No-Longer Best Friend Ki Dulhan: Ishqaan

Chapter 6

Ahaan's POV

"What the fudge, ye ladki kabhi dhang se time kyun nahi bata sakti!"I asked Kartik confusedly.

"Ishqi ka style hai bhai, aap nahi samjhoge, aapki personality to ek white wall se bhi zyaada boring hai."

"Han han thik hai thik hai zyaada bolne ki zarurat nahi hai."

"Satya sadaiv katu hota hai putra! Ladkiyon ko to mere jaise funny ladke pasand hote hain, aapke jaise boring nahi, pata nahi Rhea ne aapko kaise pasand karliya."

Really? Iska matlab Ishqi ko bhi Kartik jaise ladke pasand honge kya?

"Sabhi ladkiyon ke saath aisa hota hai, ya phir..."

I left the sentence hanging, but judging by the way Kartik was grinning, he was onto me.

"Kyun bhai, aapke dimaag me koi specific naam hai kya?"

Damn it. How does he always come to know everything? Wait wait wait, mai kyu Ishqi ko impress karne ke tareeke dhoond raha hoon? Snap out of it Ahaan!

"Ai-ai-aisa kuch nahi hai, ab jaldi chal, Sonu hamara wait kar rahi hogi."

I said speeding toward the room where Sonu was gathering everyone.

"Deflecting, huh? Kabhi na kabhi to answer karna padega na bhai!"

I heard him loud and clear, but pretended as if I hadn't, his words reverberating in my ears long after.

Kabhi na kabhi to answer karna padega na bhai

We all gathered in Sonu's room, except for Ishqi, we had told her to not meet anyone (read: Dadi) until the truth was out. She didn't deserve the insults and taunts that she would undoubtedly get.

Sonu began talking. As she went through the events of last night, I let my mind drift off. I already knew all of this stuff and I couldn't bear to hear about it again. My mind circled back to the name it always seemed to end up at no matter what.

Ishqi.

She had protected Sonu. Not only this time, but each and every time. And I what did I do? I questioned her. I insulted her. I told her to be more like my Sonu, who was not so perfect anymore. Which was more than fine.

I didnt want her to be perfect. I wanted her to trust me. I wanted her to be free. I wanted her to be stress free. But most importantly, I wanted her to be safe.

Which would not have been possible without Ishqi. Even if I had apologized, and she had accepted my apology, I still felt tremendously guilty. I'll ask Kartik if she is still angry at me, he should know, ladkiyon pe Phd kar rakhi hai na usne, and Ishqi tells him everything. But the teasing... ugh.

I noticed that Sonu had finished telling everyone the truth and their expressions would have been absolutely comical had the shituation not been this dire. Their expressions mirrored mine when Sonu told me the truth.

"Apna muh band kar lijiye, makkhiyan ghus jayengi. Ohh mai to bhool hi gayi, ye to ameeron wala resort hai, yahan to makkhiyan hongi hi nahin. Rakhiye rakhiye, bindaas muh khula rakhiye."

I was reminded of what she had siad out of nowhere, and I found myself covering up a snicker under the pretense of a cough. What's so funny about that? It's just a stupid joke. What's happening to you Ahaan?

"Kartik, Ishqi ko phone laga ke bula le, ham sabko usse maafi mangni hai, kyu Mummy ji?"

"Han Mummy, Ritu bilkul sahi kah rahi hai, hamne bina baat ke hi us bechari ko itna kuch suna diya."

"Kyu tum sab us ladki ki vakaalat kar rahe ho? To kya hua Mayank ne thodi gadbad kar di? Ladka hai, unse raha nahi jata. Sonu ko party me jaana hi nahi chahiye tha. Usne shaadi todi hai, ham kyun aag me koodein?"

I couldn't believe her. How could she still blame Ishqi? How could she justify what Mayank did?!?!

"Dadi aap aisa kaise kah sakti hain? Galti Mayank ki thi, Ishqi ya Sonu ki nahi! Us ladki ne to Sonu ko bachaya hai! Usne to itne dino tak bina kuch kahe, bina apni parwah kiye Sonu ki madad ki hai! Ham police ko bulake Mayank arrest karwaenge and its final."

"Jo tu thik samjhe, par mai usse maafi nahi maangne wali."

I was fuming with anger. After being the one insulting her the most, how could she be so unapologetic about it?!

"Maafi to aapko mangni hi padegi dadi. Yaad hai aap hi ne use sabse zyada taane mare the? Or usne bina ek shabd kahe sab kuch sun liya. Par is baar nahi. Kartik, tu phone laga Ishqi ko."

"Han bhai, abhi lagata hun... Hello Ishqi? Han hamne sabko sab sach bata diya hai, tum..."

He went outside, probably to congratulate her. After a minute or two, he told us

"Bhai, wo aa rahi hai."

"Ok."

"Daadi, and I am making this very very clear, aapko bhi usse maafi mangni hi padegi."

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I know, I know, filler chapter, but aajkal episodes hi aise aa rahe hain, no inspiration at all. Or waise bhi ye dikhana zaruri tha, ab Mayank ka tanta khatam or Ishqaan ki story chalu. If anyone has ANY ideas, kindly DM me, cuz currently my mind is a blank slate. And as always, constructive criticism is highly appreciated!