This OS is set a few days after Aryan was shot. Aryan has taken 2 weeks off work on his mother’s insistence. The love confession has not happened yet and Narmada is still constantly being mean to Imlie. Imlie has begun to distance herself from Aryan to avoid conflict between him and his mother.
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Aadat Ho Gayi Mujhe Tumhari
It’s been 10 days since Aryan returned from the hospital. It’s been 10 days since Aryan heard his mother accusing Imlie of bringing bad luck in his life. It’s been 10 days since Aryan told Imlie that he’d fill her life with his colors. But he failed. He failed because Imlie doesn’t smile as often as she did before. He failed because Imlie isn’t as enthusiastic as she was before. He failed because since that day his mother has not stopped hurting Imlie and he hasn’t been able to stop his mother. He saw Imlie break a little every time his mother accused her. But dare she express her hurt in front of him.
Imlie, this 20 year old phenomenon. She was too resilient for her own good he always thought. He knew she took too much on her tiny shoulders but he also knew that she fulfilled every responsibility she took on. And now she had taken it upon herself to make sure that her husband doesn’t not fight with his mother for her. And she stopped him every time. Scolded him for not understanding his mother, defended his mother for every thing, she tried not to let her face show how hurt she was. All of this, just so he remains calm. And for the last 3 days, she has been spending more time at the office. Away from him.
It was a busy afternoon in the Rathore mansion. Narmada and Arpita were running around preparing for the small party they were hosting that evening. Aryan sat in the the dining table and observed his home. He chuckled to himself wondering how a girl he met a few months back had so much power over him. His own home, that he has lived in all his life, feels empty without her. He sighed. He knew his Jungli was avoiding him. He knew why. He knew his mother’s words were affecting her. Aryan picked up the phone and called her.
“Article khatam huya tumhara?”, he asked.
“Abho nahi”, she replied in a low voice.
“Shaam tak khatam ho jayega na?”, he asked.
“Shayad”, she responded.
“Party mein waqt se ajana”, he said.
“Hmm”, she responded and cut the call.
He was tired of her one word replies. Not just today, but for the last couple days. He got up from the dining table and started walking towards their room. Enough, he thought. Imlie is not going to avoid him anymore.
Imlie was sitting in her desk at work in the evening. She was done with her work but she didn’t want to go home. Her mother in law doesn’t want her there anyway, she thought. Maa and didi were happy today, she didn’t want to ruin it for them by showing up and triggering Narmada.
It was already 9pm, and the party had started two hours ago. Suddenly her phone rang. The call she has been dreading, she thought.
“What the hell Imlie! Kahaan ho tum?”, Aryan asked. “Woh, kaam abho tak khatam nahi hua ABP.” she responded.
She heard Aryan sigh on the other side of the phone. “Imlie, agar tum aadhe ghante mein ghar nahi pauchi, toh mein yeh party chod ke tumhare pass ajaunga” he calmly stated.
“ABP tum kaa kahat ho. Maa ko bura lageh ga. Humka kaam hain”, she tried to reason.
“Adha ghanta Imlie. Get home now!”, he ordered.
She knew her husband and she knew that she had no choice. Aryan’s eye was glued to the entrance, he knew she would walk in any moment. He missed her. He wanted to see her. He needed to see her. The lights were dim, everyone was dancing. He stood in a corner away from the crowd. He had zero interest in this party. All he thought about all day was his wife. All he is able to think about these days, is his wife.
His eyes lit up as he saw her walk in. She quietly entered trying to not make eye contact with anyone. She was quickly walking towards their room when he held her hand and dragged her to a corner.
“Office hours 6 bajeh tak hoteh hain Imlie! Tum ne yeh kya laga ke rakha hein kuch dino se”, he scolded her. “Ooh, humara bohut pending kaam tha, jo editor sir diye rahe. Usmein waqt lagat hein.”, she replied trying to avoid eye contact.
