"Veere, mummy ji wants us both to wear this similar kurtas to Gunjan's roka ceremony..." (Bajwa bros hawan clothes) Rohan stops short when he sees the view of his brother's room. His clothes were splattered everywhere. Every T-shirt he owned was thrown out of the wardrobe onto the floor. Every pair of jeans were on the sofa. All his traditional attire were sprawled on the bed. "What the... What is all this Raj?" Rohan asked his brother thunderstruck. Raj usually liked his things arranged well. Not that he never made a mess in his room but this was ridiculous. " Veerji, first I thought I'll go for a casual look 'he gestures to the sofa and floor i.e jeans and t-shirts respectively,' but then I thought that they will think I have no dressing sense, so ' he pointed at the bed to his traditional clothes' but the problem was that the last time I wore traditional attire was for your marriage. I haven't worn any since then. These are in good condition due to mummy but they don't fit well any longer. It's good that mummy bought a kurta for me too " he said happily. Rohan wanted to word something badly but he thought better of it. Ever since he saw Preet his brother was going crazy. If they have immediate marriage plans, his little bro and daddy, then he'll have to knock some sense into them. Preet was still a kid to Rohan. Admitted, she had more common sense than the nitwit she had for a sister, Gunjan. But Preet was roaming around in school uniform until a few months ago. Of course nobody in Preet's own household will care except for maybe her siblings and her.
While a battle goes on inside Rohan his brother is busy trying to remember his best pick-up lines. Or maybe he shouldn't flirt. She's brought up in a village after all... Makes a bad impression the first time. Should I take a gift??? Hmm.." veerji how about I get a gift for Preet?" he asked as his brother. Rohan gave him a weird look. "Take it slow dude, that worked out well for me and Simmi... So will it for you and Preet". Rohan decided to tell him about his fears regarding Preet. "Listen bro, you are roaming around completely smitten by just seeing her, and that too, you saw her only yesterday. Take it slow. Get to know her and her life. She's a bit young for marriage. So I reckon you wait a bit. But if circumstances don't allow and you end up marrying her then be a friend to her after marriage. Make her fall in love with you before you go to the next step, you know what I mean, she's not like your girlfriends that you had before. And dude, she's too innocent. Simmi was also innocent but she was older and in love with me so I could teach her. Hmm, you know what I mean... " Rohan turned red at the topic. Raj decided to spare him the embarrassment and of course he didn't want to hear what exactly his brother taught parchai. " I get what you mean, for example on our suhagraat I ask her to do something and she'll be like, why what is the point?" Rohan felt relieved. He didn't want to interfere with Raj's personal space but it will be better for his life if he handles the situation with cleverness. Relationship with the life partner depended upon mutual trust and understanding. Rohan sincerely hoped that Preet will be happy in this marriage. Even though they weren't close he adored her like a little sister right from the childhood.
* @ PAVANYA HOUSE *
Gunjan was being exceedingly difficult. Ever since the beauticians turned up she has been throwing tantrums and Preet was feeling like strangling her sister. Oh God, what now...she thought as Gunjan started whining about how the hair clips they were using on her weren't the ones with stones.
" You know, I am the bride... I have to look my best... So I want fancy clips"
"But ma'am, black clips won't show through and it will be nice for the hairstyle"
"Hmmm, give me darker shade of nail polish.. Okay that's nice... Oh, I don't like the brand. Show me another... How come you don't have any other brands... I want..."
'' SHUT UP " Gunjan's blabbering was cut off by Amba. Preet thanked the heavens that she was not in her sister's place. She quickly left the room as Amba scolded Gunjan. Preet had other things on her mind. She was waiting for a special guest to come. She took care of her appearance just for...him. Randhir... Randhir Varma... It was a few months back that she first met him. The Varmas were planning to open a hospital nearer to Gaguwal and the Bajwas and Pavanyas were potential investors. The only son of the Varmas, Randhir was most eligible bachelor around. He was hot, happening with loads of money. Preet knew that her feelings for him weren't deep. He barely talked to her at all. She had made herself invisible when he was around. She did like looking at him...she thought. Who wouldn't? But she never told anyone about her little bit more than friendly feelings towards Randhir. Not even her best friend Sakshi who was practically an expert on boys. She and Sakshi were complete opposites of each other but they stuck together since school. Sakshi's first reaction upon seeing Randhir on her visit to PH was ''Omigosh, Preet he's so hot... " Preet asked Sakshi to shut it. After a while Sakshi decided that Randhir was too old for either of them."He's like 33 or something... And we are eighteen... So we should be holding out for someone who is younger... They'll live longer and will be able to give us a hand with the kids..." Preet knew that Randhir was not 33 but 35. She knew it as his mother once told Amba her concern regarding his marriage.
