PS: if you think anyone else would be interested in reading please let me know and i will pm them as well! š
I actually had an epiphany and decided to write this story. Its about Laksh's life post Swaragini. I realized that in all this drama, the person who everyone cares about the least is Lakshya. His brother pretends to care for him but is more engrossed in unburdening his own guilty conscience, Swara doesn't give a shit and Ragini doesn't care about anyone but Ragini. Thus, I decided to give Lakshya someone who does give a shit about him and I want to see Ragini handed her share of misery and I don't think Swara is the person to do it. So I'm introducing a new character. Read and find out.
So Ragini's truth is out and Swara is still pretending to be Sanskar's wife to do damage control for Ragini. She may or may not be in love with Sanskar, but that'll hardly factor into my story, but Laksh does love her and she definitely hasn't totally forgotten about her feelings for him, just busy being typical serial heroine that's all.
WARNING: Laksh's heroine is a total bitch. Only a bitch can handle a bitch. Thus, this character, played by: Shruti Kanwar cos I like her talli acting and she can play a straight forward in your face bitch and play sweet but sexy...but mostly cos I like her talli acting.
PRELOGUE- TO BE CINDERELLA
YEAR 2021
He wished he had shoes. The cold sand beneath his toes felt uncomfortable, like prickly little icicles. But SHE'D insisted that they come here atleast once every year. He could never understand her fascination with the cold English beach side, in all seasons. And her insistence on walking barefoot on the beach; for someone who loved shoes as much as she did, she really loved walking barefoot. But she loved shoes. A lot. Owned over two hundred pairs of them. Strangely enough it was her love for shoes that made me realize how much I cared...(FLASHBACK TO 2015)
A SEMI-COLD EVENING IN THE HEIGHT OF FALL ON AN ENGLISH BEACHSIDE, THERES A BONFIRE BLAZING AND GROUP OF YOUNG FRIENDS PARTYING: LAKSH FIGURED THAT IT WOULD BE A WELCOME DISTRACTION FROM THE STORM OF SADNESS THAT PERVADED HIS LIFE. IF NOT HE COULD DRINK HIMSELF NUMB.
EVERYONE WAS DANCING, AND HAVING A GOOD TIME, LAKSH WAS SITTING AT A DISTANCE ALONE, WHEN SHONA CAME AND SAT DOWN BESIDE HIM.
S: Lucky tum kab tak aise depressed baethe rahoge?
L: Main depressed nahi hoon Shona. Just bored. Pee k aise nach ne se koi interesting nahi ho jata.
S: Ya right! Tu sachayi maan le Lucky. You are boring.
L: Its not my fault that you cant entertain me.
S: Main entertain nahi kar sakhti?!? Aisa koi kaam hi nahi hain iss duniya mein jo Shona nahi kar sakhti samjhe?
L: Accha? Toh mujhe entertain kar.
S: Thik hain bol tujhe Cinderella ki story maloom hain?
L: Kya?!? Tune mujhe ek choti si ladki samjha hain kya?
S: Offo Lucky just say yes or no?
L: Not really
S: Accha, toh sun. Ek ladki thi, Cinderella, bohut khubsoorat aur sabse pyaar karnewali. Sabse sweet. Par jab woh bohut choti thi uski mummy use chor k chali gayi thi. Uski daddy usse bohut pyaar karti thi par ek din daddy bhi chod ke chale gaye. Ladki bilkul akeli ho gayi. Sab ne usse naukrani banadia. Yaha tak uske saare shoes bhi usse chin liye. Par ek din ek Prince Charming aya aur usse sabse beautiful, perfectly balanced, (her eyes started glittering as she spoke about it) Swarovski encrusted, perfect size ki- jaise uske liye hi bani- six inch Laboutins deke uss ladki ko apna bana liya, usse princess banaliya. Main bhi bilkul Cinderella ki tarah hoon...
L: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Shona tujhe daru kuch zyada hi char gayi hain. Tu aur Cinderella? Ya right! Tu sweet aur polite? Tu naukrani? Please! Jiske aas paas paach paach videsi maids ghumte hain, woh tu- Cinderella jaisa?!? HAHAHAHAHAHA! Tu waise bhi bohut zyada peeti hain, kuch kam karde daru, tujhe delusions hone lagi hain. Aur woh kya tha? THE PERFECT SHOE?!? Kya bakwas retelling tha? Fairy aur magic kaha gayi? Aur stepmother?
S: Real life mein kisi bhi gham ki koyi magic solution nahi hoti Lucky. Koi fairy godmother nahi hoti. Kahani mein jo hota hain who real life mein nahi hota hain Lucky. Par shoes hote hain, aur woh mujhe bohut khush karte hain. Aur meri story chahe zitni hi bakwas ho, tujhe toh hasa diya na?
Laksh stops laughing immediately and looks at Shona and finds her staring at him. He helplessly stares back. Something about her gaze holds his in place and something about that stirs his heart. They don't move for what feels like ages. Finally Shona decides to get up and Laksh looks away awkwardly. She extends her hands and Laksh looks up questioningly.