He glared at her angrily, still holding her arm. She knew, he knew she was lying. He always did. After a few moments of silence, Imlie looked at him.
“Tum apan mehman o se jaake baat karo, hum change karme awat hein.”
He still didn’t release her of his hold or glare.
“Jaane do humka”, she said, and pushed his arm of quickly trying to walk away. The lights were still dim and people were still dancing in the distance.
As she walked away, Aryan gently held her hand again.
The song Tu Bin Bataye started playing in the dance floor.
He puller her towards him with a force and she landed on his chest. He gently wrapped one arm around her waist and held her other hand swaying to the rhythm of the song. After a few seconds of starting at her, taking her beauty in, Aryan gently lifted her chin up so that sje looks into his eye”
“ Do baar Imlie, do baar mauka diya tha mein ne tumhe. Do baar choice diye tha mein ne tumhe. Lekin dono baar tum mere paas laut ke wapas ayi”, he said, in his soothing voice.
Twirling her in the rhythm of the song and pulling her back again to his chest he continued starting at her confused face.
“ Wapas aana tumhara choice tha, tumhara decision tha. Aur aab tumhe jaane na dena mera choice hein. Tumhe apne zindagi mein sambhal ke rakhna mera decision hein”, he said. He saw her eyes widen. Confusion and emotions both clearly visible in her dark eyes.
“Toh nahi, ab mein tumhe khud se dur nahi jane dunga”, he declared calm as ever. He observed her with a slight smile as she tried to fight off the smile threatening to appear on her face. She stared at him in awe.
mann ki gali tu phuharoon si aa
bheeg jaye mere khwabon ka kafila
jise tu gungunaye meri dhun hai wahin
tu bin bataye mujhe le chal kaheen
jahan tu muskuraye meri manzil wahin
“ kaahe?”, she asked looking straight into his eyes.
He smiled at her, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, as they continued to sway. His one arm still enveloping his waist.
“Kyunki, jungli mujhe tumhari aadat ho gayi hein”, he responded. She couldn’t resist her smile. Her eyes lit up. He saw the naughty glint in her eyes that he had missed in the last couple days was back within a second. He felt relieved.
“Aryan Singh Rathore, Rathore industries ke 10 business ke akele malik. 25 saal ke umaar se 30 under 30 ke feature hone wale business man. Mr India ke 3rd runner up, ek choti si aadat ke mohtaj kaisen ho sakath?”, she asked teasingly. Notoriety dripping from her face.
Aryan raised her eyebrow in response. Unable to stop himself from smiling at his ridiculously witty wife.
“Aisan kaise tum ek choti si aadat se haar gaaye. Aadat badal diyo”, she probed.
He tightened his hold around her waist. And lifted her up slightly. She was on her toes now as he brought her face closer to his.
“Aryan Singh Rathore ek choti si aadat se nahi, apne dil se haar gaaya Imlie”, he responded. His tone seductive yet soothing. His eyes filled with love. His smile endearing yet sexy.
Tu bin bataye mujhe le chal kahin
jahan tu muskuraye meri manzil wahin
Her heart skipped five beats at once, she thought. She froze. She forgot to blink for god knows how long.
Aryan chuckled slightly at her frozen face.
“Jungli kahin ki”, he muttered to her as he gently grazed one of her dangerously blushing cheeks with his thumb.
The sound of applause from a distance broke them apart. The music had stopped and the lights were slowly turning back up as the guests were done dancing. They were still looking at each other. He was still holding her hand.
“Imlie tu kab aayi? Kitni der kaar di. Chal mein tujhe apne ek friend se milati hoon”, Arpita said all excited to see her dear Imlie.
As she dragged Imlie with her, Aryan and Imlie still held their gaze as long as they could before Imlie disappeared into the crowd.
“Aryan Singh Rathore, you have completely lost it”, he muttered under his breath as butterflies fluttered in his stomach.
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