Part 31
Armaan looked out into the rain and thought how rain had played an intefral part in his love story with ridhima as he continued to enjoy hot tea and hot pakoras courtesy kashish and geet. What the day more interesting and special for him was to see shilpa laugh like a child when the rain had started. All of them were seated outside on the terrace which had a roof covering it and enjoying the treat made by kashish and geet. As they sat there a few of the kids went out in the rain and started to enjoy getting wet, looking at them shilpa exclaimed.
Shilpa: maan, sujal chalo hum bhi bearish mein chalte hain (she got up immediately and started tugging at their hands)
Sujal: shilpa bachon jaise mat behave karo. Waise bhi mein pakore enjoy kar raha hoon
Shilpa looked at maan who looked horrified at the suggestion: what? you want me to ruin my designer shirt. Sorry but I'm not moving.
Shilpa pouted and looked towards armaan who was enjoying this childish side of shilpa. Just to see how she'll react next armaan responded: shilpa! everyones enjoying sitting and having a hot cup of tea, lets just also enjoy. Huh?
Shilpa looking irritated: never mind! I'll go and enjoy myself
Armaan: whats the fun in going in alone?
Shilpa looked at him archly: who says I'm going to stay alone in the rain (she walked towards kashish and geet)hey you two! Come on lets enjoy.
Suddenly the matron came to take the kids inside from the rain. Kashish and geet hesitantly walked towards the edge of terrace but did not step out in the rain. Shilpa kicked off her chappal and confidently walked out in the rain. She stood there in the rain with her arms outstretched and face lifted towards the sky. She was drenched to the skin within minutes of going out in the rain as armaan stood with the rest of family looking at her. She was dressed in white churidaar kurta with her hair hanging loose at her back. Looking at her standing so peacefully enjoying the rain kashish and geet also ventured out. As the rain was cold they both squealed as the rain drops hit them drenching them quickly. Shilpa got hold of them and dragged them further out in the rain. Shilpa flung her head back and sang
Beheta hai mann kahin, kahaan jaante nahin Beheta hai mann kahin, kahaan jaante nahin - koyi rokle yahin(shilpa tilted her head back and looked directly at everyone who was sitting on the terrace)
Bhaage re mann kahin, aage re mann chala, jaane kidhar jaanu na (shilpa started to act out the words of the song)
Bhaage re mann kahin, aage re mann chala, jaane kidhar jaanu na (kashish and geet also joined her and started to dance along with shilpa)
Beheta hai mann kahin, kahaan jaante nahin, koyi rokle yahin
Bhaage re mann kahin, aage re mann chala, jaane kidhar jaanu na -2(armaan, sujal and maan looked on totally mesmerized)
Aa...haan aa
Ho chale thhandi hawa ho sang mann bhi gaya (as a gust of wind blew across them making them shiver)
Dhhundhhu main kahaan usko, batlaaye koyi mujhko(the three of them continued enacting the words)
Ke haan haan haan
reBhaage re mann kahin, aage re mann chala, jaane kidhar jaanu na -2(shilpa, kashish and geet did the dola re dola dance and then cracked up themselves)
Beheta hai mann kahin, kahaan jaante nahin, koyi rokle yahin
Haan haaye aisa sama hmm phir hoga kahaan(shilpa turning in a circle gestured the girls to go and get their respective guys)
Jee loon main isse khulke, saawan bhi zara khulke(the three of them sneaked behind the guys and pushed and pulled them into the rain also)
Arre sun sun sun
Bhaage re mann kahin, aage re mann chala, jaane kidhar jaanu na(the guys were drenched and started to chase after the girls)
Bhaage re mann kahin, aage re mann chala, jaane kidhar jaanu na(maan and sujal managed to catch up with geet and kashish and lifted them up from the ground by wrapping their arms around them from behind)
Beheta hai mann kahin, kahaan jaante nahin, koyi rokle yahin
Bhaage re mann kahin, aage re mann chala, jaane kidhar jaanu na (shilpa still on run with armaan right behind her, shilpa made a beeline for the adjoining trees.)
Bhaage re mann kahin, aage re mann chala, jaane kidhar jaanu na
Shilpa kept running while giggling she was running on full speed with armaan closing in behind her. She skidded to a stop right before she could slip into the mud that had formed due to the rain.
