Ariya Of Roses and Thorns - Page 57

Part 27

Sameer shouts at Arjun: ARJUN I SAID NOOOO!!!!!!

Arjun and Ayesha close their ears to bear his scream. The trio were huddled up in Sameer’s living room where Arjun had again crashed their date. The couple were excited with Arjun and Riya’s decision to get married but Sameer throws a tantrum when he proposes to have the marriage in a mandir.

Arjun: are yaar Sam…

Sameer: Maine Bola Na Ek Baar Nahi! Tujhe Samaj Mein Nahi Aata?

Arjun sighed: Ayesha tum hi samjhao ise

Ayesha: are mujhe beech mein mat ghasitiye, aap toh nikal jaayenge, mujhe zindgi bhar inke saath rehna hai

Arjun smirks: are waah! Tune bataya nahi ki….

Sameer: Shut Up! Khabardaar Jo Baat Ghumane Ki Koshish Ki Hai Toh!!

Arjun rolls his eyes: are par tu meri baat nahi sun raha

Sameer: Rawte maine teri har baat maani hai, ye baat bilcul nahi maanunga!! Are tum dono ki pehli shaadi hai

Arjun: abe oye! Pehli shaadi matlab? Ek hi karni hai hume

Sameer: ha wahi! Shaadi ek baar hoti hai zindgi mein aur tum dono aise mandir mein shaadi karke mere armaano par paani nahi fer sakte samjhe ya samjhau?!?

Arjun raises his eyebrow: shaadi meri? Armaan tere?

Sameer: ha toh? mere yaar ki shaadi hai! mere bhi kuch sapne hai

Arjun: aur kya hai tere sapne?

Sameer: woh sab main pure kar lunga lekin ek baat kaan khol kar sun le!! Tu mandir mein shaadi nahi karega, hum saari rasme karenge, haldi, mehndi, sangeet everything!! Get it?

Arjun: are lekin…

Sameer removes his phone: shush!!

Arjun: ab tu kise phone kar raha hai?

Sameer glares at him: shush! (the call connects) hey Armaan! (Arjun’s eyes widen) Sammy bol raha hun (Arjun and Ayesha exchange glances) tere bhai ki shaadi ki taiyaariyaan karni hai, kab milega?… ha theek hai, main tujhe mere ghar ka address deta hun, tu aa jaa aadhe ghante mein!

Arjun drops his head in his hands mv “ye Sam Sammy kab bana? Oh god! ye dono meri band baja kar rahenge!!!”

Two months later-

Riya is sitting on her bed staring lovingly at the deep maroon mehndi in her hands. She couldn’t believe that she was going to get married the next day. That too… to the man she had fallen in love with. Her face turns crimson as she remembers him.

The baarat arrives in full pop and splendour at the venue with Sameer and Armaan throwing all inhibitions away while dancing. Arjun shook his head mv “idiots! Inke nakhre nahi hote toh ab tak toh meri shaadi ho bhi gayi hoti”

They enter. Arjun is made to sit in front of the fire. The pandit calls for the bride. Riya arrives in a traditional red and green lehenga decked with jewellery, with the girls around her.

Arjun freezes. He didn’t know whether there was more red on her dress or whether on her face but god damn! She looked gorgeous. How badly he wished to engulf her in his arms then and there.

Riya blushed harder when she noticed him staring at her. She lowers her gaze as she sits next to him. Sameer bends and whispers into Arjun’s ear.

Sameer: thoda control kar mere bhai, shaadi bas ho jaayegi thodi der mein

Arjun jolts out of his trance and glares at him. Sameer giggles and steps back. The pandit starts reciting the mantras.

Pandit: kanya daan ke liye vadhu ke maata-pita aage aaye

Arjun and Riya glance at each other. He looks at her questioningly. She turns her face to the opposite direction.

Riya: Savita tai

Savita is surprised but comes forward. Their eyes glisten with water as she completes the ritual and the wedding continues. The time of the pheras arrives.

Pandit: ladke ki behen ya bhabhi gathbandhan ke liye aage aaye

Sakshi: are pandit ji, yaha itne saare log hai aapko wahi chahiye jo nahi hai?

Laughter flows across the room confusing the pandit.

Arjun: are bhabhi haina, Ayesha

Armaan: main bhai hu, main bhi!

Sameer: main Ayesha ka honewaala pati aur muh bola bhai dono hun, main bhi!

Pandit: ek gathbandhan ke liye teen log?

Arjun: are rehne dijiye pandit ji warna ye log mera sar kha jaayenge

Bewildered, he gestures to them to continue. Arjun and Riya stand up. They start walking around the fire. He holds her hand as they both vow to be tied to each other for the rest of their lives and the next seven.

Pandit: ab var vadhu ke maang mein sindoor lagaye

Arjun takes a pinch of the red powder. She lowers her gaze as he shifts her maang tika. Her eyes close in bliss as his finger touches her partition, travelling further to apply sindoor.

