TWOS!!#7 A Bunch of Yahoos!! pg77 [note pg 150] - Page 57

"Zindagi ek safar hai suhana.. Yahan kal kya ho kisne jana.. Hey.. zindagi ik safar hai suhana.. Yahan kal kya ho kisne jaana..", and he started yodeling as he drove on.. "Atul!!!", Anjali shouted as she heard his not so surila voice.. "Stop braying early in the morning.. Hum yahan so rahe hai..", frowning as she tried to sleep, her finger in one ear and one eye open.. Riddhima who was leaning on her shoulder and sleeping, mumbled sleepily, "Di stop shouting na.."

"Please Anjie! Itna bhi bura nahi gaata hai.. Ek toh he's driving us.. And tum logon ko sone ki padi hai.. ", Rahul commented from the front passenger seat as he turned around in Atul's defense..

"Oye!.. Tu chup baith.. Tu raat bhar ghode bech ke so raha tha.. Emergency duty pe main gayi thi raat ko.. ", Muskaan yelled at him from the back seat.. She was sitting next to Abhi and Nikki at the very end of Armaan's SUV, while Armaan himself was sitting in the middle seat next to Riddhima, leaning on her as she leaned on her di..

"Haan.. Toh so na.. Atul ke singing ko kyun rok rahe ho.. Tu gaa yaar Champ.. ", he encouraged him.. And Atul obeyed his orders at once as he sang, "Pukarta chala hoon main.. Gali gali.. Bahar ki.. Bas ek chaav zulf ki.. Bas ik nigaah pyaar ki.. Pukaarta chala hoon main..", he purposely sang loudly in an off key, grinning wickedly as everyone in the car frowned.. The only person grinning with him was Rahul, who was his accomplice..

"Shut up yaar Atul!!..", Nikki shouted suddenly.. "Kya pukaarta pukaarta.. Subah subah kyun pukaar raha hai yaar.. Sone de na..", she didn't even open her eyes, as she yelled in her sleep, trying to hide herself in Abhi's shoulder..

"Nikki yaar chilla mat.. Tere chillane se accha toh Champ ka gana tha.. At least its got a rhythm.. ", Armaan came to his Champ's rescue as he kissed Riddhima's shoulder that he was leaning on.. He too had his eyes closed and was talking somnolently.. He was awake for quite some time now after Atul and Anjali's argument had woken him up.. But he didn't feel like getting up.. He just wanted to take every chance of being close to his Basket, who was for some reason chipkoing to her Di instead of him.. But that didn't stop him from holding her close as he leaned on her taking in her fragrance.. But Nikki's high pitched screech had forced him to speak up!..

He moved closer into Riddhima, slipping his arm around her waist as he heard Nikki curse him in her sleep and felt Muskaan whack his shoulder from the back seat..

Riddhima was already disturbed by all the noise.. And Armaan trying to get close to her made her even more uncomfortable.. Here she was trying to hug her Di, and this guy couldn't stop maaroing his chance!! "Armaan.. Hato.. Chipko mat.. You have so much place there.. ", she tried to push him away in her sleep.. Anjali couldn't take it anymore as she opened her eyes and saw Armaan leaning on her sister, who was leaning on her.. And she certainly wasn't enjoying being sandwiched like that against the door..

"Armaan please meri behen se dur raho..", she ordered in a stern voice as she pushed Riddhima to sit up straight..

"What do you mean by dur raho.. She's my fiance.. License hai mere paas samjhi..", he retorted, still not letting go of Riddhima.. Ek toh these people had tagged along with them when he had planned this trip exclusively for Riddhima and him.. And now they had the nerve of asking him to stay away from her!..

But Anjali was not so happy with his open offence.. "Please.. Abhi tak sirf engagement hui hai.. Permanent license nahi mila hai.. Learners pe gadi mat bhagao.. ", she warned him..

But Armaan had a retort to every reply of hers.. "Learners license hai toh learn toh karne do.. Practice nahi milegi toh permanent license milega kaise?.."

