Chapter 1
"Good morning Dad! Good morning Mom!" Armaan does his handshake with his father then kisses his mom's cheek. He settles down at the table for breakfast.
"Aaj dupear ko ready rehna Armaan," Ananya said as she eats her breakfast. Armaan stops eating and looks up at his mom then his dad who is drinking his coffee.
"Aaj dupaer ko kya hai?" Armaan questions, getting a feeling that he forgot something.
"Hum lunch ke liye bahar jaa rahe hai," says Ananya. Realization hits Armaan and he closes his eyes in frustration. He remembers his mom telling him two days ago that all three of them are going to go for lunch.
"Crap! Woh aaj hai?" Armaan buries his face in his hands with his elbows resting on the table.
"Armaan! Maine tumhe do din pehle bataya tha! Hamesha tum kahin na kahin chale jaate ho. Ab kahan jaa rahe ho?" Ananya questions him.
"Rahul aur Atul ke saath bahar jaa raha hoon."
"Armaan, jab bhi tum office se ghar aate ho toh kahin chale jaate ho! Weekends pe bhi kahin chale jaate ho!"
"I know, I'm sorry Mom lekin hum next weekend chale jayege ya phir kal chale jayege. Meri kal bhi chuti hai." Armaan said with a few hand gestures. "Hum next week bhi jaa sakte hai na? Hai na Dad?"
"Apni Mom se pucho. Unn ka koi aur plan hai," said Billy. Ananya glares at Billy. Billy lowers his head to save himself from his wife's glare. Armaan ignores the little interaction between his parent's and continues to speak.
"Hume aaj hi kyun jaana hai?" Armaan asks
"Bas aaj hi jaana hai," Ananya said, fumbling a bit. Armaan gives her a look.
"Mom," Armaan said in a warning tone.
"Okay, humare saath ek aur family bhi lunch kar rahi hai. Ladki ki family," Ananya says the last part slowly.
"Oh Mom, phir se rishta! Main thak chuka hoon inn rishton se!" Armaan exclaims. "Aap mujhe ajeeb ladkiyon se mil wati hai."
"Kaunsi ajeeb ladkiyan se mil vaya hai?
"Ek jo hamesha jaanwaro ke baare main baat kari hai. Usse toh kisi janwaar se shaadi kara deni chaiye aur phir woh cross eyed wali ladki! Mom, aap aisi ladkiyan kahan se dhund rahi hai? Aisi ladkiyan toh uss shaadi.com jaise website pe hoti hai jinke rishte nai aate." Ananya didn't say anything and Armaan looks at her suspiciously. "Aap ne kahin meri toh ek profile shaadi.com pe toh nai banayi?" Ananya looks at Billy for help, but he raises his hands up, gesturing that he is not getting involved. "Mom!"
"Sorry beta, lekin main kya karo?"
"Mom, aap toh aise keh rahi hai jaise main koi ladki hoon. Guys ki shaadi kabhi bhi ho sakti hai Mom. Aur aap ne yeh kiya kyun?"
"Beta, main tumhari shaadi karana chahthi hoon aur tumhe khush dekhna chathi hoon. Aur tasveere jo bheji gayi thi woh bilkul theek lag rahe the."
"Aur jab hum unse mile toh waise lag rahe the?" Ananya shakes her head. "Exactly! Mom aise profiles pe woh edit wali tasveer bhej the hai tha ke unke liye rishte aaye aur woh log desperate hai. Main desperate nai hoon, aap hai." Ananya glares at him. Armaan closes his mouth. Armaan sees Ananya's fallen face and sighs. "Mom, main khush hoon. Let me live my life while I'm twenty five.
"Hey, that rhymes," said Billy. Armaan gives his dad a weird look and Billy frowns. His dad could be such a kid sometimes, but that's what he loves about him. Billy can get strict only when he has to otherwise he is the most chilled out and laid back father. His mother on the other hand worries a bit too much like every mother does, but that is how a mom is towards her kids.
