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"...jitna dhruv ke khush hone se lagtha tha."
"matlab? Tumhe uske maarne se darr nahin lagtha tha?"
"haan par uthna nahin jitna uski khushi se." Mayank looked at her not able to understand how she couldn't be affected by dhruv physically assaulting her.
The mobile rang , sounding loud in the silent evening. Nupur shook at the sudden noise and mayank looked at the phone- flashing SAMRAT. Not wanting to break the flow of talk , he disconnected and switched it off.
" samrat," he answered her questioning look. Moving closer to her , mayank placed his hand on her cheek. It felt cold.added to that she sneezed twice.
"nupur tumhe tho itna cold lagraha hain. Sorry . Main kya yeh sab... chalo," he got up and pulled her up as well. Removing her dupatta, he wrapped it around her covering as much of her ears and face as he could and he led her fast back, towards their house without talking.
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MN room.
Mayank tucking up nupur inside the blanket. Nupur still looking a little lost, though she is aware that mayank is feeling guilty for making her stand in the cold.her eyes were red and she ept sniffing often.
" maa so gayi haina?"
" haan. main tumhaare liye garam milk leke aatha hoon. Tum so mat jaana."
"unhone bhi mujhe chillathe deha kya? " she sniffed.
"nahin. Main abhi aaya."
" mayank, mujhe kuch nahin chahiye. Main teek hoon. "
he stood up in front of her saying," phir se ?? kya teek ho? Shiver karrahi thi raasthe mein."and turned to go.
"wo cold ke wajah se nahin tha." she replied her voice low.
Mayank stopped , turned back and found her looking at him with some kind of an expectant look. He sat down next to her on the bed and asked," tho?"
nupur sat up a little, placed her hand on his and asked ," mujhe laga ki tum mujhse gussa ho mayank. Isiliye darr gayi thi."
mayank stared at her, was this the same girl who fought with his anger till she won him over.
"nupur, main tumse gussa bhi hota hoon tho bhi tumhe darrne ki kya zaroorat hain?" he pressed her hand in his own," tumhe tho mujhse ladayi karni chahiye"he tried to smile.
She stared ," ladaayi?" And gave a slight laugh," pata hain mayank, jab maine pehli baar dhruv ke saath jagda kiya tab ... tab usne itni zor se chillaya ki...jaise koi junglee jaanvar ho! "
mayank though he had had no intentions of asking her anything else again, asked" tumne kis baare mein jagda kiya?" just to keep her talking. He was curious but at the same time thought he had heard enough for a day.
she swallowed showing some signs of her pain,"kyunki usne kahaan ki tum mujhe bhool chuke ho , tum logone mujhe dhoondne ki koshish nahin ki."
mayank frowned.
nupur continued without letting mayank talk," usko yakin tha ki main uski ehsaan mand rahoongi aur main usko accept karloongi.phir usne yeh kehne ki koshish ki tum log zinda nahin bache accident mein. Maine uski baaton par vishwaas nahin kiya.bohot hurt hua tha us din. Maine us se shanthi se baat karne ki koshish ki par woh tho chillaraha tha..." she laughed grimly.
"tumhe darr nahin laga?"not knowing what else to say.
"darr? Nahin mujhe gussa aarahaan tha us din. Sach sach boloon tab dhruv ko zyaada bura laga tha. aur shayd darr bhi. Maine itna aasoon nahin bahhaye jitna usne bahaaya. Mujhe uspe taras aaya tha us din." She replied with a sort of disgust and pity mingled in her voice.
taras aaya tha? Mayank was surprised to hear her say that she pitied him . From what he had seen and heard of dhruv, he would never pity the guy.
With a smile," tho tum itna darr thi kyun thi?" he asked.
"tumhe ajeeb lag raha haina ki main dhruv se darthi bhi thi aur uspe taras bhi khaathi thi."
Mayank nodded but he was beginning to feel uncomfortable with her talks about dhruv.
She stared at the window for a while , while mayank stared at her.
"us time jab dhruv khush hota tha , kisi bhi baat pe,tab mujhe darr lagtha tha."
"matlab? Kyun? " realising she had said it consciously for the second time.
" kyunki jab dhruv khush hota tha tho meri majboori ban jaathi thi uske khushi share karne ki! Jab usko gussa aatha tha tab chillatha tha , main apni kaan band karsakthi thi. Agar maartha tha ya kuch aisa kartha tha..." pointing to the neck," tab bhi thode time tak hi dard hota . Par jab khushi se mere paas aatha tha , tab mera darr aasmaan tak pahunchjaatha tha. Jitna dhruv ki khushi zyaada hoti thi, usi hisaaf se mera darr sau guna bad jaatha tha. " she was sniffing .
mayank moved his eyes away quickly. He was afraid of letting nupur see how much her words were affecting him. But she knew. She turned his face towards her and forced him to meet her eyes, red with the tears shed and unshed but her cold adding to it.
" Usne mere saath zabardasti nahin ki kabhi bhi par kabhi kabhi aisi nazar se dekh tha tha meri taraf ki mujhe darr lagtha tha ki kab wo ... mere saath kuch galat karein. aur mujhe neend nahin aathi thi. " her voice becoming hoarse,she continued, " Especially tab jab wo khush hojaatha tha. jaise ki mayank us din jab maine uske saath engagement karnekeliye haan kahaan , us din mujhe sach mein apne aap ko khatam karne ki khayal aaya tha. shayd mein wo karthi bhi lekin mujhe tumse ek baar milna tha, gunjan ko dekhna tha sirf ek baar. Isiliye maine dhruv ko manaake mumbai aagayi aur tum logon ko dekh liya. "
She sneezed again. Mayank picked a tissue from the side table, gave it to her. As she opened her mouth after clearing her nose, he placed his finger on her lips. Her hands still holding one of his hands.
the mobile rang , again sounding loud in the silent night. Nupur shivered and mayank releasing his hand from her grip, recieved it.
" haan samrat bolo. Sorry ki..."
" mayank, Nupur kaisi hain?"
" Kyun?"
"wo teek haina?" in a totally worried voice.
"tumse kisne..."
"rohan ne."
"maine usko mana kiya tha." nupur was blowing her nose and adjusting the pillows.
"tumne sirf chashmish ko batane ke liye mana kiya tha, mujhe nahin." mayank was silent
"mayank..."
"haan samrat..."
" agar hum kuch...tum ghar pe hi ho? Main ...pata nahin ki nupur ne..."
" samrat main handle karloonga. aur nupur ko abhi sardi hain tho...tum worry mat karo . kal milthe hain. gunjan ko mat batana." Mayank cut samrats words. He didn't want nupur to know .
"I know yaar. apna khayal rakhna. ..good night. "
mayank disconnected and turned to find nupur up on
the bed staring at him questioningly.
he made her lie on the bed and placing a hand on her forehead, softly said," nupur, tumhe jo bhi kehna hain, main sunoonga. Par aaj nahin bas. Abhi tumhe fever aayega tho mujhe lagega ki meri wajah se hain. please so jao." And closed her eyes.
Nupur opened her eyes ,nodded and indicating that he should sleep as well, closed her eyes. Mayank slid down next to her and holding her in his arms slept. Nupur shivered once or twice in the night but slept .
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hi, sorry for the late update. i got so busy the past few days that didnt realise how time passed. anyway, this is it for now.
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