Chapter 10

unicornwriter

@unicornwriter

PART 9 : BACK TO YOU

"Raghav" her breath got stuck as she inhaled that same scent but her mind jerked her off to reality as she took a few steps forward, scared to face him again. Looked like maybe the God wasn't in her favour too as the lights turned on. With a rapidly beating heart she turned around only to be faced with no one.

"Oye" she heard someone call as she turned back to watch Shiva looking wierdly at her.

"Tujhe kya hua aise kyun dekh rahi hai jaise koi bhooth dekh liya ho." he mocked wiping the sweat off her forehead.

"Tu yahan tha?" she asked not able to undersatnd the last few seconds that went off like a blink.

"Han main tha aur kaun hoga? Chal ab andar light theek kardi hai maine mcb gir gayi thi." Shiva patted her forearm as he went inside leaving a heavily breathing Pallavi behind.

"Aisa kaise ho sakta hai. Raghav yahin tha" she murmured to herself as she looked around, on the road, over the lawn but saw no sign of any human.

"Pallavi shant hoja. Woh bass tera vehem hoga." she scolded herself and went inside.

The entire celebration went as a blast. Aaji was super happy and joyous as she recieved gifts from everyone. Pallavi gave her a new saree, the same she had heard stories of from everyone around that Azoba used to buy. As everyone retarded back to their rooms, Pallavi couldn't help but wonder what happened outside the house. She could smell him. Hell she could feel him around her. How can it all be a dream?

"Tu phir uske baare main soch rahi hai Pallavi." came a voice from her heart. She could see her counterself sitting on the bed eyeing her with disappointment.

'Woh yahi tha. Mehsoos kara hai maine usse" Pallavi retorted back.

"Uske liye tu mar chuki hai Pallavi. Samazla." her mind snapped back.

"Lekin ho sakta hai na ki usse sach pata chal gaya ho." Pallavi sat on the bed with a thud as she memorized everything that she did that day.

"Ek body mili thi wahan par accident main. Sabke liye Pallavi Rao mar chuki hai. Tune khud mara hai usse. Aur woh kaunsa tujhse pyaar karta hai jo tere liye sach pata lagayega." her mind scolded her.

"Tum sahi keh rahe ho. raghav kabhi yahan nahi aa sakta kyunki main woh Pallavi hoon hi nahin. Main toh nayi Pallavi hoon na. Yeh meri nayi duniya hai aur isse barbaad karne ka haq main kisiko nahin dungi. Aaj tak har kisi ne mere liye faisle liye hai. Dada, Aai, Baba, Amma, Raghav sabne. Yeh faisla mera hai aur main isse peeche nahin hatungi." Pallavi splashed some water on her face as she reminded herself of why she was here in the first place. She changed herself into some comfortable PJ's and went off to sleep.

8 A.M.

"Pallu sun aaj na ghar jaldi aajana woh pandit ji ayenge na." Aaji reminded Pallavi as she filled her plate with some warm breakfast.

"Ho Aaji aaj bass 2 batches ki practices hain uske baad main ghar aa jaungi aap bass iss idiot ko kehna time se meethaiyna le aaye." Pallavi replied.

"Oh hello Shiva har cheez perfect aur time par karta hai. Tu apna dekh." Shiva snapped back as he grabbed his jacket and made his way out.

"Har kaam perfect" Pallavi laughed as she counted till five on her fingers and soon enough Shiva emerged back in the dining area.

"Woh jeep ki chabiyan bhul gaya tha main jaldi jaldi main. Aur tu na zyada hass mat." he grabbed the keys and rushed off.

"Mujhe toh kabhi kabhi iske liye darr lagta hai." Aaji sat beside Pallavi as she looked at Shiva's retreating figure.

"Main hoon na iss bandar ke liye aap kyun chinta karte ho." Pallavi got up and hugged her.

"Achcha ab main na chalti hoon. Der se jaungi toh der se aungi." she waved back and left unaware of the storm coming.

