Word Count: 2000

Contd.

NITI'S fear was short-lived as she registered the unfolding scene in front of her. She hadn't known what to expect when she saw the orange guy stumble and fall, but seeing Sammy behind the aggravation was certainly not it.

The look on Sam's face was utterly unimaginable, and it sent shivers down Niti's spine. It was as if a storm of emotions was raging within him, and she could sense the intensity of his fury from afar. Even though she had been with Samarth for so long, never before had she witnessed him in such a state of seething anger.

But beneath the rage, she could see him hesitate. There was a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes, a flicker of doubt that seemed to momentarily cloud his resolve. It was almost as if he was torn between conflicting emotions, battling his anger with an inner struggle that even he couldn't fully comprehend. Niti's heart ached at the sight, as she had always known Sam to be strong and composed, someone who carried himself with unwavering confidence.

On the other hand, the orange guy was as still as a statue. He did not try to fight back. He just had his hands on top of Sammy's, but without any resistance. It looked as if he did not care that some random guy was trying to hit him. In fact, his eyes had smile lines visible.

What in the world...

"Sammy!" she shouted, coming to her senses. "What are you doing?"

With adrenaline coursing through her veins, Niti mustered all her strength to intervene, stepping boldly between Sammy and the masked guy. She desperately tried to pry Sammy's hands away from the stranger, but despite her efforts, he persisted in pushing the man towards the car. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, torn between her loyalty to Sammy and her concern for the bewildered masked guy.

As she grappled with the escalating situation, Niti's mind raced, trying to come up with a way to defuse the tension. Her own unease was heightened by the realization that from Sammy's perspective, this entire scenario must have appeared suspicious and confusing. She had no plausible explanation for why she was caught up in such a peculiar circumstance with a stranger, and it gnawed at her that she couldn't offer any clarity to Sam about the events of the previous night.

"Stop it!" she cried out, her voice trembling with urgency, hoping to break through to Sammy. This time, her desperate plea succeeded, capturing his attention, and both men turned their heads towards her. The atmosphere was tense, and she could feel the charged emotions in the air, like electricity crackling between them.

Sammy's grip loosened on the masked guy, but the uncertainty in his eyes remained. He seemed torn between anger and confusion, searching for answers in Niti's expression. She knew that she had to explain, to bridge the gap of misunderstanding between them, but finding the right words felt like an impossible task.

Summoning courage, Niti met Sammy's gaze directly, her own emotions laid bare. 

"Who is he?" he asked, his voice strained, his concern evident.

"He's my friend," she replied, trying to steady her voice despite the unease inside her.

"I am her friend," the orange guy repeated but kept his mouth shut when Niti glared at him, her face showing signs of fatigue.

"I've never seen him with you!" Sam retorted, his frustration still simmering beneath the surface.

The weight of his skepticism crushed Niti's heart, and she struggled to find the right words to rebuild the trust they had shared for so long.

"You don't know all of my friends!" she defended, her tone tinged with a mix of frustration and vulnerability. She saw Samarth's eyes widen then relax slightly, but the hurt remained, and she wished she could undo it all.

Uncertain of her own intentions, Niti found herself grappling with conflicting emotions. The guilt of spending time with a stranger gnawed at her, raising questions about her own judgment. Yet, she reassured herself that nothing inappropriate had transpired during their encounter. Her new Bow-Wow! fan-friend, despite his cheekiness, exuded an air of trustworthiness that was difficult to ignore.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, trying to switch up the topic.

Sam didn't reply for a moment as she saw the masked guy duck behind the car and disappear.

"I came to return this," Samarth said and handed her her cell phone. "But I see that you clearly didn't need it."

Niti saw his eyes wander to her left hand in which she clutched another phone. Her heart rate fastened.

"Tha–No, it's just an emergency cell phone," she stuttered.

"But you didn't call me," he said flatly, folding his arms in front of his chest.

Niti knew that posture, he was being defensive. It was something he always did to protect himself, when he already knew what he was facing.

"I was not ready to call you, yet," she murmured, deflecting her eyes from him.

He stretched his body on his toes and craned his head upwards before making a low grunting noise. "I came after you, you know."

Niti's heartbeat faltered. If he came after her, why didn't she see him? He wasn't there when she needed him. "What do you mean?"

"I saw you, snuggled up in his arms," he said, the words dripping with accusation, and the weight of his tone struck Niti like a physical blow. For a moment, the air felt thick, and she found it hard to breathe. The truth was undeniable; she had been in the arms of another man. But she desperately wished Sam could see beyond the surface and understand the circumstances that had led to that moment. It was his actions that had caused the chain of events, and yet, here he was, placing the blame squarely on her.

As the tension escalated, the orange guy unexpectedly appeared behind her, holding the coffee bottles in his hands. Niti's heart pounded in her chest, fearing what could unfold next. She could practically feel the waves of anger radiating from Sam, and she knew that if she didn't intervene, things could spiral out of control.

