"Chal Sanam! Upar guest room mein chalein aur yeh saari cheezein freeze mein rakh aayein..", Imli goes to call Bela from Badi Rani Maa's room.
Imli looks at Badi Rani Maa in a way as if asking permission.
"Haan! Chali jao magar jaldi hi aana. Aaj tumse apne pairon ki maalish bhi karwani hai.", she grants permission unwillingly.
Imli gets a tray with some snacks and stuffs like some cold drink bottles and fruits. Sanam carries tray and Imli other stuffs to stock in upper guestroom.
"Yahan koun rehta hai?", Bela asks.
"Koi mehmaan aayi hain, Mahir baba ki. Unhi ke liye kamra set kiya hai. Badi Rani Maa ne kaha tha ke unka freeze khaane peene ki cheezon se bhar doon taki unhe kisi cheez ki kami nahi ho.", Imli tells her.
Bela walks to balcony window. In the darkness of night, SS Palace's light brightened the place. In lawn, Mahir was sitting on the bench with a girl in a good distance. Both were talking happily.
The girl's face glows in the bright light as she's replying him all smiling, dark curly hair braided, a thick framed specs, chikankari kurta with denim and light muffler.
"Chalo ab chalein..", Imli has settled the room.
"Suno! Yeh ladki koun hai?", looking intently at them, Bela asks.
"Koun...Yeh?", Imli pauses a little then peeks - "Yahi toh mehmaan hai Mahir baba ki. Suna hai kaafi ameer hain. Yahan ki auraton aur bachchon ko padhane ka intezaam rakha hai. Saath hi muft ilaaj bhi karwa rahi hain."
Bela walks down the stairs thinking about it.
*
"Suno ladki! Paon daba do humare! Phir humein sone ki tayyari karni hai.", Badi Rani Maa commands her while Bela was in a deep thought.
Listening her, she quickly replies, "Jee nahi! Main aapke paon nahi daba rahi. Mujhe khud bahot neend aa rahi hai."
Badi Rani Maa shocks hearing a clear no, "Aye!! Kya hua tumhe? Humari wajah se yahan teeki hui ho, samjhi! Warna kab ka humara Mahir tumhe nikal chuka hota."
"Shouk se nikal dein! I don't care! Main koun sa yahan khushi aur chain se jee rahi hoon.", she snorts. Her pretty heart wanted to screw off all her plans and show her real identity to everyone and then enjoy their expressions but...
"Tumhare din gine jaa chuke hain ladki! Bahot achcha kha-pee liya tumne!", Yashoda Sehgal threats her.
Bela rolled to her side, only to face his portrait, that trickster's. A enlarge sized picture, his eye as if staring at her only. His gorgeous shade eyes, mysterious eyes! It seems as if those eyes wants to unfold some mysteries..
( Portrait reference : Chapter 11)
'Why she always feel that maybe he knows her since a long time?? Had he seen her or met her? But when?'
She tries a lot to think about it but nothing to clear up.
"Jab maine use nahi dekha kabhi, toh usne mujhe kaise dekha hoga! I'm just overthinking as always!", she consoles her heart but again thinking about him make her goosebumps erupt.
"Badtameez! Rude! Khud ko smjhta kya hai! Shehar ki ladkiyan aisi, bahar ki waisi! Khud toh jaise... Hmph!! Khud hi kisi achchi ladki ke qaabil nahi! Huh!!", she sniffles a little, gaping at his portrait. Then she lays straight, neither left nor right! Blanket directly over her head.
"Argh! Mahirrrrr! What the fuck!"
*
"Aur yeh raha tumhara suit!!", Sumitra forwards her a red and black bright reshmi suit which she takes half-heartedly.
It's little Ridya's birthday and Sumitra Sehgal has been beaming, distributing new clothes to all maids and servants. All servants shower blessings on them while she stands silently in a corner.
"Mom! Mrinal bhi yahan par hain. Unhein bhi toh gift dena chahiye na..", suddenly Paridhi remembers about Mrinal who's staying here due to her project.
