Posted:
Chapter 14.
At the Venue:-
" Manu, what should we do now?" Sukhi whispered to Manu
"I don't know... But I know I'll have to stop this marriage by any means possible." Manu whispered back while he silently observed the Chooda ceremony.
Looking around his heart skipped a beat when his eyes fell on Preet. Preet was looking stunning, in a simple Purple and pink chudidar, her long hair was pulled downward in a plait letting her bangs fall by the side of her face.
"She looks very pretty." Manu thought out loud, admiring her beauty. Sukhi looked at him amused with a broad grin. "I mean her dress is really pretty." Manu said hastily. But it didn't seem to work as his brother kept grinning at him and he started to hiccup.' Damn it, this stupid hiccup'
"Oh, really?" Sukhi teased Manu. Manu was about to say, but held back, when he saw Preet looking at him. Their eyes met and Manus' face heated up and he promptly walked away, towards the hallway.
With Preet:-
Preet quietly watched as the brides Mami helped her to wear her choda while Neha was still busy gawking at the brides attire. From the corner of her eyes Preet saw, Manu staring at her almost admiringly. Preet felt her face lightly heat up. ' Why is he staring at me like that ' Preet thought, subconsciously twirling the end of her pink dupata. She slightly turned her head and looked back at Manu who was talking with Sukhi, but suddenly looked back at her. Manu blushed and hastily exited the hall.
" Preet" Swaran called Preet.
" Come let's do the ceremony?"
"Ceremony? What ceremony?."
" I'll explain afterwards. Now come they are waiting for you."
Preet sighed and let her aunt lead her by her hand. Swaran made Preet to stand with the other girls and asked her to crouch down slightly and wait. Preet just did as her aunt instructed. Why was Manu staring at her. That's very unlike him. Possibly he wanted to tell her something. And was afraid to... 'That's quite understandable he is yet in the Sartaj get up--' Preet came out of her train of thought when she felt something fall on her head. She took hold of it with her hand before it fell out of her head and stood up. Slowly, she opened her palm and recognized that it was a piece of the kalire that the bride was wearing.
"Excuse me!" she called the bride who was about to move to the other girl. "I believe this is yours." Preet said, extending her hand. The bride didn't make any motion to take the piece and just smiled at Preet.
" That's a good sign!" Raavi cheered
Preet looked at her befuddled. She was about to call the bride again, but Swaran quickly signed her not to. Preet again looked at the bride and saw the bride shaking her hands; or rather her kalire that was tied around her bangles on top of the girls head. After this-weird- ceremony was over, Preet walked towards Raavi. She greeted Amba before looking back at Raavi and asked," What was that all about? And what do you mean by good sign? "
" You don't know the ritual?" Raavi asked, looking genuinely confused.
Preet shook her head in response.
"The ritual is followed with the bride shaking her chooda and kalire worn hands on the heads of all the unmarried girls present. It is believed that if any part or leaf of the kalire falls on the head of any girl's head, she will be the next one to get married."
Preet eyes widened and she again looked back at the piece of kalire.'next one to get married.'
With Manu:-
Manu was walking down the hallway. What was all that about, anyway? What was that strange feeling? He shouldn't feel that way towards Preet. On the spur of the moment, he collided with a servant who was carrying a tray holding several glasses of drinks for the guest. The juice spilled over on Manu's Kurta staining the yellow fabric. The servant at once started to apologize to Manu.
" Its ok." I wasn't looking where I was going either ." with that Manu headed towards his room. After getting to his room Manu removed his shirt, tossing it on the floor. The juice had also stained his vest. Letting out a frustrated sigh Manu took off his vest tossing it aside. He looked through the closet looking for another decent dress to wear. But froze at the sound of anklets. Manu quickly turned and saw Preet walking inside the room.
"Shah Ji.." Preet started and looked up, but instantly stopped when she saw that Manu was standing shirtless. Before Manu could get a word out, Preet started to scream. Panicked, Manu ran towards her and instantly covered her mouth with his hand cutting her screams.
"Preet relax. Please don't shout. People will misunderstand" Manu pleaded " Loog mujhe jooto se marenge" But Preet didn't listen and just struggled in his grasp. Placing both her hands on his chest, Preet pushed Manu with all her might, making him stumble. Manu stumbled and tripped over his kurta and out of reflex grabbed Preet pulling her with him. Both of them fell, with Preet on top of Manu. Manu looked up worriedly, was about to say something but held back when he saw that Preet was staring at him. Manu face went crimson. He had never been so close to a girl and didn't know what to do, should he push her aside or ask her to get off of him Preet eyes travelled from his chest to his face. Their eyes met and if possible Manu face went even redder.
"Yaara is everything ok? I heard a scream..." Rajveer barged into the room. But halted in his track at what he saw. His face changed from worry to rage in seconds. He stormed towards Manu and pushed Preet aside rather harshly. He pulled Manu up and grabbed his neck. "How dare you" Raj snarled, he brought up his fist to hit him, but Preet quickly pushed Raj away from him
"Stop, why are you hurting Shah Ji" Preet yelled at Raj accusingly.
" Wait! Wasn't he hurting you?"
"No" Preet suttered,
Raj looked at both of them, "Oh, now I get it "
"Yaara.."
" Why? How could you do this." Raj whispered his voice sounding brittle.
"No, Yaara.." Manu said in a soft voice. Raj was witfuly missunderstanding the whole situation . He put his hand on Raj shoulder, but Raj shrugged him off.
"How could you I thought you were my friend! How could you flirt with PapaJi!!"
"What the heck!!!" Manu shrieked, "Are you out of your bloody mind!!"
"Since when is this going on!!I should have known this. Even the other day you were hugging h--"
"Eww...Raj please stop!" Manu cringed. This was not what Manu had expected . What made Raj think that he would flirt with Harjeet of all people!? The very idea made him sick, wanting him to throw up "Are you drunk or something"
"I'm not drunk! It's not me its you who is out of his mind" Raj rebuked pointing an accusing finger at him "You knew about my feelings yet you did this?"
"I didn't did anything. Mohini unke peche padi thi. Mein nahi!!"
Raj just gapped at Preet "Mohini too was...Uss chudail se aur kya umeed ke ja sakti hai.. but you! I never expected this from you. I'll NEVER forgive you" with that Raj pounced on Manu and started to wrestle with him. Preet tried to stop them but all in vain. She never imagined that the moron would actually believe that her name is PapaJi!! Preet stopped when she heard somebody coming. If anyone see her with these too, then... Preet quickly ran and hid in the bathroom
"What's going on--" Raavi rushed inside the room. She cried in horror at what she saw getting both Raj and Manu attention. Raj was on top of Manu trying to strangle him with Manu trying to push him off. But Raavi gravely misunderstood the position. "Chi! Rajveer so... you...with this guy "
"No no no. Chachi Ji you're missunderstanding." Raj quickly got off of Manu"Its not what you are thinking"
"Toh mein aur kya samjhu?! You are on top of a -Shirtless- man. And that also on the bed. Raab ji. Ghore kalyug!" With that Raavi ran out of the room calling Amba.
"No Chachi. Please wait!!!" Raj rushed out of the room, after Ravi. Preet came out of the bathroom. Manu gave her a questioning look, at that Preet just shrugged. "What the hell is going on!" Manu cried out holding his head in his hand
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Btw Manu is not gonna fall for Preet yet ...not so soon. What he was feeling for her was just infatuation( is that what its called? 😆) And in my ff Manu is inexperienced😛 Sorry for All the grammatical errors.
comment:
p_commentcount