The Land Rover with Surajgarh's emblem stopped at the now-constructed hotel area. Kunwar Pratap walked out in his usual blue work suit, secretly cursing himself for being late on Ajabdeh's first day. He had fallen asleep and if not for Ranima walking into his chambers, and telling him it was way past his office hours, he wouldn't have managed to be here at all today. He shook his head and walked in, only to stop at the sight in front of him. What a greeting indeed!
He nodded, approving the employees who greeted his presence, eyes fixed on the spot. Ajabdeh, in a white self embroidered kurti, denim and a multicoloured scarf around her neck had bunned up her hair with a pencil as a pin and looked rather simple, in her work 'avatar'. She had a pen tugged in between her lips as she checked out a file, Rukaiya was waiting for her approvals on the final designs of the interiors, and holding the file was none other than Shallavan Tanwar who looked extremely happy at Ajabdeh. He frowned and walked up to them rather quickly. Ruqaiya was the first to spot him there and greeted him with a smile. He eyed Tanwar at his greeting and Ajabdeh dismissed his presence altogether.
"Okay, this seems fine." Taking the pen out from between her lips she signed the papers.
"Oh Hi." She stared like she hadn't seen him there and suddenly a worry swept across her face "Brownie?"
"He is fine with Ranima, nothing to worry about." He spoke genuinely. "So what is this?" "My review." Tanwar smiled "From Ajabdeh."
"What..." Pratap frowned clueless to be intervened with Ajabdeh's "Where is Shakti?"
"He had gone to Delhi with Ranaji, they will be back tomorrow morning." made her frown. In that large mahal, without Shakti, seemed like Trouble with a big T with this one, looking so.... Handsome?!
"But what review?" He frowned again at Tanwar. Ruqaiya noticed his glares and walked away with a smile.
"I have finished my job, and she approved of the restorations and hence today is my last day, her review will help me later." He didn't ask me for a review! His last words
however made Pratap smile a genuine smile. "The rest is Rukaiya's work!" Tanwar added.
"Great, thank you." Pratap shook hands with the man "So when are you leaving?" Tanwar looked confused as Ajabdeh frowned "Not so soon ha?"
"Why not?" Tanwar would have asked the same but Pratap was quick with a frown.
"Aree, it's his farewell, and he's done a fabulous job!" Ajabdeh shrugged looking around. "Party toh banta hai!"
"Aree nahi nahi...." Tanwar looked awkward as Pratap glared at the girl rather disapprovingly.
She dismissed his stares with "Share a booze with us at least, invite him na Kunwarsa?" Her last words were sure to make Pratap choke at Kunwarsa but he was more concerned about the man in question as of now.
"I am sure that he has ... umm... lots of work pending back home to go back to..." "Yes, I..." Tanwar knew this man was not interested by now.
"Aree! Tomorrow is a Sunday! Idea." Her gleeful eyes scared the men a little "Why don't we accompany him to Udaipur for a night at the Pub and we will head back here! Ruqaiya can call Jalal too!" She seemed excited "Huh? Haa?"
"I... " Pratap wanted to find a quick excuse in vain. "Okay." He gave in to her excitement.
"Great Mr. Tanwar, we have your farewell party! From the Boss" She didn't notice the two men stare at each other rather awkwardly as she walked off saying "I need to check Ruqaiya's designs!"
Pratap stood in front of the mirror, being helped by one of the servants. He had chosen a rather ordinary-looking grey casual shirt with his denim and was inspecting his boots. Putting on the watch he stared at his reflection. Not in a desperate attempt to impress, the attire looked perfectly sexy as it clung to his well-shaped body. Setting his hair right, in a not-too-playful way, he picked up the constantly ringing phone.
"Dadabhai." Shakti seemed rather eager to talk even before his hello "I heard you are partying tonight!"
"Yes," he shook his head "With Mr. Tanwar if Heer hadn't mentioned that"
"And Ajabdeh! '' Shakti smiled.
"Yes, she is the one who dragged everyone to it." He smiled at his reflection.
"How was she all day?" Shakti asked, "Our work here is almost done, I will be back around dawn or so... if the flight is not delayed due to fog and..."
"She was helping Ranima..." he sounded unsure, making Shakti laugh. "So? What is wrong with that?"
"I don't know... but she didn't need to." He shrugged.
"Dadabhai, we all know by now, that Ajabdeh doesn't do things she needs to. Rather she does things she wants to."
"Hmm..." But why will she even try impressing Ranima if she doesn't...
