Originally posted by: nish_vir
Hey guys, I'm back with the next part. Hope I will be able to step up to your expectations.😃
Part 2
“Kuch nhi, Kusum ji. Aap wahan dhyaan dijiye na”.
Albeit grudgingly, Kusum complied and turned her attention to Preeti.
“Oh, toh aap hai inka support system!” A woman with the mike asked Rati.
Rati smiled another diabetic smile, “To be real, it’s all owing to mummy ji. I am so blessed to have her as my saas”.
Preeti’s nose crinkled in exasperation. Media clearly had seen her sitting with Kusum and children, and yet her referral of familial support was being linked to her son and his wife! How deeply ingrained was patriarchy in their minds!
“Preeti ji, would you like to say something?”
Preeti looked at the two faces, full of hope and smile- a farce to fool the entire world, because every time she had been with just two of them, only sarcasm had greeted her.
“It’s true to say that they are the source of my inspiration”, Preeti spoke and saw Juhi’s face deflate. Continuing, she took a step forward, her eyes hardening, “Had they not bought me to Udaipur, I would’ve never realized the importance of self-respect. If this son of mine had not made me understand that his-their house can never be mine, I would’ve never become independent”.
“Maa tu ye—
Tarun started to interrupt but Preeti raised her finger and halted him. “I came to the bitter realization that every battle fought for him was lost on me. I came to realize that blood doesn’t establish relationships,but love and respect does. And I am proud to say that, these people—
She stepped past the embarrassed duo, and side hugged Kusumji, “- are my family. Samdhan dost nhi ban sakti, vo toh best friend ban sakti hai. Kusum ji taught me the value of self-respect, at every step of the way she empowered me to be bold and strong. And this is my son—
Preeti stepped between Juhi and her husband, “— and daughters- all four of them who were forever prepared to help without even asking. This is my support”
Tarun and Rati slipped away quietly, as media clicked Preeti and her family.
Preeti smiled again as she saw KT trying to slip away, “And then there was KT ji. I have never in my life come across a man like him,always willing to help and listen to others”
KT froze as Preeti approached him, and cameras faced them,“I may have burst out on him many a times, but he never lost his composure, and always with a calm mind encouraged me to push forward. I sincerely believe, the day he asked me to be his partner was the best day of my life. To have crossed paths with you, was very annoying in the start but to be at the receiving end of your concern, is a privilege. Thank you for coming in my life, KT”, Preeti ended, her eyes seeking his.
His heart skipped, god knows how many steps and fell real hard, on the softest patch of flowers. He was thanked for being a part of someone’s life, when all those years back he had been rejected. His eyes tore up, and he turned his face away.
“And yet again, you are crying”, a soft chuckle followed and KT turned back his face to see a blue handkerchief forwarded in his direction.By then, media had dispersed and was focusing their attention on the esteemed jury members.
He accepted the handkerchief and wiped his eyes.
“Look, how swollen your eyes have become. Your photo will definitely get ruined”, Preeti remarked as KT’s eyes widened and he quickly opened the front camera of his phone to check his face, “They seem fine!”
He narrowed his eyes at her, and she just shrugged.
“Preeti jiiii”
“OTGgggg”
KT groaned. That again! “It’s not OTG!”
She stifled a smile at his cranky expressions. She had learned a thing or two about getting on his nerves. It was fun. He always got worked up when she messed his name.
“KTG…OTG…they sound so similar!”
“I’m just plain KT, that ji is unnecessary..ugghh!”
And Preeti started laughing. In that moment, KT couldn’t will his eyes to look away. She just—
His hands moved forward in a trance, their destination-her enchanting face.
“Let’s have dinner, KT?!”
His advancing hand was clasped firmly as an arm was thrown around his neck. His chachu smiled, his threatening grip on KT’s awry arm conveying the words behind his smile.
And his trance broke, eyes widening in shock. What was he doing?! Aghast, he looked at Preeti’s retreating form and then at his hand. Had he been bewitched?!
As he was turned around with force, his chachu cleared his throat, “It is below you to be doing such things”
“I-I was doing NO such thing!” KT replied, horror dawning in his eyes. The mirth behind his chachu’s words clearly lost to him.
Masking his grin behind a tight lipped expression, chachu passed him a dirty glance, “Say it to the hand, that was approaching her!”
“I was just—
KT stopped, her smile making round of his memories again.
“What?” Chachu asked, his brows shooting up onto his forehead. “Probably there was something on her face, or maybe was their lice in her hair?!”
As the last words drawled into amusement, KT’s eyebrows scrunched and he pulled away disgusted, “There was no damn lice!”
“Then?”
“It’s just that Preeti’s smile—
“Preeti, huh?!”
KT rolled his eyes, “Preeti JI’s smile bas….bas—
“Bas…dil main utar gayi”, chachu completed, making KT pass him a confused look. Because it was true. He so wanted to capture it. He just wanted to feel it.
“Don’t be so shocked. A look in the mirror will do you well, but dinner before that”.
His thoughts in a loop, he joined his family on the banquet table, Preeti sitting right opposite to him, engaged in conversation with Juhi. What was this feeling? Why did his heart beat so fast when she was near? What was this constant need to be around her, all the time?
