The Strings Of Heart

28

Sitara POV

I laugh looking at Gaurav, he is trying to make Krishika blush and he is successfully made her blush.

Abhinav laughed shaking his head, "can't believe you guys are dating." Abhinav said.

"Even Joel is crushing on Becca now," I tell them.

"Oh yeah, I totally forgot that. He is trying hard to take her to on a date," Abhinav said.

"True, I never thought Joel would ask Becca," Gaurav said.

"I had my doubts... I always thought Joel had a crush on Becca but he never agreed when I asked him. You remember we asked him on the last day too," Gaurav said looking at Aryan.

"Yeah... He was actually going to ask her out and now they are living together with Sung and in the same college. That helped him," Aryan said with a smile on his face. I really hope Becca give Joel a chance.

We never know that Joel liked Becca for years, he was the closed up person like me when it comes to feelings. Now when he got to know about Becca's heartbreak Jpoel decided to open up. 

"How is Aditi?" I asked Aryan. A huge happy smile played on his face as he heard about his girlfriend name.

"She is good, I'm actually so happy with her. But I miss you guys so much..." Aryan spoke wrapping his arm around Gaurav.

"I miss you too bro," Gaurav said.

"Why would you miss when you have Krishika..." Abhinav teased Gaurav.

I chuckle sipping my coffee, we are hanging out in the cafe near the city mall road.

The weather is cosy and perfect for a good coffee. I'm having my happy time meeting everyone.

"What about you? Found anyone?" Gaurav asked Abhinav.

"I found Krishika but sadly she loves you," Abhinav said.

"What?"

"Shut up." Krishika and Gaurav said while Aryan and I laughed.

"Nah, love is far now. Ain't interested yet," Abhinav said.

Now they all turned to me with a question mark face. "What about you? Found any handsome hunk at college?" Abhinav asked.

I sip my coffee looking at them, "what does that look mean? Do you really found someone?" Krishika asked.

"Omg!"

"She found someone..."

"Calm down, you all know him," I tell them.

"Seriously you found someone?" Gaurav asked sitting beside me.

"Who is he? Do we know? Is it Abhinav? Because he is the only one left?" Krishika asked in nervousness.

"Ew... She is like my sister. Don't tell me you like me... We already call each other twins..." Abhinav said looking at me.

"Shut up, it's not him."

"Then who? Who?" Aryan asked.

"David..."

"David?"

"David? Have we heard about him?"

"Who is this David guy?"

"I think I heard it somewhere?"

"David?" They all talk about themselves looking at each other.

"Isn't he the one who is Elora Akka's best friend?" Krishika said.

"I guess he is the one."

"The doctor one or model one?" Aryan asked.

"The doctor is David."

"Woah! Woah! When did this happen?" Gaurav asked.

"Don't you hate him? You dislike the guy and diss about him." Abhinav said.

"Hey, when did I diss about him?" I ask him.

"She just hates him didn't diss him," Krishika said.

"But how did this happen? Hate to love?" Aryan asked.

"Are you guys dating?" Gaurav asked.

"Let her speak lol."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"You guys are stupids."

"Okay."

"So tell."

"I don't exactly know how it happened or how I was able to like him. It happened and I confessed my feelings but he doesn't have a crush on me or likes me back. I don't think I have a chance as he is going to tie a knot."

I watch their faces as it took them some time to process everything I said.

"Tie a knot?" Krishika asked.

"You confessed?" Gaurav said.

"You like him?" Abhinav asked.

"You have a chance," Aryan said.

"His mom selected a lady for him, she works in the same hospital as him and they are work colleagues."

"Did he likes her?" Aryan asked.

"No."

"Then girl you have all the chances in the world. It truly doesn't matter if his mother like her or selected a woman. Ultimately he is the one who needs to love someone or at least like her to marry her. Marriage is no joke and I'm sure you will get success," Aryan spoke.

I smile at him.

"How did our cold Sitara fall in love? I can't believe this..." Abhinav said.

"Hey... This is crush not love."

"Whatever."

"Woah Woah! Everyone got a crush or liking someone while our Abhinav hasn't found anyone," Gaurav said. Abhinav looked at Gaurav weirdly.

"I'm perfectly fine with it."

"So you confessed to him?" Krishika asked.

"Yes, last night."

"Last night?" Aryan questioned.

"He is here in Ooty to meet his dad. I'm staying in their home and last night I decided to confess my feelings. And I did," I tell them.

"It took years to confess to this lady and you just confessed?" Gaurav said pointing at Krishika.

"Not everyone is you bro, if Sitara likes something she will get it as soon as possible... You will make him fall in love with you. I know that you can..." Abhinav said.

I spent three hours with them before Gaurav and Krishika left as it's their train timing. Abhinav and Aryan left to back their bags as they have an early flight when David picked me up.

*

"Sitara... Here take this," Sofia said handing me the wine glass.

"Thank you," she smiled sitting beside me with the baby.

"Why didn't you name her?" I ask Sofia looking at the baby.

"We haven't thought the name. We did but we are confused so we decided to wait. We started calling her as baby."

