Chapter 66

"Well.......I actually do."

She said and Jay's jaw dropped. Gulping he tried to say something but nothing came out. Looking at his state Sameera laughed lightly.

"Don't worry not like that. I like you as a person. And believe me if I would have not got that damn soulmate I definitely would have asked you out."

Jay sighed and pouted.

"What are you trying to do? Friendzone me? Because it sure is looking like that."

"No I'm not. I'm trying to make you feel that you are good enough. It's just that when I met you, I already liked someone. I don't want you to feel like you weren't good enough or something like that."

She said seriously and picked up the vada pav he bought.

Jay nodded and smiled.

"So....what are you here for?"

"I'm here to take my boyfriend's bike back to Mumbai."

"So you're gonna drive all the way back home?"

Like this they chatted and Jay offered that she should stay at his hotels as he had a hotel in every city in between and that also totally free.

After that he also helped her restart the bike. Fortunately there was nothing much repairing to do. Just it's battery was not charged because it was not in use and to resolve it she left it on for five minutes.

It was a day after, that she was getting ready to leave when suddenly she heard something

"sweetheart"

A pained whisper. It was a whisper. And was very low. For a moment she even thought that it was her imagination. But she became sure when she heard it again.

She went in the balcony but could find no one. Similarly she went into each room but could find no one. Finally when she went towards the basement.

Her heartbeats started accelerating as she neared the basement door. Slowly she made her way towards it. She took the handle in her hand and gulped and just as she was about to open the door the lights switched on and Jay's voice startled her.

"Hey! Are you ready? You should leave now otherwise you won't reach the city before dawn."

"Oooopf."

She shreiked and kept a hand on her heart.

"God Jay! You scared the life out of me."

She said and he grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry. Now come. You have to leave too."

He said and she nodded. Leaving the basement. That voice might be her imagination only.

Jay gave Sameera a card and told her to show it to the hotel managers so they'll provide her the room. He also hugged her tight and bid her bye.

Has she entered the basement, she might have taken him back too.

_______________________________

City, forests, hotels and a day later she was climbing up the stairs of her apartment and hugging Maaya tightly.

She thought over many things about life during her trip and she was glad to have Maaya.

Days passed by, it became her routine to go to her college by Shrithik's bike. At first she got many amazed looks because she looked so damn good riding that Royal Enfield in her loose boy's clothes.

That year she didn't even go to her house back in Hoshangabad during the summer holidays.

She still tried to get to know where he was kept. She still got dreams but now she was strong enough to bear them without crying. In other words her life became as it was before him.

But she still cried sometimes.

It was the start of July and of monsoon.

She remembered how he loved it. And to celebrate that, she used to go to a small cafe and drink tea there.

It was a day like that only, when was returning back to her home from that small cafe.

Earphones plugged in, lower folded an inch or two above her ankle and a box of chocolates in her hand. She wanted to give it to Maaya as she was whining about them yesterday night.

Her lips graced a small smile when she saw a pup playing with the muddy water puddle.

It was a busy day. The vegetable market was on full swing. People were returning back to their home from their office. And the people on their feet were rushing back to their home as it looked like it will rain soon again.

And in this busy market a boy caught her eye. More specifically his tshirt. And suddenly she was running after him.

But she was not the only one. Two three men were also there shouting

"Thief! Thief! Catch him! He's a thief."

And as he was nearer to Sameera she caught him beforehand.

He was a 15 year old boy wearing a tshirt which was similar to one of Shrithik's.

"Wait! Wait a minute. Tell me where did you get this t-shirt?"

She asked blocking his way and he tsked looking back at her hurriedly.

"Get away."

"No, just tell me and I'll go."

She said standing in front of him with a determined expression. That guy sighed.

"I just got it on me one morning. Now will you please mo-"

He couldn't complete his sentence as he was cut off by a slap. A loud slap. A hard slap.

Sameera was fuming. Though he guy was taller and stronger than her, he was still feeling scared.

She held his collar and shouted

"He used to give off his clothes to people like you who can't afford them. And you are here stealing! Was this why he thought you shouldn't live a hard life. Was this why he prevented you from getting freezed till death. You bastard!!"

She shouted loudly and some traitor tears escaped.

She hit his chest, pushed him away and slapped him again hard.

Wiping her tears, she looked around.

"Somebody give me a knife. Or a gun. I don't care. I can't let anyone do bad things in MY SHIRTHIK'S clothes. No .I can't! You motherfucking bastard! What's the use of stealing a phone? Couldn't you have stolen a book? Food? School uniform?! Couldn't you have done something like that!!!!"

