Chapter 8

IshqKaRang

@IshqKaRang

Chapter 9 Tu Hoga Zara Paagal Tu ne mujhko hai chuna 

They stopped at a dhaaba next. “Yahan mil rahe hain hum ladke se?” Raavi asked curiously. “Nahi. Mujhe bhook lagi hai,” he replied as he got off the bike. “Tujhe bhook kab nahi lagthi? Dekh hum late ho jaayenge. Pehle hi tu mujhe galat jagah le jaakar late kar chuka hai,” she complained. “Agar tujhe chalna hai tho chal warna yahin khadi reh,” was his response. “Mujhe bhook nahi hai,” she crossed her arms and looked away. Just then her belly grumbled reminding her she had skipped breakfast. Shiva stifled his laughter as he looked away. He saw a couple of men at the dhaaba sending sideways glances towards Raavi. He immediately caught hold of her arm and pulled her to him rather possessively, sending a message to the unwanted attention with an angry glare. Raavi did not have much time to react as he deposited her on one of the charpaayis and sat beside her, blocking her from everyone else’s view. 

As soon as the food came, they both attacked it. It was too spicy for Raavi and without second thought, she reached for Shiva’s cold drink and drank it. “Tujhe patha hai na main theekha nahi khaathi tho phir itna theekha kyun mangaya?” She complained, fanning herself. “Teri jaisi theekhi zubaan ko theekha tolerate nahi hota? Nautanki kahin ki.. Tujhe na, bas bahana chahiye, mera jhoota peene ka,” Shiva winked at her. Raavi was truly taken aback for a couple of seconds. “Main.. aur tera jhoota piyoongi.. kyun? Mujhe kya padhi hai?” She asked, trying to sound like she wasn’t flustered by his flirting. “Jhoota peene se kya kehte hain, kuch tho badtha hai na?” He teased enjoying her discomfort. “Bimariyaan transmit hone ke chances badhthe hain,” she replied cheekily. “Mere honton se tere honton tak ka safar..” he started singing out of tune and Raavi almost spat her food out. 

Desperate to distract him from this flirtatious mode that he was in, mainly because she did not know how to handle it, Raavi blurted out the one question she’d been thinking about quite a lot since they’d parted ways, “Shiva, tu kabhi dobara shaadi karega?” Shiva stopped his off note singing and looked at her with an intensity that scorched her soul. “Uss bairagi ki ek hi Gauri thi aur iss Shiva ki bhi ek hi Gauri hogi,” he said. Raavi’s heart skipped a beat and she smiled. “Tu kyun muskura rahi hai? Maine kaha iss Shiva ki ek hi Gauri hogi. Yeh nahi kaha ki iss Shiva ki ek Chipkali hogi.” She stuck her tongue out at him in response. “Achcha, yeh batha. Agar tujhe teri Gauri mil gayi.. tho usse patayega kaise? Matlab tujh mein romance ka r bhi nahi hai tho..” she teased. “Usko apna pyaar jathane ke liye kya karega? Ab yeh math kehna ki usko Pandya store mein galle pe baithayega aur tu dukaan sambhalega. Woh tho hum ne bhi kiya tha..” her voice drifted off. “Tujhe kaise pata mere andar romance ka r bhi nahi hai?” Shiva asked. “Ab itne mahinon se Somnath ki sabse sundar ladki tere saath, ek hi kamre mein reh rahi thi, ek hi bed par so rahi thi, phir bhi tere andar tho kabhi koi romance nahi jaaga na?” she explained. “Tujhe agar sach bathaoonga tho tu sun nahi paayegi,” a certain mysterious darkening in his eyes made her swallow nervously. “Tu chahthi thi mere andar romance jaage?” he asked her, his voice dropping a couple of notches and sounding oh-so-sexy. “Baarish mein tujhe bike ride pe le jaoon aur kahin khule aasmaan ke neeche tujhe kiss..” Raavi felt color rush into her cheeks as she looked away. The darn diary. He remembered everything from it. Gadheda. “Waise.. Ek baath batha.. Yeh jo baarish mein tujhe kiss karna hai, woh bachchon waali gaal pe pappi ki baath kar rahi thi ki ya phir..” he left his sentence unfinished but the goosebumps dancing on her skin spoke an entirely different story. “Tu.. tu.. tu yeh.. Faltu ki bakwaas baatein sochna bandh kar aur chal yahan se..” Raavi got up huffing and practically ran towards the bike. “Arey! Ruk! Tere pair mein tho monch hai na?” Shiva called after her but she paid no heed running away at double speed. He chuckled happily as he paid for their food and followed her.

