Chapter 11

raindropsroses

@raindropsroses

[NOCOPY]

Previously: Dev-Raavi and Shiva-Shilpa are at the mandap with garlands in their hands, Dev tells Raavi to marry Shiva and not worry about him. Dev and Raavi shock everyone by announcing that they don’t love each other.

Part 11

Dev nudged her arm, nodding slightly at Shiva. Raavi straightened herself, Dev had made the first part easy for her, but she still had work to do. Her bhoothnath was way too stubborn. She had to get Shilpa out of the way.

“I’m sorry Shilpa, par tum please Shiva se shaadi mat karo,” she said looking at the couple still holding their garlands.

“Ham kyun na karein?” Shilpa asked with a frown.

“Mujhe aur Dev ko company do na,” Raavi said stupidly.

Dev facepalmed. 

Shiva was beside himself with joy at the turn of events, but looked on, curious to see what his chipkali would cook up this time.

“Raavi, tu teek hai? Dev, ye kya nayi mazak hai?” Dhara asked.

Raavi gulped. “Mein serious hoon, dii,” she said turning to Dhara.

She faced Shilpa and Shiva again, “tum dono shaadi nahi kar sakte,” she declared.

“Par kyun, Raavi?” Dhara asked.

“Kyun?” Raavi repeated dumbly.

“Haan, vahi toh puch rahe hai. Kyun, Raavi bhabhi?” Krish said with a sly look on his face.

“Kyunki? Kyunki-“ her eyes darted everywhere, as she tried to think of an excuse to stop the wedding. Having already been rejected by Shiva, she didn’t want to declare her love for him to everyone.

She looked to Shiva, hoping he’d pitch in. But he was just looking at her with an amused smile on his face. 

She frowned. “Ise dekho, saari kaam mein kar rahi hoon. Ye bas picture dekh raha hai, sirf popcorn ki kami hai,” Raavi thought. Her mouth curled up as an idea to wipe the smirk off his face came to her. 

“Kyunki mein Shiva se pyar karti hoon, aur vo sirf mera hoga.” she said quickly, squeezing her eyes shut.

If Dev and Raavi’s previous declaration had shushed everyone into silence, this new one from Raavi almost gave everyone an attack. Even Shiva didn’t expect her to confess her love for him so easily.

Raavi slowly opened one eye to find everyone staring at her in shock.

“Ye- ye tu kya boli ab? Phir se bol,” her Mausi asked shaking her head, unable to believe her own ears. Raavi ignored her Mausi for the time being.

“Shilpa, I’m so sorry. Dhara di, ye sab confusion ke liye I’m sorry. Meine apne aapko rokhne ki bahut koshish ki, par dil maan hi nahi rahi thi. Mein Shiva se bahut pyar karti hoon.”

That was all Prafulla could take, she fainted. But no one paid heed, taken aback by the situation.

Shiva was looking at his Chipkali with a mix of shock and admiration. He’d never thought that the dense girl that he’d fallen in love with would even begin to love him, let alone confess it in front of everyone. What he couldn’t do even after 10 years, she did within a matter of 3 days.

“Mein tujhe Shiva nahi doongi,” Shilpa said holding Shiva’s upper arm, Shiva looked irritated at her.

Raavi grabbed her lehenga skirt and stepped around the fire. Grabbing Shiva’s non-injured hand, she tugged him away from Shilpa.

Raavi’s eyes were filled with determination, she looked like a queen with all her bridal finery, ready to take on the world for her love.

“Shiva mera hai,” Raavi said firmly.

“Mera hai,” Shilpa said pulling at his hand again.

In response, Raavi pulled him back to her.

This tug of war continued for a few seconds before Shiva decided that he’d had enough. “Arey! Mujhe koyi khilauna samjh rakha hai kya? Chodo!”

They both ignored him and pulled at his hands simultaneously. Shiva looked up the ceiling in exasperation. 

