TejRan : In Every Heartbeat

Part-11

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.

Karan pulled into the driveway of his home in Jalandhar. He smiled widely , finally he was back home. He looked at his left to find Teja leaning back on the head rest and sleeping.

He had seen her struggling to stay awake because she was sitting on the passenger seat but had falled asleep in the last few minutes.

Her head was slightly tilted and she looked beautiful.

"Tejasswi...." He called her softly but she didn't move.

"Tejasswi...." He patted her shoulder slightly and she sat straight and opened her eyes. She looked around trying to process the sudden waking up from sleep.

"We have reached...." He said softly and got down. He opened the door for her and then went behind to bring the luggage out.

She got down and closed the door and poonam and meenu came and hugged her.

"This is madhu...." Poonam introduced madhu to her and they hugged each other.

"Oyee useless....yeh leke jaa...." Karan gave his backpack to madhu who made a face at him.

"Tu useless...." Madhu scoffed back at him and he ignored her and went inside.

Teja looked at them and chuckled a bit.

"Don't worry....they are always fighting like cats and dogs....bachpan se hi...." Poonam laughed. "Come...."

And they took her inside. She quickly touched his parent's feet.

"Beta jaao freshen up ho jaao....you must be tired since the car broke down mid way...." His mother caressed her hair and she frowned in confusion.

Car broke down?

Nevertheless she didn't say anything and smiled politely at her.

"Meenu show her room...." His mom instructed meenu and meenu took her upstairs to a room.

"Please be comfortable and kuch bhi zarurat padhe toh do not hesitate to ask any one of us...." She caressed her hair and went down for her to freshen up.

Teja opened her luggage and took out a T-shirt and patiala salwar and went to the washroom. She came out after taking a bath and went downstairs where everyone was sitting and chilling. Karan's father , her father and her uncle were sitting at the bar chilling with their drinks while Karan , Aditya and his jiju were at the lawn with their whisky. Teja went and sat with his sisters and Riddhima.

"Where did you guys find the mechanic?i hope you didn't have any problem...." Poonam asked with concern.

Kaunsa mechanic? I have no idea what everybody is talking about.

"Nahi di koi problem nahi huyi...." She said sweetly not knowing what else to say without knowing anything.

She looked at the lawn at saw him showing something to his jiju and aditya on his phone. She quickly looked away fearing someone might catch her staring at him.

They sat for dinner after sometime and finished everything by 11.

After dinner , the elders went to their respective rooms.

"Teja...." Poonam di called her to the kitchen and gave her a bowl of kulfi. "Here taste it...."

Teja had the kulfi and stood at the kitchen while poonam arranged the dishes and helped her here and there with little work.

"Sun nuh Teja....Sunny terrace pe hoga....can you give it to him?" Poonam gave her another bowl of kulfi and she nodded politely.

Teja went to the terrace and saw that the door of the terrace was closed. She opened it slowly and it made a little noise. Karan was standing leaning on the terrace wall and as soon as he heard the door open , he jumped in fear and hid his hand behind quickly.

Teja immediately stopped walking , startled by his sudden jump.

"Oh tum...." He relaxed and she saw the vape in his hand. "Woh mujhe laga koi aur hai...."

She shook her head a little and went to him.

"Poonam di sent this...." She gave him the bowl of kulfi.

"Oh....tumne khaya?" He took a spoonful and she nodded.

He had another spoonful and then forwarded a spoonful to her.

"Khaya maine...." She said softly.

"Toh?ek aur baar khaao...." He said softly and she didn't have the heart to refuse. She opened her mouth and he fed her a spoonful of kulfi.

She leaned back on the railing while he stood leaning forward and had the kulfi and fed her sometime in between.

"If you have to hide something from your family then that thing is wrong...." She said slowly.

He smiled and looked at her.

"Sorry i...." She said looking away.

"I will try and reduce vaping...." He said honestly.

She looked at him and smiled softly.

"You didn't drink downstairs...." He said looking at her. "You don't?"

"I do....but...." She said sheepishly.

"Okay got it...." He chuckled softly.

"Are you feeling cold?" He asked softly as the wind was a little chilly.

"No i am fine...." She said softly.

He was about to open his jacket to give it to her when she stopped him.

"Karan i am fine....this T-shirt is warm...." She said softly.

"Okay...." He chuckled a bit.

"Good night then...." She said slowly.

"Thodi der ruk jaao...." He said immediately.

She smiled and stood there leaning back like the way she was standing.

He tilted his head and looked at her. Her hair was open flying in the wind. He forwarded his hand to her face and removed her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.

She kept looking at the floor and curled her toes.

He kept looking at her softly and held her hand and then looked at the sky , playing with her fingers.

She moved a little closer making their arms touch as they stood.

She looked at him as he kept looking at the sky and played with her fingers. He entwined his fingers with hers and kissed her palm.

She smiled softly and kept her free hand on his forearm. He took in a deep breath and sighed staring at the stars as they stood in silence , soaking into each other.