And that became a little too embarrassing for Riddhima who finally woke up and shouted at him.. "Armaan enough!..", pointing her finger angrily and glaring at him..

"Arre.. Tell your Di na.. She started it..", he complained to her, like she was unfairly accusing him.

But Riddhima had had enough of him.. "Shut up.. Di is right.. Tum dur hato mujhse.. Don't trouble me.. I am very sleepy..", and pushing his hand away from her ..

"Why?.. What were you doing raat bhar haan.. Kal toh we didn't even talk on the phone..", he asked suspiciously..

Riddhima whacked him on his shoulder as he asked that , "I was playing Doctor's scrabble with papa till almost three in the night!.."

"Oh.. Wow!.. Bachpan ki yaad aa gayi.. Remember we used to play all Sunday afternoon.. ", Anjali told her..

"What in the name of God is Doctor's scrabble?..", Armaan asked derisively..

"It's the same as scrabble.. But Only words from the Medical Dictionary are allowed..", Anjali told him superciliously.. And that only made him snort.. "Basket.. You are a class one nerd!.. I swear.. Unbelievable.. Doctor's scrabble!.. ", he scoffed as he made fun of her..

"Tum na.. Don't talk to me..", she slapped his hand away again..

"All of us are sleepy yaar.. Stop fighting..", Nikki screeched again..

"You shut up Nikki.. We know what you were doing all night.. Now she wants to sleep.. ", Armaan started teasing her now, as Atul and Rahul sniggered at his joke..

But Riddhima didn't find it very funny.. "Armaan!.. Tum kitne besharam ho.."

"Oh ho.. Kar who rahi thi.. Besharam main hoon..", he defended himself..

"Toh.. Who apne pati ke saath thi.. Isme besharamo waali baat kahan se aa gayi..", he was starting to get on her nerves now..

"Toh maine kab kaha.. You were the one who started with the besharam talk.."

"I was calling you besharam.. Not Nikki.. ", she told him through clenched teeth..

"Yeah.. But I called Nikki besharam.. Not me..", he imitated her tone as she completely lost it.. "Arrgh!!!!.."

Rahul, Atul and Abhi guffawed as Riddhima almost strangled Armaan while Anjali tried to get her away from him.. "Armaan yaar.. You're too good bro.. ", Rahul complimented him, proud of his skills at getting on his fiance's nerves..

"Thanks!", Armaan smugly accepted the compliment too..

"Very nice Armaan.. But next time please leave my personal life out of your games.. ", Abhi told him as he saw Nikki glare at him..

"Ab teri life personal rahi kahan hai yaar..", Rahul drawled, winking at him as he turned.. And that prompted Atul to start singing again, "Aaj kal tere mere pyaar ke charche har zabaan par.." and Rahul went, "Accha!.."

"Sab ko maaloom hai aur sabko khabar ho gayi..", Atul continued, while Rahul and Armaan sniggered at Nikki's embarrassment..

"Abhi.. They are so irritating yaar.. Bolo na.. Its not even funny..", she complained to Abhi.. She also was wide awake now and as irritated as all the girls, while the boys had fun at their expense..

"Don't worry sweetheart.. Agar who besharam ho sakte hai toh humne bhi besharmi mein PhD ki hai.. Chodo na..", he told her..

"Khullam khulla pyaar karenge hum dono.. Iss duniya se nahi darenge hum dono.. ", Atul changed his song as he heard Abhi console Nikki.. And Armaan and Rahul just joined him, completely pushing Nikki off her edge as she screamed "Shut up!!.."

"Rahul.. chup kar yaar.. And Armaan.. Not another word!!..", Muskaan ordered as she whacked Armaan on the back of his head.. They just laughed at that, guffawing and sniggering shamelessly, giving each other high fives..

"These guys are so irritating yaar.. Saara din sehna padega.. Abhi toh bas shuruwaat hai..", Anjali commented as all the girls had a frown at early seven in the morning..

"Exactly baby! Abhi toh bas shuruwaat hai.. ", Atul retorted, grinning as he drove onto the highway.. Anjali couldn't stop herself from smacking his head at that..

