It Started With a Bet

Chapter 28

Shruti's POV

I turned to see Siddharth, he removed his hand from my mouth but was still pulling me away from everyone.

" What the hell do you think you are doing? "

" Stealing some moments for us, so that we can clear the misunderstanding. It has been overdue for so long. "

" But this is not the way... "

" I can't wait anymore... I have waited for years. " He said.

I was touched by what he said.

" Ok, say whatever you want. "  I said.

" Thanks a lot... It was not the way it looked like.  Do you remember the day, when I asked you to come out for coffee for the first time? "

" Hmmm, I do... "

" My friends knew that I liked you. So they insisted to me that I must ask you out and pushed me in your way. I asked you but you... said all that. My friends were nearby and they heard it. They were annoyed at what you said, because I was not like that and they said that you should not have said all those things. I gave them reasons .......... " And he told me everything that happened that day.

" But why did you get ready for the bet?? Don't you think it is so humiliating to be bet upon?? "

" I didn't, I thought that he said it in a fit of anger. Sometimes people say a few things in the heat of the moment, though they don't mean them. So I thought he was just angry,  I just tried to cool them off and wanted to let them feel that I was not at all affected by your words. I just never agreed to have that bet. I just told them - ok, calm down!! Let's go somewhere and enjoy.- I swear, we never talked about it again. I forgot what he said, that day only. I didn't even think about it, I didn't even remember it. "

" Then why did he say all that and gave you money?? "

" Because they did not know about us. Only Parth was aware of the fact that we were dating. He knew I liked you a lot.  But Mayank didn't know anything..."

" You are defending your friend, Mayank. "

"  No, I am not. Whatever he said was wrong. I had a very hot argument with him after you left. Parth and I made him understand that what he said and did was wrong. We asked him that how would he feel if someone bet like this on his sister?? He realised it later and was embarrassed as hell.  He apologized to me and said that he wanted to apologise to you as well. He was feeling very bad but you were so angry that you didn't want to hear anything. "

" He could have talked to me. "

" I told him not to, after your brother saw us and he hit you, I was concerned that he might do it again. I wanted to break his hand for hitting you but I didn't want you to face the music later on and he was your brother, things would have worsened. It was better that I stayed away at that time.  You topped that term. I wanted you to fulfil your dreams. "  He said looking into my eyes which screamed his sincerity.

I looked away...

Oh God !!! A

" Ok, fine... Let's go back. What would everyone think about us? "

" They all are engrossed in themselves and busy in teasing the newlyweds. "

" I should be with Vidhi, she is upset and didn't you just see that thick wall of tension between Vidhi and Shubh??   "

" I wanted to punch him on Holi. "

" But why ?? He seems to be a nice man. Simple, sober man... "