Chapter-29
Love Trouble
Chapter Highlights…
“There were important guests at home. By the way, I have a shocking surprise for you tomorrow. See you at the university. Bye!”, Akshat hung up.
“Hello…Kiku? Hello?...”, blabbered I.
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Naomi’s POV
“Guys! Usha ma’am is on leave today. No Banking Law class! A free hour!”, announced Rohan, jumping and cheering on the stage. The entire class cheered with joy. I too chuckled and shared a hi-fi with Vyomi.
“Finally, we got a free period after such a long time. Phew!”, Tanvi highlighted. Vyomi and I nodded while Diya and Karan couldn’t stop frowning at me.
“Hey, what’s wrong? Aren’t you happy with the first free hour of the semester?”, asked I, shrugging and raising my eyebrows. Karan faked a smile and turned his face away from me. He continued frowning at the glass windows fixed on the wall two rows opposite to ours and marking the end of the classroom.
“Dude, what’s bothering you? Whom are you guys angry with?”, Vyomi enquired, shrinking her eyes at Diya and Karan. The latter restrained themselves from uttering a single word. My bestie and I shared puzzled faces with each other.
“Fine, whatever, I believe that music is powerful enough to heal every pain in the world. Tanvi, play the guitar”, I suggested, giggling at my friend. Vyomi too nodded at my point.
“Naomi, you’re the problem”, Karan pointed his right index finger at me.
“Me? What? I haven’t done anything…”
“Exactly! That's the problem. What has happened between you and Akshat sir recently? You aren’t even close as you were before.”
“Why does sir seem to avoid you, dude?”, Diya added with Karan. Tears flooded my eyes. I took a deep breath and swallowed them. Vyomi and Tanvi had their round eyes filled with curiosity, at me.
“How do you guys know?”, asked I, hiding my hands below the desk and rubbing my goosebumps. Urgh! Akshat sir, why do you affect me so much? I regret wearing the small-sleeved black T-shirt that day. Urgh!
“Oh, come on, dude. We are your best friends. Don’t you think we can observe? The last time I remember seeing you happy together was at the auditorium. What happened? We have been following your life. We deserve to know it”, Karan answered me.
Diya nodded, adding, “Dude, he is right. If there is something serious, why don’t you share the problem with us? We can’t see you two love birds flying away in different directions like this. Why is sir mad at you?”
“How come?”, began Vyomi. “Akshat sir is very considerate. He was normal and confident even when Naomi turned his proposal down. What’s suddenly wrong now?..”
“Aww! I have never had caring friends like you”, said I, hugging Vyomi. Karan and the others smiled and nodded at me. I told them about my meeting with Shashank at ‘Cakewaala’.
“Fuck him”, Vyomi cursed.
“Oh, such a disgusting guy. I thought that he was sweet”, Diya commented.
“Why didn’t you tell us about this earlier? Were you seriously waiting for us to inquire about it like a CID officer?”, emphasized Karan.
“Guys, thanks for your concerns”, said I. “But, I have always been solving my problems on my own…”
“What nonsense? Dude, what if Shashank had harmed you the other day? Why are we friends here for you?”, Vyomi hurried, in her usual fast tone. I shook my head. Diya got up from her seat. She wore her bag and gestured for my other friends to accompany her.
“Let's talk to Akshat sir. Naomi hasn’t done anything wrong. Why should he be frustrated? Instead, he must help her. What do you say?” It sounded as if Diya was getting them prepared for the next Battle Of Plassey.
“No, please”, I refused. “It's just a matter between the two of us. I will clarify Akshat. He doesn’t trust my words. That's the issue. I must somehow get solid evidence or somehow create a situation to expose Shashank’s truth. I’m sure Akshat will realize. Leave it to me, guys…”
“Enough, Naomi”, Vyomi interrupted me. I caught her hand and shook my head. I shrank my eyes requesting her not to approach Akshat about this. I also requested the others and managed to stop them from interfering.
