Baldev noticed his friends exchanging a sheepish smile after looking at his face and it annoyed him, " Oye khotyao, mere muh wich koi manoranjan ka programme chal raha hai, jo menu dekh dekh k hase (smile) ja rahe ho?"
"Woh Baldev paji, hum na woh kal raat kay bareme soch rahe the."
Baldev felt a bit uneasy at mention of last night. "Kal raat ko bhul jao.. Naya din nayi gal' honi chaiyye. Ki bolte ho? He laughed nervously at his senseless quote..
"Baldev paji, kal raat ko inne pyar se tussi ne veera ko jo bola hai, us k baad lagta toh nahi k Veera tenu kal raat k bareme inni aasani se bhul ne dengi" His friend Baggi smirked.
"O..ye k..ki bakwas kar rahe ho tum dono?" Baldev stammered and swallowed. "W.. waise k..ki bola tha maine uss Veera ko kal raat ko?" He inquired trying to sound nonchalant, taking a sip of tea.
His friend smirked again. " Woh Baldev Paji aapne bola tha ki 'Veera waise tu na inni buri bhi nahi hai.'.. Aur yeh bone kay baad tussi hase bhi the."
Baldev almost chocked on the tea from the shock. "Oye chup kar oye. Khotyao.. Kuchh bhi bakwas kiye ja rahe ho. Maine inni bhi nahi chada rakhhi thi kal raat kay mai inna wadda siyapa kar du. Huh.." He shook his head and continued, "Subah subah us jalli ka nam le kay chai ka mood khrab na kar oye." He exasperated and took a sip of tea but chocked on his tea again as he heard that Jalli' calling his name from behind.
Finding him chocking, Veera gave a solid blow on his back, " Oye Baldev, kabhi to koi kaam thik se kiya kar. Ab thik hai?" She inquired with a devious smile.
Heatedly, he turned and found her smiling slyly. "Tu samajti ki hai apne aap ko?" His voice was half-chocked gasp.
"Arey mai toh teri madad kar riya si. Aur ki kar rahi thi!" She shrugged her shoulders.
"Madad kar rahi thi ya maar rahi thi?" He gritted his teeth.
"Phitte muh tera.. agar marna hi hota toh yeh shubh kaam kal raat ko hi na kar ditta hota. Waise kal raat toh waddi tariff kiye ja raha tha meri." She beamed.
Baldev's face flushed as the vague memories of last night flashed in his mind. It made him jumpy. He retorted prickly," Oye Veera, agar tennu lagda hai ki kal raat k wastey mai tenu Thank you - mention not' bolanga, toh ae teri na sabse waddi wali' galatfehmi hai.. Kal raat me tere naal madad mangne wastey nahi aaya tha. Tenu hi sab k mamle wich tang dalne di aadat hai.. Din bhar ka time kam padta tha tenu ki ab raat ko bhi mera pichha karna shuru kar ditta hai tune?" He mocked her.
Veera's temper heated up at his mocking tone. She gritted her teeth and launched forward to strike him. To her shock, her shoes slipped and she stumbled backward instead. A shocking grasp erupted from her lips. All happened in a fraction of a second, Baldev caught her around the waist, his hands firm on her as he kept her from falling on the ground. Veera grabbed his collar for the support.
Veera's shocking gaze collided with his alarmed ones. Neither of them moved for a moment as something came over them. Veera found it difficult to breath as his close proximity was evoking an inexplicable feeling inside her heart. Her heart thundered loudly. Though his face was unreadable, his eyes were sparkling.. She shocked to notice that she indeed liked that sparkle in his mischievous eyes.. On the other hand, Baldev's lungs grew tight as the smell of her perfume momentarily drowned him. His heart pounded wildly. Baldev noticed a mysterious glint in her black eyes and he wondered how he'd never noticed such glint that realy suits her fearless personality.
Oblivious to them, their spectators (Baldev's friends) were looking at them openmouthed. Someone chuckled and reality hit Veera. Then, as quickly as it came, the feeling passed.
Veera recovered first and she snapped at Baldev, "Oye chhad menu."
Dumbstruck, Baldev narrowed his eyes. It took him a minute to register the reality; he regained his composure and retorted, "Pakad toh tune menu rakhha hai." He signaled his eyes where her hands were landed.
"Kabhi toh apni akkal sath le kay ghuma kar, Baldev. Beejee kay paas rakh kay na use jang lag jani hai.." She sneered at him and he glared back. "Mai chhad dwanga tera collar, pehle tu mainu sidha khada hone mai madad kar." She finished sarcastically.
"Han toh menu kaunsa tenu iss tarah pakad kay filmo wale gaane (Song) gaane hai. Khada hi kar riya tha tenu.. Kabhi toh apna muh bandh rakh ki chaabi ghar pe chhod aaya kar..Muh kholna hai aur bakwaas hi nikalni hai andar se.." He snapped back in an even tone.
Roughly, he pulled her up against him. Another startled grasp left from her mouth as she collided with the solid wall of muscle.. She stomped on his feet but he was quick in dodging it this time. She glared at him and he glared back.
"Chalo ab mere sir se ek bohot bada bojja utar gaya..Ab hisab barabar.. Kal tune menu uthaya, aur aaj assi ne tenu girne se bachaya.. Thik hai k nahi?" He arched his eyebrow while rubbing his beard, a shrewd smile hovering on his lips.
