AWTBL-Someday!Chp12(A). pg75. Jan28. - Page 40

Originally posted by: Illuminatus.

Sorry folks just got back from a 2week long trip. I had completely forgotten how busy the month of June is in my family. It's 4th of July today and I am completely exhausted.

Give me some time to get back.

Thank you.

mini when r u coming...
plzz come soon

CHAPTER 11

Poonam and Purnima come rushing from behind and hug Kalpi from both sides as they pull her towards the stairs.

"Chalo, Lets go downstairs we are not letting you hide here on the terrace any longer." Its only then that they noticed Raghav. They gave him a silly grin as they pulled Kapli with them and ran down the stairs leaving a much bemused Raghav to follow them.

The guests were having a gala time in the front lawns of the new house of Kamini and Kissan Yadav. Kamini's had insisted that they have a small open water tank in one corner of the lawn close to the garden water tap. "This reminds me of the house we had during bauji's posting in Gonda. We had a hand pump in the middle of the small courtyard and those are one of my favorite memories." This was their first house that they had bought and her husband made sure to fulfill all her wishes for a dreamhouse.

And currently all the children in the house seems to be drawn towards the water tank like bees to honey. It was filled with water and was the constant supply to fill the water guns and color sprays.

The only person who was standing farthest from that corner was Kalpi. She stood next to the snacks table, serving shikanji and thandai to the guests.

"Arre, bacche aap yahan ho? Won't you play Holi?" Kissan Mausaji asked taking the thandai glass from Kalpi's hand.

"Mausaji I am allergic to holi colors." She replied.

"Then you must go and wash your face fast. Someone has already put color on you. Your cheeks, temple all are pink and red." Kissan mausaji replied distractedly as he walked back to his group of friends.

Kalpi's hand caressed her cheek as her eyes unconsciously found Raghav.

Her thoughts went back to the unfinished conversation.

"I am sure, you like roses. All girls love flowers specially roses. Is it not?" He asked. But when he saw her staring at him with a blank he had offered a more logical answer to smoothen her hyper nerves.

"Its only rose petals. Dried and crushed to form this sweet powder. This is how holi was played many many years ago in Vrindavan. And looks like it is trending again." He grinned.

Kalpi had had just enough time to mutter Krishna' under her breathe, before Poornima and Poonam come like a tornado and whisked her away. It was now that she could smell the sweet powdery smell of the gulal on her face. Thank god no one could see the deep blush spreading under that color.

She looked in the direction where the music was playing loud and where Paakhi was the centre of attraction, as usual. Rakesh and Keshav were behaving like perfect minions as they hovered and followed every step of Paakhi. Paakhi looked beautiful in a white chiffon multilayered kurti and skirt which had now turned into a pretty shibori design of yellows, purples and pinks. It did nothing but enhance her beauty even more, if that was ever possible. Her lithe body moved like waves to the beats of the dance number.

Kalpi looked at her lovingly mixed with a longing that she had never understood. Shaking her head out of a revery her eyes found her cousins jiving crazily around the big music system.

Poonam and Purnima were busy alternating being DJ, and following their mother's domestic orders of keeping the guests out in the lawns instead of retiring into the sitting room and smearing the marble floors or the rented white lounging sheets on the floor with permanent strains. Those sheets are meant only for people who stay back for lunch. And that will be served once everyone has cleaned up and changed. Kamini had repeated her orders strictly.

As soon as they saw Kalpi looking towards them they waved at her to come and join them in the dance arena. Even as she began to shake her head to refuse the preposterous suggestion of her dancing, she found the ground below her turn into air and in the next fraction of a second she was standing in front of Paakhi, right in the middle of the cemented landing of the driveway, the temporary dance floor.

Her cousins cheered from the patio, the DJ corner. She turned to find Prem standing behind her with a naughty grin. Before she could react Paakhi caught hold of her and shouted, " thank you Bhaiya, you are seriously awesome ... Kalpi, dear kalpi I will not listen to one word of yours. You will have to dance with us now. Boys attack!!"

With that Keshav and Rakesh barricaded her and the music once again grew loud. She tried to do a couple of simple steps but it was difficult to find her rhythm in the chaos and nervousness. Kalpi kept looking around and twirling her duppatta lightly as Paakhi gyrated wildly and Keshav and Rakesh moved around her.

