Part 5
Raavi got up early in the morning to make lunch for Shiva. She had always heard that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, and Shiva was a man who loved to eat. Raavi made him some methi ke paranthe, aloo gobi ki sabji and for dessert, she made him some kheer. Then she packed it up and called Krish.
“Shiva dukaan ke liye nikal gaya?” She asked.
“Haa ek ghante pehle hi nikal gaya tha.” Krish said. “Par pehle mujhe ek baat bata. Dev ko chodke Shiva kaise? Yeh kaisa cross connection hai?”
“Shiva ne mujhe hari chooriyan di. Tu nahi samjhega.” She was about to cut the call when she remembered something. “Sun Krish, kisi bhi ladki ko kabhi hari chooriyan mat dena gift mein. Unless tu usse shaadi karna chahta hai. Samjha?”
“Haa par-“
Raavi cut the call before he could ask why. She didn’t want to tell him the entire story. It was almost lunch time and she had to go to the store. Raavi put on the prettiest blue kurta she had and walked to the store. No guy could ignore her wearing such a beautiful dress, but of course, Shiva wasn’t most guys. He didn’t care about clothes. One look at her face, and he would take on his Rudra avatar.
Shiva was helping kaka when she walked in. He was annoyed to see her. Raavi flashed her biggest smile to him and kaka. Kaka smiled back, but Shiva picked up a bori and walked to the room inside. Raavi followed him there. Shiva intentionally ignored her. She kept the lunch on the table and served it on a plate. Then she put the plate in front of Shiva.
“Shiva aa jaa. Khana khaa le.” Raavi said.
Shiva turned around and looked at the plate she was holding in front of him. So somehow she had gotten the idea that they were supposed to get married and now she was bringing him lunch. What was wrong with this girl? Only two days ago, she wanted Dev to marry her, and for him to call her bhabhi. Now she was bringing lunch for him.
“Ghoor kya raha hai? Kha na!” Raavi said.
“Teri inn sab nautanki mein mujhe koi interest nahi hai.” Shiva said.
“Shiva maine subah subah uthke tere liye lunch banaya hai. Woh bhi sara tera favourite.” Raavi said.
Shiva looked at the food again. All these items really were his favourites. He wondered how she knew what he liked. Raavi gave him her best puppy eyes look. Shiva rolled his eyes at that, but the aroma of the food was ensnaring all his senses. He didn’t want to eat it. In fact, he wanted to throw the plate away, but he was hungry. He cursed himself for being so greedy about food.
“Dhara di waali recipe use ki hai. Tu nahi khayega toh unki insult hogi.” Raavi said, in an attempt to get him to eat.
Shiva sighed and took the plate from her. He took a bite. It was delicious. He had to admit, chipkali was a great cook. Raavi stood beside him watching him eat. Her plan was working. Shiva loved her food. She could tell by the way he gobbled up everything within minutes. Shiva saw the victorious look on her face and frowned.
“Woh tune bhabhi ka naam liya isiye khaya maine. Aur maa bolti hai ki ann ka anadar nahi karna chahiye.” Shiva said.
“Par tujhe achha toh laga!” Raavi said. “Humari shaadi ke baad main roz tere liye khana laungi.”
Shiva glared at her. She was back to her crazy land. He cringed when he still saw her wearing those green bangles. What was wrong with her? It was his fault. He shouldn’t have gifted her anything. The first gift he’d ever given to someone and she called herself his wife. Never again would he gift anyone anything.
“Mujhe tere khane mein koi interest nahi hai.” Shiva said.
“Achha? Isiliye tu do logo ka khana ek saath gatak gaya?” Raavi laughed. “Bachpan se jaanti hu tujhe. Khana resist karna tere bas ki baat nahi hai Shiva.”
“Zyada irritating mat ban. Uthake fek dunga bahar tujhe.”
“Uski koi zaroorat nahi hai. Main khud jaa rahi hu. Biwi hu. Thodi toh izzat dikha.” Raavi said.
“Ae gadheri na tu biwi hai aur na teri koi izzat hai. Ab bhaag yaha se.”
“Don’t worry. Tujhe main kisi din shaadi ke liye haa bulwake hi maanungi.” Raavi said.
She walked out of the store before Shiva could throw her away. Her food plan wasn’t exactly a flop. He liked it but he still wasn’t nice to her. But this was just the beginning. She would make him accept this relationship no matter what.
***
“Shiva apne doston ke saath hai.” Krish informed her on the phone and sent his location.
Raavi picked up a yellow off shoulder jumpsuit to wear in the evening. She applied her best perfume and her best lipstick. Her curls fell on her shoulder and she looked beautiful. The most beautiful girl of Somnath. Even if Shiva couldn’t see it, his friends could, and then they could make him understand that he was lucky to have her. She was going to impress his friends.
