Pani – a story we wish were true – part 31

Recap: parth and niti sort out their differences and become friends. They decide to hide their friendship from all others but few days later end up raising suspicions in few peoples’ minds.

As they take too long for completing the scene, due to their laughing session, the shoot ends very late. Niti is packing her stuff in the vanity along with Charlie and veebha when she gets a message from parth,

Parth: listen it’s quite late, let me drop you home.

Niti: no ! There are people around here and they would find out about our little secret !

Parth: no but I can’t let you go alone at this hour of the night. Let me figure out something. Don’t leave the premises soon, let everyone leave, I’ll think of something.

Niti: okay !

While she is busy on her phone chatting with Parth, Charlie interrupts her !

Charlie: what’s up Niti ? Not missing home ?

Niti: (looking up from her phone) umm actually I have called for a cab and I’m waiting for it. Your cab must have arrived Na ? So then you can leave its fine. I’ll wait here.

Veebha: no not at all ! Why would you wait alone ? Our cab can wait.

Niti: no please don’t ! I mean I wouldn’t like to bother you for me.

Charlie: okay so I have an idea. Nobody would have to bother anyone. Ayaz can drop you home ..simple !

Niti: why ? Ayaz ?

Charlie: because he has got his own car. Even parth has it but I know you wouldn’t like going with him so ayaz can drop you. You don’t have any problems with him right ?

Niti: (forcefully smiling) no not at all.

Charlie: okay then let’s go.

Niti: no no wait ! But I have already called for a taxi. Then what about it ?

Charlie: so what’s the big deal ?! Just cancel it !

Niti: yeah okay !

She takes her phone to make the call,

Niti: there is no network in here, I’ll just go outside and make the call.

She moves out of the vanity and calls to order a taxi as she had not done so. She then gets into the vanity with a sad face and declares that the cab could not be cancelled and so she would have to wait.

Charlie: okay fine as you wish. But you know I really need to leave and since you have come with me Veebha you will have to leave too. Niti are you sure you’ll be fine ?

Niti: yeah absolutely !

As Charlie and veebha leave, she texts parth that she had ordered a cab but she would travel in it only for some distance away from the location from where he could pick her up in his car. They decide a meeting spot near the premises and wait for the cab.

Back in the boys vanity ayaz is surprised that parth who is always eagerly waiting for pack up and go home and relax is still sitting in the vanity even after 1/2 hour of pack up being announced !

Ayaz: umm parth are you okay ? As in hope you aren’t sick or anything.

Parth: huh ? No not at all ! I’m completely alright.

Ayaz: oh because you’re still sitting here even after 1/2 hour of pack up..it’s quite unlike you.

Parth: umm yeah ! Actually I was waiting for you to leave..

Ayaz: I won’t be leaving for another half an hour as I have some work nearby and am waiting for a friend to come. So you can leave its alright.

Parth thinks about it for a moment that ayaz would still be waiting in the vanity itself for another half an hour and all the others from set would have left already and also niti’s cab must have arrived so he decides to leave. He texts Niti that he is leaving and would be waiting for her at the meeting spot decided. Niti, on reading the text, also leaves few minutes later as the cab arrives.

Back in the vanity, ayaz gets a call from his friend saying that he would directly meet him at the place and so he decides to leave.

Parth reaches before Niti and is waiting for her cab to arrive. Ayaz who had left right after parth, passes by parth’s car and is surprised to find him waiting in the middle of the road. He decides to wait nearby and check what’s going on. He waits for another 5 mins and realises that parth is probably waiting for someone just when a cab arrives and stands near his car. He gets down from his car and the person getting down from the cab is none other than Niti. Ayaz is shocked to see the two of them together. At first he could not believe his eyes but soon realised that he hadn’t been dreaming and all of it was actually real ! Niti got down from the cab and started paying the cab driver when parth stopped her. He could not hear the conversation between the two of them as he was quite far away but it seemed to him like parth was convincing her to let him make the payment. “Parth paying for niti’s cab drive ! Surprising !” He thinks to himself. After making the payment, parth gets into the driver seat of his car, niti already seated in the passenger seat beside him and they leave.

Ayaz was dumbfounded at the sight that met his eyes ! He kept rewinding the whole incident in his mind for several times and finally concluded that it wasn’t a dream and he had no choice but to believe it ! He stayed there for quite some time, still in shock and finally came to his senses when his phone rang ! It was his friend whom he had to meet and he suddenly realised he was very late and so drove off instantly !

Back in the car, both parth and niti were sitting silently without uttering a single word. Both of them found the situation a bit unexpected as the atmosphere had left them dumb. It was a really awkward silence which needed to be ended and niti took the initiative.

Niti: thanks for dropping me home. And sorry to trouble you. It’ll be a long way for you.

Parth: oh not at all. It’s completely alright. I mean it’s it’s no big deal !

There is once again, pin drop silence ! Both of them find it quite weird that even though they used to chat so much on the phone after shoot everyday, this meeting in person was turning out to be damn weird ! None of them was able to speak anything and even while they were speaking up, it was such a formal conversation. They found it strange as it was not them, they were quite friendly with each other while chatting on the phone, but there is a lot of difference while meeting in person. Finally after a long silence, parth speaks up,

Parth: okay now let’s just break this ice ! I mean what’s wrong with us ?! We’re behaving so…so…

Niti: (completing his sentence ) formal ?

