Shakhi SS Marriage Of Convenience

Chapter Twenty Six

The next morning Anokhi stepped out of Shaurya's car after bidding him bye. Shaurya had to drive as Malkan was stuck with Sabharwal women who went to some veneration and so, Shaurya went to park the car while Anokhi walked in looking for her friends.

Anokhi made a call to Reema as she walked inside the campus. She was used to the way her fellow college mates look at her but today it was different. Usually, it would be taunting smile and mean glares.

But today few among them gave Anokhi a warm smile while others stick to their usual taunting smile, rolling eyes and mean glares. She shrugged as she walked in. She's not answerable to any of them then why should she care?

"Good morning Sherni" One of her collegemate wished Anokhi with a bright smile as she walked past Anokhi.

That is when it dawned to Anokhi that this was all about the Instagram post of Shaurya in which he tagged her as his Sherni. Anokhi mentally face-palmed herself when she heard few more greeting her as Sherni.

Although Anokhi decided that she won't let these things affect her mind, she was annoyed by the way her fellow college mates looked at her. But that doesn't mean she didn't like that Shaurya put up such a post. That's something that made her felt loved and valued.

Anokhi spotted her friends in the corridor of their classroom and joined them. Reema and Neha knew about her grandparents' death and asked if Anokhi's okay. She nodded in affirmative and settled on her place.

Anokhi was checking on the notes of missed classes when Shaurya walked in. It was his lecture hour. Everyone stood up and greeted him. Shaurya always have a little chat with the students before starting the class but today he straight away started his lecture.

When his lecture was over, Shaurya quickly updated the project details. Anokhi was completely immersed in the lecture and only stopped taking notes when Shaurya finished with the project details.

As always Shaurya left giving her a nod while she reciprocated it with a smile. They have a perfect professional and personal balance. Her mobile vibrated with a text. She picked her mobile with a smile knowing who it'll be.

"I'm leaving from SIAC now. Off to meet Mr. Chadda, an official from ARC. Will meet you straight at home"

Anokhi replied back with an okay and reminded him to have lunch on time. She then concentrated on rest of her classes. In between time she was busy with her missed classes notes. When it was lunch time, she and her friends had lunch in café.

As Anokhi had to clear a doubt in economics paper for Anusha, her classmate, she stayed back at the café while Reema and Neha decided to go to library and wait for Anokhi there. Anokhi was done within ten minutes and made her way towards the library.

Sheetal is a first year post graduate student. She and her gang are second most mean and bitchiest gang in the college after Bebo's gang. Sheetal did her undergraduate program at SIAC too and had an eye on Shaurya and so, she never liked Anokhi.

Sheetal's friend Tanu was just showing off her hickeys to their gang when Sheetal spotted Anokhi coming their way. Since Shaurya was not at college, Sheetal decided to have her fun with Anokhi and embarrass her if possible.

"Hey Anokhi" Sheetal called Anokhi, flashing a fake smile.

"Hey" Anokhi smiled back and was about to go on her way when Sheetal gestured her to come closer.

Anokhi mentally rolled her eyes as she walked towards Sheetal. She should be on her way to library but now have to deal with annoying seniors. To be frank, Anokhi doesn't like Sheetal but since Sheetal is her senior, she doesn't want to be rude.

"Yes, Sheetal?"

"Where are you off to now? It's break na, spend some time with us" Sheetal said, trying to act friendly.

Bebo, Kitty and gang who were passing that side stilled as they saw Anokhi with Sheetal and co. It's like a civil war between Bebo and Sheetal so they decided to stand by and watch the scene unfolding before them. \While Anokhi was about to reply, Tanu cut her in.

"Hareey, why would she spend her break with us, Sheetal? Voh Shaurya sir ke paas ja rahi hogi"

"Mei-" Anokhi started but got cut in the middle.

"Yeh sahi hai. Sherni toh Sher ke paas hi jayegi" One among the girl commented while the girls broke into laughter.

