CH 6 || proud Of You

Saavi

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A calm breeze, beautiful scenery, and a cup of hot coffee and not to mention a canvas with my paintbrushes, and what else anyone wants?

Others might want something luxurious but not me. It's been 3 days living in Dhruv's house and I was not allowed to leave my room. At first, I didn't mind because I was weak but later I felt suffocated.

Sensing my discomfort, Dhruv brought me to the lakeside with others.

I don't know how will I repay him, or whether I will ever be able to repay him or not?

I don't know how will I repay him, or whether I will ever be able to repay him or not?

I didn't leave the room for once in the last 3 days but Dhruv made sure that I don't get bore and also I started teaching him.

It's tough to teach him, trust me when I say tough it means really very tough. Sometimes I feel how did he pass earlier.

I have started to comfortable around Rohit, Riddhi, Namit, and Arjun. It was easy to get along with them and yes I have accepted them as my friends. Not even once they made me feel inferior, either of my status or anything. They treated me the same way they use to treat each other. I wonder why didn't they talk to me earlier, but how could they. They have tried in the past, but my insecurity and fear always held me back.

Coming to Dhruv, I don't know what to say. He treats me differently than others, not in a bad way but in a good way. I have never been treated like this. He makes me feel weird things. In front of others, only his eyes speak. It's weird how I can even read his eyes.

Let me tell you guys yesterday's incident, after studying for a while all of us decided to play a game. Namit's sister Nitya also came. She was very sweet and made me her big sister just in one meeting.

There were two teams one was of Arjun and the other was of Dhruv. I was asked first to chose a team. I looked at both of them. Arjun asked me to chose him but Dhruv didn't say a word. I looked at him and when his eyes met mine, I saw a glint of hope in them. I thought it was nothing but when I chose Dhruv a small smile twitched on his lips, clearing my doubt that he indeed was hopeful.

"Can I see it now?" Riddhi asked breaking the chain of my thoughts.

"Just a minute."

Ever since Riddhi got to know that I paint she has been forcing me to paint her portrait. Not only her, everyone wants me to paint their portrait except Dhruv.

I don't know why doesn't he want it?

Wait! Why am I worried about this? Do I really want him to ask me to his portrait too?

I am being weird, but he is weirder. 3 days back, he came to my room thinking I was sleeping. I pretended to sleep but was caught. He came near me and made me sleep and didn't leave the room until I slept. That has become a routine, he makes me sleep daily.

Why the hell am I thinking too much about him? I guess, something is wrong with my brain. Keeping his thoughts with my paintbrush aside, I said,

"It's done." As soon as I announced, Riddhi came with a grin plastered over her face.

"Wow!" she exclaimed.

"It's really beautiful. I had no idea you are this talented," she added further

I thought how would she know? I have always hidden this fact from everyone.

"Now, it's my turn," said Arjun.

"No, me first." Namit protested.

"No way, It should be me," Rohit said and all three of them started arguing.

"Guys, please don't fight," I said trying to make them stop.

"leave them Saavi, they are a bunch of idiots and will not listen to anyone," Riddhi said getting irritated because of their silly argument.

They continued to fight when a voice stopped them.

"She is not painting more."

"What?" all three of them yelled in unison.

"Yes and no more arguments over this. She still needs rest and we are going back home now." Dhruv announced making me sad. I didn't want to go. It had only been one hour and how could he expect me to leave this soon. I wanted to be there, I thought to ask him but will he agree.?

Gaining some amount of confidence, I went to Dhruv and asked, "Can we stay a little longer?" my voice was merely a whisper. But it was loud enough for him to hear.

I looked at him in the hope maybe he would agree but to my disappointment he said,

"We....we can't." I face fell hearing him.

"I am sorry. We will come back again I promise. It's just that you are ill, and I promised uncle to take care of you and...."

He was explaining even though I didn't ask for it, so I cut him in mid by saying,

"It's fine." and moved to the car with others. I promised Rohit, Namit, and Arjun that I will paint for them later.

Riddhi, I, Dhruv and Rohit sat in one car while Namit and Arjun in another.

Dhruv was sitting on the passenger seat and Rana Uncle was driving. My eyes accidentally fell on the mirror at the front and I found Dhruv staring at me. I thought to avert my gaze but couldn't. His green orbs always seemed alluring to me. His stare didn't feel creepy to me, instead, it provided me a different feeling, something which I have never felt before.

We kept looking at each other until the car stopped. I looked around and found we were in front of a bakery. Dhruv got down of the car and came to open my door.

He gestured me to come out and I obliged. Rohit and Riddhi looked fine with everything but I was confused. Why did the car stopped there?

We went inside and Namit and Arjun were already there. They waved in our direction and we made our way towards them.

After we seated ourselves, I felt uncomfortable. There were many reasons for that,

First, I was feeling out of place. Second, I didn't want them to pay for everything. They already did a lot for me and now this.

