Chapter 2

Once upon a time there was Pani and there was Puri. An intelligent man joined them both, added some spices and thus, Pani-Puri was formed. This is the story of Pani-Puri, but this Pani-Puri is of different kind. Wanna know how? Here I present you the love-story of Shilpa Pani & Armaan Puri!

Chewing on her lip, she checked the map's jigsaw puzzle of streets, deciding to focus on the large area on the map that read Hofburg Palace. She'd walked by that area on the tour. It covered several blocks, so it should be easy to find again. Except that she'd taken about twenty-seven turns since then. She squinted at the confusing labyrinth, wishing for an internal GPS. Coming here alone was a super bad idea! She should have asked someone to come along, or should have listened to the tour guide's instructions.

"Excuse me, do you need some assistance?" Shilpa looked up, startled.

An unfamiliar face with a traffic-stopping smile and bright blue eyes gazed at her. He wore a dark gray T-shirt with foreign words written on the front, a couple days' beard growth, and a backpack. His sunglasses were hooked over the neck of his T-shirt.

"Oh, ah." She smiled politely as if not totally flustered by his presence. "I'm just trying to find the Hofburg Palace."

The edge of his mouth curled and her stomach turned a little flip. "It's okay, I know where it is. It's that way." He pointed in the direction behind Shilpa.

"Thanks" she muttered and started walking away from the blue-eyed temptation.

"Some French fries please" they said in unison.

"Excuse me!" snapped Shilpa.

"Oh hi! You are the girl I met yesterday. I assume you reached your destination without getting lost." Smiled the blue-eyed, walking and talking temptation.

"Are you following me?" snapped Shilpa.

His expression turned from normal to amused, "No!"

"Really?" she snapped again.

"Chillax woman! It's just a coincidence! I have no intention to follow you!" the guy snapped back, took his packet of French fries and went away.

"Ouch" yelped Armaan, as someone pushed him from behind.

"Sorry" said Shilpa biting her lower lip.

"You crazy woman!" yelled Armaan. He stood up and dusted off his clothes, "Now I think that you are following me!"

"Wha..listen, I am really sorry. Some scary guys were following me and I was just running, collided with you and now I am.."

"Lost?" asked Armaan.

Shilpa nodded, and Armaan sighed, "Fine! Come, I'll help you reach your place."

"Thanks..."

"So where exactly do you live?"

"Actually, I am vacationing here, just touring around, so got a room booked in a hotel. The Marriott Hotel." Shilpa replied

Forwarding his hand towards Shilpa, Armaan said, "By the way, I am Armaan."

"And I am Sh..Shona." She replied, not wanting to tell Armaan her real name. Armaan unlocked his car and sat on the driver's seat.

"What about you? You live here?" asked Shilpa, as Armaan keyed the destination in the navigation system of the car.

"No, I am here for a vacation too. Just a break before I get loaded with new responsibilities." Smiled Armaan.

"Same here!" muttered Shilpa.

After 30 minutes, they reached the Marriott Hotel. Shilpa unbuckled her seat belt and was about to exit when she stopped and turned back, facing Armaan, "Thanks for the lift. Uuum..Armaan see, I get lost easily and every time, it's you who help me. So I was thinking that why shouldn't we tour around together. If you'll be around, so I would not get lost!" Taking a stranger's help was a bad idea, but Armaan seemed to be good enough to be trusted, and she definitely needs someone to help through her tour.

Armaan grinned, nodded in positive and replied, "Fine, I'll pick you up at 8 in the morning, for the breakfast and then we'll decide where to go."

"Fine with me! Thanks once again!"

Taking deep breath Shilpa tried to calm herself. Laying on her super soft, unfreakingreal cosy and warm bed of her luxurious suite, she could think about Armaan only. She had came here, to explore thing that she could not be possible once she gets married to the guy her father has selected, son of his best friend. She had met the guy but in childhood and only have fading memories of him. She doesn't even remember his name and never bothered to ask about it from anyone. The only names she had heard, since this marriage talk started was, the surname of her in laws, "Puri" and the nickname of her future husband...Gol Gappa! God forbid, she was going to marry a guy who got a nickname like that! Finding herself in the exact situation as Kajol had been in DDLJ, Shilpa, following her favourite actress, too had came on a month long vacation and she would be damned if she found her Sharukh here!

