26. May be

"Aap logo ne mujhe khadgare main kyu khada kiya hain" Shubman asked looking from his mom and dad to Shahneel and Ishan.

"Navya kaun hain?" Keart asked.

"Maa aap Navya ko bhul gaye"

"Chup... Navya teri kya hain?" his dad asked sternly.

Shubman - Dost hain.

Shahneel - Jhoot mat bol.

Shubman - Are hum dono main koi jhagda nahi hua hain, hum dost hain.

Ishan - Sirf dost hain?

Shubman - Achhaa... Tho sidha sidha puch na, jelebhi kyu tal raha hain.

Keart - Ab samaj main aagaya hain tho bol.

Shubman - Hum dost hain...

Shahneel - Jhoot.

Shubman - Poora karne doge plzz... tho hum dono dost hain aur main usse pyar karta hu...

Shahneel - Matlab vo tumhari girlfriend hain.

Shubman - Nahi, usse abhi tak pata nahi hain aur main ye abhi nahi jaanta ki vo mere baare main kaise feel karti hain.

Keart - Usne kaha tho tha ki wo tujhse pyar nahi karti hain and she is just grateful ki tum uske life main ho.

Shubman's eyes widened at the statement.

Shubman - Kya? Usne aise kab kaha? Aap ne usse is baare main baat hi kyu ki?

Shahneel - Usne Nidhi se kaha tha aur humne suna.

Ishan - Nidhi uski best friend hain aur best friends se jhoot nahi bolte. Matlab the prince is friend zoned.

Shubman - Dara kyu raha hain.

Lakhwinder - Wo bas facts bata raha hain.

Shubman's face went pale for a second, only a second as he saw Navya's caller id flash.

Shubman - Hello.

Navya - Main HYD nahi jaa rahi.

Shubman - Okkk.....

Navya - Kuch bhi ok nahi hain (frustrated).

Shubman - Par hua kya hain.

Navya - Milke bataongi.

Shubman - Acha fine. Ab kaha ho.

Navya - Airport main.

Shubman - I'll be there, ruko.

Shubman looked at his parents and said "Main airport jaa raha hu".

"Par abhi tho Navya ko airport main drop karke aayatha" his father asked.

"Kya hua hain wo pata karke bataunga" he said walking out of the house with the car keys.

Shubman picked Navya from the airport and on their way back Navya explained her problem.

"1 ghate pehle mereliye ek rishta aaya tha" Navya started calmy.

"Aur har baar ki tarah tum ise bhi mana karne wali ho" he stated as if he knew her next move.

"Karna tho chahti hu main..." she said hesitantly.

"Par..." he added not really liking her hesitation.

"Par mera reason mujhe hi samaj nahi aa raha hain, main jo soch rahi vo sach tho hain par asliyat nahi, point tho hain par valid nahi, mehsoos tho ho raha hain par samaj main nahi aa raha hain " she said leaning back on her seat. "Kuch samaj main..." she couldn't finish her sentence as she saw Shubman stop the car and mouthed 'milkshake', she nodded. He knew it calmed her down.

Shubman returned back into the car with milkshakes when his phone buzzed. "Hello aunty" he said picking up the call. "haa vo mere saath hi hain" he said pointing at her indicating that it was her mother.

Navya - Phone speaker par rakho.

Sindhu - Ab tumhi samjhao ise, mera tho phone hi nahi uta rahi hain.

Shubman - Samjhana kya hain aunty.

Sindhu - Ise kaho ki vo Rishi se shaadi karle.

Shubman - Kya!!!!!!!!!!Kyu???

Sindhu - Itna acha ladka hain, successful hain, polite hain, smart hain, dono same field ke hain, ek dusre ko ache se samjhenge.

Sindhu went on about how good of a couple they'd make and Shubman could not help but think about what his mother said 'may be she really took him only as a friend. May be he should have realized his feelings earlier . May be he should have confessed. May be he was too late. May be they are really too different'. 

"What rubbish" Navya's voice penetrated through his thoughts. He turned to look at her annoyed expression. Could she read his mind or was he thinking out loud.

Navya - Amma none of that makes sense. I agree he is a good guy par ise kaha likha hain ki sirf similar log hi ek dusre ko samaj sakte hain.

Sindhu - Tu kehna kya chahti hain.

"Main aur Shubman itne alag hain, but he gets me, vo samajta hain mujhe, vo support bhi karta hain, sunta hain, suggest karta hain, baat karta hain" she tried to explain that even different people can understand each other but something else clicked her mind,

"I am the happiest when I'm with him" she whispered.

"Amma I will call you back" she said and disconnected the call.

Shubman was smiling, his eyes fixed at her. It was not a confession but it was not anything less special. He saw her close her eyes and take a deep breath.

"Chale"

"Chalo"