UV-Unnati: Fool Me Twice.
She bit her lower lip nervously as her hand stopped for the third time from knocking at the door. Should I or shouldn't I? Maybe I should speak to him tomorrow morning when his anger may have cooled down by a few degrees. But even that was dicey , she thought as her big almond eyes seemed to be shrinking to the size of raisins and she locked and unlocked her porcelain fingers nervously , now. What if he took a lethal decision in the night? Then, tomorrow morning will rain thorns on Maanyata and coming up of a cold wall between him and herself. She paced about like a confused lamb , looking at the door as though it was the door to the cage of a beast. Beast, she thought. Wasn't her brother always a beast when somebody hit him where it hurt the most? She had seen Uday rip people into shreds without lifting a finger and being in Uday's bad books meant being in a death chamber that forced to keep you alive. That is how her brother was ' an extremist. She stopped and thought again about what had happened in the past 2-3 hours. Uday had given her and Maanyata the shock of their lives by making a shocking entry into Aakash's surprise birthday party. And just as she and Maanyata had thought that UV will behead them and present their heads to DS , he had thrown another bouncer by wishing Aakash a very happy birthday like a gentleman and behaved so warmly with Chikki and Soni that they all were sure that this was the end of the world and that is why they were hallucinating a good UV. UV had stayed at the party throughout and acted and reacted as though nothing had happened. The royal etiquette , the smiling face , the grinning eyes ' UV had looked and behaved normal. He had lovingly escorted Maanyata back to the palace and had spoken to Unnati about everything except how he was 'feeling'. Unnati shuddered at the remembrance. Unnati could hear the alarm bells ringing and her heart pounding. Wounded UV should be angry but he wasn't! And that was killing Unnati. Maanyata had called her 5 times already to ask if UV had slapped her? Had he broken something in his room? Was he going to complain to DS? Unnati took a deep breath and gathering all her wits , she knocked at the door. No response. She knocked again. No response. Come on, Unnati! He is your brother , he will not kill you'.. for the time being at least. Get in and find out what he is upto and moreover , is he upset with you?
Unnati slowly opened the door and peeked in, blinking her eyes. There he was, slouched on the settee , now cooler and calmer in his track pants and his white vest ' his laptop on his tummy and his eyes narrowed at the screen. He seemed busy at something in the laptop. Damn! Unnati cursed herself ' 23 years with her elder brother and she knew nothing about who he was inside. How do I start the discussion with him , now'..
UV( pausing his screen and looking up)- Sorry Chhoti. I couldn't answer your knock'. I couldn't get distracted or diverted. And you are free to walk in to my room since 23 years' what happened' ( momentary glare that comes and goes )' all well?
Unnati ( with a hesitant smile )- Oh, I see . Umm, yes. All well. Are you busy? I mean, its 2am and you usually don't work so late . Something important ?
UV looks at his baby sister and giving her a warm smile, he puts the laptop on the table, gets up and sits straight , ushering her to sit opposite him on the bed.
UV ( resting his head on the back of the settee like an assertive lion)- MORTAL KOMBAT.
Unnati looks at his predator like face and her blood freezes but his face breaks into a slow smile, studying her.
Unnati ( taken aback )- Mortal Kombat?
UV( raises an eyebrow )- Yes, Mortal Kombat. My favourite game . It helps me keep my temper in check . I mean, its better to deal with known enemies in a game, than get surprised by secret enemies in real life'. ( chuckles )'.relax. I was just CHILLING , Chhoti. You tell me. Surprise visit to me at 2am? Strange . You fall asleep by 11.30, everyday. Are you okay? Is there something that is NOT LETTING YOU SLEEP?
Unnati ( studies her brother's face but fails )- Dada, you very well know why I am here. So, lets cut it short and not pretend with each-other. You know I am here because of what happened today evening and ' and '.
UV ( getting up and looking at himself in the mirror )- And my lack of reaction? And why didn't I bash you and Maanyata or exposed you two to DS? And how I feel after being taken for a royal ride by my sister and my fiance ?...Or' ( looks at her sharply)' or what am going to bring for the two of you tomorrow morning ?
Unnati gets up and she feels her heart sink. Her Dada had never spoken to her in that tone. She had seen nothing but love in his eyes for her. She was always greeted by a warm hug and a pat on her head. Was all that going to disappear after tonight? She wasn't guilty of helping Maanyata but she was guilty of betraying her brother and it hit Unnati now that she never realized that friendship with Maanyata may pull her Dada away from her.
Unnati ( her eyes lowered )- I just wanted to help Maanyata so that she doesn't do anything rash and end up getting in trouble.My intention was not to hurt you, Dada'. ( like a sulking little baby )'. You know that I love you.
UV listens to that , blinks his eyes for a second or two, grins and then, claps his hands in her honour . Unnati feels slapped right across the face.
UV( tauntingly )- Bravo! Bravo, my little one! If this is how much you love me , I wonder what you will do when you hate me.
Unnati ( comes to him and looks up at him) ' Don't say that, Dada! Fine, I don't approve of almost anything that you do , but you are my elder brother , my father figure who was and is in my life more than our father!
UV looked at his sister and tears were welling up in her eyes and her face was looking like a blotched tomato. The crease of UV's forehead relaxed and so did the temper nerve of his jaw. Unnati was his doll. He couldn't tolerate even a furrowed eyebrow on her and here he was telling her the meanest things in the world because she had hurt him. No, no way. He could never make his Chhoti cry and he didn't want to fight with her. And that too over Maanyata's juvenile mischief. He had an elaborate plan ready and put into action to make Maanyata pay for the fool game that she had played with him. Everything was under control and he knew where this war was headed. And he refused to let Unnati become a casualty in this.
UV ( putting his hands on Unnati's slumped shoulders )- Look Unnati, I will not lie to you. I am not upset that you fooled me . I am upset because you chose Maanyata over me' ( Unnati tries to say something but UV lifts his hand to signal her to keep shut)' let me finish. I am upset because you lied to me for someone else. I am upset because now, I can never trust you again without suspecting you. Chhoti, I am not a saint and I play these games everyday but' but I don't play them with the ones I love . I love you and trust is natural. But you broke that trust for Maanyata and that gives me reason to worry about what have we invested in our relationship as siblings. And don't say sorry. Because I know you are not. You still think that you did the right thing . What is killing you is the thought that you may have lost me.
Unnati( innocently )- Have i?
UV ( stops a tear from falling out of her eye)- Are you mad? If you lose me , how will I break the legs of your boyfriends and how will you call Maanyata your sister-in-law?
Unnati ( hugging him)- Thank you, Dada. You have no idea how scared I was just because you didn't scream and vent out when you found out the truth. Don't do that ever again, Dada. If you are angry , please REACT. Your silence and quiet smiles are like butcher knives.
UV( smiles and playfully slaps her cheek)- Brat and a half and they call me evil! Now, run along and go to sleep.
Unnati( meekly )- But you still didn't answer me , Dada. Are you angry?
UV( grins )- I don't get angry, Unnati. I get EVEN. And am not saying anything to you on this matter anymore.
Unnati ( in a timid voice)- A-Are you going to punish Maanyata?
UV( sighs and looks out of the window)- No. I am just going to deliver a lesson to her ' Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice , shame on me''.
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Love and luck always,❤️
GOD bless everyone. 🤗
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
