SS: Ek Bheegisi love story NOTE p16 (02/10) - Page 3

Smiling at the first memories, Arohi tucked her saree pleats a little higher again. Her red saree had become wet and heavy from below, and hence she had to keeping tucking it in her waistband. He had broken up with his girlfriend because she made him run around in the rain, she remembered shaking her head.

"I don't think im boyfriend material" were his words on the bus stop giving an explanation for his break up. His disgust at the rain and the dipping temperature forced them to take their small rendezvous to the nearby coffee shop. They spent an hour talking about varied topics before they realised that it was late and they need to head back. It was the first time Arohi had ditched her friends and for the first time Arjun didn't mind the rain as he walked back home with a spring in his step.  

Ik haseena idhar dekho kaisi bechain hai

Raaste par lage kaise usske do nain hai

Arohi checked her watch again before she trained her eyes on the road. "Where the hell is he" she thought as she started to look at her watch again, realised that its just been two seconds, and dropped her hand in her lap with a sigh. They had met up many times in the past couple of days. Arohi introduced him to her friends and they welcomed him immediately in their small gang.

Arjun had just returned from the US with an MS degree and a two year work experience to his credential. Hence he didn't have many friends as most of his batchmates were either in US or had moved out for work. The prodigal son had to return to take care of his fathers business as that was the sole purpose of his international experience and higher education.

"How can you stay in US and not have a single girlfriend?" Arohi had teased him. But always being the studious one had kept his knowledge and experience in handling girlfriends to the minimum. "Its just a waste of time, anyway I will be marrying the girl my parents choose for me, so why bother complicating life" he said... something tugged at Arohis heart at what he said. He had seen her smile fade a little but pushed it to the back of his mind before continuing with their friendly banter.

"Are you stalking me Miss Ahluwalia???" a smirking Arjun asked Arohi. "I was going to ask you the same question... Mr Singhania" Arohi replied dazzling him again with her smile. He did not know what it was with her smile, but it just transformed the damp messy wet rains into showers of happiness from the heavens. Never in his entire life had he looked forward to moving out of the house in the rain than in the past one month. Well... he had never before, quoted such clichd cheesy stuff either, even in his mind!

And now that it was july, Mumbai showers had not only gained momentum but also increased their frequency. It didn't matter to him as long as he got to see the sunny smile on her radiant face.

Settling next to her on the steel bench, he leaned back as usual asking her about her day. They had grown into a routine of being comfortable around each other to be called as friends. "So Arjun, how come you're early today?" she asked him chewing on her gum and blowing baby pink bubbles on her equally pink lips.

"I just thought it was too nice a day to be wasted sitting in the office. So I took off a bit early than usual." Arohis eyes rounded as saucers as the inflated gum popped on her lips. "What! Workaholic Arjun Singhania decided to cut back on his working hours??? Impressive..."

Arjun kicked the tyres of his car in frustration. It had to burst now... as if the cloud burst on top of his head was not enough. Looking up at the sky, he grinned and said "you're really enjoying this... aren't you???" Throwing the chocolate brown coat and vest of his three piece suit in the front seat of his car, Arjun started walking on the road in his baby pink shirt which was completely drenched. 'It was the same shirt he had worn that day... he realised as he shoved his hands in his pockets, his mind wandering away to that day on the bus stop. The same shirt which had triggered their fight, the same shirt which had triggered a lot of other things too, he remembered smiling fondly.

Workaholic Arjun Singhania... is what she had called him. He was... is a workaholic! But she had changed all that in a matter of days. Luckily that day none of their friends were able to make it. Their friends... how eagerly they had accepted him as if they knew him from years. Arohis friends were just like her, friendly... outgoing... genuine... and with a fabulous sense of humour. Even though most of them were boys, they never treated Arohi like a girl. She was like one of them, Shefali and Gauri being the other girls in the group were treated like girls coz they behaved like one.

But Arohi, she was different... she never had the nakhras or the so-called ada which a guy flipped for in a girl. That is what made her one-of-her-kind... She definitely had her own charm, her own set of antics which can make the sun shine in your heart... Her warm smile, her friendly attitude, her childish pranks, her fake anger, her bubbling enthusiasm. Watching her face was like watching a movie, millions of expressions would fleet on them in a matter of seconds.