S: Chal uth Maheshwari! Tujhe hasaa diya na? Toh ek dance toh banta hain na?
Laksh looks at her with a smile on his face, nods and gets up to dance.
L: Chal dekhte hain what you've got Bengalan.
S: Be careful mujhe zyada challenge maath kar. Pachtayega. Main trained dancer hoon.
They start dancing, both rhythm to rhythm completely in sync. Soon they got lost in their chemistry and Laksh grabbed her hand and noticed a tattoo on her wrist. He pulled her back against himself and whispered in her ears, the husk in his voice surprising himself.
L: Nice tat. Yahi hain yah aur kahin bhi?
Shona's reaction to him surprised him even more. She took his hand and placed it right below breasts and moved her lips on his neck and whispered.
S: Yaha bhi hain...aur...
She moved his hands down to her jutting pelvic handles. Both of them were now grinding to the rhythm, not even space for air left between them, Laksh's face cuddled into the crook of Shona's neck. He turned her around to see her beautiful face. She put her arms around his neck and he pulled her flush against his body. He was about to kiss her when suddenly Shona's feet landed on a particularly sharp barnacle. It hurt and she was sure it was bleeding. But she also knew Laksh was about to step on it as well. She immediately let go and crouched down and placed her hand on the barnacle before Laksh's feet fell on it.
S: AHH!
Her hands began to bleed. Laksh immediately got down on her level.
L: Shona yeh kya kar dia tumne? Oh my god! Tumhare toh haath mein bohut chot aiye hain. Aisa kyun kiya?
Shona looked up from her bleeding hands confused as to what had just happened. Why she did what she did.
S: Woh tumhe chot...tumhe chot lag jati. Isi liye...maine...
That brought back Laksh into reality. She did this for him...she put herself at risk for his sake...he knew that emotion, cos he'd do the same, for Swara. That means...she...then he saw more blood flowing out of her feet and he broke off his train of thoughts.
L: Shona tumhari paero se bhi khoon nikal raha hain! Shit! Tujhe toh first aid ki zaroorat hain!
S: Lucky! Relax! Kuch nahi hain Maheshwari. (She takes off her shirt and sits in her bikini. Laksh cant help but stare at her tattoos on her side and on her pelvic bones), yeh le, aab ghurna baandh kar aur yeh shirt katke mere haath paer bandh de, par usse pehle ek peg whisky mere ghao ke liye, aur phir ek aur...dard ke liye.
L: Bewdi kahiki. (Laksh laughs softly)
As he is tying her bandage, he watches her down her drink looking dazed and confused, not really sure of her own actions.
L: Shona tune aisa kyun kiya?
S: Kya kiya? Arre Maheshwari its not a big deal.
L: Shona your bleeding. Mere liye yeh sab kyun kiya?
S: I don't know. Par tum jabhi bhi dukhi hote ho na Lucky, toh mujhe bohut dukh hota hain...paata nahi kyun...main...
Laksh pulls her into his embrace and before he knows it they're kissing each other senseless. And then magic happens.
CHAPTER 1 TO LOVE THE LOVABLE, TO GRIEVE THE LAMENTABLE
LAKSHYA (OUR LUCKY SAHIB)
SHONA MALHOTRA
MEET SID MUKHERJEE (PS: I LOVE HIM)
MEET SHUCHITRA DEV THAKUR (SHUCHI/ DIDI/ DIDA 2 PS I LOVE HER TOO)
Laksh is totally at a loss, Sanskaar tries to talk to him but he shuts him off, Ragini apologizes and begs him not to throw her out of his life and accept her as his wife, AP tries to talk to him and apologizes for not standing by his love earlier. He listens to everyone without any reaction. Finally, Swara intervenes but tries to make a case for Ragini, hearing her talk about the merits of her crazy sister and how he should accept his marriage with a murderer breaks him, tears stream down his face but he apologizes to Swara for his behavior with a simple- I am very sorry for everything' and leaves without listening to her further Ragini jaap. The next morning, he leaves to London without informing anyone for a business deal. He reaches London by evening and heads for his business associate, London based billionaire Mr Malhotra's house to talk business before getting pissed drunk beyond his limits. Upon reaching there, he realizes theres a Durga pooja going on there with many Bengali women putting sindoor on each other. The butler tells him that Mr. Malhotra will reach in an hour or two and has asked that he join the festivities in the mean time. The butler introduced him to an elderly woman- Shuchitra didi, who was Mr Malhotra's mother-in-law. She was a sight to behold, soft spoken yet confident and assertive, warm yet calculative, her intelligence and ripened wisdom reflecting in her eyes, her fashion forward Bengali saree made her look too young to be a grandmother to a teenager, it is only when she'd finally gaged him enough for her smile to reach her eyes that Laksh felt finally at ease- like he was with Dida.
Sh: Urri baba! E ki? My damad had said his business associate was a bald old Marwari, par tumi toh bilkul handsome young man hain!
L: Namaste Shuchitra maam. Na woh mere papa hain, main Laksh who. DPM ka beta. Unki jagai main humare deal ko handle karunga.
