Rantara OS : Rishta

Hello everyone, I normally write in the Madhubala forum. This OS I had written with Rishabala, and Honey aka honeybees22 asked me to repost it with Rantara. Hope you guys will like it.

"Mom, I just don't want you to come with me!" Machmach says stubbornly. "But why? Even I want to see my bahu!" his mother argues. "That is why!" Machmach tells her. "You are already calling her your bahu when I haven't even met her. I don't want you coming there to complicate things." Machmach tells her in finality. "You can't go alone to meet her." "Raghu is coming with me." Machmach tells her. Daya Mai turns to look at Raghu who was half lying half sitting on the couch as he flipped through a magazine. "Raghu, will you make sure he doesn't do anything stupid there?" Daya Mai asks him. "For the love of God, what stupidity will I do?" Machmach asks exasperated. "Like say no!" Daya Mai tells him. "Don't worry, aunty. I'll not let him do anything stupid." Raghu tells her chuckling then looking up at her he adds, "Unless of course I like the girl and decides to keep her for myself!" "CHUP! Shubh Shubh bolo." Daya Mai scolds him. "Liking a girl and deciding to marry her is shubh shubh boling, aunty." Raghu tells cheekily making Machmach chuckle behind his mother.

Ashok opens the door with a smile and asks, "Machmach?" "That is me." Machmach replies smiling. "Please come in." Ashok says and ushers them in. "So... who is this?" Ashok asks pointing at Raghu. "This is Ragunath Naik, he is my best friend." Machmach tells him and Raghu smiles at Ashok politely. Ashok smiles at Raghu and then asks Machmach, "Your mother didn't come?" "No... I thought it is better I meet Antara informally before Mom meets her." "Oh okay." As Ashok talked to Machmach and Raghu a lady walks in. "This is my wife, Geetha. And this is Machmach and that is Raghu, Machmach's friend." Ashok introduces them. "Is Antara ready?" Ashok asks Geetha. "Yes, I'll call her." Geetha says and walks back inside.

They hear a girl enter and, Raghu and Machmach looks up to see Antara walking in with a tray laden with tea and snacks. "Antara, that is Machmach and that is Raghu, his friend. Give them the tea." Ashok tells her. Antara walks towards Raghu and Machmach and was about to offer the tea when she trips on her saree and the tray slides down pouring tea on Raghu. "Oh my God! I am sorry." Antara says worried as she kept the tray on the table and grabbed the tissue box wiping his shirt. "Ouch... ouch..." Raghu gulps as the hot tea burned his skin. "I am so sorry. I am not used to walking in sarees." Antara whispers to him. Raghu looks at her and sees her almond eyes looking at him in worry. "It's okay, it happens." Raghu tells her smiling. "You alright?" Machmach asks him and Raghu nods in reply. "Antara!" Ashok says in a disappointed tone while Geetha started hyperventilating. "It's fine, uncle. No problem." Raghu tells Ashok. "I should clean this up." Raghu tells no one in particular. "Yes sure, please come with me." Antara says and Raghu follows her.