Finally the song came to an end and she felt relieved that her ordeal was over. But once again she found herself lifted as the ground once again slipped under her. Prem whispered in her ears, "One dance with me please," too shocked to say anything Kalpi stayed still within the rim of his arms before he took her hand and swirled her.

Through the edge of her eyes she saw kamla standing next to a joyfully laughing Kamini. Kamla had a guarded look on her face as she stood still.

Prem requested Poonam for Balam Pichkaari' even though they protested that it has already been played 3 times. He pleaded them to play it one more time and he would do whatever they ask of him. This made the girls giggle. Next moment the song blasted off the 440 watts speakers which shook everyone to the bones in the front lawns.

Paakhi ran to where Raghav stood watching the latest happening and went up to Raghav and pulled him to the dance floor.

Prem started making circles around Kalpi and Raghav did the same around Paakhi. Sometimes during the dance the boys changed their positions. Raghav started moving around Kalpi while Prem joined Paakhi enacting Shammi Kapoor.

Raghav decided to take Kalpis hand and swirled her around couple of times which confused Kalpi because she had never done that. Then the music ended. And the abrupt end made Kalpi stop in a mid swirl and crash into Raghav.

Kamla immediately shouted, "Kalpi enough now come here." Raghav felt Kalpi shiver and stiffen and quickly slide away from him.

Kalpi was did not look up at Raghav and rushed towards the patio where Kamla stood in the hopes to pacify her as fast as she could.

"Kalpi!! It is already two past noon. I thought you had more sense than fooling around here. Go clean up fast and help in laying the lunch tables. And why are you here outside anyways? You tell everyone you don't like Holi then you come out here and apply colors. What will your mausajii and Kamili jiji thinking about you?"

Poornima and Poonam ran to rescue Kalpi but by then she had already disappeared inside.

It was only when Prem came and held Kamla by her shoulders and grinned, "Arre, aunty why are you so worried most of the guest are gone. And Kalpi was helping at the snack bar till now. She came over to dance because of that Chipkali called Paakhi. She is the one who wanted to dance with her dear friend. So if somebody deserves your scolding it is her, the chipkali." He pointed at Paakhi. Everyone in the room started laughing and Paakhi stood making angry mock faces at Prem. But she was just as relieved to see Kamla smile back at Prem.

By the time the remaining guests and family members has taken bath, changed into new sets and come down Kalpi had arranged the buffet of delicacies on the dining table. She had pulled the table to one corner of the room and arranged the food as a buffet so that it was easy for people to take food and circulate around. The late lunch consisted of Pooris, masala chole, Kashmiri dum aloo, keera raita, and moong daal halwa.

Kalpi once again stood in the corner serving everyone cool water and sharbat.

Poonam watched Prem serve two plates of food. She nudged Purnima to watch the scene who was busy gutting down pooris in single morsels. "I bet you know that plate is for you know who?!"

"Hmmm, but do you really think he has changed... just like that?" She snapped her oily fingers and continued, "360 degrees?!?" she whispered in a contemplating way.

"Obviously, both of us agree on who that plate is for... then lets have a bet about his 360 degree change in character." Poonam whispered back in an overly dramatic whisper, which made both of them almost topple giggling.

Paakhi who was sitting not too far had heard enough of the conversation to understand what they were talking about, as she looked at Prem walking towards where Kalpi stood serving and refilling the trays of poori.

Her brother's change in behavior had not gone unnoticed and she was very happy about it. She always wanted her brother to be nice to Kalpi and she wondered if there was more to it.

Her thoughts went back to the day they had a small argument over the earrings. He had given her a pretty set of bracelet, earrings and finger rings. But after a week he had asked her to give the earrings to Kalpi adding that he thought that it would look nice on her. Paakhi was not ready to destroy her set and thought it was a preposterous suggestion at that time and had grudgingly relented when Prem would not take no for an answer. He had himself wrapped it in a pretty box to gift it to Kalpi. She had herd him mouth, "for all the hard times that I have given you." These were his exact words to Kalpi.

Kalpi had shyly but readily forgiven him yet she refused to take the expensive gift. Paakhi looked on as she saw Kalpi accept the plate from Prem and smile at him.

I will keep my fingers crossed and watch.' Paakhi thought.

...

"Thank you."

"You are welcome. You have been working too hard and did you eat anything since morning?" Prem enquired.

