Manav

Chapter 22 - Promises and Faith

It was 8am the next day and I woke up afresh. I was full of enthusiasm and my mind felt very light. Yesterday when I talked to Shlok, his words really changed me. Maybe that's what Rishi wanted. If he wanted it, that means I wanted it. I didn't feel such a kind of energy go through my veins. This was something different and pure. It felt so clean. Each moment was blossoming in my stomach.

But before starting off with the day, I had to have some coffee. Today's coffee was for a new beginning. I spent some time at night thinking about what Shlok said. And it really really helped me. I then decided that I didn't want to know who Arush was and thus who was Piyu's ex.

I sat on the sofa comfortably after a long time and that spotlight which I told you with everything else around me turning dark came again. But this time, an orchestra started surrounding me. This was the best experience of my life. Finally I had left the life of an overthinker. With those hot and aromatic sips of coffee, I planned out few things for the day. I had to go to college for some work, otherwise I was bunking that day. So before going to college, I decided to meet Shefali.

* * * * * * * *

I called her at Crossword book store. Where on the top floor, it was filled with books but there were hardly few people there to read them.

She was sitting on the carpet floor in a corner with a book in her hand and she was totally into it.

I stood beside her and I found a book on a bookshelf. I purposely dropped that book in front of her. She noticed the book and gave me, that's when she saw me. But obviously, she didn't utter a single word. I took the book and showed it to her. She read the title, which was 'Sorry'. And I smiled.

"What's this?" she asked.

"My words for day before yesterday." and I sat beside her.

"Sorry by Zoran Drvenkar?" she said.

"Well not the actual book, but the title."

"Okay, but what is the book about?" she asked.

"I don't know, it's about some four friends." I said. She flipped the book and read.

"It's a suspense thriller." She said.

"That's why I said, only the title." She smiled. "I'm sorry for that day Shef. My senses were not in place. That day was hard." I said.

"It's okay. But the way you behaved was so strange and scary."

"Yes, I couldn't even imagine."

"Yeah. By the way, who's Rishi?" That question which I was expecting.

"Sorry Shef, but I'll rather talk about him some another time." She saw the seriousness in my eyes and luckily agreed.

"By the way, yesterday everyone met at Shlok's place right, what happened there?" I said.

"Ohh yeah. I didn't go." She said.

"Why?"

"I was all bored to go there. Again the same things of talking about someone and all would've started."

"Gossip you mean?"

"Yeah, sort of."

"Okay. That's good."

"What are your plans for today?" she asked.

"Well, from here I have to go to college. And then I might meet Dev."

"Oh okay."

"You wanted to hangout?"

"Yeah like if you were free, but it's okay." She said. And I suspected something here. Even if my way of apologizing was innocent, she smoothly digested that behaviour of mine that day. She even accepted to skip upon the fact that I denied talking about Rishi. More to this, for the first time she asked me to spend some time with her. I knew she would never fall for me, so it only had to be something which she wanted to put out so desperately, that just by asking her, she would let you know what it was.