Sh: Pehle toh call me didi, accha hain ke tum young man aagaye, varna Ranveer ke toh saare associates buddhe hotein hain. Can I offer you a drink?
L: Nahi woh...
Sh: Kyun drink nahi karte hon? Karte ho na? Laksh nods. Toh kya? Shambhu! Saab k liye ek whiskey lao! Toh mera dusri baat, she looks at him sternly- young ho par meri natin se thoda door rehna (Laksh spits out his drink in shock).
L: Kya?!? Nahi main toh sh...main aisa kuch...apko fikar karne ki zaroorat nahi hain.
Sh: Kyun? Gay ho? (Laksh shakes his head violently) Dekho beta tum soch rahe hoge k abhi toh main iss ghar mein aaya aur yeh pagal buriya kya keh rahi hain? par main saaf saaf keh deta hoon. mera bari mein jo bhi young ladka aata jaata hain woh mere natin se pyaar karne lagta hain, woh thodi pagal hain aur khubsoorat bhi bohut hain, mujhpe jo gayi hai. Par bohut mushkil se mera honewala grandson-in-law ne use finally pataliya shaadi karne ko. Mujhe iss mein koi koi garbad nahi chahiye, thik ache?
Laksh bursts out laughing at her comical expression.
L: Thik ache didi. He laughs and says, aap jaise beautiful woman k rehte hue main bhala aapki natin ko kyun dekhunga?
Shuchitra laughs.
SM (Shidhanto Mukherjee played by Sidharth Malhotra just cos he's foxy): Shuchi! Shuchi!
The good looking young man, about the same age as Laksh rushes towards them.
SM: Shuchi tomar natin phir se pagal ho gayi hain.
Sh: Kya? Accha inse milon. Yeh Laksh Maheshwari Kolkata se tumhare khadoos shoshur ka associate. Laksh yeh mera most handsome aur favorite to be grandson-in-law Shidhanto.
SM: Hi dude. Nice to meet you, Im Sid. They shake hands. Shuchi Im your only to be grandson-in-law, aab please amar shathe aao, aapki natin pagal ho gayi hain.
Sh: Toh kya hua? Aab toh tumko de diya. Aab tum shamlao uss musibat ko.
SM: Arre Shuchi! As if tumhara natin mera sunti hain. Aao mere saath.
Laksh amusedly watches their exchange. Suddenly, he remembers dida, his lovely lovable dida, who'd told him the truth. Whom he'd disbelieved. He feels a pang in his heart for his lost relationships, for his lost love and their lost family. He sees Sid whispering something in didi's ears and sees her look a bit drained. He's about to ask her if everything is ok but before he can ask, she cuts him off.
Sh: Laksh beta tumi samne jao, aashirwad lo, ya phir bar mein jao ek aur drink lo. Humare yaha gaana bas shuru honewala hain, main abhi aayi.
Laksh nods and proceeds towards the crowd but half way in he changes his mind and heads towards the bar. F**k protocols, if they don't care why should he? Might as well drink his misery away. As he sits down at the bar, he hears music start to play in the background and a beautiful voice singing- Nagada Sang Dhol. It transports Laksh to one of the happiest time of his life, a time when he fell in love with his best friend, he remembered how captivated he was watching her dance, her spirit, her light, it was the most beautiful thing in the world. In the background he heard the sounds of dancing footsteps and as he downed his drink, still lost in his memories. He heard people gasping and noises of metal clanking when suddenly he heard a familiar voice calling out from the background.
SM: SHONA!!!
He immediately turned around to see Sid running to the stage calling for Shona, he turned towards the stage and without a second consideration, he ran towards the stage where the girl in her Bengali saree was twirling around with a thal full of sindoor, spreading the red color on everyone, as if in a trance. She was about to fall and Laksh ran to save her. Both Sid and Laksh were running towards the girl. Laksh got there first and she fell right into his arms after dropping the thali of sindoor, the last of it falling on her and Laksh. Laksh's mind was too clouded to process anything. All he could think about was that his Shona was hurt and he needed to fix her. He carefully put her down on the stage and held her hand all the while panicking and calling out for help.
L: Shona! Shona! Please utho Shona. Im sorry. Im SO sorry! Please mujhe maaf kardo. Please get up. Koi pani lao! Please!
Sid gets there and takes the girl's head into his lap.
SM: Shambhu kaka pani aur nimboo lao! Shona? Babe are you ok? Please say something.
The desperation in his voice brings Laksh back to reality. This isn't his Shona. She is another's. Guessing from Sid's reaction, his Shona, Mr Malhotra's daughter.
SM: Laksh thank you yaar. Tumne ise girne se bachaliya.
Laksh nods. L: Par isse huwa kya hain?
Sid smiles a sad smile.
SM: Wahi jo har roz hota hain. Aaj bhi thoda zyada ho gaya.
Shambhu kaka brings the lemon and water. Sid squeezes the lemon into the girl's mouth and pours water on her face and down her mouth to wash it down. The girl coughs and wakes up.
