HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Precap:
Road closed !!!
The yellow board in front of us read...
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Why?? Why?? Why???
What the hell did I do to deserve such an awful day??
We both looked at each other.. This was the last thing I would wish for.. coz no matter how handsome the guy besides me was he was a stranger and today would be my doomsday if I don't reach on time at home...
Raghav quickly pulled out his cell phone from his coat pocket and.."NO INTERNET", he said..."Darn his service-provider"..This just keeps getting better .. doesn't it.. It started with a boring wedding then that 'chatni giri' (literally) .. my phone is dead.. my mom dad are probably freaking out right now and here I am stuck with this guy.. Wow.. just awesome.. My brain just kept making sarcastic remarks..
The road was quite deserted one.. a rare thing in mumbai but this place actually had no shops just few under-construction buildings and no people walking around ..
I think we have to take a reverse turn.. then we could ask someone for alternative way", I just nodded and just when he switched the gear and was about to hit the accelerator while looking back I said," Umm.. Raghav can I have your phone?? Maybe this time my call will be connected..".. "Ya sure", he said with a smile and handed me over his iphone..
Hush.. I sighed almost audibly on hearing the phone ring.. Pick up baba.. pick up.. And probably the first great thing of the evening baba picked up right after second ring.. "Hello baba??".."Kalpi..??"..."Ha..(Yes)"...
And as expected just after yes the question bombardment started... Where are you?? Why didn't you inform us?? etc etc
"Baba.. mala bolu tar dya..(baba, let me atleast speak)...", his already panicky voice was making me nervous and I began to second my thoughts on whether to tell him that I'm travelling with some stranger and we have probably lost our way or I should make up something..
And then I heard my aai's voice," Kalpi.. beta where are you?? When did you leave the venue?? We were searching for you and then we thought you may have come home but then you were not here too.. atleast you should have informed us.. where are you and when are you coming back?? Please don't tell me you again got called to he hospital for some emergency", and guess so that was my answer..
Still unsure whether I'm doing it right or not I stammered nervously" A.. aai.. I.."... Sach bola toh Aai is gonna be totally tensed till she sees me back at home and jhooth bola toh she'll be fine and plus I would be reaching jome in some time.. Happy with my decision I started speaking," Ya I just got a call so I left immediately without informing plus my cell phone wasn't working... So just borrowed my colleague's phone to inform you huus.. I'll be back in sometime. you both don't worry and go sleep I have the house keys.."..."But how are you coming..??".. she asked in worried tone.."No need to come by cab or anything I'll send the driver.."... "No.. no.. aai.. Its ok I'll manage.. Ok bye I have got to go..", saying so I immediately ended the call before aai could enquire more..
I looked besides me and that's when I noticed the empty driver's seat but before I could look around the door clicked open and Raghav was back.. "Got the alternative way.. We need to ask the route again at the right turn at second signal..", I just hmm..ed while nodding my head.. "You informed your parents??", he asked while fastening his seat belt.. "Yup.. thanks", I replied while handing him over his phone ...
Maybe my bad luck was finally over.. I have informed aai-baba .. Raghav got the way and now in few minutes I'll be at home..
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"Ouch", I yelped on feeling the hard plastic of the dashboard hit my head.. Rubbing my forehead I slowly opened my eyes.. God knows when I fell asleep..
The car had stopped.. maybe we have reached ... slowly adjusting to the light in the car I looked outside the window happily thinking that finally I'm back home but the scene outside was totally unfamiliar...
"Raghav where are we??", I asked worried,scared and with god knows how many other emotions.. He just looked at me blankly.. The kind of expression we give to anyone when we have messed up .. "You have no idea right??", I said in hope of getting a negative reply but his nod just gave me the opposite answer..
And here I was thinking that finally my day actually night was better.. "Somewhere between Mumbai and Pune..", I heard his meek voice.. Pune??!!! How on earth did we reach Pune..??!!!.. "Raghav??", I started saying," You didn't take the new highway did you??"
"What new highway??", he asked.. "Oh great.. !!", This time really I was loosing my cool.. "You drive without knowing where you're going?? God ..how can you?? Arrghh!!??", I immediately got out of the car .. coz a minute more and I may say things that I'll regret..
Raghav too got down .. We both didn't talk after that and then after about ten minutes he said," I have called up my driver.. he's gonna take time to reach here till then lets see if we get some other mode of transport.. I looked at my watch,"At 12??", I asked..
To which he just pointed at some place behind me.. I turned to see and there was some dhaba.. He took some stuff from the car and after locking it we were walking to the dhaba..
While walking there I felt as if the silence around us was yelling at me.. He was actually helping me and for the same reason we landed up here.. Technically it wasn't his fault.. I mean it was but all he was doing was to drop me home safely... "Raghav", I said my voice low maybe even inaudible but he heard me and turned his face to look at me.. "I'm sorry.. Actually I.. "..
"You were worried I know..", he said not letting me complete.. I again opened my mouth to say something and he said," Actually I don't travel by road a lot.. and even if I do I have my driver is with me.. So I don't know the roads much.. And plus there wasn't a toll plaza on the way so I didn't realise that we were going out of mumbai.."
I nodded knowing that he was right as the last time I went by this road with Aai-baba I didnt remember coming across some toll plaza.. "But you should've asked", I said.. seriously why didn't I tape my mouth??.. "I thought we were on the right road and I didn't realise that we've been travelling for so long until now when the petrol got over..", Raghav pov: Coz hell I was busy eother staring a you or thinking about you..