"I am completely insane, thinking like this, feeling like this, for who is a stranger to me! I have crossed the borderline of weirdness! God help me." Thought Shilpa.

The moment she had met Armaan, she had been attracted to him. But what the catch is, she is not allowed to do so.

Armaan smiled to himself while sipping his extra hot, sugarless and creamy coffee. Just a month more and he'll marry the girl who ruled his heart, invaded his dreams and lived in his thoughts, his childhood friend, daughter of his father's best friend, the girl he had loved since childhood, the girl who's going to be his wife, his Shilpa.

Shilpa Pani, daughter of his uncle and his father's best friend, Mr. Narayan Pani. She had been the only friend he had, in childhood. Feelings he felt for her, since childhood, got a name in adulthood. He loved her, for no particular reason, he just loved her. And when his father proposed the idea of his marriage to Shilpa, he had immediately said yes. His still have the photograph of the now 25 years old Shilpa, secured in the white envelope, tucked inside the pocket of his bag.

The photograph had been given to him, but he never saw it. Reason, well according to him, he wants it to be special. He wants to meet her in person, not just through a photograph, that couldn't describe the real beauty she is.

Thinking about Shilpa, another name popped in his head, Shona..The crazy woman who easily gets lost. Armaan chuckled, thinking about her. She's cute, little bit weird, shy and sweet and her eyes, those forest green eyes; he could easily get lost in. And those plump lips, that he could..

"Damn!" jerked Armaan, raking a hand through his hair.

"What the hell am I thinking?" he asked to himself.

Rummaging through the cupboard, Shilpa tried to find a suitable dress. After trying at-least 5 dresses she settled on a plain white, strapless dress. Letting her hair loose, she applied a little bit blush, mascara. She glanced at the wall clock once again and for her utmost displeasure, the clock showed quarter past 6 in the morning, still one hour and 45 minutes to go. Fantastic!

Here, Shilpa was going crazy over the idea of being with Armaan, on the other hand, Armaan was not so happy with the arrangement.

"Do I have to go?" he asked to himself, while squeezing out generous amount of body wash.

"It isn't necessary, it's not like I am bound to do so!" shrugged Armaan, applying the body wash over his body, answering his own question.

"But won't it be rude?" the angel side of him, appeared on his right side.

"So you suggest babysitting that girl, who's messing with his brains!" the devil side of him appeared on his left.

"It isn't babysitting...!" the angel rolled his eyes, and continued, "He promised her, and th promise should be kept." Declared the angel.

"Oh phulleezzz..promises are bound to be broken." Replied the devil.

All this time, Armaan was glancing from left to right, searching for a solution in between the banter between the goody angel and baddy devil side of him. Getting frustrated, Armaan yelled, "SHUT UP!!!"

Huffing heavily, Armaan turned off the shower and started getting ready for the day ahead. Glancing at the wall clock, he saw that it was 7:00 in the morning. Good he still has the time to reach her hotel.

After checking himself for the n-th time, Armaan picked up his car keys and walked outside his suite.

"Excuse me" said Armaan, interrupting the receptionist from her call.

"Can you please tell me, in what room Miss Shona is staying? I am her friend, Armaan." asked Armaan.

"Wait a minute Sir." Replied the receptionist and got busied with her call again.

"Ok Madam, I'll let him now. Thanks!" said the receptionist, ending the call.

The receptionist turned around, facing Armaan and said, "Madam will be here in a moment Sir. She herself is coming down here to meet you."

"Thanks" nodded Armaan.

After about 5 minutes, Armaan saw Shilpa coming towards him, with a shy smile on her face, her eyes twinkling like diamonds. She waved towards him, a gesture Armaan returned back.

"Hi" they both greeted in unison. Laughing lightly and lowly, the both made their way outside the hotel, towards Armaan's car.

"So, it was you, talking to the receptionist?" asked Armaan.

"Yeah, Just wanted to check whether you came or not." She replied.

"So do you want to go somewhere..specific?" asked Armaan.

"No, I have nothing in my mind. You suggest, as you know better about this all." Replied Shilpa.

"OK, so let's go!"

