Scene 2 Enter: Ritika Kakkar (Ritu)"HAHA!" Rohan laughed out loud. Avi was with Rohan in the canteen during lunch break along with their other friends Abhi and Jai. Avi sat with his friends, giving them a frustrated face as they chuckled at him. Why were they laughing you ask? Because Avi had just told them about the whole episode with his family the other day.
"Arranged marriage is one thing this country has been running on. But now arranged girlfriends?!" Abhi exclaimed. "Now this is revolutionary on uncle's side!"
"Shut up yaar!" Avi said, annoyed.
"Arrey chill, Avi! So what if you're family is arranging your girlfriend?! Maybe their taste is better than you think." Jai said.
"Oh...you don't know uncle that well, Jai!" Rohan exclaimed. "Knowing your parents, Avi, they'll probably get you the perfect bahu type of girl!"
"That's exactly what I don't want! You know how bahu types are!" Avi exclaimed. "They get shy so easily, they treat you like your God and soon start touching your feet for blessings!"
"It could only be worse...if she calls you...bhaiya." Rohan chuckled.
Avi rolled his eyes as Rohan, Abhi, and Jai bursted into laughter. "Some friends you guys are!" Avi exclaimed. "Can you just tell me what to do in this situation?!"
"Take my advice. See the girl. And if you don't like her, then just tell uncle." Rohan said. Just then, simultaneously, Rohan, Abhi, and Jai's phones vibrated as they three received text messages and smiled upon reading them. "Girlfriends?" Avi asked, sighing. Rohan, Abhi, and Jai nodded with smiles. Avi rolled his eyes and in frustration, he grabbed his backpack and left the canteen.
Avi went back to his cabin on the second floor where was working on a new comic strip for the next issue of Bombay Times. After a few hours, he finished his drafts and sent them to Mr. Singh's office. Avi left the office and headed back home on his bike. Once Avi entered the house, he stopped as if he was frozen.
When Avi entered the living room of his home, he saw his family conversing with another family that consisted of a father, mother, and a young daughter. The two families looked at Avi. "Good you're back Avi!" Mr. Kapoor exclaimed. "We've been waiting for you!"
Avi made an attempt to run from the situation, but he was grabbed by Manmeet and his brother, Jaswinder. "Silly boy he is you know!" Mr. Kapoor joked while the other family laughed. Manmeet and Jaswinder made Avi sit down on the chair. "Avi, this is Mr. and Mrs. Kakkar. Rishi here is my childhood friend. He has come to Mumbai all the way from Chandigarh with his family." Mr. Kapoor told Avi.
"Very nice to meet you, boy!" Mr. Kakkar told Avi.
"Say sasrikar," Mrs. Kapoor ordered Avi, whispering to him.
"Sasrikar, uncleji." Avi said, holding his hands in namaste.
"Such a cute boy!" Mrs. Kakkar exclaimed.
"And this is their daughter, Ritika." Mr. Kapoor introduced the girl.
"But we call her Ritu!" Mrs. Kakkar exclaimed.
Ritu looked at Avi with a shy face. Avi looked at her from head to toe. She was a simple, traditional, and typical looking Punjabi girl. Her hair was long and tied in a neat plait, she wore gold jhumka earrings and red and gold bangles, and to top it off, she wore a red Patiala styled salwar kameez with matching chapal. I knew this would happen! Typical bahu type! Why does everything happen to me?! Avi asked himself.
"Anyways, you and Ritu can get to know each other better, Me and Rishi are taking you out." Manjeet told Avi. Avi gave a worried look on his face. Mr. Kapoor, Mr. Kakkar, Avi, and Ritu got in Mr. Kapoor's car. Mr. Kapoor drove them off to a restaurant. Once they got inside, Mr. Kapoor handed some money to Avi. "Okay, beta. Me and Rishi are going to the lounge downtown to watch the cricket match. You two stay here. We'll pick you up in a bit." Mr. Kapoor said.
Ritu nodded with a smile. With that, Mr. Kapoor and Mr. Kakkar left while Avi and Ritu sat down at a table. Ritu started rummaging through her bag while Avi looked on, confused. Ritu then looked at him and Avi tried to smile. "Do you want to order?" Avi asked Ritu nicely.
"You go ahead and order whatever you like." Ritu smiled.
