Chapter 6:

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Days passed earlier than expected. Everyone were rather busy in their respective works. One evening, all huddled in ground floor RH. D3 gang had practiced their routines and Rithvik wanted all of them to perform once so that he could check if there were any improvisations to be made.

"Oh man…. U both are amazing" Rithvik clapped at Rey and Kriya's performance. They indeed excelled in the art. "I can see why you both are in love…. You people have such a great chemistry…. Haina Taani?" Surbhi exclaimed putting a shoulder on her friend Taani. Even she was present to watch them. The real reason of her to be in the hall was because Wahi & Surbhi. They insisted her to join them. Now she taught she should have stayed back. Everyone looked at her including Rey and kriya. "Yes…" Taani muttered through a gritted teeth, hoaxing a smile. Vicky and nil exchanged knowing glance while other members of the gang looked at each other. Swayam felt embarrassed to witness this kind of moment, while Sharon mimicked her bf reactions.

On the other hand, Rithvik and surbhi unknown to the fact were smiling and hooting for the couple. Kriya looked pleased while Rey was apprehensive. "To have a great chemistry there's no need to be in love… even friends can have that" Wahi intervened. Now he had everyone's attention. "I was just contradicting you…" Wahi smirked at surbhi. "You bunch of a chemistry exploder…. Let me see your skills then" surbhi wasn't the one to easily let go. "Don't be silly…" Wahi shrugged. "Oh I am serious" she crossed her arms.

"Okay… Taani will help me out…." Wahi looked hopefully towards her. She was startled. Even before she knew what was happening, Wahi held her hand & walked onto the middle of hall… Rithvik purposefully played a slow song… Thousand years…..in the back… Taani reluctantly held on to Wahi avoiding to watch anyone. Especially her brother… as music drifted, they swayed their hips and Wahi held her on waist bringing her closer. He spun & pulled her back touching his front. His hand didn't leave her waist. Anyone who watched them first time would definitely thought they both were together. That was the chemistry exploded between them.

Rey couldn't stand still. The moment he saw how Wahi held her so close and danced, his insides burned furiously. His jaw clenched tightly. His fist closed with the unexpected desire to punch him on the face. He shouldn't be feeling it. But the more he realized, the more he felt. And this moment didn't go unnoticed by his two best friends Swayam & Sharon. And also by one of the best friend of Taani. Rithvik! If he was surprised, he didn't show it. Swayam stared straight ahead… wall looked more appeasing than his sister dancing with a guy. His possessiveness had never drained out.

As the song beat to it's end, Taani hushed so that only Wahi could listen "you are embarrassing my brother". He looked aghast. "He doesn't like to watch me with guys… even if he's my friend……" she giggled suppressing the urge to laugh on his face. And for a second, she caught a glimpse of Rey watching her intensely.

******

It was lunch time. D3 gang sat in canteen along with surbhi & Rithvik. "Huh…. Kaam Karne ke baad.…" Vicky held a burger in his hand. "Kaane ka Maza hi…." Nil took a bite of his own burger "alag hai…." Bharath finished for them… "wa wa..." Amar cherished. Girls glared them. "Kyun humara joke pasand nahi Aya ap logo lko?" Nil spoke chewing his remained piece of burger. "Think something different next time" simmi frowned sipping an orange juice. "You guys are always so funny" Rithvik spoke earning a nod from surbhi as she agreed with his statement. "Of course we are" boys said in unison cracking everyone up.  "Why don't you both are eating?" Sharon enquired seeing Rithvik and surbhi not touching their plates. "We are waiting for Taani & Wahi... ofcourse" surbhi said in matter of fact. "What if they are gonna be late for lunch?" Swayam asked incredulously. "We wait…." Rithvik didn't understood why they were so surprised. "You guys won't eat until they eat?" Kriya was curious now. "Correction. We won't be eating until they eat along with us…" Rithvik corrected her. "It's our only time to catch up with each other atleast for minutes… otherwise everyone of us busy in something or the other thing…" surbhi explained them. "Are you telling even Taani… & Wahi would do the same?" Kriya again intervened. "Wait for us to eat. Yes of course. They will wait for us until we show up…. Or else they will go starving" Rithvik clarified.