K Pov:
There were many trucks parked outside the dhaba.. We went inside ... Those stupid anklets and bangles making noise in that way too silent atmosphere made me feel awkward as I felt as if all eyes were on me and while I was lost in all this Raghav's hand slipped into mine and he pushed me little close.. Oblivious to my gaze he kept walking ahead..
We walked to the counter were a sardarji was busy teloing something to his workers.."Bhaiyya yaha par koi bus stop wagera hai kya?? (Is there any bus stop nearby??"), Raghav asked the sardar who probably owned the dhaba.. And then they were talking while I looked around..
Winters are really pleasant but definately not when you aren't wearing warms clothes.. The constantly blowing breeze made me shiver and I wrapped myself in the dupatta but it didn't really help but then something warm covered me.. It was Raghav's blazer..
At this speed by the end of our journey I'm going to be full on lattoo.. I sarcastically to myself and then he snapped his fingers in front of my eyes.. Oh boy I was lost in eyes.. Again.. I quickly lowered my eyes and then he said," That man said that most of the truck are on their way to Mumbai.. We could ask for lift.. What say??", he looked at me anticipatedly and for once words came out of mouth instead of a nod," Ya great idea.. And if we wait for your driver to come it'll be morning by the time we reach"..
Next few moments went with me looking around while moving my kegs back and forth while Raghav went on May-We-Get-A-Lift mission.. The darkness had civered the greenery around but yet everything shined because of the bright stars in the sky.. Another not-very-common sight in cities 'Stars'.. This place had many and I was busy admiring them..
R Pov:
Finally one of those truck-drivers agreed to help.. I called up my driver Ramu and informed him to get the duplicate key of the car coz I was gonna leave before he comes.. And as I neared the place were Kalpana was sitting I saw her looking at the sky.. Her eyes twinkling and the dimlight around her along with tge moonlight making her look no less than an angel..
K Pov:
"Kalpana", I heard hkm call out and I immeditely got off the chaar-paai (I have no idea what's it calldd in englished.. It a bed like thing made up of rope)... "A guy agreed to give us lift and in three-four hours we'll be back.. Actually its a truck na so its gonna gake a little longer..".. I smiled on hearing his words.. finally we were going back..
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And the silence was back.. We were now sitting on opposite sides on the not very yet little comfortable hay with our backs touching the wooden boxes ...
Fifteen minutes too seemed like an hour.. Finally I broke the silence," So you were from groom's side or bride's??"... "Groom's.. Actually it was my friend's wedding.. You??".. "Oh me.. I was from bride's side.. It was my uncle's cousin sister's brother-in-law's daughter's marriage.", I ended in an overly dramatic way and he was laughing... "Feeling sleepy??", he asked.. "Nope.. you??".. and he nodded his head in negative..
And again silence descended.. but this time just after five minutes he said," So what do you do??"... "I'm a doctor.. ".. "So.. Dr.Kalpana..."Jadhav" ,I completed.."You??".."Family business"..
With that we started telling each other about our lives.. He had shifted back to india just a month back after spending his teenage years studying and then helping his father in business.. now he was here to set up his own company ..
Then till the time we reached at my place we were just chit-chatting... The almost three and a half hours seemed not more than a few minutes ..
Raghav got down first to help me get down.. And here it was.. probably the last good bye.. I thought sadly..
R Pov:
"Bye..", I heard her say.. Trying hard to smile I too bid bye.. She just turned and walked away.. Watching srk movies(thanks to my pretty-much annoying sister) had taught me one..
DDLJ dialogue: Raghav agar yeh tujhe pyar karti hai toh yeh palat ke dekhegi ... palat ... palat!!!
(Raghav, If she loves you then she will turn around and see you ... turn ... turn!)
And I saw her disapppear behind her building gates but.. not before she turned and waved her hand at me.. And just when I was about to turn and go "Raghav!!", I heared her voice from.. That moment I could swear was the best one ever . SHE CAME BACK...
to give me my blazer..
I sighed in disappointment.. She handed me my blazer and after a quick thankyou.. she left..
K Pov:
I again turned to look back at him.. holding his blazer he hopped on the truck and here I entered the my building.. My situation was such an antethesis.. Hours ago I was super eager to reach back home and now I just felt .. actually woshed that I could rewind time..
Standing in front of the elevator I pressed the button and just a moment later I heard someone's huffing sound.. "Raghav??!!!", I said slightly shocked-more happy-but still shocked.. And the next moment I felt his lips on mine..
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The elevator sound brought us back ... His hand held my waist while mine was on his chest , his heart beat as fast as mine..
We just kissed.. but why.. I mean.. it felt right yet it was just so.. weird.. We both stared into each others eyes .. My hand slowly moved away from his chest and so did his.. With a blank mind I turned and entered the lift.. Glancing at those 1-20 numbers I finally clicked on 12..
Now when I think about that I can't help but laugh.. Everything in slow motion like it is in hindi movies .. but that day I understood why is it always in slow motion.. It helps in increasing the duration of the best moment of your life giving you enough time to live each second of it..
The elevator door was slowly closing and the only thing I wished for is he stops me.. but it didn't happened and the lift started moving.. The feeling at that moment couldn't possibly be described in words.. I was loosing something really precious to me but how much ever I wished I couldn't really do anything.. maybe I could but I didn't..
P.S Sorry for not completing yesterday.. I was really tired..
Edited by appyK - 10 years ago