It was a long day. Four meetings back to back, finalizing some very important deals, kept Nachiket Khanna, an architect by profession and the owner of Khanna Constructions, busy. The only thing he wanted to do, the moment he came home, was to hit the bed - and that's exactly what he did.
He felt cold sometime in the middle of the night and got up to alter the temperature of the AC, when he sensed someone sitting at the corner of his bed, near his leg.
"OMG What the hell Gin? (You will see the reason for this name soon ,and no it's not the alcohol Gin 😆) You scared the hell out of me ! What are you doing here at one thirty?", he screamed at his best friend, still trying to calm his racing heart. He sure did get scared 😆
"What can I do if I have someone as boring as you for a best friend? You came late and you slept off without even telling me a hi. Chalo chodo, get up I want to go biking", she replied, excited at the prospect of riding her cycle on the calm roads, with absolutely no traffic.
"Kya? Pagal ho gayi ho tum! Go home and sleep! Waise bhi, mujhe bahut neendh aa raha hai and I am very tired"
"You are not my Nat anymore, you are some random workaholic bhooth who has gotten into my friend's body. Get out and give me my friend back", she told him with a pout, genuinely seeming to believe that there was a ghost inside his body.
He couldn't stop himself from chuckling.."Gin! I know I am working late nowadays but kya karoon? I had some major deals to finalise for the company and you are the one who told me you will be the proudest when I achieve something in my life,right? I am striving hard for that and you should only support me na? I promise from next week we will get back to our routine of roaming around and doing every possible random thing under the sun. Two more days please?", he requested her, hoping she won't be mad at him. Of course she couldn't stay mad at her Nat for more than two minutes.."Okay whatever. But I will remember whatever you just said and remember I won't talk to you if you don't keep your word"
"I will keep my word. Now get out", he said and gently pushed her, stretching his legs on his bed and pulling the comforter over him.
Ragini "hmmphed" and left the room, after glancing at him one last time.
Approximately twenty two years back
"Mujhe cards khelna hai",a six year old Ragini, told Nachiket, her nine year old best friend.
"Theek hai.. now that only we both are playing, I will teach you how to play Gin Rummy- a card game that is played by two people"
They play for a while and like always, Ragini came up with a random thought.."Mera naam kitna girly hai, Ragini.. aur tumhara! Kitna long aur boring..Nick names rakhna hai mujhe"
"I like your name but if you want a nickname hmm, hey wait a minute ! I have an idea.. How about Gin? Your name has it too - RaGINi and we are also playing the game now", Nachiket replied, proud of his idea 😃
"Gin. Yay I like it! Tumhara naam hoga hmmm Nat!", she replied grinning broadly.
"Nat?"
"Haan, shortform for NachikeT ", she replied, happy with her presence of mind.
And hence, they have been Nat and Gin till date, but only to each other. For everyone else, including their parents , it is only Nachiket and Ragini or chote/choti or whatever they felt like at calling them,except Nat and Gin.
Their dad's were best friends in college and as their families grew, their bond only grew stronger. They got a twin identical independent house beside each other's and they were more family than friends.
Ragini and Nachiket were always together-Playing video games, watching movies,football, cricket- in short, just all the time , except probably when they had to sleep or study. Ragini grew up with just boys in her area and maybe because she had no girl company, she didn't play with Barbie dolls or buy princess type pink frocks when she was a kid😆. Thanks to Nat, her favourite movies were all superhero ones and she was a hardcore football fan.
Nachiket grew up to become an architect and Ragini, a journalist. They loved their professions and respected the other's. Despite their busy schedules, they always found time for each other. Ragini is now 23 years old and Nachiket, 26.
Somehow till date, they have been the best of friends but never actually realized that they were slowly developing feelings for each other.
Present
It has been a few days after their conversation in the middle of the night and Nachiket kept his word and they resumed their routine.
"Ma! No way I am wearing a saree. It's so boring and I will have to keep adjusting it and will be conscious the whole time. Why can't I wear a kurta?"
"A kurta to your cousin's enagement? Grow up Ragini! Dress up however you want when you are at home but atleast when you go out, try behaving like a 23 year old girl!"
"Mumma! They won't let me in if I wear a kurta kya?"
"What am I going to do with you when I have to get your married? When the people from your sasuraal and your husband would like you to wear a saree you will argue with them?"
"Ma! You are making a big deal out of it. I will marry someone who respects my wishes, well..anyway we will see about it when it happens"
Nachiket had been invited too,as he was very good friends with Ragini's cousin and actually all her relatives for that matter 😆
"Thank god Nachiket you came! Only you can make her understand"
"Kya hua aunty?"
"Isse poocho!", her mother said and left the room, keeping the saree on her bed.
"Hahaha she asked you to wear a saree", Nachiket laughed at her plight. He very well knew she didn't like wearing sarees, matching jewellery and all that. According to her it was just plain boring.
