Chapter 17

Shruti's POV He completed his MD in dermatology. And as he was the topper, he got placed immediately in the hospital itself. I was falling for him but we both never said anything. We went on dates occasionally but he never tried anything which would have offended me. We just talked about almost everything we could think of and we both loved our conversation. Despite all this, we never told our friends about us. He used to take special efforts for me and used to surprise me with his efforts. I was very happy that he was my friend... Or could I say, boyfriend?? I didn't know... He never said any such thing to me in all the time we dated. All he had ever done was that he used to hold my small hand in his large one almost all the time. He never said anything, but I had this feeling that he wanted to kiss me as I saw that a few times his eyes left mine and drifted towards my lips. And then as if he used to feel guilty and he always looked away. One day he was standing near his car waiting for me. I was on the other side of the road. I saw him and he smiled at me. I smiled back and was crossing the busy road, going towards him when a car was about to hit me when he pulled me. I don't know how that happened. He was blaring a horn but I didn't hear it. Siddharth was going mad. He shouted at the driver while still holding me tightly in his arms. My heart was beating with double speed. Then he held my face between his palms and asked me if I was alright. He looked very serious. " What were you thinking about?? How can you be so careless?? What would have I done, if anything had happened to you?? Don't you dare not to take care of yourself? " He said while still holding me in his arms and kissed my head. He was almost 10 inches taller than me. So on my flats, I barely reached his shoulder. Somehow I liked the feel of his protective arms around me. He was shouting at me and I was smiling with my face hidden in his chest. I felt so good that he was shaken by the thought that I might have been injured in the accident. He cared for me ... Maybe he loved me. Then that day, after our date we went our ways and just then I realised that I forgot one of my books in his car, they must have got mixed. I needed the book, as I had an exam on that subject. I knew he would still be in college. So I went back. I saw him with his friends, I was just thinking about how to call him away from them as his friends didn't know about us. Only Dr Parth had an idea. So I waited till I get an opportunity. I saw that Parth was teasing him about a fourth-year student ( me) and he smiled. One of his friends asked him, what was going on between us?? He just thought for a second and said that we were just friends. That was good because I didn't want them to know till we talked about it formally. Just then that senior doctor of mine, Isha came and she started flirting with him. He didn't pay heed to her but didn't even tell her to back off. I was shocked the very next minute when one of his friends congratulated him on his success in making me fall for him. Another one of them even gave him lots of money for winning the bet. I even saw Dr Isha holding his arm. said, " Congratulations Jaan!! That's what I was thinking, how could a man like you be interested in a boring girl like her. " She was hugging his torso now. I was shocked to see that. I could not take it any more and slapped him very tight in front of everyone. He was stunned and all his friends were shocked. " Shruti?? It is not how it looks...." " Shame on you Dr Jindal... So, I guess I was right about you from the Beginning. You are just a rich brat, who doesn't care about the emotions of other people. Congratulations!! For winning the bet. But let me tell you, I had felt guilty that I said all those things to you and I already apologized to you. We had just became friends. Let me tell you and your friends, I never fell for you. And after this, I would never fall in love with you. In fact, I would not fall in love with anyone. You ruined that beautiful experience for me forever. Thanks a lot, I would never trust a man. Go and enjoy yourself, just don't even try to come anywhere near me. " " Shruti, please listen to me... " He was saying but I didn't wait for him. I went home, hid my face in the pillow and cried... My phone started buzzing. It was him. I blocked his number, then he sent me messages on my social sites but I deleted them without reading and then blocked him everywhere. He even tried to come near my Tauji's place and tried to talk to me there but I requested Nihal Bhai to drop me at college as he was on leave and was in the city for a few days. He was quite protective towards me, so he gladly did that. I saw that Siddharth waited at a shop near my place. On the third day, Nihal noticed Siddharth and asked me, If I knew him?? " No Bhai, why are you asking me that?? " " He is waiting here every day at this time, I saw him looking at you. And yesterday, I saw him in your hospital. He is a doctor, right?? " " Maybe... !! I don't know him. " I said as I could not tell him everything. Nihal could have beaten him or tell my father or Tauji. They would have asked me to leave my studies and would have got me married to someone. I didn't want that. So I ignored him. But one day Bhai was not feeling very well and he said that he had a headache, so I told him that I would go on my own. I came out of the house and looked for some Autorickshaw to go to college when Siddharth came in front of me. " I need to talk to you. " He said. " I don't even want to see your face. Get lost!! " " I am not going anywhere till we talk properly and all the misunderstanding is cleared. " " I misunderstood you earlier. But thank God, I saw your real face. Your real face is really ugly, Dr Jindal. Please don't try to ever come anywhere near me. I don't even want to see your face. I have struggled a lot to reach this far. Don't ruin it !!! " " Shruti, please... Just hear me out once... I didn't do anything. I didn't have any bet. My feelings for you are genuine. I really care for you." " Leave right now, don't create a scene here. " " I will go away... Will never bother you again. Just listen to what I have to say. How could you think that I would such a thing ?? I... " He was saying all that when someone punched him really hard. I was shocked to see my cousin Nihal bhai standing there. As Nihal punched him very hard, all of a sudden, he lost his balance and fell on the road. " Bhai !! " I said and he slapped me hard too. " I knew it... I knew that he was coming here because of you. Who is he?? I asked you many times but you always denied it. Tell me who is he?? What is your relationship with him ? " He was literally shouting at me.