Robbie quietly entered the room. Kasturi was sitting on the bed, knees pulled up to her chest, brow furrowed as she read over her notes. He crept up behind her and put his arms around her neck.
"Garam garam coffee mere biwi ke liye. Chalo, chalo, kitaab rakdo aur peelo. Itna zyaada padhna bhi acchha nahi hain."
"Robbie, mujhe bahut dar lag raha hain. Agar mein fail hogayi tho?"
"Toh phir se karna. Isme kaunsi bhari baat hain. Bata hain Kasturi, jab college mein mere finals the, mein sab mein fail hogaya tha. Actually, History, Music aur English meine kisi na kisi tarah paas hogaya, par waaki sab mein nahi. Aur kuch bhura hua? Nahi, na.."
"Robbie, mujhe bhadaawa dehne ke bajai yeh kehrahe ho?
"Actually, tum sahi keh rahi ho. Sorry, mein tumhe bahut galat sala dehgaya. Actually, mere kehne ka matlab tha, ke job hi hoga mein tumhare saath ohga. Tum chinta mat karo. Mein hamesha tumhare chehre par sirf muskuraat dekhna chahta hoon. Sirf muskuraat. Par abhi ke liye bas hain. Ab chalo, sojao."
"Theek hain. Goodnight Robbie. I hope tumko acchhi neend aayegi."
"Of course hoga. Tumhari jo sapne dekhnewala hoon."
***
"Aaj mera exam hain, Robbie, mujhe bahut gabrat horahi hain."
"Ek minute. Moo kholo."
"Meethi dhai? Par aapko kaise bata?"
"Kya, Kasturi, tum bhi naa. Mujhe sab bata hain. Kisi shubh kaam se pehle meethi dhai khilaane se sabkuch acchha hojaata hain. Ab chalo, mein tumhe chordehta hoon. Kahaan jaana hain?"
***
"Kasturi, niche aajao. Dekho, sab log aagaye hain."
Kasturi entered, and her and Robbie exchanged hugs and pleasantries with the friends. Preet waved at the circle of people.
"Kya socha tha tum dono, ke aap dono ke maine ke sal gira bhooljaayenge? Jee nahi, chalo, party time!" cheered Preet.
"Par kahaan?" questioned Kasturi.
"Kahaan? Chandni raat, taaron ki baraat, saajan ke saath, haat mein haath, toh phir kaisi.."
"Haan haan, bahut hogayi shaayari. Preet yeh kehna chahta hain, ke hum sab yeh party bahaar garden me rakhenge," explained Meher.
"Theek hain. Toh chalo," grinned Robbie.
***
"Acchha, acchha, sab suno. Ab hum game khelenge. Mein music bajaoonga. Jab gaana rukhenge toh yeh pillow jiske bhi haat mein hain, job hi doosre log kahen , usse karna padega. Jaise naachna, yah, gaan, yeh shayad koi filmi dialogue kehna," clarified Preet. "Theek hain? Acchha, shuru kijye."
He played the music and they tossed the pillow round the circle.
"Shaam hai jaam hai aur hai nasha
Tan bhi hai mann bhi hai pighla huaan
Chhayi hai ranginiya phir bhi hai betaabiyan
Kyun dhadakta hai dil
Kyun yeh kehta -"
"Robbie! Acchha, mein bataaongi," decided Prachi. "Tumhe hum sab ko gaake batana hoga ke tumhe kaise laga jab tumne pehli baar Kasturi ko dekha tha."
"Jab kisi ki taraf dil jhukne lage
Baat aakar zubaan tak rukne lage
Aankhon aankhon mein ikraar hone lage
Bol do gar tumhe pyaar hone lage
Hone lage, hone lage
Chaahne jab lage dil kisi ki khushi
Dillagi yeh nahin, yeh hai dil ki lagi
Aandiyon ko dabaane se kya faayeda
Pyaar dil mein chhupaane se kya faayeda
Jaan se pyaara jab dildaar hone lage
Bol do gar tumhe pyaar hone lage
Hone lage, hone lage
Jab kisi ki taraf dil jhukne lage
Baat aakar zubaan tak rukne lage
Aankhon aankhon mein ikraar hone lage
Bol do gar tumhe pyaar hone lage
Hone lage, hone lage
Uski khushboo agar apni saanson mein ho
Uska sapna agar apni aankhon mein ho
Jab na dil ke behelne ki surat lage
Jab koi zindagi ki zaroorat lage
Aur jeena bhi dushvaar hone lage
Bol do gar tumhe pyaar hone lage
Hone lage, hone lage
Jab kisi ki taraf dil jhukne lage
Baat aakar zubaan tak rukne lage
Aankhon aankhon mein ikraar hone lage
Bol do gar tumhe pyaar hone lage
Hone lage, pyaar hone lage
Pyaar to hona hi tha, pyaar to hona hi tha.."
"Hai, Robbie, kaisa soondar gaana tha," praised Ragini.
"Main yeh sochke gaaya, ke agar Kasturi mujhe kabhi chor ke jaayengi. Issi khayal ke saath mein shuru hogaya," explained Robbie.
"Nahi, Robbie, mein tumhe akela kabhi nahi choddoongi," promised Kasturi.
The music commenced again.
