Meri Chandani - Shadows Of The Past

C H A P T E R - V

M E E T - R U D E

"Sach keh raha hun bhai, mumma aapki shaadi kara ke hi manengi is baar!" While the entire Mathur family was busy in doing preparations for starting the pooja, and Mrs. Vashisht and Manya tried their best to help, the men of the Vashisht family stood by the side, having their own banter, as Abhi teased Atharva to entertain himself through getting a reaction from him.

"Zabardasti thodi hai Abhi, Avi bada hogaya hai, apne decision lesakta hai? Kyun Avi?" Akarsh spoke up, joining the conversation while Mr. Vashisht was busy eyeing the sweets which were prepared as prashaad and were placed at the table.

"Stop it guys, subah se ek hi baat sun raha hun!" Atharva whined, and looked away, he could see Aarushi playing with Manav, and it brought a smile to his lips and that is when he heard the sound of anklets, they were coming from the stairs, and as he looked up, he saw her, the girl from the other day, who managed to give The Atharva Vashisht an earful on the road. 'Is she Devika?' he wondered with an amused face, the sounds of her anklets got louder and louder as she ascended down the stairs, step by step, the sunlight peeping through the windows on the staircase wall fell upon her face, and her skin shined under it, ever so magically, her long brownish-black locks flowing down her head, just like beautiful waves of the ocean, there was something about her, that had him rooted to his place, as she came closer and closer, she was dressed ever so beautifully in a extremely beautiful royal blue suit, paired with matching parallel pants and a dupatta, her neck and ears were adored with shimmering yet minimalistic silver jewelery, but the glow of nothing could match the glow on her face, her eyes were tightly shut close, as if she was pretending that no one would see her if she keeps them close, her rosy lips were pressed together, her cute button nose and cheeks had a pink tint upon them, only God knows if it was just her makeup or a blush out of embarrassment.

'But why is she so scared?' He couldn't stop wondering when his trance was broken by her badi maa's voice, "Lo, aagayi Devika!".

And by the next moment she was here with a smile on her lips, greeting everyone and seeking blessings from his parents as she was introduced to them, how can she be the same girl who taught him a good lesson on the road the last time when he almost knocked her down? He could not believe his eyes, but this seemed exiting. She looked so much like a mystery, was that her real self? And if yes how can someone be so harsh one day and the other day so soft? Just like a cotton ball.

"Pooja shuru karein?" Pandit ji's words were like relief to Devika's ears, as by the time she was introduced to everyone else from the Vashisht family, except him, and well she didn't even want to be introduced to him, he looked much calm and composed today unlike how she met him before. It was his fault and he did not even utter a sorry to her. Is he just mean like that? Will she be married to a man who would hurt her and would not even care? But his personality doesn't seem like that, nor does those deep eyes, they look so full, so full of care and compassion as he looks at others from his family or even greets or speaks to hers, they are full of excitement and joy when they look at the kids. Is he really a 'khadus' person? An ungrateful rich brat?

Even if he is it, he should be thankful he doesn't even look like it when he smiles, that smile seems to be too bright and adorable to be coming from a person who doesn't care. But why was he like that before then? Why was he a complete jerk to her? He almost killed her, and it was clearly his fault, but he did not seem to care at all, not even enough to give her his hand to hold and stand up from the road. She was embarrassed infront of so many, just because he was overspeeding.

"Atharva, Devika you two should sit together. Haina maa?" The pooja rituals were beginning, panditji had already lit the fire to begin the hawan and all the essentials for the ritual were present, hence every one could finally be seated on the mats placed around, to be a part of the pooja. The elders sat next to the pandit ji, and he requested all the couples to be seated together and that's when Manya spoke up, as she noticed Devika and Atharva took their seats in two different corners.