Madhu recalled the incidents happened an hour back. She had to attend an award ceremony with her parents. It was a function she didn't have any interest, except for the fact that her dad has been nominated for the 'Best business personality of the year'. He had high hopes of grabbing the award for the 5th consecutive time as he had been already awarded by it for the past 4 years. But unfortunately this year, it was gone to his business rival Mr. Mohan Kundra. It made him highly disappointed. He just left the premises in frustration forcefully taking out his wife & daughter out. His wife tried him to stop but her efforts were all in vain. Nobody could control him when he was angry.
Madhu was born to a conservative family. Her father was hell strict, he had so many strict rules for his wife & his daughters. Madhu was raised up, under such draconian rules. Being in the age of sweet sixteen Madhu didn't have any freedom to hangout with her friends or socialize. She was like a bird, trapped in a cage. She didn't have anyone to share her feelings. Her mom wasn't much close to her. Her parents supplied her with all the comfort, but they failed to maintain a strong emotional bond with their daughter. Madhu had another elder sister named Deepali, who is actually her half sister. Madhu's father Malik was married before & was abandoned by his first wife.
Deepali & Madhu were poles apart. Deepali never treated Madhu well, neither her step mother Padmini. Deepali was just 6 years when Malik re-married. She had a soft corner for Deepali & treated her has her own daughter. Deepali too loved her but with the time passed Deepali was brainwashed by her mom's relatives that her mother left them because of Padmini, as Malik had an extra marital affair with her while Padmini was working as his secretary. Deepali's love for Padmini eventually turned out to hatred. She was a stubborn teenager back then. It became worse when Madhu was born. Deepali was jealous when her father started loving her new sibling. Deepali never cared to call Madhu as a sister. Malik often used to punish her for her adamant behavior, that made her ill-treat Madhu more. Malik was often stressed out with the family matters & he decided to send Deepali to a hostel in order to change her behavior. When you are in a hostel, you need to obey the rules & regulations, no matter how hard they are.
Malik's plans failed twice. Deepali was dropped out of two hostels. Finally she was sent off to her aunt, Malik's only sister Roma. She could handle her, & after much effort Deepali agreed to stay there. She completed her studies as an accountant & came back to them. Deepali never wanted to sort out the difference with Padmini & Madhu, the only thing she wanted was her father's property. She came back & pretended to be in good terms with Padmini & Madhu. Malik was surprised to see her change but he was extremely happy that everything was back to normal.
Deepali's come back made Madhu's life worse. Deepali wanted to hurt her in every chance she get. Madhu was used to her misdeeds but each & everything made her depressed. In the other hand, she was stuck at home with her father's draconian laws. She got freedom only at college, that too for a few hours for a day. Her father dropped her at the college everyday & her mom came her to pick up in the afternoon. Her friends used to tease her when her parents accompany her to the college like an elementary kid. She didn't have a friend whom she can share her feelings. Her childhood best friend Tara migrated to Canada when they were in the 6th standard. She had only a handful of friends, they too weren't that much close.
'How could that bloody Kundra win it? I'm sure he had bribed the committee!' Malik was furious. He couldn't hold his anger anymore. He started slamming the things at the living room with great violence. Padmini tried to calm him down but she eventually failed. He shut the door & locked himself in the room.
'Yet another alcoholic encounter!' Madhu sighed. Madhu was tired of all these things. Home was an awful place for her. Days passed, without much drama, except some few news paper articles about her father leaving the award show made him loose his temper. He avoided answering the media.
Finally something positive was happening around. Madhu's cousins Rahul & Rashmi came to India. Rahul & Rashmi were twins, & they were Padmini's elder brother's children. Their family migrated to London a few years back. The twins wanted to come to India for a vacation since they have completed their studies at London. Both of them were willing to settle down in their motherland. Both of them have excelled in accountancy so their parents discussed with Malik to get them work experience in his office. Initially Malik was hesitant but he couldn't deny it because they were close relatives. Malik agreed to accommodate his niece & nephew & offer them a job at his company.
Their arrival brought happiness in Madhu's life. They could bring up a genuine smile on Madhu's face after years. Thankfully Deepali was away from home, working on a project quite far away from their city. Malik had to lesson his draconian rules for Madhu since Rahul & Rashmi were around but they have been warned as well to behave well.
'Ah finally it is done!' Rashmi smiled with a satisfaction after completing her task of colouring Madhu's nails. She gave Madhu a manicure. 'Wow Rashmi didu! it's wonderful!' Madhu thanked her with a bright smile. Her nails were coloured in her favourite rainbow colors.
