Abhigya/Rabul FF: 'Teacher Teacher' New Update 05/06 pg 6 - Page 4

"Miss Arora, how can I help?" Purab smiled sweetly as he stood in front of Sarla. Sarla smiled and insisted on her being able to handle the decorations and arrangements however Purab remained adamant. "Okay dear, if you want to help, please go and check if the lights are suitable for the terrace. My daughter is up there too, she's been there for a while." Sarla retorted with a sigh. "Sure thing aunty, anything I can do to help" Purab smiled before he went up towards the terrace.

Bulbul had been struggling for about ten minutes until she had managed to see Purvi and told her to bring a stool. The terrace was a really big place to cover with lights and she had taken a while. She knew maa was not going to spare her today. There was little left to do but Sarla was still worried. She was after all responsible for a wedding anniversary of the youngest Mehra, well to be exact: Aaliyah Suresh Raichand. She was walking towards the switch which she would turn on to see the display of lights when she barged into someone.

"I'm so sorry" she immediately responded and looked up to see Purab sir watching her.

"Purab sir, you here?" Purab gave her a questioning look before remembering what Sarla said and was delightfully surprised to discover Bulbul was Miss Arora's beti. "Mr Purab, are you following me? I accept that I'm your personal assistant and I haven't come to the office for two days. That doesn't give you the right to follow me, I mean." Purab raised his hands to stop her from speaking. "Firstly, I'm not following you. In fact I can say the same thing to you, I'm here for Suresh. My best friend who is married to Aaliyah, my college friend." Purab crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows while Bulbul instinctively put her nails in her mouth. "Meaning you're going to be at the party too?" she questioned as she pointed towards him lightly. "Yes. And you're maa sent me up her to help you." "Help me? You met maa?" Bulbul asked. "Yes." "Ohh. Umm sorry. Voh mujhe lagga ki" "Shall we continue?" Bulbul nervously nod her head before picking up the cable from the ground and giving Purab one of the wires. "It's good actually. You've come at the correct time. I've finished. All we have to do is put this cable inside this wire and then the lights will come on" she smiled brightly and watched Purab with excitement. Purab smiled at her eagerness; "Go on Bulbul. You connect the wire and I'll hold keep it steady." Bulbul smiled and connected the wires. Bright lights surrounded them; the force of the light caused Bulbul to put a hand out to protect her eyes as she flinched and she leaned on Purab who kept her upright. Eyes squinting, she looked up at him and he looked down at her.

There were bright lights flickering everywhere.

Dadi watched as guests began to enter the household and gazed over at Aaliyah and Suresh. They were smiling happily, talking amongst one another while greeting the guests warmly who responded by congratulating the couple on their first year anniversary. It was their official anniversary after marriage although they had been together for a couple of years before. Dadi gazed at them fondly and sneered as she watched Tanu descending the stairs with a bright, turquoise, knee-length dress with bright lipstick. Tanu gleamed as she became centre of attention for about two minutes while the younger girls attending the party ran forward hoping to get an autograph. Mithaali watched as daadi looked away and began attending the guests before she ran foward towards Tanu and warned her to try and get into daadi's good books.

"If daadi does not like you, forget live-in Tanu, you will never gain Abhi" she whispered in her ears. Tanu pondered over Mithaali's words and was left in her own thoughts. What did she have to do to get this old woman to like her? As daadi faced the other way, she noticed a young girl in salwar kameez with beautiful curls and in her hands, there was a bowl of hot ghajar ka halwa. The girl was walking towards Sarla and daadi walked towards her. She stood watching the interaction and listening intently. "Maa, I've made the ghajar ka halwa. Can you just try it before I make some more?" Supriya had heard this voice from before, it sounded familiar. "Pragya, I'm sure however it is, it will be fine" Pragya pushed the small spoon full of the sweet dish into her mother's mouth. "Mmm Pragya it's fantastic." Sarla smiled and kissed her forehead. "Bless you meri bacchii." "Pragya?" daadi spoke. Pragya looked behind confusedly and she looked at the old lady in front of her; it was the same old lady she had helped the other day in the mandir. "Au.. daadiji, aap?" Pragya smiled before respectfully touching her feet and greeting her. "Sadha sukki raho" Supriya gleamed as she greeted Sarla lovingly and began to praise Pragya. Supriya hurriedly called Aaliyah towards her and Aaliyah greeted Sarla and Pragya similarly.

