Love dont need a tag

CHAPTER - 9

As promised veer decided to give them the treat of this trip i.e. all the bills will be on his name. Not many were going. Only veer, Anu, Anshuman, Abhimanyu , anu’s cousin sister Sapna who is also an human’s girlfriend and Sree who is Abhi’s fiancé. All were going to SHANTINIKETAN . It was a beautiful place with greenery. Not so much hustle bustle there. Pure serene and calm atmosphere. They had already booked the lodge . They arrived at the station waited for the train.

But luck was not in veer’s favour, cause there arrived Suraj whom veer started to loathe much. Anu was very happy that Suraj could make it to time. Actually, Suraj had asked Anu if he could join them when he heard about their small trip. Anu being kind enough without any hesitation gave him the invitation. And since all were anu’s locality friends so at first there was a bit of awkwardness but with anu’s bubbly nature the air of awkwardness blew away and with time they become good friends with Suraj except veer. He is always grumpy towards Suraj. Reasons unknown to everyone.

Finally the train arrived and they boarded it. Veer as usual helped Anu with the luggage like a gentleman. He didn’t even spare time for Suraj to come forward to help her. Atlast all were settled and the train started. Anu was seated beside veer beside the window. Since she was a nature lover , most of her journey passed by seeing the outside scenario and most of veer’s time passed by seeing anu’s happy face. In between they did share a talk or two with their friends and did involve in eating . Suraj too get involved with their friends but didn’t gained much since all were couples and he was left out. But he somehow managed .

Soon they arrived at their destination. After reaching the lodge others straight way went for their respective rooms. They booked four rooms two for the couple and two for veer and Anu respectively. Since Suraj is the new addition and there are no free rooms, veer and Suraj had to share the room. The thought itself made veer’s mood down but he couldn’t do anything otherwise Anu will be sad.

After freshening up and telling the manager about their lunch menu and all they hit for some sight seeing . Anu was bouncing all the way. She couldn’t hold up the excitement. Since they were new so they booked a guide who could show them all the places. All the while veer was keeping Anu close. After visiting the places and being very tired they came back to their lodge and had lunch and decided to take some rest. At evening they didn’t go anywhere far just roamed around nearby places .Two days already passed with them hopping from one place to another, shopping for their families and themselves.

On the third day after lunch Veer decided to go and check on Anu but Suraj beat him in this and already showed up at the door of their shared room when veer was about to open the door. He asked veer where he was going and in reply he told him he already did that . There is no need as she was sleeping soundly. After listening this veer’s mood turned sour but somehow he kept his cool. He don’t want to spoil his mood. He went to bed and tried to sleep but sleep was faraway. And then there is this constant nagging sound of Suraj around him telling him how thankful he was that Anu gave him the permission to join them. Veer’s already soured mood turned worse when he hearted how Suraj think that he likes Anu .

Suraj on the other hand unknown to veer’s growing feelings for Anu went on saying how sweet was Anu to consider him as a part of their group, how sweet she was to him . How she helped him to cope up with this new place and friends. Though veer knew all of these still he was growing irritated by hearing praise for Anu from Suraj and the last nail to the coffin was how Suraj think he likes Anu more than a friend. How he decided that one day he will at least try to say to Anu about his feelings. Hearing these words , veer instantly sprang up from the bed and dashed out of the room leaving a confused Suraj behind.

Vent went to a nearby secluded area which is a small bushy part of the forest. He sat on one of the rocks. He looked disturbed and why would he not be. The girl whom he likes much , the girl whom he don’t want to share with anyone, that same girl his Anu is also loved by someone else and if he don’t do something maybe just maybe Anu will go away with him. The thought itself shuddered him. He cant think his life without his Anu. Here he was confused with his own feelings and there someone already loved his Anu.

While deep in his thoughts, he didn’t notice that someone ready came and sat beside him and that some one was none other than Abhimanyu – veer’s cousin brother. He knew veer too well and also knew about his growing affection towards Anu. He smiled and kept a hand on veer’s shoulder. Veer got startled but seeing his cousin he calmed down and stared at the distant hills.

Abhi could sense about veer’s discomfort with Suraj , his anger towards him , he also knew that Suraj somewhere like Anu his bear( Abhi calls Anu bear) and he also knew that veer don’t like anybody’s advise. So he thought to knock some senses into his head in some other way.

He discussed with him about one of his friends grief who happened to love a girl a lot but confuses love with like. He told veer that his supposed friend was so much fond of that girl he cant imagine his life without her just like veer and Anu. But somehow didn’t get the courage to tell the girl about this actual feelings and left heart broken. The girl was already blown away by some other boy and now they are just friends. Though the girl cares for him but she gave her maximum time to her boyfriend. Result is that supposed friend was now no more in a situation to tell that girl about his love, though the boy didn’t die but he always feels incomplete. Veer on the other hand though pretending that he was not interested perked up his ears at the last line and was sweating . Abhi sensing that his job was done about inflicting the fear of the consequences of where one could go if he didn’t open up his feelings to his loved ones , left the area by patting veer at the back . Veer too came back few minutes later and found Anu and Suraj chatting in his room . He quietly entered the room and went to freshen up. Anu seeing the unusual behaviour of veer decided to talk to him later.