"You need to go," she mustered the strength to say, turning to face the orange guy and taking the bag of coffee bottles in her hands. She hoped to diffuse the situation, to send him away before matters escalated further.

"Why?" he retorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "We had so much fun last night."

Niti was taken aback by his audacity. Did he not realize the gravity of the situation? Could he truly be so oblivious even after nearly getting assaulted? The question reverberated in her mind, leaving her bewildered and frustrated.

Her patience wearing thin, Niti resorted to an action she hadn't expected herself to take. She kicked him in the shin, hoping it would jolt him to his senses. "Leave, now," she firmly commanded, her voice laced with a mix of anger and desperation. "I don't know what you're trying to do, but this is not the time or place. Just go."

The orange guy seemed momentarily surprised by her sudden outburst, but instead of silently leaving, he ran his hand through his smooth black hair and remarked, "I will be waiting for our date."

The masked guy tapped her lightly on her head before turning on his heels and leaving. Niti's frustration surged, wondering if he was deliberately trying to antagonize Sam and make matters worse.

Her focus returned to Sam, who stood there with a storm of emotions in his eyes. Niti longed for him to understand, but even through her own eyes she could see that it didn't look in her favor.

"Sammy," she whispered and extended her hands to hold him but he snatched his arms away from her.

Guilt and anger surged within her, a thunderous mix of emotions that threatened to overwhelm Niti. Her heart ached with the weight of the past— with the dates gone wrong, the unanswered questions, the less frequent meetings, the situation with his family and then finally him not being there when she needed him the most. It all came crashing down on her at once, and she could no longer contain her feelings.

"You know what, you can't do this to me!" she cried out, her voice quivering with raw emotion. She instinctively covered her eyes with her arm, as if trying to shield herself from the pain. "You shouldn't have kept a secret like that. If you knew we didn't have a future together, you should have said it straight to my face!"

The pain was too much to bear, and she felt a deep sense of betrayal. She desperately needed him to understand that keeping such a significant secret had hurt her deeply, shaking the very foundation of their love.

Her emotions kept flowing out of her. "I don't know what you think happened between me and him, but if you trust me even a bit, you will know I am not disloyal," she continued, her voice cracking with emotion. She sought his understanding, his belief in her innocence, but she could sense his confusion.

She peered at him through teary eyes waiting for a response but he just stood there dumbfounded. Seven years together, and yet he could not process her emotional needs. If only he had held her there and then, she would know that her fears were stupid— that they did stand a chance for a future together. Instead, he didn't even move or try to console her. The desire for validation, for him to understand her pain, was almost overwhelming.

He didn't deny it, he didn't— Her thoughts were interrupted.

"It's not true," he said, and though his words were soft, they echoed loudly in her ears. Niti's teary gaze locked with his, seeking the truth behind his words.

"I made a mistake, but it was never my intention to do so," he whispered, finally acknowledging his wrongs.

Her tears didn't cease, but they now held a different kind of emotion– a mix of relief, hope, and vulnerability. Niti took a tentative step closer to him, wanting to bridge the emotional gap that had grown between them.

"You still haven't answered my question... what is going to happen to us?" she asked, wanting to know what kind of future they hold.

"Niti, I have not wasted seven years with you, and it was certainly not a time pass," he responded. "Give me some time. I will give you a proper answer."

He leaned closer and touched his forehead to hers, holding her with his arms in a warm embrace. She could feel the rush of emotions swirling inside her as his touch sent shivers down her spine. She could smell the familiar coffee scent on him, a scent he never changed because of that one time she told him how much she loved that smell when she hugged him.

He let his hands gently slip from her arms to hold her hand, and as their fingers intertwined, it felt like an unbreakable bond forming between them. He leaned in and planted a tender kiss on her forehead, a gesture that conveyed love, care, and protection all at once.

She couldn't fully decipher what Sam meant by needing time for a proper answer, but for the time being, she found solace in the affectionate gestures and the connection they shared. As they stood there, forehead to forehead, hand in hand, Niti knew that this was the best feeling she had ever experienced—a moment of pure emotional bliss that she wished would last forever.

"But there is something you are hiding from me too," he said, suddenly breaking the touch.

"I will tell you all about the orange guy, trust me," she replied.

Sam shook his head, "I trust you, and I hope to know about your PDA from yesterday, but that's not what I am talking about right now."

"Then what is it?" Niti asked, clearly confused by his words.

"Why did you never tell me that you knew Kavya?"

Niti was not expecting the question. She didn't know where it came from and at that moment she didn't care. There was only one question that instantly popped up in her head. Something that threw her into a whirlwind of another confusion.

"What do you mean?" she questioned, bewilderment etched on her face. "Didn't you approach me because of her?" 

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A/N

OOOOOO!!

What is going on? What is this new confusion? 

What do you think is happening?

Let me know in the comments!

Do leave a vote if you enjoyed this chapter.

Cheers~
Aeon