Hey guys!

Hope everything's fine and you are doing good.
Please give it a try.

And if you like the story,
please show some love by
voting and commenting
on this chap.

You may begin now.

🏵️⭐🏵️

~~~

This chap is affectionately dedicated to - Chauhanhusna🖤✨

~~~

"Me, inside myself, always waiting for something that my mind can't define............"

"Hey!
Will both you bother to do me a favour?.... Huh?"

Tara put forward her behest in a form of a formal plead.
Ruchika and Manjiri, who were busy going through a pdf file on Ruchika's tablet together, looked up and scrutinized the DSLR camera in Tara's hand.

"Favour?
For what?..... And where the hell are you all set to go?"

Ruchika quizzed Tara; first in incomprehension and then in agitation.
Coherently Manjiri too joined and inquired in a direct manner.

"Tara will you not attend the next class?"

"Yeah exactly?
Yesterday also you didn't attend.... and in that being a case we both had to lie to Sir about you for being sick."

"Yes Tara, do you even have any clue how important topics you are being missing from last 4 days?"

Putting a stop to the never - ending mocks dipped concern of both her friends, Tara cried out crippling

"Shhh!.... Oh God!
Give it a rest and chill out girls......
Both of you are tensing like I'll get fail in this semester if I dare to miss Parekh Sir's classes for two - three days..."

"Five days!
In case we include today's day too."

Manjiri interrupted or more like corrected Tara offhandedly. To which she sighed in defeat and groused

"Aah! Alright my bad....
Now be a little advantageous, and do me a favour."

Taking the other two's hushed expressions as a cue to continue, Tara expectantly beseeched

"I'm forwarding a link to you both; all you supposed to do is like, comment and most importantly share the same on your social media accounts too..... Please!
Pretty please!"

"Don't tell me you again took a part in some random online photography contest...."

Ruchika uttered these words objectively.
Hearing her Tara knitted her eyebrows and stated brashly

"Yes you're correct!
But it's not some random contest, rather it's a inter - college competition."

"Alright! Alright!
I'll do...."

"Good!"

Capitulating in an instant Ruchika agreed, making Tara beamed gratifyingly.
At next moment, Tara's eyes automatically shifted towards Manjiri who was busy copying down something from her phone into her register in a hurried way, least bothering about the conversation flowing around.

"What about you Manjiri?
Oh! I guess you don't have any social media account except that usual texting app... Right?"

"Umm! Well I do have but it's really been a very long time since I last logged in...."

"What???
Do people like you even exist in these times?.... I can't even stop myself from scrolling down the feeds and timely peeking glances through them... and you? My God you haven't logged in from months.
I'm sure they must have suspended your account. Right Ruchi?"

"Certainly Tara!
But genuinely Manjiri you're unparalleled.... Literally exceptional! Sui generis, isn't it Tara?"

"Right!
Literally one of a kind!"

As soon as Tara finished uttering her sarcastic comment, both the girls whom Manjiri positively used to claim to be her friends began giggling uproariously; point - blankly poking fun at her.
Manjiri just shook her head at their paradoxical behaviour scornfully. At then she suddenly noticed few pairs of eyes eerily goggling at them. Feeling sheepish, putting an end she dismissively whisper yelled questioning the other two

"Done with your nonsense?
Now just cut the cackle and dummy up..."

"No, not yet!
But anyways don't you feel anxious to get connected and updated with all the new happenings in your friendlist's folk's life?
Like what new pictures, status stories, short videos etc., those people are uploading?
Which new dresses they've bought recently or are they repeating their dresses in a new picture also?
Who went where for holidaying?
In which restaurants or clubs they're stepping in?
With whom they are in a relationship these days?
With whom they freshly had a breakup?
Who is all set to tie a knot or is becoming a parent soon?
Don't you even ever wish to give a secret peep at your social media feed, not even at times?.... Huh?"

Tara obliquely threw some light on the so called contemporary utilities of social media platforms in accord to her view.
Amused Manjiri listlessly heard her phraseology with wide eyes. She opened her mouth to utter something in defence, but was cut before only because chortling Ruchika arbitrarily quizzed her

"Do you really despise being on it Manjiri or you simply forgot your password?
Or your accounts got hacked?"

"What if she got banned?"

Tara interrupted almost cracking up like a hyena.
Rolling her eyes in utter helplessness and indignation, Manjiri started articulating her standpoints on her perspective self - sufficiently.

"Look first of all using social media isn't obligatory, it's a personal choice.
More than that conjointly it doesn't mean that I'm inactive on it because I started abhorring it.... Rather to be honest I didn't logg in cause I literally never felt like to in back months.
And previously also I genuinely never used to be that very active on these social media platforms on regular basis. I remember I used to open those apps in every 3 - 4 days, or if I had to post a birthday status story for my close ones.
Moreover, my accounts are neither suspended, hacked nor banned as I still get some reminders via emails every so often. Which l insolently steer clear off even without opening and reading them.
Furthermore, I'm not at all that keen on finding out what my acquaintances are up to at every now and then........"