She took an auto to Shiva’s location and found him with two of his friends. He was laughing, and Raavi always thought he had a nice laugh, the type which was infectious. Quickly adjusting her dress, she went to the group and sat beside Shiva, a little too close. Shiva was fuming to see her, but kept quiet in front of his friends. His friends were surprised. Their conversation was halted and they stared at Raavi.
“Arrey kya hua? Kya baat kar rahe the tum log?” Raavi asked.
“Kuch nahi.” Raj answered
“Achha Kundan jaa mere liye coffee le aa.” Raavi said.
Kundan sighed and got up to get coffee for Raavi. Shiva turned the conversation to one of his friends and it continued. Kundan got her her coffee and Raavi thanked him. She was quickly bored. None of them even tried to talk to her, nor did anyone compliment her. Shiva’s friends were just as useless as him. She took a sip and looked at Shiva. Even he was busy ignoring her. So she had no option but to jump into the conversation.
“Tum kya kar rahe ho ab Kundan?” Raavi asked.
“Wahi jo pehle kar raha tha.” He said. “Papa ka garage sambhalta hu.”
“Oh haan, main toh bhul hi gayi thi.” Raavi smiled. “Aur Raj tum?”
“Main MCom.”
“Arrey maine bhi socha tha commerce lungi par maths mere palle padhta nahi.” Raavi said. “Ooh chocolate muffin. Shiva mere liye chocolate muffin le aa na please.”
“Khud le aa.” Shiva said.
Raavi pouted at him but he didn’t move so Raj volunteered her to get her a muffin. Shiva glared at her but Raavi just smiled. Soon enough, a girl walked over to their table. Raavi remembered her name was Rita and she was always the topper when she was at school. She had never spoken to Rita, and as far as she knew, Rita was an engineering student right now.
“Kaisa hai Shiva?” She asked.
“Bilkul thik. Tu kaisi hai? Engineering kaisi chal rahi hai teri?” Shiva asked.
Raavi was completely surprised to see the flip in Shiva’s behaviour. Only seconds ago, he had been glaring at her and now he was talking to Rita with the biggest smile on his face. They continued to talk, and Raavi just couldn’t believe they were friends. She always thought that she was the only girl he talked to. And why did he have to smile so much while speaking to her?
“Arrey tu baith na. Khadi kyu hai?” Shiva said.
“Uske chair pe Raavi baith gayi.” Kundan said. “Tu meri chair pe baith, main dusri le aata hu.”
Rita sat and looked at Raavi nervously. Raavi gave her a cold smile. Raj got her a muffin and Kundan came back with another chair. This was the most awkward group for Raavi. She had never spoken to these people before and they didn’t seem to be enamoured by her, like others were.
“Waise Shiva teri bohot yaad aati hai. Tu bhi college join kar sakta tha na!” Rita said.
Raavi felt a pit of fire burning in her stomach. She shifted closer to Shiva with her chair and held his hand under the table. Shiva quickly freed his hand. So this time Raavi entwined her fingers with his and held it tightly.
“Purani baatein chorr na.” Shiva said, half smiling at Rita and half glaring at Raavi. He couldn’t understand why Raavi had to spoil his get together. “Abhi bhi topper hi hai na tu?”
“Of course topper hai apni Rita. Somnath ki sabse intelligent ladki jo thehri.” Kundan said, and Raavi was almost sure he was mocking her.
“Rita toh bachpan se hi best thi.” Raj said.
“Arrey bas karo tum sab. Engineering itna bhi easy nahi hai. Saara din padhna padta hai phir jaake achhe marks aate hai.” She laughed.
Raavi was always used to be being the centre of attraction and for the first time in her life, she was on the sidelines. These people were ignoring her. Her plan of impressing Shiva’s friends had failed spectacularly and she felt like crying, because Shiva was more interested in talking to Rita than with her. She was supposed to be the only girl he talked to.
Raavi dug into her chocolate muffin. Rita tried to make polite small talk with her by asking what she was studying and how she was doing, but Raavi could see that Rita didn’t like her either. She was talking to her just out of politeness. Kundan didn’t like her, she could say. He didn’t even look at her. Raj smiled but only out of politeness. What was wrong with Shiva’s friends?
“Shiva, kal mujhe Sarita ma’am dikhi pata hai bazar mein!” Rita suddenly said, but Raavi tuned out everything else she said when he saw Rita touch his hand to get his attention. But she left it just quickly.
Raavi looked at Shiva. He didn’t mind, in fact, he kept smiling as they recounted their school tales. She felt alone her. Tears were threatening to fall as she discovered she wasn’t as important in Shiva’s life as she thought she was. She got up from her chair, and began walking back home. Shiva was happy enough without her. She meant nothing to him.
