Chapter 1

IshqKaRang

@IshqKaRang

||ShiVi OS- Manaoing Mrs. Raavi Shiva Pandya||

Shiva paced the length of the terrace nervously. The Chipkali was mad at him for keeping their plan from her. Which is why they’d been eating baingan every night for the past week. Also the reason why his morning tea, instead of having extra sugar, came with zero sugar. The reason his good morning and good night texts had been left on seen.  And not to forget, why he had to resort to wearing a bandgala kurta tonight, because he’d found all his regular clothes in a crumpled pile by the well, wet and unwashed. He knew she was upset and he wanted to make it up to her and he knew exactly how. He glanced at the decor around him. If anyone had told him a few months ago that he’d plan a surprise date for the Chipkali to pacify her, he would have gotten them admitted to the nearest psychiatric facility. But here he was. He looked around at the white and red flowers and balloons, sparkling fairy lights and sighed. The things one had to do in love. He heard the chime of her anklets on the stairs and quickly slipped behind the decor, away from her sight. 

“Krish sab log neeche New Year party mein hai aur tu mujhe terrace pe kyun leke jaa raha hai?” Raavi asked as Krish dragged her along by the arm. “Arey, uss party mein aap ke liye kuch nahi rakha. Jo bhi hai, sab yahin hai,” he cackled. “Dekh, agar tu chahtha hai ki main party chhodkar tere dhule kapde isthiri karoon tho main aisa kuch nahi karne waali abhi. Party ke baad time mila tho kar doongi,” Raavi said. “Kya bhabhi? Hamesha kaam ke baare mein hi sochthi ho kya? Kabhi tho romance, pyaar, love, mohabbat ke baare mein socha karo,” Krish frowned. “Matlab?” Raavi asked, confused. “Aapko samajh aa jaayega,” Krish said, opening the door to the terrace and nudging her out before closing the door and locking it from the inside. “All the best, Shiva!” He yelled before running down the stairs to get back to the party. 

Raavi narrowed her eyes as she looked around. The decor was beautiful! Red and white flowers and balloons, twinkling lights. The Bhootnath was trying to pacify her? “Shiva! I don’t have time for all this. Ask Krish to open the door so I can go back downstairs,” she pouted angrily. 

Shiva emerged from behind the decor, a sheepish grin on his face, ruffling the hair on the back of his head. 

“Chipkali.. nahi.. mera matlab hai.. Raavi.. sun.. mujhe.. woh tujhse.. kuch..” 

“Ek kaam kar. Tujhe jo kehna hai, record karke mujhe bhej de. Main 2x speed pe lagake sun loongi. Warna tere main main ke chakkar mein mera new year bhi atak jaayega,” she said, turning away from him crossing her hands in front angrily. 

“Aise kaise bol doon? Time lagtha hai,” Shiva responded. 

“Mujhe teri koi baat nahi sunni. Main samajh gayi hoon ki tu mujhe dobi samajhtha tha, hai aur hamesha samajhtha rahega. Usse zyada kuch nahi hai. Tabhi aise mujhse baath chup kar tu ne mujhe dhoka diya.”

“Aye Gadhedi! Kya bak rahi hai? Jaise hi tujhe ghar lekar aaya tujhe batha tho diya maine sab kuch.”

“Haan tho koi ehsaan nahi kiya tu ne. Main bhi iss parivaar ka hissa hoon. Uss naathe mera bhi haq bantha hai ki mujhe patha ho ki kya planning chal rahi hai! Lekin tu ne tho mujhse yeh sab chupakar mujhe dhoka diya hai.”

“Yeh kya dhoka dhoka laga rakha hai? Maine tujhe plan ke baare mein nahi bathaya kyunki tere pet mein koi baath rehti hi nahi. Yaad hai, haveli mein maine jab tujhe bathaya tha ki Krish ke andar ek Radha chupi hai, aur maine tujhe apni kasam tak di thi ki tu kisi se kuch nahi kahegi? Tu ne kya kiya? Pehli fursat mein jaake sab kuch Dhara Bhabhi ko batha diya. Aur haan, abhi thode din pehle jab maine tujhse kaha ki ghar mein koi nahi jaanta ki Dhara bhabhi aur Gaumbi ne das saal se bachcha plan kyun nahi kiya tho tu ne kya kiya? Agle hi din sab ke saamne uss baath ka dhindora peet diya. Ab tu hi batha, aise mein main tujhe iss plan ke baare mein bathatha tho kya guarantee hai ki tu chup rehthi? Waise hi uss Krish ka muh bandh rakhne mein itne tante hain, saath mein tu bhi aa jaati tho hum plan pe dhyan dete ya tum dono ko chup karne mein lage rehte?”

Her frown deepened into an absolutely adorable pout that made his heart do cartwheels in his chest. 