"Ok got your point!
But what about your school friends or your old college friends?
Don't you wish to connect to them?"

Taking a deep dramatic weary sigh, Manjiri continued with a sly smile

"Remarkably, since the school days to my under graduation days I maintained a tight knit circle comprising of my two childhood friends. All three of us still stay in touch via that usual texting app only, and to be honest up till now I never felt like that I've been missing out anything anywhere.
Besides I didn't quit social networking, it's just that I treat it like an add on instead of a requisite for sustenance."

No sooner did Manjiri finish speaking then the bell rang, clearly indicating that the next period had started.

"Ok! ok!
Your clarification seems plausible Manjiri.... But now kindly make up your mind to log in today and perform the desired tasks.
If not for me then please for the sake of our college's esteem. Please!"

"Rest assured!
Will definitely log in today only...."

"Do you know you're the sweetest... Thanks a million Manjiri! Now I need to leave as soon as possible, otherwise Parekh Sir will come and then he won't let me go out of the class...
Bye - bye!"

Saying this Tara began walking of the class hurriedly. Manjiri and Ruchika chuckled at her swiftness yelling

"Yaa bye!"

"See you later, alligator!"

"Of course I romanticize my own monotonous life, no one else is gonna do it for me.............
What say???"

_

_

_

"It's crazy how addicting the sound of a single person can be.
Their voice, their laugh, how they pronounce their words................
Just those simple pleasures can easily lighten your day."

In the silence of the space, the phone in the hands of Manjiri buzzed giving her a slight jolt. Incoming call notification flashed on the top of her device's screen, simpering inwardly she finally pressed the 'Add Friend' option displaying on Shaurya's social media profile and moved her finger upwards to pick up the call.

Since the day both of them guaranteed each other to not overlook each other's texts and calls at any cost, making a conversation to each other understandably became a part of their daily routine from the past more than a week.
Though in this span of seven days a number of calls still went unanswered due to each other's frequent comprehensible unavailability , intersecting pre - occupied coherent schedules and admissible professional / academic commitments. But still they both anyhow were trying their best to at least have an unfeigned conversation per day.
Manjiri too started pushing herself in taking genuine initiative to chat with him; leaving her highly reservedness and overly contemplative habit aside, at least to some extent...... As she sincerely wanted to try corresponding with Shaurya's indulgence. It earnestly seemed as if they both grew way closer than before, especially since that day. Although absence of one another at each other's side still used to bother them, but they somehow used to convince their hearts withstanding with the handful of days left.

After the call got connected, Shaurya's low gruff voice travelled from the phone into Manjiri's ears.

"Hello!"

"You got late today..."

"Ah! Yes!
Had a little extra work today..."

Shaurya simply replied with a itty - bitty limp. To which Manjiri straightforwardly stated in a shilly - shallying manner still maintaining her invasiveness.

"Oh!
By the way let me tell you that you have missed my two calls today."

He mentally chuckled at her inexplicit bleating words.

"Eye - for - an - eye Madam Manjiri!
Didn't you clean forget to call back yesterday?
Huh Forgetful Brained?"

Unknowingly a sheepish smile started playing at the corner of Manjiri's lips. But before she could even open her mouth to justify in her defence, Shaurya added teasingly

"But anyways I'm unlike you....
So just for the sake of clarity let me genuinely tell you that I was up to my neck today. Plus my phone's battery was also dying.
Therefore, I planned to call back before finally hitting the bed."

"Look, didn't I informed you yesterday only that I had to submit my two assignments today...
So consequently whilst finishing them I got very late and couldn't call you back."

Hearing this he rolled his eyes at her plain - spoken limpid explanation and listlessly slumped against the cushions on his bed after plonking them in a careless manner.

"And hereby your taunt turns out to be futile Dr. Shaurya....."

A wide smile started gracing his lips as soon as he intently listened to her timid but impudent rose to the bait.

"Oh! I see...
Well if I'm not wrong then your internal and external assessments are going to commence in a short time, right?"

"Hmm... Right!"

She murmured in an unenthusiastic dismissive tone. As a response he just shook his head breezily whilst being slightly amused fathoming her half - hearted modulation of voice.

"Wow! You appear so well - prepared, your hyper - activeness and excitement is truly note worthy."

"You all three Mohan Brothers got trained and learnt these type of sarcastic replies and mockery from some academic institute..... Right?
Or rather are these naturally flowing in your veins since birth.... Huh?"

