The Durga Puja incident left Sonakshi repulsive to Vicky. The autumn break was over and Asha was back to Delhi. Renuka presented to her a spiced and peppered version of what had happened when Dev had been to Sona’s house. But Asha trusted her daughter more than anyone else. She payed no heed to Renuka’s words.
The first preboards were a week away, when Dev landed up in another trouble. And as always he rushed to his love guru for the rescue.
@Sonakshi’s home
Dev: Sonakshi, ek bahut badi problem ho gayi hai.
(I’m in a big problem Sonakshi)
Sona: Ab kya kar diya tumne?
(What have you done now?)
Dev: Do you know Sheena……Sheena Malhotra…..commerce stream?
Sona: Ya….She’s Rupali’s classmate right?
Dev: Yup! I’ve been chatting to her on FB, from about two or three weeks and suddenly, just yesterday, she proposed to me.
Sonakshi knew it wasn’t all that he wanted to say, there was something more to it. His face clearly showed up that he’d done something big. She at once asked him.
Sona: Don’t tell me you said yes to her!
Dev: I couldn’t say no.
Sona: Are you out of your senses?? How could you just……and what about Riddhima???
Dev: I don’t know!! I was kinda confused about Riddhima….I believe she’s friend-zoned me….and I can’t help it…..she’s really confusing. Sheena is a nice girl, she’s really sweet. Her proposal was so sudden, I couldn’t really think of anything. I just didn’t want to hurt her….and out of impulse I said “yes”….and the very next moment I realised what blunder I had done. And ab mera band baje chuka hai…..Main kya karu Sonakshi???
(What should I do Sonakshi)
Sona: Yeh sab Sheena ko haan bolne se pehle sochna chahiye tha.
(You should have thought that before agreeing to her proposal)
Dev: Sochne ka time hi nahi mila. Par main abhi use mana bhi nahi kar sakta. Ek kaam karta hoon…..Kuch din aise hi chalne deta hoon….preboards ke baad use sab sach bata doonga.
(I didn’t have time to think. But I can’t even say no to her now. For now I’ll let it be the way it is….after preboards I’ll tell her everything)
Sona: Do as you please Dev! I’m hell tired with your tantrums.
Dev: Sonakshi….aise mat bolo yaar. Ek toh tumhara friend problem mein hai aur tum…….
(That’s so rude of you…. Your friend is in a problem…and you….)
Just then Asha got some snacks for them and joined the two.
Asha: Kaun problem mein hai?
(Who’s in a problem?)
Sona: Dev! Preboards aa rahe hain na.
(Dev! Preboards are here….that’s why)
Asha: Toh ismein problem kya hai? Dev toh topper hai….accha hi karega. Waise beta 12th ke baad kya plan hai?
(Where’s the problem? Dev will surely do well….after all he’s the topper. So Dev what have you planned to do after 12th?)
Dev: Aunty 12th ke baad, JEE Mains, phir Advanced, phir IIT.
Sona: Phir??
(Then?)
Dev: Phir kya? Acchi placement, bahut acchi job, dher saare paise.
(Then what? Good placement, very good job, lots of money)
Sona: Bas?
(That’s all?)
Dev: Toh aur kya?
(What else?)
Sona: Tumhe IIT se sirf acchi placement aur bahut acchi job chahiye?
(You only need a good placement and a very good job?)
Asha: Toh aur kya chahiye hota hai Sona?
(What else does one need Sona?)
Sona: Maa….hum IITians se expect karte hai ki woh kuch naya invent karenge. Desh ko kuch naya denge.
(We expect a lot from IITians, we believe they’ll do something new, they’ll give something new to the country)
Dev: IIT tumhe sirf Chetan Bhagat hi de sakta hai.
(IIT can only give you Chetan Bhagat)
Dev and his unusual sense of humour!! Sonakshi’s anger vanished in a minute. But today she had learned something new about Dev. He wasn’t serious about any girl in his life. He had never been in love. He didn’t know what love was like. It was only his transient attraction to both Riddhima and Sheena that got him hooked to them. It was nothing more than infatuation.
That day she decided to make him understand what true love is….to make him realise that it isn’t something planned or scripted. It is the most beautiful feeling ever and his partner will only be the one who’s destined to be. She was determined to help him find the right girl.
So it became a fixed schedule for her to send him quotes and pictures and messages that depicted the value of “One True Love”. Some of them being-

” Love isn’t something you go and look out for. Love finds you. And when it does, ready or not, it’ll be the best thing to ever happen to you.”

“We may love the wrong person and cry for wrong reasons, but one thing is for sure, these mistakes help us find the right ones.”