S (Shona Malhotra): AYI KE?!? UFFO! Oh Siddy!!! Tum...yaha...(hichki)...tuuummm kya...kiii kar rahe ho...hiccup?
Sid laughs at her slurring.
SM: Arre piyakkar tu phir se pk tun hogayi thi aur durga pooja mein tamasha kar rahi thi...kar rahi hain.
S: Aur humesha...wait mein uthti hoon first thik ache? She tries to stand up but she stumbles, Sid and Laksh both reach out to stabilize her.
S: Oh! Haan toh maaaiin kaahan thi? Oh yes. Siddy like always you've come to my rescue na? Par yeh janaab kaun hain? (she asks pointing at Laksh). Arre handsome tumi ke?
SM: Actually aaj Shona inho ne tumhe bachaya hain.
S: Accha? Well THANK YOU HANDSOME STRANGER!
Laksh suddenly feels annoyed at having compared his Shona to this bewda spoilt girl. He rudely hmphs and nods slightly. A gesture of anger that Shona remains oblivious to but Sid notices.
S: Waise Sid yeh kaafi hot hain nahi? Main chali jau iske saath? Laksh jerks her off immediately and awkwardly looks at Sid.
SM: Hahahaha. Ja iske saath agar yeh lena chahe, par mujhe nahi lagta k mere alava koi aur tujhe jhel payega Shona. (he looks at Laksh) Sorry dude. Yeh aisi hi hain. Pagal. Iske baaton ka bura maath manna. Nashe mein bas ainvayi bak deti hain.
S: Arre! Yeh mind kyun karega? E hero! Ami toh bas tumhe handsome bola. Agar mera jaisa hot ladki tumhe handsome bolega isse tumhe problem hain?
Sh: Shona! Eshob ki hocche? Kya karta hain tum ye saab?
Shona looks at Sid and sticks her tongue out realizing that a major tongue lashing is about to come her way.
S: Dida! You're here! Kitna deri laga diya aapne! Dekho main toh sari pehen ke Siddy ke saath niche bhi agayi. Koi garbar nahi ki.
Shuchitra looks at her incredulously.
Sh: Accha! Ulta chor kotwal ko daten? Zyada hoshiyari nahi! Sid ne mujhe sab bata diya. Tum itne der tak ghar nahi kisi bar mein tha, sharab ki boo yaha tak arahi hain. Hum dono tum ko khujte khujte pagol ho gaya, aur tu yaha pe tamasha karta hain?
SM: Shuchi jaane bhi do, dekho aab Shona aagayi na? Dekho khadi bhi hain. Aab bas party, I mean pooja enjoy karo ok?
Sh: Thik hain thik hain. Par tum isko sar pe math charhao.
SM: Thik hain Shuchi. Ab se no more sar pe charhana. Suna tune Shona?
Shona giggles and hiccups, puts her hand over her mouth when her dida glares at her. Sid picks her up bridal style and takes her away to her room to get her into bed.
Sid returns having put Shona to bed and goes to the bar in need of a stiff drink himself, and sits next to Laksh who by then was pretty drunk himself.
SM: Take it easy dude. Dekh bhai, aaj kisi aur ko godh mein uthakar le jane ki takat nahin hain mujhme.
Laksh looks at Sid and laughs at the light mannered guy. They both laugh.
L: Don't worry dude. Isse bohut zyada pk bhi godh mein nahi uthna para tha. Waise woh tumhara fiance thi na?
Sid nods
SM: Mmmhmm. Shona Malhotra, Mr Ranveer Malhotra and Late Mrs Shreya Malhotra ki ek lauti beti and unfortunately my best friend.
L: Woh thik toh hain?
SM: Oh ya! Yeh toh humara roz ka hain. Aaj toh hum lucky hain, woh khud ghar aagayi, khud saree bhi pehen liya, varna jab sharab ke saath drugs leti hain tab toh dhundte dhundte hi kahin ghante nikal jata hain. But its become a part and parcel of her charm.
Laksh looks at him shocked at his nonchalant behavior. Sid laughs.
SM: Arre chowko math. Bachpan se hum aisehi hain. Usse jitna roko woh cheez woh utna hi zyada karegi. Meri strategy simple hain boss, bas usse jo karna hain usse karne do, phir bad mein take care of her. Do teen din baad khud guilty feel karke sab rokh deti hain. Baccho ki tarah ziddi hain, bigdi huyi muhphat badtameez hain, par uska maan bacho ki tarah saaf bhi hain. Woh kabhi jhooth nahi bolti, fiercely pyaar karti hain, aur shiddat se dosti nibhati hain. Isiliye, despite the drama, drinking, drugs and boyfriends main usse nahi chod paya. Those were her addiction, she is mine.
Laksh still looks at him confused.
L: Waise its none of my business par iski problem kya hain? Itni tamashe kyun karti hain?
SM: Dost tum kyun itna pee rahe ho? Main kyun pee raha hoon? Dost tumhe bhi gham hain, aur mujhe bhi, waise hi usse bhi gham hain. Mera gham yeh hain ki main jis ladki se pyaar karta hoon, woh mujhse pyaar nahi karti hain. Mujhse shaadi ke liye han toh keh diya par iss commitment k daar se roz peeti hain par kamse kam drugs chuth gaye.
