AWTBL-Someday!Chp12(A). pg75. Jan28. - Page 33

Kalpi woke up with a jerk and sat upright on her bed. What was that sound? She thought. Usually it's the alarm clock that wakes her up. But this sound seemed to come from the direction of the kitchen. She stared at her alarm clock for a second then jumped off the bed with a start. She had made sure to wind her alarm clock before she went to bed, why had it not rung? And now she was already half an hour late, she grumbled, half in worry and some disgust. Kalpi rushed towards the kitchen where her mother sat with a cup of tea in her hand.

"Sorry amma, I don't know what happened... my alarm clock did not chime on time." Kalpi started apologetically. She had taken it as her duty to put the first kettle of tea for her parents and a glass of milk with Complan for her brother. But today she got late and how?

"Its okay Kalpi, you must be tired because of the long drive back home. So many people in one small car. eh! But it is good to know that all the children are here to celebrate Holi together." Kamla looked up at her daughter with a small smile. And suddenly her expression changed to one of shicked surprise, "What happened to your face Kalpi?" but then she could not suppress her giggle.

Kalpi touched her face and looked at her fingers which were now laced with black stain. And a sudden realization struck her. "Ma, this is why my alarm did not work!! Keshav, Keshav... I am going to smash you with the biggest pumpkin I can find you rogue. Where are you hiding now?? It is not Holi yet", Kalpi rushed towards the bathroom to check her face. Keshav had draw huge triangles just above her eyebrows and a nathulal mustache above her upper lip. She couldn't help laughing herself.

She came out of the bathroom to find Kamla serving tea. "Go and give this to your father and check if he took his morning dose of medicine."

Kamla told Kalpi that Keshav had already left for school with his friends. The boys were too excited about the festival. All of them has made numerous naughty plans to disrupt the lives of unsuspecting children, adults and strangers.

He had also left a note for Kalpi asking for forgiveness for the practical joke and then gone on to demand that she make some special gujjias for him and his friends.

"But Amma I can't make gujjias yet. I will try the shakerpaare. Amma will you help me?" She would never refuse her brother but she was also unsure about her mother's reaction.

"Haan, I know don't worry. Let me come back from the office early today and we can prepare Holi sweets together. You don't have to do it by yourself. Even your baba would like to have some sweets after all the difficulties he has had to go through."

"Amma, is maasi coming for Holi?"

"No, this time we are going to her place. They have bought a new property on the hills. They have been inviting us for a long time now." Kamla replied with a heavy sigh. "I have run out of reasons to deny them. They want us to celebrate the festival with them." Kamla sounded dispirited and Kalpi felt sorry for her mother. Her mother was the one who had spent every ounce of her energy to build the business, worked hard to settle the family and pick them out of the poverty line. Kalpi knew how much her mother wanted to lead a good life and still they were leap year away from the kind of luxuries she had always dreamt off. She was also aware how her father never bothered about her mother's dreams and aspirations. And that is why Kalpi wanted to ease her mother's pain as much as she could. On the other hand her mother's sister had got married into a lower middle class business family but their business had grown ten folds and now they were very well off which was another sore wound to her mother's shattered ego. Kalpi glanced at her mother as she sipped on her tea.

"Amma what should I make for Maasi, she loves malpua and till- mumfali ke ladoo, should I make them for her? I will arrange for all the ingredients and we can make them together? You are the best cook ever, to make these festive delicacies." Kalpi tried to console her mother out of the dejected feelings.

Kalpi's efforts did help Kamla snap out of her despondent state and return back to the present need of the hour.

"Haan Kalpi, do just that arrange and prepare all the ingredients properly. I will try to be back early today and we will prepare them together. It is auspicious to prepare sweets on festivals. Brings good luck for everyone in the family." She finally gave a sad smile as she turned to get ready for office.

Kalpi quickly got done with the house chores. She prepared breakfast for her father and then helped him freshen up. She then dusted and cleaned the house and prepared lunch for everyone. Then she checked all the ingredients needed to prepare for the festival. She realized she would have to go to the market to buy some of the grocery and rushed to get everything done before the afternoon was over.

Kalpi wanted to go and visit daadi before she left for Paakhi's house. And now she was not even sure if she would be here for hopi the next day or not. She gave a heavy sigh and proceeded to finish all the chores on her to-do list.

