How I Married Your Mom

Chapter 30- Jiya Sings For Samarth

"Ab ghar chalein?" Jiya asked breaking the dare to stare competition she was having with Samarth. "Hmm" Samarth hummed but made no effort to get up. Neither did Jiya. She was busy eating her cake with full concentration.

"Pata hai Mihika? Pari loves Jiya." Jiya looked at Samarth and smiled meekly as he said those words. But Samarth didn't smile. He looked at Jiya and his orbs turned several shades darker seeing the chocolate smeared over her lips. Chocolate flavor was Samarth's all time favorite and Jiya's constant lip licking wasn't helping him either.

"Aise kya dekh rahe ho buddhu, aage toh bolo, Mihika is waiting." Jiya laughed but her smile died down at Samarth's rock hard, blank face. "Tum gaadi mein jaakar baitho, main aa raha hoon." Jiya shrieked at his slightly raised voice. She didn't miss the angry expression on his face either. Here it goes. Jiya picked her handbag and left the place quietly.

"I don't know what's happening to me, Mihu." Samarth spoke, his eyes on the retreating figure of Jiya. "It's like she is hitting that spot in me every time which I don't want to show. It's surprising how I hated her initially and now I brought her here with me to show her this farmhouse. It had to be you. No, no, no, don't get me wrong. She is not taking your place, she can never, no one can. But am just scared because she is creating a place of her own in my heart."

***************

"Kya lagta hai usko? Ab woh aayega na, sorry bolega apne iss khadoos behaviour ke liye toh bhi nahi maanungi. Matlab, mujhe bhaga diya usne? Uski himmat kaise hui?" Jiya huffed angrily. "Shayad apni wife se private mein kuch baat karni hogi." Jiya smiled in understanding but the angry expression returned seconds later. "Toh kya hua? Pyaar se bhi bol sakta tha nikal lene ko. Main chali jaati, gussa karne ki toh koi zaroorat nahi thi. Ek number ka thankless, insensitive..."

Before she could add more words to the list of qualities Samarth possessed, he opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat beside Jiya. Jiya picked her bag and threw it on the back seat with a loud sound indicating her anger. Samarth flinched and looked at her strangely. Jiya grew a little scared but didn't let that show and started looking out of the window. 

Almost 15 minutes had passed in silence. Jiya looked at Samarth who was driving the car with a blank face, his jaws clenched which was in contrast of how his expressions were in the morning. This man changes himself really fast, I wonder why. Jiya thought.

"Maine tumhe buddhu bulaya isiliye tum itna gussa ho gaye?" Jiya broke the ice completely knowing Samarth was in no mood to do so and she couldn't keep quiet throughout the 2 hours ride. "Kya?" Samarth looked at her weirdly and burst into laughter.

Jiya was totally clueless of which part of her question could be considered a joke but nonetheless smiled on seeing his mood getting lighter and better. She looked at this strange man beside her who had made her so furious with his actions few minutes ago and now was melting her with his laughter. She didn't know what was happening to her.

"Am sorry." Samarth spoke up after his laughter ceased. Jiya raised her eyebrows at his apology. "You were right when you told that I am bipolar. Sometimes, when I get too happy I just change myself back to being strict." He said honestly, eyes fixed on the road. "Why? Why are you like this? If you are happy, you can just enjoy and be happy and smile like me. Why do you change?" Jiya voiced out her curiosity. 

Samarth looked at her. "Jiya, it's not you who has lost a family member, it's me. That family member was my whole world. So, I try to not grow too happy because I get scared ki zyada khush hounga toh yeh khushi ki wajah bhi thodi der mein chheen lee jaayegi mujhse. Isiliye main kisi bhi baat mein zyada khush na hone ki koshish karta hoon." 

That was a simple sentence but Jiya could feel the intensity with which it was spoken. The man had grown scared of losing his happiness. This fear was not letting him live his life to the fullest. However, he didn't want sympathy either. Jiya kept her hand on his shoulder and smiled.