Parth: exactly ! I mean it’s not like we are talking normally with each other for the first time.

Niti: (giggles at his eagerness to talk) okay then let’s be normal friend !

She gives him a smile and he steals a glance at her.

Parth: so how did you come up with this idea ? And Charlie and veebha how could you convince them ?

Niti: well you know when it comes to Niti Taylor, nothing is difficult !

Parth: oh is that so ? Then why were you finding this normal conversation so difficult until I broke the ice ?

Niti: (after thinking for a moment) that’s because….because…I wanted to see how long do you take. Otherwise I would have started right away !

Parth: yeah right ! So why did you find today’s scene so difficult ?! Like you had to be mad at me but all you were doing was smiling and laughing !

Niti: now don’t blame me for that ! It was all because of you ! Whenever I used to look at you, you would give me a smile and then…I would just….

Parth: you would just not be able to control yourself on this handsome hunk smiling at you !

Niti: oh please ! Handsome hunk my foot !

Parth: so you think I’m not handsome ? So then how come all the fandom of this show is crazy after Manik malhotra ?!

Niti: they are crazy after Manik and not parth samthaan !

For a while parth did not answer anything in response. He was awestruck at his name being spoken by her beautiful voice. It kept echoing in his mind for quite some time.

Niti: see I knew it ! You don’t have anything to say !

He suddenly realises he cannot lose the argument and quickly answers,

Parth: miss Niti Taylor in case you have forgotten, let me remind you that parth samthaan is Manik malhotra and if they like Manik they obviously love parth !

Niti: I don’t think so..it’s all because of the make up and dressing.

Parth: so you don’t like me as I am ?

Niti keeps mum at that as she could not deny the fact that she did like him somehow but could also not reveal it to him..

Niti: (shaking away the topic) how long would it still take to reach ? I’m really tired !

Parth: (realising that she had let go of the topic to avoid answering his question) umm I guess we should be there in another 10 minutes. Okay listen, since your car would still take another 10 days to be back from the garage as you told me earlier, we will do one thing, we’ll go to the shoot together. As in I will pick you up and then we can go in my car.

Niti: no no no ! Why do you keep forgetting that we are hiding our friendship from everyone ! And if we do this, they will definitely find out.

Parth: oh god ! Sometime at least, do use your tiny brains ! We won’t go together till the venue. We will do what we did today ! I’ll drop you at the same place and from there, you can take a cab to reach the venue.

Niti: it’s still too risky !

Parth: do you trust me ?

Niti keeps looking at him while he is driving and thinks to herself that yes she does trust him completely ! She does not realise how but she had started trusting him somehow ! Parth understands her silence and speaks up,

Parth: right then be ready at 8 am sharp ! I’ll pick you up !

Saying this he stops the car and niti looks outside her window to find that they had reached her apartment !

Niti: (softly) okay..thanks for dropping me today..ill see you tomorrow !

She starts getting down from the car when parth holds her hand and stops her. She turns around and looks at his hand on hers and then raises her gaze at his eyes. She looks at him questioningly to which he replies,

Parth: dosti mein no sorry, no thank you ! (Winks)

Niti starts giggling and then leaves..she stands near his car and waves at him till he leaves. On reaching upstairs, she quickly freshens up and checks her phone to find that the shoot for the next day had been postponed to 10.30 instead of 9..she gets an idea and quickly calls parth..

Parth: hello !

Niti: reached ?

Parth: yeah just parking the car and then heading upstairs ? What are you doing ?

Niti: just freshened up ! And then when I checked my phone I found that the shoot for tomorrow is scheduled at 10.30 instead of 9..

Parth: oh is that so ? I haven’t yet checked . Okay then I’ll pick you up at around 9.15 ..

Niti: umm actually I was thinking, would you like to have breakfast together ? As in if we keep the meeting time same at 8 am sharp then we could have breakfast together at my place and then leave together ..that is only if you don’t mind..

Parth: I do mind it Niti. How can you do this ?

She suddenly feels embarrassed at her words and speaks up,

Niti: (softly) I’m sorry..I didn’t mean to offend you !

At that parth starts laughing !

Parth: stupid!! When I said I do mind I meant that I mind you being so formal and all !! And then again saying sorry ! Of course I would love to have breakfast together. So I’ll see you at 8..

Niti: oh my god ! You scared me ! I thought I hurt you !

Parth: that is really not possible..

Niti: (blushes) okay then see you tomorrow..good night…

Parth: good night…and take care…

Niti: yeah ! You too…

Precap: Pani first breakfast together, kind of an unofficial date ! Ayaz again spots the two of them together and tries to get the secret out of their mouths ! Would they give up and reveal their friendship or would they manage to keep it under covers…? Stay tuned to find out…

*****

I know friends my update had to be yesterday but I just could not do it…really sorry !! I know this has been happening a lot lately but I would try this does not happen in the new year ! Also as I have mentioned in the manan ff, we are taking a Christmas break and so my next update would be in the new year on 1st January 2016 !

Till then, wishing you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR !

I’m going to miss you all and hope you do too….love you all !! Keep supporting and leave in your feedbacks !! Silent readers another alarm ! Waiting for your response just like I got on the 27th part when I asked if I should continue this ff or not..that was the time I found there are so many silent readers…I really hope you would still keep commenting on all other parts as well now that I have accepted your votes and decided to continue….

Happy holidays to all of you !! See you soon !!

#behappy #spreadsmiles