Part 2: The Party
Firming the string on the mistletoe, Mukku teased Anuj saying “kyu bhai iske neeche Anupama ko kiss karke aaj toh apne pyaar ka izhaar karwa hi lo usse...idea accha hai na?”
“Mukku please” he said turning red and smiled to himself thinking what he would do if that were to happen.
The Shah house was tastefully adorned with Christmas decorations and Mukku was very proud of herself for bringing some festive culture to the family.
She got GK, Bapuji and Mamaji to dress up as Santa and the rest of the family looked lovely in various shades of red. Anuj who was dressed in a black suit and red shirt, waited with bated breath for the only red he wanted to see that night...
aahat suni jo uske aane ki
dil behaal sa ho gaya mera
asar uska hai itna zyada
ke ishq laal ho gaya mera
“Anupamaaa!!!” screamed Mukku and ran to greet Anu who looked rather miffed at a certain someone.
Anuj stared at her uncontrollably and couldnt take his eyes off her for she looked breathtakingly beautiful and elegant in the dark red saree, just like he had imagined her in his dreams but baal? she probably didn’t get my hint he thought and meekly walked over to meet her.
“Merry Christmas Anupama! you look so lovely, bhai toh aaj paagal hi ho jayega” razzed Mukku.
Anu coyly accepted the compliment and replied with a “Meri Kiss...Krismass” which made both Mukku and Anuj laugh thinking of what they were just talking about.
Mukku strategically left Anu with Anuj and he stated with a “bohot pyaari lag rahi ho” to which she cared not to reply.
He bent his head a little to meet her eyes and said
“Anu maine kaha tum bohot acchi lag rahi ho” but she still gave him the snub. She rolled her eyes and twiddled her thumbs to show her displeasure and said “haan suna maine...toh?”
“toh matlab? tareef kar raha hoon tumhari, thanks toh kehdo?” he didnt know what was going on with her.
“thenks” she said sarcastically and walked off to meet Bapuji and GK.
Mukku saw her brother confused and came to his rescue “kya hua? tumne phir kuch kar diya? yaar bhai tum kab sudhroge?”
“arey nahi, mujhe toh pata bhi nahi wo kyu naraaz hai, maine toh sirf uski tareef ki bas” totally clueless of why she was vexed, Anuj tried to figure what he must have done to upset her but couldnt put a finger on anything.
“Bhai? hello? ” Mukku snapped him out of his thoughts and said “toh phir jaao aur pata karo, please yaar mujhe party mein sab log enjoy karte hue dikhne chahiye, manao jaakar unko” urged Mukku but Anuj didnt know how.
“JSK Bapuji, JSK Kaka” she greeted and GK replied with a “Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas! Anupama beta, bohot pyari lag rahi ho” when Anuj joined them.
Anu smiled to GK and huffed to see Anuj there and started to walk away again when he followed her saying “Anu meri... I mean Merry Christmas!”
Bapuji and GK laughed and said “haan Anu teri hai aur tu uska par tum dono ek dusre se ye kab kahoge”
**********
“kyu peecha kar rahein hai mera? thenks bol toh diya aapko ab aur kya chahiye?” yelled Anu when she heard footsteps walking her way in the lawn.
“arey baap re itna ghussa? lagta hai Anuj ne koi badi wali galti kari hai” said Vanraj with a smile.
“Mishter Shah aap, sori mai samjhi”
“Anuj hai?”
Flustered, Anu tried to look away to hide her face.
“kya hua kyu ghussa ho?” asked Vanraj
“nahi aisa kuch nahi hai” she replied
“tum dono ko dekhke lagta hai ki jo baat tum usse kehne wali thi wo keh di aur ab baat nok jhok tak aagayi?” teased Vanraj making Anu go pale.
“Mishter Shah aap jaake party ki tayyari dekhiye ne, Anuj ko mai dekh loongi” she said to get him off her back.
“ok ok, of course Anuj ko toh tumhe hi dekhna hai” he winked leaving her flabbergasted.
*********
“abhi tak nahi maani?” queried Mukku when she saw her brother upset and puzzled.