L (drunkenly says): Bhai tumhara gham toh samaj mein aata hain. Par iss ladki ka gham kuch samaj mein nahi aaya. Aisa lagta hain k woh sirf attention chahti hain, aur kuch nahi. Aur ek advice doon? Agar woh abhi shaadi nahi karna chahti hain toh mat karo. Trust me, puri zindagi kharab kar degi. Agar mandap se bhag gayi toh? Khamakha apna aur apne pure parivar k izzat k saath khilwar, aur tumhara toh koi psychopathic back up bhi nahi hain.
SM: Hahahaha. Kya story hain boss. Shona ka gham yeh hain ki usse khud pata nahi usse zindagi mein chahiye kya. Par mujhe yakeen hain k woh main hi hoon. Main janta hoon uske dil mein mere liye aaj pyaar nahi hain. Par yeh bhi janta hoon k ek din zaroor hoga. Aur yeh zaroori nahi k woh din shaadi se pehle hon. Tab tak ke liye mera pyaar kafi hain. Humari sagai ko teen mahine hogaye, agle mahine shaadi hain. Kareeb chey mahine pehle maine usse propose kiya tha. Pyaar toh main bachpan se karta hoon. Par usne haskar na keh diya. Toh maine chup chap uske faisle ko maana aur usse dur rehne laga. I started dating. I want to get married. Umar hogayi hain. Par madame ko yeh bhi bardasht nahi hua. Seedhe pohach gayi mere date par aur ladki ko bura bhala keh kar usse bhaga diya, (he laughs fondly at the memory) mujhse toh baat tak nahi ki. Agle din pohuch gayi ma baba k paas, dida aur Ranveer uncle ke saath apna rishta leke. Ma baba bohut hasse aur rishta pakka kar diya. Par usse baad mein realize hua ke woh shaadi karna hi nahi chahti. Toh phir se apni utpatang harkatein karne lagi. Woh kya hain (he whispers) she only wanted the fringe benefits. (he smiles deviously, amused at Laksh's aghast expressions).
L: Ummm...ummm...par woh toh shaadi k bina bhi...I mean...
SM: hahahahaha! Sorry yaar main bas tumhari taang khich rahi thi! Tum toh bohut easily scandalized ho jaate ho. Waise, tumhari mandap story kaafi crazy tha haan. Aur really? Who marries someone else to save their family's respect and all that? Agar dulhan bhag jaati hain toh izzat ka jo kabada hona tha woh toh ho hi gaya. Kisi aur se shaadi karke woh izzat thodi hi na wapas aanewali hain?
Laksh was stunned at the logical truth and the sheer stupidity of his decisions. He'd lost the love of his life, his bestfriend and married a psychopathic nutcase over spilt milk izzat that didn't return, on that mandap he was still left alone, he may have gone home with a bride, but still he was all alone, a loneliness that was his to bare forever now watching his love be his brother's wife.
SM: Arre bhai Laksh, kahan kho gaye dost?
L: Kuch nahi. Tum batao.
SM: Main keh raha tha k mujhe koi farq nahi padhta agar woh bhag gayi. Shona ka toh kam hain bhagna. Har roz bhagti hain. Mera kam hain usse dhundkar apne paas wapas lana. Aur main wahi karunga. Jab tak woh mere saath aana chahegi tab tak.
L: Aur agar nahi aayi toh?
Sid's smile dropped. He seemed to be thinking something before he smiled again.
SM: Shona mere saath sirf ekhi situation mein nahi aayegi, agar woh kisi aur se pyaar karti hain toh. In that case, I will bring them both back and get them married. Maine pyaar kiya hain Shona se- woh jaisi bhi hain, her good and bad mujhe sab manzoor hain, maine koi sharth nahi lagayi k she has to love me and cannot love anyone else. Main Shona ki khushi aur dosti k saath toh jee lunga par uske dard ke saath jee nahi paunga dost.
Laksh immediately thought about his socalled wife, all his guilt at being the reason behind Ragini's crazy as Swara had pointed out vanished instantly. How easily Sid said it, how lucky Shona was to have him in her life, how unlucky he was to have been loved by Ragini. No he was just unlucky. Swara never loved him enough to fight for him and Ragini only loved herself, never him.
L: Your right. Shona is lucky to be loved by you. Tumse baath karke bohut accha laga Sid.
SM: Tumse bhi Laksh. Bohut kuch keh bhi diya maine. Hope I didn't bore you with my prem kahani.
L: Haha nahi yaar, aisa kuch nahi. Waise tumhara sasur Ranveer sir kab aanewale hain?
SM: Arre! Main toh bhul hi gaya. Uncle ne kaha tha k tum iss mahiney ke liye yahi rukh rahe ho. Woh tumhe hotel mein rehne nahi denge. Waise bhi humari shaadi hain agle mahine, dost kaha hain toh dosti toh nibhani hogi, Uncle na sunne walo mein se nahi hain. Woh actually London se bahar thode kam main phas gaye hain, kal subha tak laut ayenge. And aaj toh tum definitely hotel janeki halath mein nahi ho.
