Pride & Prej with a twist - Page 57

Wealth & Philanthropy

When she found her sister and almost dragged her by her pony tail out of the store, Diya squealed at Kalyani around the corner, at the nook of the marbled corridor near a Fendi store

“SO did you buy it?” diya jumped up and down

She always did that Viveka cringed

“Umm.. yeah… bhai said I should get whatever I like” Kalyani held Raanav’s wrist and jumped up and down like she was some mirror image of Diya

Viveka avoided looking up at Raanav for the first time ever as the young girls gushed over each others’ shopping whispering and giggling

If he thought she was going to apologize…she wasn’t quite there yet… now…

“Hasty generalization” he muttered

She didn’t look at him but her face flamed recognizing the jab

“I know … it’s a logical fallacy” she nodded eating humble pie

She had mocked him about it at their first meeting now it was her turn

“I am sure you trust the guy you are dating” he flashed a mocking smile

“that’s none of your business… but yes I do”

“He could use some hasty generalization IMO” he smiled again unfazed by her discomfiture

“I know… you cant seem to stand him… but you should be delighted he is poor and will forever remain lower social class” she looked up at him to respond looking straight into his eye

“And you assume again that’s the only thing that bothers me about him” he muttered through almost closed lips

“Pray what else could it be?” she clasped her hands dramatically

“If you bothered to look”

“I shouldn’t be taking life advice from someone that judges people based on their wealth”

“You should when it is objective” he said silkily

“Everyone speaks from a social position and everyone has biases” “you do realize as an attorney your arguments willalways be received with mistrust, and also because of your wealth your concern for the unwashed masses might seem superficial?”

“no actually… the wealthiest in history have been the most philanthropic”

“So rescuing me from my paramour is an act of philanthropy?” she smiled mocking him

“You could say that” he nodded willing to spar endlessly with her

This was seductive and exhilarating for him

If she is going to defend Abhishek he was going to prove how terrible he was for her

Every f-----g time

“Dee can I have her over sometime?” Diya asked holding Kalyani’s hand

“YOUR SISTER?” Kalyani screeched… I too ka MACRO class from her 3 years ago”

“My sister is a nerd”

“Uff” Viveka scowled

“You just lost my permission” Viveka smiled gently

“Pleez Dee..”

“ma se baat karo chhotu” she turned to begin walking

His eyes were still on her

She looked up at him

“I am ready for a longer argument” he muttered

Something about that tone sent a weird sensation to her stomach

“You made your point and I made mine” she said exhaling to compose herself and pushed her glasses up her nose

“OMG… BHAI and your sister fought over sustainable wages at Uncle Tom’s Maggi Point”

“CRINGE ALERTTTT” Diya shouted

“”lets go… tum to marogi, mujhe bhi phasaogi” Viveka scolded Diya all the way to the car

Raanav and Kalyani were parked two rows down, a giant gas guzzling SUV

“Papa tumhe bahut pocket money dete hain…how much have you shopped… Ireland se bhi DHER saar a samaan laayin hain Ma..you two are truly spoilt”

“Oh you are just jealous you cant wear these cute skirts” Diya was sighing imagining herself in her skimpy skirts pulling it out of the Zara bags

“I am happy Ma is not going to cut off my legs from under those” Viveka turned the key in the ignition

It clicked a few times and acted like it didn’t want to leave the multi level parking lot

“Chalooo Dee”

“Boy you are patient” Viveka was a lil antsy, but she mocked her sister nevertheless

She hated Mall parking lots after 7 PM

It was a little after 9 PM,

She pulled it out and inserted it again…the battery came on but the fuel was not igniting

Unbeknownst to her Raanav waited for her to start her car, as his cousin scrolled thru her SM unaware her brother was being gallant…

Ahaaaa... the knight in shining armour gets his first opportunity to gallop forward in his gas guzzling suv 😀

Love their critical banter...hasty generalisation....logical fallacy 😊

can see endless cups of tea being consumed over continued arguments and spirited discussions post marriage ...and poor Smrita unable to get a word in sideways
Would love to see these two jump the queue and marry !! How could we persuade you Nisha ?!!