Anuj pouted and said “yaar mauka hi nahi de rahi baat karne ka”
“accha ruko mai kuch karti hoon, tum wahan mere room mein jaakar wait karo mai Anupama ko kuch bahane se bhejti hoon”
Anuj turned hopeful and rushed to the room when Mukku reminded” but please don't waste the opportunity bhai, mujhe tum dono ko aaj uss mistletoe ke neeche dekhna hai huh”
Anuj didnt have a reply to that and bowed out of there, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck in embarrassment.
“Anupama zara meri help kardogi please, woh mere room mein do bade boxes rakkhe hai wo le aao na tab tak mai ye lights set up karti hoon” requested Mukku and Anu cheerfully marched to the room not knowing what awaited her there.
“Anu” he grabbed her arm and steered her to the side pinning her back to the wall.
Shocked to see him there, she tried to free her arms from his gentle yet firm grasp.
“naaraz kyu ho batao?” he asked flirtatiously and she got busy dodging his dangerously exploiting look.
“Anu yaar meri jaan nikal jaati hai jab tum aise naraaz hoti ho, batao toh sahi maine kiya kya hai?” she sensed something in his tone that made melt instantly but she chose to play along the facade as pay back for the morning.
Settled comfortably in his periphery she said
“aapne kuch kiya hi toh nahi” her sarcasm was apparent
“matlab tum kya chahti ho mai kya karoon?” he was getting quite confused with her mixed signals lately.
“chodiye aap kya karenge, pick to kiya nahi mujhe...” she smirked
“ohhhh!!!!! mai toh bhul hi gaya tumhe pick karna tha...actually Mukku ne bulaya toh mai seedhe...” and before he could finish reasoning she said “toh mujhe bataya kyu nahi? aur phone bhi off hai aapka” she gestured to his pocket.
Checking his phone he realised it was out of battery and said “sorry phone toh bandh hai, par tumhe pick karna mai bhool kaise gaya?” tapping his index finger on his lips he asked himself.
“haan lagta hai chot ka asar abhi tak hai jo aise cheejein bhulne lage hai” she mumbled under her breath but he heard her loud and clear and retorted “Anu tum iss baat se naraaz ho ke mai tumhe lene nahi aya ya iss baat se ki mai bhool gaya? batao..”
“kya farak padhta hai?” she fretted
By now he had caught on to her fake anger and decided to treat her to the same and said “farak padhta hai yaar, aur ye baal kyu tumne baandh liye? maine kaha tha na khule rakhne...”
“kyu? khule baal toh hunter jaise lagte hai aapko” she whined
“arey woh toh geele baal ke liye kaha tha” he countered
“ek minute, matlab tumne jaan boojh ke baandhe hai baal?, tum kya ho yaar Anu?” he tried hard to hide his smile and loved to see this unraveled side to her.
“mere baal hai mai kuch bhi karu” she retorted looking the other way.
“par tum toh meri ho na” he whispered and she couldn't look away anymore.
“kya kaha?”
“nahi kuch nahi”
Pushing him away to the side she tried to get a grip on her haywire emotions and pretended to look for the boxes Mukku wanted from the room when she heard him scream
“ouch Anu mera sar” he cried holding his head and she rushed back to him...
“Anuj kya hua? yaha baithiye” gripping his muscular arms, she sat him down on the chair.
”kahan dard ho raha hai?” she asked scanning his head.
“aap apna jara bhi khayal nahi rakhte, abhi toh chot thik hui hai” she fussed and hovered over his face and her fragrance was making him rather queasy.
Smiling discreetly, he enjoyed the proximity and attention and when it got to the stage of misusing her honest concern he gently pulled her hands off his face and softly said “Anu mujhe kuch nahi hua, par lagta hai tumhe bohot kuch hua hai?”
************
I had a bit more written for the party but thought this was enough to build up the next intense scene. I rarely bring in other characters in my write ups but thought Vanraj and Mukku earned it this time...
Sorry for posting this late, hope you enjoyed reading it.
See you later tonight with the last part to this story!
Happy Sunday and Boxing Day!
Part 3a: page 8
Part 3b: page 10
Part 3c: page 11
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