"Even Romit's not coming" Arjun said getting off the call, looking beside him to find the seat empty. Moving his head around, his eyes searched for Arohi when he saw her at the other end of the bus stop talking to a stranger. Their body language told him that they were friends, but he was not from their group. Arjuns eyebrows furrowed together in thought as he moved towards her. The boy suddenly stopped talking and stared at a possessive-looking Arjun standing behind Arohi with his hands folded at his chest, resembling a night club bouncer or a personal bodyguard. Arohi looked behind and immediately introduced her friend Jai to Arjun, who was now scanning Jai from head to toe with a scrutinising gaze.

"Jai is my school friend. He stays in Australia now." Turning to Jai she continued "So Jai, how come you're here at this time of the month? I mean its not the best season to visit Mumbai, especially for out of town people." "Ullu ki bacchi... you forgot that even I love the rains as much as you do! In fact I miss the rains... I miss our long walks and thele ki garam chai with pyaaz ke pakode, which we used to have whenever it used to pour" Jai responded looking at her fondly.

Arohi smiled at him "Aww I miss it too... pata hai Arjun whenever it used to rain cats and dogs, Jai used to just come to my house, as we stayed in the same lane, and drag me out for a walk in the rain and a cup of tea. By the time we used to come home, we would've ditched our umbrellas and raincoats and would be soaking wet".

Jai chuckled "yea, teri wajah se mujhe dono ghar pe maar padti. Aunty used to yell at me that Arohi ko to kuch samajhta nai hai beta lekin tum to samajhdar ho. And my mom used to scream ki agar Arohi bimar padd gayi to teri khair nahi!" They both started laughing and all Arjun did was stand watching this do bichade huey doston ka milan. He suddenly felt like the conversation was getting too sugary for him and he might just develop diabetes.

"So how come you drink coffee now and not tea??" Arjun suddenly found himself asking with a frown. Arohi turned towards him and retorted "That's because baarish mein chai peene ka maza usske saath aata hai jo baarish ka mazaa lena jaanta ho". She had not missed the hint of sarcasm in his voice, the same way she didn't miss the stiffening of his body on her answer.

After chatting for a few more minutes with Jai, she asked him "Till when are you staying in Mumbai". 

"Actually im here for just two weeks, that's all the holiday I got for my wedding" Jai replied looking at a visibly bored looking Arjun. 

"WHAT!!!" Arohi screamed startling Jai. She launched herself in Jai's arms screaming "Congratulations... o my god! Im so happy for you" She pulled back to look at Jai who was smiling too.

Arjuns ears perked up at this news and he suddenly felt that this guy is not that bad. "Who is the girl? Whats her name? Do I know her? Why didn't u tell me?" Arohi continued firing questions at Jai. 

"Relax. You don't know her, shes an Indian from Australia. We went to University together and became good friends. Then friendship transformed into love and you know the drill." 

Jai smiled sheepishly at her and for the first time Arjun found himself smiling at him. "I came yesterday and was going to surprise you today by turning up at your place. Since it was pouring I thought ill take you out for our regular baarish-chai-pakode routine and break the news. But aunty told me that nowadays you're always out in the evenings."

Jai looked at Arjun and gave him a small smile. Arjun and Arohi both ignored his knowing smile as Jai continued "I need to leave now, have to meet up with Archana. Why don't we get together sometime tomorrow? It will be nice... me and Archana and you and your boyfriend" Jai finished looking at Arjun.

"WHAT??!!!" they both yelled at the same time. "No no no... I'm not her boyfriend." Arjun explained, too hurriedly and too loudly than he would have liked. Arohi looked at him, her face impassive, her eyes blank, a small frown between her eyebrows, yet Arjun failed to understand why he felt the pain which he thought just flashed through her eyes.

Arohi suddenly realised shes on the same road as the one she had trotted innumerable times 3 years ago. Her feet were unknowingly taking her to the same bus stop where they had spend many evenings together. Things had changed so much since that monsoon. Letting out a sigh, she closed her umbrella and felt the rain soak her body through her saree. She just stood there soaking up the rain, her mind turning back the time, trying to soak up the memories which the rains had dug up. The cold drops on her face took her back to the time when she had felt much colder than the rain drops on her body...