A car ride
When she was a child, she'd always felt social was the toughest subject. Twist of fate, she ended up taking economics in her grads, only to curse it each day, each night. She'd always ended up with what she disliked and hence she'd decided she wouldn't for the life of her shall declare what she'd hate, in future. But she did, in a moment of anger.
"I hate you Rishabh"
Bloodied hell! Only if she'd controlled her stupid tongue that day, she wouldn't have been at this point in her life. Really, of all the people in the world, why does it have to be Trish, his sister, whom her parents chose for Mukund, her brother. Oh, hell why's she even asking, of course she knew; because, her fate was doomed. Ugh.
When she first heard of the news of the alliance, she screamed in happiness, jumped in joy and did all the stupid things that would show her happiness. Further when she'd met Trish, her joy doubled since Trish was so damned sweet. She even befriended her quickly and soon enough Trish became a part of her girl friends and they went out frequently. Everything was going so damned good that she almost forgot the bitter incident at her college, before her coming home for holidays.
She'd almost forgot the fight she'd with that jerk Rishabh, and how she yelled on his back that she hated him. It was like she'd forgotten the entire showdown they'd. But the tables turned when she'd gone to Trish's place for Roka. Only then had she got to know that Trishna Kundra was none other than Rishabh Kundra's elder sister. Of all the Kundras in this entire world, they got the sister of that jerk for her brother. Not that she had any problem with Trish, nope, not really. However, tying a relationship with Rishabh was something she didn't anticipate.
She blew her hair, giving up tying it in a pony. Her hair was a bird's nest for crying out loud and managing it with two hands itself was difficult. Managing it with one hand is a far cry. Her left hand still hadn't healed totally form the fracture she suffered last week. Hence, she needed to do all kinds of circus with single hand. Sighing, she put a hair clip to hold her messy hair in place, and walked out of her room. She heard a horn from the car, where Mukund was already waiting. They're going to shop for the impending wedding, hence the hungama.
She never was a fan of shopping, however this time she did everything in her means to avoid the impending shopping, knowing that the Sadu might be there for sure. However all her attempts went in vain. Ever since her fracture, her parents and family were very sweet and caring with her. However, there was one person who's miffed and irritated with her. Mukund. He'd asked, threatened and did everything in his means to get the truth out of her, asking how she'd an accident at the first place, but she being her usual self dodged his attempts, and hence angered him.
"My life is a mess" she muttered as she grabbed an apple form the nearby dining table and walked towards the door to go to the waiting Mukund. She'd seen her cousin Dipali, immersed in her mobile, walking towards her, her face buried in the mobile. She smiled watching her little sister so.
"Hey Dipali"
"Hi Madhu Di"
The reply came promptly but Dipali didn't remove her gaze from the mobile.
Madhu stared at her cousin for one whole minute before asking "Is it Sikander?"
The mention of his name made Dipali look up worriedly at her face "Yes" she said biting her lip.
"So you broke up?" Madhu asked grinning.
Dipali scowled at her "Di, shubh shubh bolo. We just had a fight and I'm trying to pacify him"
Madhu rolled her eyes. "Another boring story" she said rolling her eyes.
She'd got instructions from her parents to come with Mukund in his car, while they went a little earlier. She groaned dreading the possibility of meeting the stupid Sadu even today but her fears evaporated the moment she saw Trish standing at the car, alone, with Mukund.
"Where were you? How long will you take? Can't you see we were waiting" Mukund barked as soon as she reached the car.
"You'd have left without me then"
"And thus pave a foundation for getting a lecture from Ma. Right?" he asked nearly snarling.
"Wow bro, you've become so intelligent" she grinned
Mukund gritted his teeth and opened his mouth to blast his little sister; however, a call in his mobile distracted him, thus making him move away to attend the call after muttering an inaudible apology.