“Haan, tho iska matlab tu mujhse har baath chupatha rahega? Kabhi kuch nahi bathayega? Aise kaise banega humara rishtha? Dekh, kisi bhi rishte ko banane ke liye kuch basic cheezein chahiye jaise ki bharosa, sachchai, immandaari aur pyaar. Jab bharosa hi nahi ban paayega hamare beech tho baath pyaar tak kaise pahunchegi? Aur agar tu mujhse pyaar hi nahi karega tho physics, chemistry aur biology kaise set karenge? Aur inn sab ke bina hamara rishtha aage kaise badhega? Main maanti hoon ki do baar maine pol khol di thi, par iska yeh matlab tho nahi ki main har baar aise hi karoongi. Dekh..”

The Chipkali droned on and on and on while Shiva’s mind was stuck on pyaar, physics, chemistry and biology. Seeing no other option, Shiva placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her towards him. She was momentarily stunned and grabbed onto his shirt front. He placed his lips on hers gently. Her grip on his shirtfront tightened as she felt herself being raised to tiptoe to meet his lips. The sensation of his soft lips on hers sent shockwaves through her being. His stubble brushed against her chin and she almost whimpered. 

He had meant for it to be a chaste peck on her lips to shut her up. But when he’d felt her soft moist lips against his, he was tempted to explore more. He moved his lips against hers, back and forth, softly, before sucking on her lower lip. She gasped and her lips parted. He resisted the urge to take the kiss further and forced himself to part from her lips. He rested his forehead against hers, eyes closed, breathing deeply, heart hammering away inside his chest. 

Her face felt heated, her legs felt weak, her heart had stopped and it was as if at that moment the rest of the world had ceased to exist. 

They opened their eyes slowly. The sliver of realization tying their breaths in sync. She finally raised her eyes to look at him and he wondered how on earth he had ever had any doubts about what he felt for her. How on earth had he imagined that he’d be able to live without her ever. 

“I love you,” his whispered confession danced on her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. 

“Shiva..” her voice was a whisper. He placed a finger on her lips. “Tujhe kuch kehne ki zaroorath nahi hai. Bahut mushkil se iss baath ko accept kar paaya hoon. Uss din, tujhe uss van mein aise dekhke, main..” his eyes teared up and a shiver ran down his body thinking back to that day. “Main tujhe kho nahi saktha, Raavi. Nahi reh paaunga tere bina. Patha nahi tu kab aur kaise mere dil aise chipak gayi ki ab tho jeena bhi tere saath aur marna bhi tere saath.” 

Raavi’s eyes filled up with tears that slid down her cheek. Shiva reached down and kissed one eye.

“I”

He moved over to kiss the other eye.

“Love”

He then kissed her forehead, with all the love and affection he had for her within him.

“You!”

As if on cue, fireworks burst out in the night sky and loud cheers erupted all around them. The world was welcoming a new year but Raavi felt like she was stepping into a new life. 

Unable to form a coherent word, what with her heart lodged in her throat, she instead chose to fling herself into his arms and hug the life out of him. 

“Ay Chipkali! Aaram se!” He teased her. 

“Bilkul nahi.. tu ne hi mera naam Chipkali rakha hai na? Ab main zindagi bhar aur zindagi ke baad bhi tujhse aise hi chipki rahoongi,” she retorted. 

“Pakka?”

“Pakka!” She smiled at him wide and everything in Shiva’s world fell into place. 

“Yeh sab tu ne mere liye kiya?” She asked, taking in the beautiful ambience.

“Nahi. Pados waali Kaanta Kaki ke liye. Woh na aaj kal roz mujhe baingan bana kar khila rahi hai, mere messages ka jawab nahi deti, mere chai mein shakkar nahi daalthi..” 

“Bhootnath!” Raavi punched against the solid wall of his chest with her tiny fists. He caught hold of both her hands within one of his and used the other hand to pull her closer to him by her waist. 

“Tu ab bhi mujhe aise satayega?” She pouted again. 

“Woh tho main zindagi bhar karoonga aur zindagi ke baad bhi,” he said, smiling. 

“Tu kabhi nahi badlega!”

“Nah. Ab jaisa bhi hoon, tera hoon. Tho soch samajh ke faisla lena.”

Raavi couldn’t help the smile that broke out.

Much later, Raavi sat on Shiva’s lap on the makeshift cushion chair he’d made, snuggling in his warmth, watching the fireworks in the sky as their fingers toyed with each other’s. Shiva smiled, content, happy, peaceful and complete. 

“Ek baath batha, Shiva,” Raavi asked. 

“Hmmmm..” Shiva murmured absently. 

“Main har baar roothungi tho tu mujhe aise hi manayega?”

Lag gayi Lanka! 

***