Bold Italic - Pragya
Italic - Abhi

Haan! You heard it right! I am resigning my job!

Abhi looked back in shock. They were at a café now and he still couldn't believe her decision of resignation.

But why? You love the job right?

Yes Abhi but....

Okay, I asked you to meet me here to discuss why you made this decision.

It's because of him.... I am not able to handle it anymore.

That stranger? For him you're resigning your job?

What else can I do Abhi? I have taken a lot leaves from work already. I can't take any more leaves too. And that guy! Arggh! He is not only sending bouquets now but also gifts as well. Everyone around me knows of it and they think it's you! I can't accept their words and I can't deny it too!

But no one knows who send it?

He is smart Abhi! He sends it through someone else everyday. Even they don't know how he looks as they are all delivery boys!

Relax! Surely there will be a way to find him out. And you don't take this decision of resignation now. I can talk to the Principal about this.

I am not able to concentrate on my work Abhi. I don't know why it feels like he is following me when I know he is only sending me gifts.

I think you are thinking too much. We can try to find him for sure.

No Abhi.... Even now I feel he is somewhere here.

Just then, a waiter comes to their table with a bouquet.

Pragya looking at him was fuming with anger now.

Why are you here?

He asked the waiter.

Waiter, "A bouquet for Ms. Pragya...are you Ms. Pragya?"

No! I am not! Just leave from here if not I will kill you with the bouquet you're holding to.

Abhi chuckled hearing her response and asked the waiter to leave the bouquet on the table.

Waiter was terrified seeing the way Pragya reacted and quickly leaves from there.

He is just the middle man. Don't show your anger towards him yaar.

Abhi.... What if he is here as well?

So what?

So what? I am scared! Why is he following me like this!

Pragya, think carefully. Maybe he is looking for a response that he wants. That's why he is doing this.

What? To love him?

No yaar.... Usually when we get gifts what do we do?

Don't ask me! Because of his gifts, I have forgotten how people react to gifts.

It's okay.... Usually we will be surprised and we will smile.

I can't do that. His gifts are irritating now.

All are decent right?

Haan but....

Look Pragya, until now he hadn't give you any messages and that's why we can't know his intentions.

So you mean if I respond to his gifts then he will reach out to me?

It's just my assumption. But we can try and don't worry as I am always with you in this.

Okay. Next time when I get something from him, I will smile.

Thanks! But don't smile a lot.

Huh?

I mean don't smile like the way you smile at me.

I will try.....

What do you mean you will try? You just don't smile the way you smile at me. I don't want him to feel you love him!

Okok.... Relax!

He then says firmly, Pragya.... Don't ever smile like the way you do to me.

Acha baba! I won't do like that. I also don't want him to feel I love him when I only love you.

Abhi smiles inwardly and said, Now cancel your idea of resignation.

Okay Abhi.... Anything else?

I will drop and pick up you from now onwards.

Why?

Don't ask me why. Just obey my words!

But Abhi.... I understand you want to find the person but you can even....

No Pragya, I can't trust anyone and I don't want to be in the thoughts of whether you had reached house and college safely.

Wo.... Ma... She still didn't know that....

That's fine Pragya! I will only pick you a bit far away from your house. I don't want Uncle and Aunty to suddenly feel why am I picking you up too.

Thanks Abhi. You understand every apprehensions of mine. That's why you're the best for me!

Shall we make a move? It's getting late.

Pragya sighs in response as he didn't smile for what she said.

She nods her head as yes and he stood up first and looked away smiling widely for what she said about him.

A few days later,

Where are we going? This is not the route to my house.

Don't worry, I am not kidnapping you!

Don't think of kidnapping me too!

Why not? Why not when you torture me so much?

What? Torture? I torture you so much? Oh please Abhi! It's you who torture me so much!

Nah.... Don't lie!

Excuse me! I don't want to tell the details as I am worried what if it made you upset.

Abhi stops driving and Pragya said, I knew you will get serious now. I am so sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of the past.

He continued to look serious and was looking down.

I am so sorry! Acha... Let me do something! Shall I kiss you to make you feel better?

What? Kiss?

He was taken aback and she asked, why not?

Pragya, like seriously.....you have kissed me once and that itself is a shock to me until now. Where is your so called morals of doing kissing and other stuffs after marriage only?

Wo.... I still do have the morals. Just that the morals are exempted sometimes.

Acha? And when are the sometimes?

Whenever you become a buddhu!

Buddhu? Me?

He asked in a shocked tone.

Ya.... You sometimes become a buddhu and don't understand things. Then as a lecturer I need to teach you and my lesson is simple, it's just a kiss!

Hmm... So now are you going to teach me that lesson?

Nope!

Why? Why not?

Because my lessons come as unexpected.

Okay and what if I say your lessons are boring?

Boring? You find it boring? You got to be kidding me.

No! It's really boring. Not fun!

Excuse me, do you know much of strength I had come up with to kiss you that day?

