The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 9

Aparna looked at him trying to find a feasible answer but her mind was so clogged with everything that she only managed to shake her head.

Nishant looked at her face and frowned. What is she hiding? One minute he had felt her respond to his touch and the other minute she had become stone cold.

“What’s wrong?” he asked taking a step towards her, but stopped when he saw Aparna taking a step back towards the wall. Clearly she was scared of him. But why? Has he been reading her signals wrong?

Nishant understood that she was in no mood to answer his question. Sighing, he sat down on the sofa and said, “You can go. I’ll be occupied for couple of days. So, take care of the on-going projects.”

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Aparna opened the door and stepped outside. The moment she was inside the lift, she let out a relieved sigh that she had been holding for long.

Reaching her office, she kept the laptop on her table and walked towards the window. As a thought occurred in her mind, she looked up at the sky. Somebody there must be truly angry with her otherwise these things would not be happening.

First Kavin and now Nishant. Why me?

Leave my problems aside. Why is he interested in me when he is engaged with Rushali? Aparna thought to herself.

Wasn’t he happy?

Or was she just an easy catch for him?

Pressing her temples, Aparna tried to ease the throbbing in her head. When are her problems going to end? In a split second she thought of resigning but then refuted the idea.

You need the money. Not for yourself, but for Prakriti, her mind told her.

So, the best way to handle this situation was to steer clear of Nishant’s way. The less he saw her, the less he would be tempted to touch her. And, if she had to meet him then, she would ensure there were people around them.

Nodding her head in determination, she sat down and opened her laptop to check on the designs sent by Shivang.

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Dhruv came out of washroom and saw Nishant sitting on the sofa lost in thought. He had gone to see him in his office in the evening and noticed that something was wrong. He had been preoccupied in the car also. Even Siraj, his close associate was clueless. Clearly something major was bothering him.

Dhruv threw the towel on the bed and looked around. Nishant had been living in this flat since college. Even though, his parents had wanted him to stay at home but still his stubbornness had forced them to relent eventually. He knew that Nishant felt at ease here and that was the biggest reason why Dhruv had brought him here rather than going to a bar for a drink.

Nishant stared at the ice cube swirling inside his glass as his mind kept thinking about Aparna’s reaction. What was she afraid of? It definitely can’t be him. Then what?

“The ice will melt if you stare at it with such intensity,” Dhruv said with a cheeky grin sitting down next to him.

Giving him an irritated look, Nishant kicked hard him at his shin. Yelping mockingly, he just rested in his head on Nishant’s shoulders pretending to be in pain.

Shaking him off, Nishant just kept staring at the amber liquid in the glass. He was like the ice cube, slowly melting in Aparna’s amber heat. But the only difference was he cannot be one with it.

“You are hopelessly in love with her,” Dhruv observed.

Nishant sat up with a start hearing his words.

“Are you insane?”

“It’s clear from your face. I wish you could look at it when you saw her after you came back from Jaipur.”

“You are drunk,” Nishant said looking annoyingly at Dhruv.

“I am not drunk. It’s you who is not seeing the truth. That goofy happiness on your face that day was indication enough that you are in love with her.”

When Nishant did say anything Dhruv continued.

“Plus, you tell me, why do you always want to be alone with her? Why are you sad when you hear that she is not there in office? Why, suddenly, you have started depending on her for all you decisions?”

Looking at Nishant’s creased forehead, Dhruv saw that his words had hit bull’s eye.

“That day when Naresh Uncle congratulated Aparna on her good work why was your face full of pride?”

Nishant stood up from the sofa and gulped down his drink in one shot. Striding up to the bar, he poured himself another and sat down on the stool.

“I am not in love with her. For god’s sake, Dhruv, I am engaged. Yes, I feel attracted to her but that’s it. There is no love. And, now the attraction is also gone,” Nishant said in a tone of finality.

“Okay, if that is the case, then my path is clear.”

“Your path?”

“Yep! With you out of the race, my chances are open with Aparna.”

Nishant closed his eyes thinking about them being together and a sudden rush of blood heated his skin. Jealousy? How can that be?

“And, anyways your hands are going to be full from tomorrow. Rushali is coming back from London if you don’t remember.”

God, not again. All those annoying social gatherings, all those hypocritical parties: he will go crazy by the time Rushali left for London again. Pressing the cold glass against his forehead, he tried to make his heart and mind ready for the ordeal starting tomorrow.

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Rushali waited in the car as the chauffer loaded her luggage in the boot. She was happy to be back. Finally, she will see Nishant after such a long time, especially after the engagement. Her insides coiled with pent-up tension as she thought about her encounters in London. Thank god, Nishant does not know about them. Moments of weakness: there is no need for him to know.

Now that she is back here she will have Nishant at her disposal always so, there is no need to escape to other pastures.  

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