Kahaaniyan: Moran OS Collection

10- Attention

ATTENTION:

"Uh... Monami?" A voice said, halting the table's conversations as everyone looked up. A cadet- Mayank- was standing there, his hands behind his back, bouncing nervously back and forth.

"Yes?" His girlfriend said.

Mayank paused for a second, before he thrusted out a rose in front of her. "Aap mujhe bahut achhi lagti hain, Monami", he blurted out. "I really, really love you. Aap mere saath date par chalogi?"

Karan's jaw clenched, staring at him in disbelief. Their relationship wasn't officially out, but didn't everyone know that Monami was... his?

"Mayank... I am sorry. Main... main kisi aur se pyaar karti hoon", she said. "I am sorry."

This was the second time this week. This week! What the hell? She was beautiful and sweet and kind but this was ridiculous.

He deflated. "Aap jisse bhi pyaar karti hain, Monami, wo insaan bahut kismat waala hai. Agar kabhi usne aapko achhe se treat nahi kara, toh mujhe bhi yaad kar sakti hain aap."

Karan stared after him in disbelief as he walked away, shaking his head slightly. He glanced at his girlfriend, finding him glancing at Mayank in concern.

"Mujhe kaam hai. Baad mein milta hoon", he muttered, tossing the rest of his coffee back as he stood up.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Kya hua, Janaab?" Faizi said. "Shakal par 12 kyun baje hue hain aapke?"

"Teri bakwaas sunne ka mood nahi hai mera", he snapped.

"Humne toh kuchh kaha hi nahi, Karan. Tumhaara aur Monami Tsunami ka jhagda ho gaya hai kya?"

He glared at him. "Mera aur uska jhagda kyun hoga? Kuch bhi mat bol."

"Hua kya hai phir? Tum subah se..." He trailed off, tilting his head. "Karan, tum kya uss baat par chidhe hue ho ki Mayank ne Monami ko propose kara?"

Karan slammed his hand down on the wall next to his bed. "Uski himmat kaise hui Monami ko propose karne ki?"

Faizi shook his head. "Karan... tum itna kyun gussa ho rahe ho? Monami ne mana kara toh."

"Faizi! Yaar, yeh doosra ladka hai iss hafte mein. Tu sun raha hai? Iss hafte mein! Jahan jaati hai har jagah koi na koi try hi maare jaata hai."

He rolled his eyes. "Wo sundar hai, sweet hai, kind hai, toh ladke toh notice karenge hi."

He sighed in frustration. Faizi sighed, sitting down on his bed.

"Yaar, Faizi, kitne log uske peechhe mar rahe hain. Mujhe aisa lag raha hai jab se mujhe realize hua hai ki main usse pyaar karta hoon, tab se sab ko wo itni appealing lagne lagi hai. Wo Aneesh, KD, yeh stupid Mayank. Matlab, kitne!?"

Faizi chuckled, shaking his head. Karan stared at him in disbelief.

"Tujhe hasi aa rahi hai?"

"Janaab, aap Kartik ko bhool gaye. Wo waala jisne 4 din pehle use propose kara."

He laughed as Karan clutched his neck, gritting his teeth in frustration, shaking him. "Duniya naa bhula doon tujhe main."

"Arey, Karan, wo tumse pyaar karti hai, toh tumhe kis baat ki chidh?"

"Chup kar. Teri waali attitude aur thappad deti hai baaki sab ko toh koi try nahi maarta, isliye tujhe pata nahi. Meri waali, na, uske liye bura feel karti hai jisko wo reject karti hai. Toh sabko lagta hai 'kya problem hai? Try karke dekhte hain.' Tujhe wo KD yaad hai? Monami ko dekhkar ek minute ke liye uski bolti band ho gayi. Dushman tak uspar try maar rahe hain."

"Haan, toh tum bhi to try maar rahe ho", Faizi said.

"Oh hello! Main try nahi maar raha hoon. Wo already meri girlfriend hai", he snapped. "Pyaar karti hai wo mujhse."

"Wo hi toh hum keh rahe hain."

"Kya keh raha hai tu?"

"Yeh ki wo tumse pyaar karti hai. Naa ki in ladkon se jiski list jo tumne ginaayi hai. Kya farak padta hai ki ek aur pasand karta hai ya sau?"

"Sau?" He muttered, shuddering a little.

"Point samjho, Janaab. Wo tumse pyaar karti hai, na? Yeh Aneesh, Mayank, inse use ghanta farak nahi padta."

He sighed, nodding. "Ek baar yeh training khatam hone de, main apna aur Monami ka relationship open mein declare kar doonga. Uske baad, kisi ko paas nahi aane doonga. Aakar dekhe, wheelchair par waapas jaayega."

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"... Aur tumhe main apne best friend Gappu se bhi milaoongi", Monami was saying, gently caressing the leaves of a plant. He smiled slightly, seeing her walk around the terrace. She kept the plant down, spraying some water on it.

Karan hugged her from behind, making her jump lightly. A smile lit up her face as she tilted her head back, looking up at him.

"Hi", she muttered. He released her as she turned in his embrace, smiling back at her. "Late ho gaye?"

"Batra Sir ke saath meeting thi", he replied. "It went longer than I expected."

"Anything serious?"

"Bas... kaam", he muttered. "Tum batao. Din kaisa tha?"

She shrugged. "Normal", she said. "Kuchh khaas nahi hua."

His mind flickered back to the morning proposal. His eyebrows furrowed. "Kuchh nahi?"

"Nahi", she said. "Kyun?"

"Aur wo... jo Mayank ne tumhe propose kara, uska kya?"

She shrugged. "Uska kya?" She said. She shook her head. "Wo important nahi hai, Karan. Main poore din se tumse nahi mili aur tumhe uske baare mein baat karni hai?"

"Tumhe kya baat karni hai phir?" He muttered, leaning closer.

Her phone rang, and he sighed, releasing her. Her eyebrows furrowed as she read the message. "Look down from the terrace?" She read aloud, walking over to the edge.

Karan's eyes widened, seeing Kartik standing there with a board saying 'Will you go on a date with me?'

"Tumne toh isko mana nahi kar diya tha?" Karan asked.

"Haan", she muttered, staring at the board in surprise.

Karan closed his eyes, irritation bubbling in him. He grabbed his gun and Monami's eyes widened, as he cocked it.

"Karan!" She kept a hand on his. "Kya kar rahe ho?"

"Target practice, Monami", he said. "Ek baar mana kar diya tumne. Doosri baar ise main target practice ke liye use karoonga."

"Karan!"

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