Everyone was looking at each other completely lost at this sudden turn of events. Raavi declaring her love and fighting for Shiva was something no one could even have imagined in their wildest dreams. And yet, that was exactly what was playing out in front of them.

Shiva felt like his arms would come off their sockets from the force with which they were pulling at them. He was about to use his own force to pull his arms out of their grips, when an male voice echoed though the hall.

“Ye shaadi rokho!”

Heads swung to the source of the voice, and there at the entrance of the hall stood a man, not much older than Shiva, gasping for air.

“Arey bhai, aap kaun ho? Koiyi bhi ho, bahut late ho. Shaadi toh pehle hi rokhi gayi,” Krish quipped.

Shilpa gasped loudly, letting go of Shiva’s bicep she broke into a sprint towards the man.

Raavi was still pulling Shivas’s other arm, Shiva lost balance as Shilpa’s counter force on his other arm disappeared. He fell on Raavi, both of them toppling on to the floor.

Prafulla finally came to her senses and sat up, but taking one look at Shiva on top of Raavi on the mandap, she swooned again.

Raavi smiled up at Shiva, not even the slightest bit concerned at the position they were in. She wrapped her hands around his middle and pulled him to herself tightly, relishing at how weirdly comfortable it was to have his weight over her.

Shiva managed to shift slightly off her body and looked down at her with a smile.

“Nautanki,” he said adoringly.

“Haan, hoon. Tho?,” she challenged, her eyes narrowing.

They were cut off by Shilpa welcoming the newcomer.

“Baby?” She said.

“Jaanu?” He replied.

“Tu mere liye aa gaya, jaane man?”

“Haan, meri jaan.”

“Mera babuu,” she gushed.

“Meri shonaa,” he replied.

The entire wedding hall cringed hearing and looking at their exchange.

“Ey ladki, kya tamasha kar rahi hai tu,” Suman shouted at Shilpa, losing her cool finally.

“Maa, ye mera boyfriend hai,” she revealed.

She turned to Raavi and Shiva, who were now sitting up, Shiva kneeling next to Raavi, “Raavi, tu Shiva ko rakhlo. Shiva, sorry but tu mera back up ta, mera main waala aa gaya, isliye ab mein tujhse shaadi nahi karungi,” said Shilpa with her arms around the man’s waist.

Shilpa’s mother went up to her and dragged her away by her ears, her entire family and the man tagging behind them.

Everyone blinked at their exit, before all heads simultaneously swung towards Shiva and Raavi at the mandap.

Raavi gulped at the attention as she shifted behind Shiva, peeking at their family over his shoulders.

“Shiva, Raavi, kya ho raha hai? Explain bhi karoge?” Dhara asked sternly.

 “Vo- vo- Dhara di-“ Raavi gulped, looking up at Shiva for help.

Looking at Raavi fighting up for him, Shiva felt some sort of bliss, all his tiredness and misery from the past few days had evaporated. Knowing that nothing would stop him and her being together forever, he decided to make her squirm a little more. 

“Bhabhi, mein batata hoon. Ye chudail pagal hai mere piche. Jab dekho chipak jaathi hai mujhse. Aur mere kaanon se koon nikhle bina ise shaanti nahi milti. Shiva ye, Shiva vo, saara din meri nam jaapti rahti hai. Mujhe isse chutkaara diladho aap please,” he said feigning exasperation.

Raavi looked at him appalled. “Oye bhoothnath! Kya bakwaas kar raha hai? Kal hi toh mujhe kiss kar raha ta, aur aaj mein vapas chudail ban gayi?”

Shiva squeezed his eyes shut at her verbal vomit. Realising her slip up, she held her hands over her mouth horrified, looking around to see if anyone had heard it.

“Ay mami ki behen ki beti, kahan dekh rahi hai? Teri announcement pure Somnath sunchuka hoga. Chipkali!” Shiva said glaring at her.

“Ey mein teri hone waali biwi hoon, Shilpa aur uske boyfriend ko dekh, kaise pyar se pukaar raha tha vo. Kuch seekh le Shiva,” Raavi said, too engrossed in her argument to be embarrassed anymore.

