CHAPTER 4

Daya and shreya were planning for Ritika's surprise b'day party.

"Shreya, main thoda aa confused hu. Sari taiyariyan to humne kar li hai but Ritika ko surprise denge kaise? Uske hi ghar me to party rakh nahi sakte, use pata chal jayega na" daya shared his cause of worry with shreya.

Shreya thought for a moment, "han wo to hai. Kyun na ek kaam kare? Party mere ghar pe rakhte hain. Phir main kuch bahana karke Auntie, uncle aur Ritika ko apne ghar bula lungi. Aur jaise hi wo ghar aayegi, hum use surprise de denge."

Daya's face glowed, "superb idea".

Daya and shreya reached at shreya's house for arrangements. They shared their idea with shreya's mom. She too started helping them in arrangements.

Daya was arranging the balloons. When Shreya came near him.

"Daya wo candles ka packet aapke paas hai kya, mujhe mil nahi raha?" Shreya asked daya. They both were standing under a big balloon hanging above their head.

"Han wo us bag me...

Daya was saying when suddenly the balloon burst out.

"Phattakkk"

Shreya shuddered with this sudden sound. "Whoa" she screamed covering her ears.

The confetti and glitters filled inside the balloon started falling on both daya and Shreya's heads.

Daya started laughing at shreya while she started ruffling her hair, "ye aise kaise phat gaya, apne aap?" She mumbled.

Daya stopped laughing and stared at her pretty face possessing some lines of irritation. He became lost in her beauty. Daya's heart started beating faster inside his chest.

Shreya ruffled her hair and turned to go but daya caught her hand.

Shreya stopped on her place and slowly turned to look at him. She found him staring at her with some untold feelings in his eyes.

"Daya, kya kar rahe ho" shreya uttered when she found him moving closer to her.

Daya just became extremely close to her leaving just a few inches gap between them. Shreya became nervous with his sudden closeness. Daya moved his hand up and touched her cheek. Shreya closed her eyes tightly and her body shivered with his touch. Daya caressed her cheek softly increasing her nervousness and removed the piece of confetti fallen on her cheek.

"Ye reh gaya tha tumhare... galo pe" daya whispered.

Shreya just stared into his eyes. Their eyes met and they talked everything their lips couldn't. Their eyes forgot blinking and they remained like that staring into each other's eyes. Finally Shreya lowered her eyes and ran away from there as it was getting difficult for her to control the surging of the sea of her emotions. His stare was so stubborn refusing to leave her mind.

Daya remained stood still, watching her going. Shreya's mom came there.

"Daya, sari arrangements ho gayi ho to Ritika ko call karu?"

Daya nodded his head, "yes, auntie."

Shreya's mom went and called Ritika's home. She told them that Shreya has fallen down from the staircase and she is critical. Hearing this news Ritika as well as her parents became concerned for shreya and they immediately rushed to her house.

They reached and found the home in darkness.

"Shreya..." Ritika and her parents called her name and moved ahead. As they entered the house all the lights turned on with some burst outs of balloons.

Ritika stood their surprised and overwhelmed seeing the scenario. A banner of 'Happy birthday Ritika' was fixed on the wall.

Seeing Ritika, Daya, Shreya and Shreya's mom started singing the birthday song for her.

"Happy birthday dear Ritika, happy birthday to you" Daya moved towards Ritika finishing the song.

Ritika was still shocked as well as her parents.

"Ye sab aap logo ne..." She uttered looking pleased with the arrangements.

"Aur tumhe sorry bhi to kehna tha." Shreya said and held her hand and took her near the table where the cake was placed.

Ritika cut the cake and a memory flashed in front of her eyes. She always used to feed the first piece of the cake to Parth. She tearfully glanced at daya and forwarded the first piece to him.

Daya became shocked.

"Main first piece humesha bhaiya ko hi khilati thi, ab to aap hi mere bhai ho na." Ritika said smiling.

A tear came out of daya's eyes. He happily accepted the piece of cake and hugged Ritika after feeding her back the remaining of the same piece.

