PART-1
'Kaka, AC on kar dein please! Aaj sar mein dard ho raha hai.' Kanyaka addressed their driver as she sat in the car.
'Jee acha.' Dharam replied as he turned on the AC at full blast and started the car.
Kanyaka leaned against the window pane, staring into space. It had been a tiring day and all she wanted to do was sleep away the stress and tension. Land laws might be a required subject but it was too complex, especially when trying to reconcile the differences between the law and what actually happened in developing countries with issues like squatting being a regular issue. She had spent most of her time today trying to defend a deprivation based slum area at a mock trial held at her college between the students of L.L.B part 4 and 5.
'Beta...,,khanak...beta ghar aa gaya!' Kanyaka woke up with a start. She had dozed off on the long ride home she realized as she massaged her neck, trying to do away with the crick that seemed to have developed. She gathered up her bag, water bottle and library books and entered home.
There was no one in the living room apart from Kavi, who was slouched on the sofa in front of the LCD TV playing some game on his X-Box. He was clutching the controller like his life depended on it. The tall, lanky 17 year old looked much older than his years and like most boys this age, his life revolved around gaming, friends and fast food.
'Heeylo Deeds!' he greeted Kanyaka lazily without taking his eyes off of the TV.
She could hear voices coming out of the drawing room and figured that was where the rest of the family members were.
'Guests aaye hain?' She asked Kavi as she made a face and threw her stuff on the sofa beside him, not in the mood to socialize.
'Haan.Anvesha Didi ke parents-in-law. Shaadi ki date decide ker rahay hain I think!'
'Acha?! Then I should go say hi. Is jeeju here as well?'
'Nope. uh... Deeds I'm kinda busy...tu aap khud hi ja kar dekh lo na.' kavi gave kanyaka the brush off, irritated at being disturbed while he tried to complete a crucial level in the game.
'Daffa ho! Sarhu! Khelo apni fazool game, mein khud hee jaati hoon.' Khanak smacked Kavi on the shoulder and made her way towards the drawing room.
She entered the room and greeted the guests and the rest of the family. She knew she looked tired and sweaty and could feel her mom's disapproving eyes on her. She tried to catch Khanak's eye but the latter avoided looking at her.
Anvesha was sitting between their Bua and her MIL. Kanyaka gave her a knowing and mischievous smile as she sat down nearby.
'Kaisi ho beta? Bahut weak lag rahi ho!' Anvesha's mother-in-law asked.
'Jee Aunty mein theek hoon! Bas finals honay walay hain tou aaj kal thoda ziada load hai padhai ka'
'Aaj kal ke bachay bhi na, bahut serious ho gaye hain! Thoda waqt enjoy kernay ke liye nikaal liya karo beta. Itni tension mat lo.Ladkiyon ka kya hai?Shaadi ke baad waise bhi responsibilities hee responsibilities hoti hein. Enjoy while you can!' Aunty joked pleasantly.
'Isko samjhane ka koi faida nahi hai.' Bua spoke up. 'Iss ke exams tu jaise poore ghar kay exams ki tarah hote hai. Khud bhi tense rehti hai aur poore ghar ko bhi apne saat pagal rakhti hai. Padhai na hoi pahaad ho gaya!'
Kanyaka smiled at Bua's words. She had heard such lectures too many times to count and they had stopped affecting her now. As she caught the twinkle in her Dad's eyes, she looked down to cover her grin.
'Aunty date kya hai shaadi ki?' She decided to change the topic before it ventured into dangerous territory.
'Bache hamari beti April ke end mein ek hafte ke liye India aa rahi hai tou hum chahte hein ke unn dinon mein hee rakh lein'
'April ke end mein?!' Kanyaka repeated in shock. 'Liken April ke end mein tu mere exams hein!' She suddenly felt annoyed, irritated and perplexed all at once.
The rest of the family looked at her with varying expressions of concern, apology and understanding. Her exams were starting on the 25th of April, a fact the whole family was too painfully aware of, each having been forced to listen to her woes regarding them. Her mother gave her her 'Stay quiet right now' look before she could say anything, so she got up, mumbled an 'Excuse me, I have to go freshen up' and went out of the room. Anvesha quietly stood up and followed her out.
Kanyaka was raving mad! They couldn't do this to her! How could they expect her to give her finals-the most important exams of her life in fact!-during Anvesha's wedding?!
Red in the face, she stormed into the room she shared with Anvesha. As soon as Anvesha entered she turned on her.
'Anvi! Ye kya mazaq hai? You can't get married during my exams!'
'Khanak, yaar mein kya karun?It all depends on them!'
'Kya matlab it all depends on them?Shaadi tumhari bhi hai! You get to have a say. Aur meray baghair tum shaadi nahi ker sakti!'
Anvesha widened her eyes. 'Matlab tumhein bhi...?Haha! I know meri jaan. I am sorry. I feel terrible par tumhe pata hai na Baba aur Chachu ka? Mein badon ke beech mein kaise bolti?'
'Mujhe kuch nahi pata. You are my best friend and my sister! Mujhe tunhari shaadi mein bahut enjoy kerna hai. You know how much I have been waiting for it. Kab se themes bhi soch rakhi hein! Ugh!Mujhe apnay exams ke liye bahut ziada padhna hai.They are my final finals! I need excellent grades! I cannot believe this is happening. Tum Chachu Chachi se baat karo na. Unn se kaho ke no way you are getting married during my exams. Bas!'
'Acha baba hyper mat ho! I will talk to Mom and Dad. Khush?'
Kanyaka was not sure whether the elders would agree but she was adamant about not letting the wedding coincide with her exams. It was so not happening!
'Woh mujhe nahi pata. Abhi let your in-laws leave. Mein itna hungama karne wali hoon na. Even if you don't do something about it, I will. Acha by the way, jeeju kyun nahi aaye? Aunty kay haath koi paigham shaigham tu nahi bheja?'
Anvesha rolled her eyes.
'Stop being so filmy! why would he send me a 'paigham'? koi paigham nahi bheja.'
'Uff really? Kya yaar. kasam se
Shaan jeej is just as boring as you!' Kanyaka said with a laugh.
Edited by zennnn - 14 years ago
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