Chapter 3:The Destiny's Game
It was a bright Sunday morning. The sun rays peeped though the curtains of Navya's window and fell right across Navya's face which were moved by Meeta.Navya squeaked her eyes and turned to the other side.
Meeta sat on the bed and caresses Navya's hairs softly. "Navya beta uth jaa"
"Haan Maa bas doh minute" Navya mumbled.
Meeta became a bit emotional thinking about Navya's marriage and her going away from them to her new house. She quickly rubbed away her tears before Navya could see."Navya, beta uth na,abhi Rits ka phone aaya tha vo aur Appy thodi hi der mein ghar aa rahe hain. Jaa jake fresh ho jaa"
"Acha Maa" says Navya and gets up yawning away.She goes to freshen up.
***
It was 12:30 in the afternoon.
"Toh tere kehne ka matlab hain,ki uss ladke ki matlab photo tere paas aa gayi thi but bio data uske bhai ka aaya tha jabki ye rishta uske liye nai uske bhai ke liye tere ghar aaya tha"says Appy as she tries to gulp the fact.
"Haan Appy tune bilkul sahi samjha,ye sab bas ek misunderstanding thi aur ab sab sort out ho chukka hain" says Navya wearing a lemon-white coloured cudidar kurta.
"Par Navya,tune haan kyun kar di?"asks a confused Rits.
"Matlab?"asks Navya.
"Arae matlab ki tu toh uske bhai ko janti tak nahi hai aur Anant se toh ek baar mili bhi hai, unofficial way mein hi sahi"says Appy tries to get Rits's point.
"Lekin guys,rishta uska nahi uske bhai ka aaya tha mere liye,maa-papa ko bhi Mohan pasand hain,isliye maine bhi.."Navya tries to say but was cut by Rits
"Aur isliye tu bhi kya Navya? Teri apni koi thinking nahi hain,jab tu Anant se pehli baar takrai thi tab tujhe kuch alag sa feel nahi hua?"asks an excited Rits.
"Haan" says Appy keeping her chin on her fist dreamily "jaisa filmo mein hota hain pehle takrana aur phir pyaar,hayee"
"Rits aur Appy tum dono apni filmy duniya se bahar aoge please,ye koi film nahi hain,ye reality hain, isliye koi kisi ko pehli baar dekhne se hi attracted feel nahi hota hai aur arranged marriages mein ladka aur ladki ek dusre ko dheere dheere se hi samajh paate hain ek dum se kuch nahi hota" says Navya trying to make them out of their dreamland.
"vaise jo bhi kaho isse mera raasta toh saaf ho gaya,I mean Anant aur main..." says Appy shyly trying to tease Navya.
"chup kar Appy itna udd mat samjhi"says Navya pulling a face.
"ohho dekho toh zara koi jealous ho raha hain yaha!"says Rits winking at Appy and then looks at Navya.
"Nahi,ma..main kyu jealous hone lagi"says Navya fumbling away and looking down.
"Main tum dono ke liye coffee banake laati hoon"says Navya trying to avoid their teasing looks and runs to the kitchen.
"tujhe kya lagta hain Appy,ye Navya sahi kar rahi hai?"Asks Rits on a serious note.
"Mujhe nahi lagta yaar,pata nai kyun asa lag raha hain jaise kuch sahi nahi hain"says Appy with a thoughtful look.
Rits phone rang. It was her bf Ranbir's phone. Rits goes to one corner to talk to him meanwhile Appy took Navya's cell and started seeing the old photographs.
***
Navya returns back with three cups of coffee. She gave it to Appy and Rits and sat along with her cup of coffee. Just then the door bell rang.
"Iss samay kaun aaya hoga?"asks Navya.
"Arae Navya tu ruk"Navya hears Meeta's voice from the drawing room "main dekhti hoon"
Meeta opens the door. It was Anant standing at the door wearing a black shirt and dark blue jeans.
"Namasty Aunty"says Anant folding hands.
"Arae beta Anant,namasty!Ander aao na"says Meeta and invited him inside.
"Aao baitho" says Meeta while Anant sat on the sofa.
"kaho beta kaise aana hua?"asks Meeta.