"Can I say something?" Shakti broke his thoughts. "Yeah."
"Tell her."
As soon as Shakti said it Pratap's door flung open making him stare a little wide-eyed and in a reflex he disconnected the call. Shakti frowned at the other end.
At the door stood Ajabdeh Punwar, in black tight leather pants, a shimmery black one-shoulder top, and a pair of rather funky moustache earrings. Her hair was curled up and hung at her waist rather messily, and the only make-up she wore was the smoky eyes that stared back at him.
"I have no party clothes here." She shrugged. He dismissed the helping hands with a gesture and she stood there at the threshold still.
"You can come in." He looked away rather indifferently trying hard not to let the thoughts of how beautiful she looked make him act weird. She frowned, "You should come out, we are late."
"The bosses are always late, let Tanwar wait." He put his purse in his pocket as he spoke.
"Who says that" She frowned "Where on earth is such a rule made?"
"Okay, leave with him if you want to." The moment he said it, he was scared. Scared that she would do it but instead, he watched her narrow her eyes at him rather funnily and she took her place on the couch.
"I have never been here." She looked around the bedroom "Haina?"
"No one, except my family, has been here." He smiled at her through the reflection. She caught it with a smile and said "I like that rule, I follow that too. If you are not a friend, stay away from my house!"
"Can I ask you something?" He turned to stare at her looking rather impressed at the room.
"I didn't count!" She shrugged. "What?" He frowned clueless.
"I didn't count how many men I mingled within the past few years." She tilted her head and he realised how much he had missed that tilt and the smile at the corner of her lips.
"I was not going to ask that." He let out a chuckle.
"Do you... umm... Like.... Tanwar?" He asked, sitting down beside her, a cushion in between.
"Like... I like him, and his work, of course!"
"Not like that, I mean... I..." He was interrupted by her phone, as she jumped up rather excitedly with "Jalal hi!" and walked out, gesturing at him to follow.
The Pichola Pub, at the Taj, in the middle of the lake was a rather extravagant sight. The open-air party place and bar had a spectacular view of the lake and the crowd was always elite. Jalal sat with a drink, in his effortless-looking weekend look, a lot of eyes staring at him and Ruqaiya who looked rather awkward at the stares. Their eyes travelled to the dance floor where Ajabdeh was dancing to some tune that went Let me terminate you... terminate your body... terminate this night... I am too hot for my ways... Jalal stared at Tanwar on the dance floor with her, he was the one who got her there and then he was standing while she danced on her own. Ajabdeh Punwar didn't even need a partner!
Jalal eyed Pratap, who had encountered an acquaintance and was having a conversation but his eyes were fixed on the dance floor. Jalal smiled at Ruqs with a rather smirking one. Pratap had just finished his drink and managed to excuse himself and come back to his spot. He stared at the floor, thoughts playing on his mind. Their first dance, her rules. He had noticed how cleverly she handled attention, keeping Tanwar not only off herself but rather away. He smiled. Eyes met and he gestured at her to come over, she frowned and obliged followed by a clueless Tanwar.
"When Jalal and I party" Pratap spoke almost breathing in her ears to get to her in the loud music "We compete on tequila shots, wanna try?" It would be wrong to say Ajabdeh didn't feel a shiver, she shrugged off with a laugh "Compete with you two on tequila shots? Bring it on Baby!"
Three shots later, Jalal had moved away, with Tanwar and Ruqaiya staring at the two still going on. "I win!" Ajabdeh giggled rather victorious at her sixth. "I win!" She stared at Pratap with a lingering smile "You are the loser, You!"
"What does the winner get?" She frowned at him and at Jalal who just smiled "Huh?"
"A dance!" Pratap whispered in her ears and before she could register it, she was dragged to the floor rather swiftly by the prince in action. Jalal gestured at Ruqaiya "Am hungry, let's get some food from the restaurant, ha Mr Tanwar?"
"Sure." The man shook his head staring back at the dance floor one last time before leaving.
Matlabi... Ho ja zara Matlabi... Duniya ki sunta hai kyun.... Khud ki bhi sun le kabhi...
"Remember the rules." She said with a gesture as he smiled at her shaking her head, making her head sway to the music.
Matlabi... Ho, ja zara Matlabi... Duniya ki sunta hai kyun.... Khud ki bhi sun le kabhi... Kuch baat galat bhi ho jaaye, kuch tere yeh dil bhi kho jaaye,
Befikre Dhadkane is tarah se chale, shor gunje yaha se waha....