"Long live the caller," Madhu muttered and turned to Trish and locked her in a friendly hug. "Someone's looking beautiful" she said grinning, but there was no blush from Trish in response. She smiled politely and nodded acknowledging the compliment "You look good too" she added genuinely.
"You're kidding" she said rolling her eyes "I look like I desperately need a haircut with all this overgrown jungle" she said catching some loose curls that fell on her forehead.
"So true" she heard a masculine voice near her and stiffened.
Bloody hell! Bloody hell! Bloody hell!
She turned her head in slow motion crossing her fingers, and there he was standing before her, with his arms crossed across his chest with a stupid smirk.
"Rishabh" Trish admonished her little brother.
The devil in turn grinned at Trish and shrugged his shoulders.
"Madhu sorry, he didn't mean it" Trish apologized on his behalf.
"Never mind" Madhu said wondering what's there to apologize at all. Trish would probably faint had she heard the names she'd given Rishabh. Poor Trish has no idea about their acquaintance at the college.
Madhu looked around only to spot Dipali talking mile a minute in her phone, to Sikander probably, standing at a corner, while Mukund was standing at another corner, barking orders at some poor chap, probably his secretary.
She rolled her eyes and wondered is there anyone, anyone at all who's happy at this point of time? Everyone seemed so depressed, so dejected, even Trish… wait a minute, what the hell happened to Trish?
"Trish" Madhu whispered making her to come out of her stupor and utter a meek "Yes?"
Passing a quick glance at the devil, Madhu muttered an "excuse us" and dragged Trish away with her free hand.
"Easy Madhu, careful, your hand—"
"To hell with my hand. What's wrong with you?"
"Er…"
"Trish don't even dare to lie. What happened? Who upset you?"
She saw Trish pass a meek glance sideways before uttering "No body"
She followed Trish's glance and spotted the object of the problem, whatever it was.
"So it is Mukund. What did the fellow do now?"
"Mukund bhai? What did he do? And to whom?" Dipali who had just finished her call joined them.
Trish paled looking at the Mallik sisters staring at her without a blink. She knew she had to speak up but she can't. It was too personal to speak. Giving a last glance to Mukund, who seemed to be in the worst of his moods, she sighed.
"Wow you guys had a fight"
Trish's shocked face told her it was bulls eye.
"Diii" she heard Dipali groan.
"Oh God Dipali you are a killjoy. What do you know about the excitement of a fight between couple?"
Madhu saw Dipali and Trish raise their eyebrows at her and she continued sagely "You know that is a time you can call them the biggest jackasses on their face yet they'd shrug it off as it is your temper that's speaking. I tell you, one should take full advantage of a fight and should call all the names in the world to their face" she grinned.
Watching the still blank look on Trish and Dipali's eyes, she waved a hand dismissing them. Some things are too pristine to be understood by their simple minds.
"Never mind why did you guys fight?"
"He wanted me to confess my love for him" Trish said meekly.
"Oh no I never expected my brother to be a romantic fool"
"Madhu"
"Okay sorry. Disadvantages of being friends with your Bhabhi, I tell you"
"So confess na" Dipali said keeping a hand on Trish's shoulder.
"It's not easy Dipali, I'm scared"
"Trish, I understand Mukund looks scary when he laughs with that gigantic teeth but have mercy on him, he isn't a Cyclopes to come into your nightmares"
After the glare that she received from both the ladies, she pulled an invisible zip on her mouth and pretended to throw the lock away.
"Bhabhi" Dipali said gently squeezing Trish's palm, "We'll figure some way out. By today evening, I would make sure you make—"
"Make out?" Madhu suggested slyly.
"MADHU" she heard both of them yell and closed her ears.
"Make up I meant" Dipali hissed, mumbling a curse.
Madhu rolled her eyes and mumbled "Boring" before marching away to the car.
* * *
Madhu tried hard not to sleep out of boredom. Their car was going at a pace, where even cycles could overtake them. Everyone was dead silent making her wonder if it was a car or a library.