"Aunty vo kal Maa ye kangan"Anant shows her the bangles "Navya ko pehnana chahti thi na toh maine ise adjust karwa dia hain"
"Vo actually" Anant continues "Maa ka bohut mann tha ki vo khud ye kangan apni hone wali bahu ko pehnaye but unhe aur Savita chachi ko Nimmi ke college jaane pada,uska college play dekhne aur Papa aur Mohan bhai 1 hafte ke liye Delhi gaye hai official work ke liye isliye Maa ne mujhse kaha ye kangan le jaane ke liye."
"Arae beta agar Sugandha ji busy hain toh kya hua,sasural ka koi bhi sadasya ye kangan pehnaye toh shubh bhi manaa jayega,ruko main abhi Navya ko bulati hoon,Navyaaa" Meeta calls.
"Arae aunty but main kaise" Anant murmures.
Navya came out and Anant's eyes fell upon her. *She is looking gorgeous* He thought but keeping his thoughts aside.He waved at Navya saying a "Hi"
Navya reciprocated the same. She sat beside Anant.
"Beta,dekh Anant ne ye kangan thik karwa diye aur teri saas ye kangan tere haatho jald se jald dekhna chahti hain,isliye Anant"Meeta looks at him. "Tum ise ye kangan pehnao tab tak main tumahre liye chai banake laati hoon" She proceeds towards the kitchen.
Anant and Navya were again stuck in an awkward situation. Meanwhile Rits and Appy were standing at the door and looking at them together dreamily.
"Hayeee,dekh na Rits ye dono saath mein kitne perfect lagte hain aur iss Mohan ko dekh" holding his photo and showing to Rits "kitna imperfect lagega ye Navya ke saath" Appy says pulling a face.
"Haan yaar dekh na Navya use kuch baat kar rahi hain aur vo bas usiko nihare jaa raha hain"Notices Rits.
"Tujhe kya lagta hain ye Anant Navya ko like-wike karne laga hain kya?" Asks Appy.
"Doh hi mulakato mein like ka toh pata nahi but attracted to definetly hain" smirks Rits.
"Aur attraction hi toh pyaar hone ki taraf ka pehla signal hota hain" says Appy and they both gave a hi-fi to each other.
"Umm Navya" Anant put forwards his hand for Navya to give her hand while holding 1 broad gold kangan studded with diamonds on his other hand.
"hmm" says Navya looking at his eyes and then giving her hand in his.
"Main ye scene nahi miss kar sakti" says Appy and took out the phone to click their picture.
Anant slowly pushes the kangan on her soft palm which fits in and rests on her wrist perfectly.As he does so,they had an eyelock and Appy click the picture saying "Perfect" while Rits smiles.
Navya broke the eyelock and frees her hand from his hold seeing Meeta coming with Tea and snacks while Appy and Rits joining them.
Just then the landline rang."Acha tumlog baithke baatein karo main call leke aati hoon"says Meeta and goes to attain the call.
"Hii Anant,am Appy and she is Rits"says Appy with a broad smile "Pichli baar tumahra naam nahi janti thi na isliye thik se hi-hello nahi ho paya tha"chuckles Appy.
"Hii"says Anant to both with a smile.
Anant had his tea while Meeta comes.
"Aumty humare ghar ki ek aur rasam hain."says Anant "Humare ghar ki hone wali bahu ko uski saas tohfe mein lehenga-choli gift karti hain toh maa ne mujhse kaha.." Anant tries to continue but Meeta cuts him.
"Main janti hoon beta,abhi Sugandha ji ka hi phone aaya tha,unka mann hain ki Navya khudse koi lehenga choose kare apne liye" says Meeta.
"Jee aunty"says Anant.
"Haan toh thike tum Navya ko le jao" smiles Meeta.
"Umm maa, kyu na Rits aur Appy bhi humare saath chale?"Asks Navya.
"Haan ye thik rahega" says Anant.
"Toh thike tum chaaro jao aur sham tak laut aana"says Meeta.
"Thike aunty ab hum chalte hain,namasty" says Anant and four of them went to Phoenix Mall.
***
Anant and the trio reached to one of the expensive showrooms of lehengas,sarees and suits.
