Chapter 18

Remember what I told in the beginning of the story? the injustice, grey part is going to start...baad mein ye mat kehna ki maine warn nahi kiya. If anyone wishes to skip it, please feel free.

Part 18

They walked towards the NGO, with ice creams in their hands. Arjun’s hand is around her shoulder as they talk leisurely. He narrates how Rathore randomly declared that he proposed to her early in the morning in the middle of office.

Riya laughs: par Arjun tum humesha use kis baat par chedte rehte ho? us raat jab tum log Prity ko lekar aaye the us din bhi tum use ched rahe the record room ke naam se aur ab government property

Arjun chuckles: are maine tumhe bataya tha na ki uska aur Ayesha ka chal raha hai aur ek baar maine unhe pakad liya tha?

Riya: ha

Arjun: bas usi ke baare mein

She raised her eyebrow: bas usi ek ke baare mein tum use abhi tak ched rahe ho?

Arjun: trust me, usne kaand hi aisa kiya hai

Riya turned away giggling: mujhe nahi jaanna

Arjun: isliye toh nahi bol raha

They walked through the gate and into the front garden. Finishing their ice-creams, they settled on the swing. She rested her head on his shoulder as he gave her a side hug.

Arjun: waise main kal 6:45 ko aaunga ok?

Riya: hmm

He looks at her hearing the pale response: kya hua?

Riya lowered her gaze: nervous hun

Arjun squeezed her closer: kuch nahi hoga, main hun na. ise bhi apna job interview samaj lo

Riya: interview acha nahi gaya toh job dusri mil jaayegi lekin tum toh ek hi hona?

Arjun felt like his heart would burst: itna pyaar? Kaha chupa kar rakha tha itne time tak?

She rolled her eyes: bas tang karte raho tum mujhe

Arjun: are main toh console kar raha hun

Riya: ha dikh raha hai

Arjun smiled: are sach, tum…

Savita Tai turns up there: Arjun out!

Startled, their heads turn sharply.

Arjun whined: Savita Tai please….

Savita: baahar!

Arjun: 5 minute

Savita glared at him: out!

Arjun looked longingly at Riya as he got up: fine…ja raha hun

Riya readily stood up as well. He smiles as he holds her hand. Savita clears her throat breaking their eye contact. Riya blushes and Arjun leads her away.

Arjun: kab humari shaadi hogi yaar? Kam se kam ye 10 baje ki restriction toh hategi

Riya giggles: yaha par 10 baje ka restriction tum par humesha lagega

Arjun corners her to the wall: lekin tab tum yaha thodi hogi? Mere saath hogi na…(entwining his fingers with her) humare ghar par

She looks down unable to handle the intensity in his eyes. He steps closer cupping her face and leans further. The next second she feels his lips on her forehead. Her eyes close. He touches his forehead with hers.

Arjun: I love you Riya

Riya: I love you too!

Next day-

Arjun’s car pulled up sharp at 6:45 am outside the NGO. He almost ran inside and knocked eagerly on Riya’s door. The door opened and Riya threw herself into his arms, startling him.

Riya: Arjun!!!

Arjun: kya hua Riya? aur…(looking at her dress as they separated) tum taiyaar kyun nahi hui?

Riya: are wahi toh soch rahi hun ek ghante se, mere kuch samaj mein nahi aa raha hai, main kya pehnu?!?!

Arjun: oho isme itna kyun tension le rahi ho?

She whined: Arjun!!!!

Arjun: acha baba relax, ruko main dekhta hun

She nodded obediently and gave him way. Arjun raised his eyebrows seeing all her dresses spread on the bed and chair. He glances at her. She gives him the same nervous expression. He shakes his head in disbelief and steps towards the bed. Looking here and there, his gaze falls on a white anarkali. He smiles and gives it to her.

Relieved, she grabs it and runs to the washroom to change. She comes out in haste, pinning the dupatta to one shoulder. Arjun is mesmerised on seeing her. She gives her hair a quick brush and wears silver jhumkas before turning around to him.

Riya: theek hai?

Arjun comes out of his thoughts: huh?