Shilpa: thank god! Bach gaye verna aaj hi mud mask ka pura intezam tha.(she was congratulating herself on being saved and turned to go back when she flew back and landed with a thud in the mud with a weight of armaan pinning her down) Armaan was running after shilpa and she had gone out of his sight for a few minutes. As he rounded the corner he saw shilpa standing still and turning, armaan who was coming at her full sprint tried to stop but with the ground being all muddy he slipped. Armaan slipped and collided with shilpa which made both of them fall onto the muddy ground with a splash with armaan landing on top of shilpa. Armaan laid there still with shock, as he lay there he could feel shilpa shaking underneath him. A horrified armaan quickly drew back as he thought she might be hurt but to his surprise he saw shilpa laughing hysterically.
Shilpa: if you could've seen your face when you collided with me(she imitated him by making a surprised 'O' with her mouthand widening her eyes in horror. She immediately dissolved into peals of laughter which was joined in by armaan also. They both continued to laugh as their laughter subsided, shilpa somehow managed to reverse their positions by getting on op of armaan and pushing him down to the ground by straddling him.
Shilpa: ab aaya na unth pahar ke neeche.(shilpa wiggled her eyebrows and armaan started to laugh)ok! Armaan! Say uncle!
Armaan: whatever for?(trying to get up but due to the mud kept slipping back)
Shilpa picked up a handful of mud and threatened: say uncle or you'll be having your very own mud mask.
Armaan: ok! Ok!(holding up his hands) uncle! Happy!
Shilpa grinning: very! Say shilpa is the best
Armaan laughing: shilpa is the best.
Shilpa: say shilpa is a queen.
Armaan lovingly: shilpa is a queen (in an undertone my queen)now friends!
Shilpa thoughtfully: ok!(smiling) friends(she got up from him gingerly and then helped him up) Both of them were covered in mud from behind, as were their hair also covered with mud.
Shilpa: god! We are so grounded! I haven't played in mud since I don't know how long.
Armaan: but how are we suppose to get it off.
Shilpa looking around: I think if we stand around in the rain long enough the worst of it would come off the rest we would have to do the old fashion way, by washing it off.
They both stood there under the rain trying to get rid of the worst of the mud that was sticking to the clothes at their back.
Armaan: shilpa! check whether the mud is off me or not.(shilpa looked over at him and couldn't help but smile as the worst of the mud had come off one side of his face was still covered by it) Shilpa shook her head laughingly and drew near him and without saying anything reached up with her hand and started to gently rub the mud of his face.
Shilpa was so intent on her task that she didn't realize that on her first touch armaan and gone still. With each rub of her hand across the side of his face armaan felt a tremor shook his body. Shilpa continued with her task, sometimes her touch was gentle and light, sometimes her touch became firmer as there were some spots that were harder to get off, unknown to the fact that her touch was creating a havoc a storm inside armaan.
As she was nearly done she laughingly looked up: here you are shiny as a new toy '.(as she looked up into his eyes she trailed off) Armaan without his conscious thought his hand lifted and pried the wet strands of her hair away from her cheek. His thumb traced the track of raindrops on her cheeks, unknown and unaware to each other they drew closer. Armaan lightly rubbed at a mud mark near her chin as it came off he didn't draw his hand away. Somehow he found himself lightly tracing her bottom lip with his thumb he lifted his gaze to look into her eyes. Their gazes met and caught neither of them able to look away, armaan's gaze dropped for one instance to her lips and then back again to her eyes. He tilted his head a fraction towards her and stopped, how long they stood like that both were not sure.
Just as armaan was going to move his head more towards shilpa they both heard someone calling out.
Shilpa! armaan!(for a second both remained still, not moving, hardly even moving. The voice somehow came clearer) shilpa!(shilpa turned her head swiftly towards the voice and then back at armaan and smiled)
Shilpa: last one to reach everyone else is a donkey's ass (and ran towards the voice calling for them laughing hard)
Armaan stood stock still willing his heart to calm down raked a hand through his wet hair: she's going to be the death of me (and went after her)
As he reached where the rest were standing in the rain, shilpa was laughing like a lunatic and strangling sujal and kashish with her embrace. Next she turned around and jumped on maan who looked as stoked as shilpa, he picked shilpa up and whirled her around. Nearby shashank and padma stood under the terrace looking happy, armaan drew near and asked what was happening.
Shilpa drew back her eyes gleaming with unconcealed happiness: armaan you won't believe this! Kashish has finally agreed to marry sujal.
Edited by amaniM - 15 years ago
Mahadev And Sons