"Where?"

"That's a surprise!"

After a half an hour drive, Armaan stopped the car. Shilpa looked around and saw nothing but huge bushes around. "What the heck we are doing here?" thought Shilpa. She was starting to panic, well who wouldn't, when you find yourself, alone with a man, at a place which looks far away from civilisation.

"Come on, now you are scared!" teased Armaan.

"Armaan.." glared Shilpa.

"Oh, don't panic Shona. You are safe with me, now come, I wanna show you my favourite place."

Shilpa panicked more. Nervously, she stepped out of the car and started following Armaan. She was fidgeting with her fingers all the time and hadn't noticed that Armaan had stopped walking. So as a result for not paying attention, Shilpa collided into Armaan's back and fell, and she didn't had that humpty dumpty fall alone, trying to prevent the fall, she grabbed Armaan's t-shirt, who himself couldn't balance and fell along Shilpa.

The both rolled down in the sand. After a while, they both stopped rolling, and the posture they were in, would appear extremely intimate to the on lookers. Well, Shilpa was lying beneath Armaan, her left leg curled around his. Armaan had his head buried in her hair, his right arm around her waist, and his left hand under her head.

They both were breathing heavily, thanks to the great fall. After a moment or so, Armaan raised his head slightly, now looking directly in Shilpa's eyes. Both of them shared, what appeared to be an intense eye-lock with each other.

Their perfect little moment was disturbed by some hushing and shushing sounds.

"Aww..young love, so passionate and romantic!" came a feminine voice.

Armaan got off Shilpa, and the both stood up, dusting off their clothes and blushing. There stood an elderly couple in their front. The lady came towards Shilpa and Armaan, dragging her husband along.

The old man, patted Armaan's back and said, "No need to blush, young man, I have experienced the same stage as yours!"

The old lady, smacked her husband's arm and said, "Don't tease the boy, Andrew!", then turning towards Shilpa she said, "You both make a lovely couple. I see me and Andrew in you both!"

The lady kissed both Armaan and Shilpa's foreheads and before Armaan and Shilpa could sort out the misunderstanding the elderly couple had about them, the couple left the place, not giving Armaan and Shilpa a chance to explain.

In order to avoid the awkward situation, Armaan started Shilpa showing his favourite place, which in actual was a beautiful lake surrounded by white sand. The water of the lake was the perfect oceanic blue. It was peaceful around here.

For the next few days, Armaan and Shilpa toured around together. Togetherness brought closeness. Both of them were falling in love with each other but commitments held them back. Shilpa was supposed to marry her gol gappa and Armaan was set to marry his childhood love Shilpa. (Confusing it is, I know. To make thing clear, Armaan doesn't know that he's touring around with his Shilpa, as Shilpa had told him a fake name that happens to be her nickname Shona. So for Armaan, Shilpa and Shona are two different persons.)

They both were frustrated with what they were experiencing but couldn't push the feelings away. Soon came the last day of Shilpa's trip and they both decided to visit Haywood fountain (hypothetical).

There's an old wives' tale involving the Hayward Fountain. If you make a wish, then toss a coin in the fountain, you'll meet the man or woman of your dreams, and you'll have the most fantastic dreams for seven nights. But if the dream couple haven't actually met in the real world before that time limit expires - well, it's all over. So it's really a race against time.

Making a wish, they both tossed a coin in the fountain wishing for a better future. A future that, according to them seemed to be very complicated. A future that consisted of surprises.

At night, Shilpa twisted and turned in her bed and was dreaming...

She looked beautiful in her yellow and red bridal dress. Glancing around the wedding hall, Shilpa saw her parents beaming with happiness. They were chatting with another couple of their age. Turning her gaze away from them, she saw her elder brother gesturing her that she was looking beautiful. The pandit chanted the mantras and it was time of the ritual Hta ganhi. The pandit asked her brother to tie the knot, by keeping her hand on her groom's hand.

While her brother was wrapping the sacred thread and tying the knot around their hands, Shilpa raised her eyes to look at her groom's face and what she saw made her eyes widened. It was Armaan! He was wearing a dhoti kurta, that heart stopping, body warming and extremely charming smile on his face.

