TejRan : A Little Beyond Forever

Part-8

Disclaimer : All the characters written below are imaginary and a work of pure fiction. There is no resemblance to any incident or situation and is written as work of fiction.

Their bus had gone back after dropping them to the mall as they all said they will take their own individual time and take cabs separately when they will be done.

Teja came out of the mall with Karan following her. He was talking to the driver of the cab telling him the name of their hotel and looked back to find Teja looking back into the mall.

"Just a second...." He told the driver politely and went to her.

"Do you want to wait for wahi?" He asked making her jump with the sudden voice.

"He had gone back...." She rolled her eyes and sat inside the cab.

"Are you upset with him?" He said after sitting beside her.

"Why will i be?i told you there is nothing between us right?are you doing this to annoy me purposely?" She asked frowning.

"No i mean....i thought you were just trying to be secretive about it so lied...." He shrugged.

"Do you tease him as well?i bet not...." She said sarcastically and he looked out smiling sheepishly.

She was correct. He never teased him.

"I know he likes you...." He shrugged looking at her.

"Yes everyone does because i am a pretty amazing human being....he is a very good friend...." She said sarcastically.

"That's what actors say when they date...." He smirked.

"Date?in 5 days?yeah right abnormal people right?" She said looking at him as if he was an alien.

"So you can't like someone in 5 days?" He asked looking at her.

The question had her clean bowled.

"Yes you can...." She said trying to maintain her composure whereas her heart was beating fast. "But date is a bit too much...."

"Good friend...." He muttered under his breath.

She shook her head as she had clearly heard him mutter that.

"Very close friend....best friend....chuddy buddy?" She said in irritation.

"First stage of love...." He said as a matter of fact.

"Why did i even come with you...." She said in irritation.

"Because your chuddy buddy left you alone...." He said in a rude tone and immediately realised that he was being rude.

"Sorry...." He said immediately looking at her in anticipation.

"It's okay...." She said softly.

He smiled softly. He knew that she would say it. In the same soft tone. His one sorry and she accepted it. That was what he was bothered about. The world will take advantage of that. May be he too was. He would not think twice before being rude to her because he knew she would end up understanding him and not take it to heart. She did take it to heart but would let it go if he apologised. That was wrong.

"Why did you ask me to screw what people thinks about me?" He asked looking at her face carefully to read even a slight change of expression.

"Because you do that...." She said while checking something in her bag.

"Why do you think so?" He asked immediately.

"I don't think....i know so...." She said frowning as she finally managed to take her clutch out.

"How?what do you mean by that?" He asked urgently.

What else did she know about me?how did she even figure this out?

"It matters to you what people thinks about you....you might deny it or think you don't care but you do....you think everyone around you are judging you....may be you have your reasons....may be people closed to you have done that to you and there is that trauma in subconscious....so you pretend to be a certain person to guard yourself....which you are not....and sometimes that person comes out....especially when you are having fun....but trust me when i say this not everyone is the same....everyone is not judging you....infact there are people who really looks upto you and also people who considers you their friend....you cannot push people away thinking they are also the same as your bad experiences...." She said with a cute smile.

He was looking at her as if his breath was knocked out of his system. She had read him bare and it made him super uncomfortable. He was not used to this. He had always thought he was very good in masking himself up but this girl has tore that mask away and showed him the real him. As if she had made him stand in front of the mirror and made him look into his own eyes.

He felt light headed and dizzy.

The cab stopped at the entrance of the hotel and she quickly paid the driver.

"Wahi hota toh bhi mai hi pay karti...." She said sarcastically.

He gave her a confused look.

"No....i knew you were going to say something on that line...." She faked a smile and got down with her shopping bags.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her antics.

She went in and saw Nia , Nishant and Wahi were taking their respective keys from the reception.

"Hi guys...." She slapped Nia's shoulder energetically and they all turned back to see her and then Karan at a distance near the door.

"Ohooo...." Wahi whispered and she slapped him on the shoulder next.

"Sorted?" He asked and she wrapped her arms around his elbow while going to the lift lobby.

"Yes...." She said happily , freely talking since Nia , Nishant and Karan had gone to the restaurant to have some coffee.

"Ohhoo khushi toh dekho bacchhi ki....dein bags dein...." He took the shopping bag from her hand.

"Nothing like that yaa...." She whined. "He apologised and i said it's okay...."

"How cute...." He said grinning widely.

"Shut up...." She glared at him.

"So saath saath aaye huh?kuch hua?" He asked teasingly.

"Nahi was in the same store shopping....grabbed some coffee...." Before she could complete he cut her off.

"Coffee date?" He asked excitedly.

"Date with that khadoos?" She made a face.

"Haan haan man mein toh laddoo futa hoga....chal bey sab pata hai...." He said dismissing her and she stomped her foot on his sneakers.

"Ouuuu...." He yelped and she giggled and tightened her grip around his elbow and laughed like a kid.

The lift door dinged open and they went in . Someone had seen the interaction from the door of the restaurant as he stood there pretending to call someone , unknown to them.