It was like the universe was conspiring against her or maybe for her, Raavi couldn’t decide, as a few minutes into the bike ride, the skies opened up and poured. Bike ride in the rain, check. Now all she needed was her first kiss from the Bhootnath in the rain. Would he be thinking about the same thing? She wondered. They had just talked about her fantasy of kissing in the rain after a long bike ride. But with the Bhootnath, you never knew. His mind was as twisted and complicated as the bylanes of Somnath. Suddenly, the bike came to a sputtering halt. The jerking action sent Raavi crashing into his back. “Aye gadhede! Kya kar raha hai?” she asked him. “Mere peeche itni badi panauti baithi hai na, yeh tho hona hi tha. Bike kharab ho gayi hai. Chal, utar. Dekhne de,” he said as he got off the bike. Raavi hmphed as she got off the bike. She watched as Shiva took his helmet off and ran his fingers through his hair before crouching down by the bike to check. 

His white shirt was plastered to his torso. Water ran down his unruly hair, the sharp line of his jaw to his chest and Raavi vowed to some day discover that path on his skin with her hands and lips. She had an inkling that the spot where his neck met his shoulder would be perfectly kissable. She would leave a hickey there so everyone knew he belonged to her and only her. Did Shiva know about hickeys? She wondered. Was he the in the heat of the moment passionate hickey kind? Or would he be slow, gentle and soft? She immediately shook her head. Nope, she knew that he was all fire, and a wildfire at that - untamed, uncontrolled. And she wanted him to burn her to ashes. She felt her body heat up in arousal despite the rain pouring on her. No, these weren’t thoughts to have in the middle of the road. But she knew without doubt she wanted him and heavens help her if he didn’t want her.. she would just die from the want. To distract herself, she focused on enjoying the rain. She slowly lifted her arms skywards and twirled in the rain. She lifted the edge of her saree, revealing her dainty foot and ankle before she jumped right into a puddle by the roadside. She laughed a hearty laugh as the water splashed all over her. 

Shiva looked up from where he was fiddling with the bike and was mesmerized by the sight he saw. She looked like a water nymph, drenched from head to toe. He stood up and walked towards her. When he was right behind her, a loud clap of thunder sent her crashing into his arms, scared. She buried her head in his chest as she shivered, with fear or cold or what, he did not know. 

She could hear his heartbeat or maybe it was hers despite the heavy rain. She slowly looked up towards his face. Their eyes met and Shiva knew he could never resist her. He was absolutely powerless when it came to her. She had definitely cast some kind of spell on him, was his last thought before he gave up the fight for control and swooped down to capture her lips in his. 

He pressed his lips against hers and pulled her closer by the waist. She was taken aback at first but immediately, clutched onto his shirtfront and tried to match up. When his tongue came out to play, licking the seam of her lips, she let her tongue trace the contour of his lips. His teeth trapped her lower lip and tugged in response. Raavi hissed and then moaned in response. 

Another clap of thunder broke their kiss and she nestled against his chest again comfortably. She wasn’t afraid anymore. She was where no harm on earth could touch her. 

“Chal mere saath,” Shiva caught hold of her hand and ran into the woods.

The rain had stopped and they’d been walking for some time now when Raavi finally asked where they were headed. Shiva kept a firm grip on her hand and kept leading her further in. Was the Bhootnath finally going to get rid of her once and for all? She looked around to mentally note any escape routes but there were none. No! He wouldn’t kill her. He had just kissed her. Surely, that meant something. They reached a clearing up ahead in the forest and she was pleasantly surprised. Fairy lights hung from the trees, a single white bench was facing the lake that she did not even know existed. There was a set up for a bonfire and a tea kettle hung over it merrily. To the corner, there was an inconspicuous white tent of sorts that upon closer inspection, Raavi found out was rather comfy and best part - water proof. “Hum yahan kya kar rahe hain?” She asked Shiva. 

“Main tujhe kidnap karke laaya hoon,” he said. She stared at him like he’d grown horns on his head. “Matlab?” She asked. “Dekh Raavi.. main ek number ka Gadheda hoon. Mujhe laga ki main sahi kar raha hoon par mujhe khud nahi patha tha ki kya sahi hai aur kya galat. Main tujhe kisi ladke de milvane nahi laaya,” he confessed and Raavi was surprised. “Maine.. Matlab main.. main nahi dekh sakta tujhe kisi aur ke saath. Maine plan kiya tha ki aaj ka pura din tere saath bithaoonga aur tujhse ek mauka maangoonga apni galthi sudharne ka, tujhse maafi managen ka, tujhe yeh jathane ka ki main tere bina nahi reh saktha. Par phir tujhe woh baarish mein dekha aur hamare beech.. main nahi chahtha ki jo hamare beech hua uski wajah se tu dar ke bhaag jaaye. Is liye main tujhe yahan.. aise.. dekh agar tu kahegi ki tujhe wapas jaana hai, tho main abhi isi waqt tujhe wapas lekar jaoonga. I promise. But please ek baar meri baath sun le?”