But just then she is disturbed by the cell phone.

"Paakhi..." Kalpi sighs.

Next Part 2

Raghav wakes up slowly from his slumber. He is bit irritated with the spot of sunlight which had woken him up by sneaking at him through the closed curtains. He lazily turns to pick up his cell phone from the side table and groaned. "Oh! no!!"

He could hear his daadi humming a bhajan and that made him smile. Stroking this already ruffled hair he walked up to his daadi in the family courtyard that was close to the family mandir.

" g'morning Daadi', he addressed her sweetly.

" Its good afternoon now... subah to lab ki chali gayi", she mock scolded him as he lovingly looked up at her grandson.

"oh! Sorry daadi... you know it is not my fault. It is actually..." But he was interrupted.

"Yes, yes, I understand, you have a jet lag, right?" She declared proudly.

"wow, Daadi you are the hippest Daadi ever. You know everything." Raghav hugged her from behind the divan that she sat.

"Aur nahi to kya... I have friends too who teach me stuff that I did not learn as a kid. I know what is google and I can use internet and look at songs on youtube too." She declared once again in a proud tone.

"Ahh!! I forgot you have a teenage best friend too...," Raghav grinned as he continued to hug his daadi from behind.

"Yes that's true I have some adorable angels as my friend... children who keep my spirits young and uplifted." Daadi's voice softened and she grazed lovingly at Raghav and gave him a peck on his cheek.

"She will be very happy to know you are here. All of us were waiting for your return so egarly".

"No, no no don't tell anyone. It is a secret. I am going to give everyone a surprise." Raghav jumped and came to stand in front of daadi to make her understand his plan.

"What even Paahi does not know you are here?" Daadi asked.

"no no Dear Daadima, one does... so you have to promise me you will not tell anyone. Mom and Dad have promised already." He held her hand in-between his own.

"accha,,, then you better hide... Kalpi is about to come. I have not see her for sometime and something tells me, she will visit me early today." Daadi replied.

That statement straightened Raghav. He better be cautious of any warning if he wants to keep his surprise according to the plan.

"Okay daadi the send my breakfast, lunch or brunch... whatever has been prepared to my room. And promise me again noone must know till I tell them myself." With that he rushed to his room to freshen up for the day.

He couldn't wait to see everyone's face when they see him. It would be fun. He took out the contacts on his phone to invite some of his school friends for the Holika dahan ceremony and some chill time.

""

"Kalpi please tell me you are going to listen to me. You never listen to me anymore." Paakhi repeated again in an exaggerated tone.

"No, I will not wear this dress. It's beautiful but its yours. I will wear this one." Kalpi picked up a simple purple kurti that she had picked up from Palika bazaar. She had made sure not to buy anything from the branded stores that Paakhi had insisted. And now as Paakhi pestered her to wear a sheer top and capri's from Zara she vehemently resisted.

"Paakhi, I am either way going to take a shawl and a sweater. So what is the point of wearing this top."

"That is what I am saying, why don't you just wear it because really it doesn't matter. and we also have to plan our dress for tomorrow too."

"Paakhi, about tomorrow. I have to tell you something very important and nothing... I mean absolutely nothing can be done about it." Kalpi heaved a long sigh and sat down on the edge of the bed. She knew this would be another battle with Paakhi before she went back home.

"""

Kalpi looked at Paakhi on the other side of the bonfire and tried to catch her eye. But Paakhi was adamant at ignoring her since Kalpi had told her that she would not be present tomorrow to play with colors.

Paakhi was intent on hurting Kalpi but she still did not know how. She sure was missing Raghav even more. And he was just as heartless as Kalpi because he had not answered to a single email or message of hers in the last 3 days. She was very upset with her so called friends right now.

"It would have been so much fun if raghav was here too." She mumbled while throwing some corns into the fire.

"He has loads of girlfriends to take care of. He is too busy being happy and so he can't come here to hear you cribbing." Prem chided Paakhi then turned to Kalp, " But I am here. I am the good guy who does not even look at girls... see!" he gave a silly almost innocent grin which only made Kalpi look away towards the flames as she picked a handful of corns.

