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Karan watched Preeta's every step as she moved around the room like a robot. Dazed due to what happened just few hours ago was behind her such behavior. Sadness filled him as he watched her remove her jewelry not caring about hurting herself in process. He watched her as she removed the heavy necklace from around her neck with a sharp tug that nicked her and blood seeped through the scratch.
Hurrying he took out the bandage box and walked towards Preeta talking long strides, "Preeta.. he cradled her cheek and softly titled her face to side. "Dhyaan rakhna chahiye na... he said as he carefully wiped the blood off the scratch with antiseptic solution and then applied a band-aid over it. "Better? he asked.
Preeta looked at Karan with tears in her eyes, "Ssshh... Karan caressed her cheek which lead Preeta to break down and the unshed tears started flowing. Her body wrecked with sobs as she clutched the lapel of Karan's jacket, "Yeh sab kya ho gaya Karan? Why did this happen? Karan pulled her closed to him in a tight hug and kissed the top of her head. Rubbing her back in soothing circles he whispered, "Everything will be fine. Jaldi hi sab theek ho jayega Preeta, you don't cry please.
Preeta pulled back and asked, "Kaise? but he couldn't answer because he didn't have one. He just stared at the black beaded necklace around her neck, mangalsutra and the vermillion that graced the partition of her hairline. The mangalsutra and vermillion that he had put there just few hours back. Standing in front of him and in his arms was Preeta, Mrs. Preeta Karan Luthra. His wife.
"Hey bhagwan! Yeh dekho! Ram Lal why aren't these light working! Sarla yelled as she monitored the decorations of the Kumkum Bhagya hall. It was Preeta's marriage to a nice guy name Anshuman today and Sarla was a mess. She was overly stressed and kept on finding flaws in everything, it was her daughter's marriage after all and she wanted the best for her.
"Maata ji abhi humne switch on kiya hi nahi na. Yeh lijiye. Ram Lal turned a switch on and the very next instant the hall brightened up with all the fairy lights decoration. Sarla sighed in relief and rubbed her forehead. "Maa aap itni tension mat lo. Everything is fine, I have checked. Said Shrishti as she rubbed her mother's arm soothingly.
"Tension toh hogi hi na. I just want this marriage to happen peacefully and without anything going wrong. Preeta deserves all this happiness and I don't want anything to trouble her on this most important day of her life. Sarla said holding Shrishti's hand in hers and they hugged sideways.
"Sarla Maa don't worry when Karan Luthra is here then there is nothing to fear! Sarla looked up and saw Karan and family coming towards them. Karan and Preeta's friendship had given her another son like Abhi and Purab in form of Karan. Though she considered Rishab like a son as well but with Karan, the bond was something special. She adored that boy to bits!
Karan patted Shrishti's head and the put an arm around Sarla's shoulder, "Arre aaj meri Miss Psycho ki shaadi hai, you think anyone would try do something wrong? Or that something will go wrong? Maa your daughter will eat that problem and problem maker in a jiffy. Kiski majaal jo psycho se panga le?! laughed Karan.
"Hatt badmaash! At least don't tease her today. Sarla smiled.
"Where is she by the way? I have something to give her. Can I go and meet her? Karan asked.
Sarla nodded in positive, "She's upstairs in the same room that we usually allot to the brides. Karan smiled in response and went upstairs.
Once there he knocked at the door, "Come in. He heard Preeta say. Karan walked in and whistled as he looked at Preeta all decked up, looking gorgeous. Preeta was dressed in a red velvet lehnga that had golden embellishments, paired with a green velvet choli and a yellow drape with heavy border over her head and on her ride sight.
"Wah! Aaj toh my psycho is looking not so psycho like. He teased.
"Karan! Preeta glared at him making him laugh. He held her hands in his and said, "How are you feeling?
"Nervous. Replied Preeta. Karan made her sit in front of the mirror, "Sit, I have brought something for you. He opened the jewellery box that he had with him and took out two beautiful bangles in gold that were studded with red and white diamonds in a pattern.
"Karan..yeh.. Preeta said softly as she looked at Karan who was avoiding her gaze. "Karan?
She heard him sniff, "Are you crying? she asked as Karan made her wear those bangles without looking at her. "No. I am not crying. There's something in my eyes, wait I will go and sprinkle some water and it will be all fine. He stared walking away but stopped as Preeta held his hand, "Aaww...You are crying. She smiled though she herself was feeling a little emotional.
Karan didn't move from the place where he stood so Preeta moved close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her chin on his shoulder, "I will miss you too. She said softly
"Huh? Liar! If you'll miss me then why are you going? Kissi local bande se kar leni thhi shaadi, kya zaroorat thhi us London return ko haan bolne ki?
