I promise I didn't crawl back into my cave. 😆 Sorry for the late update, I just wanted to put some chaat masala and chilli powder to my story. 🤣 Tell me if I've succeeded.
Ranjana threw the vase in a fit of rage. She panted and reached her hand out for another, and this was when Girja came running in to the room.
"Maalkin! Maalkin! Shaant ho jaayei, Maalkin!"
"Arre kaise shaant ho jaye! Woh Bandhua ladki, na jaane kya samajhne lagi hai apne aap ko! Aukat kya hai uski?! Hai toh woh ek Bandhua! Aur humse, Ranjana Rajvanshi se sarr utaakar baath karti hai! Mann toh karta hai uske iss gamand ko choor karke mitti mein mila de!" She gasped and panted for air in between her screams.
"Hum samjhe nahi, Maalkin? Kiski baat karat hai aap?" Girja asked softly. Ranjana seemed to have realised that she had almost let the cat out of the bag, and turning swiftly, she walked out of the room, while Girja proceeded to clean the mess she had made.
Chakor had gone to Delhi, despite Ranjana's protests. She had remained firm on the decision, and Ranjana was livid since she knew this confidence came from Suraj's presence. She believed that, since Chakor hadn't been able to speak a word when Ranjana had come to their house with the marriage proposal. Not that she wanted that girl in her house, as her daughter in law or anything, but KN was in jail and she didn't know what to do to keep the villagers in her control. Thus, she made her own son a part of this business deal of 'marriage'. Chakor was a threat to them, their rule, and moreover, KN had once told her that she might be the person responsible for freeing the village people from the contract of bonded labour.
Ranjana, now alone as KN was behind bars, didn't want to take any chances and wanted to make sure that their rule continued. She had to admit, Suraj's sudden return had caused a lot of anxiety in her being, to the point she was getting jitters living in her own mansion.
'Aakhir kyu itne saalon ke baad laut kar aaya hai? Jab Kamal ji ne kuch saal pehle usse bulaya tha ek business deal haasil karne ke liye, tab toh usne saaf inkaar kar diya tha. Phir ab achanak se...? Ya phir usse pata tha ki Kamal ji jail mein hai isliye apna badla pura karne ke liye laut aaya hai?'
Ranjana abruptly stopped her own train of thought, filling up a glass of water and gulping it down to calm herself. Suraj was downright intimidating, and Ranjana couldn't rest peacefully knowing that Suraj was under the same roof as her.
"Aapko kya lagta hai, hum buddhu hai? Humein pata nahi ki aapke mann mein kis tarah ke vichaar hai?"
Suraj's words rang in her head.
"Aap toh humari Maa ki souten hai!"
Her heartbeat sped up.
She couldn't think straight. She collapsed on the diwan, her nails piercing the wooden frame. "Karna kya chahtha hai woh? Aur Chakor se shaadi karke usse kya faida hoga?"
It frustrated her, that she was unable to read his mind, and he was able to understand her thinking so well. "Agar Suraj Chakor se pyaar karta hai, tab bhi kya woh itni had tak jaata?"
***
Chakor meanwhile, had finished registering for the Marathon. She was walking around the Association, her hair dancing with the subtle wind as she got acquainted with the place. She would have to come back here for a week long training camp. She was happy, not only because of the training camp, but because she could put off the engagement again. Imli would be happy, she knew, and Vivaan... She didn't know about Vivaan. She had hardly seen him around. She walked back to the main office slowly, thinking of Suraj. She blushed.
"Suraj Rajvanshi!" She heard someone gasp and looked up. It was Tina, Tina Raichand, one of her competitors. She had got acquainted with her just this morning. She looked in the direction Tina was facing and took a step back.
There he was, Suraj Narayan Rajvanshi, leaning against his car, his arms crossed over his chest. She heard a few girls sigh dreamily, and frankly, she could understand very well why. Anyone could have fallen in love with Suraj at that moment, the way he stood with the setting sun as a backdrop, his hair blowing, his coat over his shoulders like a cape, and his long legs stretched out and crossed as he used his car as a back rest.
Chakor's heart leaped and did somersaults, and continued doing so. She wondered whether he had come to pick her up. She was about to go toward him, when she heard a few girls urge Tina to go forward.
"Jao Tina! Tumhe hi lena aaya hai woh! Arre! Itna sharma kyu rahi ho! Jao na!"