After speaking to them a bit more, Daadi called Suresh and made him occupy them while she pulled Aaliyah to the corner.

"Aaliyah beti! Yeh vahi hai!"

"Vahi hai matlab?"

"Aaliyah, this is the girl I was telling you about. The sanskaari girl I met in the mandir. Look. God has sent her into our lives" Daadi gleamed. Aaliyah looked at daadi quizzically before looking at Pragya. She did seem sweet but Aaliyah knew how her daadi was.

"Daadi, Tanu is here now. You can't, what are you planning to do?"

"I will show Abhi to her, then Pragya can do the rest" and off daadi went to find Abhi.

He'll himself see the difference between Pragya and Tanu.

"Bunty, am I fat?" Bubbli asked her brother.

"Bubbli, what are you saying? Of course you're not fat. You're a bit chubby" Bunty grinned.

"BUNTY" Bubbli groaned before hitting Bunty on the arm.

"Owww mummmy" Bunty complained as he ran towards his mum.

"What is it? My sweetsy baccha?" Mithaali asked.

"Nothing mummy, Bubbli just hit me" he groaned before smiling at Bubbli. She pouted in return and gave him a glare.

"Bubbli! Why are you hitting my sweet boy?" Mithaali asked as she rubbed Bunty's arm

"Bunty said I was fat" Bubbli groaned.

"Heh" Mithaali looked gobsmacked. "But you've never cared about your weight before. Why all of a sudden?"

"Voh, Tanu aunty hai na, she was saying I'm really chubby for my age." Bubli whispered silently while Bunty only just managed to hear. He glared at Tanu from a distance who was preoccupied with trying to get Abhi's attention away from the other women present at the party.

Tanu, that churail wali aunty, she called my sister fat.

"Where is Purvi? I wonder where she's gone?" Pragya wondered as she walked behind the guests. She was rushing past when suddenly her duppata stopped her. It pushed against her neck and she touched it instinctively. It was as if someone was holding onto it. She glanced slightly sideways to see what her dupatta had got stuck on, or rather who?

Tanu had just diverted Abhi's attention from the girls in the party when suddenly he turned away from her. She grew angry and watched Abhi's confused countenance as his hand went up slightly. There was something stuck on his watch, a dupatta was it? It was stuck between Abhi's watch straps and would not come out.

Pragya looked back and to her shock, she was face to face with Abhishek Mehra. The arrogant and rude rock-star she had the misfortune to encounter with a while ago.

"You" they both said in unison. Tanu watched confused.

"What are you doing here?" Abhi asked.

"I can ask you the same question"

"This is my house and what I say goes." Abhi answered smugly.

"This is your house?" Pragya questioned. Mehra Mansion, Abhishek Prem Mehra. Abhi watched Pragya's face go from curiousity to confusion to realisation. He raised his eyebrows and began tapping his foot. "Well?"

Pragya fixed her glasses and replied "I'm here with my family if you must now. We have organised the decorations of today's event"

"I'm sure you've come here just too personally annoy me" Abhi replied. Just as Pragya was about to reply, Tanu appeared leaning on Abhi's shoulder. "Abhi darling, who is this? This.. oh wow look at her. Behnji type you know" she grinned before looking at Pragya with disdain. Pragya looked at the way Tanu held onto Abhi's shoulder and looked away raising one of her eyebrows in irritation. She smiled and looked straight at Abhi.

"I have no interest in annoying you. No interest at all." And with that, she left in search for Purvi.

No interest, hahh! I'm Abhi the rock-star.

Purab and Bulbul stood still in their trance. Purab put his hand forward and touched Bulbul's face. She looked down and Purab came towards her slightly. Their lips were just about to touch when Bulbul realised what was happening and stood back. "Bulbul" "No, don't" she snapped quickly. She looked around nervously and attempted to walk away when Purab suddenly stopped her. "Bulbul" he looked into her eyes while she stared back at him. He led her towards him; "Bulbul, I like you."