"Stop laughing or I will kill you"
"Okay meri ma! Stopped. Waise, why don't you wear it for aunty's sake? "
"No No No! You cant do this to me!"
"Oh Drama queen! Just one evening na? It will get over sooon! If it will make you feel any better we will go there and discuss about football/ batman or wait ,your Barney Stinson", he knew that would work on her. She loved the character Barney Stinson from How I met your mother' and could go on talking for hours about how cool he was.
"Oh you are the best Nat! Promise?"
"Promise", he replied grinning at how easily she agreed. He said a quick imaginary thankyou to Barney and left the room, for her to change and get ready.
"Phew! Hogaya!", she announced as she came out and Nachiket couldn't take his eyes off her. She looked like an angel in her off white shiffon saree and he realized he had never really given much thought to how beautiful she was.
"Nat! Where are you lost?", she asked, just as her mother finished praising her and keeping a kaala tikka behind her ear 😆
"You look beautiful Gin", he replied smiling warmly and God knows why at that moment , Ragini felt different, with the way he looked at her and the way her heart was racing, hearing him compliment her. She shrugged those thoughts off, telling herself that it was Nat and that she was thinking too much.
"Thanks Nat", she replied and proceeded towards him.
As always, he had his hands around her shoulder but today, they looked and felt like a couple.
Ragini, don't let your thoughts wander. It is Nat and he is your best friend. You don't want to ruin your friendship with him by developing feelings for him, samjhi tum?', she mentally chided herself.
Nachiket was in a different world altogether 😆. All through the car jouney, he couldn't help stealing glances at the beautiful girl beside him. Thankfully, her mother was sitting in the front and her father was driving so they didn't notice him (or so he thought, but her father noticed him through the rear view mirror and gestured her mother to take note of it 😆 They loved Nachiket like their own son and they would only gladly approve if their daughter,ended up falling for him)
The engagement got over soon and Ragini was only too aware of Nachiket's constant gaze in her direction and she herself had not realized that she had been blushing, till her cousin teased her.
That night, both of them slept, confused and lost in thoughts about each other.
The next few days was kind of awkward and though they tried to talk normally, they were consumed by their own thoughts about their growing feelings towards the other. They had slowly started realizing that the other's presence was kind of indispensable in their life and no matter how much they tried denying it, it was the fact.
"Yeh Nachiket Khanna kitna hot hai na?", she heard one of her colleagues tell another, looking at a magazine in her hand. Well, Nachiket did form part of the Eligible bachelors list' every year, being the now famous CEO of his company, which had recently gained more popularity by taking over another construction company.
"Haan re! I so badly want to meet him someday! Hayee", she said, with a dreamy look on her face. "Why don't we ask our boss if we can interview him?"
"Not possible. He is not in town for the next three weeks", came a reply from none other than one Ms.Ragini 😆
Am I being possessive? Why did I reply like that?', she thought to herself. All this was totally new to her. Off late a mere glimpse of her best friend of over twenty years, whose face she had seen the most, daily, till recently, made her blush. She had started being possessive, jealous, hell she had started behaving like those stereotypical girlfriends, like those she had teased her guy friends for having 😛 She liked the feeling though. It made her want to smile more, to sing aloud, to dance around [J]
Nachiket's state was almost the same. He couldn't get his thoughts off her. His eyes accidentally falling on a framed picture on his desk, didn't help. A picture of the both of them, taken couple of years back during Nat's parents anniversary dinner.
"Ma. I have to talk to you", he spoke into the receiver.
"Yes chote , what's it? Sab theek hai na? you never call around this time"
"Haan ma sab theek hai but I have to tell you something"
"Yes Nachiket Bol na?"
"I think I have fallen in love with Gin..I mean Ragini"
"Sachi??? Oh my god Chote! Kab se is pal ka intazar tha ! All four of us were hoping to hear this from you guys some day! You are so made for each other bacha. Khush raho"
"Ma ma wait! I don't know how and when it happened and I also don't know if by telling her, I will lose her friendship"
"Nachiket. You are crazy! If she doesn't understand you then who will?"
"Ma, it is not just about understanding that I love her, it is also about her loving me back and spending her life with me right?"
"Hmm I get your point..", she said and thought for a while.."Idea!" she suddenly screamed into the phone 😆
"You could've said this without screaming also you know? Any way what's it?", he asked and she chuckled imagining his irritated face.
She told him her plan.."Ma! You are.."
"Amazing! I know right?..Okay I have a lot of work to do for that. Bye and you come early today evening "
"Thanks ma I love you", he told and hung up the phone.
Nachiket's ma called her husband and Ragini's parents on conference call and told them, first about Nachiket's feelings for Ragini and then about her idea to make Ragini realise that she loved him too. All were thrilled with the plan and Ragini's dad called his friend to ask him for help.