Preeta laid her head on his back but said nothing. Karan placed his hands over hers and said, "It's not that I am not happy for you. Anshuman is an irritatingly nice guy and is good to you that's why I okay-ed him but he's taking you far away from us all and I don't like that.
Preeta chuckled, "Tum toh aise keh rahe ho jaise main London nahi balki kissi doosre planet pe jaa rahi hoon. How hard is it to go to London? Just sit on a plane and within few hours you reach there.
"Yeah but who will entertain me after you'll leave? The only source left is Shrishti but she is too busy and involved with Sameer these days. I tell you once they get married no one will be able to stop them from doing it like bunnies. Karan made a face and pulled Preeta in front of him who laughed out loud.
"Don't worry, jab bhi entertainment chahiye ho toh mujhe call kar lena. Okay?
Karan rolled his eyes and half-heartedly said, "Okay.
"Tum logon ka ho gaya ho toh Preeta come beta varmaala ka time ho gaya hai. Karan and Preeta looked at the door where stood Karan's mother and Dadi smiling at the duo.
"Aap log chalo, main le kar aata hoon isse. Karan said. He wanted to stay close to Preeta as long as he could. The feeling that evoked inside him at the thought of not being able to see and talk to Preeta as often as he was used to was making him sick and troubling him a lot. And as a cherry on top, the thought of wanting to stop this marriage was making him feel disgusted and weird. How can he think of stopping his best friend's marriage.
Karan walked Preeta to the stage where Anshuman was waiting for her. He forwarded a hand in Preeta's direction who held on that but didn't leave Karan's either. Both of them didn't want to let go. "Khyaal rakhna iska. Said Karan as he placed Preeta's other hand in Anshuman's. He climbed down that little stage and walked away, moved away in the shadows wiping his tears that flowed out of his eyes at the thought of his one and only best friend leaving him.
The varmaala happened without a hitch. Karan went out to greet a friend of his, Prem , a police officer,(😆) who had come from Delhi for some work but also had brought sweets made by him wife Simar (🤣 that Karan absolutely loved. So Simar had instructed Prem to deliver those sweets in person and give him her best wishes.
"Simar ko meri taraf se thank you zaroor bolna. These ladoos are absofreakinglutely delicious!
"Haan bhai haan. Prem laughed, "So I will leave, you go and attend your bestie's wedding. Prema said.
Karan draped an arm over his shoulder, "Ruk! Come I will introduce you to Preeta.
"Arre nahi bhai, I wasn't invited and we don't know each other..I think I should leave. Prem countered.
"Don't worry about that stuff. You may not know each other but you two know me na?! Aurr phhir friend ka friend toh friend hi hota hai. Come meet Preeta first and then you can go. Karan insisted.
"Okay.
They walked inside talking to each other. The hall was bustling with loud music and Anshuman and Preeta were surrounded by numerous family members surrounding them. Karan chuckled as he noticed Preeta dancing awkwardly, "Over there. He pointed, "that's Preeta and the guy standing next to her in that hideous mousy brown sherwani is Anshuman, her would be husband.
Prem frowned as he looked at the couple, he then looked more carefully and his frown of confusion turned into an expression of worry. "What happened? Karan asked.
"Karan stop this marriage right now! I insist! Do not let Preeta marry that guy!. Prem shouted.
Karan placed a hand over Prem's shoulder, "What? Why?
"Karan that guy is no Anshuman! His name is Arjun, Arjun Agnihotri (🤣) He's a criminal! He traps woman into marrying him, rapes them and then forces them into prostitution.
"What are you saying?! Karan was shocked. "Believe me Karan. I know all this because I had dealt with cases involving him in the past. We have all the proofs against him but before we could catch him he ran away. I almost couldn't recognize him, he looks different without a beard but I assure you that's definitely him! You stop this marriage right away and I am going to call police. I won't let him run away again. Prem replied and took out his cell phone to call Mumbai police whereas Karan ran towards Preeta, making a way through the crowd pushing people out his way.
Preeta noticed Karan's worried expression and herself tried to move towards him but was held back by Anshuman who was making her dance with him. Karan felt anger rush through his veins as he pulled Preeta out of Anshuman/Arjun's grasp. "Don't you dare touch her! he roared and punched that criminal hard.
"Karan! he heard many voices yell his name but his mind was focused on just one thing, keep Preeta away from the bas***d.
"Rishab bhai! Sameer! Akshay! Hold this guys and don't let him escape. Karan yelled loudly even though the music had stopped the moment he punched Anshuman/Arjun.
"What are you doing? Arjun (I am gonna use this instead of Anshuman now) asked completely terrified and bewildered.
"Beta ji why are you so mad at Anshuman? Sarla asked, her voice laced with worry. This wasn't what she had imagined her daughter's marriage to be like.