Raavi felt her heart do cartwheels in her chest. She was right! She was right! The Bhootnath’s resolve had cracked. She was so happy, her eyes filled up with tears. 

Shiva saw her tears and assumed it was because she was upset with him. He gently reached up to her face and wiped away the moisture from the corner of her eye. “Main tera jawab samajh gaya, Raavi. Tujhe kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahi. Chal, main tujhe ghar chod deta hoon,” he said turning away from him. 

Gadheda! She thought as she yanked his arm and pulled him back towards her. Her fingers laced into his hair as she placed her lips on his. Shiva stood in shock for a whole minute before his brain registered what was happening and he pulled her into his arms, his hands moving hungrily over the smooth expanse of her waist. Her nails scratched against his scalp and he groaned from the pleasure pain. His tongue chased hers and fought a duel that left them panting for air. 

“Sach kaha tu ne,” she said, her saree disheveled, lips swollen and eyes blazing. 

“Tu ek number ka gadheda hai. Kabhi kuch poochega nahi, kabhi seedhe seedhe baath nahi karega. Bas, apne khaali bheje mein khud hi khayali pulao pakayega aur khaata rahega.” She pushed him roughly on his chest and he stumbled backwards.

“Ek baar mujhse poocha main kya chahthi hoon?” She pushed him again. “Ek baar mujhse baath ki ki main tujhse, iss rishte se kya expect karti hoon?” She pushed him again. “Ek baar bhi batane ki koshish ki tu iss rishte se kya chahtha hai?” She pushed him again. “Himmat kaise hui teri mujhe divorce papers dene ki?” She pushed him with both hands now. “Socha bhi kaise tu ne ki main tujhe aise hi jaane doongi?” She was in full fledged tears now and when she raised her arms to push him again, he caught hold of her arms and pulled her towards him. 

“Sorry,” he said, kissing a teardrop from one eye. “Sorry,” he said, kissing her other eye. “I’m sorry,” he said, his lips tracing the path of the teardrop down one cheek and then the other. “I’m sorry,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I’m sorry,” he said, kissing her nose. “I’m sorry, Raavi. Please mujhe maaf kar de,” he said before kissing her lips. It was a soft, chaste kiss but it permeated her very soul. Her hands in his went limp and she leaned into him, in surrender. 

He hugged her to himself, willing to keep her plastered to himself forever. This was how they were meant to be. This was what was right. Everything else, everyone else was wrong. He kissed the top of her head as she snuggled in closer to him, burying her head against the crook of his neck. 

When they finally pulled apart, Shiva took her hand and led her towards the bench. They sat there for hours, sometimes talking, sometimes being quiet, just soaking in each other’s presence. “Tujhe woh bachpan ki kahani yaad hai, Raavi? Jismein ek khubsurat ladki ko ek jungli jaanwar kayd kar letha hai iss ummeed mein ki woh kabhi usse pyaar karne lagegi? Hamari kahani bhi kuch waisi hi hai na?” He threaded his fingers with hers. “Nahi! Uss mein end mein woh jaanwar Prince Charming ban jaata hai. Lekin mujhe koi Prince Charming nahi chahiye,” she told him sincerely and his eyes teared up.

When the sun started to set, Shiva suggested they should head home before it gets dark. When he stood up, she caught hold of his arm. “Aaj.. yahin.. ruk jaathe hain na, please? Sirf tum aur main?” He nodded his head and sat down beside her again. 

He noticed her shivering and remembered they hadn’t done anything about their wet clothes. He got the bonfire going before he came and picked her up in his arms to sit next to the fire with her on his lap. As darkness fell, the sound of crickets chirping permeated the air. The crackling of the wood in the fire added a certain music to the air too. Shiva reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He played a soft, slow romantic song on his phone and extended his hand towards her.

As the melody of the song floated in the night air, he pulled her flush against him. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the soothing rhythm of his steady heart beat as they swayed together. “Tu ne pucha tha na ki main apni Gauri ko kaise pataoonga?” He whispered gently into her hair. She looked at him with her curious, wide doe eyes. “Tho batha, tu patti ki nahi?” “Main sirf itne mein nahi pattne waali,” she said, tossing her hair back. “Acha? Tho phir batha ki tujhe kya chahiye?” He asked her looking into her eyes shining with mischief. “Jo maangungi woh dega?” She asked. “Tu jo maangegi milega,” he whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

Raavi stopped swaying and tiptoed to place her lips on his, “Mujhe tu chahiye, Shiva. Tu jaisa hai waise chahiye, zindagi bhar ke liye, har maayne mein. Aur kuch nahi.” 

