Part 10
Abhi sat with his head supported by the head rest. He was thinking deeply. ‘No way’ he screamed to himself and leaned back. Closing his eyes, he drowned again in thoughts.
…
“Hi Abhi… Did you message her?” Purab said just at the sight of Abhi sitting with mobile. It was just two days since the challenge… and Abhi had already started looking at his phone every 10 minutes.
“Naa… just looking at news articles” a terrible lie it was.
“Are things fine?”
“Great”
A week later…
“Had someone seen our sloppy professor?”
“Why?”
“Just running out of tests aren’t we? What’s the new timetable meant for? That we have free time and we write tests to fill those?” he was a bit too much angry.
“Come on Abhi. It’s just for practice. Semesters are approaching” too much obedient Nikhil couldn’t control his tongue.
“Yeah… Great! We have nothing else to do right?”
“Well… learn to keep calm man” Purab nudged.
“Oh… Yeah! People simply walk to me and tell to stay put… as if I am over reacting. He gives me hell lot of practice sheets… I should smile and take. They don’t give us our free periods… I have to listen to their drones. Food isn’t good… I should eat calmly and puke later” he suddenly turned more aggressive “She stands side by side to him… I have to adore their pair. She tangles her fingers in his… I got to give the picture a ‘like’…”
The rest of the words faded as Abhi walked searching his beloved teacher, muttering all the way.
Nikhil and Purab shook their heads in disbelief. ‘How frustrated he is because of her’ they thought.
After successful completion of five more days of ill temper and unease,
‘What is wrong with Purab’ Abhi was going nuts. He read the recent chat again.
Pu: hey prags
Pr: hey yaar. Wassup? Fight wid her? Got tym to msg me!
Pu: come on yaar. U knw sems r approaching
Pr: so… busy coz of it? Don’t take too much stress
Pu: nope. I’m dng great… it is all fyn. Hw’s mum, dad and brother?
Pr: well… mum’s great. Dad’s out on business again… Krish is hurrying in nd out as always. U knw wat happened ystrdy… mum ws so furious
.
.
.
.
It almost was going for pages and pages. ‘How dare he?’ Abhi walked swiftly to Purab.
He was sitting with Nikhil and a few other boys. He threw the phone back to him. “Woah…! Chill Abhi… what’s the problem?”
“No problem”
“Why are you angry?”
“Did I tell something to you Purab? You gave me your phone coz I asked you. Does it mean I should tell you what I did with it?”
“I never asked it”
“Well… seemed like you did. Thanks for your help”
“Abhi… why are you so frustrated? There is no balance in yours and so I gave mine. I am not thinking it as a help. What happened?”
“I am all well. You just carry on. Doing well with everyone, aren’t you? Go on… continue. I am not talking but you do. What does it mean? Anyways, it’s all good to you right? Well… I have no problem. I am not bothering you anymore. Continue your boring chats. Bye” he left muttering ‘As if he is her closest relative… having fun like family! IDIOT…!’
Nikhil “What did he see in your phone?” Purab “No Idea” Nikhil “Well…then see what it is” Purab “lastly he saw Whatsapp” Nikhil “Your chats?” Purab “with Pragya…!” Nikhil “Something to worry”
They bent their heads back to the books, but clearly none of their brains worked upon the book.
Again two days passed by…
Abhi was frantically walking here and there. It looked like he was searching someone. Finally he saw them. Abhi rushed to Purab and hugged him tight.
Purab was real confused. “You fought me two days ago” he reminded Abhi. But Abhi did not reply.
After some time he said, “I didn’t wish her for her birthday. And she is not worrying about it!”
Purab was blinking a moment… Nikhil shook his head as realisation dawned upon him. But he didn’t say anything. Nor did Purab… he simply let Abhi stay. Some more minutes later Abhi pulled them to the basketball court.
A week days later…
“Abhi, have this”
“Mom, I am not feeling well, I know. But you don’t need to give me juices and all”
“You skipped your breakfast”
“So what?”
“You have to drink this”
…
The door was slightly pushed open. They could see Abhi sitting on bed in such a state.
Abhi’s thoughts suddenly stopped. “Come in guys” he told. They wondered how he found.
“I can” he said but did not budge.
They came in and sat on the couch.
“How are you now?” Purab asked taking out something from his bag.
“You know I am fine” Abhi answered, absent minded.
There was a big silence.
“Why are you all silent? You know I hate silence” Nikhil screeched.
Purab and Abhi made no move. Nikhil frowned. “See if you go on like this, I will become hungry. Then I will be the one to empty that juice glass lying next to you” Nikhil pointed to the glass on the table, near Abhi’s bed. He knew… Abhi’s mom makes wonderful juices!
“Will you never change?” Purab asked making a weird face.
“Sorry” Nikhil mumbled and shrunk his face, making Abhi smile.
“Thank god, you smiled” Nikhil said.
The guys started chatting random things and Abhi was finally normal.
But still there was something with Purab. Abhi didn’t know why but he felt that Purab wanted to say something. The thing was in his throat, man! ‘Should words be prized out of his mouth now?’ Abhi wondered.
“What do you want to tell?” he asked and found Purab’s face gleam!
“Why are you not coming to college?” Purab asked.
“Because I am… unwell”
“Because you don’t feel like… because your mood is not good” Purab told the truth.
“So what…?” Abhi enquired.
