PROLOGUE
" Ye mat leke jaa! Mujhe chaiye!" Preeti screamed, snatching away the mint green Chikankaari Kameez that Naina was about to stuff into an antique, faded duffel bag.
" Kyun? Ye meri he. Tujhe kyu pehenni he? " Naina retorted.
" Kyunki me isme zyada sundar lagti hu! " Preeti stuck her tongue out and gave a victory smirk.
Naina could think of a hundred ways to make a come back, but she chose not to and smiled instead. The goofy antics and funny faces of Preeti Aggarwal weren't gonna be daily affairs of her life from tomorrow; so she deserved to run the show today.
" Ab bas bhi kar! Almari hi khaali kar degi kya?" Preeti spanked her crazy cousin as Naina loaded more clothes into the bag.
Before Naina could respond, came in Taiji's ever blaring scream from the hall.
" Nainaaa?? Preeti?? Kapde pack kar rahi ho ya sil rahi ho? Jaldi aa jaa! "
" Chal! " Naina said and the two girls sprinted to the hall.
" Aa gaye tum dono! Chalo , Huki Ben neeche he, shayad Shefali ki ghar ke baahar. Kapde usko deke aao ! " Bela Chachi spoke as the girls reached the hall with the bag.
" Achche kapde toh nahi rakh diye ho na? Ye soch ke ki iss bahane naye kapde kharidne ko milenge? Sirf purane phate kapde hi de jaate he aise logon ko! " Taiji left no chance to taunt the girls.
" Phir toh hamare saare dresses dena padega! " Preeti whispered making Naina stifle a giggle.
Taiji's ears were sensitive to voices below zero decibels too.
" Kya boli? Sun li Bela? Ye sab teri wajah se hi he. Puri tarah bigaadke rakha he isse! "
Bela Chachi frowned at the remark first and then threw a death glare at Preeti, who was trying hard not to laugh.
" Aur Naina Maharani ke baare me toh naa bolna hi acha he! " Taiji added.
The taunt-sulk saga of the two co-sisters Beena and Bela has been a part of the Aggarwal household for so long to be of any seriousness to anybody anymore. However at her last line, the air suddenly grew tense. Yet another pun was made at the "Bina maa ki bacchi", and this time, for reasons more grave than ever. Preeti's smile vanished.
" Ab.. Ab chodiye na bhabhiji. Purani cheezon ke baare me baat karke kya faayda? " Bela Chachi rose in Naina defense, even though the latter was not exactly innocent this time.
" Hmm.. Chhodo... Ek baar bag toh dikhaa?! " Taiji demanded, as she was about to get up from the swing.
" Aap baitiye.. Me dekhti hu! "
Naina's heart raced faster, as Bela approached them. Chachi unzipped the bag to find Naina's completely worn out red midi skirt and matching top lying ruffled on top.
" Ab Khush?? Neeche toh isse bhi bure kapde he! " Preeti stared at her mother as she ran the zipper close and walked out of the house with Naina.
" Uff! " Naina let out a sigh of relief as she spoke.
" Ab samjhi na? Ki kyu rakha uss purane kapde ko maine ? "
If lying with conviction was Preeti's faculty, tying up any loose ends in it was Naina's.
If Preeti was to turn her 7 marks into 17, Naina was to make sure that it's done with a ball pen only.
" Haan jaanti hu! Naina Aggarwal agar jhoot bolegi, to badi safayi se bolegi!" Preeti exclaimed dramatically.
***
Huki Ben pulled up the sari lying loose over her bust, to shield her assets from the greedy stare of the Istiriwala. They have been preying on her from the moment she had sat down and waited near the ground floor lift of Nirmal Jyoti society. The Aggarwal Bahus could never say no to a jackpot deal of buying utensils, paying only old clothes in return.
Biting her lips sensuously and throwing meaningful glances, Hukiben was engrossed in the game of disrupting the Istiriwala's hormones mercilessly when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
" Ab bas bhi karo Pandit Ben, mar jaayega bechaara! " Preeti teased, making the trio erupt into boisterous laughters.
If dressing in disguise was an Olympic event , Pandit could have made sure that "Jana Gana Mana" is played at the victory ceremony of every season of the Games.
There was no role that he could not pull off.
There was no voice that he could not mimic.
" Achha Pandit, is bag me na mere certificates bhi he. Sambhalke rakhna alag bag me please? Sameer se kehna! Aur.. Wo mere liye koi letter bheja he ? "
" Haan Ji! " Pandit said, and in yet another sensuous act, produced a folded paper from inside her blouse.
Preeti lost it, and once again let out the laughter she has been suppressing.
***
Back in her room, Naina Aggarwal held the letter close to her heart. Sameer Maheswari's letter! It contained probably what was the last of their letter talks; because from tomorrow, their eyes would be doing the talking.
Their hands would be doing the talking.
Their...!
The twenty- one year old Naina quickly brushed aside her thoughts that were turning wild in excitement, as the clock struck six thirty in the evening. She smiled with contentment as she got up from the bed and stepped out into the balcony adjoining their room.
The sky was dark and seemed all set for the impending storm. Nevertheless, the wind was cold and soothing.
Naina freed her luscious black locks from the bondage of the hairclip, and let them dance to the tunes of the breeze. That's what the breeze of her life - Sameer, has done to her tied up soul and spirits as well; set them free and let them rise!
" Ek baat bolu? " Preeti asked, as she entered the balcony and stood beside Naina.
" Haa! "
" Tu na, phir se behenji lagne lagi he! " She said, holding the tip of Naina's 'boring, and uninspiringly styled' hair.
" Toh? " Naina quizzed suspiciously.
Preeti's lips parted in a mischievous smile flaunting her pearl white teeth, and her right hand rose up flaunting the shiny pair of scissors.
" Toh.. Ek stylish si haircut ho jaaye? Aakhri wali? "
*****
Edited by cosmosandme - 6 years ago
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