The shopkeeper looked extremely annoyed. He had been selling bangles for the entire day without any nuisances. But it seemed to him that God couldn't bear to see his happiness. And so he had sent this young girl to him who had been haggling for the past 20 minutes over a beautiful set of bangles.
"I told you gudiya. These bangles cost dhed sau rupees. How can I sell it to you for dhai sau?" He asked her impatiently for the third time.
The girl glared back at him with fierce eyes. She rested one arm on her waist, assuming a charging stance. "You think I'm an idiot Bhaiya? I've been buying bangles all my life from this Mela. Okay? So, if you think you can trick me assuming I'm a clueless little girl then you're highly mistaken!" she ranted. The vendor shook his head in exasperation. Suddenly another young girl walked into the shop. Dressed in a pretty salwar suit and her long cascading hair lazily swinging from one side to another, she wound her arm into the first girl's.
"There you are Lavanya! I thought we got separated. What are you doing here?" the second girl asked, looking at the shop confusedly.
"Look at this man Khushi! He's not giving me the bangles and unnecessarily wasting my time bargaining," Lavanya whined to Khushi. Khushi looked at the shopkeeper who was now looking irritated.
"What happened Bhaiya?" Khushi enquired politely.
"I've been telling your friend here that these bangles cost dhed sau. She wants to pay dhai sau for them," he exclaimed. Khushi's eyebrow rose as she understood the problem. She turned to Lavanya and pulled her closed.
"La, dhed sau is 150 and dhai sau is 250," Khushi murmured in her ear. Lavanya looked shocked for a moment and then sheepishly turned to the vendor. Khushi giggled.
"Ohh. I'm sorry bhaiya. I'll take them for dhed sau," she said sweetly to the vendor who shook his head again muttering something under his breath as he wrapped up the bangles. Lavanya paid for them and the two girls left the stall.
The banner hanging lazily above them screamed "Arts and Crafts Emporium Festival". It was the biggest handicrafts fete organized every year in Lucknow which invited craftsmen from all over the country. The fete was a riot of colours, with food stalls, bangles shops, cloth shops all around them. Interspersed between the stalls were amusement rides for the kids as well. The whole environ was buzzing with activities. It was a paradise for Khushi and this year she had decided to bring her best friend Lavanya with her to show her around.
"How do you do it every single time Khushi?" Lavanya asked. Khushi looked at her confusedly.
"Do what?" she asked.
"Save my life!" Lavanya exclaimed dramatically and they both laughed.
"I think I should take the advice of Lata Madam and start taking hindi tuitions from you!" Lavanya said in a mock serious tone. Khushi smiled.
"I don't know about tuitions La, but I'll tell you what, you can hang around with me for next week's Literature week celebrations in the school. It'll be fun. What do you think?" Khushi asked, her with eyes sparkling with excitement. Lavanya groaned.
"Oh God! No! I know why you are getting involved in the literary week thingy. Miss soon-to-be School Literary Captain?" Lavanya exclaimed. Khushi rolled her eyes.
"I can't be School Literary Captain till next academic year La, you know that." Lavanya raised her hands in surrender.
"Yeah ok ok! I'll see about the literary thingy. Oh wait," Lavanya held Khushi's arm to stop her, as her eyes lit up with a thought, "will there be cute guys there?" Khushi looked heavenward in exasperation, and muttered a quick prayer to Devi Maiyya to give some sanity to her friend. Lavanya punched her playfully. The girls walked on continuing their playful banter when Khushi suddenly stilled, her eyes widening as a familiar aroma tingled her senses.
"Oooh! Jalebi!!" Khushi exclaimed delightedly and almost dragged a thoroughly disgruntled Lavanya to the food stall.
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