Pani – a story we wish were true – part 62

Recap: Niti denied Parth’s proposal because of her consciousness related to their careers.

Niti was feeling on cloud nine as she was nearing the winning trophy and Parth was way behind her. There were only 10 more minutes left and Parth was stuck at his next move.

Niti: C’mon Parth ! You’re already losing !

Parth: Madam, the game is not yet over.

Suddenly his eyes focused on the scrabble board, lightened up and his face grew out a wide grin. Niti’s smile started turning pale at that and she started getting tensed. He took a single letter “Y” from his pack and placed it on the board behind the word made by Niti “Fish” to make it “Fishy” winning over a triple word score !

Parth: (excited) yeah ! Woo – hoo ! I got that !

Niti: (irritated) That’s not fair !

Parth: Why ? It’s a valid word ! You can go ahead and check the dictionary.

Niti: The word is valid but you took ages to make that one ! It’s been so long.

Parth: Yeah but the game is not yet over Niti. There wasn’t a limit on how long do you stay on your turn. And besides, I haven’t taken that long. C’mon don’t be a spoil sport and take your next move. We don’t have any judges here since it’s a friendly game or else they would have explained to you. But if you want you can call upon your neighbours to judge the game.

Niti made an angry face and rubbed her hand along the board to ruin the game and left the game saying “I don’t wanna play further” !

Ayaz: Parth ! Parth !

He opened his eyes and saw Ayaz standing in front of him in the vanity at shoot.

Ayaz: Fell asleep ?

Parth: No ! Just reliving the good old times. Now that such moments have vanished !

Ayaz: What did she say ?

Parth: Does not matter Ayaz ! Just let it go now. Come let’s go for the shot.

Ayaz: No I..I’m not going. It’s not my shot as it is. You carry on, I’ll see you later.

Veebha had been constantly watching out for Ayaz to come over. She was too nervous for her intimate scene with Abhishek and she needed Ayaz’s support. She saw Parth coming in from a distance and ran up to him thinking that Ayaz must be following him.

Veebha: Hey ! Where’s Ayaz ?

Parth: He didn’t come. He said it’s not his shot so he wants to stay back at the vanity. Are you alright ?

Veebha: (forcing a smile) Yeah I’m okay. How are you ?

Parth: How do I look ?

Veebha: You are pretending to be alright but all of us know that you’re not. Charlie was saying she is gonna go talk to Niti tonight after shoot.

Parth: Oh god ! No ! All of you please leave her alone.

Veebha: But Parth I can talk to her cant I ? She’s my best friend you know.

Parth: Why do you want to make your best friend feel more guilty about what happened ?

Veebha: She feels guilty ? Then I guess I should definitely talk to her. I think I’ll call her right now. I have some time before my shot is ready.

Parth: No Veebha please !

Veebha: No Parth ! I am going to talk to her.

Niti was sitting on her bed, not even washed up since morning, with Smurphy sleeping by her side. She was watching some of the old episodes from the show and trying to remember the happy days. She came across her drunk scene where Manik had to forcefully lift Nandini in his arms and carry her across. She remembered how that part had turned out.

*flashback*

Niti had obviously been doing a tremendous job with her drunk part and she had been feeling really proud and excited about all the appreciation she had been receiving. Next, they had to shoot for the scene where Parth was to lift her in his arms and walk through the corridor. While the shot was getting ready, Parth had an evil plan for Niti.

Parth: (whispering in her ears) You know I’m quite nervous for the scene.

Niti: Why ? Don’t worry. It’ll be all good.

Parth: I don’t know I mean. How would I be able to lift someone as heavy as you ?! It’s really a tough task for me !

Niti: (turning to face him angrily) What ? You think I’m too heavy to be lifted ?!

Parth: Yeah I mean just look at you. It’s quite visible. You must be what around, 65/70 ? Now that’s too much weight for any guy ! I hope I’m able to pull it off !

Niti: (making a puppy face) You think I’m so fat ? I don’t wanna do the scene !

Saying that she rushed into the vanity leaving everyone surprised. Parth had to follow her and convince her to get back to shoot apologising for his mischief.

*flashback over*

She laughed out loud reminiscing the old times. Suddenly her phone rang and she picked it up and answered quite cheerfully !

Niti: Hello !

Veebha: (relieved to hear her happy voice) Hello ! Niti ! I’m glad you’re feeling better.

That made Niti realise the reality and her mood was again put off.

Niti: (lifelessly) Veebha ? What happened ?

Veebha: Hey why are you back to that lifeless mood ? Be cheerful Niti !

Niti: There’s no reason to be cheerful these days.

Veebha: There are reasons but you aren’t letting them in. You have yourself created this hell around you Niti ! Do you even realise what kind of a beautiful life ahead have you just rejected ?

Niti: You don’t understand Veebha ! That life wouldn’t have been so perfect ! We’re always in the limelight and me accepting that life for myself would have grabbed so much of media attention. And then it would have attracted so many complications.

Veebha: Like what ?

Niti: Like, people would stalk us everywhere and then our personal lives wouldn’t have been personal anymore. If something would go wrong in the future, people would bash us !

Veebha: If this, if that ! Why are you being so negative Niti ?

Niti: It’s not just about being negative ! I might not be able to concentrate on my work and as of now my focus should only be on my career and nothing else. Same goes with Parth as well.

Veebha: Niti, your career is a different thing. This is not something that would have come across your career. For your career, all you need is hard work and that you could have done even while into that new blossoming relationship.

Niti: Please Veebha ! If that’s all you wanna talk about then I would suggest you please don’t. I’ll see you tomorrow at shoot.