Except a light chuckle nothing else escaped out of his mouth.
And in the mean while hearing his serene laugh, Manjiri's lips too quirked up in a soft self - congratulating smile. Though at first, she herself was too amazed at the choice of words in which she just poked fun at him in all innocence.

A few seconds later after turning and tossing himself on his stomach comfortably, Shaurya again friskily quizzed Manjiri

"Hey! Aren't you the same girl who herself was hell excited and full of beans to continue her further studies....
I used to think that you take pride in learning, so what's up with your this recently discovered or more likely to say recently - developed exam distress and eagerness deprived outlook?"

"Beyond the shadow of even a slightest doubt I'm the one and the same girl you're talking about.
And incontrovertibly I'm still full of beans to learn new lessons and things.... But to be honest since the nursery days I rigorously hate being quizzed on the knowledge I've memorised, grasped or even cursorily mugged up."

Shaurya couldn't help laughing lightly after listening to her whiny mumbling words.
None of them spoke after that, a couple of minutes later Manjiri meekly yet unexpectedly muttered looking at the ceiling of the room whilst properly covering herself with her comforter

"Well I needed to know something about you..."

"Oh is it!
Well you're wholly at liberty to inquire any damn thing from me... So put forward your inquiry Ma'am."

At first he paused hearing her, but later replied this in a incredulous but whip up manner.

"You haven't got married yet? Right?"

"Pardon! What kind of a nugatory question is this?
And one second why do you temporarily lose command at your mental faculties every once in a while?..... Huh?"

Smacking his own forehead with his own palm exasperatingly, he let out an audible agitated sigh. Her absurd question instanstly and insensitively injured his high expectations of hearing something endearing from her mouth. At then he didn't even want to make a try in deciphering the real basis behind her pointless question.

"Before indicating the faults of my mental faculties, kindly go and take a notice at the faults of your social networking IDs'...."

She defensively replied him in forthrightness.
As soon as he apprehended her words, he stressed his brain to figure out the new born confusion with all speed.

"Why?
What went wrong there?"

"Nothing much!
Only your relationship status is spreading a teensy - weensy vague information among your virtual acquaintances...
But no issues, after all it really makes no odd for you."

She retorted teasingly whilst holding back her giggles.
Though he was feeling a bit unsettled right then but still his lips inadvertently managed to curve up into a playful smirk when he apprehended something

"Oh!
So someone was stalking my profiles in a beholding manner..."

"Ohho hold on! Hold on!
Well that someone wasn't the one you're making a guess at...."

Her response to his frisky statement was just that simple. To which he quizzed her in bewilderment

"Then?"

"Dev Bhaiya."

"Dev???"

"Yeah!
Actually an hour ago, I was facing an issue in getting an access over my social media accounts.... So in due course Bhaiya chipped in and helped me out. And also made me aware of your relationship status trivia which is distinctly manifesting - 'Single'."

Manjiri offhandedly gave a plain - sailing demonstration. To which Shaurya could only facepalm in exasperation.

"Without a doubt birds of a feather indeed flock together..."

He remarked nonchalantly, sarcasm clearly dripping from his wording and insouciant voice.

Without wasting a single second, he immediately unlocked his phone only to find a notification which made his mouth right away twitched into a placid coy grin.
The notification readably stated -
'Miru Rao sent you a friend request.'
He instantly clicked on her name and then intently scrutinized her profile; but much to his dismay there was nothing really for him to explore except a profile photo in which her Dadi and Dii were also marking their presence, a floral cover picture, few aesthetical quotes' posters...... And of course a lot many tagged posts of festivities' wishes and birthday blessings offered to her by some of her acquaintances. And at last, as expected a few clinical advising articles which Ved usually share on his own profile from time to time and tag some of his close ones under it.
Her 'About Info' was also partially filled, only publicizing her date of birth, alma mater and former residential city.

"It's quite surprising that even you once followed this silly mysterious trend of posting your half face revealing selfie as display picture."

"I updated it long back, probably a year ago.
But now who's the one who is stalking?"

Evasively she kind of countered him back timidly.
But on the other hand he too was definitely not going to leave her just like that i.e. without a proper comeback, therefore an opposing critical remark was already anticipating to vex her up straight away

"Well I usually accept someone's friend request, only after when I make sure that I'm really familiar to that person or not.
Thereby, closely examining is a must course of action before consideration.... What if you turns out to be a cyber bully, then?"

"Excuse me!
If you're that uncertain, then please don't accept the request. It really doesn't matter.
Moreover, my half - faced dp is far better than your serious non - smiling same dp superciliously unveiled on each and every platform.
I just can't figure out why few people get so obsessed with their one particular picture, that they brashly display it everywhere."

She too counter - attacked him with her infuriated words, indubitably coated in her infamous simple meek grumbles.

"Ok so then my Silly Head, you only tell which all different pictures I should display one by one on each respective platforms dissimilarly...."

