about to say something when the bell rang, signaling it was time for prayer. The students slowly left, and the boy continued to glare at the girl, who winked at him.
The boy took a deep breath, stood up, and left the room. The girl burst out laughing and walked out, swaying to her own rhythm.
After prayer, the students returned to their classroom. When the girl sat down, she found her bag was missing, and the boy was sitting on the entire bench, completely ignoring her. She quickly realized he must have taken her bag. Her face turned red with anger, and she glared at him before searching for her bag.
She found it on the last bench in the corner. As she was about to confront the boy again, the teacher entered the classroom. The students greeted her, and she asked them to sit down.
The teacher took out a list from her file and said, "Stand up and line up. When I call your name, come and sit in the seat I'll indicate." The students reluctantly agreed, knowing they would have to sit according to their roll numbers and move away from their friends.
As the students sat down, the boy's number was called, and to his dismay, he had to sit in the same seat where he had argued with the girl earlier. The girl was thrilled and happy about the coincidence.
The teacher introduced herself and asked the students to introduce themselves. When it was the girl's turn, she turned to the boy and said, "Hi, I'm Shivangi, Shivangi Rai."
The boy looked at her, then at her outstretched hand, and stood up to sit on the last bench, ignoring her greeting. Shivangi looked at him in surprise and then shrugged, pulling out her notebook and starting to write.
The day went by like this, with the boy sitting in his seat when the teacher was present and moving to the back when she wasn't. Shivangi tried to talk to him several times, but he didn't respond. She thought maybe he liked being alone and left him alone.
Days turned into weeks, and Shivangi continued to try to talk to him, but he remained aloof, rarely speaking to anyone. Shivangi found his behavior off-putting but couldn't help being affected by his silence. It was as if a connection was forming between them, but neither of them realized it.