“Ay gadheri, vo sab yahan nahi milegi. Tujhe badi jaldi thi na meri shaadi thudwane ki? Ab saari zindagi bugath mere saath.”

“Awww, not bad. Thoda thoda romantic sound kar raha hai,” she said smiling slyly.

Everyone was watching their exchange dumbfounded. Their gaze shifting back and forth between the unlikely pair.

“Gadhedi!”

“Gadheda!”

“Chudail!”

“Bhootnath!”

“Ek minute, tum dono ko ek dusre se shaadi karni hai?” Gaumbi asked unsure.

“HAAN!” They both shouted glaring at each other.

“Ek minute, tujhe mujse willingly shaadi karni hai?” Raavi asked him in disbelief. She had her doubts that he did harbour some feelings for her, but she didn’t know that he actually wanted to marry her.

“Tujpe ehsaan kar raha hoon phir se,” he said trying to sound aloof.

“Tu mujse pyar karta hai?” She asked ignoring his tone.

“Nahi, mein toh Shilpa se karta ta. Vo chali gayi toh tu hi sahi,” he said sarcastically

“Batanaaa,” she whined holding his good arm.

“Ay gadhedi, mein tujse bachpan se pyar karta hoon. Tujhe kaise pata hoga, tu toh apni hi duniya mein batakti rehti hai. Ye dus saal mere liye narag tha, aur phir teri shaadi ka announcement jo aaya. Aisa laga jaise koyi mujhe zinda jala raha ho. Phir jaake teri aankhein khul gayi, aur dobaara mera jeena haraam kar di.”

Raavi and the rest of his family blinked at him in shock. “Tu mujhse pyar karta hai?” She repeated.

“Haan, gadhedi!”

Everyone’s jaws fell open at his admission. They’d all seen 10 years of Shiva’s hatred towards Raavi, this new revelation was inconceivable.

“Tu mujse dus saal se pyar karta hai?” She asked  again with a wide smile, unable to believe it.

“Haan, udd mat. Zameen pe aa jao,” he said smiling.

“Shiva,” she pointed at him, “Raavi,” she pointed at herself, “se pyaaaar karta haiiii?” she asked again, her expression turning dreamy.

“Krish, jaake ek doctor ko bula iske liye. Lagta hai khushi se pagal ho gayi hai,” he quipped, smiling at her silliness

Raavi playfully slapped his arm.

“Shivaaaaa!” She squealed. “Mein bhi tujhse pyar karti hoon!” She declared loudly.

“Pata hai, pagli. Par bahut late hai tu,” he smiled adoringly at her.

“Haan! Pata hai. Par ye do din do saalon jaise lagi,” she said, her lower lips jutting out as she pouted. Shiva was in a trance looking at it, like last night, he wanted to bite it between his teeth.

Raavi saw his adoring gaze turn dark with desire, she bit her lips blushing.

“Ye shaadi rokho!” Came a loud female voice from the entrance of the hall. A girl not much older than Raavi stood there decked up in bridal finery.

“Shaadi rokhni ki line hai, please aapke turn ke liye wait karo,” quipped Krish.

“Rishita?” Dev called out to her, surprised.

Rishita ran towards Dev who was standing next to the mandap and hugged him as though her life depended on it. Dev hugged her back tightly.

Everyone blinked.

“Ye bhai, ho kya raha hai. Ek gante se tamasha pe tamasha chal rahi hai,” Suman said irritated at being kept in the dark.

“Maa, mein aur Rishita do saalon se pyar karte hai,” Dev said to her.

“To tujhe isse shaadi karni hai ab?” Suman asked.

Dev gulped nodding.

“Hey Somnath, tum sab itne bade hogaye ho na. Apne zindagi ke phaisle kud le rahe ho. Ab hum sabke kya zaroorat, jo karna hai karo,” she said disappointed, turning away towards the exit of the hall on her wheelchair.

♥️

Part 12 - Page 39 (last one)