His voice was low and heavy probably cause of drowsiness, which slowly stroked at her heart. Especially his 'my' made her heart flutter quizzically. She tried speaking but nothing really meaningful came out her mouth.

"Umm! But......
Never mind."

"You again got back to your original mode? Don't shorten your speeches!
I like your details.
Umm! I mean I like... I enjoy when you detail your utterances."

Shaurya immediately corrected his phraseology self - consciously.
On the other hand no matter how hard Manjiri tries to reciprocate the same efforts and express her literal candid self sincerely, but whenever Shaurya utters something this doting whether intendedly or unintendedly.... Her sensibilities automatically start dwindling and poor she terribly fails to put forward her actual thoughts in words. Nearly each time an unfathomable yearning always firmly gripped her words mercilessly, least bothing about her emotional state.

Although the call was still connected, but unfortunately no one on the either ends spoke. Everything around suddenly went so quiet that one could even hear the other person's breathing and low sighing advancing thorough the phone very well.
This sudden and slight twitchiness which both of them were experiencing at that instant, was periphrastically making them comprehend certain things about each other's frame of mind and degree of growing infatuation sensed without any efforts.

"Umm! It's hell of a night, we shall take off!"

Unable to endure the abrupt silence, Shaurya exclaimed indifferently.
Whereas Manjiri wasn't even really willing to end up the conversation that soon, how badly she was hankering after to extend the call duration.... But her intellection was repetitively reminding her that - 'he is exhausted, he needs rest'.
So then she agreeably gave up in front of her over - burdened intellection eventually.

"Hmm! Will call tomorrow..."

"Alright!"

"A lot of conversations need to be held in person.
Tones need to be heard,
facial expressions need to be seen, and
energy need to be felt............"

_

_

_

"Do you know fondness doesn't mean -
'I never want you to change' ;.....
It also doesn't either mean -
'I don't care if you will change' ;......
But supposingly it might mean -
'Whether you change a bit or not, I believe that you'll always be the person I adore'...............
And this is declaration of faith, perhaps???"

Just as she was about to plonk her phone on the night stand after setting up the alarm in order to wake up early for general revision, it persistently tootled due to incoming notifications. And at then she realized that she haven't switched off the mobile data. So she quickly tapped on her phone's screen in order to perform the desired task but in constrast her fingers got paused when she caught a sight of the flashing notifications.

'Dr Shaurya Singh Mohan liked your profile picture.'
'Dr Shaurya Singh Mohan tagged you and 2 others in a post.'
'Dr Shaurya Singh Mohan changed his profile picture.'

Immediately opening back her account's home page, she experienced some undistinguished inklings within herself. Simpering inwardly i.e. in her heart, she gladsomely took a notice of the pictures freshly updated by him.
The tagged picture was the one which was a group selfie of their both, along with Dev and Sameeksha, clicked on the day when four of them had gone out for lunch at Mr. Drizzy D's Platez; the usual favourite eating spot of her Dev Bhaiya and Sam.
Though his profile picture unfolded as to be a individual picture of his own, yet she mentally validated it because according to her it was significantly better than the previous one. In the present profile picture Shaurya was gleefully posing in front of Musical Fountain of Chandigarh.

A second later a graceful soft smile slipped and spontaneously took a place at the corner of her lips as her heed got stuck on his newly changed relationship status -
'Married to Miru Rao'

All of a sudden Manjiri too felt the need to make some improvisational renovations i.e. mere updations in her own profile. Therefore she too immediately publicized her marital status as -
'Married to Dr Shaurya Singh Mohan'
She changed not only her residential city but also her username as -
'Manjiri R Mohan (Miru Rao)'
Coming towards her profile picture, her fingers itched to remove the original one replacing it with some other; as in it she and her Dii looked joyous, carefree and whole..... unlike now.

Unanticipately she again received some more notifications; but as opposed to the previously received notifications, these one made her heart feel as if it freshly got pricked pitilessly.
Once being so close to the name repeatedly displaying on top of her phone's screen; she sensed that the name..... the person was still holding a firm impression on her.
Waves of ache grew stronger and stronger inside her. Tears welled up in her eyes unconsciously as she was struggling in her heart, whether to open up that person's umpteen unread messages or not. She bit her lips and raised her head, in order to not let her tears fall.

After contemplating a lot, Manjiri finally decided to at least flip through to what that person wanted to say to her.
But little did she know....................

"Some wounds can neither heal nor bleed...............
Isn't it???"

~~~

This is it for now. Hope you liked it. I am sorry for the mistakes.

In case if you want to share your views or suggest something, you are more than welcome.

⭐My sincere request to all the SILENT READERS - Do vote this chap.⭐

Till then take care and stay connected.

Love ♥️✨