She kissed him passionately, letting her tongue trace the outline of his lips before diving into his mouth. Shiva’s grip on her waist tightened as he took control of the kiss. Her hands reached for the buttons on his shirt but he stopped her, “Raavi.. woh.. divorce..” She raised her gaze to look into his and said, “Maine papers sign hi nahi kiye. Maine lawyer se jhoot bulvaya taaki main apna yeh plan implement kar sakoon.” 

“Plan?” It was Shiva’s turn to be confused.

“Uss din jab tu ne mujhe uss Atul aur uske doston se bachaya, teri baatein sunkar mein samajh gayi ki tere andar kuch insecurity tho hai. Tho maine socha agar tu mere liye ladka dhoondne niklega tho ho sakta hai teri ulti khopdi mein baath baith jaaye ki mere liye tujhse behtar koi ho hi nahi saktha. Kam se kam jalan ke maare hi sahi, kuch tho ehsaas hoga tujhe,” Raavi said toying with his shirt button.

Shiva looked on, amazed. His Chipkali was a firecracker. He thought he had a trick or two up his sleeve to get her back but he’d simply been playing into her plan all along. He chuckled heartily. “Kya dimaag paya hai tu ne!” He saluted her. “Ab maine itni saari planning ki hai tho mera inaam kahan hai?” She asked bouncing on her feet gleefully. 

He bent down and scooped her up in his arms and walked towards the tent. When they were inside, he set her down gently on the sleeping bag on the floor. He sat by her, drinking in all her features. Raavi felt uncharacteristically shy and she averted her gaze from him. He placed a finger under her chin and made her look at him. 

“I love you,” he said those three words that couldn’t possibly convey the depth of his feelings. She gasped as the words washed over her and she sat up, threading her hands into his hair, looking him in the depths of his eyes as she said, “I love you too, Shiva.” 

The kiss they then shared reverberated with all the feelings they couldn’t put into words. Her hands tore at the buttons on his shirt and flung it away as he pulled at the pallu of her saree. Realizing it was probably pinned in place and knowing he didn’t have the patience for it, instead, he reached behind her and undid the hooks on her blouse. In a swift movement, the flimsy blouse and the saree pallu were both discarded. She wasn’t wearing a bra and his eyes feasted on the smooth expanse of skin he’d uncovered. She lay back down and held her arms out to him. 

He lay on top of her, his bronze skin shining in the glow of the crackling fire outside. His muscles flexed as he rose up on his elbow to suckle at her mound. Raavi bucked in uncontrolled delight. She couldn’t get enough of him - of touching him, of feeling him. She rolled them over so she could be on top and used her lips and tongue to kiss and taste every inch of his skin. Shiva groaned in pleasure at her ministrations, his arousal straining against his jeans. She could feel heat pool in her lower belly and pour down to her core like lava. 

Raavi reached down and touched his length over the fabric of his jeans and Shiva growled. She unbuttoned and unzipped him before sliding her hand in to touch him. Shiva flipped them over before quickly discarding his jeans and boxer. He then proceeded to kiss a trail down the valley of her mounds, to the dip of her belly button before settling between her legs. He made quick work of her petticoat and inner before he kissed her heated core. The smell and taste of her arousal was such a heady mix, Shiva wasn’t sure how he was still holding on. 

The wetness and warmth of her core seemed to call out to him. He pushed a finger in to explore and Raavi almost screamed in pleasure. Unable to hold back anymore, he lined his length against her core. In a swift move, he entered her, pushing past her barrier. She gasped and a tear slid out of the corner of her eye. He kissed the tear and then proceeded to kiss her thoroughly. The sharp, stinging pain she’d felt was forgotten as his kiss caused more heat to pool in the pit of her belly. 

He moved within her slowly at first but she was so hot, wet and tight, his pace soon became frenzied. She was holding onto him like her life depended on it. There was something she was reaching for but couldn’t get. “Shiva,” she repeated his name again and again as he thrust into her. 

His name had never sounded so beautiful, he thought as he saw her literally glowing beneath him. She came apart in his arms and it was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen in his life. As she came crashing down from her euphoria, he hit his own climax and emptied himself deep within her. 

She welcomed the feel of his weight on her as he collapsed on to her, spent. She ran her arms over his back in a loving caress as both their breaths and heartbeats spiraled down from the high. 

The crickets still chirped and the fire still crackled as Shiva and Raavi wrote their own fairytales in time cocooned in their own world of love all through the night. 

***