Mangalpur Madness: Part 3
"Mr Khan? Did you bring any snacks along? Jam and bread maybe? Or kachories? It's such a long trip and I'm so hungry!" Zoya complained. It'd been 2 hours since they started their trip. Zoya enjoyed an hour of talking to and sharing shayaris with a completely silent Mr Khan, before he finally opened his mouth to tell her that if she didn't stop, he wouldn't hesitate in kicking her out of the car. She spent the next hour finding a radio station that wasn't playing a song that would put them in an awkward situation, but to no avail. While switching around, one of the stations started playing bol na halke halke. Zoya quickly switched off the radio altogether after the both of them briefly made eye contact and then looked away uncomfortably. Now, unable to speak or listen to music, she was bored and boredom naturally leads to illusions of hunger. She tried to put on her pouty, puppy face look when he turned to answer her.
"No, I didn't bring anything. Didn't we just have breakfast? Anyway we've already reached Mangalpur, we'll reach Maryam's house in no time," Asad answered, trying hard to ignore the cute expression she was trying to use on him. He turned back to face the front when suddenly he heard Zoya scream. Immediately alert, Asad pressed down hard on the brakes.
"Kya hua Miss Farooqui?" Asad asked worriedly. He began searching her face confusedly for an answer when she didn't answer. To his surprise, she suddenly opened the door, jumped out of the car, and began hurrying away. Asad unbuckled his belt and stepped out quickly as well, following close behind her, calling for her to stop.
Zoya sniggered to herself as she heard Asad follow behind her, and quickened her steps. She finally stopped when she reached her destination. A dhaba! Selling pakodas! And she really wanted some pakodas, but she knew Asad wouldn't have stopped the car if she had just told him directly. She giggled a little when she heard Asad finally stop calling her name and instead let out a loud sigh. He must've figured out what she was doing.
"Bhaijaan, mujhe yeh pakodas pack karke dijiye please!" Zoya ordered the dhaba owner, as she began rummaging her bag for money. She felt Asad's arm brush against hers as he walked up to her and stood next to her. He took out his wallet and paid for the pakodas before Zoya could get to it. She smiled at him gratefully and grabbed the packet of pakodas before making her way back to the car. Asad stared at her retreating back and shook his head at her childishness. Couldn't she have just told him she wanted pakodas? Pakodas just reminded him of their time in the farmhouse really. She didn't buy bhaang pakodas again did she?? Asad turned back to the dhaba and checked the signboard near the pakodas. He sighed in relief upon reading that the pakodas were the normal, bhaang-free type. As he turned back to follow behind Zoya, he noticed a police jeep stop right next to Zoya. What was going on?
"Excuse me miss, you'll have to come with me to the police station," the police inspector said, as he began taking out his handcuffs. Zoya, about to put her first pakoda in her mouth, stopped midway and left her mouth open to gape instead.
"Allah miyan, what's wrong with this country! Now even eating pakodas is a crime?!" Zoya exclaimed, as she sensed Asad join her by her side. "Look inspector, I paid for these pakodas and so they're legally mine. I will eat them if I please!" Zoya continued, as she began stuffing her mouth with the pakodas.
"Miss, I really don't care about your pakodas. You're under arrest for robbery. Earlier this morning, a complaint was lodged by travellers from Dubai. They were robbed by a woman in a yellow salwar kameez fitting your description, as well as a male accomplice. Please put your pakodas down and follow me to the jeep now," the dumpy inspector explained, as he began unlocking the handcuffs with a key from his pocket. Zoya's eyes widened in disbelief, and she found herself subconsciously slinking behind Asad's towering built as he slowly guided her behind him protectively.
"Dekhye inspector sahib, aap ko kuch galatfemi ho gayi hai. This lady isn't a robber. We're just visitors from Bhopal, on our way to a wedding," Asad reasoned with the inspector, palm raised and facing the inspector. The inspector looked him up and down and nodded his head.
"Looks like I've found the male accomplice as well! You must be her husband right?" the inspector questioned, jumping to conclusions. Asad and Zoya stared at the inspector in shock. How did he even think that? Did they even remotely look like they could be husband and wife?
"No inspector, I'm not her husband. You seem to have gotten the wrong idea about us, we're just..." Asad tried to explain again, but he was rudely cut off by someone behind him. He hadn't even noticed that a large group of people had gathered around them, led by the dhaba owner who sold them the pakodas.
"Yeh aadmi jhoot bol raha hai inspector! Abhi abhi these two were at my dhaba, the lady ordered those pakodas and this man paid for them. Why would he pay for them if he isn't her husband? Arrest them inspector!" the nosy dhaba owner said, unnecessarily giving his two cents. Asad began massaging his head again. What kind of illogical reasoning is that? Where do these kinds of people even come from??
XXXOkay that's all for now. I'd like to say that the next update will be in the weekend, but I did that the last time and turns out I found time today anyway. So since life is highly unpredictable, I'll just say the next update will be when I find time (: Till then, you guys can keep guessing whether Asad & Zoya manage to get out of this mess!
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