13
Number thirteen, supposed to be an unlucky number, isn’t it?
Preeti called me in the afternoon and asked me to come home, she had a planned a surprise for me.
I agreed only on one condition, that there should not be butter coated parathas.
When I reached home, Princess Preeti opened the door. She looked funny though. Floor mill was all over her face.
“What are you up to?” I asked
“Surprise!!!”, she said and went into kitchen
“That’s true, but what is it?”
“I am preparing a cake”, and looking around she said “just for you”
Preetu pushed the cake into the oven and came out. Just then my cell phone rang.
I looked into the window to see who is calling and was surprised to see Neha’s number flashing on screen.
I was in dilemma whether to pick it or to keep it ringing.
Preeti was looking at me and then the cell which was ringing constantly.
“Who is calling?”, she asked
“Neha”, I said
We kept looking at each other when the ringing stopped and started again.
Finally I picked it up, “Hey Neha, what a surprise!”, I said
“Hie Tarun, how are you??” Neha said with a heavy voice
“I am just fine, kaho kaise yaad kiya?”
“I wanted to meet you Tarun. In fact I wanted to meet you and Preeti”, she said
I kept quiet
“I really wanted to apologies for whatever happened that day.”, Neha continued to talk, “Where are you right now? Can we meet?”
Not sure what to say, I said, “I am at Preeti’s place”
Preeti’s eyes widened. She gestured me not to tell her, but I already had.
“Wow that’s great. I will see you there in 20 minutes”. Before I could say anything, she disconnected the call.
“Why did you told her you are here?”, Preeti asked me trying to keep cool as much as she can
“What could I do, I couldn’t recollect a place where I can be at this time”, guilty cautious, I said, “she wanted to apologies for that day and wanted to meet both of us. So…”
“So what Tarun??”, Preeti was about to scream at me
“So.. she is coming here.”, with head-down, I said
Preeti said, “You should not have told her in first place. This was the evening I wanted to spend with you and now she will be here and she will spoil everything”
I hated myself for telling Neha about this.
“Ok, let me call her and tell that I am leaving now, we can meet together”, picking up my phone I said.
“NOOOO, let it be now. It will look bad”, Preeti said
Oven whistled after some time. Preeti looked disappointed. I guess she had planned lot many things, which almost looked disastrous now.
“It’s okay Preetu, after all she was our friend, isn’t it? And she said she is sorry for what had happened. She sounded like she really meant it. Let’s hope for the best. She might will turn this evening into a joyful moment”, I tried to make the situation better.
“Hmm”, she said and went into kitchen to take out the cake.
I should have understood that for me Neha was a friend now, but for Preeti, Neha was my exgirlfriend and no girl would like to spend her planned romantic evening in presence of ex-girlfriend of her boyfriend!!!!!
In less than 20 minutes the front door bell ranged.
We both exchanged glances. Preeti pointed me towards the door to open it and she rushed into the kitchen.
I was very sure that something was wrong with her.
I opened the door, trying to smile, facing Neha after almost a month.
“Hiee Tarun”, Neha said hugging me.
Preeti had to come out at the same time.
To make situation worse, Neha didn’t hug Preeti.
“Hie Preeti, am I disturbing you?”, she asked with a conning voice.
“What yaar.. no not at all. You don’t even have to ask me before coming to my place”, Preeti tried to force a smile
Yummy smell of cake was floating everywhere.
“Wow, you were baking cake for Tarun?”, Neha asked.
Her taunting voice was torturing me.
“I am baking it for all of US”, Preeti said encircling her hand and went inside, without saying much.
“Is she not happy seeing me? Should I go?”, Neha asked me
“No, nothing like that. Once you apologies for whatever happened, she will be alright”, I said
“Apologies? For what? I had thought of saying sorry earlier, but now seeing what is going on here, I think I was little soft on what I said that day”, Neha said in a loud voice so that Preeti could hear it.
Preeti, as if standing near the door of the kitchen came out.
“And what is going on here by the way?”, She asked Neha
“Do you want me to say it all? Can’t I see nobody is at home, you busy cooking food for my boyfriend..”
“Hello.. what is this again with my boyfriend? Did you forget you are married now. Whatever was between you and Tarun was a past and you both have mutually separated now?”
“So what is between you and Tarun now?”, Neha snapped
“If you must know, he is my boyfriend. Do you have a problem?”, Preeti was quick on her toes
“Well, I don’t have any problem as such, but Tarun, did you tell your parents ?”, Neha asked me
I had nothing to answer then.
The fight could have gone worse just then the doorbell rang. Preeti’s mom was back from market. She was surprised to see Neha after a long long time.
“Neha!! What a surprise. How are you beta?”
“I am fine aunty. Everybody is fine”.
More jealousy than anger was dripping from her face. I exchanged glances with Preeti. We both were worried that Neha might will say something about us that will spoil everything. But to our surprise, Neha decided to leave.
Preeti’s mom tried to stop her at-least for snacks, but she was in no mood to listen.
The yummy smell was noticeable. Her mom asked, “what are you baking beta?”
I could see tear drops gathering in Preeti’s eyes.
“Nothing mom, I was experimenting with cake, but it went wrong. Please throw it in trash”, Preeti said controlling her emotions
“Do you want to come for a quick walk?”, I asked Preeti.
She shook her head. Her nose was getting red.
“Alright then, I will leave home, see you tomorrow”, I said
She looked at me for a second and then rolled her eyes down.
"Did i let you down sweetie?", i thought, "I am really sorry if i had done that. I promise you, this will be the first and the last time that your eyes will feel the touch of your tears. I am really sorry"
Preeti looked back at me as if she read what is going on in my mind. She forced a smile on her face, just for me to feel better.
I waved my hand and without saying anything left for the stairs.
She nodded and went inside her room.
I felt really bad for her. Without her mom around, I could have hugged her and could have cooled her down. But now I was helpless.
She had to cry… alone!!!!!