He had audacity to smile, her temper flared with a strong desire to throw something at him which could wipe off that smile from his lips.
"Gal to aise kar raha hai ki jaise menu pahad ki choti se girne bachaya hai.. Oye teri madad lene se pehle na mai sachhi mai koi pahad se kud jana pasand karangi." She snapped savagely.
"Arey inni waddi khushkhabri.. Roka kisne hai tenu.. woh raha pahad.. Aur ae rahi tu.. Jini baar marzi ho kuddi lagati reh, han.. Koi rokne shokne nahi wala tenu. Toh tata.. Bye- bye..Toh tu ab apne pahad wale ratey ja aur assi apne ratey."Baldev laughed slyly. Veera glared at him fiercely. He shook his head sarcastically and strode off, leaving Veera distinctively provoked and blatantly furious.
As he neared his bike, his friend whispered in his ear, "Paji menu toh lagda hai kudi mar miti hai aap pe."
Bladev flushed and grabbed his friend's collar, " Tu na jinni shakal di hai unni hi akkal chalaya kar. aur tere dimag ki zyada suni na toh meri toh shaadi bhi ho jani hai uss 'jalli' de naal." He spoke but then puzzled from where that thought came from.
Nervously, he swallowed and left released his friend's collar. Turning, he released a long breath and patted his pocket. "Hisab toh barabar ho gaya.. Ab iss jhumkha nu maar diya jaye kay chhad diya jaye?" He muttered to himself. Strangely, he felt guilty at the thought of destroying that earring..
************
Gunjan wandered everywhere in search of Ranvi. Finally, she found him in his farm with Karan. She walked towards them and spoke to Karan. "Karan, menu Ranvi se na akele mai kuchh baat karni hai."
Ranvi looked at her dumbstruck. Karan coughed and nodded his head, "Han han kyo nahi.. Mai ja hi raha tha." He smiled from Gunjan to Ranvi and walked from there.
Ranvi coughed and started to move away from her. Gunjan caught his wrist, halting him in his track. "Tu ae kyo kar raha hi mere naal, Ranvi?" As she spoke, her eyes and voice exposed her vulnerability and that was his undoing. With a great effort, he pulled away his gaze so that he could do some rational thinking.
"Mai wohi kar raha hu jo tune menu karne kay watey kaha tha kal. Gunjan, mai bas tenu khush dekhna chahnda hu. "Ranvi stopped as his throat felt dry. For a moment, he intrigued by her innocent gaze. Gunjan held her gaze trying to figure out what was going in his mind. There were unspoken words which were still hanging between them.. The last night he'd stirred a strange feeling inside her.. And how she was supposed to make him understand what she was feeling when she wasn't sure of her feeling.. How she was going to make him understand that she always felt lively, safe & secured whenever he was around her, that she trusted him blindly but she was so scared to voice it, that she would be shattered if she would lose him now.. that she love him.. Love him?' Love Ranvi??.. She gasped and blinked back moistures in her eyes.
Ranvi mystified to notice the emotions that played over her innocent face from hurt, to confusion, and then settled into something that he mistook to unnervingly despair'. He noticed water filling her eyes. It took every ounce of his willpower to hold back, suppressing an urge to reach for her, hold her and protect her from her fears that were stopping her to say what was there in her heart. He would be damned if he would pursue her for something which she doesn't want.. Even if it would kill him. Disheartened, he shook his head, and freed his wrist from her grasp. Forcing down a lump of emotions, he turned and left without a word.
For a moment Gunjan's mind went blank as she saw him leaving her. She wanted to run behind him and scream loudly that she loves him.. But her legs betrayed her.. She gazed at his taut back, utterly unable to speak or walk.. Despite her dilemma, she was now most certain about her feeling for Ranvi.. A delightful smile spread on her lips. She was feeling scared, delighted, confused, relieved.. all at the same time.. She released a breath that she was holding and put her palm on her heart to calm it down.
**********************
From far away, Karan witnessed this scene and he smiled. Veera came and stood beside him, fuming. "Yeh Baldev kit oh main na... Menu pahad se kuddi marne bol raha hai, kamina.. Kudna hi hai toh pehle use dhakka marugi aur fir kudugi.. huhhh."She sulked but Karan wasn't listening.
.
"Oye tu aise has kyo raha hai? Mai koi mazak nahi kar riya si." Veera grumbled.
"Arey Veera.. I am sorry I didn't listen what you said.. Mai toh yeh soch raha tha k.. don't you think Ranvi- Gunjan look so perfect together?"
"Hain, ae ki bol raha hai tu? Veer ji aur Gunjan di na wadde ache dost hai. Aur veer ji toh..." Veera spoke and stopped. Her eyes snapped together as her mind started doing double take. Veerji & Gunjan di?? Is she missing something here??
She looked heavenward," Hey Rabji, yeh jhumkhe wali mystry sulji nahi k ek aur mystery solve karne dedi aap ne.."
The same moment, Baldev's bike passed from a distant. Veera looked at his direction. Instantly their gaze clashed.. He looked from Veera to Karan to back at Veera. His eyes flashed anger and Veera returned favor with a similar glare.
"Tenu mai nahi chhadanga< Baldev." Veera vowed
"Tenu toh mai sabak sikha k hi rawanga, Veera." Baldev Vowed
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