Destiny's Play!!

Chapter - 36

Karan had heard the noise and her gasp all at the same time. He turned to see her looking aghast at the broken jar. So what? It was just a broken piece of glass and some spilled coffee. There was no need to look as if she had broken his heart and then stepped on it. But she was definitely horrified and then as she had turned to look at him he had seen tears in her eyes. Oh man. Not those. Not over a stupid piece of jar. He had shaken his head and had started walking towards her when she started picking up the pieces. Before he could tell her to let it be he had heard her hiss of pain. Damn, the girl had cut herself. He reached her just in time to see how bad it was. And it was bad. The piece was stuck to where it had cut her and blood oozed out. Why hadn't she just let it be? Now she had hurt herself. She was here for the first time and she had already gotten hurt. He was suddenly angry. He didn't like her hurt. Or in pain for that matter. It was irritating at how he was reacting but he decided to think nothing of it. For now.

"What did you do?" he said harshly, "Now you are hurt, you should have been more careful around the glass Avni," he said in his usual rude way.

She looked a bit in pain but it seemed her upset was more for the broken jar than her injured finger. Girls. Will they ever make sense? Why bother over a question that has been around since the inception of mankind and yet needed an answer even Google the biggest search engine couldn't answer that one.

"Come here," he told her brusquely then immediately regretted at the pinched expression on her face.

When was he going to learn she wasn't used to rude tones? He took in a deep breath then holding on to her wrist pulled her behind him as he took her towards the sofa. Then made her sit there as he went to the washroom and get the first aid kit. When he came back he paused on the steps. His dogs sat next to her licking her uninjured hand. And she was busy petting them on their heads. When exactly had these three become friends? Then shaking his head went ahead. Taking her hand gently in his big one he pulled the shard out. It seemed the bloody thing had been holding up the flow the moment it was out blood ran more freely. He quickly took out a gauge and put it on the cut and pressed on. After a few seconds when it seemed the tissues were already at work trying to repair from the inside he dabbed the antiseptic on a cotton ball and applied to the cut. He gazed at her. Though she still held that pained expression she didn't make any other sound. Normally girls screamed and howled at the slightest hint of pain. Manya did that all the time. Just a prick and she would howl. After he had cleaned her cut he bandaged it.

"I am sorry," she whispered.

"You are the weirdest girl I have ever met," he said irritated with her and her constant apologies. As she looked with her big eyes he felt like a heel. Damn her for making him feel like this. He hadn't deliberately hurt her. "You are apologizing for breaking the stupid jar. Why? You didn't do it deliberately. Even if you did. It is okay. It is easily replacable. You got cut from the glass shard, you bled. Why weren't you more careful? Because you were busy feeling sorry for an inanimate object. You could have had a bad cut," he said harshly, "but that isn't what you are upset over. Did it even cross your mind?" he asked then as she opened her mouth he stopped her. "Don't answer that," he said, "stop worrying over such things and for God's sake just stop apologizing will you," he said and rose irritated with himself and her.

Why did she always bring out these feelings in him? He was angry at her for being so timid. That a broken jar could make her cry. Did it have something to do with how she was brought up? Who was she anyway? He just knew she was his mother's best friend's daughter. Who was this friend? He remembered he had voiced the same question some time ago. And he still didn't have an answer. He knew almost all his parents' friends especially old ones then how come her name didn't click. He turned to look at her. She sat there with her head bent. He raked a frustrated hand through his hair.

"I am sorry," he said finally.

Avni looked at him.

"Why are you saying sorry?" she asked quietly.

"For getting angry," Karan said, "look I have very little patience as it is and then when you just listen to any damn thing, I have to say without voicing an opinion it makes me more mad, at you. You did tell me that you have a problem saying no," he said, "okay, I can accept that but why do you let me walk all over you like that?" he said frustrated with her and himself.

"Is that what you were doing?" she asked.

Karan looked at her. Did she have to ask? Okay, so maybe he hadn't walked all over her not yet, but he was highhanded in how he dealt with her. So, she should object to that.

"You didn't realize," he said incredulously.

"I thought you were concerned," she said innocently.

Karan stared at her. She just sat there. He saw the nervousness creep up again but despite that she actually believed what she had just told him. He was concerned. Yes. He didn't deny it. But...never mind. He will think when she left anyway.

"Never mind," he told her as he picked up the box, "you want that coffee or not," he said and as she nodded and he told her to follow back to the kitchen.

He reheated the water and then made coffee for the both of them. Passing her mug to her he watched as she took a sip.

"It is nice," she said in that quiet little way of hers, "actually to tell the truth it is the best I have had so far," she told him honestly.

And he couldn't doubt her honesty over it. He could detect a lie from a mile. And she probably didn't have a dishonest bone in her body.

"You know Manya mentioned you were mom's friend's daughter but I can't recall anybody who had a daughter with your name," he said and watched her over the rim of his cup as he took a sip.

The question definitely made her uncomfortable. He could see her hands tremble a little as she put the mug down. She refused to meet his gaze. Now why was that? She definitely was someone his mother knew. So there shouldn't be anything to make her nervous all of a sudden. His curiosity grew.

"You must know Mrs. Shalini Raheja," Avni said quietly.

Karan rolled the name over in his head. Again. Then again. He could recollect faintly. Of course, it clicked. She was his mom's childhood friend who was settled in Ludhiana. His mom seldom spoke of her since it had been years for them to have actually met. But every other time Nilakshi spoke of her childhood she did mention a Shalini Raheja now in Ludhiana. No wonder he hadn't heard of Avni's name. His mother might not have known the name either before this. Funny how even after so long Shalini had been able to contact his mother.

"So, you are Shalini's daughter," he reflected, "mom always spoke fondly of her. Though not a lot. It has been a long time since the two met," he said and smiled, "your mother and mine," he said, "no wonder I had never heard of you before. They must have just gotten in touch again," he told her.

Avni heard him and gave him a small smile. He was right. Ma had gotten in touch with Nilakshi aunty after a very long time. Of course, he must not have heard of her. He was right about everything except one. And she was in a dilemma if she should correct him over it or not. Maybe for now it was okay to let him think what he wanted to. Maybe later.

Karan couldn't help but wonder why she had been so nervous? There was nothing unusual in what she had told him about who she was. But he couldn't shake off the feeling that she hid something. And that something was the reason for her reaction earlier. There was more to her than met the eye. She looked preoccupied too. Maybe he should let her be for now. She had just had an accident and was still dealing with the upset he didn't want to push her more. Maybe another time. Definitely another time. For now, he needed to work on those finer skills of conversation he had so roughed up over the years. A little politeness and gentle tone would get him way ahead than current rudeness he decided.

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