Laksh nods in defeat.
L: Thik hain par yaar mujhe thoda freshen up karna tha. It was a long flight.
SM: Oh ya sure. Shambhu already saman tumhare kamre tak pohacha chuke hain. Main tumhe kamra dikhata hoon. Your on the same floor as me and Shona. So agar kuch chahiye- workwise toh mujhse aur partywise to Shona se bejhijak keh dena.
L: Wait tum bhi yahi rehte hon?
SM: Oh ya! Ma and Baba pehle London mein hi rehte the. Retirement ke baad woh dono London ke bahar ek vineyard estate mein shift ho gaye, aur mere liye business ki saari zimedari aur London mein ek akela flat chodkar gaye. Kehte hain ke shaadi k baad Shona ke saath ek naya zindagi hoga aur woh interfere nahi karna chahte. Shuchi ko paata chala toh ma baba ko sunakar mujhe ghar le aaye. Tabse main ghar jamai hoon. Bas ekhi sharth hain, hum jo bhi kare, I cant spend the night in Shona's room. Convenience ke liye ekhi floor de diya. Hahahaha.
L: Wow. Meri family bohut hi traditional hain yaar. Agar shaadi se pehle ladki ke saath mil bhi liya toh bhi problem hoti hain inhe.
SM: Hahahaha. Well hum London mein brought up hain, humare parents bhi. We're third generation English Indian. Toh humara culture bhi kuch East West hogaye hain. Upar se Bengali, we're the Indian freethinking rebels. So freedom ki koi kami nahi thi par misuse karne par daant wohi milti hain jo ki Im sure tumhe milti hogi. Shona ka case thoda alag hain. Uski ma bohut pehle hi mar gayi, aur Shuchi was too old to really discipline her especially because uncle humesha usse bacha lete hain. Aunty ke jaane k baad, Shona became his drive and his reason to live. Woh kuch bhi kare, uncle usse kuch kehne nahi dete. Par woh jitna khud ko rebellious samajhti hain, utni woh hain nahi. Anyways, you'll be here for a month so you'll figure it out yourself...or you'll be just as confused as everyone else by the mystery that is Shona. Hahahaha. Come on main tumhe kamre tak chod deta hoon.
Laksh smiled and nodded. There was no way that some spoilt brat with mummy issues was gonna intrigue him. He has been that and was in love with someone with daddy issues and married a crazy person with mummy issues. Been there done that. Now it was only him and his bottle of prime Scottish. That would be peace enough.
CHAPTER 2 BEING LUCKY
The thing about peace is that it wasn't like happiness- which couldn't be achieved through the absence of sadness, it was by definition simpler, just the lack of conflict and turmoil was peace. But achieving peace was much easier said than done. Because whilst happiness could be achieved by external stimulus, the lack of turmoil was a completely internal state of mind. You need to actually not have internal conflict to be at peace, and since peace was directly proportional to sleep, Laksh realized that sleep had evaded him for a good few months now, since the night of his sangeet ceremony with Swara. Add some jet lag and a good bottle and half of liquor and Laksh had one of the worst headaches in the history of mankind. He tried taking all sorts of pills to cure his sleeplessness, when all failed, he decided to take a stroll through the corridor. As he got out he smelt a burn smell and thick smoke coming out of the room adjacent to his. But the smell, there was something funky about it. He had smelt it before but he couldn't pinpoint it. But immediately his concern took over and he took hold of the nearest extinguisher and rushed into the room breaking the door down and covered the whole place in a thick blanket of the extinguisher carbondioxide. Through the thick pan of smoke and carbon-dioxide, Laksh couldn't see much but he could hear a loud screech.
S: WHAT THE HELL?!? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? MERE GHAR MEIN KYA KAR RAHE HO? AUR MERE KAMRE TAK KAISE POHUCHE? SECURITY! SECURITY! SSIIIDDD!
Laksh couldn't see anything properly so he followed the sound. He needed to shut her up before the whole house woke up. He grabbed what seemed like a soft mound of..SOMETHING.
S: WHAT THE F**K?!? HOW DARE YOU GRAB MY b**t?!? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!?
Laksh was impossibly embarrassed and immediately moved his hands but slipped on something liquid and fell right on top of the bed with Shona underneath him. The smoke starts to clear up a bit. For the first time Laksh sees at Shona, really sees at her, she was in a white silk camisole and matching silk boxers that were meant to be sexy but somehow just looked cherubic on her, her smooth milky skin, pink full lips, long lashes covering hazel brown eyes and a thick mop of dark black curls. She reminded him of snow white. Laksh didn't know about how someone can love a brat like her but she was definitely a vision to look at. There was something very untouchably innocent about her beauty, not Swara's dewy beauty neither ragini's sharp obvious beauty. Something much more subtle. Her eyes were fire and sparkle, like they're hiding something you would love to uncover, yet it was as if she knew nothing about anything. Somewhere between a doe and a tigress, her eyes rested.
S: GET OFF ME!! DIDI! SID!