Sakshi had arrived early for the roka and was now missing. Preet went in search of her. As she stepped out of the house to the roka venue she saw a guy in a red kurta with gold collar. He had his back towards her. Randhir...Her heart skipped a beat. Maybe she'll just exchange a sentence with him. He was in deep conversation with someone over the phone. He suddenly cut his phone and started looking through it. Preet hesitated. Slowly she went towards him and called "Randhir ji...". The guy turned around, his eyes widening as he took in her form. "You're not Randhir ji" she blurted out. The guy smiled an infuriating smile and asked "Will it please you if I was?". Preet started getting angry. "No, it won't" she replied swiftly. She recognised him suddenly. The flirt who almost knocked her down yesterday at the store. She knew that she couldn't say anything as he was a guest. He suddenly whispered "You look gorgeous".He looked over at her lehenga. It was peach coloured with gold threadwork. She spun around and left his company.
Raj watched her go. She was a bewitching sight, he thought quietly to himself. Who was Randhir? He hadn't missed the excitement in her eyes and the restlessness in her voice. He had to find out. And the sooner Preet knew who he, Raj, was, the better. She is his, he thought possessively. He can make her fall in love with him after marriage. Rohan veerji was right about one thing. She was too innocent. He could make her fall in love with him. He can woo her into falling for him. She was inexperienced but he wasn't. That was going to be an advantage.
The Pahujas were welcomed to the venue grandly. Preet did a jig with Sukhi on the song bole chudiyan. Raj took a video of her dance in his mobile. He started daydreaming about dancing with her until Rohan kicked him, efficiently bringing him back to reality. Jagan announced the arrival of his grandchild in a few months. Everyone was congratulating Mannu and Raj went forward to do the same. Mannu saw Raj's eyes wandering off in Preet's direction while he was talking to him. He cleared his throat and Raj looked away, embarrassed. Mannu smirked and beckoned Preet forward. Preet felt confused. Was that 'kagaz ke phool' a friend of Mannu's? she thought. Preet smiled at Mannu effectively turning away from Raj. "Preet, I suppose you already know him?"Mannu asked indicating Raj. Preet shook her head in negative. ''I suppose you know her?" he asked Raj. He shook his head indicating yes. Preet watched irritated as his eyes watched her, clearly interested in what he saw. Mannu opened his mouth to drop the bombshell " Preet, this is Raj,Raj Bajwa.. Your future spouse and our future damad... " Raj watched as her eyes widened with shock and horror. She controlled her expression but her pretty lips pressed together in anger. She looks furious, Raj thought. He studied her lovely profile assessing her emotions. He knew that she wanted nothing to do with him. But for Raj it didn't make the slightest difference... He intended to have her as his own. This firecracker had excellent qualities to be Mrs.Preet Raj Bajwa. He was sure, with her he'll never be bored for a single second of his life. Unless of course she was thinking of someone else. He had asked his father's men who Randhir was. The more he knew of Randhir Varma the less he liked him. Rich and handsome. Doesn't matter that he was too old for Preet. He'll have to ask her to be clear. Mannu left them to talk, he wasn't one to hover overprotectively. "So, is Randhir Varma your boyfriend?" he asked her. Preet scowled. "None of your business, butt out" Preet muttered thinking he can't hear her. "It is my business if we are getting married" he replied. He assessed her reaction. Definitely not a boyfriend...good. But maybe it's one sided from her direction. Preet fumbled, she hadn't expected him to hear what she said. But she didn't back down. "If we get married..." she put a stress on the 'if'. "Hmm, we'll see..." he challenged grinning to himself. Preet turned around and walked away from him. Raj laughed. How much will she run trying to escape from him. In every nook and corner he'll be there, waiting for her...
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