Mukund was driving, with his eyes focused on the road, his body rigid and stiff. Rishabh was sitting beside him, closing his eyes.
She and Dipali sat on the either side of Trish in the backseat. While Dipali was immersed in texting to Sikander, Trish was time and again stealing glances at Mukund through the rear view mirror wondering how to pacify him.
She yawned loudly, loud enough for everyone to look at her.
"What?" she asked suddenly conscious. "Can't I even yawn in this boring journey now?"
Everyone got back to their work while she looked out of the window, bored.
"Can't you play music, I am bored"
"Shh don't disturb" Mukund replied miffed.
"For God's sake you aren't writing an exam. Stop being so uptight"
"Madhu you already have a fracture, I don't want to take chances"
Oh, so that's the matter. She saw Rishabh look at her through rare view mirror and the look he gave her was enough to irk her.
"Okay whatever, if you aren't allowing for my entertainment, I would entertain myself"
"How" Mukund raised his eyebrows.
"Antakshari"
He groaned. He knew how pathetic Madhu sings. She could hardly sing to save her life.
"You wouldn't dare" he said not wanting to risk his life.
"Try me"
* * *
"I can't sing" Trish said slowly "I don't have a good voice"
"Bahaha" Madhu laughed "As if I am the next Lata Mangeshkar. I can makes the vultures cry"
"So true" she heard the Devil's muttering but ignored him.
"Look Trish, I do not expect you to follow any rules. Just sing the first song that comes in your mind, like suppose when I look out of the window and I sing the first thing that comes to me, you know as inspiration strikes" Madhu said looking out and found a tall dark handsome chap crossing them in a sexy bike.
Madhu muttered a low curse at the rippling muscles of the biker who wore just a vest "Samane yeh kaun aaya dil me huyee halchaldekh ke bas ek hee jalak ho gaye ham pagal
baate mulakaate hamse bhee toh hogee
hamse khulenge woh aaj nahee toh kal"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m90awFIxJ8k
When she stopped, she saw everyone staring at her. While her brother was glaring at her through the rear view mirror, Rishabh actually surprised her by turning his head towards her, his face portraying his irritation. However Dipali and Trish were grinning at her. Ah, she loved her girl friends, only they understood appreciation of true beauty, or handsome in this case.
"Your turn Trish" Madhu squealed happily.
She saw Trish lower her eyes and bite her lips before she cleared her throat and started singing in a soft tone.
"roothhe roothhe piya manaaun kaise
roothhe roothhe piya manaaun kaise
aaj na jaane baat hui kya
kyun roothhe mujh se
jab tak wo bolen na mujh se
main samjhoon kaise
roothhe roothhe piya
piyaa aa aa
roothhe roothhe piya manaaun kaise
roothhe roothhe piya"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOsbh3kPTlw
Madhu's jaw dropped. Now that was something. She grinned at Trish giving thumbs up while Dipali too seemed interested in the game now.
"Dipali your turn now" Madhu said shaking Dipali out of the newly received message she received from Sikander. She saw Dipali's face fall and snatched her mobile to see that Sikander was being extremely pigheaded and was fighting with Dipali over messages.
"Tum
ne vo kya dekha jo kaha deevana
Hum ko nahin kuchh samajh zara samajhana
Pyar mein jab bhi aankh kahin lad jaaye
Tab dhadkan aur bechaini bad jaaye
Jab koi ginta hai raaton ko taare
Tab samjho use pyar ho gaya pyare
Pyaar humein kis mod pe le aaya
Ke dil kare haye, haye koi to bataye, kya hoga
Pyaar humein kis mod pe le aaya
Ke dil kare haye, haye koi to bataye, kya hoga"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oedP9gXCEo
"Enough of this non sense now" growled Mukund irritated.
Madhu narrowed her eyes. No
one can stop the expression of the women's feelings today. She would show it to the boys about girls power today. Hmph.