L: ARRE! SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! EK TOH JAAN BACHAO UPAR SE ANGREZI MADAME KE GALIYAN BHI KHAO! MAINE TUMHE JAAN BUJHKAR PAKDA NAHI THA. YAHA KUCH DIKH NAHI RAHA HAIN.
S: Meri jaan bachana...HUH? WHAT? Mere kamre ka darwaza todh ke meri jaan bachane aye the...right. CHOR! THIEF! THIEF!
L: JUST SHUT UP! MAINE DHUA DEKHA ISI LIYE AYI!
Sid runs into Shona's room upon hearing all the hustle bustle.
SM: Shona! Kya hua? Cough* cough* Kaun ghus aaya hain?
Laksh suddenly realizes the position they were in and sprung off Shona.
S: Siddy dekho yeh aadmi mere room ka darwaza todh ke ghus aaya aur upar se kehta hain ke mujhe bachane aaya hain. Aye Mr tumi kaun hain?
L: Ajeeb badtameez ladki hain! Inke room se dhua nikal raha tha! Isiliye maine darwaza toda!
SM: OK! YOU TWO SHUT UP!
They both shut up.
SM: Good. Shona meet Laksh, tumhare papa k business associate jo humare saath 1 mahine k liye rehnewale hain. He saved you from drunkenly falling on your face from the stage today. Laksh meet Shona, Mr Malhotra ki beti and my MisFortune, haha, get it Misfortune? Pun? No? Anyways, Shona Laksh tere kamre mein chori karne nahi aaya. Yeh tere ghar mein mehman hain. Aur Laksh, yaha koi aag nahi lagi thi, kamini yaha apne kamre mein bina kisi ventilation ke peechle teen ghanto se lagadar cigarette pee rahi thi.
Laksh felt really really disgusted. He knew his deep disdain for Shona's bad habits were irrational. It didn't define her as a person (although he still thought her a brat nonetheless) but he couldn't explain why, its not like he didn't have any other female friends who didn't smoke. Heck! He'd dated a girl for a month or two was a smoker, but it just...associating the name Shona with this girl, that's what bothered him. She had Swara's name, but she was nothing like his Shona.
Shona on the other hand softened immediately upon knowing he'd helped her at the pooja. She's not one to let a favor go unacknowledged.
S: I didn't know, didn't remember...she looked semi guiltily at Sid- flashes of the night coming back to her; Sid just rolled his eyes and shook his head with a reassuring smile on his face...Mr Laksh thank you so much, for saving me from a concussion...and from greater embarassment.
With her thick dark lashes fanning her downcast eyes, looking up at him once every now and then- damn! What was is it about these Bengali girls? It was the eyes; large brown eyes under a thick fan of black silky lashes. They were so expressive and true. How could he have not seen the truth in them before? If he could see the truth reflected in Shona's eyes, why couldn't he see it in his Shona's eyes? Ughh! Maybe he could bum a cigarette from this little one in exchange for forgiveness. But as soon as he looked up to accept her apology, the realization that she wasn't Swara, wasn't anything like Swara, hit him hard. He gave the coldest look he could muster and watched Shona's beautiful eyes get marred with fear and anger and sadness, Sid seemed apprehensive, confused and curious. He strode off towards the balcony. He needed air.
Shona turned to Sid,
S: iski problem kya hain? Itna gussa kis baath ki hain ise? Maine kya kiya? I swear agar usne mujhe party mein girne se nahi bachaya hota toh goli mar deti isse.
Sid turns Shona towards him.
SM: Jaan, dekh tu ainvayi gussa math kar. Laksh is a good guy. Bas teri jaisi jhalli badtameez pagal to hiss duniya mein ek hi piece hain na, isi liye shayad usse samajh mein nahi araha hoga k tere saath react kaise kare. Waise ladki toh tu bilkul palangtor hot dikhti hain, par harkate toh bilkul besharam aadmiyon wala karti hain na?
S: Haan woh toh...accha? Wah beta kya izzat hain apni honewali dharam patni ki teri nazron mein. Goli toh moody Marwari koh nahi tujhe marni chahiye. Ek kaam karti hoon Anhony ko bulakar dono ki hi murder yahi karke, body dafna deti hoon.
SM: Ai hai, par mujhe mar dene se joh tu bin sindoor k suhagan se bina sindoor k bidhwa ban jayegi, uska kya? Tab kya hoga teri rangeen wardrobe ki? Tere favourite red colour ki? Tere 200 pair jooto ki? Mushkil hain boss! Nahi kar payegi tu.
S (makes a face at Sid): Arre haath! Main nahi manti yeh sindoor vindoor, waise bhi shaadi mere liye sirf ek formality hain joh main teri khushi ke liye, teri pavitrata bhang na ho iss liye kar rahi hoon. Besides, white is a good colour on me.
She hmphs and turns around and starts walking to the balcony.
Sid rushes after her and grabs her hand and turns her around.
