The Ruined Rainbow

CHAPTER 48

Ayesha

I gave a most stupid smile possible and looked at the two men sitting in front of me. Sahil immediately smirked at my discomfort, and Kumar looked at me with confusion.

Gaya. Mera first time impression Gaya badh mein.

"Ayesha!" Sahil finally exclaimed, "I thought you wouldn't drop by. " he said, standing up and hugging me. From Sahil's back, I saw Kumar's face increasing with puzzlement, second after second.

"My work got over early, so..." I shrugged, and Sahil nodded and then escorted me to the sofa and made me sit beside him.

"She is your sister?" Kumar asked finally, giving me a polite look of confusion. "Or cousin perhaps?"

"Nope, " he said glaring at Kumar. "She is my girlfriend. "

Well, that coming out from his mouth made me feel blissful. It sounded so good, so beautiful, so resonant and so...perfect.

Kumar, on the other hand, did not feel the same. His eyes widened, and he pointed between the pair of us, "You bothered you both are a pair? I mean, you both are a couple?" He asked stammering.

"Yes, " Sahil confirmed, " Why do I feel you have been possessed by the spirit of a stupid tape recorder? " Sahil added as an afterthought.

I looked at him alarmed. "That's rude!" I whispered in his ear.

"I don't care!" He shrugged in an off-handed manner.

Kumar instantly recovered from the shock and smiled at me politely. "I am Kumar; I don't know if you have heard my name- I am a film di-"

"Who doesn't know you, Kumar? " Sahil asked sarcastically, playing with a strand of my hair. "And even if they don't, they will look after the news spreads of your great idea. "

"What do you mean?" I asked to no one in particular but received no answer. Instead, Kumar extended his hand and said, "Nice to meet you, beautiful lady. "

I stood up to shake his hand but was immediately pulled by my dupatta, falling on the sofa again.

"She too is happy to meet you, Kumar. " The devil answered on my behalf, his voice suddenly possessive.

I glared at him, trying to get the dupatta off his hands but he wouldn't let go of it. Instead, he twisted the dupatta, curling it on his left hand.
I gave a helpless smile at Kumar, and thankfully, he understood and smiled in return.

An uneasy silence engulfed the room. Kumar looked at Sahil pleadingly, and Sahil had his hands crossed, looking elsewhere.  My eyes travelled between the lair of them, and my initiative to begin a conversation went in vain, twice.
Then my eyes fell on the table, where a thick, spiral-bound book lay in the centre, titled, "The Apocalypse. "

It must be about the film I gauged. And it wouldn't be wise to interrupt their conversation, about something I barely knew.

I tried to excuse myself in the pretext of making tea. I stood up.

"I will just make some tea, " I tried cheerfully, trying to swallow the tension. "Some hot and fresh tea," I added nervously when Sahil looked at me strangely.