Chapter 7

The roadblock meant that they would have to pass some time before they could travel again. Vikas looked around for a place to wait in and luckily they found a decent looking roadside dhaba on the highway, going by the name of Haveli. It was quaint and charming. Despite her sulky mood, Shilpa fell in love with it and excitedly beckoned him forward with her hand,smiling wide.He looked sideways at her enthusiasm for a dhaba and felt his heart thud against his chest. Unlike the other women he knew who got excited by fancy 5-star restaurants and expensive gifts, here was one getting childishly excited at a dhaba. Incredible much?

Once they were seated in the mostly empty dhaba Shilpa remembered that she was supposed to be mad at him and pointedly ignored him, glaring hard at the given menu as if that held the solution to all her problems. He tried to get her attention but in vain. It was only after she had placed her rather long order of Lassi, Dahi chaat, Pani puri and Paav Bhaji to the amused looking waiter that she glanced at him. ' So. Problem kya hai Aapki? Kyu mera picha Kar rahe ho? '
Vikas lifted an amused brow. 'Picha to kab se kar raha hu aapko abhi pata chala? ' he chuckled. She glared back. 'Flirt karna band kijiye. Sidhe sidhe bataiye Aap chahte kya hain. I want nothing to do with u. ' Her words hurt him a bit. 'Mai kya chahta hu ye Aap acchi tarah janti hain. Kyu mujhse dur rehne pe tuli hui hai? Khud ko aur Mujhe hurt Karne ki zid pakdi hai? ' She met his gaze as her voice broke 'Dur rehke kaise hurt hote hai ye v dekh lungi.. Har bar pass rehne se hui hu is bar dur hone se hi Sahi.. ' Vikas frowned as her words registered 'Shilpa.. ' 'Vikas please.. Samjhiye baat ko. Mai aapko apni zindagi ke upar koi power dobara nahi de sakti.. Twice was enough to hurt me.. I might not be fine a third time. So yea I can't be with u or work for u. The web series is cancelled for now. Im going to work on Preeti 's IPL show Jio dhan dhana dhan for the next two months. Sorry. ' She said, looking past him not meeting his eyes.

Vikas was getting angry now. 'Fine. Don't work with me and avoid me. I will start working on the other ALT Balaji projects I left incomplete because of u like Priyank's punchbeat. And sure, you are the only one who has ever been hurt. Mai to kabhi aapki baato se hurt hua hi nahi. Mujhe to kabhi chot pahuchi hi nahi. Pahuchegi bhi kyu. Hum ek dusre ko jante hi kaha hain. Hum to ajnabi hai na. ' This alarmed her and she looked at him surprised. Surprisingly his hurt had not entered her mind. 'Vikas.. ' she tried to explain. 'Rehne dijiye Shilpa ji. Koi fayda nai hai..u r right. We are just all wrong for each other. Chaliye jaate hai. ' Saying so he got up and tried to walk past her. She held his hand tightly. Surprised, he looked at her. She held his gaze, her eyes shining with the moisture of unshed tears. Breaking down all her shields, she let him see it all so he wud understand her. Her vulnerability. Her feelings. Her helplessness. Her weakness. Everything.
What he saw in her eyes made him shiver down to his very soul. He hadn't known her feelings and her dilemma ran so bone deep when it came to him. She was still holding his hand. Slowly, he placed his hand over hers,made her rise up and quickly pulled her into a bone crushing hug, his arms wound so tightly around her waist and back as if made of steel. She allowed herself to hug him back for the moment. His hand went to her hair in soothing strokes. When she finally lifted her head from his chest, he looked at her as she opened her eyes. Two people staring at each others' souls. Surprisingly or perhaps not, they both leaned in at the same time as their lips met in a kiss which was slow as a flowing river at first but then soon turned fiery with passion. Her hands had sunk in his hair as she gripped hard. it with her fingers His hand travelled even further down her back to pull her flush against him, their chests crashing.
When he nipped at her lips with his teeth and then with his tongue, she opened up to him with a groan as he plundered mouth.

It was after a long time that they both pulled back and came to their senses. Vikas looked at her but she avoided his gaze. 'That.. ' he tried to say but she interrupted. 'That was the most honest moment I have had in years. ' He nodded happily. 'But that is all that can happen, Vikas ji. That wasn't a beginning, sorry. That was goodbye. ' And his heart broke into a million pieces. But her words felt like they were said with death finality, so he weakly nodded, not sure he could speak.

The sun was about to set as they both headed back to the car, perhaps somehow symbolic of the glum mood that surrounded them. The rest of the drive to Mumbai was completed in silence as they both struggled with their feelings and their broken hearts, and then separated once he dropped her home and went on to his, driving recklessly as his vision clouded with tears. On the other hand, once she reached her room she leaned against the door and burst into fresh tears.
So much hurt. So much pain. What did destiny have in store for them?

So purely a shikas chapter for the first time in this ff. Hope u guys liked it.
PS- Anyone miss Pradeep? ;-) Thanks for ur endless patience and support. Would love feedback as usual :-)