"...Yes uncle I am here for a week", Ragini heard a guy's voice coming from her living room.
She walked in to find a family sitting there, with an uncle, aunty and apparently their son, chatting with her parents. It seemed like Nat's parents had joined them just then.
Everyone looked up when she walked in.
"Hi Ragini,this is Anirudh,my friend Abhishek's son", her father told her. She gently smiled at everyone and excused herself to go freshen up.
Her mother walked into the room " Chalo Ragini, wear this and come out beta", she said, handing her a salwar kameez, knowing she will create a fuss for a saree 😆
"Kyun?"
"Arey kya kyun? They have come to see you na"
"What are you saying ma. They already saw me just now. Stop talking in riddles and tell me properly". She was clearly frustrated.
"Anirudh has come to India for a week and his parents are looking for a girl for him. His dad spoke to your dad and we invited them over today evening"
"Ma what are you saying? How can you decide without even asking me?", she was furious.
"Ragini. It is not like we are going to get you married without your consent! Just talk to him and see. If you like him then okay, if not we can tell them"
Her mind only went to Nat. How could she marry someone else when she clearly had fallen for him? She was already confused on what to do about that and now her parents were making it all the more complicated. She decided to talk to the guy about it and not make a fuss now, because they were guests and she didn't want her parents to feel insulted.
She came out dressed in the salwar her mother had given her. Everyone in the room, except Ragini, were confused with this step of hers and exchanged looks between each other.
They made sure not to let her know about anything and proceeded with the formal introduction and finally it was time for the guy and girl to talk, alone.
As soon as Ragini and Anirudh went to her room, she closed the door behind her and turned to him.
"I have to tell you something"
"Sure Ragini what's it?"
"Well, I had no clue that you were going to come today.The point is, I am in love with someone else and I can't say yes to this proposal"
"Oh", was the only word Anirudh could utter without giving away his true feelings at the moment. The truth being, the elders wanted to listen to what Ragini had to say and Anirudh had his phone on in his pocket. It was not fair yes, but they were very sure Ragini wouldn't agree. Anirudh was relieved, to say the least 😆. He was already engaged and he had agreed to go along with the plan because he knew Ragini's dad was his dad's close friend. Because he lived abroad all through his life, and his parents also met mostly at office,they had never actually met Ragini till date.
When they heard what Ragini said, all the three couples outside the room hi fived each other 😃
Nachiket walked in right at that moment and the elders asked him to maintain silence and listen to the conversation 😆
"Um.. okay then, guess it is just my bad luck.. Any way, have you told the guy?", he asked, keeping a straight face
"Not yet actually and I am very nervous to even confront him. He is my best friend and we know everything about each other but this is new, different and I don't know how to approach him", she confessed, partly blushing and partly nervous.
Nachiket was on cloud nine. His Gin loved him too and even now, they faced the same problem, not knowing how to talk to each other about it [J]
"Good luck to you Ragini! Trust me, everything will turn out great", Anirudh said smiling warmly at her.
"Thank you for being so understanding Anirudh, I hope you meet the love of your life soon too",she replied, wishing him the best.
They walked out to the hall, where the elders were trying hard to not laugh and Ragini was surprised to see Nachiket there.
"Nat? When did you come?"
"When you told him how you are nervous to propose to your best friend", Nachiket replied ad everyone in the room burst out laughing.
"Kya ho raha hai yahan?"
And they explained the whole plan,the act by Anirudh and his parents, the fact that he was engaged,till the fact that they heard the whole conversation.
"All this to make me realise that I love this idiot? You could've just asked me! Also, it's not nice to eavesdrop you know?", she asked with a stern expression which made them chuckle and murmur sorries in response.
"Idiot eh ? Hello!"
"What? You could've proposed directly . How am I supposed to know that you have fallen for me too?", she told, now angry at Nachiket for not telling her earlier.
"Sorry Ginny! And that's exactly what I am going to do", he said, grinning,coming towards her and sitting on one knee.
After taking the Tiffany box from his pocket, he opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. He looked straight into her eyes, which were now wide open in surprise+shock+excitement+many other emotions😆 and asked,"My dear Gin aka Ragini, will you continue to be mine and this time forever ?"
She slowly nodded as he slipped the ring in her finger. He wiped the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. Her parents, who had bought an engagement ring for Nachiket on her behalf,gave it to her. She couldn't thank God enough, for the lovely set of people she was blessed with. She slipped the ring in his finger and they were officially engaged
They hugged each other and that is when they realized how perfect their decision was. They were truly made for each other and they were going to spend their life with someone who was fit to be their better half in every sense.[J]
There were claps, hugs and congratulations for the next couple of minutes. The only emotion that floated around was happiness and a bright smile on all the faces.
This was a new beginning-the story of how Nat and Gin were to become Mr and Mrs Nachiket Khanna !