Anokhi tried to say something to shut them off but the girls gave her no chance as they laughed and made more comments on her and Shaurya's relationship as if Shaurya's their brother-in-law and she, their sister.

"Bas kijiyeh" Anokhi said sternly, trying to keep her temper in check.

"Hareeyy Anokhi. Don't blush now. Sirf hum hi hai"

"What's wrong with yo-"

"Voh chodo na, Anokhi. Yeh batao ki Shaurya sir kitne romantic hai?"

This is it. Anokhi had enough. The relationship between her and her husband doesn't concern any of them. She's not answerable to them and she won't entertain people having fun at the expense of her relationship.

"Shut up! Just Shut up!" Anokhi yelled startling everyone "What happens between me and Shaurya Sabharwal doesn't concern any of you. This is college and he is our professor here. What happens between us outside this campus doesn't concern any of you. You guys are not my friends so don't try to act like one"

Few students other than Sheetal gang who gathered around started to watch the scene laughed at the way Sheetal got told off by Anokhi. Bebo had lot of differences with Anokhi but she can't help but be amused by the way Anokhi replied to Sheetal.

Bebo & Kitty's gang had a good laugh. Sheetal was the one who wanted to embarrass Anokhi but the table was turned now. This is something Sheetal won't let slide away easily.

"We were just being friendly, Anokhi but you are giving us attitude now. You being Shaurya Sabharwal's wife doesn't mean you can show off and give us attitude!"

"Attitude?" Anokhi gave a disbelief look at Sheetal.

Anokhi was damn pissed but she doesn't want to waste her breath on people like her. So, she decided to leave from there but was blocked by Sheetal's friends.

"We are talking to you Anokhi and you are walking away? We are your seniors. At least respect that! Oh wait! How can we forget that you are a Sabharwal now? You own this college and you think you are above us all and-" Tanu said but was cut in middle by Anokhi.

"What? When did I eve-"

"Oh please! Don't act coy now. It is our fault that despite knowing what kind of person you were, we tried to be friendly with you. Never knew Shaurya sir had such a bad taste in women"

The girls didn't give any chance for Anokhi to talk as they hurled her with accusations of taking advantage of her professor. Bebo and Kitty doesn't like Anokhi much but they were enraged by the way Sheetal was behaving with Anokhi.

"How can she spoke to Anokhi that way?" Bebo gritted her teeth as she dragged Kitty to the crowd followed by her gang.

"Don't speak about things you don't know. Take it as attitude or whatever but stay away from me. I won't entertain people having fun at the expense of my relationship" Anokhi said in a stern tone.

"Oh, don't act so coy now! You were caught in the arms of your professor in this very campus, Anokhi. You have tempted him, trapped him and got married to him. That is the truth" Sheetal snapped.

Anokhi was taken aback for a moment. She was used to those mean glares, taunting words, eye rolls, taunting smiles and frown. There were memes circulated and they, mostly she was made fun of when they got married.

But all those stopped when Shaurya took matters on his hands and shut them. She has even heard few people speaking behind her back but an accusation like this in front of so many students after months? Anokhi's temper was about to break when,

"How dare you!"

Anokhi's head whipped to the direction of the owner of voice and saw Bebo and Kitty pushing the crowd and stood by her as they glared at Sheetal.

"How dare you talk about Shaurya bhaiya and Anokhi this way!" It was Kitty this time.

The Sabharwal sisters glared at Sheetal and her friends. It was a moment of surprise for everyone including Anokhi who was surprised the most.

"Oh, come on! You guys don't even like her" Tanu said in a taunting tone.

"Mind your words, Tanu. She's family!" Kitty pointed her fingers at Tanu and turned to Sheetal "How can you say such things to Anokhi? What do you even know ab-"

"Oh please! I was stating the facts!"

"Oh really? What do you even know? I may have many differences with Anokhi but still I would never deny that she is a good person. Attitude? You were the one who stopped her on the way and made comments on her personal relationships!" Bebo said glaring at Sheetal.

