SS: A sacrifice for friendship- Tenth chapter updated - Page 7

Pammi Dixit turned out to be a very sweet and cute girl. Preet liked her immediately. Amba was talking to her parents in very matter of fact way. After it turned out to be a yes from her parents (very surprising!!!!! Considering the way that they were trying to please Amba!!!!), Amba made her wear the shagun ki kangan. Contrary to her prior plans Amba made Mannu and Sukhi come there to meet the bride. Sukhi seemed smitten at the first sight. Preet was surprised by her brother's reaction. He had all the beautiful girls of the pind swooning after him and never ever had she seen such gentleness in his eyes for anyone. "So, Ambaji when will you like the marriage?" Pammi's father asked Amba. "I was hoping the engagement ceremony to be conducted tomorrow if you don't have any problem and the marriage..." "SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE" an excited Sukhi cut Amba off. Mannu and Preet dissolved into laughter while Pammi blushed and rest of her clan grinned. Amba gave a strained laugh forcefully and said "I think he can't wait". Preet knew trouble was brewing for Sukhi when they got home. Amba didn't like people talking in between when she was talking. According to Amba, her stern image in front of the girl's family was spoilt. Preet didn't know why she would feel that way but then her mother's logic didn't exactly match with hers.

*Next day @ Pavanya House *

Raj and his family members were invited into the house with due respect. Raj's eyes scanned the hall. For once his eyes weren't seeking Preet. Randhir was at the centre of the hall, talking with Sukhi. More than once his eyes travelled to where Preet was standing with Gunjan. There was a vessel filled with water with candles and rose petals on the surface near Randhir. Raj had a mad desire to go and empty it on the guy's head. "OMG... He's here... Your hero" Sakshi said to an irate Preet. Preet didn't fully understand why but suddenly she was finding Sakshi's flirting comments on boys and giggling very irritating. Not all boys just...just Raj. Which was dumb as she didn't even know the guy properly. It's just the fact that I am going to marry him, no one would like it if someone was commenting on her fiance...that's it. Preet convinced herself. What should she call him anyway? Raj ji seems a little weird. But that was how she was obligated to call him. "OMG OMG OMG... He's coming here!!!! Gods he's sooo hot... Totally...

I think I am going to faint from heatstroke... He's that hot!!!" Sakshi squealed as Preet pinched her. She winced in pain but then thankfully shut up. Raj smiled at her. Preet almost smiled but ended up giving him a pleasant look. She was going to behave herself, so he better too. "OMG... If I was lucky enough to be betrothed to you, then I wouldn't be standing like this idiot here. It would have been our honeymoon right now!!!! Ouch!!!! Ow Preet it's hurting... I was only speaking the truth you know!!!" she gave Raj a very sloppy look while Preet removed her foot from Sakshi's toe. Preet wished the earth would swallow her right now. Maybe he won't judge her by the company she keeps. One has to be optimistic. Raj was watching Sakshi's idiocy and Preet's embarrassment with an amused expression. "Sakshi, go eat something. Now" Preet ordered. "Oh I am not hungry... You know Raj... We should totally get to know each other" Sakshi started trying her luck again to get Raj's attention. Raj was barely paying attention to her. He was studying the lovely face in front of him, blushing deeper and deeper each time her friend uttered a word. "Sakshi, leave us alone!!!! Right now!!!!" Preet snapped. Sakshi huffed. "Fine!!!". She turned around facing Raj "I'll be around okay...". She went and disappeared in the crowd. "Sorry about her... She's a bit... She's not bad actually..." Preet stuttered. Raj checked out the way her lips moved when she talked. Cute!!! "Hmm, I have to tell you something..." Raj said suddenly. Preet listened horrified as she heard what he overheard on Gunjan's roka ceremony. "Oh my God, what is Randhir ji planning? That too against my family... He's Mannu Veerji's friend... Why would he do something like this?" Preet said totally upset. Raj felt touched that she didn't for at least one second questioned his honesty. "Raj ji... Woh main" Preet started as Raj's weird expression cut her off. Raj's mind went into overdrive. Ewww, Raj ji???? That was so totally not how he imagined her calling him. He wanted her to take his name with desire and love not how a student talked with the teacher. "I prefer Raj if you don't mind" Raj told her as she nodded. "Raj..." she said slowly. He was delighted. He loved the sound of her saying his name and how her pretty lips formed his name. His heart swelled with possessiveness over this gentle creature whom he sought to make his own. They gently did some chit-chat after that which put Preet under ease.

