"Are, Meenakshi! Jaldi kar varna college ke liye late ho jayegi." Malini called happily.
Ab aap log yahi soch rahe honge ki ye chamatkar kab hua?
Vo aise ki,
Kyuki Valli ka rishta tai ho gaya hai vo bhi ek ameer aadmi ke saath. Bilkul jaise ki Malini chahti thi.
Toh us khushi ki vajah se Meenal ko bhi thoda break mil hi gaya Malini ki kit-pit aur taano se.
"Ji aai!" Meenal went downstairs with a smile on her face as always.
"Vo shaadi ki taarikh ke liye, Pujari ji se baat kar li?" Malini asked.
"Ji, unhone kaha ki shaadi ki taarik is navratri ki hai." Meenal replied.
"Bahut achha hai." Malini said.
"Ma, main kal mandir mein ek bhoj rakh lu. Apni salary se!" She asked a bit scared.
"Ha, ha! Jo tumhe thik lage." Malini dismissed her as she was happy for her daughter, Valli.
Meenal smiled brightly before she went to her room and made all the necessary calls for tomorrow's event.
______•••______
"Maa! Meri pant kaha hai?" Tanvir asked from his room.
"Nahi hai. Aaj mandir ja rahe hai, toh tumhe lungi pehenni hi padegi." His mother shouted back.
"Thik hai!" Tanvir quickly wore the lungi and went downstairs where his mother and Jay were waiting.
"Bhai! Aap mast lag rahe ho. Ek dam rowdy!" Jay commented, making Tanvir smile.
"Thank You, chhote." He ruffled Jay's hair before they left for the temple.
(Time Skip)
The three of them reached the temple, which was decorated beautifully.
Tanvir's family went inside, only to be greeted by Pujari ji.
"Pranam Pujari ji." The three joined their hands.
"Mahakaal aapka bhala kare." Pujari ji blessed. "Aap log yaha?" He asked.
"Ji, aaj Jay ka janam-din hai. Toh uske naam se archana karwani hai." Their mom explained.
"Pujari Baba, aaj kuchh khaas hai yaha jo pura mandir is tarah sajaya hua hai?" Jay asked innocently.
"Ji, asal mein aaj yaha pandit bhoj hai." Pujari answered.
"Oh!" Jay nodded.
They did their Pooja as Tanvir got a call. He excused himself to answer his phone.
"Hmm, thik hai. Main aata hu abhi." He hung up and turned around only to be bumped into someone.
He instinctively caught the person by his waist.
Another Person POV
Meenakshi was happy today because it was her mother's birthday.
And just like every year she used to threw a feast for Brahmins.
Now, she holded a tray of flowers for the god when she suddenly bumped into someone making the platter slip from her hands.
Meenakshi closed her eyes ready for the impact but it didn't came. She opened her eyes to stare into a pair of beautiful brown ones.
It was Tanvir, he caught her. It was quite a romantic scene for every other person cuz he was holding her by her waist and looking at each other while the flowers fell over both of them.
"Tum thik toh ho?" He asked in his deep voice, making her nod.
"Thank you." She replied.
"Mam! Aap thik toh hai?" Meenal turned to find Jay looking at her with worried eyes, making her smile.
Tanvir felt his heart flutter just by looking at her smile. It was so gorgeous.
"Are beta sambhal ke chalna chahiye na." A woman said, making Meenal furrow her brows.
"Aap~?" She asked.
"Main Jay aur is gadhe ki ma, jisne tujhe lagbhag gira hi diya tha." She said making Meenal bow down and touch her feet.
"Namaste kaki. Aur inki galti nahi hai, vo main hi dekh kar nahi chal rahi thi." Meenal stated.
"Jay aapke baare mein hamesha baat karta rehta hai. Ki uski Mam kitni achhi hai. Bahut shaitan bhi hai ye, agar kabhi pareshan kare toh isko achhi maar lagana, aap." She said, making Jay embarassed.
"Ma!" Jay whined.
"Are aisi baat nahi hai. Bahut hi sweet hai ye. Aur smart bhi. Class mein hamesha dhyaan deta hai." Meenal said while ruffling Jay's hair.
"Vaise Mam aap bahut achhi lag rahi hai. Aapka bhi birthday hai aaj?" Jay asked innocently.
"Nahi, actually Aaj meri Ma ka birthday hai. Aur har saal mein Mandir mein unke naam se bhoj rakhti hu." Meenal answered.
"Aapki Mom nahi aai, aapke saath?" Tanvir asked, making her smile fell before her eyes started getting teary.
"A.. actually vo, vo mujhe bahut saara kaam hai. Achha mein ab chalti hu." She said before she picked up the platter and ran away from there while wiping her eyes.
Tanvir got confused by her behaviour as he looked at Jay.
"Bhai! Aapne ye kyu puchha." Jay scolded him.
"Kyu kya hua?" Tanvir asked. "Bhai unki Ma ab is duniya mein nahi hai!" Jay answered making Tanvir's eyes widen.
"Tanvir, tujhe bilkul bhi akal nahi hai. Ja ab jaake usse maafi maang, khada kyu hai? Ja!" Tanvir's Mom pushed Tanvir a bit as he went behind Meenal.
He looked around the whole temple but, didn't find her. Finally, he reached the backyard of the temple where he didn't saw anyone.
Just as he was going to leave, he heard soft sobs from a corner.
He looked around the flower field, only for his eyes to soften as he looked at the balled-up figure of the girl.
He went near her and placed his hand on her shoulder making her flinch.
"A...aap?" She asked while hiccuping. Her eyes red and cheeks puffy making her look cute.
Tanvir sat beside her, "I'm sorry. Mujhe pata nahi tha~"
"Nahi, aapki galti n..nahi hai. Vo b..bas," Meenal said while wiping her eyes.
"Phir kyu ro rahi ho tum?" He asked.
"Bas vo aapne puchha toh mujhe unki yaad aa gayi." She replied. Tanvir looked at the shivering girl before he hugged her tightly.
"It's alright. Bas bas, kuchh nahi hua. Shh, shh." Tanvir consoled her. After a while, she calmed down he pulled apart as she sniffed.
"Thank you!" She said.
"Koi baat nahi senorita, aise bade bade sheher main chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rahti hai." Tanvir said in SRK style making Meenal laugh.
Tanvir just admired the laughing girl, "Tum hasti hui bahut achhi lagti ho." He said before he could stop himself.
Meenakshi looked at him as he cleared his throat, "Uh, I... I mean that..." He shuttered.
"Thank you. Aap ek bahut hi achhe insaan hai." Meenakshi said as she kissed his cheek before she ran from there, leaving a blushing Tanvir behind.
"Ye ladki toh mujhe maar hi dalegi." Tanvir mumbled with a smile.
______•••______
Abhi toh bas shuruaat hai Mr. Tanvir. Aage aage dekho hota hi kya...
Well, thank you chubs for reading my book and voting it.
It means a lot to me. I love you all!!!