"Anjie behave yourself.. He's driving..", Armaan reprimanded her, pretending to be serious..

"Oh ho.. She should behave.. Look who's talking..", Riddhima spoke up in her Di's defense.. The nerve of this guy!

And Armaan as usual turned it on her, "'I' am talking.. The Armaan Mallik.. And BTW.. you don't need to 'look'.. You need to 'hear' who's talking.. "

"Ha.. Ha.. So funny..", she mocked him, rolling her eyes..

"You're getting better at the sarcasm Basket.. But you're still not there yet.. Keep practicing..", he gave her his expert opinion like he was a pro on expressions.. And Riddhima didn't find a single word of it funny, her scowl deepening, her brow furrowing, her jaw clenched tight as were her fists.. She wanted to punch him in the nose right now.. "You think you're so funny Armaan.. You know what.. I am not going to talk to you at all now.. Bhaad mein jao.." and this time she was serious.. Armaan's eyes widened at her tone.. It spelt nothing but his doom.. Rahul and Abhi stifled a laugh at Armaan's condition.. Poor guy was in for some real trouble now..

"Good Ridzi.. Aise hi karna chahiye.. Even I am not going to talk to Atul now.. " Anjali declared as Muskaan joined her, "Haan.. Main bhi iss kameene se baat nahi karungi.. ", she scowled at Rahul from the back of the car.. He turned around instantly as he heard that and grinned, "Really Muskaan.. Thank god!.. ", he sighed, pretending to be relieved..

Muskaan cursed him under her breath as he turned back and then looked at Nikki who was still leaning on Abhi's shoulder, "Nikki.. Tu uss dushman party se kyun chipak rahi hai.. Ab se tu bhi Abhi se baat nahi karegi..", she decided for her and pulled her away from Abhi.. Abhi's mouth opened in shock at that, "Arre yaar.. Lekin maine kya kiya hai.. Nikki.. You cant do this..", he protested..

"Kyun.. Tum hass nahi rahe the tumhare doston ke saath.. Bade aaye.. 'maine kya kiya hai'..", Muskaan mimicked him and Nikki completely agreed, "Yeah.. You're right Muski.. Main bhi nahi baat karungi.."

Abd that angered Abhi as he finally declared war.. "What!.. Fine you know what.. Main bhi tumse baat nahi karunga.. Who wants to talk to you anyway.. Right Armaan.. We don't need to talk to you people.. Jyaada hi ho raha hai ab.. "

Armaan wasn't too sure though as he saw Riddhima glare at him, her nostrils flared and ready to charge.. But he was saved the trouble of answering as Rahul quickly sided with Abhi, "You're right man!.. We don't need these chicks.. Tum log bhaad mein jao.. Dushman party my foot.. Humein bhi shauk nahi hai inse baat karne ka.. Kyun Champ.."

And Champ answered in another song to keep up with his retro song trail.. "Bane chahe dushman zamana humara.. Salaamat rahe dostana humara.. Salaamat rahe dostana humara..", he sang dramatically..

Rahul thumped his back as Abhi passed a smirk to Nikki, who was rolling her eyes at their lameness.. "Good.. Keep up with your Dostana then.. Girls.. Abse inka social boycott shuru..", she declared.. Muskaan and Anjali agreed with her at once, but Riddhima was still glaring at Armaan who just stared back at her, wondering if she too will participate in this so called boycott.. The entire idea of the Lonavla trip had been that he get to spend time with his Basket.. Alone time was out of question thanks to these multiple haddis in their kabaab.. But at least he didn't want to spend the entire day, that too Christmas day, fighting with his Riddhima.. But then, it was fun irritating her!! It was really difficult to choose whether he should apologize or just join the war..

And before he could make that decision, Rahul retorted to Nikki's declaration, "Well that's great girls.. Atul.. Side ko gaadi laga de.. Ab social boycott kar rahe hai toh I am sure they can get to Lonavla on their own ", he told them coolly, grinning wickedly at Muskaan..