Raghu was washing off his shirt at the wash basin while Antara stood behind him watching him. Raghu turns back after washing and kind of gets surprised seeing the change in her attitude. She looked evil suddenly. "Did it burn you?" Antara asks him as she walked towards him. "It's fine." Raghu says slightly frowning. Suddenly Antara bends down a little acting as if she was about to catch his private and he jumps back in shock slamming against the wall. Now that she had him pressed up against the wall, she quickly moves forward and keeps her hands on either side of him imprisoning him. "This is just the beginning if you don't say no to this proposal." Antara tells him in a warning tone. Raghu frowns at her in shock; did she think he was Machmach? And did she pour tea on him on purpose? "That was no accident, was it?" "No! And if you don't say no then every morning I'm going to pour hot tea on you to wake you up." Antara says in a threatening tone. Looking at her glaring at him like an angry angel he suddenly had an image of her waking him up with a cup of tea. Oh God! "Did you get me?" Antara asks him. "Why do you want me to say no?" Raghu asks her. "Now you want a reason? This isn't enough?" Antara asks pointing his chest with her eyes. Raghu looks at the wash basin and turns on the hot water and then quickly holding her hand keeps it under the running water. "What are you doing?" Antara asks as she struggles. "The water is getting hot! It is getting hot, you pig!" Antara says frantically. Raghu leaves her hand and says, "If you hurt me, I am going to hurt you back in equal measure. So it is not reason enough." Antara glares at him. "So?" Raghu asks her. Antara stomps her feet and sighing says "This is not me! I didn't want to cheat you." "What is not you?" Raghu asks confused. "THIS!" Antara says as she gestured herself top to bottom and bottom to top, twice. "I didn't get you." Raghu says confused. "God! You are an idiot. I am not this. This saree girl! But my parents want me to be like this and are emotionally blackmailing me into acting as this. This is not me. I am not this saree clad temple going girl. I am a party girl. I like to party. I like getting drunk. I like going out and meeting people. I want to have a love marriage. Not marry someone of my parents' choice but my own." Antara tells him passionately. "But you still don't want to upset your parents." "They are my parents, you mutt!" Antara tells him as if he had missed an important point. Raghu starts smiling, "Hmmm... what if I am a party animal? And I like getting drunk once in a while?" Antara starts frowning at him. "Do you sleep around?" Raghu asks her. "WHAT?" Antara asks shocked. "How dare you ask me such a thing, you pervert?" "A man's gotta ask what he's gotta ask." Raghu says shrugging. "I don't know why it is any of your business but no!" "Good!" Raghu says smiling. "So say no!" Antara tells him. Raghu starts chuckling. "What is so funny?" Antara asks frowning. "I cracked a joke in the morning." Raghu tells her still chuckling. "And you are laughing now? Oh God! How dumb are you?" Antara asks frowning. "And you laugh at your own jokes?" she asks in disgust. "No, I just realized how true it has become." Raghu tells her. "Huh?" Antara asks shocked. He suddenly holds her and turns around slamming her onto the wall, "I had joked that if I liked the girl, then I might decide to keep her for myself." Raghu tells her. "What?" Antara asks frowning. "And guess what? I am going to keep you." Raghu tells her and slams his mouth on her kissing her passionately.

They were kissing passionately, when Raghu slowly pulled away and Antara was looking at him as if in daze. "Come what may, by hook or crook you are going to be mine." Raghu tells her. Suddenly realization dawns and Antara slaps him, "You PIG! How dare you kiss me? How dare you? You ruined my very first kiss! OH MY GOD!!! My first kiss in a stupid bathroom with a bloody stranger!" Antara moans. "You are just making me all the more crazy about you." Raghu tells her grinning. "Crazy? You stupid! You don't even know me!" "But I like you." Raghu tells her. "And I am not ever going to marry you!" Antara tells him stubbornly. "You are. And please don't think that I go around kissing random girls, I don't. I might have kissed a couple of girls only because they were my girlfriends." Raghu tells her and starts to walk off then stops and turns to her smiling, "Your first kiss might have been in a stupid bathroom with me, don't worry sweetheart we are going to be kissing all around the place and I know you loved the kiss just as much as I did."

Raghu walks back in and sits next to Machmach. "Fine?" Machmach asks him in a whisper. "Yeah." Raghu replies smiling and smiles even more seeing Antara walking back frowning and looking very confused. "Antara, come sit here." Ashok tells her and Antara hurries to sit next to him. "If you two want to talk alone..." Ashok starts and Raghu cuts him off, "No Uncle, this is an informal meeting..." "So?" Machmach asks confused. "Talk in the open." Raghu says shrugging. Machmach looks at Raghu giving him an are-you-crazy look. Raghu leans towards him and slightly whispers, "If you are going to talk to her alone, it is going to be considered a done deal. First you see if you like her, then if you do, come with your mother to talk alone." "Oh yeah! You are right." Machmach whispers back and turning to Ashok, Machmach says "He is right." "Oh... okay." Ashok says shrugging.

"So, Antara tell me something about yourself." Machmach starts and Antara who was looking down, looks up at Raghu and starts, "What about me?" "Like what you studied for starters." Machmach replies. "Oh... I just finished my MBA in Marketing." Antara says looking at Raghu. Raghu slowly shakes his head at her in no and slightly flicks his head towards Machmach. Antara looks at Raghu confused and Raghu again points his head towards Machmach again. Finally realizing what he was telling her Antara gasps loudly slightly jumping in her seat. "Antara? What happened?" Ashok asks in concern. "Is everything alright?" Machmach asks at the same time. Antara quickly nods her head and then she stares at Raghu in shock then remembering their kiss her hand flies to her lips, seeing that Raghu winks at her with a sexy smirk. Antara gives him a murderous look and turns to Machmach who was watching her curiously. She gives him a fake smile.