“I have a solution”, spoke Karan, as he sat back, with the others. I gestured for him to proceed.
“Dude, propose to Akshat. Accept him. He will understand everything then…”
I exclaimed, getting up from my seat. My other friends too nodded at Karan’s idea. “It’s the typical love jealousy issue wherein lovers feel jealous of finding their lover intimately with someone else…”, added Tanvi.
“Stop it, guys. But, I wasn’t even intimate. Instead, the creepy fellow was misbehaving with me. He is madly pursuing me. How can I be at fault?”, I spoke it all, in one breath.
“But, Akshat sir happened to arrive there at the wrong time. That’s the only reason why he has been angry with you. It happens when you love someone. Understand, dude. Your acceptance will fix the entire confusion”, Karan added.
“And also, stay away from Shashank or complain to the disciplinary committee of the university”, roared Vyomi.
“It was just fate's game. Bad times strike every poor life. Fix it and done! You can do this, Naomi!”, Diya motivated me. I shook my head rapidly.
“No way! I can’t love Akshat sir. All I want now is to make him understand that I’m not behind the senior guy. Nothing else!”, I clarified. “I can’t see his frustration towards me. He means a lot to me more than my own family. I can’t upset someone who has always been such an integral pillar of my life. That’s it!...”
Vyomi let out a deep breath. She leaned on the bench. She folded her hands and shrugged at me. “Dude, why does he matter to you so much if you don’t love him? It's okay if some random person is angry at you, right?...”
“Dude, please! If any of you were mad at me for some or the other reason, will I just take it lightly and forget about you? That’s how I feel about him. He is my best well-wisher….”
“Oh, come on, I have been observing you for the past few nights at PG. It has been quite a long since you had a sound sleep. You seem to be lost while brushing your teeth. You freeze sitting on the bed or walking within the room, doing nothing but rolling your eyeballs and rubbing your palms, lost in deep thoughts. You seem to be extra-bothered."
"Will you be so damn worried for anyone else including us? Don’t you miss Akshat’s interactions with you now? If what you feel current isn’t love, what else is love, and above all, what’s that you have been feeling for Akshat sir, at present? Just humanity? Just respect or friendship?”, she asked, driving one word after another, to compete with the fastest supercomputer in performing calculations.
Love is so blind that it just happens unexpectedly.
You may fall for anyone!
Would you let go of your policy if you fell for someone you shouldn't? What would you choose-your policy or your beloved?
I was dumbstruck by Vyomi’s questions. Are they eye-openers? Do I really love you, Kiku? Urgh! No, Vyomi is distracting me. I won’t overthink. I know that I am clear. I love Akshat…Urgh! No, what’s wrong with you, Naomi? Nope, not at all, never. Guru Devo Bhava! I don’t love Akshat sir, as a lover. I can’t love him.
“Forget it. Neither does Akshat sir understand me nor do you. Leave me alone”, said I, walking away. I began heading towards the door.
“Naomi, first of all, you don’t understand yourself. Act before it's too late”, Karan advised. My mobile beeped. I checked my WhatsApp and threw my mouth open at his message. He had shared a riddle: “I’m very hard to find despite hunting it in every corner of the globe. Who am I?” I blushed at ‘True Love’ written at the bottom of the pic.
“Akshat sir. Remember”, texted Karan. Akshat’s face flashed in my mind. I felt my cheeks turning pinker. I turned back and pretended to be serious with my friends who smiled and chuckled, in return.
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One evening, as soon as the long bell rang, at four, I made my way inside the parking lot. I spotted Akshat throwing his bag in the back seat. He was about to take his seat when I called him.
“Kiku sir!” He frowned at me while I waved and began walking towards him. I stood beside him. I blushed and couldn’t take my eyes off his red yet cute eyes.
“Good evening, sir!”, I greeted him. He neared me. I rested my back on his car. He banged his right hand upon the surface next to my face. I closed my eyes and breathed hard.