Growing pissed with Mukund, she started a song now.
"Koi
kahe, kehta rahe kitna bhi humko deewana
Hum logon ki thokar mein hai yeh zaRishabha
Jab saaz hai, aawaaz hai, phir kis liye hichkichaana
Oh, gaayenge hum apne dilon ka taraana"
Madhu saw her girlfriends giggle and clap for her, and she squealed away all her glory in her squeaky voice, not bothering about how Mukund and Rishabh cringed at her voice.
"Bigade duniya, bigadne bhi do
Jhagade duniya, jhagadne bhi do
Lade jo duniya, ladne bhi do, hum apni dhun gaao
Duniya roothe, roothne do
Bandhan toote, tootne do
Koi chhoote, chhootne do, na ghabraao
Hum hain naye, andaaz kyoon ho puraana"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctJI7pCbxAo
She stopped and there was applause from her fellow girls. She mock saluted, since taking a bow isn't possible in the limited place. Mukund's eyes turned slits. First, she wouldn't tell him how the hell had her fracture happened and now this. Before Mukund could start his gibberish, a melodious voice cut him. It was Trish's turn now.
"Dekha
Ek Khwaab To Yeh Silsile Hue
Door Tak Nigahon Mein Hain Gul Khile Hue
Yeh Gila Hai Aapki Nigahon Se
Phool Bhi Ho Darmiyaan To Faasle Hue
Dekha
Ek Khwaab To Yeh Silsile Hue
Door Tak Nigahon Mein Hain Gul Khile Hue"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OzmVW7-7gQ
Madhu could see that Mukund was mollified by now. As Trish finished, and raised her eyes to meet his through the rear view mirror, she could swear she saw a tiny smile at the corner of Mukund's lips that told that he forgave her now.
There were very few times when such incidents bought a small smile on Madhu's face. Otherwise she would've rolled her eyes. However the small moment was broken by her younger sister's song, making her grit her teeth now.
"o sathi retere bina bhi kya jeenatere bina bhi kya jeena phoolo main kalio main sapno ki galio mainphoolo main kalio main sapno ki galio maintere bina kuch kahi natere bina bhi kya jeena"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OssRAVZhsRk
She was pretty sure she would kick Dipali's ass if she wouldn't stop being lady version of Devdas. Before she could open her mouth, she heard a voice and her eyes widened as saucers. It was Rishabh now. As she followed Rishabh's gaze, her eyes turned slits as she saw him looking at the girl, who just passed them in an open top car and who of course gave him a sultry smile before passing.
"Jisse
dhoondta hoon main har kahin
Jo kabhi mili mujhe hai nahin
Mujhe jiske pyaar par ho yakeen
Woh ladki hai kahan
Jisse sirf mujhse hi pyaar ho
Jo yeh kehne ko bhi taiyyaar ho
Suno tum hi mere dildaar ho
Woh ladki hai kahan"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_oOjm_t-a4
She didn't realize she was crushing the coke tin in her hand unless everyone looked at her for the disturbing noise she created.
Before she could open her mouth, she heard another voice, and much to her surprise it was Mukund.
"Chhookar
Mere Man Ko
Kiya Tune Kya Ishara..
Badla Yeh Mausam
Lage Pyaara Jag Saara...
Tu Jo Kahe Jeeva Bhar
Tere Liye Main Gaaoon..Tere Liye Main Gaaoon
Madhu Tere Bolon Pe
Likhta Chala Jaaoon..Likhta Chala Jaoon..
Mere Madhuon Mein Tujhe Doonde Jag Saara"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=831DlgdN8YQ
She saw Trish's cheeks turn pink now as she responded to the song with another one.