12 P.M.

"Aaj toh tu gaya Shiva!! Aaji ne theek 12 baje mithai ke saath pahuchne ko bola tha aur tu hamesha ki tarah iss wasooli ke chakkar main late ho gaya." Shiav scolded himself as he kept the sweet box on the passenger seat and sped his car away.

Soon enough his phone started ringing as it read 'AAJI' calling.

"Aaj tu pita Shiva. Bappa hi bachaye tujhe." he grabbed it from the front box but fumbled as it slipped from his hand onto the surface. He bent down to pick that up and got back only to notice someone in his way as he applied sudden brakes. Thankfully the timing wasn't too bad but he did hit the person a bit stumbling the man onto the ground.

"Oh Shit!!" he rushed out to save him when another guy came running to him.

"Yeh tumne kya kiya. Pagal ho kya? " the other guy shouted as he helped the injured man up. 

"Anna aap theek toh hai na" he added.

"Han main theek hair Farhad." came a reply as the man stood up thankfully with no scratch.

"Sorry yaar woh phone gir gaya aur uske uthane ke chakkar main maine dekha hi nahin." Shiva spologized.

"It's okay. Galti mea bhi tha. Woh main phone ka signal catch karte karte road ka beech main aa gaya." the man replied.

"Pakka na tujhe hospital toh nahin lekar jana?" Shiva asked eyeing him for any injury.

"Nahin tumne time par rok liya." the man replied.

"Waise tum dono Banglore main naye ho kya?" Shiav asked eyeing their bags.

"Han woh hum business ke silsile main yahan aaye hain. Ek address dhoondh rahe the." farhad informed.

"Main help kardun. Drop kardeta hoon." Shiva requested.

"Nahin tumko late ho raha hoga." the man denied.

"nahin nahin aisa kuch nahin hai. Aao main pahucha deta hoon." Shiva replied, 'Waise by the way mera naam Shiva hai" he extended his hand.

"Raghav! Raghav Rao" Raghav replied back with a smile as he shaked Shiva's hand, "And he is my friend and secretary Farhad"

"Hi" farhad too shook Shiva's hand.

"Toh chalo ab chalte hai. Ruko main bags peeche rakh deta hoon." Shiva smiled as he took their bags and went to keep it in his trunk.

"Anna yeh aapka ab tak ka sabse stupid plan tha agar aapka accident ho jata toh." Farhad whispered to him clearly not happy with the stunt his buddy just pulled.

"relax kar Farhad. Raghav Rao ka nishana kabhi nahin chukta." Raghav smirked as he eyed Shiva.

They all sat inside the jeep with Raghav in the front and Farhad at the back.

'Waise jaan kidhar hai." Shiva asked while Raghav just smiled at him.

1 P.M.

"Pallavi aaj tune phir late kardiya. Aaj toh sabse daant padegi." Pallavi ran between the crowded markets and crossed her colony's gate. She waved at the kids playing in the garden area as she made her way towards her house but stopped right at the threshold.

Her heart started beating faster as a different feeling ran through her. Soemthing felt over whelming right there in her chest, a warmth yet a little pain. She looked at the door as her hands started to shiver. What was happening to her? She grabbed the control over her body as she chucked the wierd thoughts out and walked inside.

She saw Aaji sitting in the verandah sofa with two figures infront of her. Her eyes twinkled as soon as she saw her and walked closer.

"Tu phir late ho gayi." Aaji scolded her.

"Sorry Aaji woh kuch kaam tha" she replied looking with suspicion at the two unknown figures, "Yeh log kaun hai?" she asked.

'Are yeh woh yaad hai tune pichle hafte upar ke kamre ke liye woh parche lagaye the. yeh ussi ke liye aaye hai. Jwellery ka business hai inka aur ussi ka kuch kaam hai lamba isliye rehne ke liye hotel nahin ghar chahte hain." Aaji replied as she turned to face the others.

"Isse miliye yeh hai meri beti Pallavi" she addressed them as they got up.

As the two forms turned to face her, Pallavi felt her lungs give out every pounce of air inside her as her eyes met the ones she had ran away from.

"Hi I am Raghav. Raghav Rao" Raghao introduced himself with a sweet smile.

Trying to post on time and glad that it's working out.