Shilpa jerked out of her dream, she was sweating and her heart was beating too fast that she thought she might suffer a heart stroke. Armaan was having a little bit similar dream..

Sounds of drums and kettledrums treated his ears. He looked around and saw happy faces of his family and friends. He was standing on the stage along his bride; it was the time of the ritual of varmala, the garland exchanging ritual. As he was about to put the garland around his bride's neck, his bride tilted her chin up and he got a full view of her beautiful face. What startled him was that that beautiful face belonged to Shona. Shona was his bride!

"Crap!" cursed Armaan, as he woke up from his dream sleep.

For the rest of the night they kept pacing here and there, what if the Haywood fountain's legend came true? What if they were meant for each other?

Sitting on the chair at the airport, Shilpa was lost in Armaan's memories. There was no denying in the fact that she was now heads over heels in love with Armaan. Though the saying is that True Love triumphs at the end but her love failed in front of the commitment she had made to her father. She couldn't deny her father, he had given her everything, she wanted but asked only for one thing, the right to choose a groom for her, how could she deny her father this right of his?

On the other hand, Armaan was trying to sort the mess his life has become. Before he came to Europe, he was so sure of his love towards his Shilpa, he was so sure that he will spend his whole life happily and blissfully with Shilpa, but after meeting Shona, everything changed. Suddenly the love he harboured for Shilpa past 15 years became nothing in front of the love he now feels towards Shona with whom he had spent just 15 days. 15 years failed in front of 15 days!

Pushing his hand through his hair, Armaan pondered over the facts;

>He was in love with Shona.

>He was still in love with Shilpa.

>He wanted to be with Shilpa.

>He couldn't live without Shona.

Fantastic! What kind of man he is! Armaan laughed a self-mocking laugh. How can he be in love with two women at the same time? Armaan felt disgusting of himself, and then his mothers' saying came in his mind;

"Don't marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can't live without."

And that made it all clear! Grabbing his car keys, Armaan raced out of his suite and drove towards the airport. He couldn't live without Shona, and that was the ultimate truth, commitments to be damned, he would not destroy 3 lives, his, Shilpa's and Shona's. If he'll marry Shilpa, he would not be happy and would not be able to make Shilpa happy, so it's better that he doesn't marry Shilpa.

Driving as fast as he could, Armaan proceeded towards the airport. Fortunately there was enough time, so he could reach the airport soon before Shona departed. He's going to propose his love to Shona. His fingers crossed in hope that Shona would accept as well as reciprocate his love.

Armaan thanked the Gods above in heaven when the lady at the counter informed that the plane to India, the one by which Shona was travelling, hadn't departed yet. Turning and glancing around, Armaan searched for Shona and there, thank goodness, unlike the Bollywood movies he was fan of, he found his Shona easily.

"Shona" Armaan yelled, capturing Shona's (Shilpa's) attention, and jogged towards her.

"Armaan.." she breathed.

"You're leaving me" said Armaan.

"I...it's just.." she stuttered.

"I..I love you Shona!" he exclaimed, "I love you so much!"

"Armaan.."

"Please don't leave me, I can't live without you! Before I met you it was all set, my life was all set but you came and messed up with it, in the best way of-course and now when I can't live without you..you're leaving me." Said Armaan, crying silent tears.

"Armaan..I can't" she cried.

Walking a couple of steps more, towards Shona, Armaan asked, "Why?"

"I have commitments to fulfil Armaan, I can't...I am sorry!" breathed Shilpa.

"But Shona.." started Armaan, but was interrupted by Shilpa, as she placed her lips on his.

It was the only way, her heart and mind could formulate to stop Armaan from saying anything that could shake her determination. She lightly pressed her lips with his, not moving, just savouring the intimate contact. After few seconds, Shilpa moved away and said, "I am sorry Armaan, I can't be with you.."

"Please" he cried.

"Don't make it difficult for me..please go!" she pleaded, and that's what he did, he went away, he couldn't hurt her, so he went away.

It's been 7 days, Shilpa returned back home. 7 days, she rejected Armaan's love. 7 days of the hell her life has become. 7 days, what seemed like 7 ages!

"Yeah! Oh OK, I understand. Shilpa will meet him. Bye!" she heard her father talking on the phone.

