FF: Raya Story - New Chapter 21 updated, Pg 54 on 27 Nov 2016 - Page 25

Chapter 18

Even though Sudhir introduces Ram and Priya. They continue to look at each other.. Still not able to get out of the shock... Shipra walks in...

Shipra: Arey Ram beta.. kya hua... baito beta... Priya.. tub hi baitna...

Ram and Priya both sit.. But not yet snapped out of it.. They have not winked for the past couple of minutes... Frozen...

Ram is trying to digest what has just happened.. Dr Sharma is Priya... Priya is Dr Sharma... Oh.. my god...

Priya is thinking.. so the R in RK is Ram.. meaning Mr Ram Kapoor...

Shipra and Sudhir do not understand what is going on... It seems like both of them have just been struck by a lightning... Yeh Kya ho raha hain... Need to do something...

Sudhir goes and taps on Priya's shoulder... shakes her...

Sudhir: Priya... Priya.. Kya hua? Tum dono hamare saamne baat nahi karna chahte hain. Tho.. go in the room or go out ... Kyun Shipra teek hain na?

Shipra: Haan Priya, Papa teek keh rahe hain. Kyun Ram beta...

Priya and Ram finally realize what is happening... and hear something from Both Shipra and Sudhir.. and Priya recovers with Sudhir tapping her shoulder... So sudeenly Priya turns her gaze away... looking here and there. Seeing this Ram does not know how to respond to the whole situation... He just looks down... and looks at Priya's parents... He finally recovers...after Priya starts to say something...

Priya: Papa, Maa... Aap dono se ek baat karni thi... Hum dono pehle mil chuke hain..

Ram: Yes Uncle.

Now it is turn for Priya's parents to be shocked...

Shipra: Tum log yeh kya keh rahe ho? You know each other??...

Priya: Mr Kapoor, Aap bolonge .. ya main bataoon?

Ram: Dr Sharma you can answer...

Priya: Thanks.. please join in to clear everything out... I will start... and she begins...

Papa.. yeh Mr Kapoor .. K&S pharma ke Chairman hain... Wahi company jahan maine apna research proposal beja tha...

Ram: Haan Uncle. Hum log aaj subah Dr Sharma ke office main mile the. Woh Proposal discuss karne ke liye hi.. Lekin maze ki baat yeh hain.. Ki main inka first name nahi janta tha,,, Correct if I am wrong.. you did not either...

Priya: Exactly Papa...

Sudhir and Shipra.. are still with puzzeled looks...

Sudhir: So you knew each other, except for first names... Correct?

Ram: Haan Uncle. Not just that... Yaad hain, jab main andar aaya tha... I mentioned one of the friends dropped me here... It was your daughter...

Priya: Yes.. So we drove together...

Shipra: Chalo... Meri tho confusion katam hua... Lekin ek baat hain... accha hi hua ki tum pehle se mile the... Ab kya Sudhir?

Sudhir: Ek kaam karo tum dono... Priya, Ram I think both of you need to talk to each other. Esp on a personal front. Maybe you want to go upstairs, or outside.. you can decide...

Priya and Ram again look at each other... almost asking through expressions, little hand gestures as to where they want to go and talk... Both of them are eager to talk to each other... But they do not show it to each other... Finally... Priya decides...

Priya: Mr Kapoor, we have nice open area upstairs.. If you are ok with it?

Ram: He is hoping to take her for dinner. Not talk much in the house.. But he has to meet Mr Mahesh for dinner... Kya kare... Dr Sharma, one minute. I have to make a call... then can we decide on what to do?

Priya: Sure.

Ram is thinking that this meeting is important with Mahesh... But I want to spend time with Priya... What do I do?????? With these thoughts he calls Mahesh. After a few minutes of the talk... He cannot believe what he has done.. For the first time... He has decided to skip a business meeting for a personal reason... He told Mahesh.. that this has to be done after dinner either... over phone or in person at his hotel.. Ram thinks... yeh kya kar rahan hain tu... haan ... He hopes he has done the right thing... I wonder what Vikram will say when he hears this...

Ram: We can go upstairs if you want to. But I have a suggestion. Hope uncle and Aunty do not have an issue with this... I was thinking if Dr Sharma and I can go out for early dinner. That way I can also meet a business associate after dinner...

Shipra: Arey beta.. tune tho meri muh ki baat cheenli... Tum dono jao... Shipra is all excited that Ram is interested in Priya.. She is hoping this thing pans out... She is also aware that Priya is not averse to this...

Sudhir: Sure beta... you guys can go... kyun Priya...

Priya: I am Ok with it. I will just change and come...

Priya runs upstairs.. to change. Meanwhile... Priya's parents talk to Ram for a bit about the family.. business. Ram answers.. but is waiting for Priya. Priya is not sure what to wear. She decides to be casual,comfortable... wears a kurta and jeans. Gets ready in about 10 mins or so.. But her mind is running... in different directions... but she manages to focus.. on where she might go for dinner... Some place where food is good and also they would get a bit of Privacy to talk about stuff... what that stuff... Priya is not sure...Priya comes down.. Ram has been looking at the stairs every few minutes to see if Priya is coming down. Finally he sees her in a white- red printed kurtha on a dark blue jeans. Ram is amazed as she looked wonderful ... but also there was something different about her in the attire that she wears.. He felt that each attire brought out a different Priya... Trying not to stare...