And a final request....please don’t end the story with it’s logical conclusion...we are loving the warp and weft of it !! Please keep it going for a long while....waaaay long while !!!

Nice title. Wealth and philanthropy are ideal patners. His nose might be up in the air always but his heart is in the right place where it matters 😳

Some more food for thought ....this time from Raanav to veev.

Yes completely agree with you these two characters quick wit and I independent thoughts are going to make their interactions super interesting please keep it going.....

love that he is waiting in his gas guzzling chariot to rescue the damsel in distress....😘😘😘

@VeeIyer

Haha!! Like make it go on forevah? Shore!!

Yes please! It's a feel good story like software symphonies. With so many characters there is so much to explore

Originally posted by: Nisha0604

@VeeIyer

Haha!! Like make it go on forevah? Shore!!

It clicked a few times and acted like it didn’t want to leave the multi level parking lot"

🤣🤣

Thankless job

“Start nahi ho rahi” Viveka scowled

“Hmm” Diya was in her dream state

“DIYOOO”

“Hmm”

Viveka slammed the door and got out andpaced the length of the car, it was barely 4 years old the Toyota Corolla, yesit was driven on road trips outside Delhi, but these Japanese cars weresupposed to be heavy duty.

Nothing is able to withstand India’s heatand pollution… no matter who the manufacturer is

Argghh!

“Diya utro beta” Viveka tapped on herwindow

“Why are you not starting the car?” Diyaasked innocently

“You didn’t even notice? Gaadi start nahiho rahi”

Her stomach churned when she realized ifshe left the car here and took a Metro what would they tell Ma?

Diya was not supposed to rush to go gether ID made

They both were in deep s---

Viveka leaned on the hood and wiped herforehead, she was sweating generously

She dabbed her forehead with her pallu andgroaned

“can we do an Uber or a cab?” Diya jumpedup and down “Its SO hot Deeee its like a bajillion degrees over here”

That didn’t stop her from taking a selfieleaning on the car

“I am going to post this saying this is whatI look like with a glow on my face”

“Yes…. Ma will see it” she mumbled as sheGoogled what could be causing the fault

“Holy s---- Dee… I feel you are trying toget me in trouble… low-key”

“High key hi samajh lo”

“OMG…. I hate you”

“yeh socho… yeh saari bags lekar tum gharghusogi to kya hoa?”

“WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?” she shrieked

“Tumne mujhse poochhkar ki shopping?”

“Dee this is SO bad”

“Diya ab yeh socho ghar kaise jaayenge”

“Can you at least make the AC work?” Diyabegged

“Umm.. agar AC chal pada to gaadi bhichal jaayegi”

“God its SO hot”

Cars whizzed by echoing in the hollowparking garage

Some honked and men cackled on the inside

Men were the same… no matter if they wereat a Mall with a Gucci store or Louis Vuitton store or outside the societybuying veggies from a hand pulled cart

They loved to cackle at women they didnot know, loved to visually assault women

She pushed her glasses up and let out herfavorite “Ufff”

She scanned a bunch of articles

“Holy s--- I know” “Duhh” she mumbled

“You fixed it?” I LOVE YOU” Diya acted likea nit wit

“Chaabi HAATH mein hai, main gaadi kebahar khari hoon” she began to laugh at Diya’s stupidity

“But you said Duhh… that means it willwork… you will punch some buttons and make it work

“Remind me to tell Papa to discontinueyour Driver’s Ed”

“Lets go… lets go… achhha pleez Di”

Viveka tried again, still no luck

She went out opened the trunk as a carslowed down, a silver Honda Civic slowed and rolled its window down

Viveka slammed the trunk angrily beforethat arguing with Diya for a good ten minutes why she needs to be seated insidelocked up. She knew how to do a jump start, but with no cable it was going tobe hard 😊

There were no jumper cables. Ma ran atight ship, all her emergency stuff was all neatly packed away in the originaldealer given leather bag… but the whole bag was missing

“Niklo Diya… we better start walking tothe Metro station” she sighed

“Kya hua?” “can u at least make the ACwork?”

