Chapter - 06

“I don’t know. I will think about it.” She replied, trying to hide the fact that she wanted to stay with him for some more time and didn’t want to go home just yet! It was as if Ranveer had almost an intoxicating effect on him.


“Do you have a vehicle? How are you returning home?” he asked, with a hint of concern in his voice.


“I have a car, don’t worry” Avni replied.


Ranveer tucked a lock of stray hair behind her ears as he said, “Please drive safely. I will wait for tomorrow whole night” and then he released her from his arms. “Will pick you from your college”


“Come on yaar. Lets go” Sonia smiled at Ranveer as she pulled Avni hand and guided her outside to the parking lot.


“Do you know this guy?” Avni asked Sonia. “He was saying he is your brother’s friend!”


“Yes. I know Ranveer. He is the captain of my brother’s medical college’s football team and the topper of his batch. He comes to our home quite often.”


“He asked me out for a coffee. But I am not going” Avni said “I don’t even know him properly”


“If you want, you can go. He is a nice guy.” Sonia replied. “And very handsome too na! So sad, he treats me as a sister. But he looked very interested in you. Shekhar will surely have a tough time competing with him”


Avni unlocked her car. Suddenly she was aware of the footsteps behind her. Turning back he saw Ranveer. He walked towards his bike, wore his helmet and just stayed there with the engine running.


She got in the car with Sonia and turned on the engine. Stealing a glance towards his bike, Avni drove the car out. She kept looking in the rear view mirror. She was surprised to realize that she actually expected him to follow. And indeed he was just behind their car. Suddenly, he turned right into another road and Avni felt so disappointed.


Later that night, Avni lay awake on her bed. She had never met anyone like Ranveer. Men were always in awe of her. But he seemed to be so elusive, yet so teasing. She felt guilt also as she had a boyfriend, even though it was not a serious relationship. Shekhar was her father’s friend’s son and everyone expected them to get married one day. It was more like an understanding than a real relationship.


‘It’s just a matter of a coffee. I will tell him that I will never meet him again’ she told herself. But somehow Avni knew, she would not be able to get out of his grip so easily. Thinking about him, she had fallen asleep.


That was 11 years earlier. Avni smiled as she reached the park and started walking on the paved way. She remembered how Ranveer had made a niche for himself over the years. In the beginning, its was very tough with all the financial problems. Even on their first ‘date’, Ranveer could afford only a simple outing with a cup of coffee. But they had so much to talk. She remembered the morning after the party that night when she had met him for the first time. She had woken up, thinking about him only. Getting up from her bed, on that morning,


Avni’s mind went to the past once again. She remembered how nervous she was.


‘Humm, I think I need a hair cut. And may be a manicure too.’ She had thought that morning after that party 11 years ago, directly going to her mirror. She wanted the evening to come soon so that she could see Ranveer! At the same time she was trying to convince herself that she wasn’t doing it because of the impending “date”. Getting ready in a t-shirt and jeans, she went to parlor. From there she took as taxi to her college. She was expecting Ranveer to pick her from college, so she didn’t take her car.


Slowly, very slowly the day passed. Avni couldn’t help looking at her watch again and again.