Riya(worried): achi nahi lag rahi ?

Arjun smiles and cups her face: bahot zyaada pyaari lag rahi ho, man kar raha hai ki bas tumhe dekhta hi rahu

She blushed, averting her gaze: Arjun tum bhi na

Arjun: are sach mein (kissing her forehead) you look beautiful

His phone rang disturbing them. Arjun cursed the caller and then saw it was his brother.

Arjun: kya hua?

Armaan: aap nikle ke nahi? main subah 5 baje se ready hokar baitha hu, meri bhabhi kaha hai?

Arjun: woh teri galti hai, main 7:30 ko hi aanewaala tha, samjhe ya samjhau?

Armaan: ha, ha mujhe pata hai aapko meri toh koi value hi nahi, bas mummy se chipke raho pure din, jaldi aao meri bhabhi ko lekar samjhe ya samjhau?

Call disconnect

Arjun shook his head in disbelief: chalo, warna humare entry ka V.I.P pass mujhe baahar kar dega

Riya: matlab?

Arjun: mera bhai tumhe le lega aur mujhe baahar kar dega

She giggled. He held her hand and took her along.

Rawte Mansion-

Arjun’s car drove up the pathway of the lawn and stopped on the porch. Riya was nervously fidgeting with the end of her dupatta. Arjun removed the seat belt and was about to step out when she called out to him.

Riya: Arjun?

Arjun ha?

Riya: woh…uh…main…

Arjun: Riya relax, main hu na? don’t worry is ghar mein mere ilawa sirf mera baap rakshas hai

Riya: you’re not helping

Arjun chuckled and took her hand in his: Riya, they’re gonna love you

Riya: aur nahi pasand aayi toh?

Arjun: toh kya? Shaadi hum dono ko karni hai, main toh rehta bhi nahi yaha, bhaagne ki bhi zaroorat nahi

Riya shook her head: kya karu main tumhara?

Arjun: kuch nahi, chalo ab warna mera bhai mujhe maar daalega

She took a deep breath and nodded. They stepped out. Arjun rings the doorbell and the door immediately bursts open. A 22 year old jumped in happiness and hugged him.

Armaan: bhai!!!

Arjun rolled his eyes: tu kya darwaaze ke paas hi khada tha?

Armaan: subah 5 baje se baitha hun (he looked in the other direction for the girl) bhabhi?

Riya smiled lightly.

Arjun: Riya, ye mera bhai Armaan, aur ye teri bhabhi

Armaan: hi bhabhi!!! (leaning) sach-sach bolo bhai ne kaunsa kaand kiya hai?

She is confused and Arjun pulls his ear making him shout.

Arjun: shaitaan! Chup kar! Sharam nahi aati tujhe?

Armaan: are main toh sirf verify kar raha tha, kaan chodo, bacha nahi hun main

Arjun (leaving his ear and crossing his arms): yea? Act like one then

Armaan rubbed his ear to soothe the pain: oh shut up! Aap toh rehne hi do, khud roothe hue bache ki tarah ghar se chale gaye aur mujhe bol rahe hai

Arjun: tera baap mujhe ghar mein aane de toh aau na

Armaan corrected him: humara baap! aur waise bhi agar aap us time thoda sa manane ke mehnat karte toh kuch nahi hota, lekin nahi ego toh dono ko dada ji se mili hai

Arjun rolled his eyes: ha aur tu bahot seedha hai

Armaan: of course

Arjun: very good, hum dono ka compensation tu hi kar le

Armaan: bas saara tokra mere sar…

A voice from inside: Armaan darwaze par kya kar rahe ho?

Arjun’s face lit up: maa!

Shweta: Arjun?!

Arjun ran in to hug her. Armaan led Riya inside as well, closing the door behind.

