The Royal Match Making

Friends with Secrets

"So basically that was the longest relationship I ever had! If you call it that!" with a chuckle Pratap sipped his Beer. "Six months!" "Umm... that too in school!" Shakti pointed out.

"You! You had no girls in life dude!" Pratap patted his brother as Ajabdeh gasped "Not even one!"

"Par ... Kyun?" Ajabdeh frowned as Shakti eyed Heer inspecting her orange juice. "Koi mili nahi." He shrugged with a warm smile.

"Aww! Gay toh nahi ho na tum?" Ajabdeh giggled as Heer said a soft astonished "Jija!" "It's okay..." Shakti shook his head. "That's just juice."

"Pardon?" Heer frowned realising he had noticed she hadn't sipped on it yet.

"Ahem!" Pratap smiled as Ajabdeh was still between her jokes and giggles. "Kaisi ladki chahiye tumhe Batao!?" She frowned. Pratap noticed Heer who now took a sip with a lingering smile.

"Ha ha Shakti, tell me, Kaisi ladki chahiye." Ajabdeh insisted again, her voice a little soggy from the alcohol.

"Jo forever pe believe karti ho." He shrugged, making someone stop at her drink. "For starters." He stopped as his sibling and Ajabdeh laughed.

"Forever is a myth!" Ajabdeh sipped at the last drop of her drink. "Trust me!"

"I agree." Pratap raised his almost empty beer can at Ajabdeh.

"It's not when you find the right person you know!" Shakti shrugged defensively.

"Urgh! Too much! And who is your right person Shakti?" Ajabdeh insisted, "Tell me about her."

"Umm I dunno...." He kept down his drink on the centre table thinking "I guess jo apne se pehle dusro ki soche, jo apne family ko priorities de, someone with aim and morals."

"Hmm." Ajabdeh frowned thoughtfully.

"Someone who I feel I know...nowadays." Made Heer choke on her drink as Pratap gave her a napkin she took awkwardly. "Someone like a mirror to my soul." Shakti finished amidst the confusion.

"Umm... Ajabdeh... please tell him aise bandi books mein milte! He reads too much!" Pratap shook his head still suspiciously looking at Heer who got up and left to clean herself with a soft "Excuse me."

"Aree yaar." Ajabdeh frowned thoughtfully, "Main na... aisi bandi ko janti hoon!"

"Really?" Pratap smiled amused "Kaun hai woh?" He eyed his brother from the corner of his eyes as Shakti looked a little red.

"Wohi toh... I can't place it! Who is it?"

"Socho socho." Pratap was amused at her drunk state. "Socho....Who can it be yaar" "Umm dadabhai..."

"Hush! Let her think!"

"Ya Shakti, let me think! I will help you yaar!" "Kaun hai woh..." Pratap whispered almost at Ajabdeh's ears as she frowned. "yaad nahi.... Urgh!" Shakti seemed relieved as Pratap managed to give a soft chuckle.

"Kaun hai woh Shakti?" For the first time, he was teasing his little brother about a girl and he loved it!

At around half past midnight, they were sitting on the rooftop of the sleeping estate of Surajgarh, at the lounge area and minibar beside the rooftop pool, the favourite corner of Pratap's or so Ajabdeh had inferred. After dinner, and some planning and timings of the puja being discussed, as per plan they retired for the day, and later sneaked up to the rooftop courtesy of Shakti and Pratap. Ajabdeh was in her night casuals printed with watermelons although Heer insisted on wearing jeans rather than the comfy shorts she had chosen. Heer was in her comfortable Jeans teamed with a white Kurta and the boys in their casual tees and jeans.