Sanjana called Preet to come with her. "What happened?" she enquired to Sanjana. "Papaji has asked all the family members to assemble in the room upstairs" Sanjana replied looking tensed. As Preet looked around after reaching the room she saw that Randhir was also present along with her family. Gunjan was looking completely stunned and in shock as her eyes were filled with unshed tears. Mannu patted Gunjan's head as the tears spilled out. She didn't make a single noise and it worried Preet. She went and put her arm around her sister, hugging her. "What happened?" She enquired to no-one in particular. Jagan was looking angry and Amba seemed tensed. Mannu and Sukhi's expression scared Preet. They looked like they would murder someone. "Uncle ji I wanted to wait after Sukhi's engagement but you were gonna give them the property papers now itself. So I knew I would have to stop it" Randhir said to Jagan. Mannu showed Preet and Sanjana a video recording of Aman and a prostitute talking about his marriage with Gunjan. He said the marriage was one of convenience. He would carry on visiting the brothel like before. If he marries Gunjan he would rule over the Pavanya clan. Preet made Mannu stop the video. She had heard enough and was feeling sick. Pity shook her as she took in her sister's condition. Amba made Jagan promise that he won't lose his temper while talking to the Pahujas and calling off the wedding as it will affect their reputation. As her parents went down Randhir told Mannu, Sukhi and Preet in front of Gunjan how he planned to expose Aman with the help of an accomplice. Preet remembers how Raj told her what he overheard. Suddenly Randhir was talking in an intense voice. He told Mannu, "don't worry about her reputation or life. I'll take care of her, if you let me. I love Gunjan. I have always loved her. When she liked the other guy I didn't say anything as she can have her own opinion and likes. And I am way older than her. But I couldn't let her marry a creep". Preet gaped at him. This was really unexpected. Randhir bend on his knees next to Gunjan. "please don't think I am taking advantage of the situation. I really love you. If you marry me, I will protect you till I am alive. I will love and respect you till death do us part. I won't force you into my life. Whatever your decision is I'll accept it gracefully". At this, Sukhi and Mannu along with Sanjana grabbed Preet and led her downstairs to let Gunjan and Randhir talk. Preet felt optimistic as Mannu explained the latest developments to their parents. Randhir was a really nice guy. If Gunjan didi said yes, he will keep her very happy. Jagan hoped Gunjan will accept the proposal as forcing her would be out of question as Randhir won't permit it. Randhir was really rich and it would be a lottery. After a while Randhir came downstairs holding Gunjan's hand visibly shining with happiness and Gunjan seem to smile through tears. Preet felt her sisterhood love raise and swallow her as a whole. She didn't feel jealous of Gunjan. In fact she was happy for her sister. She had an infatuation towards Randhir. But all that he's done for her family and his love for her sister defined him in a completely new light to her. Feelings of brotherly love, thousand times stronger than her infatuation instilled in her.

Raj was surprised when Randhir's marriage with Gunjan was announced suddenly. People talked but they will find new gossip within two days. Surprisingly Preet sought him out after the engagement alone. She breathed deeply and told him the events that occurred prior to Gunjan's betrothal with Randhir. She looked so happy at the moment, he was sure that there was nothing between her and Randhir. He felt guilty for doubting Randhir, such a decent guy... Oh so, he was staring at Gunjan who was standing next to Preet. Raj felt that he was such an idiot. "Thank you... You know... You were concerned about my family..." she said awkwardly. "My pleasure, Soniyo..." The intense moment suddenly broke and everything was back to normal between them or as normal as it ever was. "You know when we get married..." Raj said as she cut him off. "IF we get married" she said cheekily. Her eyes held an open challenge. "We'll see Soniyo..." Raj laughed as she swept away from him. Hmm... She still thinks of him as a headache... But now she'll have to endure this headache till the end of her life... He'll make sure of that... She was still unachievable or at least her heart was... She was friendlier to him than before by seeing his consideration towards her family... That wasn't much but that was something... It's definitely a start... Beta, Raj Mission : Preet Pavanya starts now... You'll have to woo her till she succumbs to your charms... Girls are like roses... Once beauty fades they are of no use... His friend in London had told him... But then there are some roses that one keeps in the life's diary, preserving their colour and form and leave the fragrance to linger in one's mind forever... The page where the rose lives will be the one page you'll always stop at to find solace while flipping through miseries... The rose that one keeps close to the heart... He has found it... Preet Pavanya... His rose... He'll make her his own at any cost... As one's life should be their own and she was his life...