Rits and Appy seemed to be more excited in choosing a lehenga-choli as they love to shop.
Navya seemed to be a bit lost. Anant notices this.
"Umm Navya agar tumhe yaha koi lehenga pasand nahi aa raha toh hum dusri shop chalte hain!"says Anant breaking Navya's diverted attention.
"Huh..haan..nahi thike main choose karti hoona"
Appy and Rits were choosing a lehenga for Navya one by one but Navya kept rejecting them.Anant was watching all this and he sensed that something is bothering her for sure. He can't see her gloomy like this. But why? He don't have any answer for this right now.
Suddenly his eyes fell upon a purple-red lehenga-choli with stone work.He quickly told the seller to show that lehenge. The trio looked at him.
"Navya,tumhe yeh lehenga-choli kaisi lag rahi hain?"asks a hopeful Anant.
Navya's eyes twinkled seeing that lehenga-choli and an instant smile lit up her face which made Anant smile as well.
"Bohut khoobsurat hain yeh Anant"Navya beamed with joy.
"Haan toh isse pack karwa lete hain"says a cheerful Appy and was going to ask the seller to pack this but was stopped by Anant.
"Vo actually Maa aka bohut mann tha ki tum jo bhi lehenga choli choose karo usmein vo tumhe dekhe kyuki abhi shaadi ki rasme shuru hone mein ek lamba waqt hain"says Anant to Navya "toh kya tum yeh abhi try kar sakti ho,main usmein tumahri photo click karke Maa ko dikha dunga?"Asks Anant.
The thought of Anant seeing her in his chosen lehenga-choli and then clicking a picture made Navya blush a little unknowingly. She nodded her head with a smile and went with that outfit towards the changing room.
"Ab main tab tak iska bill banwa leta hoon"says Anant to Rits and Appy and went towards the cash counter along with the seller.
"Sunn Appy ab hum nikalte hain"says Rits
"Kya?Par kyu?"asks Appy confused.
"Buddhu kyuki hume kawab mein haddi nahi banna chahiye" says Rits.
"ohh ab main samjhi,ye sahi rahega,I mean tu dekhna dono ek doosre ki taraf attracted hain"says Appy.
"haan aur ab ye humara farz banta hain ki hum inn dono ko ek doosre ke kareeb laaye"says Rits continuing Appy's sentence.
"But yaha se nikalne na bahana kya de inn dono ko?"asks Appy.
"Mere paas ek plan hain"smiles Rits wickedly.
Anant came to them. "Anant hum dono ko na abhi nikalna padega"says Rits
"Abhi achanak kyu kya hua?"asks Anant.
"Vo humare ek dost ki achanak se na thodi tabiyat kharab ho gayi hain,isliye hum abhi nikalte hain and tum Navya ko please ghar chod dena"says Rits
"parr.."Anant tries to say
"okay then bye and Navya ko bata dena" shouts Appy while they move out hurriedly from there.
Anant was confused seeing them behaving strangely but the beauty standing infront of him now made him forget everything.
Anant's jaw dropped seeing Navya look drop dead gorgeous in that attire. Her cheeks have turned red by now feeling Anant's burning gaze on her.
Navya could not help blushing while Anant could not help gazing at her lovingly. He had seemed to forget all her would be relations with his bhai and for him, right now. His heart felt just right seeing her and admiring her. Both stood there for a few more moments but reality struck Navya first and she went to him.Seeing her moving towards him broke Anant's attention and coming back to the dredful reality.
"Tum bohut achi lag rahi ho" Anant's mouth spoke those words without his own consent.
Navya looked down and then said "thanks"
"vo..ah..umm..mujhe..main tumahri photo click kar leta hoon maa ko dikhane ke liye"says Anant while forgetting in between about what he is saying.
Anant clicked two-three pics of her on his cell phone and said "perfect" while getting angry on himself for speaking his heart out unknowingly.
"Main..main change karke aati hoon"says Navya and goes from there.
Anant looked at her photograph for how long standing there,he had no idea.
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Precap:Anant and Navya had lunch together.😳
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Okay guys! This is it. I hope u liked this part. Do hit the like button and give ur reviews!