Later that night all of them decided to went to a lake which was in between a forest . All made a group of two and Suraj was the odd one so he joined anu’s group with veer. Veer grumpily agreed though. He had no other option. All were guided by the guide to the forest and finally they came to the lake. Since there was darkness around only the moon light was coming tracing the path was a bit difficult to go back so the guide was with them whole time. They were enjoying their time to the fullest. Clicking pictures in the dark, listening to the stories of the guide munching on snacks brought by them. They also switched off the their phone’s torch because according to Anu light is disturbing the serene darkness around. Some were sitting on the ground itself, some were roaming though. Careful of the lake they were not going far. Veer was talking with the guide along with Abhimanyu meanwhile had his eyes on Anu though not clearly since it was dark but somehow managed . Anu was sitting by the lake side along with Suraj and sree. When it was time to go back . They all started to come to the respective point of meet. While going to stand up , anu’s leg slipped and she fell into the lake. She though managed to try to grasp Suraj’s hand since he was closer but luck was not in her favour her hand slipped and she drowned. Listening to the scream all switched on their torch and started searching. When veer noticed Suraj and sree near the lake and not Anu he rushed to the spot and saw movement in the lake. Everybody was screaming for help . Veer without a second thought jumped into the lake before Suraj and managed to take Anu out of the pond. In the process he got a scratch at the shoulder due to some rocks. He kept a tight hold on Anu and didn’t even spare a single glance to anyone and rushed out of that place with the guide. All followed him.

They reach the lodge and called a doctor from the nearby clinic. The atmosphere was a tensed one. Veer didn’t leave anu’s side even for a second. Without caring for his own self he stick to Anu and waited for the doctor. Meanwhile Abhimanyu advised every one to freshen up and meet at anu’s room. All reluctantly left to do as told. Doctor came by and checked her and gave her medicines and advised them to keep Anu warm for sometime .she will gain consciousness after sometime. Doctor seeing veer’s condition also advised him to dress his wounds but he was adamant that he will do no such things. Doctor left from there after prescribing the medicines both for Anu and veer in case he changed his mind. Abhimanyu got the medicines and kept at the bedside table and went away with the rest of them to give them privacy. Veer was in the same position holding Anu to his chest

It was early in the morning when Anu stirred in her sleep. For the whole night she slept peacefully and for veer he forgot how to sleep. Whenever he closed his eyes anu’s drowning state came in front of him. He gave up sleeping. Instead he stared at anu’s face and kept thinking about the world without Anu in it. He shivered at that thought. Seeing Anu woke up veer sighed in relief and kissed her forehead keeping his lips there for some time. Satisfied he went to call for everybody but stopped in his tracks when he heard her gasp. He immediately turned around but she hurriedly turned him back to see a big red spot on his shoulder. When she inquired about the injury, veer told her everything and slowly all the previous incident started registering her brain. She sheepishly smiled at veer cause she knew he was more worried than angry with her. But veer gave no response and went outside to call everyone.

Everybody at once rushed to her room to check on her. Anu smiled at them. Seeing her healthy all were relieved and were smiling. Suraj was so happy to see her all okay he hugged her tightly. Seeing this veer clenched his fingers tightly. But anu’s eye was only on veer. She knew veer will not take care of his wounds and will also not allow her to do because he was somewhere angry with her for the stupid stunt. But she had to do something. So she asked abhimanyu if doctor had given any medicine for the wounds. After getting positive reply she called veer towards her so that she could apply the medicine. Everybody knew that anu could not bear any harm on veer just like veer could not bear any harm on her and how emotion she will be at this time , So they all went outside after bidding them bye to give them the much needed privacy. Except suraj. He sat beside anu. For the first time in her life Anu herself was frustrated with Suraj’s clingy behaviour. Here veer kept quite. At all times veer was the one who will be frustrated with Suraj but today the tables turned. Anu knew veer don’t like Suraj much and always be either aloof or brooded in his presence so in front of him she cant talk with veer freely. So she politely told Suraj that she would be taking rest.

Its being two hours with Anu being a nurse to veer and dressed his wounds carefully. But veer , be was adamant on not uttering even a word forget about scolding Anu. He was just sitting beside Anu holding her hand in a tight grip. Actually he still couldn’t come in terms with the recent incident. This incident left a slight impact in his heart. He started to think negatively what would happen if Anu couldn’t make it. ? What would have happened if he couldn’t search Anu?? How they could be normal if and only if Anu didn’t argue to sit beside the river? So many ifs and what ifs are bursting his head. He feared that if he had to open his mouth he would definitely lashed out on Anu and he couldn’t make that poor girl frightened. So he decided to remain shut. But Anu being adamant on making veer talk was constantly nagging him. Being irritated , he went from her room but not before giving her a hard stare and ordering her to take rest. On his way out, he banged the door hardly making Anu realise that this time she had crossed a limit and she will not be forgiven easily.....