'Oh god Madhu! how many times I've told you! just don't call me 'didu' It makes me feel much older! yuck!' Rashmi chuckled.
'Of course you are older than me!' Madhu winked.
'So? does it make a difference?' We look like the same age right?' Rashmi giggled.
'You are gonna turn 21 next week! & I'm gonna be 17 soon, so it's 4 years already.'
'Hahaha but missy! just call me Rashmi. Sweet & short. Simple as that!'
'Mom & dad will chide me!'
'I know you are taught to respect elders! But hey! I don't consider myself superior. And I just feel awkward when you call me didu' 'So here after just call us by our names, not didu & bhai.'
'Hmm okay!'
'Girls girls!' Rahul stormed in to Madhu's room. His voice was filled with excitement.
'Sup bro?' 'Why do you sound so excited like never before?' Rashmi giggled.
'Guess what?' 'I found him!'
'Eureka! I found him! I found him!' Rahul sang.
'What the hell wrong with you?' Rashmi widened her eyes.
'Him?' 'Who is 'him?' Madhu inquired with a confusion.
'Him?' 'Your long lost love?' 'Eww you sound like a homosexual'! Rashmi laughed out.
'Shut up!' Rahul punched his sister playfully.
'Ouch!'
'Finally I could meet my childhood best friend Rishu.'
'Rishu??? You mean that Rishabh?? Rishabh Kundra??' Rashmi shouted in excitement.
'Yeah that one, you had a secret crush on him back then.' Rahul chuckled.
Rashmi blushed with embarrassment.
Madhu was listening to them yet confused.
'So how is he now?'
'Oh man! he has grown up to be a handsome hunk!' Rahul smiled.
'Erm Rahul seriously? You sound like a fan girl!' Rashmi laughed out. Madhu too joined her.
'Oh! I bet you girls cannot resist his hotness' Rahul winked.
'For the first time I saw a guy complimenting another!' Madhu chuckled.
'Of course Madhu! why should I be jealous of my best friend?' Rahul winked.
'Anyway I'm glad you met Rishabh' Rashmi smiled. 'I too wanna meet him soon.'
'Next week! Our birthday is coming up na! Let's go out! I'll ask Rishabh to join too. May be Madhu can come too.'
'I don't think dad would permit me to go out.' Madhu replied in a dull tone.
'I'll convince uncle.'
'In your dreams Rahul!' 'Dad won't let me go! I doubt if he would permit you guys to go out either.'
'Oh come Madhu! We are not 5 year old kids. I know you have been raised up under so many restrictions! But hell! this is the 21st century. I can't understand why uncle still follows those orthodox rules. As a teenager you should have freedom to socialize. What would happen to you when you go to the society one day? How could you stand up alone huh?' Rashmi was speaking like a machine.
'Hey Rash! just stop behaving like a damn lecturer! You are boring us' Rahul teased his twin sister.
'Shut up Rahul! Have you got any solution to take Madhu out of this prison? No right? Just knock your head.Come on she deserves much freedom in her life! Rashmi raised her voice.
'Okay guys! please calm down' Madhu tried to make peace. She truly felt happy to see someone is there to care about her. She hugged her cousins with extreme gratitude. The twins pacified her that they will take her out on their birthday by hook or crook.
Finally their 21st birthday came up & the duo could convince Padmini to take Madhu outside to celebrate their birthday. Madhu surprised their cousins in the morning by baking a cake by her own. They were so much thankful for her. Thankfully Malik has gone outstation for some business matter & he wasn't there at home. Padmini could not stop them. Padmini was in a dilemma whether to permit them go out. Rashmi could convince after assuring her & promising a thousand times that she would take good care of Madhu & they would return back home soon.
Madhu felt like a bird freed from a cage. She was extremely happy to go out with her cousins. Rahul & Rashmi accompanied her to their favourite restaurant. Rishabh was about to meet them there.
Madhu was sipping her favourite beverage, orange juice. Rashmi was gobbling french fries as an appetizer as she couldn't wait anymore till Rishabh comes to start her meal. Rahul was waiting for his best friend impatiently.
Rishabh was too late. All of them were waiting for him. Madhu was dying of hunger. Her orange juice has not worked either. She was a little bit pissed off with Rishabh. She has never seen him, but she hated people who cannot work on time. She hated sitting & her stomach started wailing in hunger. She couldn't wait anymore, she excused & went to order something for her to eat.