The wind blew and they both stood watching each other intently. "Purab." Bubul smiled. "I like you too" she smiled coyly and they both embraced one another. "Di! Di" Purvi's voice echoed amongst the staircase as she made her way up the terrace. Purab and Bulbul both came apart blushing slightly before Purvi entered and watched them curiously. She saw Bulbul smiling and Purvi grinned. "Maine kuch.. did I interrupt something?" She asked mischeviously. "What? No? Be quiet Purvi" Bulbul quickly rushed towards Purvi and they both went towards the staircase to go downstairs again. Bulbul looked back at Purab and smiled slightly as he watched her retreating figure.

Bulbul..

Daadi watched irritated as Tanu had began to dance with Abhi. All the couples had got together and were dancing with one another with Aaliyah and Suresh at the centre. Daadi focussed on her beloved grand-daughter and her husband. She watched how they danced together lovingly, how they teased one another, smiled, joked around. Supriya smiled and prayed for her family at that moment. She prayed that they were always together, always happy and forever blessed.

"MMM Bunty I'm hungry. Shall I eat?"

"Bubbli, eat of course. Come on"

"But i'll get fat." Bubli spoke apprehensively.

"Bubli, you can't get fat by eating this much!"

Pragya stood watching the whole exchange between brother and sister and was quite surprised. This girl in front of her, she must be at least 9 or 10 years of age was so concerned about her weight. As a woman, as a teacher, she had the urge to speak to her and give her some confidence about her outer appearance and her weight. After all, Pragya was not immune to a world of fashion and diets and what not, but she was certainly concerned if it was being endorsed to young children who had not even hit puberty yet. Bubli was just about to eat a gulab jamun before Tanu intervened and stopped her hand.

"Bubli, for god's sake. I have advised you many times. Stop eating this type of oily, Indian what not. It's not healthy, you wil get FAT" Tanu stressed the last bit by blowing her mouth and popping it using her 2 fingers. Bulbi began to get upset and Pragya stared horrified.

" And you, you're her brother right? Rather than encouraging her to maintain her figure, you're telling her to eat more!? You should be ashamed of yourself." Tanu yelled and Bunty looked gobsmacked. Before Pragya could resist, she found herself facing Tanu and giving her a very serious look.

"Is this the way you speak to children?"

"Excuse me?" Tanu glared at Pragya looking at her from up to down.

"Is this the way a person speaks to children?" Pragya repeated, more loudly.

"This has nothing to do with you, do you understand? How dare you?"

"This girl is a child and you're telling her what to eat and what not to eat? Not even to be healthy but simply so she maintains a figure. She is so young and look at how you are influencing her!"

"Oh hello, I'm not doing anything bad. Look at her weight. She is young but she is very fat. I mean how is she going to grow up if she keeps eating at this rate? You don't know how she is." At this point, guests and family members began to circle around Tanu and Pragya wondering what the commotion is. Abhi, Sarla, Bulbul, Aaliyah and Suresh were astounded by what was going on while Mithaali quickly ran towards Bunti who began to cry against her.

"She is a young child. Have you no idea about self-confidence and fear that this girl must have had? You saying all this to her is horrible and bad for her mentality."

"Oh you just"

"What is going on here?" Daadi spoke. All eyes were on her as she gave a menacing look towards Tanu and told Mithaali to take Bubli and Bunty both into their rooms.

"I want only the family members in my room, and the Arora's too. Now" Sarla looked apprehensive as she watched Pragya fearfully who encouraged her mum to walk ahead. They were worried. Firstly they were organising this event and Pragya has created a commotion. Even though it was not her fault. Tanu followed after Abhi despite being given a disapproving glance by him.

Daadi stood and paced around while everyone looked at her nervously.

"Aaliyah, I told you and today Pragya has proved it." Abhi gave a quizzical look towards Aaliyah and then daadi who began to explain how she met Pragya and what happened during their encounter at the mandir. Abhi briefly looked at Pragya before looking back at daadi. Aaliyah had spoken to daadi while she had summoned everyone, she knew exactly what to say.

Aaliyah stepped forward and asked Pragya to come forward.

"Pragya, we have a request." Pragya looked at Aaliyah quizzically before turning to Sarla and back at Aaliyah.

"Will you teach Tanu how to be the perfect daughter-in-law?"