Set in the pre-wedding phase. The wedding gets postponed for six months here and thus, everything that we saw Netra doing after Shashank and Apurva’s marriage in the show – she does it here before that. You’ll know the rest as you read.  

| Part Seven |

Apurva hadn’t stopped till she reached the sofa downstairs. She held onto it to support herself, afraid that she might just fly otherwise. Her heart was already flying – all thanks to her newfound wings gifted by her very own fiance.

She brought her palm to her heart, feeling her rapid heartbeat. She didn’t even know if she was supposed to feel what she was feeling. The one-year contract that she had made mocked her but her heart didn’t seem to be in the mood to entertain the sins her mind had committed in the past. 

Sins. Absolute sins. Anything that would keep her away from him now fell into the category of unforgivable sins. How was she going to forgive herself for them? 

She was quick to detach herself from the regret of the past and the anxiety of the future. All that mattered at the moment was the present – the beautiful present where he liked her and that was enough. That was so enough. 

Shashank Kanitkar wants to protect Apurva Vartak that she doesn’t seem to understand.

“Khadoos wants to protect me,” she murmured, closing her eyes for a moment, not willing to get over the overwhelming emotions.

She thinks that she knows everything but Shashank Kanitkar wants to tell her that she doesn’t. 

Shashank Kanitkar doesn’t know about others but as far as he is concerned… he likes having Apurva Vartak around. 

He is not making excuses to get her out of his sight. He is going against his heart because he doesn’t want to hear any defamatory comments against her… the heart that has only one wish at this moment… to have her around. He is going against that heart…

It took her hours and multiple attempts to memorize one page of her academic books but she had his confession by heart in a single attempt the moment it graced her ears. 

She knew that she needed no revision to remember his words  

They were unforgettable. 

Her heart rate had slowed, reminding her that she needed to get up. But how was she supposed to go back to the room and meet his gaze after all of those things that he had said to her? She knew that she would be a blushing mess. 

Kay karu? She fidgeted with her dress, still grinning like someone had brought the world to her feet.

She cleared her throat, making sure that he knew she was there. Act normal. Act normal. She continuously chanted in her mind as she stepped inside. 

“I was saying,” she began, grabbing her bag from his study table, “mi patkan jaaun yete!” 

He blinked. “Aaramat ye! Sobat tuzya books pan gheun ye.” 

She raised a brow while slipping her hand into the straps of her bag. “It was an excuse. The assignment was an excuse, Khadoos. You better remember that.” Her subtle warning was harsher than she intended it to be. 

“Pan mi kay mhanat hoto-“

“Thoda abhyas kela tar kay bighadla?” 

“Tula kasa mahit ki me hech mhannar hoto?” he asked, surprised how she said it aloud before he could. 

“Tujhya saglya goshti abhyasavarun suru houn abhyasavar samptaat he evhana kal-lay mala,” she said, mimicking his tone when he had come to visit her when she had a fever and said tula chocolates aawadaat he evhana kal-lay mala.

“Aata thodya velaaadhi mazya goshti abhyasababat navtya!”

And the moment he said that, she cursed herself for passing that taunt. Ghya aata. Koni saangitla hota nako ti badbad karyala? She pressed her lips together, trying to hide her smile with her palm.

He sat laughing when she ran out again, quickly mumbling that she would be back soon. 

Goad. He couldn’t help the irresistible pull that he felt toward her. He still couldn’t get over the things that she had done for him that day.

He was lost in his thoughts when she dashed back inside with two tiffin boxes, a plate and a spoon. 

“Bagh hyaat chivda aahe aani yaat laadu. Hi plate aani ha chammach. Jar mi parat yeiparyant tula bhook lagli tar khaaun ghe,” she informed before he could even ask what it was. 