She shouted and tears streamed down her face. By now a crowd has gathered around them. Some people were making a video and some were just watching.

Suddenly she took a step back. And soon she was jumping in the air with an iron rod in her hand ready to bash it on the boys head.

Everybody's jaw fell. But before her crying mess could do anything she was grabbed by the waist and turned around by a powerfull pair of hands.

She struggled.

"Leave me! Leave me!"

She shouted but was cut off by an even louder shout.

"Sameera! Calm down!"

It was Jayant. His loud angry voice shut her up instantly. Suddenly she became scared. Her sobs erupted loudly and soon she was crying loudly in his chest and hugging him tightly.

He was rubbing her back soothingly and muttering some sweet, encouraging things. But he stopped. He stopped when he heard what she said.

"It's all because of you. Because of your grandma. If she hadn't met us, he still would've been here. It's all because of her. It's all because of her."

She sobbed and he pushed her away a little.

Looking into her teary eyes, he asked

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly her emotional eyes turned cold. Wiping her tears she spoke

"I said that it's all because of your grandmother. If she wouldn't have met us, he still would've been with me. It's your grandmother's fault that she can't forgive."

Saying this she turned around to walk back home. But her elbow was grabbed by Jayant.

"Don't say nonsense didi."

"What I am saying is truth. Wait! You don't know how evil your beloved grandmother is?"

She asked and when she saw his confused expression she laughed bitterly.

"Then let me tell you. You-"

But before she could say anything more a drop fell. A single drop became rain and they ran inside a nearby cafe.

Sitting on a table Jayant asked

"What were you saying?"

And suddenly Sameera realised what she was going to do. She was going to fill hate in between of them. She can't do that. Though however evil Maadhavi was she still loved Jay with her heart.

"N-nothing."

"I know it's something. From the day I've met you she's been acting strange. She acts differently when you are there. And now today...... today you said something. Tell me didi! Tell me what is it."

He declared and Sameera sighed.

"He was my everything. He is the reason my imaginations, my bucket list came true. He................"

Sameera continued telling. Telling him how much she loved Shrithik, how she met him, why was he invisible and what Maadhavi had to do with them.

She told Jayant everything. He sat there listening to Sameera. He didn't want to believe what she was saying but that look on her face, that look convinced him that what she was saying was true.

Somebody cannot lie this much with such genuine expressions.

"This is all what happened. But I will bring him back I'm trying. And now that you know, maybe you can help me."

She laughed wiping her tears.

Jayant was looking at her the whole time. Her sad story brought tears in his own eyes. His heart broke into pieces. It broke when he got to know what she was going through and what he might be going through. All because of his own grandma. The grandmother he loved the most in this world. The grandmother for whome he would not even think before dying for.

But what was she doing? Hurting someone this badly? It was very much to handle. And that look on Sameera's face, it clearly stated that she was just trying to convince herself that he's alive otherwise somewhere the hope of him coming back had long died in her. She was just trying to console herself.

"I'll take my leave."

Jayant said without looking at Sameera and stood up.

"Hey don't ta-"

But he was out of the door.

She sighed and ordered a tea. She saw the heartbroken look on his face. God knows what he might be feeling.

But she sure was feeling kind of happy. After getting this much hurt she finally got a chance to hurt Maadhavi. Finally.

When Jayant reached home his grand mother was sitting on the sofa reading a book.

She smiled when she saw him.

"Is my baby back home?"

She asked and he stilled. Looking up he gave her the most hateful look.

Her smile faltered. She stood up and went towards him.

"What happened dear? Did you fight with someone? Tell me?"

She asked softly and reached for his cheek. But her hand was harshly swatted away.

"Don't. Touch. Me."

He gritted out and pushed himself away. Bumping shoulders with his grandmother he started to go in his room.

"But beta! What's wrong?"

Jayant stopped and looked at his grandmother's face from the side of his eye.

"Sameera didi is away from her love. That's wrong. When she'll be truly happy again then only talk to me."

Saying this he went inside his room and slammed the door of his room shut with a loud bang.

Maadhavi stilled. So Sameera has decided to bring Jayant in all this? She filled with anger at that thought but it vanished as soon as it came.

Her first priority was Jayant. She cannot bear him hating her. She loved her grandson more than anything.

And that's why instead of going to Sameera she made her way towards Jayant's room.