"When is your birthday?" Raghu asks Antara. "Oct 29." Antara replies. "Scorpio! Even me. Nov 10." Raghu says excited. "You know what, Scorpio- Scorpio are very compatible in marriage if emotions are right." Raghu tells her smiling. "What?" Machmach asks shocked while Ashok and Geetha give him weird looks. "Yeah..." Raghu says shrugging then adds, "Machmach is a Libran, Sep 30^th. Scorpio and Libra make great friends, like us. But marriage, I am not sure." Raghu tells giving a fake sympathetic look. "What are you saying?" Machmach asks shocked, "and when did you believe in all this?" "It's marriage. We shouldn't take any risks. So we should consider all these too, right Aunty?" Raghu asks Geetha. "Yes... yes." Geetha says nodding in worry.

"Ask her whether she cooks." Raghu whispers to Machmach covering his mouth so no one notices him. "What?" Machmach whispers back frowning. "Ask." Raghu again whispers and turns to look at Antara and she was frowning at him. "Do you cook, Antara?" Machmach asks and Antara turns to Machmach frowning slightly, "No." "Hmmm... but she can learn after marriage." Raghu tells chucking it off as if it is no big deal. "Are you a non-veg?" Raghu asks her. "Yes." Antara replies frowning. "Oh Ho!" Raghu says disappointed. "Why? Is that a problem?" Geetha asks worried alternating her looks between Raghu and Machmach. "Machmach, is a pure vegetarian." Raghu tells her then turning to Machmach he says, "You remember my cousin who got divorced last month? Sikky?" "Yeaaah." Machmach says not understanding where Raghu is going with this. "They had major issues between them. One of the main issues was that Sikky was a veg while Dipali was a non-veg. He wouldn't let her eat non-veg at home. And they used to fight a lot regarding that, Dipali saying Sikky was not giving her space and Sikky saying that she was not understanding his feelings. Once when we went out for dinner, they fought in the restaurant. It was embarrassing. It was a matter of time before they got divorced." Raghu tells Machmach casually while Machmach looked at him in shock while Geetha and Ashok were looking at him in panic. Raghu looks at Antara, and since everyone was looking at Raghu, Antara furiously flicks her head slightly to her side asking him to come aside. "If you don't mind, can I use your bathroom?" Raghu asks Ashok. "Yeah... yeah sure." Ashok says. "I'll show you the bathroom." Antara says getting up.

Antara takes him to her bedroom. "Wow... this is your bedroom?" Raghu asks as he looked around. "What the hell is your problem?" Antara asks him in a furious whisper. "You don't want to marry Machmach, I don't want you to marry Machmach. So I'm just taking care of it." Raghu tells her. "What kind of a friend are you? You pig!" "HEY! You don't know my friend and you don't know the friendship we have. The moment we step out of this house, I am going to tell him everything and he is going to laugh his ass off." Raghu tells her. Antara looks at him in shock, not knowing what to say or do then finally making up her mind she says, "Please just take your friend and leave." "I'm not going to stay here. Please, I am all for women liberation but I am not into staying in my wife's house for eternity." Raghu tells her. "I am not going to marry you." Antara tells him. "You are." "No!" Raghu sighs, "I am not going to be a bad husband. I'll be a good husband. I am going to give you complete freedom but you just have to make sure you don't hurt my family, me, or my male ego in any way." "WHAT?" Antara asks making a disgusted face. "We are going to be very happy." Raghu says and turns to walk off then he turns back to her with a smile. "Now that you managed to get us alone again, why shouldn't we take full advantage of it?" and he pulls her towards him and kisses her. Soon they were kissing each other hungrily. Realizing they had to stop before someone found them, Raghu slowly breaks off the kiss and smile in pure male satisfaction when Antara moans in disappointment. "We are going to have a very short engagement else by the time we get married, a couple of little Kundras would be running around." Raghu whispers to her as he kissed her neck making Antara blush and sigh.