“Never ignore a person, who loves you, cares for you, and misses you, because one day, you might wake up and realise, you lost the moon while counting the stars.”

“One day you’ll find someone who shows you why it never worked with anyone else.”
Their chatting sessions remained undisturbed even during their exams. Though this didn’t have any effect on Dev’s performance, Sonakshi’s result clearly deteriorated. Asha couldn’t make out the reason for this downfall, as Sonakshi did study in the regular hours. But Sona knew it all. She blamed no one except for herself because it was her, who’d allowed her focus to be diverted.
The written exams were over and it was the time for the mock practicals. She decided not to talk to him for time being.
Here Vicky, who’d been filled with rage, catering to Devakshi’s proximity, was all set with the plan that would separate them once and for all and then….it would be his turn to try on her. He landed up at Dev’s house the very next Sunday after the exams on the pretext of completing his practical notes.
Vicky: Dev I need your chemistry practical notes bro! Mere incomplete hai….I’ve to complete them.
Dev: Monday ko practicals hain…aur tujhe Sunday ko yaad aa raha hai. Lage reh bhai.
(That’s great…you have your practicals tomorrow and you’re here to complete you notes today)
Dev gave him his notes and was leaving to have a bath when Vicky asked for his phone.
Vicky: Dev apna phone dega yaar….meritnation use karma hai.
(Can I borrow your phone, I’ve to use meritnation)
Dev: Hmmm…..table pe rakha hai…le le.
(Its kept on the table…take it)
The moment Dev left, Vicky attacked his phone and at one began with his job stealthily. A wicked, victorious smile crept on his face when he was done with it.
Next day when Sonakshi was returning from the chemistry lab after her practical exam, she found Vicky and his friends sitting on the staircase, looking intently at her. She was about to walk past them when Vicky called out her name.
Vicky: Miss. Sonakshi Bose….the infamous “LOVE GURU”, thoda gyaan humein bhi toh do yaar….ya phir yeh sab sirf aapke uss boyfriend…. Oh sorry….BEST FRIEND ke liye hai??
(Share some of you knowledge about love with us too….or is it just for your boyfriend….. Oh sorry…..BEST FRIEND??)
Sonakshi couldn’t make out what he said. All that she could hear was….”Love Guru” and “Best friend”…. And that only reminded her of Dev. Did he just call him her boyfriend???
Sona: Yeh kya bakwaas kar rahe ho Vicky?
(What’s all this nonsense Vicky?)
Vicky: Acha….main karu toh bakwaas….aur woh kare toh pravachan?
(OK so when I say this….its nonsense for you…and when he does…it all makes sense??)
Sona: Dekho tum kya bol rahe ho mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha hai. Please lemme go.
Vicky: Jaao…..shauk se jaao…..aaj shaam tak tumhe waise bhi sab pata chal jaayega.
(You’ll get to know everything by the evening today)
Sonakshi was hell confused.
“What was he talking about?? Me being the love guru….Dev being my boyfriend??? What’s happening?”
She was all restless the whole day. In the evening , she was about to ask Dev if he knew anything about all this, when she saw a message from a new number.
“Hi! Miss. Bose!”
Sona: Who’s this?
“Your well wisher, Vicky!?”
Sona: How did you get my number?
Vicky: That’s not important. What’s important is this……
And before Sonakshi could make out anything, he began sending numerous screenshots one by one. It seemed like a chat between him and Dev. She ran her eyes through each one of the screenshots and what she read, left her benumbed.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Dev: Who? That Sonakshi?? She’s another pinchpenny.
Vicky: I thought she was your best friend.
Dev: Best what?? XD….my best friend?? In her dreams! She’s just a time pass bro.
Vicky: But she’s a good catch.
Dev: I know….but nothing more than a pretty face to me.
Vicky: But you give her a lot of attention, I thought you guys were besties.
Dev: Never!! Its not me who gives her attention. It’s she who’s always stuck to me…..so like all the other girls. She isn’t my standard dude. Mere mediocre. Lemme just conquer her trust, I’ll soon show her where she stands.
Vicky: And becoz of you even we aren’t getting a chance on her.
Dev: Not before me! Once I’m bored….you can try her out.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Sonakshi couldn’t read any further. A drop of tear fell on the screen of her phone. With trembling fingers she tried to block his contact before she read his last message to her.
“You wanted to know how I got your number, right?? Dev gave it to me. We’ve read all of your chats, with his permission. And if you don’t believe me, you can very well ask him, if he gave his phone to me or not.”
She couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. The phone slipped out of her hand and she broke out crying.