"Tum usse jaanti ho Tina?" Chakor asked before she could stop herself. "Arre, Suraj Rajvanshi ko kaun nahi jaanta!" Her friend replied for her. "Inna vadda business man jo hai," her other friend continued. Chakor simply nodded her head. "Par woh sab alag baat hai. Tumhe pata hai Chakor, humari Tina ko Suraj se pyaar ho gaya hai!" Her friend sing songed and Chakor suddenly felt an ominous wind. "London mein mile the dono, aur pehli nazar mein hi Tina ko pyaar ho gaya! In fact, Tina ke Papa Suraj se baat karne waale hai, dono ke rishte ke baare mein!" The girls around Tina giggled, and Chakor tried her hardest to smile. Her heart which was doing somersaults just a few minutes ago, now was down like it had been chained to the anchor of a ship. She glanced at Tina and she could see her blush. Chakor tried her hardest to swallow, she didn't know why but she felt uncomfortable. She didn't know what was right and what was wrong.
She glanced at Suraj. Was he... was he here to pick up Tina then?
"Hey, tum Suraj ko jaanti hogi na Chakor!" Tina suddenly spoke up.
'Yes, of course I know him!' Chakor screamed in her head. 'He's my...' and then she stopped. Who was he to her?
Her childhood friend?
Her to be husband's brother?
.
.
.
Her lover?
Who was he?
"Tum bhi Azaadgunj se ho na!" Tina proclaimed and Chakor managed to smile. Before they could move forward in their conversation, a voice called out for Chakor. Turning, they saw Suraj standing a few feet away, a small smile on his face. He beckoned Chakor and she slowly walked toward him. She avoided his eyes, she didn't know why. When she finally looked up, she could see that he was still smiling, but not at her, it was directed at Tina now.
"Hello Tina," he greeted, and she managed to blurt a greeting back, her friends giggling next to her. Suraj seemed unaffected, but Chakor's stomach churned as if she had been fed poison.
Suraj was as calm as ever, and the doubt monster in Chakor grew. She couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.
But what?!
She couldn't put her finger on it.
Did... did Suraj know about Tina's love for him? Were they, perhaps, in a relationship? And, why was Suraj all the way out here in Delhi? Was it to meet her father?
Did Suraj come to Delhi to talk to Tina's father about the proposal, not to pick her up?
Was he playing with her?
Chakor shook these thoughts out of her head as Suraj opened the car door for her. She sat down silently, almost gathering herself into a ball as she sat, contemplating.
It was about 6 in the evening now; it would probably be midnight by the time they reached Azaadgunj. It had also started drizzling. Chakor glanced at Suraj once, twice, before sighing. Almost immediately, Suraj addressed her, "What's wrong?" He asked, his eyes fixated on the road. Chakor was glad he was facing the other way, for she was sure she had the face of a deer caught in headlights.
Slowly, she managed to ask, "Suraj Babu... aap yahan Dilli mein... kaise?"
"Tumne humein yaad kiya, aur lo, aa gaya tumhara Rajkumar." He winked, smirking like a mischievous boy, before turning back to the road. Somehow, that did but nothing to quieten her doubts.
She almost felt like she was being delusional now.
Suraj suddenly stopped the car and she looked up. Busy with her inner turmoil, she hadn't noticed the change of weather outside. It was heavily pouring now, and there weren't any street lights, so it was impossible to see the road.
"I think I saw an inn nearby while coming. I'll drive there. I don't think we can go back home in this weather," his accent was back. Chakor didn't reply, simply nodded her head. Her parents weren't expecting her back today anyway.
She glanced outside, and was barely able to make out the road or anything else. She heard Suraj curse once or twice in English.
Staying in London... maybe he had changed.
At this point, Chakor was tired of thinking. She inhaled deeply and made up her mind.
She would ask Suraj about this once they reached the inn. She didn't want to doubt him for nothing. Maybe it was all in her mind. Maybe Suraj didn't know about Tina's feelings. Maybe he HAD come to pick her up.
Or maybe, he was playing some game unknown to everyone.
Precap: "Sach sach jawaab dijiye Suraj Babu, kya aap humse pyaar karte hai?" Chakor asked, pleading almost.
There was a long pause, before Suraj answered.
.
.
.
"Nahi."
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