"If she had attitude like you said then she would have showed off. Yes, she is a Sabharwal and she does own this college as much as we do. Me and Bebo have flaunted it but Anokhi never did that. Then how can you say such a thing to her?" Kitty snapped.

"Hey, listen!"

"No, you listen! How can you say that she trapped our Shaurya bhaiya? What do you even know about their relationship? How can you comment on Anokhi's character? She's not like you people who go behind boys or change boyfriends like your clothes. She's his wife and if you can't respect that then better shut up and stay away from her"

"Dekho, I didn't say anything wrong. So mujhe farak nahi padtha" Sheetal said glaring at the Bhalla sisters.

"Accha? Shaurya bhaiya ko aane toh dho, phir dekhlenge" Bebo said in a stern tone and then added "Shaurya bhaiya hi kyun? College discipline committee pe pehle complaint karthi hoon"

"Lis-" Sheetal was about to say but got cut in the middle.

"Okay, guys, stop now" Anokhi said in a loud voice trying to get the situation under control.

"Hareey wah Anokhi. You are letting the Sabharwal sisters talk on your behalf now. Nice move"

"I can speak for myself, Sheetal" Anokhi said fixing her eyes on Sheetal with a hard glare "What the hell is wrong with you? You shouldn't concern with my personal life! This is what I keep saying you. I hope I have established the fact that we are not friends and I have no intention to share my personal life with you. This is college and we are just college mates. I talked to you out of courtesy, not because I want to. If I walked away when you called me, now that's attitude which I didn't. I study hard and that's why I top. You can't challenge that given the trophies I have won for SIAC so far and my marks in end of semester exams. So, it is clear that I haven't took any advantage of my professor. As for my relationship with Shaurya Sabharwal, I'm not answerable to anyone. Within college premises he is my professor and outside of it, he is my husband. This is between us. His taste in women, we going out, him giving me endearments, our relationship, none of this concerns you! So, please don't create a scene and let this go. If not, I wouldn't hesitate to take it to discipline committee"

Sheetal gave a hard glare to Anokhi before she huffed and walked away with her girls. Anokhi's words made sense to few of them while the rest of students walked away after getting their dose of entertainment.

Anokhi's eyes found Bebo & Kitty standing by her side along with their gang. She knew about their rivalry with Sheetal and she was pretty sure that's why the Sabharwal sisters stood by her today.

Anokhi did felt something when they said she's their family but she knew better. Kitty and Bebo have treated her badly before too. She thought they would walk away now but was surprised when everyone walked off except Bebo and Kitty.

"Tum teek ho?" Bebo asked surprising Anokhi.

"I'm fine" Anokhi said surprised. She wasn't expecting this, especially from Bebo.

"You don't take her words to heart" Kitty said while Anokhi gave an amused look to the Sabharwal sisters.

"Thanks for your concern" Anokhi said trying to keep a straight face when in real an amused smile was threatening to play on her lips.

"She was downright mean! That Sheetal was too much today! She had no right to talk about Shaurya bhaiya and you this way!" Bebo continued.

"And she shouldn't have treated you this way too, Anokhi" Kitty added.

The Sabharwal sisters took their turns in taking out their frustration on Sheetal & co for saying such things about their brother and Anokhi. They called out on how mean Sheetal is and advised Anokhi not to take any of her words to heart.

"You guys do realize that you treated me in the similar way before, right?" Anokhi said after listening to the Sabharwal sisters' words patiently.

Bebo and Kitty was taken aback by Anokhi's words while Anokhi gave them a smile and said,

"I would have spoke for myself but thank you for what you guys did for me today"

Bebo and Kitty was too shocked to say anything. They were still not out of Anokhi's words of how they have treated her before. Anokhi passed a smile and walked past them leaving the confused and guilt-stricken Sabharwal sisters behind.

~ * ~

Thank you for reading.

Nan ~