Shreya and all became emotional. Ritika fed the cake to all and received the blessings.

They enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Shreya and her mother. Finally Ritika and her parents asked permission to leave.

Daya too started moving when Shreya's mother told shreya to go and leave daya outside. Shreya moved silently with him.

Daya tried to talk to her but she waved her hand stopping the conversation before it could start.

"Bye... Good night!" Shreya said.

Daya said nothing, wished her good night and left. Shreya kept watching him going till he went out of her sight.

They didn't meet and talk for some days. Shreya thought it was because of her rude behavior with him the last time. She hated to admit that she was missing him and wishing him to call her. She thought to call him and talk but she didn't want to express her restlessness.

That evening she got a call from Ritika. She told her that daya has came to their house and he has called her also to come there. Shreya agreed to come but at the same time felt disappointed that why he didn't call her directly. Why he called her through Ritika.

Anyway, she went to Ritika's home. Daya was already present there. He looked at her. Their eyes met and shreya said Hi to him to avoid awkwardness between them.

"Hi Shreya" daya responded smilingly.

"Aao Shreya, dekho to daya ko, aaj use salary mili hai aur sab kharch kar diya, humare liye gifts kharidne me" Parth's mom complained sweetly.

Shreya smiled and looked at daya admiring him.

Daya looked at Parth's mom, "auntie you know, maine dekha hai, jab logo ko first salary milti hai na to wo apni family ke liye gifts le jate hain. Maine humesha is moment ko miss kiya hai. Apni salary ko humesha apne hi upar kharch kiya hai. Humesha sochta tha ki kash mere bhi apne hote jin par main apni salary luta sakta. Aur aaj meri wo chahat bhi puri ho gayi. Please auntie mana mat kariye, ye tohfe ye gifts to bas bahana hai, aap logo ko thanks bolne ka, mujhe itna lucky feel karwane ke liye. Itna khoobsurat pariwar dene ke liye" daya's voice trembled as he finished.

Parth's mom hugged him. "Kaun kehta hai maine mera beta kho diya. Mera beta mere paas hai" she mumbled crying on his shoulder.

Shreya's eyes too became wet. She rubbed her tears and smiled.

Daya separated from the hug and opened the gifts. He took out a box of jogging shoes and moved to Parth's dad.

"Uncle, ye aapke liye, maine dekha tha aapke shoes almost fatne wale hain" daya said giving him the new shoes.

"Oh my God, thank..." He stopped, "bete ko kaisa thanks, its awesome!" He exclaimed in joy seeing the shoes.

"Pehankar to dekhiye, fit hai ya nahi?" Parth's mom said seeing his excitement.

"Are fit kaise nahi hoga" he said putting his feet in the shoes. "Ye to ekdum fit hai" he said and patted daya's shoulder happily.

Now daya turned towards Parth's mom and presented a beautiful Sari to her.

"Are... Daya, ye to bahut hi khoobsurat sari hai, dekho jara shreya" she said showing it to shreya.

"Really auntie, its so beautiful. Ye color to aapko bahut suit karega" shreya said praising daya's choice.

Now daya turned to Ritika and presented a beautiful red top of latest trend. Ritika almost jumped seeing the dress.

"Aww... It's so gorgeous, ladies dress ke liye to aapki choice awesome hai" Ritika said cheerfully.

"Meri behan itni awesome hai to dress to apne aap awesome ho jayegi na" daya said pulling her cheeks.

"Aww thank you bhaiya"! Ritika said cutely.

Now shreya looked at daya with hopeful eyes. She was excited to know what he had brought for her.

"Ok, to sabke gifts ho gaye, ab aap log mujhe pehankar dikhaiye" daya said ignoring shreya.

Ritika looked at shreya and then at daya, "aur Shreya ka gift? Aap shreya ke liye kuch nahi laye?"

Daya looked at shreya who was already staring at him.

"Oh sorry, main bhool gaya, shreya ke liye kuch lena hai yaad hi nahi aaya!" Daya said studying shreya's expressions.

