It was a sunny day. The weather did not become unbearable, however the sun was warm enough to cause some sweat to pour out of their pores, whilst they were waiting for the only bus that will take them to Preetampura.
Veera was getting tired.. she hadn't had a proper meal since morning.. Karan had got her some cookies an hour or two ago but those were not filling.. she was getting a bit dehydrated too.. Karan was sitting on the bench that meant to symbolize the bus stand, while Baldev was doing just fine. He was looking great in the bright day light as if he gets his energy from the Sun itself.
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Baldev and Karan had some paper work pending in Amritsar, and the duo had decided to head to the Registrar's office early morning itself. They had a quick breakfast at the dining table with the rest of the family, and they finally started their little journey off.
They were about to cross the pind's border, when Karan asked Baldev to stop his jeep right away.
Baldev looked at him questioningly while Karan jumped off his seat and met up with Veera, who was walking back to her house from her fields.
Veera had been chewing on a piece of sugarcane when Karan appeared in front of her out of nowhere. She was more than happy to see her best friend early morning.
Veera - oye karan.. tu ethe? itni subah subah? kahi ja raha hai?
(Veera then looks at Baldev behind Karan, and gets serious)
Veera - Oye Karan.. kahi eh kaala kayuva (crow) tujhe kidnap toh nahi karke leke jaa raha? tu bol toh sahi.. abhi iski haddi pasli ek kar deti main..
Karan - (laughingly) - arre nahi nahi Veera.. hum dono shehar ja rahe.. Amritsar.. kisi kaam se.. aisa kar tu bhi saath chal na.. tu bhi jab se pind waapas aayi hai kahi baahar ghoomne nahi gayi.. aur hum dupehar tak toh wapas aa hi jayenge.. tu saath chal.. maza aayega..
Baldev - abbe kya kar raha hai Karan... usko kyun saath mein ghaseet raha hai.. na humein kaam karne degi na khud kujh karegi.. isko yahin chhor.. tu aaja.. chal humein deri ho rahi hai..
Baldev tries to prevent Karan from not taking Veera along with them..
Karan - arre nahi yaar.. Veera ko bhi saath leh chalte hai na.. meri bestie hai yeh.. itne din ho gaye isse baat tak nahi ki khul ke.. aaj mauka bhi hai aur dastoor bhi.. (To veera) veera tu apne veerji ko kehde call kar ke k tu hamaare saath hai.. n hum jaldi hi wapas bhi aa jayenge..
Veera - (excitedly) okay ek minute..
Veera calls up Ranvi and let him know about the plans. Ranvi let her go. He had met Karan few times by now and had realized that Karan was a true friend to Veera and he wouldn't harm her or let anyone else harm her in any way.
After getting permission from her Veerji, Veera jumped into the back seat of Baldev's jeep.
Baldev glared at her and she glared back at him.
Veera - abb chal gaddi chala Baldev.. mere chehre se nazar hata leh aur sadak pe dheyaan de..
Karan, who was sitting in the passenger's seat, turned backwards to talk to Veera..
and they started off with their chit-chat..
Baldev was pissed off listening to their bak-bak but there was nothing much he could do.
Baldev even cleared his throat few times to get some attention from the duo but got nothing back in return except few taunts from Veera..
Veera - gala khraab hai Baldev.. paani pee le na kahi pe gaadi rok ke..
Veera - roz roz itna chilaata hai gala phaarh phaarh kar.. gale mein khaarish toh laajmi hai na..
Veera - Vicks ki goli lo, khich khich door karo..
Baldev finally learned that they were not going to include him in their conversations. He went silent and focused on driving.
All three reached Amritsar in no time.
Veera - oye Baldev.. itni jaldi kaise pahaunch gaye.. abhi toh mujhe aur baatein karni thi
Baldev - (taunts back) - toh aisa karte hai na kabootri.. wapas pind chalte hain.. roti wagera khaate hain aur phir aa jayenge yahaan ek baar aur.. tum log aur baatein kar liyo raste mein
Veera - oye tu mere ko na yeh kabootri mat bulaya kar.. ek din na tu pit jaayega mere se main bata rahi hoon.. abhi se warn kar rahi hoon..
Baldev - (laughs off) - tu peetegi mujhe? tujhe toh main ek mutthi se daboch loon..
Karan interferes..
Karan - bass yaar.. tum dono bhi na.. na jagah dekhi na waqt.. jhagra karne lagg jaate ho.. abb dekho hum kaam poora kar le.. phir humein wapas bhi chalna hai..
Veera - theek hai tum dono jaayo.. main wahaan icecream khaati hoon tab takk..
Veera walks to the ice cream parlor and gets a mixed ice cream cone for herself..
Karan and Baldev go to the Registrar's office and get their work done. They both come back to Veera after few minutes..
Veera - arre Karan tu bhi kha na.. barhi changi ice cream hai..
Karan - nahi veera.. tu enjoy kar.. main wahaan se paani leke aata hoon..
Karan walks away to buy some bottled water..
Veera was still enjoying her cone.. Baldev keeps looking at her..
Baldev - (in his mind) abhi bhi bachi hi hai.. kabhi nahi sudhregi yeh..
Veera notices him looking at her..
Veera - Baldev.. tujhe bhi chahiye toh tu bhi lele.. is tarah kyun dekh raha hai..
Baldev - chahiye hogi toh leh loonga.. aur waise bhi.. main itna chhota nahi raha k beech raaste mein baith kar ice cream ke maje loon..
Veera finishes her cone, and wipes her face with a tissue, she was just about to say something..
Baldev - abhi bhi laga huya hai.. achhe se saaf kar nahi toh jeep mein na baithne doonga..
Veera tries to wipe everything off her face but Baldev tells her some residue is still there on her face..
Veera - to tu hi karde na saaf.. kab se dimaag ka dahi kiya huya hai..
He brings his index finger to her face, and wipes off some cream on the side of her nose. Her warm breath fell on his fingers and he shut his eyes for a brief moment. They weren't standing too close to each other but he could hear her heart beating at a faster pace than usual, the heart beats were becoming too fast and too loud simultaneously. He could feel the warm blood pumped out by her heart in his own arteries. It was a different feeling. A feeling he has never felt before. Never with anyone or at any place. It was when Veera shifted her face out of his reach, he realized that perhaps it was his own heart: beating loudly, pumping blood faster than usual, etc.
Veera felt awkward at Baldev touching her face. Though they have had a countless number of verbal clashes since childhood, they had never got into physical contact with each other in this manner. Veera looked everywhere but him.
Baldev turned his back to her and walked away from her, to his jeep.
Karan returned back to Veera and offered her a bottle. Veera took one from Karan but remained silent.
Karan- oye ki hoya tainu.. itni chup chup kyun hai.. kuch kaha Baldev ne?
Veera - nahi yaar.. woh kya kahega.. bass avein hi.. chal abb ghar jaana hai mainu..
They both got into their seats, and Baldev started driving to their way back to Preetampura. However the only difference was that it wasn't Veera-Karan chit-chatting now, It was only Karan trying to get into a conversation with Baldev and Veera, one after the other. But he was not getting successful.
All three went quiet for a while...
and
Crashh... their jeep hit the big tree on the side of the road.