"Kya ho raha hai?", at the time, Mrinal enters. Greeting them cheerfully, she sits on a sofa. Black silk pant, off white embroidered shirt and shawl around one shoulder, she looked simply elegant, Bela noticed.
"Arey! Mrinal.. Aao! Abhi tumhe hi yaad kar rahein the hum! Meri Ridu ka isi week birthday hai. Just isi matter pe tumahre gift ke baare mein baat kar rahe the.", Paridhi informs her smilingly.
"Arey! Par gift toh mujhe dena chahiye na Princess Ridu ko.", Mrinal replies.
Bela's eyes stared her and mind replayed what Mahir said, 'achchi, genuine aur beautiful'.
"Toh yeh Miss. Mrinal khoobsurat hain janab ki nazron mein! Baal toh bilkul ghonsle(nest) jaise hain.. Haan skin hi toh saaf hai lekin meri skin se zyada fair aur glowing nahi. Mera toh yahan ke atmosphere mein aa kar complexion dull ho gaya hai. Warna bua mujhe doodh-malai se bani aise hi thodi kehti hain...", A strong wave of jealousy ran down her spine that she unwantedly sat down to compare herself with Mrinal.
"Mrinal ke liye toh maine special gift tayyar karwaya hai!", Sumitra sprinkled salt over someone's wound.
"Kyun bhai! Mrinal ke liye special tohfa kisliye?", he who heard his mother, asks sitting beside her.
Brown jacket with white tee and dark trousers, black leather shoes on fair feet. Bela's poor heart! He looked breathtaking.
"Mrinal humari mehmaan hai! Doosra, humare ilaaqe ki behtari ke liye kaam kar rahi hain. Humari khushiyon mein inka shaamil hona bahot hi khushi ki baat hai.", Sumitra praises her and orders a maid - "Jao! Mere room se almirah mein rakha box le aao."
"Really! God blesses so many people with money but only few have guts to invest it for the welfare of people. Mrinal is one of them.", Mahir smiles.
"Yeh sahi kaha tumne Mahir! Mrinal aap bahot hi nek kaam kar rahi hain.", Paridhi chimes.
"Lo faltu mein baap ki daulat par social work karke itni izzat aur taarifein sametna kounsa badi baat hai." - she is burned again - "Chahun toh main bhi aisa programme shuru kar sakti hoon, mere bhi account mein bahot paise pade hain..", she doesn't know why she's angry!
Maid has brought the box.
Sumitra handed her an expensive stylish dress with a pair of beautiful bracelet, "Yeh lein, beta! Ridya ki khushi mein yeh chhota sa gift qubool karein."
"Aunty! Yeh bahot zyada hain. Bas yeh dress hi kaafi thi na.", Mrinal hesitates a little.
"Achcha yeh zyada hai? Aur woh kam hota hai jo aap humare liye lati hain. After every donor conference you bring me any imported product always..", Mahir raises an eyebrow trying to make her remember something.
"Achcha janab! Lati toh sab kuch hoon par aap raja sahab, kounsa humare tohfe qubool karte ho??", Mrinal frines turning to Sumitra - "Aunty aapke bete itne rude aur formal hain ki jab bhi main foreign se kuch lati hoon yeh fauran inqaar kar dete hain."
"Kyun galat bol rahi hain, ek baar aapse woh perfume liya toh tha.", Mahir rubs his head embarrassedly.
"Oh! Toh gifts exchange bhi hota rehta hai yahan.. Waah!!", Bela's anger has seemed to burst her heart.
"Mrinal - Mrinal - Mrinal, jise dekho Mrinal.. Agar itni hi pasand hai Mrinal toh use hi ghar ki rani bana lein, mere Baba ko kyun uljha rakha hai..", stomping her feet she leaves to Badi Rani Maa's room.
_____________________________________
YOU ARE READING
AROUND YOU ✔️
FanfictionIt's the story of Bela who is a modern free willed girl stuck in an arrange marriage proposal from a rural landlord royal family. The supposed groom is the son of her father's best friend. What Bela does to come out with reasons to reject this propo...