“OK I am really tired” she barked

Diya stepped out

“I need my shopping, can I take themplease?”

“Hmm.. LE LO… it will get stolen anyway”

She knew it will be broken into

She went to the driver side and startedemptying stuff out of the cup holder, bending down pushing her glasses up

There was a knock on the window

Diya was on her phone with air pods she didn’teven care

Viveka jumped off her seat

It was the Parashar kid

“Ufff” she grumbled

She tried lowering the window confused

“Yeah?” she called still inside

He tapped again

She stepped out when he stepped back

And she stepped out gingerly, trying notto look at his face

There was a screen of unease when it cameto him these days further complicated by the accusation that Kalyani was agirlfriend

“need help?” he asked politely arms inhis pockets rocking on the balls of his feet

“Umm.. no.. I think… “ “We should be good”she looked at his belt while talking

“Wont start?” he prodded

She looked up at him reluctantly with a “Ididn’t have to know you are in love with me” look

“I cannot fall out of love just becauseyou want me to” look on his face “Is it the battery?”

“Umm”

He went to his car

She sighed and exhaled

“Chalo Diya

“Oh NOW I have the permission to get out?”Diya mocked

“You didn’t even notice?” she askedshocked

“What happened? Is Papa coming to get us”she jumped up and down and clapped

“Yeh fairy tale hai kya?”

“Ughhh…”

“Chalo… lets just go”

He returned with his jumper cable in aminute just as she was stuffing things into her already misshapen tan leathertote

“Do you want to start it?” he asked

“Without your car?” she asked

“It’s a portable starter,” he showed hera small video cassette like battery

“Ah… oh” “Umm” she nodded

Going to the trunk and trying to pry itopen after clicking that button inside

He waved asked her to step aside Sheturned the key and jumped back to life

She smiled genuinely thankful

Diya almost ran up and hugged him

“Dooood………… THANKS SO MUCH” “I love you Ilove you I love you” she screeched

Viveka turned a shade of red she hadnever ever before in life, as she noticed him looking straight at herRaanavunplugged the ports and wound the cable and shut her trunk ever so gently andmet her gaze

She almost turned it off again, she wasseated one foot out with the door open, as she tested it

She jumped out and went to grab hersister before she tackled Raanav and planted something on his cheek

“Diyoooo” she hissed and yanked hersister’s wrist “Ufff” she noticed her voice strangely changing pitch when he wasclose

“Sorreeee” Diya stepped back… not reallysorry “We can go home now… I can watch my show…. Thank u thank u”

“she is literally crazy” she shook her head shamefully as Diya beganposting on SM going back into the car

“Irrational exuberance??” he mocked himselfwhile mocking her reminding her of Alan Greenspan’s famous term to denoteexaggerated optimism with no real underlying data

“Umm.. I… I mean… the car started right?”she muttered trying to be composed

“Do you want to get in?” he asked sagely

“Oh… umm.. yeah” she nodded

He waited she entered and locked the doorand pulled back

Turning and walking away

For the first time in life she would notthank an individual… willfully!

Not because he did not deserve it. Hedid.

She knew she had to express hergratitude, but doing so would “smoothen” the relationship. That would be a badsign she decided. Yeah! He is not a friend… so why should I thank him?

So she went back and shut her door andpulled away. She inadvertently established a “history” for them, the beginningof a sensual conflict. Laying the foundation for a interpersonal battle, thefirst building block of connection

She would have surely thanked InderDhamija or Rakshit Parashar

She wont thank Raanav… nope…

Ahh...Rannv to the rescue and she didn’t thank him. their connection has started. Can’t wait for more.