"Thank god the food here is free, otherwise how would I have survived without the tasty muffins of this place as I am already running out of my pocket money," Arjun said and one part of it made me relieve, that food was free there. But how?

As if sensing my inner turmoil Dhruv said, "Every Sunday they give free food to their customers."

One thing which caught my attention was Arjun mentioned muffins, which have been my favorite. Sometimes I use to save a lot of money to have them only. I love muffins enough that I can do anything to have them.

When the plate full of colorful and tasty muffins was placed in front of me, my mouth watered.

I wanted to grab them instantly but somehow felt hesitant

I wanted to grab them instantly but somehow felt hesitant.

Arjun asked me something and when I opened my mouth to answer Dhruv put a muffin into my mouth and I heard a click sound. Namit clicked my picture with a stuffed muffin in my mouth.

"You look cute chubby cheeks," he said chuckling. Everyone soon started laughing but I didn't feel bad because they were not making fun of me.

Soon Namit and Arjun held the competition who could eat more and as expected Arjun being the foodie, won the challenge.

"Guys, let's go," said Dhruv and we all went out. This time Rohit and Riddhi left with Namit and Arjun leaving me with Dhruv.

I didn't want to be alone with him but didn't have any choice. We were heading towards the car when Dhruv said,

"I forgot my phone inside. You go and sit in the car, I will be back in a minute." I nodded and made my way to the car and that's when my gaze fell upon the cute little furball.

It was a cute puppy who was struggling to cross the road. His mother was on the other side. I couldn't bear that sight of it. I knew how it feels to not have a family and I didn't want anyone to be away from their families.

So I picked up the furball in my hand and crossed the road with him in my arms

So I picked up the furball in my hand and crossed the road with him in my arms. His mother ran to a stranded alley and I followed her. I saw a cute little house, might have someone arranged for this cute family. I put the puppy down and was about to go out when someone came running and bumped into me.

I stumbled back a little. It was a guy who was panting and was injured, mumbling a sorry he looked towards me and I was shocked to see the person in front of me.

It was Jai Verma, one of my bullies. I got terrified and he was shocked too. None of us said anything when we heard some voices,

"Where did he go?"

Jai's expression changed and he looked terrified. He hid behind a dustbin leaving me perplexed.

I thought to leave the place as soon as possible as that was the safest option when I saw two 6 feet men coming towards me. Without thinking twice, I started to move when the guy stopped me,

"Hey, you, the little girl."

My steps halted in my track. I turned around and they were now coming close to me.

One of them asked,

"Did you see a boy of your age wearing a red tee?" I knew he was talking about Jai. I thought what could he have possibly done that two giant men were chasing him.

"I am talking to you. Didn't you listen?" he asked again raising his voice.

"I...i did...." I stammered.

"Say it clearly," he shouted making me flinch. I got terrified enough that tears roll down my cheeks.

The other guy pulled the first one and said," That's not the way to ask."

He looked at me and said,

"Hey, little girl. We will not harm you. We just want to know whether you saw a guy of your age in red tee anywhere?"

"So now tell me, did you saw anyone like the one I told you about?"

I was confused thinking about what to say. Should I tell them about him? He will be punished for the sins he has done in the past.

I knew I couldn't make them wait for long otherwise they would do something to me.

I made my decision and nodded.

"Good, now tell me where did he go?"

And I pointed at the direction.

Following my lead, they both went to the direction I pointed. I sighed in relief and Jai came out of the hiding. Yes, I saved him by misleading the two giant men. I thought to leave before Jai could approach me but was not lucky enough.

"Saavi," he called and I didn't stop but he ran towards me and blocked my path.

I looked at his face and he asked me, "Why?"

He wanted to know why did I save him.

"I bullied you, tortured you, made fun of you and you had this golden opportunity to punish me for my deeds then why did you save me?"

He brought back all the dreadful memories of how he used to bully me. I could have handed him over to them, I could have punished him but I didn't.

"Because it was the right thing to do," I said looking into his eyes.

He always bullied me, mostly because of his friends' encouragement. Was he that blind in the friendship that he didn't know what's right or wrong.

I have always believed Mahatma Gandhi's statement that "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind " and I would never get back to anyone with a thought of revenge because in my point of view that's the cheapest thing to do.

He just looked at me for a while, didn't say a thing and soon went away. This was the first time, I replied to any of my bully and somehow I felt relieved.

I turned around and found Dhruv looking at me with astonishment in his eyes.

Thinking how much he heard I asked, "How much did you hear?"

"Everything," he replied and now I was sure that he will despise me for the fact that I was bullied.

But his act caught me off guard.

He came towards me and engulfed me into a hug and to my surprise, my hands involuntarily went around his torso.

And when I thought this guy could not surprise me enough he said,

"I am Proud Of You."

He was proud of me, the girl who did nothing great in her life, and have been avoided like a plague. How could he be proud of someone like me?