Pages of Us

Chapter 11

I was sitting by myself in my room, I couldn't shake off the events of today. It was a mix of good and bad. On one hand, it was one of the happiest days I've had in a long time, with lots of things to be happy about. But then, there was this surprising and kind of sad thing that happened, which put a damper on it all. Seeing the person, I love after eight years was the best part of the day. It made me feel so many things. But then I wondered, how did he remember my name after all this time? It got me really curious, so I couldn't help but try to figure it out. We were basically wearing the same thing! It was like fate bringing us together again. Rudram never liked white clothes because they got dirty fast, and that explained everything. It was like finding the last piece of a puzzle. But in the middle of all these thoughts and feelings, one question kept nagging at me: Does he still have feelings for me after all this time? Maybe he deliberately came to see me, feeling the same longing and nostalgia that I do. As I thought about all of this, I felt really tired. Maybe I'd been thinking too much. So, with a big sigh, I decided to stop worrying and just go to sleep. Tomorrow might bring some answers, after all.

Rudram suddenly said, "Kiss me, Hanvika." I was completely taken aback. Was he drunk? Why would he say something like that out of the blue? All I could manage to say was, "Huh."

But he repeated himself, taking steps towards me until our faces were very close. I was in shock, blinking rapidly.

"I said kiss me with your pretty lips, Hanvika," he insisted, leaning in to kiss me.

"No!" I screamed, shutting my eyes tightly. When I opened them a few moments later, my phone was ringing. I realized it was just a dream. I sighed and sat up, thinking about what kind of dream it was. It's not like I didn't enjoy it, but I didn't want our first kiss to happen that way. As I pondered, my phone started ringing again.

"Oh, who is calling at this hour?" I muttered as I reached for the phone on my bedside table.

"Not now, why is this idiot calling me?" I grumbled to myself, annoyed at the disturbance. With a sigh,

"Sumedh, are you really planning your funeral? Why are you calling me this early in the morning?" I asked, my voice tinged with irritation. On the other end of the line, Sumedh's laughter bubbled through.

"What's so funny?" I snapped, my patience wearing thin. "Don't tell me you called just to hear your own laugh. If that's the case, I'm hanging up"

My words dripped with annoyance, a combination of anger and sleepiness coloring my tone.

"Madam, calm down," Sumedh's voice came through the phone. "First, look at the clock. It's 12:16 PM. I'm not disturbing your sleep, nor do I want you to hear me laugh. I called to check on you. Are you okay? Is your head hurting?"

"No, I'm fine," I replied, settling back onto the bed.

"Thank goodness. After all the crying you did yesterday, I thought you might have a headache. Anyway, I'm out of town for two days," Sumedh informed me.

"Where are you?" I inquired.

"I'm in Delhi. Listen, I have meetings all day, so I won't be able to take your calls. Take care, see you on Tuesday, and make sure to let Auntie know I'm out of town. Okay, bye for now," he said abruptly, cutting the call before I could respond.

I was lying on my bed feeling pretty happy. It's a relief that he's not around because now I can watch my favorite dramas in peace. Usually, he bugs me about getting too into these fictional stories. And okay, maybe he's got a point, but honestly, I love imagining Rudram and me as the main characters. It's like a fun little daydream that I get to enjoy, especially when I don't have anyone interrupting me.

Lost in my thoughts, I was snapped back to reality by Mom's sudden appearance. "Why are you staring at the ceiling?" she asked, catching me off guard. It dawned on me that while I was lost in my own mind, my gaze had been fixed on the ceiling.

"Nothing, Mom, just lying down," I replied, trying to hide the silly grin that had crept onto my face. As I got up from bed, I moved towards her for a hug, but she didn't reciprocate. It stung a little.

"Maharani Sahiba, don't touch me without taking a shower," Mom said sternly, her expression serious. I quickly backed away, keeping a safe distance from her.

"And first, go take a shower. I'm sending a dress for you to wear. Some guests are coming for lunch, and I don't want any drama. If you don't want to cancel your train tickets, then listen to your mom and be ready like a good girl," she instructed before leaving the room. I sank onto the nearby sofa, feeling frustrated.

"Ugh, what now? Who's coming? Why can't people just let me enjoy my weekend?" I muttered to myself, irritation creeping into my tone. But I knew I didn't have a choice. I had to attend this lunch with Mom's unfamiliar guests. Why did Mom have so many friends anyway? And now, Sumedh wasn't here to rescue me from this lunchtime ordeal. Oh, why did this have to happen? It seemed like you, God, didn't want me to enjoy my weekend, lounging on my bed all day, watching my favourite dramas.

I climbed out of sofa and indulged in a blissful half-hour shower, reveling in the refreshing feeling it left me with. Afterward, I emerged, feeling rejuvenated, and settled in front of the dressing table to dry my damp hair. Clad in my trusty Doraemon pajamas, I awaited the promised dress from Mom, but it hadn't arrived yet.

With a sigh, I decided to take matters into my own hands and ventured to Mom's room in search of the elusive garment. I didn't want to risk another scolding by asking her directly; I wasn't in the mood for that.