“It's my second warning to you. You can’t use my nickname anymore. Got me?” I opened my eyes slowly. I was glad to see a close interaction between us after three weeks.
“Akshat, please don’t go away from me. I want you. My life is a blank white sheet without you. I have always been a lonely girl. I don’t want to be one, especially, after meeting you”, I trembled, with a drop of a tear rolling down my cheeks. His meek and hesitant eyes looked sorry for me. I bulged my eyes. I wiped my tears and faked a smile. My eyes then went over the slang. I chuckled, bending and escaping from under his arm.
“Hey! What’s your plan?”, he asked, as I took my seat in the slang.
“Sir, you should drop me today”, I ordered, adjusting a strand of hair behind my ear. I gestured for him to take his driver's seat. My eyeballs rolled to follow him frowning at me and walking towards my seat. He opened the door and pointed his right hand outward.
“Get out of my car, Naomi. Is it manners to get into someone’s car just like that? Has Maharashtra stopped local buses? Your life is different from mine…”
“Firstly, I agree that it isn’t good to get into someone’s car without their permission. However, you are someone special, not just some random someone. Secondly, the state hasn’t stopped local buses. At least, I didn’t receive any such notifications from the local news app. Thirdly, who told you that our lives are different? Don’t assume as you wish, Kiku.”
“Do you love me, Naomi?” I couldn’t stop blushing at his question; neither could I resume my heartbeat that paused for a moment nor answer his tough question.
“Sir, you know…”
“I have had enough of your extreme mind. I choose to give up. If you ever feel the same way, reach out to me. I’ll always be here. Now, leave. I can’t handle you with Shashank anymore.”
“Sir, why don’t you listen to me? Shashank is a great flirt. I had gone to warn him. I don’t love anyone. Why don’t you pay attention to my words?”, I shouted in his ears.
“Huh! My ears hurt”, he shouted, hitting my face to push me away. I pressed his shoulder and turned him to face me.
“Naomi!”
“Sir, in fact, it's you who must apologize for slapping me. Don’t you feel sorry? It's me who’s handling you…”
“Oh, really?” He shrugged. He faked a chuckle. “You broke my heart. A slap is a trivial response. I’m innocent”, said he, raising his hands up.
“Please listen to me, sir…I didn’t mock your love. Having been lonely since birth, I know the importance of emotions more than anyone else. You need to cool down, at first, to understand me. I’m in trouble…”
“You’ve put me in love trouble. Wow! And you say you are in trouble? What a joke?”
I raised my voice. “It's utter waste talking to you, sir. I thought that you would always be there for me. But, nope, you were fake and I too had a wrong perception.” I sobbed, concluding that none can understand me. As I began to run away, he extended his hand and called me out. I left without turning back.
“I’m not fake. You are fake, Naomi. You have no clue how true my love is. But, you are going with another guy just to divert and hurt me. Nois! Very nois!”, he rebuked me back.
“You are very rude, sir. I hate you”, I shouted back, just before stepping out of the basement.
“And you are irritating. I hate you too”
I heard him kick a pebble that hit the opposite pillar. While I sobbed and headed towards the bus stop, I realized that I had never been this close to a guy ever before; I have never been close enough to fight or say ‘I hate you’.
“No sir, I didn’t mean it. How can I hate you?”, thought I, closing my eyes and sobbing alone. I stopped beside the wall. I broke down on the ground and wept my heart out. I preferred to stop at the silent corner of the road lest all eyes would have been on this poor girl.
Urgh! Naomi, you have screwed it. What have you done? You fought with him instead of consoling him. Urgh! I miss you, Akshat sir. I want that good old days-our happy and memorable moments back in my life. I’m sorry again, Akshat. I’m sorry. It's just that I can’t love you. I slammed my forehead against the wall and sobbed with a little howl.
“Darling, what happened? I can’t see girls crying like this”, said a familiar male voice from behind me. I traced his right palm upon my right shoulder. It was Shashank again. I gnashed my teeth at him as I stood up. I closed my fist and swallowed my tears as he was engrossed checking me out restlessly.