"Oye hum kyun utare.. Tum log utar jao..", Muskaan shouted back as Atul pulled over at the side of the highway.. Panic clear on all their faces..

"Kyun.. Atul's driving, its Armaan's car.. And both of them are on our team.. So I guess, you people don't have a choice.. ", Rahul grinned wickedly as the girls scowled again..

"Fine.. Chalo girls.. We don't need these guys.. Hum khud Lonavla pohoch sakte hain.. ", Anjali said and unlocked the door to get out, dragging Riddhima with her.. Muskaan and Nikki also got out from the back, openly cursing the guys and the nerve they had.. Riddhima was staring at Armaan as she followed her Di.. She couldn't believe he was on this with them.. Armaan was feeling bad for her, but he knew exactly what Rahul was doing.. Abhi however thought that this silly fight was getting out of hand, "Rahul yaar.. Kucch zyaada nahi ho raha.."

"Chill bro.. We've just stopped for tea.. ", he told him, indicating to the dhaba a little ahead, putting on his glares and getting out of the car.. Abhi grinned and Armaan high fived Atul getting out of the car, guffawing to themselves as they saw the girls huffing around, trying to figure out how they'll get to Lonavla on their own..

"Bhaiya.. Yahan pe Lonavla ki bus kahan milegi..", Muskaan asked the dhabe waala as the boys stood there to order their chais and coffees..

"Yahan se paanch kilometer dur ek bus stand hai.. Wahi milegi..", he informed her as he poured tea into small glass cups..

Rahul smirked at Muskaan's crestfallen expression, but stopped grinning as she glared at him and stormed off towards the girls to tell the of their only way of transport..

"Kya!!.. Paanch kilometer! I cant walk that much..", Nikki gave up even before they had started..

"Nikki.. There's no other way.. Don't you want to prove those good-for-nothing idiots that we can handle ourselves.. And we certainly don't need them..", Anjali said, determined at the task ahead of them..

Riddhima wasn't so sure about walking.. Well it was early in the morning.. So there was no danger as such.. But it would certainly be tiring and time-consuming.. As she was contemplating on any other option that they had missed out on she heard his voice right into her ear, "Oye heroine.. Coffee piyegi?..", he asked her, putting forward a small cup of coffee.. She would have probably accepted the coffee had he not been smirking like that..

"No thanks..", she turned away from him, crossing her arms angrily..

"Basket.. Common yaar.. We were joking..", he told her, keeping the coffee at a nearby table as he held her arm and turned her around.. "Accha no more mazaak.. Is that ok..", he negotiated with her cutely..

"Don't fall in that trap..", she heard Muskaan's voice in the distance.. They had moved away when Armaan had come to talk to her.. But clearly they were still within earshot..

"Eh Raaaool.. Shut her up yaar.. ", he yelled across to Rahul, who was trying to get Muskaan to drink her chai..

"You shut up.. I am not going to talk to you and that's it!..", Riddhima told him stubbornly as she tried to walk away.. But he held her arm again and pulled her back..

"I love you..", he declared as everyone else stopped talking and bickering and laughing and whatever else they were doing.. While the guys sniggered, the girls started giggling.. And Riddhima turned the deepest shade of red there was.. "Armaan!.. Seriously.. Don't you ever ever feel a little embarrassed.. Tum aise kaise ho?..", she asked, scowling and frowning and almost defeated by his shamelessness..

"Pyaar kiya toh sharmaana kya.. Kyun Champ.. What song would you sing for this.. ", he asked Atul, turning to him.. 

And Atul had a song ready for every situation.. "Pyaar kiya toh darna kya.. Jab pyaar kiya toh darna kya..", he started as Abhi and Rahul clapped the beat almost in a qawaali..  Armaan grinned at Riddhima who wanted nothing but to disappear from the spot..

"OH gimme a break!", an embarrassed Anjali almost pulled out her hair as Atul continued to sing on the top of his voice, scaring other people who had stopped by the dhaaba..,"Pyaar kiya koi chori nahi ki.. Chup chup aahen bharna kya.. Jab.."

