“Don’t forget to take your allergy medicines, Avni.” Neil reminded Avni as the trio discussed about the things that they had to bring for their college tour.
“Oh yeah, I have it with me all the time, don’t worry.” Avni replied.
“I’m not worried or anything. Just remembered it.” Neil replied with a shrug, looking away.
Bani just smiled to herself, watching him hide his concern for her.
“We’ll do one last call at night to confirm if we packed everything, okay? Stop it for now!” Bani said, rolling her eyes.
At night
“Done packing?”
Bani checked her phone, hearing the notification ring. She had muted everyone’s notification except a few.
But she was clearly surprised to get a text from Veeranshu. She had been expecting either Neil or Avni to text her. She stared at the text for a few seconds, contemplating whether she should immediately reply to it or wait for a while. Then, making up her mind, she decides to reply to him.
Bani: Almost. You?
Veeranshu: All done. I was just confused about if I should take the guitar with me. What do you think?
Bani: Is that even a question? Definitely!
Veeranshu: Okay :D. And how are you feeling now?
Bani: After yesterday?
Veeranshu: yeah
Bani: I’m good thanks to you.
Veeranshu: Glad to hear that. Goodnight then!
Bani: Goodnight.
Bani smiled at the phone, rereading their small conversation.
Meanwhile, Veeranshu sighed in frustration as he could not form a proper conversation with her. As much as he knew the possibility of having her in his life was low, he couldn’t help but hope that this trip would bring them closer.
****
In the morning, they all left from their college for their destination, which was actually a hill station. The drive took a few hours, but the students made their most out of it by singing and dancing on to different songs.
Inside the bus, Bani and Avni were sitting together while Neil sat with the boys at the back- which included Veeranshu as well.
“These boys, they’re dancing without a care in the world!” Avni commented as she watched their dance.
“True.” Bani agreed with a smile as she watched Veeranshu dance vibing to the song.
Unknowingly, even Avni’s eyes landed on Neil as he danced along with the boys at the back. Then quickly realising what she was doing, she turned her head away to look at Bani but found her already lost in Veeranshu.
“Why don’t you make a move during this trip?” Avni asked shaking her head.
“Avni, don’t get me started again!”
“Oh please, even I don’t want to hear your shayarana khayal!” Avni replied rolling her eyes.
The rest of the drive went smoothly for the girls without any boy-talk as they just vibed to the songs that played in the bus.
****
Bani Sharma was oblivious. There was just no other way to put it.
‘How could she not notice the attention she received from the boys? How could she not know the effect she had on them? How could she be so innocent? How could she just not know that Akash had an obvious crush on her? That dude was openly flirting with her and and she didn’t even realise it!’ Veeranshu thought to himself as he watched her talk with Akash. He couldn’t believe how someone so smart as her could live under a rock!
Meanwhile, Bani just continued talking with Akash, unaware of Veeranshu watching her. Her social energy was getting used up the dude infront of her and she couldn’t even stop him thinking it would be too rude to do so.
But what she couldn’t understand was why he was talking to her. What had happened that this random dude from some other class was talking to her!
“So how about some coffee?” Akash asked with a playful smile that made Bani confused and Veeranshu raise his eyebrows.
“Coffee? Now?” She asked in confusion.
“Whenever you prefer. Would love to talk more with you.” He replied flashing his best smile. And Veeranshu understood that if he did not intervene right now, then Bani would might as well have her first date without even knowing it!
“Akash I-” Bani started, realising what his intentions were but was immediately interrupted by Veeranshu.
“Bani!” He called out to her as he walked towards where she was standing. “You were here all this while? I was searching everywhere for you.”
“Me?” Bani asked, her heart skipping a beat. “You were searching for me?”
“You are Bani, right?” He asked to which she rolled her eyes. “Of course, I was searching for you!”
“Oh..”
“Sorry Akash, I need her for sometime. Were you guys talking anything important?” Veeranshu asked acting innocent but Akash looked clearly irritated.
“Akash, I’m sorry, I won’t be able to join you for coffee.” Bani replied politely.
“It’s okay, we can do it some other time.” Akash replied.
“I meant, I’m not interested in a relationship…” She replied awkwardly.
“Oh um..okay…” Akash replied awkwardly.
“Why did you search for me?” Bani asked Veeranshu as they walked away.
“Huh?”
“You were searching for me, I guess.” Bani replied.
“Oh that!” He replied as he realised, “I was just saving you from him” He admitted, having no other excuse.