"Deewanon ko ab tak nahi hai yeh pata
Aaj ki raat khona hai kya paana hai kya
Aaj ki raat khona hai -"
"Meher! Acchha, Meher, tumhe kuch acting karna hain."
"Acting? Mein? Nahi, nahi, Robbie, mujhe nahi aata, please.."
"Nahi, nahi, koi bahaana nahi chalenga. Ab chalo, tumhe Preet ke liye apna pyaar ka isahaar karna hain, bilkool filmi style mein karna hain."
Preet was pushed into the centre of the circle. Meher took a deep breath and walked towards him. She schooled her expression into one of frustration mingled with affection and launched into a dialogue from Ishq Vishk.
"Tum hamesha aisa karte ho. Pehle mere dil todte hoon, aur phir aise koi stupid si harkat kadke, tumhe lagta hain ke mein tumhe maaf kardoongi. No is baar mein maaf nahi kardoongi mein! Iss stupid masoom chehre se mere dil na pighalwane, don't look at me like that, tum niche dekho! Problem yeh hain na, ke im too good for you, I'm just too good for you! Hans kyun rahe ho? Mein mazaak nahi kar rahi hoon! I hate you, I really hate you!"
Meher flung herself into Preet's arms, tears streaming down her face.
The others cheered and whistled. Meher looked around and felt shy, She hid her face behind her hands, and hurried back to her seat. Preet followed, still a little flabbergasted, but grinning. The music was re-started.
"Kya paana hai kya
Khona hai kya
Do ghadi mein yahaan jaane kya ho gaya
Jo hamesha tha mera dil mera ho gaya
Kaun kiske dil mein hai faisala hoga
Faisala hai yahi jeet hogi meri
Deewaanon -"
"Kasturi!"
"Acchha Kasturi bhabhi, aaj aapke liye yeh jashn hai toh aapko double punishment hain. Aapko Robbie ke saath dance karma hain, aur woh bhi wahi gaane per jo Robbie choonenga," directed Meher.
"Mein wahi gaana choonunga jo Kasturi ka favourite hain, "agar tum mil jao."
""Agar tum mil jao Zamana chod denge hum
"Ab tak nahi hai yeh pata
Aaj ki raat khona hai kya paana hai kya
Khona hai kya
Aaj ki raat khona hai kya paana hai kya
Khona hai kya
Aaon main tumse kahu baat chupke se
Rang badlegi pal mein raat chupke se
Tumko le jaaunga phir saath chhupke se
Jaaoge tum kahaan dekho -"
The music was paused, the pillow in Milind's hands. He quickly tried to stuff it into Prachi's arms. She squealed.
"Nahi, nahi, Milind cheating mat karo," scolded Ranvir. "Aapko Amitabh Bachhan ke style mein naach-gaana karna hain."
"Arrey raam duhaai, kaise chakkar mein pad gaya
Kahaan jaan phasaai, main to sooli pe chadh gaya Kaisa seedha saadha main kaisa bhola bhala haan haanO chora ganga kinaare wala
O khaaike paan banaaras walaKhul jaaye band akal kaa taala O khaaike paan banaaras wala
Jamake rakhana kadam mere saathiya
Aa dekhe zara kisme kitna hai dumJamake rakhana kadam mere saathiya
Jummaa chummaa de de, jummaa chummaa de de chummaa
Jumme ke din kiyaa jumme kaa waadaa
Jumme ko tod diyaa jumme kaa waadaa
Le aa gayaa re phir jummaa-
Jummaa chummaa de de, jummaa chummaa de de chummaa"
He pulled Prachi into the circle with him, continuing to sing as they both discoed to typical moves such as the "khaike paan" routine.
***
"Acchha, suno sab log. Mere paas ek fool-proof plan hain. Mein sabko batasakta hoon, ke unne kitne bacchhe hoge," announced Milind.
"Mein nahi maanta," declared Shabd sceptically.
"Acchha, theek hain. Dekho. Chalo, Meher, aaja. Haath aage rakho."
Preet flourished a chain, from which a ring was suspended in place of a pendant. He dangled it into Meher's palm, up and down three times.
"Ladka!"
"Aur ab baari hain hamari pyaari Kasturi ki." She shyly extended her hand and he repeated the process.
"Ladki!"
"Aur ab, tum haath dedo, '."
"Ladka. Ladki. Ladka. Ladki. Ladka. Ladki."
"Hai re, bas karo yaar. Mardaalenge mujhe?"'
"Tujhe? Mere baare mein toh sochye. Pehle mein marjaaongi."
"Mein nahi maanti, Milind," pointed out Gauri.
"Dekhenge, dekhenge. Jab Robbie aur Kasturi ki beti hogi, tab sab dekhenge ke mein sahi tha. Kyun, Kasturi bhabhi?"
Kasturi simply looked down bashfully. Robbie squeezed her hand.
"Par ek baat toh bataaye, yeh special formula hain kya?" questioned Meher.
"Simple. Agar ring clockwise spin kare toh ladka, aur agar anticlockwise toh ladki."
"Acchha. Toh yeh tha raaz?"
"Haan par dekhna, 100% sach hojaayenge mere saare predictions."
"Haan, haan, dekhenge. Ab chalo, cake kaat lehte hain!" yelled Preet.