“Tula kasa mahit gharaat kay kuthe aahe? Rather tula kasa mahit he gharaat aahe?” Slightly surprised by her knowledge, he found himself taken aback and apologetic at the same time. “Sorry, Apurva. I genuinely didn’t remember we had these when you were hungry. Ugaach tula itki waat baghayla laagli mi swayampak banveparyant. Tu he khaau-“

He couldn’t add a word more to his miserable self-scolding session when she pressed her index finger against his lips. “It’s okay, hmm? It’s okay,” she whispered in an utterly soft voice that comforted his aching heart almost as instantly as it fell into his ears; the slow blink of her eyes that followed complemented her attempt to assure him. 

Momentarily enchanted by her soft touch, he let himself freely in her hands, allowing her the right to do anything that she wanted with him. 

“It’s actually good that you didn’t remember. I would have missed the golden opportunity,” she said, taking her finger off his lips. 

“Huh?’

“To witness Khadoos, the MasterChef!” 

He fell for her tender smile all over again but the honesty in her eyes was something else. Her joy was too sincere to be faked. He knew she meant what she said.

“Tula ajun kahi hava asel tar ekda bagun ghe, mi nighaychya aadhi patkan deun dete!” Saying so, she herself started looking around to see if he would need anything else. 

“Bas tu ye… lavkar,” he whispered, catching her attention back within a second. He barely emphasized the last word as if he knew that he wasn’t supposed to use it

From aaramat ye to bas tu ye… lavkar, he captured her heart. From sensing her panic and trying to calm her down when she was blabbering about how she would rush back the soon as possible to coming unfiltered about his feelings and asking her to bless him back with her company the soon as possible, he captured her heart. 

Her gaze could no longer remain on him with that conspicuous shyness in her eyes. She started walking backward and left after traveling her gaze around the room for one last time, ensuring that she had kept all of the things that he might need near the bed. 

Despite knowing that he was well capable of managing and managing well on his own, she couldn’t help the undeniable anxiety gripping her – would he need anything else? Would he be… okay? 

Logic didn’t seem to work in the matter of hearts, she had to conclude as she almost rushed to her car because… she needed to get back soon. 

She needed to get back to him soon. 

Shashank felt uneasy just as soon as his room was devoid of his fiancee’s presence. He stared at the chair that she was sitting in minutes ago as he fought the urge to get on his feet and find his way to her, completely dismissing the fact that it hadn’t been even two minutes since she left. 

I miss you already. His eyes confessed to her earring that he had pulled out of his pocket, going back to their engagement day when he had found it near their chairs. He had quietly stolen and kept it with himself.  

He carefully placed the earring in the drawer of his side table and got his hand on his phone. His eyes darkened with rage as he dialed a number and placed the phone to his ear. “How dare you do that?” He roared. 

“How dare you do that?” 

He gritted his teeth when he heard the same question being asked to himself, knowing very well what it meant.

“Stop right there, Netra. Stop right there!” He warned, his voice dangerously cold.

“Why should I stop when you don’t? How dare you hurt yourself for her?” Netra’s menacing voice had stepped into the battleground, ready to send a shiver down anyone and everyone’s spine. 

“How dare you even think about hurting her? Shashank’s words were sharp and merciless, mirroring poisonous thorns that he didn’t mind pricking Netra. 

His mind went back to the accident scene, recalling the glimpse of Netra that he had caught on the other side of the road when Apurva was helping him get inside her car. 

“Stay away from her then!”

Her words added fuel to the already ignited fire of fury within him. “You stay away from us because if you don’t, then I’ll have to make you stay away from us, especially Apurva, and trust me when I say that… you’ll not like that, Netra!”

He hung up without giving her a chance to utter anything in response and banged the phone on the bed.

His head hurt from the intolerable stress it had been in. He vigorously rubbed his forehead, leaning back as he closed his eyes, waiting for his permanent painkiller. 

Come back already, Apurva.

Do share your feedback in the comment section. What you liked. What you didn’t. Anything and everything. It keeps me going. Ignore typos, if any ( no matter how many times I proofread, kahi na kahi rahunach jate… sigh ) or let me know so that I can quickly edit.
Much love.

I N D E X

Part One

Part Two  

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Part Eight

Part Nine

Part Ten

Part Eleven

Part Twelve