The glow lost from shreya's face. Her face fell off in disappointment. "It's alright, mujhe kuch nahi chahiye" she said with a fake smile.

She wondered why even she expected something from him. She was hurt but she was successful in hiding it.

Ritika and her mom wore the dresses and showed to daya. Shreya was happy for them but she wanted to leave.

"Achha auntie ab main chalti hu" she said and stood up to go when daya stopped her.

"Ruko Shreya, main bhi chal raha hu, chalo tumhe ghar tak chod deta hu" daya said from behind.

Shreya waited for him. Daya stopped the car in front of her. Shreya got inside.

"Aap mere liye kuch laye nahi to phir mujhe yaha bulaya hi kyun?" Shreya said in a low voice looking away.

Daya smiled internally, "tumhe bura lag raha hai ki main tumhare liye kuch nahi laya." and he started the car.

"Nahi mujhe bura nahi lag raha, bura to tab lagega jab main aapse kuch expect karti. Maine kuch expect hi nahi kiya tha aapse to bura lagne wali koi baat hi nahi hai." Shreya said with a serene face.

"Ok..ye to aur bhi achhi baat hai ki tumne kuch expect nahi kiya tha kyunki unexpected gifts jyada achhe lagte hain" he said stopping the car by roadside and took out a small box.

Shreya glanced at him surprisingly. He forwarded the box to her. Shreya grabbed the box and opened it. Her heart melted seeing a beautiful pair of earrings in the box. She looked up at him. "Ye...

"Kya hua nahi pasand aaya?" Daya asked looking at her.

Shreya started crying covering her face. Daya was shocked. He placed his hand on her shoulder, "Shreya, kya hua? Tum ro kyun rahi ho? I am really sorry agar mujhse koi galti...

Shreya stopped crying and looked at him, "aapko pata hai, maine Parth se request ki thi isi earring ke liye, jab him last time shopping pe gaye the. He was running out of money that time. To usne kaha ki wo mujhe baad me lakar dega. But uske baad... Uska accident..." She started sobbing.

Daya was amazed hearing that.

"How do you know that daya? Aapko kaise pata ki mujhe yahi earrings chahiye?" She asked crying.

Daya looked into her eyes, "it was just a coincident shreya, I am sorry"

Shreya rubbed her tears and composed herself. "Aaj ek aur special din hai daya. Aaj hi ke din main Parth se pehli baar mili thi, ek family function me" shreya said smiling through tears, "he was such a joker. Mujhe yaad nahi ki wo kabhi kisi baat pe serious hua ho. Bato bato me usne mujhe I love you bhi bol diya tha aur main, meri ek bhi choice usse match nahi karti thi, phir bhi usse pyar ho gaya. But.. Mujhe kya pata tha ki mera aur uska sath likha hi nahi hai." She said and started crying.

Daya took a deep breath and moved close to her. He held her hand. "Shreya please main tumhe rote huye nahi dekh sakta. Ye sach hai ki tumhara aur Parth ka sath nahi likha tha but..." Daya took a moment's pause and said squeezing her hand gently, "kisi ka sath to likha hoga."

Shreya looked into his eyes. Without any further delay daya cupped her face and leaned in. Shreya didn't stop him but she too moved closer unknowingly, until their lips fused together.

Shreya broke the kiss and rested her head against his chest wrapping her arms around him. Daya rested his chin on her head holding her near his chest. Shreya closed his eyes listening the familiar heartbeats. She tightened her grip around him burying her face in his neck. They remained like that for some minutes. Daya kept moving his hand on her back.

Shreya opened her eyes and moved away from him.

"Shreya..."daya tried to say something holding her hand but shreya freed her hand and avoided any eye contact with him.

"Daya, please mujhe ghar jana hai"

Daya didn't say anything but started the car and drove her to her home.

He stopped the car in front of her gate. Shreya got down quickly and ran inside without saying anything.

Daya was confused with her acts but he then left from their deciding to talk to her later.

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...to be continued