"Shona beta, I want to talk about something to you."

"Ji Papa.."

"Beta, Golu (the Gol Gappa) wants to meet you before the marriage rituals start. He wants to talk to you. He wants to meet you and that too today only. I've had granted my permission. He'll meet you at the Central Park. Be ready at 5, is that OK with you?"

"Ji Papa.."

Armaan paced around, fidgeted with his fingers, and was pushing his hand through his hair after every 5 minutes. He was waiting for Shilpa to come. As he promised, and after Shona turned him down, so he agreed to marry Shilpa but only on one condition, he wanted to her the truth, the truth of him being in love with someone else.

On the other hand, Shilpa spotted her future husband, she was facing his back. He was wearing a emerald green shirt with blue faded worn out jeans, just as her father has described he would be wearing. She walked towards him, as fast as she could; she wanted all this to end as soon as possible. He still had his back towards her, when she reached close to him and in a husky voice, that she couldn't even recognise as hers, she said, "Hey, I am Shilpa!"

Armaan stiffened at the name, Shilpa. He didn't have the courage to face her, so he stood still, and started talking.

"Hi Shilpa, I guess you don't remember me, as it's been 15 years we last met."

Shilpa's head snapped at the voice that had been haunting her for the past 7 days. Armaan..could he be?

Still not facing her, Armaan continued, "I..I" huffed Armaan, "See, I had been in love with you since childhood, and believe me when I say, I really did love you."

Now, now, she's fully sure that it was none other than Armaan, she could recognize his voice anywhere, anytime, well the tribal tattoo on his left arm helped too. She narrowed her eyes at his confession.

"I wanted to meet you, face to face, in person, and wanted to express my love for you, that's why I didn't even saw your photograph and still agreed to marry you."

Well that surely did explain things, thought Shilpa.

"But it all messed up, when I went for a month's tour to Austria, Europe." All the time, Armaan had his back towards Shilpa, who now stood crossed arms, tapping her left foot lightly.

Armaan's words brought a smirk-smile on her face. Well that was the best part of the whole story.

"There I met this crazy, funny and beautiful woman" Shilpa blushed at this, "Her name is Shona."

Shilpa bit her lip lightly, that was the root cause of her problems. She had told her nickname to Armaan. Had she told Armaan her real name, what would have happened then?

"Well we met and became friends and I don't know, when and how I fell in love with her. But she rejected my love and me."

Shilpa was in an "Aww.." situation. She wanted to hug Armaan tightly and sort out all the misconceptions but she wanted to hear what he wanted to say.

"See, I am telling you all this, as I want our relationship to be based on truth. I wanted you to know about this, before we get married. I want to live with you but can't live without her."

"Toh tum ussi se shaadi kar lo" said Shilpa, smiling.

Armaan in his guilt didn't even recognized Shilpa's voice and replied, "I can't, and she's marrying someone else."

"Toh tum mujhse shaadi kar lo!" suggested Shilpa. If Armaan paid a little bit attention, he could have recognized the teasing tone.

"But I can't live without Shona.." he cried.

"Toh hum dono se shaadi kar lo!" chirped Shilpa.

"WHAT.." turned Armaan, and when Shilpa/Shona's face came into view, he went in the state of shock.

Shilpa laughed seeing Armaan's expressions. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she hugged him tightly and said, "Aawwiiee Armaan, I am Shilpa as well as Shona. Shona is my nickname."

As Shilpa's words got registered in his brain, Armaan wrapped his arms around Shilpa, and twirled her round around. Both of them let out a laugh, a laugh of utter joy and sheer happiness.

After a while, Armaan stopped twirling and set Shilpa down on her feet. His arms still around her, not wanting to let he go so easily, he asked, "So what's the story?"

Shilpa told him why she hadn't told him her real name, why she rejected him at the airpost and what her life had become after the airport episode. At the end of the day, they were walking hand in hand.

Their dreams came true. Armaan and Shilpa got married the next week. They married according to both Oriya and Punjabi rituals. That's how Shilpa Pani got married to Armaan Puri.

That was my version of Pani-Puri, and thus a new love story got it's happily ever after. I hope you liked it and enjoyed it as well. Will bring you another weird love tale soon.