SM: Aab thukh bhi do gussa, mana k isi gusse pe hum marte hain, par yeh bhi jaante hain, aap humari jaan se pyaar karte hain. Kahin yeh gussa ek din jaan na lejaye humari. Wah Sid tu toh kavi ban gaya yaar! HAHAHAHA.
Shona rolls her eyes at his filminess. Sid stops laughing only to find Shona glaring at him.
S: Hogaya tera?
SM: Accha thik hain. Im serious now. Main jaake baath karta hoon usse. He's my guest for the wedding, main nahi chahta k mere dost aur mere bride mein koi takrar rahe. Par sun, zara guns aur shoot karne ki baatein zara kam kiya kar. RM papa ki Kolkata business partner hain Maheshwaris, so please Shona, thoda apne mooh aur mijaz par kaboo rakh. OK?
S: Hmmm...par meri ek sharth hain. Usse baath main karungi...ok?
SM: Thik hain, par main waha rehne wala hoon. Ok?
S: Deal.
Shona and Sid shake on it and go to approach Laksh.
IN THE BALCONY
Damn it! Why did this girl have such an impact on him? Oh god he really could use a-
S: Cigarette?
He looked to his right and saw Shona standing there next to him. He looked away immediately.
S: Nahi chahiye? Thik hain. (she lights one up and continues to smoke) Dekho Mr Laksh, main aapko nahi janti aur aap mujhe nahi jaante. Par main yeh janti hoon k aap Sid aur mere daddy ki guest hain and I don't want any problems between us.
L: Exactly, aur isi liye (he turns towards Sid) I think its better that I stay...
S: Ek minute! Meri baath abhi tak khatam nahi huyi hain Maheshwari. Dekho, tumhare paas koi karan nahi hain mujhe dislike karne ka other than two- one ki main bohut sexy hoon, aur mujhe dekhke tumhe woh wali feelings hoti hain, isi liye tum uncomfortable ho jate ho aur mujhe cold shoulder deke chale jaate ho. Agar yeh baat hain, toh bata do. Waise kaafi handsome ho toh ek chance toh banta hain. (She winks and Laksh is totally gobsmacked and stares at her with his mouth wide open whilst Sid laughs in the background) Aab muh bandh karo aur suno, option number two, tumne mujhe talli cigarette peete huye dekhkar apne dimag mein meri ek image bana li hain aur usse tumhe problem hain. Aab dekho, tumne jo bhi image banaya hain na, its probably 100% correct. Main ek brattish badtameez nautankibaz jhalli chote kapde pehenne wali piyakkar hoon, aur ami toh aisa hi hain. Agar tumhe koi problem hain, toh uss problem ko apne jeb main dalo aur uss shirt ko utaro, phir jala do. Tum Sid ka dost ho and your gonna be at my wedding, so learn to live with it, thik ache?
Laksh stares shocked at the girl's honest confession. He doesn't want to, but it really is impossible to not admire her courageous honesty. He slowly shakes his head in seeming disapproval and walks away.
Shona deflates a bit but then rolls her eyes and Sid simply looks confused.
Halfway out of the balcony, Laksh stops, sighs and looks to his back.
L: Woh cigarette...offer abhi bhi stand karta hain ya...
Sid smiles and Shona gives him the most dazzling and genuine smile he's seen in a long time. The kind his Shona used to give him. And for a moment he stops breathing and just lives in Shona's smile. But then he remembers...and he composes himself again.
S: Ofcourse milega! Aur agar tujhe koi aur cheez bhi chahiye hoga na, toh woh bhi maang sakhti ho, aisa koi cheez nahi, jo lana Shona k bas mein nahi. Thik hain Lucky?
L: Lucky? Tumhe...
S: Dekho Marwari main tumhe Lakshya nahi bulane wali. Tumhari umr kya hain 22 ya 122?!? Tum aaj se Lucky ok?
SM: Arre wah! Minute mein mere dost ko hijack kar liya aur usse nick name bhi de diya? Well Laksh don't mind, yeh iski aadat hain- Sid bhi isika dia hain. Aab toh college mein bhi kisiko yaad nahi k mera naam kya hain.
Laksh smiled, his first genuine smile in ages. Its been ages since anyones called him that, even longer since he's felt that name. But he wanted to, he wanted to be Lucky again. The sudden London rain pours down on them and it breaks his train of thoughts. Sid and Laksh run under cover to protect their cigarettes from fizzling out.
SM: Oi Shona! Pagal hain kya? Thand lag jayegi! Yaha aaja!
S: No ways Siddy! Summer rain is the best! Woo!!
L: Shona cigarette bujh jayegi!
S: Arre! Lagi 100 pound ki sharth? Nahi bujhegi!
L: What?!? Impossible!
S: Nothing is impossible!
SM: Chal lag gayi jhalli!
Laksh just watches her beauty, totally mesmerized by her. She was a petite bag of bones, but there was a glow about her milky skin, an aura that he couldn't really pinpoint.
L: She really is insane, isn't she.
SM: Absolutely man. Par kasam se yaar, ive never seen anything more perfect.
Both men stand side by side, one in open and the other in reluctant, admiration of this one little woman.
Udne Ki Aasha
Kumkum Bhagya
