FF - WALK OF LIFE

My first fiction story on Manav & ChhanChhan...

Since the love track has started thought to write something on this normal couple love story. I won't be going through the after marriage issues here. Just wanted to create something on how they fall in love...what makes them like each other...etc......

FF - WALK OF LIFE...

It was 7 am. Daadi nudged her granddaughter saying, "Feed yourself first before you think of the dogs, look at you...you need some flesh on those lovely bones."

ChhanChhan getting restless now, replies, "Daadi dont worry, will return and eat whatever you ask me to." hugging her grandmom and planting a kiss on the cheek.

Daadi looks up to the ceiling, "Hey bhagwan iss ladki ka kya hoga...is tharha var kahan se milega.." Little did she know...the walk would bring in galore of surprises for the Sarabhai family.

ChhanChhan wearing a pair of grey tracks and a white t-shirt, leashed Anarkali saying, "Come on girl time for your walk...you have been getting too lazy these days..."

She crossed the street off their home and took the path that was for dog walkers.

Here at the Borasagar home the clock struck 6:30 am. Manav's youngest sister-in-law insisted he finished his glass of milk before he took off on his long jog. He left the glass at the table, smiling said, "Bhabhi later please, I got to finish my walk before it gets too hot and the sun turns into a fireball...

He thought to himself, gosh why were they all still treating him like a kid!

Fixing his cap Manav set out on his morning jog. Parked the car outside the park and walked towards the joggers track. He had finished with the first lap, when he saw her enter with Anarkali in tow...

The girl who rubbed him the wrong way...yes they had made peace after all that had happened at the Wife Life Camp...yet he couldn't take his eyes off her.

He stopped in his tracks and watched her from afar. Several other male heads turned to glance at her. That high ponytail swinging from left to right, her milky skin that could actually be scorched by the harsh sun...the swing of her hips...she was a beauty and those sparkling brown eyes, gosh the way they pierced through him when she was angry, or mad...strange that he remembered the recent nights when he tossed and turned whilst the happenings at the camp replayed in his head...

Manav decided not to approach her right away...what made him want to know her better?...Putting his foot forward thought, should he walk up to her and greet her at least? ...no..no...he would not...what if she snapped back at him with some stupid remark!...No he did not want to look like a fool and be snubbed...he would catch up with her later. Let her notice him too...so Manav stepped back...and continued with his jog...without taking his eyes off ChhanChhan.

Chhanchhan after calming down Anarkali...walked whilst Anarkali stayed beside her... She turned and noticed him jogging...She gulped hard...the guy who always got the worst of her...the Moron...yet she watched him jog...Six foot tall, the muscular arms that had pulled her out of the freezing water...their silly fights and then the truce...anyways she had no intention of speaking to him...their meetings ended with the Camp...he was just another jogger at the park...she was not someone who went around saying hellos to every second guy there who jogged...no ways...forget him...and so ChhanChhan turned away and continued with her walk.

Thought ChhanChhan, did he notice me?

Manav thinking, did she not see me? Which track did she chose for her walk. After all they knew each other, there was nothing wrong in just a mere hello.

And so Manav changed his track and jogged increasing his pace until he reached her.

"Hi!' he looked at her all sweaty yet attractive...

"Hi" are you racing or something, and turned back to see if someone was left behind him on purpose.

Why was she glad...that he caught up with her?

"No I was trying to get to you. How are you?"

Anarkali was excited and started sniffing him. She tried to pushed her away, "Stop it Anarkali he doesn't like you."

"Oh no, please don't... it's okay I have kind of gotten used to her by now." and then bends down to stroke Anarkali under her neck.

Like any other female Anarkali loves the male attention showered on her and climbs on to his face to give Manav a puppy lick.

Manav thinks, Wish your Master were this forgiving and loving. Seeing Anarkali's bashful behaviour leaves Chanchan surprised...

Traitor...typical female behaviour...hardly did the guy warm up to her, Anarkali was all over him! Huh!

He stood up towering over her. She had to raise her head to look into his face...

"Anarkali seems to like me" said Manav with smiling eyes.

She lowered her gaze not wanting to give away her innermost thoughts...