There were varieties of food in the buffet & she wanted to try out a complete meal with starters & appetizers. It's been a quite long time she came to eat from a restaurant & she just couldn't miss the delicious chances. She decided to try out a Thai Chicken & sweet potato soup. The tantalizing aroma of it boosted her taste buds.
She walking towards the table when somebody accidentally collided with her. That resulted her newly served Thai Chicken & sweet potato soup flew off the air & kissed the ground with a loud thud. The soup bowl broke in to pieces & the soup flowed off like molten lava from a volcano. A few of it where on Madhu's dress as stains.
'What the hell you?' Madhu started chiding the person while trying to clean off her dress.
'Oh crap! My blackberry!' The stranger shouted with extreme disappointment. The poor fellow's phone was on the floor as well, covered with the soup.
'Are you blind or something? What the hell did you just do?' Madhu rebuked at the stranger.
'Uh me?' The stranger shrugged.
'Who else? Just concentrate when you are walking! Specially when you are texting while walking!' Madhu advised in an aggressive tone.
'Oh! so you have already seen what I was doing but you decided to come & bump to me?' The stranger spoke with a sarcastic smile.
'I assumed it! & I am not crazy to bump into someone deliberately!' Madhu frowned.
'Oh is that so? assumed it? You sound like a fortune teller! if you can guess what I was doing in my past I think you've got that super powers to tell me what I would do in the future, right?' The stranger winked.
'I am not interested to talk to you anymore! just let me go!' Madhu tried to go away but the stranger was blocking her way.
'Sure you can go! I'm not holding you back.' The stranger chuckled.
'Idiot! he ruined my dress & now trying to act smart!' Madhu left muttering, almost chiding the stranger.
People who have come to serve themselves in the buffet were watching at this drama from a distant. They felt bad about the young girl who just missed her chance to taste the mouth watering Thai Chicken & sweet potato soup.
Rahul & Rashmi was impatiently waiting for their friend Rishabh at the other corner of the restaurant.
'Where the hell is your best friend? Oh god! he should learn to work on time!' Rashmi bawled out with displeasure.
'He is almost here! texted me a while back!'
'By the way, where is Madhu?'
'She just went to serve something for herself. I don't know why she is late! It's been more than 10 minutes now!' Rashmi was worried.
At long last Rishabh appeared in their table.
'Yo Rahul!'
'Rishu! finally!' The friends hugged each other greeting.
'Hey Rash! remember me?' Rishabh smiled.
Rashmi was stunned to see the hot figure in front of her. She couldn't believe that the Rishabh she used to know back then has changed to be a dashing young man. He is absolutely handsome & irresistible.
'OMG Rishabh! Is this really you?' 'Man! you've changed a lot!' Rashmi hugged him.
'Hahaha really? But I'm still that old Rishu who used to pull off your pig tails!' Rishabh chuckled.
'Dude you are late! we've been waiting for you for more than an hour!' Rashmi complained.
'My apologies for it ma'am! Blame the traffic in Mumbai! & when I just got here, a crazy girl bumped on me!'
'Haha Rishu! that's simply because you are so attractive & I think girls can't get off from the magnetic field of your body!' Rahul teased.
'So where is your cousin? you guys told me that you are gonna bring out your cousin sister, isn't it? Rishabh inquired.
'Oh yeah Madhu! there she is!' Rashmi pointed out to Madhu who was coming towards their table, speaking to herself in an aggressive manner. She was chiding the stranger who bumped in to her. Rishabh was seated opposite so Madhu didn't notice him.
'Madhu! where the hell have you been? You went to serve food right? why you seems to be pissed off?' Rashmi inquired.
'What the hell you?? what are you doing at our table? that too after spoiling my dress?'Madhu was shocked to see the person whom she collided with a few minutes back. She was unaware that it was none other than her cousin's best friend, Rishabh.
'Huh? you here?' Rishabh too was surprised to see her.
Rishabh & Madhu were staring at each other with widened eyes. Rahul & Rashmi were confused.
Rishabh couldn't take his eyes off Madhu. He was mesmerized by her beauty. He was attracted to her by the first sight even though he didn't show it. He has seen & even interacted with so many girls but neither of them couldn't steal his heart. Rishabh was trying to control his feelings but he couldn't deny the fact that he felt something special about the stranger whom he collided with a few minutes back.
Madhu too couldn't resist the charm of the masculine figure in front of her. Though she was hell angry with him for ruining her dress & her soup, something special was blooming deep inside her.