"Oh...okay." Avi said.
I was right! All bahu types let their future husbands decide everything! Avi thought to himself as he looked at the menu. "I'm going to go to the restroom. I'll be back." Ritu said.
"Okay." Avi said. Ritu got up and took her bag along with her to the bathroom. When Avi saw Ritu had left, he immediately took out his cellphone from his jeans pocket and dialed Rohan's number. "Hey." Rohan answered.
"You won't believe this!"
"What?"
"Papa already found a girl!"
"Seriously?! Did he like put you on shaadi.com?!"
"She's his childhood friend's daughter. He made me have dinner with her here in the restaurant."
"Really? How is she?"
"What I didn't want! She's a typical bahu type! No wonder my family got her! She's already acting like I'm her husband!"
"Really? She's actually like that?"
"Of course she -"
Before Avi could finish his sentence, his mouth dropped open as he saw Ritu come out from the bathroom. Ritu was not looking like the same girl she was for the past half an hour. Her hair was all let out, and was much shorter than before, at shoulder length. She had taken off her jewelry and had on a wristband with a bone charm on it. She was no longer wearing a salwar kameez, but instead a black and blue plaid shirt, blue jeans with ripped holes on the bottom, and sneakers. Avi hung up his phone, still shocked at seeing Ritu's changed appearance as she sat down at the table.
"Did you order yet?!" Ritu asked Avi as she sat down, putting her bag on the table.
"Um...no." Avi replied.
"Well get to it!" Ritu yelled.
"Yes, sir...I mean ma'am." Avi said, scared.
Avi called the waiter. "Your order, sir?" the waiter asked. Avi was just about to answer, until Ritu snatched the menu from Avi and said, "Two bowls of paneer, extra ghee." The waiter nodded and left to get the food.
"I thought I was ordering?" Avi asked Ritu.
"That was just a way of seeing how you would react. And as usual...I get the typical response." Ritu said.
Avi gulped, feeling surprised at Ritu's behavior change. "Can I ask?" Avi asked Ritu.
"What?!"
"Why the sudden getup change?"
"Getup?! This is no getup! With this rishta all set up, you're gonna have to deal with the real Ritu!"
"Rishta?! You mean-"
"Yes! Your buddu papa told us about your girlfriend problem! He was so desperate to get you one! Talking about how its a shame on Punjabi blood! Nonsense!"
"Then why are you agreeing to this?"
"Pleasing papa and mama. And it will be so much fun...seeing you go through this!"
Avi began to whimper as the waiter came back with the food. "Do you want anything to drink?" the waiter asked.
"Haan. Orange juice." Avi sighed.
"And you, ma'am?" the waiter asked Ritu.
"Vodka." Ritu replied.
Avi looked at Ritu shocked. Did she just say vodka?! Avi asked himself. "Um...how many ma'am?" the waiter asked.
"I usually get three. But just one today. After all, can't get in trouble with papa." Ritu replied. The waiter nodded and came back with orange juice and vodka. Avi hesitatingly sipped his orange juice after he finished his food. When Ritu was finished, she drank the entire glass of vodka in one go while Avi looked at her, shocked. Just then. Ritu's phone vibrated. She checked to see she got a text message from her dad. After she read it, she immediately took out a mint from her bag and popped in her mouth, rushing to the bathroom. "Arrey!" Avi called out as Ritu went into the bathroom. Just then, the waiter came to Avi with the bill and Avi paid the money.
Avi got up from the table and saw Mr. Kapoor and Mr. Kakkar come inside the restaurant. "Hi Avi," Mr. Kakkar said. "Where's Ritu?"
"She's-"
"I'm here!"
Ritu had just came out of the bathroom and Avi was shocked to see Ritu back in her previous look as if she had never changed at all. "Did you like the food, Ritu?" Mr. Kapoor asked Ritu.
"Yes, it was lovely." Ritu replied nicely.
"Good. Let's go then." Mr. Kapoor said.
Ritu followed Mr. Kapoor and Mr. Kakkar as they began to leave the restaurant while Avi stood, baffled. I was already upset with getting a bahu type! And now...the bahu girl gets remixed Yo Yo Honey Singh style! Avi thought to himself. Its offical...I'm doomed!
Edited by meryl97 - 11 years ago
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