The pandit extends a thaal: mangalsutra pehnaye

Arjun picks up the black beaded chain and ties it around her neck. The pandit recites a few more mantras and finally,

Pandit: vivah sampan hua!

Tears form in her eyes. He squeezes her hand nodding a no. She blinks, her lips curving into a smile.

Armaan comes forward: bhai! (removing an envelope from his sherwani) ye lo!

Arjun: ab ye kya hai?

Armaan: are shagun hai

Arjun: shagun bade choto ko dete hai

Armaan: hai kya? Nahi na! chup-chap lo

Arjun opens the envelope and a cheque falls out with a one rupee coin.

Arjun: 21,000?

Armaan: aapki aankhein kharab hai? 21,000 aur (pointing to the coin) ek!

Arjun: itna thodi hota hai Armaan?

Armaan: toh kitna hota hai? mujhe kaha se pata hoga? ekto maa se puch bhi nahi sakta, maine bas apna andaaza lagaya, zyaada hota hai? mujhe toh bas itna pata hai ki shagun hota hai

Arjun: abe dhakan, yahi zyaada hai thank you (placing the cheque back in his hand) ye ek rupya kaafi hai

Armaan outright refuses: ae bhai zyaada drama mat karo! chup-chap le lo

Arjun: lekin Armaan…

Armaan: lekin wekin kuch nahi! aapko meri kasam…are nahi fir toh main mar jaunga, aapko bhabhi ki kasam!

Arjun: par Armaan….

He makes a baby face: aap meri itni bhi baat nahi maanenge? Aap mujhse pyaar nahi karte? (sternly) ya fir aap bhabhi se pyaar nahi karte? Kasam par bhi nahi maante?

Riya starts giggling. Arjun groans and mutters a fine. Armaan hugs him in delight.

Arjun: 21000 ke liye koi cheque deta hai kya?

Armaan: toh kya deta hai? credit card?

Arjun: kuch nahi mere baap! Maaf kar de mujhe!

Armaan: jao maaf kya, aap bhi kya yaad rakhenge?

Sameer: are jaldi karo, grah pravesh karna hai, bidaai baad mein kar lenge

Riya giggles: Sameer bidaai kiske saath karu? in logon se mere peecha thodi chutne waala hai?

Kinjal(offended): Riya!! tu ruk teri chutti khatam hone de, ache se dekhti hun fir tujhe

The others laugh. Armaan leads the couple to a decorated car and they head towards their home.

Sakshi extends a thaali with kumkum in it: Riya, isme haath rakhkar, deewar par nishaan do

She smiles and dips her palms in the liquid. Arjun shifts to make way. She places her palms below the nameplate that bore their name. Arjun smiles seeing the imprints. She was finally, officially in their home.

Savita does their aarti. Arjun holds her hand as she lifts her right foot to drop the kalash and they enter inside.

Sameer and Armaan pull them onto the sofa in excitement.

Arjun: are kya hua?

Armaan: ruko bhai, itni bhi kya jaldi hai?

Arjun raises his eyebrow as he chuckles.

Liza places a huge bowl on the table in front of them filled with milk and rose petals.

Arjun: are you guys seriously doing this?

Sameer: yup!

Shree kneels in front of the table: sir, Riya (holding up a ring) aapko ise dhundhna hai

Chotu: lekin ha, ek haath se, no cheating!

Kinjal: mere ghar par kehte hai ki jo bhi isme jeet ta hai, ghar mein usi ka raj chalta hai

Sameer: ha isliye toh karna hai, pata toh chale ye Rawte ka bacha yaha bhi apni manmaani karega ya bichari Riya ka koi chance hai

The group bursts into a collective laughter.

Shree drops the ring into the bowl : 3..2..1, go!

The couple plunge their hands into milk and start searching. Riya diligently tries to catch hold of something. Arjun on the other hand was busy staring at her, the eagerness in her eyes and the blush on her cheeks. The others around them cheer.

Riya was swirling her hand. Suddenly, Arjun grabs hold of it. Her eyes widened. He winks at her. Riya pleads silently to let go lest anyone would notice. He maintains his playful stance as she struggles to get free from his grip. He tightens his hold on her.

Armaan: bhabhi jaldi dhundho, ye bhai ka bharosa nahi

Arjun: tu mera bhai hai ya iska?

Armaan grins: are bhabhi toh maa samaan hoti hai, haina bhabhi? Main apni maa se baat kar raha hun aapko kya problem hai?

Arjun: tu mil mujhe baad mein…fir dekhta hun

As the banter continues, Riya successfully manages to break free from his grip, surprising him.