I don't know all that but your lesson was not that fun as it is just for a while. It is not long enough for me to understand things.

Pragya gasped in shock and was thinking, Abhi was crazy to tell he needs longer kisses from her.

Hey I am not crazy!

You know what I was thinking!

Of course, just like the way you know about me. Anyways, I was only kidding. I don't need any lessons from you. Okay?

Really?

Ya really and stop thinking too much now when I don't have any thoughts like that. I was only teasing you for fun.

He said and starts to drive.

But seriously.... How do you find my kiss that day?

Amateurish!

Is it? I knew it! But that was the first time for me!

Well.... I guess we have to stop talking about this now as I need to concentrate on my driving.

Okok! But... Nevermind! I will ask you when we reach the place. I don't want to disturb you too.

Soon they reached the place and Pragya was surprised to be at the place she liked the most.

Happy?

Very happy! Oh god! How do you know of this place!

You told me before this library is your favourite place in your childhood so I thought it will be a surprise for you if I made it to be renovated and bring you here.

You made it renovate?

Ya! You doubt it?

No.... But I heard this library was being sold to make way for some shopping mall.

That's an old news! The new news is, the person who bought it had sold it to someone else who thought it was wonderful as a library!

You bought it? But why?

Now don't get sentimental thinking I bought it because of you. Pragya, I know like you there are many who would have been emotionally connected to this library. There will be a lot of memories here. I just don't want those memories to be removed away from here.

Pragya hugged Abhi in response and whispers in his ears, As usual.... The same thing.... You're the best Abhi!

Abhi smiles and asked, Shall we go inside?

Pragya nods her head as yes excitedly.

They both went inside and she was amazed to see how the library had retained its old look together with the new look.

Abhi felt happy that his small surprise worked for her. Lately, she was very disturbed and worried about the stranger following her. To make her feel better, he had bought this library on the day she shared him about the stranger. From then, the repair and renovation works on the library had been on a full swing. And now, she was the first person to see the newly changed library!

I will go there to see the books! Do you want to join?

I need to make a call. You carry on!

Okay!

She left to the non-fiction section of the library.

Abhi came out of the library as he couldn't get signal inside the library.

He called and thanked Purab for helping him out for the library to be revamped.

He ends his call and then heard a loud scream as he entered the library.

Pragya!!! You are inside right?

Pragya shouts his name loudly in response.

He reaches the place she was and she looked horrified.

Abhi goes near her and asked, What happened?

I saw him! He.... He was here!

He was here? Are you sure? Where did he went?

I went behind him... Thinking it was you.... Because the lights went off and....

Did you see him? How he looked?

Abhi... I thought it was you but....

Pragya faints telling him. He was quick enough to hold her and carried her in his arms.

He then brings her to his car and drives away to his guest house nearby.

He brings her to his guest house as he didn't want his or her family to get worried about the issue for now.

After a while,

She regains consciousness.

Relax! You're fine now.

But Abhi.... I wasn't like completely thinking it was you!

I know Pragya. I know you can sense my presence. It was my mistake to leave you alone thinking that there was nobody around there other than us.

That means you don't think I was attracted towards him or something right?

Rubbish! Why were you get attracted towards him? Stop overthinking and I would never think of you like that!

I was only scared that you will think of me wrongly. I wasn't scared of him.

Ya... Then why did you shout my name loudly?

Wo.... I thought he will misbehave with me.

So you were scared!

Haan Abhi! I was scared that what if he kidnaps me!

Okay.... Let me tell you this....I know this guy has been bothering both of us. From today's incident, it is confirmed that he won't stop getting closer to you. I was actually expecting him to show up to you but not in this way that scares you.

Does it mean I have to be alert all times?

Yes.... And let's do something for one last time to make him turn up before you. If he doesn't turn up then let's get rid of him once and for all by confirming our marriage through the media.

What are you saying? Are you sure of what you are saying?

Yes Pragya. This is the only solution unless you want to proceed this issue with the help of police.

I don't mind Abhi....

But I mind. Already I had asked help from police for quite a number of issues previously. It seems the police is also a reason for our personal lives to be in public. So this time, I feel we should solve our problems.

But Abhi.... We don't know what kind of a person he is. I mean....

You trust me right?

Yes I do.....

Then do as I say, if I can't do it then I will admit it for sure.

Okay....

Pragya agrees to his words but at the back of her mind, she finds it better to seek help from police.

Sneek peek to next part,

You? But why?

The man opposite to him tells the reason for his change of heart.

No... I can't love you. I only love Abhi!

He then says something which shocks her.

No... I had enough of listening to others and doing things by their words. This time, I won't and that's why I had been adamant even when Abhi said about break up! So you have to understand I won't change my decision for anyone now.

She was about to leave when he said, "What if I tell Abhi have some secrets in his life that he himself doesn't know about it?"

Secrets?

"Yes and secrets that will make his life complete."

I don't understand. Tell me clearly....

Thank you for reading! How was it?