"Just relax. I promise you ke by 30 I'll be settles," Armaan assures Ananya.
"28," Ananya negotiates. Armaan sighs in defeat.
"Fine 28...wait that's just three years." Ananya looks at him with her eyes full of hope. "Okay, 28 it is. Lekin ladki main apne liye khud dhunda ga. Agar aap dhunde gi toh pata nai kise meri shaadi karva degi." Billy spits his coffee out as he starts laughing. Armaan and Ananya look at Billy.
"Tum jaante ho aaj kaisi ladki tumhari Mom tumse milva ne jaa rahit hi?" Billy asks, trying to control his laugh. Armaan shakes his head. "Me marry guy you see. I you see, me you see, we each other all see." Armaan looks at his dad as if he has gone crazy.
"Kya?" Armaan's face showed complete confusion.
"Exactly, kya? Mujhe bhi nai kuch samajh aaya. USs ki profile pe likha tha."
"Toh aap bhi Mom ke saath shamil the iss me?" Armaan rolls his sleeves up. Billy stands up.
"Nai Armaan, main toh bas suggestions de raha tha," Billy defends himself.
"Suggestions?" Armaan nods his head and walking towards him.
"Armaan, tum apne baap ko maroge?" Billy acts as if he is surprised, but knows that Armaan is reaaly not going to hit him. They have been in situations where Armaan chases Billy until they are left breathless. "Annie the nanny, meri madat karo na!"
"Ab tum bhi pakde gaye, silly Billy," Ananya said with a triumph smile. Billy gulps and runs away. Armaan runs after him.
"Alright Mom Dad, main jaa raha hoon! Bye!" Armaan leaves the house and gets into the passenger seat of Rahul's car with Atul in the backseat. After the exercise Armaan did chasing after Billy, they had gone back to shaadi.com and looked at the girls that were desperately trying to find a guy as Armaan put it. Some made sense and some were senseless.
"Hey Armaan!" Atul said. "Kaisa hai tu?"
"Aaj toh meri band bajne wali thi," said Armaan.
"Kyun? Kya hua?" Rahul said, his eye son the road.
"Mom, aaj mujhe phir se ek rishte ke liye lekar jaa rahi thi." Armaan shakes his head.
"Phir se?! Iss baar kaisi thi?" Rahul asks.
"Main usse mila toh nai lekin jo Dad ne bataya woh English bol ne ki koshish kar rahi thi...nai, koshish nai kar rahi thi bal ke uss ne apni nayi ek language bana li." Rahul and Atul laugh at Armaan's misery. "Hans lo!" Tum dono ka bhi time aaye ga bohult jald."
"Main toh already committed hoon," Rahul said.
"Arre haan. Tu Muskaan se kab shaadi kar raha hai?" questions Armaan.
"Pata nai abhi time sayi nai hai," answers Rahul.
"Tu aur Muskaan ek dusre ko bachpan se jaante ho aur char saal toh ho gaye ek dusre ko date karte. Aur kya chaiye tujhe?"
"Usse woh chaiye?" Atul speaks. Armaan turns his head and looks at Atul while Rahul glances at him through the rear view mirror.
"Kya?" Armaan asks. Rahul parks the car at the mall's parking lot and turns his attention to Atul.
"Arre wohi jo ek boyfriend girlfriend karte hai," Atul said.
"Kya Atul? Rahul asks, irritated.
"Arre woh na!" Atul also gets annoyed that they are not understanding.
"Kiss?" Armaan gives an option.
"Nai, kiss se aage." Armaan and Rahul look at each other and make a disgusted face.
"That's disgusting Champ! Ab mujhe pata hai ke Anjali tujhe bhao kyun nai deti. Teri soch hi itni ghatiya hai. Armaan said and gets out of the car with Rahul following the same action.
