Chapter 3 (First Sparks)
Banaras didn’t just watch. It listened.
It listened to the clipped words between brothers at dawn, the unspoken questions in glances across courtyards, and the quiet storms that rose in hearts too proud to name them.
And now, after years of distance, after a single splash and a single stare, the city braced itself — because the lines had been drawn, and nothing would stay hidden for long.
Gupta Nivas – Morning
Shiv Gupta had his sleeves rolled up, quietly shaping dough for pooris. His rhythm was deliberate, his face calm—but inside, thoughts stirred. It was one of those mornings when the air smelled of lemongrass, smoke, and unfinished conversations.
“Bhaiya!” Veeru barged in, holding up a card wrapped in gold thread. “Did you seriously order a saree? For yourself? Should I be concerned?”
Shiv didn’t look up. “It’s an invite.”
“To a women’s self-defense workshop at Kalpana NGO,” Alok clarified, entering with a cup of chai. “The same NGO you’ve been secretly funding for years, apparently.”
Rajat, flipping through the newspaper, raised a brow. “Kalpana? That’s where Ganga Prakash volunteers, isn’t it?”
When Shiv didn’t answer, Rajat lowered the paper slightly, grinning. “The Prakash family’s pride and joy. Are we... making peace treaties now?”
Veeru gasped dramatically. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to go! To a place full of women who know how to punch?”
Shiv calmly wiped his hands. “I’m going. It’s a public event.”
Veeru clutched his heart. “Is this the same Shiv Bhaiya who once said he’d rather attend a tax audit than a public gathering?”
Shiv glanced up briefly. “It’s a public event, Veeru. I’m attending to show support.”
Alok smirked. “Support for women’s safety... or for Ganga Prakash?”
Shiv shot him a calm, warning look.
Jay, stepping in at that moment with a biscuit half in his mouth, mumbled, “Who needs Netflix when you guys serve drama for breakfast?”
Veeru handed him the invite. “Come with Bhaiya to Kalpana. Maybe you’ll get punched and we’ll have peace at home for a week.”
Jay grinned. “Tempting. But someone’s got to keep Rajat out of trouble.”
Rajat rolled his eyes. “Oh, thanks for the confidence.”
Kalpana NGO – Courtyard of Echoes
The courtyard hummed with energy—women practicing defense moves, laughter mingling with the thump of sticks and claps of encouragement. Ganga Prakash moved among them, adjusting a student’s grip, correcting a stance. Calm. Focused.
And then… she felt it.
A shift. A presence.
Shiv Gupta stood at the edge of the courtyard, hands clasped behind his back, respectful but impossible to miss.
Their eyes met. Sparks flew—not of romance (not yet)—but of two people too proud to look away first.
“Namaste,” Shiv said, his voice steady.
Ganga inclined her head coolly. “I wasn’t expecting a Gupta here.”
“I wasn’t expecting such hostility in a place meant for learning.”
Her silver bangles clinked softly as she crossed her arms. “Hostility? No. Caution? Absolutely.”
“Caution against me?”
“Against what you represent.”
Shiv’s lips curved, just slightly. “I’m not here to represent anyone but myself.”
“This isn’t your arena, Shiv Gupta.”
He nodded, unoffended. “I’m not here to claim it. Just to observe.”
Ganga turned to her group. “Five-minute water break, everyone!”
As the women dispersed, she faced him fully. The tension between them crackled louder than the traffic horns beyond the gates.
“Your family’s donations don’t buy you a pass here.”
“I didn’t come looking for one.”
“Good,” she said. “Because I don’t give them.”
Neither moved. Neither blinked. And neither admitted that the storm inside had just begun.
Prakash Haveli – Veranda
Amba Prakash sat on the creaking swing, slicing raw mango, her blade swift and sure.
“Shiv Gupta was seen at Kalpana this morning,” Chanda the house-help said lightly, almost testing the waters.
The blade froze mid-slice.
“Of course,” Amba muttered, her voice like steel wrapped in velvet. “Where there’s a chance to look noble, a Gupta won’t be far behind.”
She popped a mango slice into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully.
“Let him strut. Let him offer his charity. It changes nothing.”