"How old is she?"

"She is twenty days older." I look at Stefan who laughed out loud. He is a British man living in Ooty.

"How did you meet Stefan?" I asked Sofia. Stefan and Sofia are married, you can easily say that they love each other so much.

"Stefan was a tourist four years ago. He came to Ooty when we accidentally met on the toy train. We were in the same cabin so we spoke and exchanged numbers and now here we are..."

I didn't get the chance of meeting Sofia and her baby last night. I met her in the morning but couldn't stay for longer.

Now we are sitting in the lawn room while David spoke with Stefan, Rosey and Valentino.

"Do you like my brother?" Sofia asked when she caught me looking at him.

"Hmm yes." She chuckled nodding her head.

"I caught him talking to himself in the morning. He is a good man but a bit tough to crack."

"Hmm?"

"Even if he likes something he won't accept it. He is the guy who would tell others to take it if they like it. So even if he likes someone he will do what his mother wants to do. You should think about it, David would never go against Tanu aunty," Sofia said seriously.

"Honestly, he innocent when it comes to love and doesn't understand it. You better make him fall for you hard or else he will neglect," she spoke while I watched his laugh.

"Hmm... I won't try hard to get him. I will do what I want to do. Trying hard makes me look desperate. I don't want to be desperate to have him. Desperation leads to separation."

She looks at me surprised nodding her head, "makes sense."

You need to have a need and hunger of having someone in your life. Once you taste the flavour of them, the hunger never dies. I need to flame the need in David and that's it.

It will automatically generate hunger in him. Pihu's crush towards David was like desperation which he didn't like a bit and got scared of.

"How old are you?" I asked Sofia.

"I'm twenty-five," she replied. We spoke while the baby yawned and slept cosily.

I watched as David played the music while Valentino pulled Rosey from the chair.

I smiled watching them dance, David leaned against the wall watching them with a smile on his face. Stefan stood beside him.

"Do you mind holding her? I want to have a dance with my husband," Sofia said.

"Uh-huh? I don't know how to hold a baby," I tell her.

"David..." She called David. David turned his head before he walked towards us. He didn't look at me, he is ignoring me and that's fine.

"Can you hold the baby, I want to dance with Stefan," Sofia said once David stood before us.

"Sure." I watched as David gently took the baby from Sofia and cooed her when the baby moved in her sleep. Sofia stood up from her chair and David sat down with the baby in his arms.

"Thank you." She walked to where Stefan stood. They joined Valentino and Rosey as we watched them dance.

I smile sipping my wine and kept the glass away when it's finished. Sofia is laughing at what Valentino said. Rosey shook her head while Stefan smiled.

"They are lovely..." I break the silence.

"They are."

"Are you ignoring me?" I turn my head and face him.

"Uh-hmm... You said you like me. It's awkward to look at you. I have never had feelings on you nor I liked you."

"Hmm... Have I told you to like me back?" I ask him.

"No."

"Did I make you feel uncomfortable?"

"No."

"I only confessed what I feel about you rather than hiding it under the pillow. I didn't tell you to like me back or did something that makes you uncomfortable. It's your choice if you like me back or not but it's my choice to try before I decide to give up on my feelings."

He looked at me with wide eyes, to give him some space I looked away and got busy watching the others dance.

"David... Give me the baby and have a dance with Sitara. She has been sitting alone," Valentino spoke walking over to us.

"Huh? It's fine," David said.

"No David, have a dance with her," Rosey said.

"I will play his favourite song." Sofia said giving me a smile. Valentino took the baby and David stood up awkwardly.

"It's fine," I tell them.

"No... No..." I reluctantly stand up and walk to the middle.

'aaj jane ki zid na karo' sang by Arijit Singh started playing. David shyly held my hand in his with his other arm wrapped around my waist.

'Aaj jane ki zid na karo..' (Tonight, don't insist on leaving)

'Yoon hi pehloo mein baithe raho' (just like this, sit close by me) 

I place my hand on his shoulder. I look up at him, barefoot I look so short standing beside him. I'm a tall girl but standing close to David made me realise how tall he is.

Our gaze met, I can't look away. This is our first time dancing together or even standing closer.

I don't know how much the song relates to the situation. I get zoned out forgetting about the surroundings. David is shy but halfway into the song even he zoned out.

I changed my hand's position and lazily wrapped them around his neck while he held my waist.

We slow danced to his old melodies. David only listens to old melodies most of the time. Time passed without me knowing.

"Good night, David and Sitara. See you two in the morning," Valentino said.

"Good night dad."

"Good night." They all left leaving David and me alone.

I watched as David gulped down the lump. The same song which is David's favourite started playing. He tried to move away but I held him with my arms around his neck.

He looked at me puzzled, I stepped closer removing my arms and wrapping them around his waist. I took him by surprise but I needed a hug I guess.

I signed while he didn't hug me back, I don't mind though. I pulled away immediately not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

"Good night David," I give him a smile before walking towards the hall where my room leaving a startled David as the song 'aaj jane ki zid na karo' played in the background.

How relatable...