"Mujhe toh yehi laga," Atul gets out of the car. "Waise hum mall kyun aaye hai?" Atul stops walking and so does Armaan while Rahul kept taking slow steps.
"Yeah, hum mall kyun aaye hai?" Armaan repeats the question, but this time directed to Rahul since he is the one who brought them there.
"Meri aur Muskaan ki char saal anniversary aa rahi toh mujhe uss ke liye ke gift khareed na hai," Rahul said, not looking at them.
"Tu hume shopping karne ke liye laya hai?" Armaan says loudly. Armaan and Atul look at each other. Rahul looks at them and nods. "Yaar, isse toh acha main uss ajeeb ladki se milne chala jaata."
"Come on Armaan. Just help me out. Mujhe nai pata ke main uss ko kya lekar doo," Rahul complains.
"Usse propose kar agar meri help chaiye," Armaan said, putting his arm around Atul's shoulder casually.
"I'm not ready," said Rahul, rolling his eyes. Rahul walks away, annoyed with Armaan asking him to propose to Muskaan.
"Maine kaha na, Rahul ko wohi chaiye Muski se," Atul said.
"Chup kar!" Armaan remarks. They follow Rahul inside the mall.
Rahul is looking through the jewelry section while Atul had gone to the clothes section to pick out a dress for Anjali. Armaan is just roaming and whistling near the jewelry section because Rahul had literally gotten on his knees to help him, but so far Armaan has been no help. Armaan looks down at the various jewelries and his eye catches one necklace and stops whistling.
"Hey Armaan!" Rahul calls out to him. Armaan looks at Rahul and Rahul gestures for him to come over. Armaan takes a glance at the necklace and smiles softly. He walks to Rahul.
"Kya hua?" Armaan asks, looking down at the jewelry that Rahul was looking at.
"Yeh earrings kaisi hai? Diamond ki hai."
"Achi hai lekin mujhe phir bhi lagta hai ke tujhe earrings ke bejaye ring leni chaiye."
"Armaan, chod na iss baat ko." Rahul walks away.
"Yaar, wajah bata de phir main chod doga," Armaan said, following Rahul.
"Muskaan ke parent's ko lagta hai ke main uss ke liye sayi ladka nai hoon. Main Muskaan ko propose karna chahtha hoon lekin maine pehle uss ke parent's se pucha lekin uno ne sirf mujhe Muskaan ka boyfriend dekha. Woh nai dekha ke main unn ke dost ka beta hoon aur woh mere saath khush hai. Waise bhi woh toh hamesha se Muskaan ki shaadi kisi doctor se karana chahthe the," Rahul tells Armaan everything and walks away.
This didn't make sense to Armaan because Rahul and Muskaan are childhood friends, then why won't Muskaan's parent's accept him. There has to be a reason otherwise what Armaan has seen, Muskaan's parent's are very fond of Rahul. Armaan turns to go to Rahul, but instead bumps into a girl. She looks up at him and he looks down at her.
"I'm really sorry," Armaan apologizes.
"No, it's fine," she said. They give each other a friendly smile. Armaan walks away, but he couldn't help but look at the girl he bumped into. He notices her black wavy hair and dark color brown eyes when he looked at her. Armaan dreamy smile comes to his face when Atul's voice interrupts him.
"Armaan, yeh Anjali pe bohut sundar lage ga na?" Atul said, holding up a purple maxi dress. Armaan looks at Atul and sees him grinning. Armaan didn't know what to do with Atul. Atul is trying to get a girl who is way out of his league. Atul is a fun loving and soft and caring person. Anjali is more of headstrong and mature, and does care for people also, but sometimes can have an attitude.
"Jo tujhe pasand hai tu wohi le le," Armaan pats Atul's back and walks away. Atul frowns and goes back to the section to look for more stuff.