The boy she’d trusted the most, betrayed her. The boy who’d been the most special for her, disrespected her, made a joke out of the faith she placed in him. She could bear anything, but this insult had hurt her self respect, and that coming from the guy she loved, shattered her soul. She couldn’t believe that Dev would ever think so low of her, she didn’t want to believe it. There was hope within her, that he wouldn’t have let Vicky peep into their personal talks. She immediately called him. Though she tried to hide her agonised state, Dev at once sensed it from her trembling voice that she was really upset about something.
Dev: Sonakshi are you crying? Is everything alright?
Sona: Dev, did you give your phone to Vicky?
Dev: What happened Sonakshi? Aaram se batao mujhe.
Sona: Just answer my question Dev! Did you give your phone to Vicky?
Dev: Yes I did…..but hua kya hai?
And before he could say a word more, she hung up and switched her phone off. The only forlorn hope was murdered within her. She locked herself in her room and cried continuously for what seemed like a millennium.
Jab rulana hi tha tujhe,
Toh phir hasaya kyun
Sath rehkar bhi hai juda
Toh paas aaya kyun
Kyun yakin uth gaya dil se kahi wafao ka
Pyar mehsus kyun hone laga gunaho sa Aaya apne beech mein kisi ka saaya kyun
Jab rulana hi tha tujhe
Toh phir hasaya kyun
Sath rehkar bhi hai juda
Toh paas aaya kyun
Her agony knew no bounds. She’d never been so wrong about any person. Loving him and trusting him was her biggest mistake, she thought. She was filled with regret and self-hatred loving the wrong person.
When Asha came to call her for dinner, she found the door locked. She called out for her and when Sonakshi opened the door, Asha was extremely worried seeing her distraught state. She immediately touched her forehead. Sona’s body was burning with fever.
She couldn’t attend her physics mock practicals the next day. Dev, who’d been all tensed after his talk with Sona, was even more worried when he didn’t find her in the class. He immediately went to Elena, hoping she might know what had happened.
Dev: Elena, where’s Sonakshi?
Elena: Hi! Aunty had called me yesterday night, Sona had high fever, that’s why she couldn’t come today.
Dev: But, kal tak toh bilkul theek thi woh!
(But she was all good yesterday)
Elena: I know….but I guess it’s something serious….. Nahi toh Sona kabhi apna exam miss nahi karti.
(Its something serious…. Other wise she never misses her exam)
Dev: Ya that’s true…..accha tumhari agar usse baat ho toh batana.
(If you talk to her do lemme know)
Elena: Ya sure!
Dev could not get the head or tail of what had been happening. Sonakshi was absolutely fine yesterday. At about 8:30 she called him and sounded really sad…..she was crying…… But why?? She’d asked something about Vicky. Does Vicky have something to do with this, he wondered as he went to him, to ask if he knew anything.
Vicky: Nahi Dev. Meri Sonakshi se baat kaise hogi….mere paas toh uska number bhi nahi hai. Kyun koi problem hai kya?
(No Dev I don’t even have her number. How will I talk to her? Why, is there any problem?)
Dev: Nahi kuch nahi…..chhod.
(Nothing… Forget it)
Dev’s anguish reached the brim. The only way left now, was to ask Sonakshi herself. He went to her house in the evening.
Dev: Namaste aunty! How’s Sonakshi?
Asha: She’s better now beta. Kal raat ko 104°F fever tha.
Dev: Can I meet her?
Asha: She’s sleeping right now.
Dev: Its OK aunty, I’ll come later.
Dev just turned to leave when Asha stopped him.
Asha: Dev! Is everything alright between the two of you? Has something happened? Because Sonakshi has said she doesn’t wanna meet you.
Dev: I’ve no idea aunty. She’d called me yesterday and she sounded unwell. Then she switched her phone off and I couldn’t talk to her. Even Elena doesn’t know anything. But its OK….if she doesn’t wanna meet me…I won’t force her. I’ll talk to her only when she’s OK with it. Till then please take care of her. Try to talk to her.
Asha: I’ll try my best beta.
Dev left disheartened. He waited for Sonakshi to talk to him….one day, two days, ten days…..but she didn’t talk to anyone….not even Elena. Even in the school she would just ignore him and everyone else. Elena was all worried seeing her recluse. She had to bring her Sona back to life. Elena the saviour, was all set to sort things out.
………………………………………………………….
PRECAP: The Return Of Bijoy Bose!
P.S. What a boring chapter!! Sad, sad, and only sad, that’s so not me. Don’t worry guys, things will be sorted in the next chapter.
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Love you all!