"Marketing... that is an interesting field, Antara." Raghu says smiling. "Ms. Kaul." Antara says in a clipped tone. "Sorry?" Raghu asks. "Only my family and friends calls me, Antara. Others call me Ms. Kaul." "ANTARA!" Geetha admonishes her. "We are going to be a family right?" Raghu asks her cheekily grinning. Antara glares at him and then asks "Who exactly are you?" Geetha gasps while Ashok says in an angry whisper to Antara, "Stop it!" "It's okay, Uncle. We all are going to be a family she can ask me whatever she wants." Raghu says smiling while Machmach glares at her for insulting his friend. "I am Ragunath Naik, I'm Machmach's best friend. Hmmm have you heard of Kundra industries?" "Yesss." Antara says in a slow tone eyes going wide. "Antara got an interview call from there." Ashok tells him. "Really? Interesting." Raghu says grinning. "You work there?" Geetha asks him. "That's his company." Machmach tells them. "Dad retired last year, so I'm managing it now." Raghu informs them. "When is your interview scheduled, Antara?" Raghu asks her. "Thursday." "Hmmm... I'll be in office on Thursday." Raghu tells her. "That would be nice." Geetha says happily smiling at Raghu. "But..." Machmach starts, "What?" Raghu asks frowning. "I don't want my wife to work." Machmach says. "WHAT?" Raghu & Antara shouts in shock. Machmach looks at Raghu and Antara trying to figure out who he should answer to and finally deciding on Antara, he says "I don't like my wife to work. In our family the women don't work." "You joking?" Raghu asks him in a whisper. "Of course not!" Machmach says offended that Raghu would suggest he would joke about such a thing. "I'm earning well. I can look after my wife and the family." "Don't you think your wife should have an identity of her own? Why did her parents spend so much on educating her if all she was going to do was sit at home simply?" Antara asks unable to hide her anger. Seeing her angry expression Raghu was going crazier about her, he liked that she had a temper. "But that is how things are in my family." Machmach says shrugging. "I can't give up my self-respect and depend on my husband on everything." Antara says with finality. "Will you stop this?" Geetha asks Antara in anger. "No, Aunty. She is right." Raghu says supporting Antara. "She doesn't have to compromise on her life like that." Antara's eyes go wide hearing that. "But..." Geetha starts and Raghu cuts her off, "Everyone has their own views and we should respect that. Machmach doesn't want his wife to work, as long as his wife doesn't mind that we should just respect it, and Antara wants to work and her husband should respect that." Ashok turns to Geetha silently asking what the hell is going on here?

"How do you like India, Antara?" Raghu asks her. "Now what?" Antara asks tired. "Antara!" Geetha says turning pink. Raghu smiles seeing Antara's expression, "Machmach is moving to US by the end of this year. So I was wondering if you would like to live outside India." Raghu explains. "NO! I want to live in India. My parents are here, my family is here!" Antara says in finality. "But Machmach always wanted to move to US. You know, he was in US till high school. He holds an American passport too." Raghu explains to her. "I am not leaving India." Antara tells Machmach. Raghu looks down as he took his mobile smiling ear to ear. "I need to make a call, please excuse me." Raghu says and gets up and walks off. Antara turns to look at Machmach who was very uncomfortably looking at his shoe, then she looks at her father who had his face covered very tired and finally at her mother who looked she would cry any minute now. It was a matter of minutes before either Machmach or her father declares that this marriage would be a bad idea. Antara smiles happily then she asks Geetha, "Mama, did you give Raghu tea?" "Oh no! I forgot." Geetha says as she started to get up. "Wait, I'll ask him if he wants tea. Don't simply make if he doesn't want." Antara says and hurries out before anyone could stop her.