Armaan walks out of the store and goes to the vending machine to get a drink. He puts his money in and waits for the coke bottle to down so he can get it. Seeing, the coke bottle land, he reaches in and gets it out. Armaan turns around to walk away when he stops abruptly because of a girl bumping into him with her hands on his chest. He looks down at her and she looks up. Armaan recognizes those same brown colored eyes and smiles. She quickly pulls her hands away from Armaan's chest. It's the same girl he had bumped into at the store. She looks at him weirdly when she sees him smiling at her.
"Tum hato ge? Mujhe drink leni hai?" she said, a bit irritated. Armaan offers her his bottle and she shakes her head. Armaan shrugs his shoulders and moves out of the way.
"You know, hum do baar takraye hai aur woh bhi ek hi din mein. That's destiny," Armaan said, leaning against the vending machine. She looks at him. Armaan winks at her.
"Tum mere saath flirt kar rahe ho?" she asks, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Nope! Main toh sirf ek conversation bana raha hoon. I mean do baar takraye hai toh iska koi toh matlab hoga." Armaan smiles at her with his dimples showing. She notices his dimples and feels her heart beat faster for a few seconds. She turns her eyes away then looks back at him.
"Iska koi matlab nai hai. Aur iss ke baad, hum phir nai milege." She takes her drink and walks away with a flip of her hair.
Her long black wavy hair hits Armaan in the face. Armaan turns his face slightly with a dreamy look. Armaan comes out of his dreamland when he realizes that he is in the middle of the mall. Armaan smiles widely and takes a sip of his drink. He looks down to find a delicate bracelet stuck to his shirt. Armaan remembers that her hands were on his chest when she had bumped into him. So it's hers, but he didn't know how to find her and return it back. Armaan rushes down the same way she had left. Looking around for a while, he finally spots her in a store, looking through a rack of clothes. Armaan goes inside and taps her shoulder. She turns around.
"Tum!" she yells. A few heads turn around and she gives them an apologetic look. "Tum mera peecha kyun kar rahe ho?"
"Main tumhare peecha nai kar raha," Armaan says.
"Toh phir yahan kya kar rahe ho?" Armaan opens his mouth to speak, but she cuts him off. "Dekho, I'm not interested aur main tum jaise ladko ko jaanti hoon." This statement made Armaan amused and wanted to hear more.
"Kaise ladke?" Armaan asks.
"Jo hamesha flirt karte hai aur ladkiyon ko sirf use karte hai," she said.
"Tum ko kaise pata ke main aisa hi ladka hoon?" Armaan crosses his arms across his chest.
"Tum lagte ho."
"Really?" She nods. "Theek phir main tumhe yeh bracelet wapis nai dooga." Armaan holds up the bracelet. She looks at him wide eyed and looks at her wrist. The bracelet she always wears is now in his hands. Realizing the mistake she made she feels bad for saying nonsense about him. She didn't even know him and judged him.
"I'm - " She was about to apologize but Armaan cut her.
"Nai, theek hai. Main rakh leta hoon." Armaan puts the bracelet in his pocket. Her jaw drops open.
"What?! Tum mere bracelet ke saath kya karoge? Wapis do mujhe!" She holds her hand out. Armaan puts his hand on her hand and she immediately pulls it back. "Mujhe mera bracelet wapis do!"
"Nai dooga!" Armaan said. "Maine tumhe poore mall main dhunda aur phir jab main tumhe tumhara bracelet wapis karne aaya toh tum mujhe bhadak gayi. Ab tum mujhe dhundo agar tumhe apna bracelet chaiye." Armaan smirks and winks at her shocked face. He walks away without saying another word. The words slowly start to make sense to her brain and she runs after Armaan.
She looks around frantically and had bumped into a lot of people on the way and some had even yelled at her. Breathing heavily and tired, she stops. She should just give up. She isn't going to find him in this crowded mall. Walking away, a hand grabs her arm and pulls her to a corner. She looks up to find Armaan staring down at her with a smirk. Anger builds up in her, but calms herself down. She has already bad stuff about him and didn't want to say more which could lead him to not give her bracelet back.