"Chahoon
bhi toh main kaise kahoon
Saari jo baatein dil kehta hai
Lehar sapno ki kaise ginnu
Dariya behta hi rehta hai
Keh rahi hai kya yeh suno, meri khamoshiyan
Raat se hai lambhi kahin, dil ki yeh dastaan
Kaise kahoon"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOwM55Kv664
There! Trish said what Mukund wanted her to say. She saw Mukund turn his head to hide a smile and it took all her resolve not to give a dreamy sigh. Who the hell said romantic moments happened only in sappy soaps?
Madhu turned at Dipali who in turn went all gooey discarding her mobile for a while. She grinned and winked at Dipali before both of them started.
"pyaar diwaanaa hotaa hai,
mastaanaa hotaa hai
har khushee se, har gam se,
begaanaa hotaa hai"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lslZptXok8o
They both stopped as Mukund glared at them. But he smiled as he started now.
"Aajkal
Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche Har Zubaan Par
Sab Ko Maloom Hai Aur Sabko Khabar Ho Gayi
Humne To Pyar Mein Aisa Kaam Kar Liya
Pyar Ki Raah Mein Apna Naam Kar Liya
Aajkal
Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche Har Zubaan Par
Sab Ko Maloom Hai Aur Sabko Khabar Ho Gayi"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIvLi9JT8tE
Madhu and Dipali wolf whistled as they side hugged Trish. As the car drove away, Mukund sang in the background and Rishabh whistled the tune, while they giggled, grinned and cuddled Trish, attempting to sing the song in their deadly voices…
* * *
Madhu was scanning through the dresses, relatively in a better mood. She saw Trish and Mukund talking again, and grinned at the couple. She saw Dipali, who switched off her phone and was enjoying her shopping, knowing that Sikander would come over if she gives him a taste of his own medicine.
She shook her head and got back to selecting her dresses and she was shocked when she was suddenly pulled into the trail room, with a hand pressing on her mouth. She was pushed against the door while the bolt was put.
She stared into his eyes and tried to push him.
He grinned at her "I will take my hand and I bet I would shut you up in other ways if you attempt screaming" he warned looking at her with a menacing gleam in his eyes.
When she went quiet, knowing his devilish mind, he took his hand and she kicked him in his shins, making him lose his balance and fall over her, pressing her body with his.
"Nice move. I like it" he said grinning at her.
"Get off me you jerk" she tried pushing him with her single hand.
When he didn't budge, she sighed and gave up "I want to kick Swati now" she said looking at her fractured hand.
"Good decision" he replied his eyes serious.
One look at his face told her what he was at and she groaned "Rishabh, we are already through this"
"Yes, but you are being pigheaded so I have to repeat myself"
"Just because I've had an accident while I was driving when Swati was with me, you can't ban me driving forever. It isn't fair"
"I have seen your driving skills. If you want to have an accident why don't you give Swati few bruises? She gets off without a scratch and you—"
"Jesus! You actually don't mean that. Come on. It isn't in my hands"
"It is. You wasted my plans and got your left hand fractured of all the things in world"
"Why are you obsessed with my left hand and what plans are you talking about—" she suddenly realized the full implication and gasped.
"You don't actually mean it. Do you?"
"Yeah I don't mean it, that's why I am carrying it for the past week in my pocket" he said taking an antique ring from his pocket, making her gasp.
She looked at him and the ring and started laughing. "So that's why you were pissed off"
"It's one of the reasons" he admitted.
"So" he said.
"So?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
"Say something damn it"
She wanted to roll her eyes. After three years of seeing each other, he didn't actually expect for a formal answer. Doesn't the donkey understand he need not go all romantic and formal with her. Her answer would be a resounding yes for the next seven births.
Wait, was she committing for a long time? Ah, never mind.
"You know what Rishabh" she said smiling at him "Bhaad mein jaa" she said pushing him away and walking out of the trail room.
However he saw her smile before going away and knew the answer.
"You can run, you can hide but you can't escape my love…" he hummed looking at her retreating back.
* * *
OS: A Game Of Wits
comment:
p_commentcount