Chapter 3

nimi00

@nimi00

This may be the last update for a while, busy with studies now, I tried to make it somewhat long. I will be on IF now only to comment on other stories, I will write more once I get time. thank you every one for the comments, they are really sweet. 😊

Chapter 3

I woke up the next morning to see Aunty in the kitchen and smiled, "Namaste aunty, aap ke liye chai banau?" I asked seeing that she was looking for something. She smiled and nodded her head as I set the chai to boil, "all the stories I have heard about you are so true beta, bhout pyari ho," she said hugging me. "ek number ka shaitan hai Didi," mom said coming in the kitchen too.

"Manvi, we are going to the mandir, do you want to come?" Vanshika Aunty asked as Viren Bhaiya and Jeevika came out ready too.

Jeevika Di: "Ma, Virat is still sleeping should I wake him up?"

I smiled, "nahi, that's fine didi, aap chaliye, I will go later. Let him sleep, I saw him working late on his case study he is probably tired." I said. I saw mom smile at me. "Are you sure Mannu, aaj toh tera vrat hai, tu chal Vanshika didi ki saath, I will wait for Virat?" mom asked. I shook my head, "no that's fine mom, I will go at night time to end the fast," I said smiling as everyone left. I heard Virat wake up a little later and smiled as he walked out ready. "Good Morning, did you sleep well?" I asked seeing that he looked much more rested than yesterday. "very well, I was a little cold at first but I think Aunty gave me an extra blanket and after that I was deep asleep," he replied. I smiled and kept the truth about the blanket to myself. "Do you want breakfast?" I made some aloo paratha and shervat?" I asked walking in the kitchen to warm up the paratha. He smiled at nodded his head, "tumhara haat ka kahna, I think someone would have to be an idiot to refuse," he said making me blush. By the time he finished breakfast mom was back with everyone. Viren Bhaiya and Jeevika di sat down with us to watch "maine pyaar kiya," and I grew nervous as I watched Virat walk over to me. He chuckled at my reaction "ladka hoon, koi janvar nahi, I am not going to eat you alive" he joked as he sat down next to me.

"Manvi, I think I can trust you enough for a dare if you are still up that game?" he asked once the movie ended. I smiled and nodded my head. "ok ladies first toh banta hai, but I want to ask you a question since you did a dare last time. You lived in the states for a while? Do you prefer there or here?"

"both I guess, its nice living in the states it's a completely different experience but the culture here is also something I missed. Yaha Diwali ki roshni, dushera ka ronak, bahar ki choti stalls mein kahna kahana, aur sab se badi toh ganga ghat I love it all even though it's my first time back here since I was 7. I watched a lot of movies and it all seems so fun. When mummy and papa came I was always busy with studies and would stay back with my cousins but I am glad I finally got to come. I always wanted to go to the ghat, before I moved to the states when I was 7, raat ko I always used to go and just enjoy the dias lit there."

I noticed Virat was in a daze at my answer. "oye hello, whats wrong?" I asked waving my hand in front of him. "Manvi, you know I met a lot of people when I was in the states for undergrad but they were all so westernized. They loved the American culture and the freedom they got. Aur ek tum ho, you grew up in the states yet you are so immersed in the Indian culture. I really admire you for that. You haven't been back since you were 7 and anyone that meets you could honestly mistake you for someone that grew up here." He said looking at me seriously. "yeh toh Manvi ka kamal hai, duniya mein one piece hoon" I said giggling at his seriousness. "tum itni serious kyun ho gaye, I like the fun Virat I met yesterday better," I said sticking my tongue out at him. He shook his head. "you know speaking of this game, I still owe you a punishment," I grinned at him. I was interrupted by my mom this time, "Mannu, are you not going to the mandir its night time, you can break your fast now, she said pointing to how dark it was outside." "aap toh aaj phir se baach gaye," I said smiling at Virat. He held my hand as I got up and I felt my heart do a million flips. "Manvi, rukho, I want to go too, you haven't been back to India, true you watch movies but you don't know how dangerous it is at night. Chalo lets go, and I prefer tum better than aap, you can stop feeling awkward, it's funny when you switch between the two" he said putting his coat.

I quickly did the pooja and we were about to leave when I saw Virat praying. I smiled and waited till he finished to go home. Once we ate dinner, I was heading to my room when I heard Virat come behind me and hold my shoulders. "oye, heroine, you said you wanted to have fun, are you tired or you still want to hang out?" he asked. "kitne bar bolu, I am used to staying up" I said reminding him I don't go to sleep early.

We decided to continue the game and Virat offered to finally do a dare but I denied. "Virat you know what, I feel like you know everything about me, yet I know nothing about you. I would rather have you answer truth than dare." He smiled, "your wish," he said agreeing. "you were in the states for undergrad, what did you do for fun, I mean do you play sports or anything?" He chuckled, "I used to play football with my friends every Saturday, it would be so much fun. What did you do in your free time?" I glared at him, "no, we are not talking about me again, last time I was called self-centered because someone kept asking questions about me, this time it is about you. So if you had a million dollars what would you do?" I asked bluntly. He fell off the bed laughing at my question, "manvi really what kind of a question is that." I finally smiled at him, "ok fine, I missed you laughing I was just kidding but seriously, I saw you praying earlier at the mandir, do you believe in prayer?" I asked confused. I know Jeevika di had told me earlier that Virat was not one to pray much. He gave me a soft smile, "I finally found something to actually pray for that's all," he said very softly. Something told me his prayer was about me but I was too shy to ask. I realized after a while I was lost in his eyes and finally noticed how close we were sitting on the bed. He immediately recognized that I was uncomfortable and got up to move to the other end of the bed. "So Manvi, how much of India have you seen?" he asked knowing that I had not been back. "actually your house is all I have seen, mummy and papa have been so busy that no one has had time to show me around," I said sadly. "You have to be kidding me, you haven't gone to a single place, I will have to talk Aunty into letting you come with me," he said trying to cheer me. We talked for a little longer before we realized it was almost 2:00 a.m., I was about to shut my door when Virat walked over with a box, my heart began to flutter seeing him smile, "umm Manvi, this is for you. Thanks for the help yesterday," he said as he handed me the box. "I got it from the mandir, I hope you will like it," he said softly as he began to walk away. I shut the door blushing at his sweetness and finally opened the box, it was a note with a gold plated rudraksha bracelet underneath it.

Kuch log zindigi mein aa kar chalte hai, aur kuch log zindagi mein aa kar dil ko cho lete hai. Ek choti si tofa ek pyari si dost ke liye, jisne ek hi pal mein meri dil toh kya, aatma ko chu liya.

I was awestruck at his gesture, the note was so sweet. I walked over to thank him when I saw him studying again. "hey, you need some help?" I asked knocking on the door; I noticed that it was his medical case study again. He nodded his head. After a while we realized it was almost 4:00 now and headed to sleep. "Manvi, I'm sorry you had to help me again, thanks so much, we should really do something more fun next time," Virat said guiltily. I smiled back, "dosti mein no sorry no thank you, anything done for friends should come from the heart, dil se kiya jata hai yeh sab." I said smiling back at him. I saw his eyes glimmer with happiness; it reflected my own happiness of seeing I cheered him up after working so hard. "a golden heart, I think that should be added to the list too" Virat said smiling softly at me. I closed the door as my heart did another flip again; just like it did every time he complimented me. I had heard these compliments before but I was just different with him, he was different, all these new feelings were different. I soon fell asleep still flustered at how fast my heart reacted to everything he said.