"Yeh kya kar rahe ho? Chodo mujhe aur mujhe mera bracelet wapis do." She struggles to get out of Armaan's grip.
"Main tumhe chod doga lekin tumhe mujhse sorry kehna padega," Armaan said.
"Kyun?" She was mad now.
"Tumne mujhe itna bura bhala kaha. Tumhe kya laga ke main tumhe chod doga?" Armaan raises his eyebrows. She calms down and looks at Armaan. She finds herself getting lost in his eyes, but quickly looks away. Armaan saw that and smirks. "Toh sorry bolo."
"Sorry," she says in a low voice and not looking at him.
"I'm sorry, kuch sunayi nai diya. Phir se bolo." She glares at him and shakes her head.
"Sorry!" She yells. Armaan grins.
"It's okay!" She rolls her eyes. Armaan lets her go.
"Ab toh mujhe mera bracelet de do," she said, holding her hand out. Armaan puts the bracelet in her hand. She starts walking away, but Armaan grabs her arm. "Ab kya hai?"
"Apna naam toh bata do?" She looks back at Armaan.
"Kyun?"
"Agar hum phir mile?" Armaan says with a slight shrug.
"Hum phir kabhi nai milege!" She said loudly.
"Really?"
"Yes!"
"Lekin mujhe lagta hai ke hum zaroor milege," said Armaan.
"Tum na ab bohut smart bane ki koshish kar rahe ho. Chodo mujhe! Tumhe sharam nai aati ek anjaan ladki ke saath aisa karte ve?" She says.
"Nai," Armaan said simply. "Naam batao."
"Nai batao gi," she said.
"Nai batao gi?" She nods. "Okay." Armaan fights with her to get her bracelet out from her fist that she held it in. Finally, Armaan got the bracelet back. "Naam batao, phir wapis doga." She sighs and gives up. Armaan is looking at the bracelet.
"Anita," she answers. Armaan looks at her.
"Armaan," Armaan introduces himself. Anita looks at Armaan and gets lost in his gray-blue eyes. "Lagta hai mera jadoo tum pe chad raha hai." Anita looks away, hearing Armaan's voice.
"Koi jadoo nai chad raha mujh pe. Goodbye!" She pushes Armaan back lightly and walks away. Armaan leans back against the wall and smiles.
"Oyye hoyye!" Armaan feels his phone vibrate in his pocket and answers it. "Hello."
"Armaan, tu kahan hai?" Rahul asks on the other end.
"Woh main drink lene ke liye gaya tha. Tumne gift khareed liya?"
"Haan, main aur Atul food court main hai. Tu bhi aaja."
"Theek hai. Aa raha hoon." Armaan hangs up and walks to the food court.
Armaan find Rahul and Atul and sits down at the table.
"Hey, kahan tha?" Atul asks, eating his fries. Armaan starts thinking about Anita with a half smile. "Armaan!" Atul tries to get his attention, but Armaan was still lost in his thoughts. Atul looks at Rahul, who just shrugs his shoulders. "Armaan!" Atul waves his hand in front of him. Armaan blinks and comes back to reality.
"Uh...haan."
"Kahan kho gaya hai tu?" Rahul asks.
"Kahin nai," Armaan said quickly. Rahul raises his eyebrows. "Kuch nai hai yaar. Yeh bata ke tune kya liya hai Muskaan ke liye."
"Earring ke bejaye maine Muskaan ke liye bracelet liya hai." Again, Armaan goes back to thinking about Anita with a soft smile.
"Yeh phir kho gaya," said Atul. Armaan heard that and looks at Atul with a mad face.
"Nai khoya hoon. Yahin hoon. Dekhao!" Armaan raises his fist. Atul ruined his moment. Atul moves back as an instinct. Armaan shakes his head once then again his mind is filled with Anita.
-
Hope you all liked it!Edited by DesireLove - 13 years ago
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Anupamaa
CID
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
193