Ram: Uncle, Aunty. I think we should leave. It was very nice to talk and meet both of you again. I wish I could have met your son as well.

Sudhir: Priya, decided where you are going for dinner?

Priya: Not yet Papa.. I think I am going to give some options for Mr Kapoor and let him decide. Mr Kapoor , Shall we?

Shipra abruptly calls Priya inside. She explains to her ... do not do any Nakras... I like Ram... He seems like a nice person... So DO NOT mess it up... Priya shakes her head and just agrees to her mother... And thinks,, Maa I have a crush... and you do not know... Atleast from my side just on that aspect... it's a yes... We will see what Mr Kapoor wants and says...

Both Priya and Ram leave in Priya's car... Sudhir and Shipra are extremely happy... In the car...

Ram: Wow!!!!!! What just happened in there?... I am so shocked .. that it was you Dr Sharma... They were trying to set me up with...

Priya: I can't believe it either... You...

Both of them start laughing loud... at their plight...and so that they can hide the feelings they have felt for each other... After a minute or 2...

Ram: So... Dr Sharma...

Priya: Please Mr Kapoor... call me Priya... Dr Sharma... was ok professionally...

Ram: I agree... Will call you Priya.. if you call me Ram... deal?

Priya: Deal...

Now that they have decided to call each other by first names...

Ram: Priya, ek baat puchni thi... Hum kahan ja rahe hain khaane ke liye?

Priya: Oh woh... I was thinking we can go to Orion Mall... Few places there to eat. Good food and also place to walk around.

Ram: Cool... I like the idea. I was thinking of asking my driver to pick me up from there.

Priya: Oh Ok... I suggest..we can go home after this... and you can ask your driver to come there... if you are going back to your hotel...

Ram: Ok.. I think that works too...

The ride is uneventful... Priya had to focus on driving... she wanted to think a few things... but could not do so. Ram is looking about... taking peeks to see Priya... He is lost in thoughts... One thing is bothering him... He likes Priya...but.. what about her????? She wanted to marry only for Parent's sake. He just cannot get pass that... maybe she likes/liked somebody and that did not work out... Does she like me??????

In about 20 mins or so they reach the mall...They park the car. Walk to the area outside the mall.. I mean the lake/pond area... It's beautiful with the lights... and dcor on the wall... They start walking around the pond... There is silence between them... each one having a million questions about themselves and to ask each other...

Priya: Mr Kapoor, Oh Sorry... Ram...

On hearing his name from Priya... he is taken aback at the feeling it gave him... He can't believe somebody calling him by his name could be so sensous to him... he loves it to the core... In the dim lighting outside... and walking by the pond... He wanted to hold her hand... and walk with her... But... Priya continues...

Priya: I am sure this whole thing of meeting one another is very awkward... At least it for me... Until this evening I knew you professionally... Suddenly.. the dynamics has changed... I am not sure how to proceed. I thought over the last couple of meetings... I considered you as acquaintance/ friend... more so on this trip... Now ... this marriage proposal...

Though Priya says all this to Ram... What she wanted to say was... I have a crush on you... And I like you... I want to know more about you... Spend time with you... But she is not sure what Ram thinks about this whole thing...Esp knowing that he is marrying only for parents... So I don't think it will be a love marriage... we might be one of those boring couples... Comprise... Adjust... etc... no romance... Disappointed at this prospect... And hopeful things might turn out different... She continues...

Priya: Do you have any questions for me? Or is there anything you want to know...

Ram: Priya.. I agree with your thoughts on the sudden change... Pata nahi... maine yeh sab kabhi kiya nahi hain... mera first time hain... Maine tumhe jo bhi bolna tha mere baare main... maine email main likha tha... Abhi mere work ke baare main bhi tujhe pata hain... I know from your email and meeting you with regard to work... I mean Dekho Priya, Hum dono jante hain... ki hum shaadi kyun kar rahe hain... I do not think I will find a better fit for me in terms of family, and profession as well... I would think for family's sake we match well... So I guess what I am saying... If I have to marry for family's sake... then I would rather marry you... who I have met a couple of times... Than marry someone else who I don't know at all... So is this proposal acceptable to you?

Though Ram says this... He does not mean one thing... He wants to say.. Priya you are beautiful... gorgeous. I would love to spend my time with you the rest of my life... He wanted to ask her to marry him... but...

Priya on hearing this is very disappointed and shocked as well... she had hoped that he would like her the way she does... But... In her mind... that logic holds good... At least I will be marrying a guy I like... parents will be happy ... And hopes eventually things might work out... and decides to accept the proposal...

Priya: I agree with your reasoning. I have no problem in marrying you.