The Royal Mess

Lost Love

"Choti see what I..." She walked up the five steps of the porch, her left hand carefully guarding the Diya she held in her right hand and her eyes fell on him. She would never miss his presence. Pratap stared back, at the one with a wide-eyed expression like she saw a ghost. A faint smile appeared on the corner of his lips. It felt like forever since he had seen that face. Only the happy chirpy one he knew was replaced by a serious face. She didn't expect him there, even when her heart longed to see him. He was still the same. Only became more handsome than the face she saw popping on the TV before she changed the channel every time. Pratap smirked. Haan, I still have some effects on her. She gulped down a lump and composed herself as every pair of eyes went to and fro like a war was on. The relatives were all whispering.

"Heard he left her."

"Of Course he had, childhood romances look like mistakes when people grow up."

"He is a Royal." 

" And she is no princess unlike..."

The whispers made their rounds and renewed a five-year-old gossip.

"Choti! Why are unwanted people being invited to the wedding?" She addressed her sister like no one else existed making the whispers die out, and her friends looked at each other a little taken aback. They had expected her to talk to her sister but not like this, in front of the Problem Himself.

"Ajabdeh!" Her mother exclaimed, shocked. "Listen to me..."

"Oh looks like she isn't the one inviting unwanted people alone!" She silenced her mother. "I am paying for the wedding and no one checked the guest list with me?" She appeared miffed more by his smirk. Even when she didn't look up at his face she knew he was smirking. She knew him too well. But... Did she?

"It's my wedding Jija I can...." Heer stopped at the cold stare. 

"Of course, you can Choti, but that doesn't mean anyone would just show up, but then some people lack self-esteem." Ajabdeh kept down her offerings at the centre table like she would break the marble table and stomped up the stairs without sparing him a glance. She could still feel his gaze follow her amongst a hundred others. Pratap smiled faintly. She knew he did, even without looking at him. That taunting smile made her burn in rage. The gossip buzz started again.

" Mausi, I was also thinking of settling down..." Pratap smiled as Hansa added, "That's good. You should now." Eyeing her daughter, Hansa was not sure what Pratap was actually doing. The stomping stopped halfway at his words as the group stared up to see her look down at him. He looked up at her twinkling eyes and his heart still skipped a beat.

Five years ago, Delhi.

"I have decided..." Pratap was lying on the grass looking up at the sky. 

"What...?" She frowned a little lost, looking up from her novel. 

"That I will marry you." He smiled at her surprised face as she blushed red but composed herself from showing him.

"Are you drunk, Princy?" She shook her head with a smile.

"Ohho! Stop calling me that! Does anyone here even know Surajgarh exists?" He frowned.

"I do. I have been there." She spoke with an intelligent nod. "People there address you properly."

"Wow and?" He taunted as Ajabdeh ignored it and closed her book at the bookmarked page.

"I have met everyone there. Girja Dhai, Ranaji, Ranima..." She smiled reminiscing.

"Even Papa used to say that when uncle or you called him Ranaji and that made him so awkward." Pratap reminded her.