The swing creaked as she resumed slicing—clean, precise, like she was cutting up the past itself.
Ramnagar Ghat – Late Afternoon
Meera Prakash sat on the wide stone steps, sipping soda through a steel straw, her combat boots muddy from the morning drills. The river flowed on, but her mind was stuck in a whirlpool of its own.
Rani flopped beside her, kicking off her sandals and groaning.
“So… any progress on your seduce-and-destroy mission?”
Meera shot her a look. “Don’t joke.”
“I’m not!” Rani held up her hands. “You’ve been brooding like a failed poet all day.”
Meera stared at the water, the current reflecting the mess inside her.
“Amma wants me to break him. Make him fall, then walk away. Like they did to us.”
Rani blinked. “Whoa. That’s… dark.”
Meera’s voice softened. “But he doesn’t act like a villain, Rani. He doesn’t even act like a Gupta.”
Rani watched her friend quietly.
“I hate that he listens. That he doesn’t flinch when I insult him. That he looks at me like I’m… a puzzle. Not a problem.”
Rani grinned. “Oh no. You’re falling for the enemy.”
“I hate him,” Meera snapped.
“Sure,” Rani teased. “Because that sounded super convincing.”
They sat in silence as a temple bell rang somewhere upstream.
“I’m supposed to trap him,” Meera said, quieter this time. “But what if I fall instead?”
As they sit quietly, Jay strolls by with a bag of jalebis, pretending not to notice them.
“Fancy seeing you two at the ghat, plotting world domination?” he called out.
Meera groaned. “Jay, go away.”
Rani smirked. “He’s like a mosquito. Shows up everywhere.”
Jay pretended to be wounded. “Mosquito? At least I’m sweet-blooded enough to attract attention.”
Before Meera could retort, he tossed a jalebi into Rani’s lap.
“For your stress. You’re welcome.”
Rani blinked, surprised. A small, genuine smile escaped her.
“Thanks... I guess.”
Jay winked. “Anytime, sidekick.” He sauntered off before they could respond.
Meera shook her head. “That guy’s impossible.”
Rani, chewing thoughtfully on the jalebi, muttered, “And weirdly sweet.”
Gupta Nivas – Evening
The haveli was warm with the smell of ghee and hing. Rajat folded laundry on the veranda while Jay leaned lazily against the window, spooning chutney straight from the jar.
“I bring disturbing news,” Jay announced dramatically.
“I’m sure it’s unnecessary,” Rajat muttered, not looking up.
Jay smirked. “Apparently, Meera Prakash was seen at the ghat today… not yelling. Just sitting there. Staring at the river like she’s in a tragic love song.”
Rajat finally looked up, unimpressed.
“You’re messing up her mission, soldier boy,” Jay said, wagging the chutney spoon at him.
“There is no mission,” Rajat replied flatly.
“Oh, my sweet naive idiot,” Jay grinned. “She’s the mission. And you? You’re the battleground.”
Rajat threw a towel at him.
Meanwhile, Alok walked in, ending a hushed phone call. His expression was unreadable.
Veeru peered at him. “Which client now?”
Alok coughed. “Just work.”
Veeru folded his arms. “Uh-huh. Does this ‘client’ wear ghungroos, by any chance?”
Alok hurled a cushion. “Get out!”
Montage – The City Holds Its Breath
· Shiv, standing at the window, watching the moon rise over Banaras rooftops, drumming his fingers on the sill.
· Ganga, walking home, pausing by a crumbling wall where Prakash–Gupta Community Trust is barely visible beneath the dirt. She wipes the dust off… then keeps walking.
· Meera on her balcony, muttering into the breeze: “Fall for me, Rajat Gupta. I dare you.”
· Amba, burning an old letter, the flame reflecting cold resolve in her eyes.
· Jay standing on a rooftop, playing his flute idly, watching Banaras lights flicker — spots Rani walking below with her books, smiles to himself, and shakes his head.
· Rani, feeling a gaze, glances up, sees nothing, and keeps walking — heart oddly lighter.
Banaras remembers.
And it waits—for sparks, for storms, and for hearts that keep pretending they aren’t listening.
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To be continued.
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