“Was it that obvious on my face that I wasn’t interested!?” She asked in shock.
No, but I can read your face better than you think. Veeranshu thought to himself but decided against telling it out loud. Instead, he assured her, “Don’t worry, I don’t think he noticed it.”
“Thanks for helping.” She said with a soft smile, to which he shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal.
***
“You rejected Akash?” Neil asked casually as he saw Bani and Avni standing together.
“Who told you?” She asked in surprise. It hadn’t been even 5 minutes, and Neil knew of it already?
“He did. Atleast now agree you’re popular. He wasn’t even in our course!” Neil said with a chuckle.”He had been trying to talk me into talk to you. And guess what? I royally rejected him.”
“Poor guy had to undergo two rejections on the same night.” Avni said with fake sympathy.
“But Neil, what is even there in me for those guys to be behind you like this?!” Bani asked, completely clueless.
“Leave it, you won’t see what they can see anyway!” Neil said, shaking his head.
Veeranshu, who had just finished his call with his mom, overhears this conversation and thinks of something. When he goes to sit with the others around the campfire, everyone asks him to play guitar and sing a song. His eyes lit up immediately as a thought crossed his mind, hearing everyone ask him to sing.
Meanwhile, Neil, who heard students requesting Veeranshu to sing, decided to join him at the campfire while the girls got busy talking to eachother. The girls just continued their conversation, not having an idea about what was happening around them, and that Neil had already left the place.
After a while, they heard a guitar strum causing them to look around in confusion.
“Where did Neil go?” Avni asked finally noticing his absence. “And who’s playing the guita-”
But before Avni could even complete her sentence, Bani had dragged her near to the campfire area knowing well where the sound was from. It could only be him- Veeranshu. Hearing him play the guitar was not something she wished to miss!
Veeranshu smiled on seeing Bani walk in. She looked at him, and their eyes locked for a few seconds before she looked away, mentally scolding herself for staring at him. Finally knowing that the girl he wanted to sing for had come, he started to sing subhanallah.
****
Ek din kabhi jo khud ko taraashe
Meri nazar se tu zara, haaye re
Aankhon se teri kya kya chhupa hai
Tujhko dikhaaun main zara, haaye re
Veeranshu looked at Bani as he sang, meaning each word that he sang and she looked at him lost in the depth of his voice and his eyes. She loved it when he sang.
Ik ankahi si daastaan daastaan
Kehne lagega aaina
Subhanallah…
Neil thought of Avni as Veeranshu sang. Meanwhile, Avni, too, was lost in thoughts trying to decipher her feelings for Neil.
Jo ho raha haim pehli dafaa hai wallah
Aisa hua, Subhanallah..
Jo ho raha hai pehli dafaa hai wallah
Aisa hua
Avni looked behind her, feeling someone’s hand on her shoulder, and was surprised to see Neil standing there with a smile. He sang the lines of the song as he moved closer to her and pecked her forehead.
She was just about to say his name in surprise when she realised that she was just imagining things and that Neil was sitting beside Veeranshu and enjoying the song.
Meri khamoshi se baatein chun lena
Unki dori se taarifein bun lena
Meri khamoshi se baatein chun lena
Unki dori se taarifein bun lena
Bani imagined Veeranshu dancing around her, as he sang the lyrics.
Kal nahi thi jo aaj lagti hoon
Taareef meri hai khaamakha
Tohfa hai tera meri adaa
Veeranshu imagined Bani singing with him, looking into his eyes.
Ek din kabhi jo khud ko pukaare
Meri zubaan se tu zara,
Haaye re
Tujh mein chhupi si
Jo shayari hai
Tujhko sunaaun main zara,
Haay re
Neil and Avni looked on at eachother, lost in the other.
Ye do dilon ka waasta waasta
Khul ke bataaya jaaye naa
Subhanallah…
Jo ho raha hai, pehli dafaa hai Wallah
Aisa hua.. Subhanallah (x3)
Veeranshu smiled at Bani as he came out of his dreamworld. And just like every time, that smile went right into her heart.
Jo ho raha hai, pehli dafaa hai Wallah
Aisa hua..
Once he finished playing, everyone started clapping, but his eyes were still fixed on Bani, and she seemed to have stood frozen, for it took her a few minutes to join in with the clapping crowd. But when she did, he felt like he had won the world. And to her it felt like he sung that song for her even if the thought of it seemed silly.
~To be continued~
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Thanks for reading
~Stay safe~