Shweta: kaisa hai mera bacha? Kitne dino baad aaye ho

Arjun: sorry maa, kaam mein fas jaata hun

Shweta: hm dikh raha hai, kya haal bana kar rakha hai? kitne duble ho gaye ho

Arjun laughs: maa, agar mera weight 20 kilo bhi bad jaayega toh bhi aapko aisa hi lagega jaise main dubla ho gaya hun

Shweta: chup! jab dekho tab ulte jawab dete rehte ho

Arjun: are maa meri chodo, main ek khaas wajah se aaya hun

She looked at him questioningly. He smiled and stepped aside so she could look at Riya.

Shweta: ye ladki?

Arjun walks to Riya and holds her hand: maa, ye Riya hai, hum ek dusre se pyaar karte hai

Shweta(surprised): sach?!

Arjun: ha

She smiled widely: toh shaadi ki shehnayi bajane ke liye aaye ho?

Arjun scratches his head: woh….

Armaan: obviously maa, par aap na ek baar puch lo bhai se ki unhone…

Arjun: Armaan chup kar, tu pitega!!

Shweta giggled at their banter. She put a hand on Riya’s hand.

Shweta: bahot pyaari hai

Riya smiles and bends down to touch her feet but she stops her.

Shweta: are nahi beta, betiyaan pair nahi chuti…aao baitho

The four of them sit on the sofa.

Armaan: waisa maa, kaise laga mera surprise?

Shweta raised her eyebrow: tumne kya kiya?

Armaan: kya kiya? bhai ke aane ki setting ki aur aap keh rahi hai kya kiya? maa, aap toh bhai se bhi badi dhokebaaz nikli!

Shweta: Armaan drama mat karo

Arjun laughs as he whines and crosses his arms.

Shweta turns to Riya: kya karti ho tum beta?

Riya: woh aunty main software engineer hun, aur saath-saath NGO mein bhi kaam karti hu

Shweta smiles: par tum akeli kyun aayi? Parents ko lekar aati na (Riya’s brain started firing, Arjun softly held her hand in assurance) woh aa jaate toh behtar hota, date bhi nikal dete

Arjun: maa, actually Riya, anaath hai, usi NGO mein pali badi hai aur isliye waha bhi kaam karti hai

Shweta: oh, I’m sorry beta

Riya smiled lightly and nodded before looking down.

Shweta : bahot sharmili hai

Arjun smiled mv “you have no idea, itni mehnat ki hai patane ke liye ki pucho mat”

Arjun: woh sab chodo na maa, papa uthe usse pehle ha bol bhi do

Shweta laughed: tumhe badi jaldi hai

Armaan: maine toh pehle hi…

Arjun: Armaan!!

Armaan: are sach hi toh keh raha hun, dekho na maa, abhi bhi bhabhi ko chod nahi rahe, haath pakad kar hi rakha hai

Riya’s eyes widen, she immediately takes her hand away. Arjun feels the warmth go away and glares at his brother. He grins mischievously.

Shweta: ab bas bhi karo tum dono, aur Arjun aane do Surya ko, tum dono ki shaadi itni dhoom-dham se karenge ki…

Armaan: ki meri shaadi ke time sab kangaal ho jaayenge

Now Shweta glares at him while the couple giggles. Armaan gives a goofy grin.

Arjun: par maa, Dad…

Shweta: Arjun woh tumhare pita hai, unhe tumhari fikar hai

Arjun: ha lekin filhaal hum dono…aapko pata haina? Aap unko batao lekin, mujhe unse chupaana nahi hai it’s just…

Shweta: tum kyun itni fikar kar rahe ho? main hu na?

He smiles. Just then a middle aged man comes out of a room hearing the noise early in the morning.

Man(irritated): kya ho raha hai yaha par?

All eyes turn. Riya stands up with a start. The others follow. His gaze fixed on the lot.

Arjun whispers to Riya: are already ego bahot hai, itni izzat dogi toh haath se baahar chala jaayega

But her brain doesn’t process what he says. She is staring at the man in disbelief. Her hand automatically curls around Arjun’s finger. He reciprocates by squeezing her hand in assurance.   

Armaan: papa? Aap…jaldi uth gaye?

Suryakant (coming down the stairs): kyun ab uthne ke liye mujhe tumhari permission chahiye?

Armaan shuts up and looks down………………………

[NOCOPY]