"Yeah I can see that," though her expressions said something else. He noticed it and was amused...

Still smiling Manav said, "Anarkali has forgiven me, why can't you Chanchan? It's not like we had big issues between us! Friends?"

And then tilted his head to get an answer out of her. She looked up at him seeing his pleading eyes, looked away, thought for a while...He had a point there, it was just some silly misunderstandings that rubbed them the wrong way!

Letting out a big sigh, she gave away her tinniest smile, "Well definitely not enemies or anything like that...but we don't have anything in common as well."

"In common? well ...how can you be sure of that...when we know nothing about each other."

Wrong reply Chanchan...the guy was smart... She started to walk as Anarkali pulled her, Manav walked beside her...

He was getting to like this conversation with her...'Wait let me finish...and the best way would be to start afresh. What say?"

Then lending out his hand he said, "Here let me, give me the leash."

She looked at him with surprise, and thought okay let's see how he can handle Anarkali, and so handed over Anarkali to him. Their hands brushed against each other.

"So I am Manav Borasagar, Masters final year Agricultural Engineering, and you are Chanchan...?"

"Sarabhai...Chanchan Sarabhai...Finance graduate...and a certified Dog Trainer."

They exchanged looks and smiled...then looked down at her feet. thinking...he wasn't dumb after all...thank goodness!

"What?" asked Manav.

"Nothing." she continued to smile and then gulped, trying hard to keep her thoughts to herself.

She realized she was actually walking faster trying to keep up with his pace.

"Can you slow down please...your strides are...I mean...are so large..."

"Sorry...I did not realize...so he shortened his strides just so that she could keep up with him.

"So what does Agricultural Engineering cover? I mean it's a rare field and not something everyone would go for"

'Well the course covered soil conservation, drainage methods, irrigation practises...basically everything a farmer needs to know."

"Farmer!...hmmm" thinks Chhanchhan this guy does not look like a farmer from any angle.

Seeing her raised eyebrows he hastily added, "Oh no...not what you might be thinking...well since Dad's business is associated with the farmers...I have been really keen on their development...you know considering...farmers work so hard towards a good crop but there are many other issues they have no idea about...grain storage, crop processes etc."

Chanchan was impressed...she was wrong to think he was a good for nothing idiot. But she did not let him know what she thought of him now...

Whilst in conversation, Chanchan realized they had covered quite a distance. She looked at her watch it was 8 am. Enough for today...

"I...I need to go back home...I have to go visit a client...they have a month-old pup."

'You love animals don't you" she nods He continues, "so you come here for walks every day...shall we meet up tomorrow then?'

"Yeah...I guess so." said Chanchan she had no reason NOT to say NO!

He hands over Anarkali's leash back to her. She takes it from whilst their hands brushed against each her.

Silly she felt a jolt...Strange he felt it too...

He reluctantly says, "Bye."

She replied back softly, "Bye...thanks for walking Anarkali."

"Anytime...I enjoyed your company."

She simply smiled and turned and walked away. Manav stood and watched her retreading back...

Quite a girl...a beautiful firebrand!

Chanchan reached home and found her family waiting at the breakfast table... giving her a "Where have you been this long?"

"Oh I...happen to meet someone I know at the park and we just got talking."

Her mom enquiries, "Who? someone I know?"

Mrs.Sarabhai looked at her daughter's flushed cheeks. Oh it could be the sun...her fair skin was always a problem...

"No mom...maybe...no... I don't know..." and then changes the topic to a historical event. A topic her mother loved discussing...

Chanchan finished with her breakfast, showered, changed and left on her scooty to her client's home. Feeling the wind in her hair, she whispered...Life was good!

Manav returned home...and found his mother in the living room waiting for him.

"Manav beta kidhar the tum..itni der aaj?"

"Mom...Oh just wanted to burn some more calories..that is all...let me shower and come back for breakfast."

He whistled on his way up to his room. His mother smiled to herself. Her ladla son seemed to be in a very good yet strange mood, but then why did he not come to her and sit like he usually did after his walks?

Never mind...Boys...

To be continued...

Your comments are welcome...