"Oye Taansen.. Chup kar ab.. ", Muskaan yelled as she got up to leave, "Waise bhi yeh gaana Anarkali gaati hai.. Saleem nahi..", she pointed out like a movie expert.. "Armaan Anarkali hai kya?..", she asked as the girls started giggling silly..

"Kyun nahi ho sakta..", Armaan answered, shocking the guys.. "Agar Riddhima aur mujhpar Mughal-e-aazam banti toh I would have to play Anarkali only na.. Riddhima would have been that mucchad Salim and sasurji would have been.. In fact is..  that terrorizing Shehensha Akbar.. Ever ready to wall me up alive..", making all of them laugh at that.. Even Nikki and Muskaan found that funny.. Riddhima and Anjali just started to walk off from there at the poor joke.. So typical Armaan!.. And he had to involve their papa!..

"Muski.. Nikki.. Tum dono aa rahe ho na.. The bus stop is five kilometers away..", Riddhima called out.. She and Anjali had already started walking.. Muskaan and Nikki suddenly remembered about the war and followed the girls.. "Oye Muskaan.. Gaadi mein baitho.. We were joking..", Rahul called out..

"But we are not!..", Muskaan replied and walked off in rage..

"Nikki yaar.. Kahan ja rahe ho.. Stop all this naatak now..", Abhi tried to convince Nikki who had already started at quite a brisk pace.. She heard him and turned around to show him the thumbs down before following the rest of them towards their bus stop..

"Ruk jaana oh jaana humse do baatein karke chali jaana.. Yeh mausam hai deewana..", Atul sang as he started following the girls..

"Yaar someone shut him up.. Issine chaalu kiya hai yeh sab.. At this rate we'll reach Lonavla next Christmas..", Armaan told them, following Atul with the other  two.. 

"I know yaar.. But it irritates the girls so much.. Main toh Champ ke saath hoon..", Rahul sided with Atul.

And Armaan had to agree to that.. He had made this trip quite a lot of fun.. At least for them..

"Nikki.. Anjie.. Common guys.. Get back.", Abhi called out to them.. They were just aimlessly walking at the side of a highway behind a group of girls.. Kya din aa gaye hain.. And the sun had started to make its presence felt now as sweat trickled down their foreheads.. But the girls were really adamant and bent on proving themselves.. After a lot of attempts and almost three to four more songs from Atul, Armaan finally declared, "Ab bas ek hi tareeka bacha hai.. ", and he looked meaningfully towards Rahul, then turned to Abhi.. Atul raised his brow and asked, "oh.. You mean!.. "

"Yeah.. I mean!!.. ", Armaan answered him in the same conspiratory tone.. Nodding at each other like they were getting ready for war, they looked ahead at their targets who were pacing away..

"One.. Two.. .. .. .. Three.. ", he said and a loud war cry was heard from Atul as they charged towards the girls.. The girls stopped as they heard the scream and turned around to find the guys running full speed towards them.. And before they could come out of the shock and make any kind of decision, the guys had hauled them on their shoulders and were running back towards the car..

"You idiots.. You junglees.. So uncivilized.. Manners nahi hai kya..", the girls cursed as they were dumped unceremoniously in the rear seat of the car.. and before they could get out, Atul had sped away, the guys laughing as they joined Atul in singing, "Chaahe koi mujhe junglee kahe.. Kehne do ji kehta rahe.. Hum pyaar ke toofaanon mein hai gire hain.. Hum kya karein!.. Yaahoo!!.. " and they sang it continuously in a loop irritating the girls, who were uncomfortably squashed in the back seat.. And they didn't listen to any of the screaming female voices as they sang the same song over and over again almost bringing Anjali to tears.. By the time they reached Lonavla they had remixed Mohammad Rafi's legendary number into a torture weapon, with Armaan beat boxing, while the other three sang it in different pitches and tones and not to mention tunes, enjoying the horror stricken faces, cramped in the back of the car!!.. 

will continue the rest in a new part.. finish this one here!. 😊