Antara walks outside her house to find Raghu on the phone. She hears him talk on the phone, "Trishaaa! Guess where I am... no love, Machmach and I'm here to see a girl for Machmach... I just thought I should inform you about it... so you know... you have a final chance to maybe change your mind... I didn't think anything was going to come out of it, but this girl... what a beauty she is... If I say so myself, you should know how beautiful she is... and Machmach looks so smitten already. You are my friend, so I thought I should give you a heads up." Raghu hangs up the phone and turns around to find Antara standing behind. "Hey!" Raghu smiles at her. "Machmach has a girlfriend?" "No... he has been in love with this girl for a while... but she was acting very pricey... so I just gave her a push." Raghu tells her shrugging. "Hmmm" "Machmach kind of gave up on her, and I thought why not try once more." "For your selfish reasons." "Not really... I care for him and want him to be happy too. So for him and for us." Raghu tells her. "Hmmm" "Why are you here?" Raghu asks her smiling. "Either Papa or Machmach will be saying no any minute now." "Good." "And then?" Antara asks him. "You tell me." Raghu tells her smiling knowing where she was headed. "My parents want me to marry someone of their choice but I want to marry someone of my choice." "Okay..." "You are neither here nor there." Antara says looking down. Raghu bursts out laughing hearing that, "You mean to say, I'm neither your choice nor your parents? Or that I should somehow become your parents' choice and at the same time be your choice too?" Antara doesn't reply. "What made you change your mind?" Raghu asks her. "I haven't changed my mind. You just have to make me fall in love with you." Antara tells him shrugging. "How about we decide on an arranged marriage and slowly fall in love?" Raghu asks her. "I could live with that." Antara tells him still looking down. Raghu puts his hand forward, "Let's shake our hands on that?" Antara finally looks up at him and asks, "How about we kiss on it?"

Antara walks in her, "he just wants cold water." And she goes to the kitchen to get it. By the time she comes with the water, Raghu was back and sitting next to Machmach. Antara offers him water and Raghu winks at her as he took the glass making her slightly blush. They remained silent for a bit then Machmach's mobile starts ringing. Machmach quickly cuts it and it again starts ringing. "Who is it?" Raghu asks him in a whisper. Machmach shows him his phone display. "Maybe you should take it." Raghu tells him seeing Trishna calling. "Okay." Machmach whispers and turns to the others and says, "I am sorry, I need to take this. Please excuse me." As Machmach hurried out Raghu turns to Antara and she was looking at him expectantly and he nods slightly.

"Nice house." Raghu says looking around the house. "Thank you." Ashok says with a polite smile. "What kind of a guy are you looking for Antara, uncle?" Raghu asks. "I am sorry." Ashok looks at him shocked. "I am just asking conversationally." Raghu says shrugging. "A guy from a good family with a good job. Good behavior. Someone who would always keep her happy." "I totally fit the bill!" Raghu tells him confidently. "WHAT?" Ashok and Geetha shouts at him. "I am so sorry." Machmach says as he hurried in. everyone turns to look at Machmach confused. "I need to leave. And Antara... you are a nice girl, but we clearly don't match... it won't work out... I'm sorry. Raghu let's go." Machmach says and pulls Raghu up. "Wait, I'm in the middle of something here." Raghu tells Machmach as he was dragged out. Raghu turns to look at Antara and she was looking at him panicked. "Machmach, wait." "No time, Raghu." Machmach says as he dragged him out.

As they reached the gate Raghu shouts, "WAIT! I need to talk to them." "Trishna says she loves me and she wants to meet me." Machmach tells him as he hurries out. "I know, I called her up few minutes back." Raghu tells him. "What?" "I told her that you were on the verge of saying yes to Antara. That freaked her out and she realized she loves you. I always told you, she needs a solid push." "Oh!" "Now, wait. I need to talk to Antara's parents." "Talk what?" Machmach asks confused. "About Antara's and my marriage." "WHAT?" Machmach asks shocked. "What did you think I was doing there all this while?" "I thought you were doing that because you thought I was doing a mistake by marrying her when I was in love with Trishna." "No... no... I want her." Raghu tells him shrugging. "Trishna?" Machmach asks shocked out of his wits. "No! Antara... I've decided to keep her." Raghu tells him grinning. "What?" Machmach asks shocked and laughing he asks, "But how?" "It happened. Even kissed her." Raghu says shrugging, he was not the one to kiss and tell, but Machmach had to know what had happened behind his back. "You kissed her?" "Three times. Details later." Raghu tells him. "Now, I'll talk to her parents and come."

Antara and Geetha were clearing the table when they hear the bell. "Did you forget something?" Ashok asks frowning unable to hide his anger. "No. I wanted to ask all something." Raghu says as he and Machmach stepped inside. "Ask what?" Ashok asks him while Antara came forward smiling happily. Raghu walks to Antara and looking at Ashok he says, "My friend said no to her." "I know." Ashok says irritated. Raghu smiles and turns to Antara. "So I wanted to ask you all, if my parents come tomorrow, will you all say yes to me?"

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