“Yes, you are the reason. Why the hell did you pop into my peaceful life?”, began I. I trembled, with a mixture of grief and rage, “At last, there was someone to lend me a helping hand and ensure my happiness, even if it meant hurting themselves, but you…Urgh! Get lost. Don’t show your bloody face again to me.” I was about to leave when Shashank grabbed my hand.
“Let me go. Yuck!”, I complained, trying to release my hand. I raised my eyebrows and bulged my eyes at him but he didn’t seem to change. I was lost when I happened to see Akshat’s car pass by us. I also spotted Kiku frowning and hitting the steering wheel. I was taken aback at Shashank staring at my hair. I kicked his feet hard.
“You better stay away from me. Idiot! Next time I see you around, I won’t give you another chance to change. I will report to our disciplinary committee. Mind it!”, I screwed him, busy ailing himself.
“Kiku! Wait, you’re mistaken. Kiku!”, thought I, running on the footpath only to continue sobbing at Akshat’s car leaving the street.
“Haha! You girls do a lot of drama. You pretend to ignore guys then fall for them. Hahaha, I know everything darling. You are shooing me today but will be obsessed with me very soon. All that a girl needs is a boyfriend and I will be yours. I want to be only yours”, said Shashank, touching my right hand.
“Done. You’re crossing your limits”, whispered I, slapping him tight on his face. “You snatched away my happiness. You made my life return to square one. You suck”, I screwed him and left. He couldn’t stop staring at me with a wicked smile.
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That night, I rang up Akshat several times. It showed a figure of twenty beside his number in my missed call log. I threw my mobile on the bed. Vyomi opened the door. She returned after her night jog.
“Dude, why are you sitting alone at night in a dark room? Full of negative vibes”, she remarked, turning the tube light on.
“When life is dark”, said I, sitting back on my bed,” what’s the big deal if a room is dark?”
“Dude, trust me, you must talk to Akshat sir. You guys need to clear your misunderstandings soon. We, your friends, will make some arrangements tomorrow so that the both of you meet somewhere in college-just the two of you are left alone in a silent and romantic corner…”
I blushed but denied her. “He waits to screw me. He is a changed man. He doesn’t even want to talk. I am not convincing him…I just want him to know the truth. I lost him, dude.” I closed my face with both palms and wept aloud. Vyomi sat beside me and patted my shoulders. I rested my head on her lap and cried like a baby.
“Dude, he will talk to you tonight.”
“But, how?”
She nodded and left our room. She returned quickly in a minute. She handed over a mobile to me. I was blank.
“Call him from a new number. He will pick up.”
“Whose phone is this?”
“Lavanya didi from the next room…”
“Oh no, she must have been dozing after her hectic remote job…”
“No, chill. She was turning off her laptop when I knocked on their door. Ring up, dude. Fast…”
While she read out the phone number, I dialed Akshat. Rings went on. I was about to give hope that he picked up in the last ring.
“Hello! Who is this?”, asked his gentle voice.
“Akshat sir, we need to talk. It has been a series of confusions between us…”
“Naomi, are you crazy?”, asked he, chuckling along.
“Sir?”
“Isn’t it basic common sense to stop spamming someone with calls like that? Have you lost it? Now, from a new number. Don’t you understand that I don’t want to talk to you?..”
“Sir, enough”, I shouted back. Vyomi shook her head and pouted in an attempt to control me.
“But, I want to talk to you. You can drop a matter only if both parties agree to it. But, I will never break ties with you. I want you in my life forever…”
Vyomi blushed and looked away. She whispered that I was on the right path to realizing my love. I look down and blushed secretly.
“There were important guests at home. By the way, I have a shocking surprise for you tomorrow. See you at the university. Bye!”, he hung up.
“Hello…Kiku? Hello?...”
What is Akshat’s shocking surprise for Naomi?
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