“Don’t look at her like this, usse nazar lag jaegi”
KT jumped up shocked, the violent clattering of his seat attracting everyone’s attention but he just looked her way. And as she raised her brows in concern, he just blinked with a smile and sat back.
“Don’t surprise me, mom!” He gritted, keeping his voice low.
And then focused on his meal, clearly disturbed.
“You love her?”
Another shocker. And he choked on the food. Reaching for water, he looked at his mother, “No! I mean what? I-no—
His voice trailed off as he looked across the table, the unmoving glass simply pressed to his lips as he focused on her who was stuffing kusum’s mouth with rasgulla. He laughed, shook his head and then a beat later his smile turned flat, his eyes freezing in realization.
“I-Is it that obvious?” He mumbled, hiding his face in his palms his red ears a clear giveaway of his embarrassment. What an abrupt realization it was!
His mother nodded, gently chewing on the rice in her mouth.“Painfully so. Yeah. Your eyes are too loud, my son”
And he turned a deep crimson, his eyes stealing a peek at her from in between his fingers. Just HOW did he look at her?! He really needed a mirror!
“Um…I’ll be b-back!” Shooting up abruptly from his seat, KT excused himself. His heart was pounding hard.
Leaning against a pillar in the far off corner of garden, he let go off the breath he had been holding.
Love!
.
.
Lovee!
.
.
.
LOVE!
.
Was he in love?!
.
.
.
After all these years, he was in LOVEEEE!!!
A bashful grin broke across his face, his fingers fisting to control the dance raving to breakthrough.
He clutched his chest, and felt his heart going ghoomar in there. Chuckling again, he slipped his fingers into his vest’s pocket and pulled out a photo.
“Now I know why I couldn’t put you away”, the woman in the photo smiled back while he bit his lips on seeing himself in the background,his eyes focused on her.
“So that’s that ‘painfully obvious so-idiotically-in-love look, huh?! I must say, it is quite becoming of me. The dimples are just exquisite”, And shaking his head, he slipped the photo back near his heart, his fingers staying a moment too long there.
“I can see now why these past days I’ve been doing those things”. He murmured, slipping against the pillar onto the grass.
Those things pertaining to him annoying Preeti to the point that they visited Fateh sagar every single day after office hours. The site of-their discussions, the-countless-nights and of course, the verbal sparring where his annoying self would force her hand in an effort to unravel her tightly wrapped heart. Surprise! Surprise! He had not only unraveled his, but had already placed it with her. She remained clueless though.
“Hope so. She might actually disappear if she gets to know!”
“Know what?!”
Surprised, his neck turned at the speed of light, and a click echoed. KT groaned, “Shitt!”
Suppressing her chuckle, Preeti joined KT at his seat and placed a bowl in front of him.
“Ye?” He asked, craning his neck left and right to set it straight.
“You didn’t even taste the ladoo so I bought you one!”, Replying nonchalantly, she munched on her rasgulla, enjoying it very much.
KT looked at her, and his heart started bhangra. Literally glaring at his chest, he slapped down his palm over it just in case, it was too loud.
“You gave me a scare!”
“Glad to know!”
“Missed me so soon?” KT asked in an attempt to throw her off or more so to divert his heart.
“Hmm, couldn’t help it. Aadat hai aapke sath ki”
And KT turned his face away, his heart banging against his ribcage, protesting to jump out. Preeti smiled. He was habitual to taking compliments in stride but her words of appreciation were his weak point. He had confessed to that.
“Y-you are flirting!” He accused, his heart soaring at her mischievous smile.
“I’ve learned from the best”, She flashed a grin and KT closed his eyes.
Restrain,KT. Restrain. This fresh realization of love meant that his feelings were not reigned as of yet. They were going berserk.
“I-I am no f-flirt”, KT stammered, his face turned away. In her interests of course.
“Haan, aap flirt nhi namoone hain”
“Namoonaa!?” He turned to her abruptly, his lips pouting.
“Nosy bhi”
“Nosyyy!!”
“Oh, and thode se narcissist bhi!” She pointed, keeping the bowl aside.
“Narcissist, aur main!!? Matlab, aap mujh jese cute, sweet,caring, charming, sensitive—
An exasperated glance from Preeti shut him up, and he deflated like a pin pricked balloon. And Preeti, burst into laughter.
“Oh, and—
“Aur kyaa?!” He whined, his heart clearly sobbing.
Preeti looked at him, his eyes pleading, and she got up.
“Preeti ji, boliye na!”
He really really needed to know what she thought of him!
“Annnnd—
KT leaned forward in his sitting position.
Preeti leaned down that instant, her face alarmingly close to his. KT gulped as she put her lips close to his ears.
“Aap jese hain, vese hi bahot ache hain. Kabhi kisi ko khudko badalne mat dena”
And she pulled back, laughed at his dumb expression and walked back to the banquet.
KT pressed his palm against his ear, his face flaming hot and his spine sizzling with current.
“Just what in the world!!!”
SOOO, HOW WAS IT? ><
Personally, I really enjoyed writing it. Do share your views😃