The next day, Niti geared herself for the same old professionalism which seemed to be a bit difficult than earlier but she knew it was the only way out. She had to change the image in people’s minds that Parth and herself had started becoming friends. She still remembered her make up artist ask her about her growing friendship with Parth the other day.

Niti reached shoot to be welcomed by a really bright and cheerful Veebha.

Niti: Hi Veebha ! I’m sorry about yesterday but I would still say it would be nice if you could keep that aside.

Veebha: Yeah don’t worry ! Actually there’s something else I wanna tell you about. Come let’s go to the vanity. I think we still have around 15/20 minutes to ourselves.

Veebha: (continuing in the vanity) Okay ! So hold on to your breath because this is going to come as a shock ! Maybe ! But, actually, the thing is, me and Ayaz. We…actually…yesterday…

Niti: (impatiently) Say it fast Veebha ! I can’t wait anymore !

Veebha: We are together !

Niti: What ? How did it all happen ? This is…amazing ! But, I didn’t realise ! What’s going on Veebha ?

Veebha: Actually I never got a chance to tell you how I had started feeling for him for quite some time now. It all started with us working on you and Parth.

Niti: Me and Parth ?

Veebha: Yeah now this is going to come as a shock as well. But….

She then describes all the incidents when they had been working on getting her and Parth together and how their friendship grew out during that phase. Next, she also briefed her about Ayaz’s break up with Priyanka.

Niti: I don’t believe this ! Why didn’t you ever tell me anything when so much was going on ?

Veebha: I’m sorry it’s just that, I myself was really confused about my feelings and since he had just broken up with Priyanka, I didn’t even know if he would feel the same for me. But then yesterday things changed ! Yesterday, was my intimate scene with Abhishek and I was so nervous ! You were not here and so I thought if I would have Ayaz’s support, it would be good. But he didn’t show up during the scene. He stayed back in the vanity and by the time I completed the scene and reached the vanity to see him, he had already left.

*flashback*

Veebha saw the empty vanity and felt really empty inside her heart as she had not met Ayaz since morning and she wondered what might have been the reason for him being away ? Or maybe there was nothing specific and she was just imagining. Utkarsh and Parth came into the vanity and they informed her that he had left long back. She felt like there was definitely something wrong or else he would not have left like that. She hoped it was not something related to Priyanka again.

She reached his place and kept ringing the door bell a lot of times, but nobody opened the door. Ayaz had been looking from the mirror inside and since he did not wish to talk to Veebha, he wasn’t opening the door purposely. He wasn’t upset with her but he was upset with her scene. Her intimate scene with Abhishek had been making him furious. He wasn’t able to control his anger at that and he was aware that if Veebha would come in front of him, he would burst out on her, which he did not wish for. He therefore restrained from opening the door.

She stood there at his door step for a long time but he didn’t open the door. After some time when he checked again from the mirror, she wasn’t present there and he therefore opened the door slowly. He stepped outside and checked around to find her fallen asleep on the stairs. He stood there, adoring her sleeping peacefully but that made him feel guilty as he didn’t open the door because of which she fell asleep on the stairs outside his apartment. He moved forward and settled on the stairs beside her, observing her soft breathing while sleeping. Her phone ring suddenly brought her awake and she found him sitting there beside her staring at her.

Ayaz: Come inside.

Veebha: No ! You weren’t opening the door right ? So now why do you want me to come in ?

Ayaz: I’m sorry Veebha. But please, come in.

Veebha: No I won’t ! I saw your car parked downstairs and therefore I knew you were home but you still didn’t bother to open the door.

Ayaz: Would you please come inside ? We can talk about it.

After a lot of resistance and convincing efforts, she finally agreed and they settled on his couch inside.

Veebha: What’s wrong Ayaz ? Why have you been behaving so weird suddenly ?

Ayaz: Nothing. Why would I behave like that. It’s just I wasn’t feeling well so I left early.

Veebha: Stop lying ! I can see it in your eyes !

Ayaz: What ?

Veebha: The real reason you vanished today ! At first I wasn’t able to figure it out, but right now when I’m sitting in front of you, I know what’s bothering you. So, are you going to tell me the reason why it’s bothering you so much ?

She keeps waiting but Ayaz does not answer.

Veebha: Okay no problem ! Wanna know the reason why I was so impatient to see you that I waited on the stairs outside ?

He looks up at her hoping she would say what he wanted to hear, something that he had not been able to say to her for quite some time now !

Veebha: I think I…I think….no ! I know that…that…I love you Ayaz !

His eyes lightened up and his gaze on her made her blush. She instantly looked away not being able to bear his surprised gaze on her.

He slowly took her hand in his, his eyes not leaving her face. She had her head facing the other side not daring to look into those magical eyes.

Ayaz: (clenching her hand tight) I love you more ! Veebha Anand !

*flashback over*

Niti: Oh my god Veebha !!!! I’m so happy for you !!

She gives her best friend a tight hug expressing her excitement and happiness for the new phase of her life.

Niti: Let me go and talk to Ayaz !

Veebha: He’s not here ! Actually he has taken a leave for few days to go visit his parents.

Precap: The jungle sequence. Professionalism barrier continues.

Tomorrow: Manan ff. Dhruv and Aliya sneak out. Holi party at the Malhotras !

****

Sorry friends for not being able to show the jungle sequence in this part. But I hope you liked this part as well. I know it’s the sad phase and many of you are upset about it but trust me it’s going to change. So keep holding on to it. Also, please do keep loving and supporting through your views in the comments below…

Also, please forgive me for not being able to reply to the comments on the previous part of manan ff..I would like to thank a of you for all of those comments…

Thank you !

Lots of love ❤️

Medhavi

#behappy

#spreadsmiles