'Umm!' 'Excuse me?' Rahul's voice brought Rishabh & Madhu back to normal. Both of them looked away with embarrassment. Rahul & Rashmi exchanged a glance.
'What's happening around?' 'Madhu are you fine?' 'What happened to you?' Rashmi inquired breaking the silence.
'Rash! look at my dress! He ruined it!' Madhu frowned at Rishabh.
'Oh hello! that was an accident okay?'
'Whatever! You just ruined my best outfit!' Madhu rebuked.
'Oh so you think you look good in this outfit?' Rishabh teased.
'Huh?' Madhu frowned.
'Madhu?' 'Just tell me what happened?' Rahul inquired. 'And you Rishu! how come you...?'
'Let me explain!'
'No let me explain!' Madhu interrupted.
'I went to serve something from the buffet, & I served my favourite Thai Chicken & sweet potato soup...'
'Eeks you love that?' 'That has an awful taste!' Rishabh intruded.
'Shut up!'
'Then this idiot came & bumped! He just ruined my dress & also my soup!' Madhu continued chiding Rishabh.
'I told you! It was an accident!'
'But you could have been more careful!'
'Okay call me careless! you could have avoided it na? Cause you seems to be uh.. so 'careful' na? Rishabh chuckled.
'Seems like your so called delicious soup made you forget where you were!' Rishabh added more. Madhu couldn't speak anymore. Rishabh got a smart answer for each & every question.
Rahul face palmed. His best friend & cousin were fighting for silly reasons.
'Dude! I just saw your text & was about to reply you that I was here. That just took my eyes off from the pathway for only 5 seconds & this disaster happened!' Rishabh explained.
'That's why it says don't text while driving! Accidents can happen!' Rashmi craked a joke. All of them shared a laughter.
'Okay okay! calm down guys!' 'Let me introduce you guys to each other.' 'Madhu this is my best friend Rishabh! Rishabh Kundra. He is an architecture student! A talented painter, a maths genius & also a great singer! 'And..'
'Dude just don't flatter!' Rishabh chuckled.
'And Rishu, this is Madhubala. My cousin sister. Call her Madhu!'
'Madhubala! ahaan what a filmy name you have got!' Rishabh winked. 'But you need to train anger management!' Rishabh teased her again.
'Thank you for your precious piece of advise!' Madhu grinned.
Rishabh, Madhu, Rahul & Rashmi had a great time with each other. The birthday celebrations went in a simple way, yet wonderfully. Rishabh couldn't stop teasing Madhu. Madhu too often got irritated with his actions but she just chose to laugh off & show that she was unaffected by them. They spend 4 good hours, chatting enjoying the delicious food & cracking jokes. In the evening Rahul & Rashmi cut their birthday cake which was a surprise treat ordered by Rishabh.
Rishabh & Rahul soon started playing with icing running behind the girls. Rashmi & Madhu tried their best to escape but they couldn't get rid of the icing attack. Suddenly Madhu felt someone rubbing her cheeks with icing. It was none other than Rishabh who was continuing his mischievous acts against Madhu. Madhu couldn't wait anymore. She too started showing her evil side.
She almost took a huge amount of icing on her palm & almost painted Rishabh's outfit with icing while he was struggling to get rid of it.
'Madhu! what the hell? stop it!'
'Tit for tat! Tee hee!' Madhu winked smiling sarcastically.
'What the hell?'
'You ruined my dress! didn't you?' Madhu grinned.
'Oho so you are on revenge mode huh?' Rishabh inquired. Madhu winked without replying him & continued bugging him with icing. Within no time Rishabh held her tightly from her waist. He pulled her more closer. One of his arms were around her waist & the other one tightly holding her hands.
'Rishabh what are you doing?' Madhu tried to loosen his grip. Rishabh was staring at her eyes. Her eyes were filled with innocence, but her eyes were so expressive. He was completely lost in her beauty. Madhu was fidgeting her hands trying to get off, but he was much stronger. Their bodies were almost glued with icing & both of them felt the burning sensation of it. Madhu couldn't resist his charm. Eventually her fidgeting came to and end & she too started staring at him. She felt something special blooming inside her heart, an unspoken feeling. Rishabh too felt the same that they are meant to be with each other. Both of them were lost in each other.
Both of them were unaware that people at the restaurant were watching at them. Among the spectators, someone was burning with jealousy. Something bad is yet to happen in their fate. They were unaware that someone had almost captured that moment.
Anupamaa
Naagin 7