“I have something to make you happy” Purab grinned like an idiot. Abhi made a weird face and waited for him to continue. “…but you have to do what I say” Purab completed his statement.
Abhi agreed.
“Get down and stand on your feet” Purab commanded. Abhi followed.
“Raise your hands up and laugh” Abhi could do nothing but stare at him.
“From when did you join in laughter club Purab? Also am I looking like some grandpa who needs to be cheered up” Abhi couldn’t help but question.
“Literally no, but actually yes” Purab said. He continued “… are you going to do or not?”
Abhi with no other way agreed and raised his hands up. “He-He-He” he said with eyes shrunk and lips curved down. “ABHI” Purab shouted. “This is happy news. I don’t want to reveal it in an atmosphere like this. That’s why I told you to laugh” he screamed.
“Fine… fine…” Abhi said and threw his hands on Purab’s shoulders. “Now tell, I am completely fine” Abhi soothed him. Out of nowhere an unknown excitement seemed to cling to Purab and he started jumping!
“It’s Bulbul’s marriage and her sister’s birthday… they fall on the same day” he jumped happily hugging Nikhil.
“So, you are happy for it?” Abhi was shocked. “Purab, she is your girl friend” he reminded. Purab blinked.
“Duffer, say it properly” Nikhil knocked Purab’s head.
“Ouch” Purab shouted, rubbing his head. “It’s Bulbul’s birthday and her sister’s marriage” he repeated. “Did I not tell this before?” he asked thinking.
“NO. You told the reverse” Nikhil told. Purab was about to scream something when Abhi cut him off.
“What does it have to do with me?” Abhi asked filled with sorrow again.
“Your dream would come true, idiot…” Purab told but it made no sense to Abhi.
“See… Bulbul is Tara’s sister… I am Bulbul’s boy friend… you are my friend. So you can attend it” Purab told.
“So”
“Now… Bulbul is Tara’s sister… Pragya is Bulbul’s friend…so” Nikhil explained this time.
“Pragya can attend it” Abhi screamed before Nikhil could even finish it.
“Now you get it!” the duo chorused at once. “Then fine…we will see on Wednesday. There is a bachelor party that night… next morning is the wedding. Come without fail… I know you would” Purab said and they moved out of the room as Abhi rushed into the closet!
Purab walked out of room happily holding Nikhil’s hand. He thought of what happened in the past one month.
It has been almost three weeks since Abhi had challenged Pragya. The first one week was fine… he was the happy man. Except for the fact that he checked Pragya’s chat often looking for texts and her last seen, he was good. But the next day Abhi saw Pragya’s DP… he was like ‘I will kill that guy!’ Why? Someone was standing next to her and she stood entangling her fingers with his. Though he managed to act like it didn’t bother him, Nikhil and Purab could actually say he was furious. He tried to act normally… but still it was nagging him. He started marching to and fro in free times, massaging his temples. ‘This is frustration’ Nikhil said. He had put out his frustration in very odd ways.
The next three days were also quite normal, except that Abhi wanted to know who that guy is, very badly. Two days later, Abhi was looking at Purab’s chats. ‘How much does he chat with Pragya? But he never even mentioned about me… not even Pragya spoke a word of me. Even after knowing that I won’t talk to her, he does…’ Abhi scolded Purab mentally and picked a fight with him the same day.
Purab didn’t even know why Abhi fought him. ‘This is irritation’ Nikhil told.
But this side, Abhi grew desperate that he couldn’t wait to see ‘online’ tag below Pragya’s name, though he knew she wouldn’t msg him. After that, the next six days were even miserable. It was Pragya’s birthday in one of the days and her stories were filled with clicks of gifts and wishes. It took every ounce of him to stay in control!
She doesn’t feel if I didn’t wish her!
Abhi was melodramatic… he went straight to Purab and stood still for five minutes, hugging him. Purab was real confused. “You fought me two days ago” Purab reminded Abhi. But Abhi did not reply. Instead he said, “I didn’t wish Pragya for her birthday. And she is not worrying about it!”
Purab was blinking a moment… ‘So here is realisation’ Nikhil concluded. But he didn’t say anything. Nor did Purab… he simply let Abhi stay. Some more minutes later Abhi pulled them to the basketball court and they let time slip.
After that, Abhi stayed in the court most of the time. If he wasn’t alone, Purab and Nikhil would be his company. When the game too bored him so much, Abhi took a sick leave! It was some 20 days from the challenge day when he took the first day leave.
Nikhil was thinking of something when Purab told him the news of Bulbul’s birthday. And on Nikhil’s advice, Purab broke it out to Abhi… today!
…
Now that Abhi is happy, Purab and Nikhil were satisfied.
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Hi guys… sorry for delay. I actually told you all that I will post soon. But I had my exams in between. Well, they took fairly a long time to get completed. After they were over, I thought to update, but I got seriously ill. Was bedridden for some three days! Sorry. Enough of my reasons… So, here goes the episode! I made it long, so that I could cope for my absence. But, I know this was bit boring too… if there is sth u find very silly or some mistakes found, bear with them an do spot them out. I guess next one will be better. Thanks for the likes and comments. Drop views if possible… even if it’s a word. Coz, they are the ones that actually help us write (I mean every writer). So yeah, hit the button and drop your views. Well, negative comments welcomed too… will help me improve 🙂
And yeah, I cannot promise you the next episode to be posted any near. Sorry. I will try my best to.
Bye guys. Take care : ) : ) : )