"What's going on?" Wahi pulled a chair beside surbhi to sit. "We were talking about you baby boy…." Rithvik winked. "Huh…. Baby boy hoga tu…." Grunted Wahi giving him an evil look. "Now don't act my chor Bazar.…" Rithvik hugged him on shoulders. "Eew… you disgusting alpha male…. Get off me" Wahi pushed him. But Rithvik held on snuggling his face in his neck. "Ok…boys…play over" surbhi clapped pulling them apart . "Behave. We got lot of audience here" surbhi's gaze roamed around the canteen which now filled with mob of students sat in groups. Gang snickered at the trio. "By the way where is Taani?" Surbhi asked Wahi. "Oh…. Your husband took her to inspection" he pouted. "Gosh! Phrase a sentence which doesn't include your double meanings in it" surbhi lambasted. "That sounded so wrong…." Rithvik chuckled inwardly. "Oops…I meant mr.sobti & Taani gone for inspection of academy building. It's almost over. They would be coming here any moment." Wahi apologized giving clear whereabouts of Taani.

Rey didn't look pleased at all. Watching Wahi was the hardest thing for him. He didn't do any wrong to earn that feeling. But Rey felt feeble.

"I want a ambitious girl. Not someone who just want to marry me & scrub vessels in kitchen." A boy in the canteen shouted on top of his lungs at a girl. Suddenly silence fell and everyone watched them. Mr.sobti & Taani had arrived the canteen at the exact moment. Taani's face contorted in scarlet fury. The words rung relentlessly in her ear. She had watched that couple from past one month. They were so in love with each other together. He treated her like a prince. Never she expected that kind of a guy would make such statements. The girl's face scrunched up in tears. "Please...don't do this….calm down" she begged him looking everywhere. Taani's heart went to her. Once upon a time in her past, she had been the victim of a similar show. Now stood someone accepting the same treatment instead of fighting back. "I really don't want a girl who wishes only to marry me and don't have any ambitions in her life. I really don't care even if I dated her for decades…" the boy went verbally wild. The more sobs escaped from that girl. Taani who couldn't hold herself, walked towards her.

Rey just knew he was witnessing his younger self though his intensions were clean at that time. He couldn't help but feel how worse of a boy friend he had been to the girl who loved and desired him. "Don't you understand she's asking you to stop" Taani held the girl patting her back and roared on the guy. "Please let it be, mam. It's our personal matter" he dared an argument knowing she was the manager of academy. She could kick him out in minutes if she considered his actions for a second seriously. But she wasn't heartless. She wouldn't do that. "Mind you…whom you are talking to" Wahi was suddenly in front of Taani placing himself between the boy and her. Rithvik had joined beside Taani as well.

"Just because she wants to marry you & have a life with you doesn't mean she's not ambitious, lad" it was Mr. Sobti who spoke surprising everyone. He walked up to them putting his hands in his pocket. The guy cringed knowing he faced MD of the company. "And FYI, it was you who brought your personal issue into public…so face the consequences" he warned. Then his tone calmed down. "Being housewife is no less than any other outside work. Women puts her heart & soul in it. To build and group a family. She sacrifices so much and inturn, jerks like you who doesn't understand how respectful it is…. More than any other thing…." He grit his teeth and bawled. "It's her choice. Learn to respect it rather than opposing it. She wants to be a housewife, let her be… she have chosen it. Not because she couldn't do any other things. She want to be because she's ambitious enough to build a loving family through it so that you and your next generation stays happy…" he said in a calm tone. None of them had witnessed Mr.Sobti being so angry and abashed. Taani's face curled up in respect for the man in front of her. Never in her life she had seen a man who tremendously presumes to be equality in gender. Surbhi had a proud smile on her face watching her husband. "Leave…" Rithvik furiously pointed a finger to the boy to exit.

D3 gang exchanged looks and slightly watched Rey as he stared straight in guilty. Nothing could placate his actions in the past knowingly or unknowingly. He never understood his error so specifically until now. Only if he understood then, Taani & he would have been together. Sharon understood the irrevocable suggestion she had given to Rey instead chastising him. Swayam in the name of love for his friends never really understood how it affected Taani.

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