"Anshuman nahi Maa, his name is Arjun. Karan noticed the slight shift in Arjun's expression. The terror was enough for Karan to be sure that he was doing the right thing.
"Arjun?
Akshay had also noticed the same thing as Karan and he went forward and clutched his arm tight, Sameer and Rishab followed, they trusted Karan and Akshay enough. "Let me go! Arjun yelled trying to release himself.
"Beta ji yeh ho kya raha hai? Karan's father asked him but before he could respond he saw Arjun's parents trying to leave the hall without anyone noticing. He jumped and ran towards them with Shrishti following him and stopped them from leaving, "Arre where are you guys going? Abhi toh aapke bte ki khatirdaari shuru hone waali hai, won't you give him company?
"Dekhiye hi, we don't know who that man is we were just paid to act the role of his parents. We know nothing else.
Karan heard multiple gasps from around him. He knew all those people needed answers but he was worried about Preeta the most and he wanted to answer to her first. He made sure that the so called parents of the groom were also being held captive for the moment before walking towards Preeta again. He explained to her and the family members everything that Prem had told him. Soon enough the police came and captured Arjun and his paid parents and took them away. Prem also left but not before sharing few sympathetic words with Preeta and telling her to take care.
Sarla sat down on a chair and started crying. Abhi was holding Pragya close to him and Purab had Disha in his arms as she cried for Preeta who had become another sister to her. Luthras and Mehras were consoling the Aroras whereas Karan's main concern was only Preeta who was wiping her mother's tears and tried her best to not cry herself.
"Hey bhgwan! Yeh sab kya ho gaya dekho. Preeta kit oh kismet hi kharaab hai. Some guest said.
"Yeah. You know I have heard that she was engaged before but that guy broke the engagement and left her and now this marriage also broke. Bechari. Another guest was heard saying this.
"Do do rishte toot gaye, now who will marry her?
"Bas kijiye aap log! Shrishti yelled, "Can't you see that how sad we all are? And that guy was a criminal! My sister is perfect and she will get the best guy in the world.
"Beta you are young, you don't know how this society works. People will ask her questions, taunt her aurr phhir her closeness with that cricketer Karan is world known. An old aunty said.
"Haan toh kya? She's my best friend for god's sake! Karan found himself yelling at the old lady.
"Who are you trying to fool beta ji? We are more experienced than you and we know that a boy and girl can never be friends, there's always something else going on.
"I think that's why her first fiance left her. This is karma she got what she did to that poor guy whom she broke her engagement with.
Karan had enough, he roared in anger and was about to do something rash but Preeta held him back, "Karan.. she whispered as she clutched his arm tightly.
"Look how close they are! I tell you there is something going between them.
"Kya besharam ladki hai, abhi abhi shaadi tooti hai aur dekho..
"Aaj kal ki ladkiyaan I tell you they are opportunist!
"Enough! a decision was made, "I have heard enough now one word against Preeta or her family and I will make sure that person won't utter any other word in future.
"You can make people shut up for now but you won't be able to stop them from saying the truth!
"Hadd dhoti hai badtameezi ki. Preeta is our pride and we won't tolerate anything against her. Abhi yelled as he placed a hand over her head.
"Khud galat karte hain aurr phir doosron ko bolte hain. If this thing between the two will continue like this then Preeta will never get married. And now was the time to implement that decision.
"Bas! Karan yelled, "What do you think will stop all those people from saying bad things to Preeta? Marriage? Is that what you people want? Then this is what you people will get. Karan started dragging Preeta towards the mandap. (Imagine the marriage mantras playing in background)
"Karan what are you doing? Preeta tried to removed her hand from Karan's hold but it was too tight. The Luthras, Mehras and Aroras were shocked as well as they all followed Karan and Preeta.
"Pandit ji. Karan said as they reached the mandap, "start chanting the mantras, I will marry Preeta right now, right here.
"Karan stop it! This is not the way.. Preeta tried to argue but Karan shushed her. He was very very angry, "Koi mere bare mein kuch bhi kahe, I don't care but no way I will tolerate one single word against you. Nobody has the right to hurt you. He said. "Pandit ji, shuru kijiye.
And just like that they were married. Karan got married to his Miss Psycho wanting to protect her from everybody else. A rash decision taken and implemented, a marriage that wasn't going to happen but happened, the relationship that they never wanted to change, just changed.
Preeta placed a hand on her neck feeling the beaded mangalsutra, her other hand touched the vermillion that Karan had put in her hair partition. She was married, married to her best friend. Just like that Karan's Miss Psycho became Mrs. Preeta Karan Luthra, his wife.
Phew! This was difficult, trying to put all that in 2,832 words was difficult. Because there was so much to tell but that so much was so unnecessary. I hope you liked the first part, there are few more coming up later.
Channel V Dil Dosti Dance
Arjun
24