"I mean thank you for being nice to me and for what you did outside today."

Prem Knew what she was referring to. Kalpi's house matters were not hidden from him but it was only now that he was able to understand the seriousness of Kalpi's hard life. He did not want to make it worse for her, but probably the opposite. The thought hit him. Prem was not someone who felt shy or was ever in lose for words but at that moment in front of Kalpi he did not know how to react so he just took a bite of the poori and said, "yumm... did you make these, did you? They are just out of this world. Playing Holi can make this man, a very hungry man."

Making Kalpi smile that reached her eyes.

...

Lets do another bonfire Rakesh suggested as all the young ones in the house lounged at the terrace because that seemed the only place without any elder interference. They had managed to collect all the rugs, beach towels, chattai, and managed to make a cosy nook for themselves under a evening skies. The girls went down to pick up some extra cushions to complete the scene.

"This is almost as good as that terrace club near our campus." Prem said to Raghav who was lightly strumming the guitar and tuning it.

"Bhaiya, really our house is similar to a club?" Rakesh asked mesmerized.

"Yes, kind of but each table has its individual heater to keep the guests warm and few other things..."

"Prem, that much information is enough. I don't think the kids here need to know more than that about your preferred heating system." Raghav interrupted Prem and shoved the guitar at him.

"Bhaiya, we can have a bonfire and that will make everything nice and warm." Grinned Rakesh.

The four girls came out into the terrace with piles of colorful cushions and made Prem and Raghav look at each other and share a secret grin.

Shaking his head and trying to control his laughter Raghav said, "Who would like to sing some notes before we are called down for dinner?"

"I have an idea." Poonam and Purnima said in chorus.

"We will get the food here and have our own small picnic. Its been so much fun here let the party continue."

Everyone cheered in reunion and cheered with their glasses of chai and samosas.

...

Soon they were munching methi parathas, aalo kurma, gobhi ka achaar with raita.

"These kinds of days should never end." Raghav, was busy licking his fingers and like lightening the idea stuck to everyone.

"hmmm..." everyone hummed.

Well, everyone accept one.

"I have to go down and make a call to baba and also see how amma is doing." Kalpi said quietly as she got up to collect everyone's plate.

But Paakhi caught her hand and pulled her. "We are having a very very important discussion and you will not move from here. Samjhee!!" She glared at Kalpi. Why does she always have to be the one to spoil my fun?" Paakhi almost grunted.

"But... but we have to leave in the morning. Baba is alone and I have to..."

"Didi please..." Keshav whined from the other side.

She looked at him, "Amma wont let us... you know that chote..." She shook her head and looked at him pleadingly.

"Prem Bhaiya will help us... wont you come and convince amma for us? I want to go for a picnic too... I have never gone on a picnic before." Keshav asked innocently.

A shocked Prem looked at Keshav then at Kalpi. Several minutes passed by when no one said a word, then a slow smile spread on Prem's face.

"Bas, it has been decided. We are all going for a picnic. And no one will be left behind." Walking over to Kalpi, he took the pile of dinner plates from her hands and helped her stand up.

"Raghav come we have some work to do." He grinned his usual charming smile.

Purnima nudged Poonam as she continued staring at Prem. And mouthed "the bet is so on!"

Poonam agreed," Yes! all this is too good to be true."

Then just as quickly the two girls got up and started dancing and jumping.. "Yayyy!! Life is a picnic, when we fall in love." while Paakhi and Kalpi looked at them quizzically.

"Come on, girls lets plan the food while the boys work their magic..."

"... here, there everywhere." Added Purnima almost hysterically.

But Kalpi's mind was elsewhere!! I have to stay away, stay away, it screamed.

ps- ignore the typos they just refuse to leave!! 😊

NO PMS But...

Please do LIKE and LOVE.

Leave me a comment for sure to tell me how you like the update. And what are your expectations from the story.

lovely update

Awesome update

Nice update and thanks for update.

Fascinating update ! never expected Prem to be so 'courteous' towards Kalpi ! Wonder if he is falling for Kalpi? Interesting , if so. Loved the update. Thanks

Sorry dear for late comment
Awesome superb everyone has teenage feelings confused with preerm s changed.behavier towards kalpi
Kalpi is.happy first time.she is.enjoying
please.try to update soon

Awesome update,loved it.Thankyou 👏👏👏👏.