Riya: waise sahi keh raha hai woh, tum cheating bahot karte ho

Arjun smirks and catches hold of her hand again. Riya curses herself mentally. A cold metal touches her finger. She looks up to see Arjun smiling at her. His hand slips the ring in her palm. Surprised, she gave him a quizzical look. He lets go of her hand. She immediately holds it again. He squints in confusion. She makes him hold the ring. Riya pulls their hands together out of the bowl.

Sameer: what the hell!!!

Shree: are yaar, this is not done!!

Kinjal: ring tum dono mein se ek ko dhundhni thi!

Riya smiles: kyun? jab do log rishte mein bandhe hai toh dono ka barabari ka mauka milna chahiye na? dor toh do taraf se bandhti hai

Kinjal shook her head: tu nahi sudhregi

Savita: chalo ab, agar tum logon ka hasi-mazak ho gaya ho toh tang karna band karo unhe

She gestures to Ayesha. She nods and the girls take Riya inside. Arjun smiles to himself.

Sameer: kya hua Arjun? khud se kyun muskura raha hai?

Armaan: are woh khud se nahi kisi aur se muskura rahe hai

Shree: obvi….

Arjun glares at the three of them. Shree shuts up but it had no use on the other two, who laugh at his plight.

Savita arrives: are tum log abhi bhi yahi ho?

Arjun: dekho na Tai, pareshaan kar rahe hai sab mujhe

Sameer: hum kaha pareshaan kar rahe hai, hum toh bas baat kar rahe hai, haina Armaan?

Armaan: ha Sammy, hum toh sirf baat kar rahe hai

Savita glares at them: bas bahot hua, chalo yaha se warna maar padegi

Sameer: are Tai…

Savita shoos them all out: chalo!!

They are pushed outside despite their protests. Arjun smirks at them and goes towards his room after looking at them not so apologetically.

Liza: are! Are! sir rukiye

Arjun stops short, finding all the girls blocking his way.

Arjun: kya?

Ayesha: kya, kya? Nek dijiye tabhi andar jaane ko milega

Arjun: what?

Chorus: ha!

Arjun: are lekin…

Kinjal: lekin wekin kuch nahi, paise do warna hum saari raat yahi khadi rahenge, kyun behno?

Chorus: haa!

Arjun’s eyes widen: Nahi!!!

Ayesha: bas toh fir dijiye

Arjun: Ayesha tum toh meri side par ho na aur Sakshi, tum meri dost thi

Ayesha: koi baat nahi sir, I am flexible

Sakshi: Arjun, dost… thi! Abhi mujhe paise chahiye, chalo jeb khaali karo!

Arjun groans and removes his wallet. He takes a few notes and places it on her extended palms.

Arjun: lo khush (trying to go in) ab jaane do!

Kinjal blocks his way again: oh hero! Ruko! Itne se kaam nahi chalega

Liza: ha sir, ye toh sirf 5000 hai

Arjun: tum 5 hi ho

Ayesha: are toh kya hua? Aap hume sirf 1000 denge?

Liza: aur nahi toh kya? Kam se kam 5000/per person

Arjun: what the hell! 25000

Kinjal: andar jaana hai ya nahi?

Arjun: are lekin, mere paas abhi sirf 15000 hazar hai

Sakshi: toh baakhi ke 10 kaun mera chacha dega? Nikalo!!

Arjun groans and thrusts his wallet into her palm: lo, jitna lena hai le lo, bye!

Liza: are sir…

He slips into the room and closes the door as they burst into laughter behind him. Arjun locks the door. He heaves a sigh of relief, resting against it. His gaze falls on the decorated room. Riya was sitting in the centre of the bed with her dupatta covering her face.

Arjun continues to stare at her as he walks across. He sits in front of her. Riya’s hands fidget nervously. He slowly lifts the ghunghat to reveal her face. She looks down as he leans in.

Arjun kisses her forehead: tum bahot khubsurat lag rahi ho

The crimson on her cheeks spread further. She hides herself in his chest. Arjun embraces her. They cherish the feeling of being each other’s arms, for the first time, as husband and wife. He gently bends to lay her on the bed. His fingers play with hers as he kisses her.

Suddenly, he felt her go stiff. He pulls away.

Arjun: Riya?

She comes out of her trance: ha?

Arjun: ghin ho rahi hai? (she shakes her head frantically, making him chuckle) tumhe mujhse jhoot bolne ki zaroorat nahi hai, it’s ok, take your time

He gets up but she holds his hand.

Arjun: Riya…

Riya: main us ehsaas ko mitaana chahti hun Arjun

Arjun: par jaan tum…

Riya: please

Arjun strokes her hair: are you sure? Main tumhe khushi dena chahta hun Riya, dard nahi

Riya: main jaanti hu

He hesitates, still unsure if she would be comfortable. She smiles and lifts herself. He was about to ask again when he feels her lips on his. His heart leaps out of his chest. She had never kissed him before. Arjun lays her down again and switches off the lights as they drown in their love.

The End…………………....