But he had already challenged and Paakhi was not the one to backdown so she retorted back at Prem, Yes, Kalpi and I know have first hand experience how good of a guy you are. We have your whole history right from you diaper days. You really want to start me on that account?"

Kalpi now looked at the bickering brother sister duo and started giggling. Keshav and his friends also surrounded the teens so watch the show.

Prem turned towards Kalpi and winked at her which made her blush because she it was so unexpected behavior from Prem. She was unable to understand if Prem's attitude was genuine or just a passing phase till he falls back to his rude manners towards her.

Unaware of the reasons for Kalpi's embarrassment Prem goes on to give his complete attention to Kalpi and announces, "Your name should have been somethings like a flowers, Kali or mage Suman or Rosa?? Because you blush so beautifully."

When Kalpi did not know how to react to such kind of compliments from Prem so she decided to get up and go. But that does not deter Prem so proceed to say, " Or maybe Purnima or Poonam like the moon because you prefer to hide from mere mortals like us."

Keshav interupts, "But Poonam and Purnima are already my sisters." Which made everyone laugh loudly.

"You know Prem your name should have been Kans because you are so cunning..." She mocked.

"And your name should have been chakor instead of paakhi because you are constantly stuck to this Kalpi like a needy infant. You never leave her alone. Never let her decide what she wants to do. We never come to know what she wants because you are constantly barging in-between. even today you are sulking because she wants to visit her family during festivals. Do you even know who the real Kalpi is?"

Suddenly there was complete silence. Suddenly the air had turned heavy with tension. No one knew what the next step would be.

"Kalpana means imagination... the perfect fantasy and that suits kalpi well. At least my daadi would say that..." Everyone turned towards the sound and everyones eyes turned round and big like saucers.

Paakhi screams in excitement and rushed towards Raghav. Prem stood grinning and heaving a sigh of relief. Kalpana stood and stared in awe. He was here in reality not in anyones imagination.

"You are here... You are really here." She jumped and hugged Raghav as he steadily supported her in his arms. "I dnt believe it. No, wait I knew you would come. I had my doubts when I heard Prem is coming." Then she turned to Prem pointing her fingers, "OH!! You are so naughty you knew that he is coming and still you kept it a secret." Again she turned to Raghav, "oh! That is why you stopped taking my calls and messages.Hmm... You guys are such... such..." She kept talking all at once.

Prem started laughing loudly and pulled Paakhi's hair, "Yes, Silly, we came together because its so much fun teasing you." saying that he started running and Paakhi followed him both laughing, mocking and teasing each other.

Kalpi now stood alone with Raghav. Keshav and his friends has moved away to eat snacks and play.

"Hi, How are you Sir? Finally Kalpi mustered the courage to speak to Raghav directly.

"HI, Kapi. I am doing good? isn't it time for you to stop addressing me as "sir". I heard you are the head girl of the school."

"You knew? I mean, I am no more the Headgirl but..."

"Of coz I knew... I have always kept track with the school alumni. I am so proud of you. And we are counterparts. So no sir. Just say Raghav like Paakhi does."

Kalpi silently nodded her head. Wondering how would she muster all the courage to call him Raghav. It will be a feat for her to do so but maybe in due time.

Paakhi, came heaving heavily, "What are you guys talking about?" but never gave anyone a chance to say anything , "Kalpi is an awesome name but I think my name should have been Maithili, Vaidehi, or even Sia... I know you would have like that very much, Raghav." She cooed in a suggestive manner and winked shyly at Raghav. Who just grinned and winked back at her.

None of this went unnoticed by Kalpi who looked away.

Coming face to face with Raghav quite so suddenly had already shaken up her. And then the suggestive remark by Paakhi was too much for the 17 year old to handle.

There was a slight coloring on her face and a sharp pinch in her heart which she tried to overlook.

Just then Raghav turned towards Kalpi and said so where is the special bonfire chocolate coffee?

Kalpi smiled through the glaze that she felt in her eyes. "In a minute."

Prem followed Kalpi saying, "You can not do it alone. I will help you." Saying that he took Kalpi's hand.

Here is the update as promised. 😊

Raghav is finally here. Hope that makes all of you happy. If you read the update and enjoy it please do Like and also leave comments.

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MINI. ❤️