ISHAARA

Chapter 12 - Ghalat Fehmi!

It was another normal day. Everyone was sitting in the college canteen. Mihir was busy talking to his new girlfriend over the phone. Rudra, Abir and Nilanjana were having their lunch when Shreeja came.

Shreeja: Hey guys the university has announced the dates of exam. Its next month!

Mihir heard the topic and cut the call. He then came upto the others and mockingly told Shreeja-

Mihir: Oh God Shreeja can't you bring a good news?

Shreeja: Shut up!

Abir: Shit I have so much of syllabus left untouched.

Rudra and Nilanjana said the same.

Mihir: Bro you are talking about syllabus.... I can't even remember what subject did I enroll in?

Everybody busted into laughter.

Nilanjana: Mihir, you would never change!!

Rudra: True.

Shreeja interrupted their conversation and spoke –

Shreeja: So guys we should stop hanging out so much and study now!!

Everyone nodded in a yes. Mihir was irritated with that but did have another choice except to agree. They soon realized the class time and went to their classes.

Later that evening Abir was lost in Nilanjana's thoughts.

Abir's POV:

Was Rudra and Mihir right? Do I really like Nilu more than a friend? I mean she makes me happy and I love being with her. But do I really......And what does she think of me? Does she have any feelings for me? Should I ask her? But what if it's just an imagination..... But how will I know I don't ask her? Aghhhhh this is going to make me crazy!!!!!!

Suddenly his father entered the room –

Pradeep: Abir have you submitted the form for the course you were talking about?

Abir: Not yet; but I will submit it tomorrow.

Pradeep: So are you 100% sure that you can adjust there? I mean leaving everything behind like this....

Abir: I know baba, but I really want to do that, and I know I will become successful in that field.

Pradeep: Ok when you are confident, what else can I say... But for now focus on you exams. You have to do well in that too.

Abir: Haan I will

He went to his room and turned the computer on. He logged in to a website and a form loaded on the screen.

As he was filling the form the doorbell rang and he heard Nilanjana's voice. He quickly closed the tab and went out to see her. She was talking to Abir's mother.

Abir: Hi. You are here, now?

Nilanjana: Yeah actually I just saw that I'm missing some of the notes. So I thought of taking it from you.

Abir: Oh come then....

Nilanjana followed him to his room. Abir was searching for the notes while she sat on the bed and picked up the guitar. She started running her fingers through the strings.

Abir: Be careful; you don't have practice so it may hurt.

Nilanjana: You do remember that you once promised to teach me this, right?

Abir: Ummm....Yeah......... then I teach you after the exams. Ok?

Nilanjana: (smiled) we'll see if you remember.

She took the notes and they started discussing it. Abir suddenly looked at her and popped a question –

Abir: Ummm Nilanjana, can I ask you something?

Nilanjana: Yeah of course....

Abir: We are just good friends right? I mean that's the only thing, isn't it? Do you think of us any otherwise? I mean is there anything more than that? Do you have any other feelings for me?

Nilanjana was confused. She was awkward as she didn't expect that question all of a sudden. She softly replied –

Nilanjana: (Awkward) Yes Abir......What else can we be? Do you want us to be anything more?

Abir: No........

Nilanjana went silent on hearing this. She wasn't ready for this!

Abir's POV:

I knew it! She didn't have any other feelings for me.

The boys were wrong. It was just me who was thinking so much of her.... Shit!!! Why did I ask this thing? What would she think of me? I have to change the topic.

Nilanjana's POV:

Friendship is the only thing that he wants. I got it. It was never anything more than that. God...... I was crazy to think that he has feelings for me!!!!!!! He never had. It was just me over thinking our moments.....

Nilanjana got up and moved away from Abir. Abir stood up too.

Abir: So yeah that's what I was thinking. We can never be more than that.

Nilanjana: Actually it's late now. I must go home; have a lot to study.

Abir didn't stop her. She left the room and soon his house. Abir went to his window and looked at her room. She came their and without looking at him, closed the window and put on the curtains. Abir felt bad.

Abir's POV:

I shouldn't have said that thing. It's surely gonna affect our friendship! Oh God no.....I can't lose her like this. What should I do now? I really want her in my life.....

The next day Abir got up in the bus for college. The seats were all occupied and thus he was standing. Suddenly he noticed that Nilanjana got up the same bus. She saw him too and came to stand by him. He smiled.

Abir: You are taking the bus today?

Nilanjana: Yes actually Papa's car is at the service centre.

Abir then gathered a lot of courage and said –

Abir: Nilanjana listen. I don't know what happened to me yesterday and why did I ask that dumb question, but I do realize that you didn't like it. I'm really sorry for that.

Nilanjana: You don't have to feel sorry Abir. You said what you felt. That's ok. Please leave it.

Abir: So we are good then?

Nilanjana: Yeah....

She said that they were fine but it was not. The whole way Abir tried to have a normal conversation but she just responded with yes and no. She didn't talk about anything else. Moreover on reaching their classroom, Nilanjana went straight and sat with another girl. Abir was more hurt on that. He realized that these small acts of her affected him so much. More than it should affect a normal friend. This went on for weeks. She didn't say anything directly but started ignoring him. They no longer met after classes, didn't hangout and stopped going to their terraces. Abir desperately wanted to confront her about things changing between them, but he had no right to ask her why. Because it was him who made things awkward, and he was aware of that. But one thing which he didn't realize was that Nilanjana was affected the same way.

She thought that it was only her who liked Abir more than just a friend and was hurt that he didn't feel the same way. She stopped meeting him so that she can get over him, but it clearly wasn't working. She didn't give up though. It was a strange situation. Both wanted the same thing but were avoiding conversation. It was just one question and they lost each other so easily. The other friends noticed this change in them but thought of giving them a little more time. Soon their exams begun and everyone got busy with that.