She held his collar, eyes on each other, and for the first time Pratap felt the crowd around them, their judging stares didn't matter, her eyes and happiness did. He twirled her around, and they nodded to do the signature step together.
Suraj dooba hai yaaron, do ghoont nashe ke maaro,
Raste bhula do saare ghar baar ke...
Suraj dooba hai Yaaron, Do ghoont nashe ke maaro, Gham tum bhula do Saare sansaar ke.
She was back to her initial position of holding his collar. They stared and smiled. Drunk in happiness, Ajabdeh felt peace in her heart. Close to him, she left what her father never made her feel, safe.
Aata paata rahe na kisika hum e....
Her moves made him smile. He joined in on her crazy headbanging.
Yehi kahe yeh pal zindagi ka hum e...
Yeh khudgarz si khwahish liye, besaas bhi hum tum jiye... Hai gulaabi gulaab yeh samaa...
Suraj duba hai yaaron... Do ghoont nashe ke maro... Raste bhula do saare ghar baar ke...
She twirled to land on his chest, prompting him to hold her by her waist. Her locks, falling on her face, he moved it away with his free hand, the other one firm on her waist. She looked up at him. For a second, Pratap did think of letting go, he didn't want to disappoint her again, but her stare, her smile, made him pull her closer as she rested both hands on his neck, as they swayed to the music.
Matlabi... Ho ja zara matlabi....
She could feel his warm breath on her forehead, as he swept her locks away, his hand rubbing, from her waist to her back and back at her waist, she stared at him, her cheeks felt warm, and she wished that he didn't notice that, how he affected her.
Pratap felt her gaze, her trust, her peace as she stared at him; he loved how she tried hard not to blush, in vain. Her hand responded, holding on to his neck tighter pulling him closer.
Chale nahi uree asmaan pe abhi, pata na ho hai jana kaha pe abhi... Ki bemanzile ho sab raaste, duniya se ho zara fasle...
Kuch khud se bhi ho dooriyan... Her moving back made him frown at letting go of her before she smiled doing the signature step
Suraj duba hai yaaron... do ghoont nashe ke maaro...
He pulled her back by her hand as the song ended and she suddenly frowned looking around "Where are they?"
"Who?" Pratap looked rather clueless. "What's his name and Jalal"
"What's what?" Pratap looked around realising that Jalal was not there.
"What do you mean you LEFT?" Pratap frowned on the phone. Ajabdeh was breathing in the fresh air that came from the lake, sitting on the bonnet of Pratap's car. "Yes, I have got a driver coming" she heard him say.
"I can drive." She shrugged, making him stare from his phone, at her.
"Six tequilas later, not a chance" He shook his head firmly, "Not that you can when sober." He quickly added, making her laugh.
"Come let's sit on the roof till he arrives." Before he could utter a word, she was on the roof of his car, her heels in her hand, her bare feet dangling from the side. He shook his head, joining.
" Ahh," she closed her eyes, breathing in "There is something about this air!" "It feels like..." Pratap smiled searching for the right word.
"Home." She smiled. "Feels like I belong" "Yes it does."
"Kunwar Pratap Singh?" The driver was kind of astonished at the two of them on the roof of the car. That was unroyal, he guessed.
Pratap felt her head on his shoulder as the car drove through the darkest night, towards Surajgarh. He smiled watching her sleep, peacefully, a faint smile, lingering on her face. He held her hand, rather tightly, staring at her sleep. In a reflex in her sleep, she had put her hand around his upper arm. He remembered her words. It feels like home. A sudden thought made him skip a heartbeat. He needed to do what he had never done, never dreamt of it in his craziest nightmares. Tell a girl how he felt, how he had fallen for her
and that too truly. Do I need to? The sudden thought of losing her scared him as she slept peacefully. Maybe I do.
The car stopped at the porch as he gently patted her head "Ajabdeh?" "Ajab?" She blinked her eyes rather sleepily staring at him
"Wha..."
"We are home." He smiled. "Home?" made her look around.
"I mean..." he looked awkward, realising his grip on her hand and letting go "Mahal."
"Umm..." She straightened herself and opened her door to get out; Pratap did the same, dismissing the driver. In the hall, Ajabdeh had lost her balance twice and now she held Pratap's protective arm with one hand and her heels in another. Barefooted, she had walked into Pratap's room rather than her beside his.
"You can... use this door." He pointed at the connecting one, closed from his side. Dismissing his words she sat down on the couch "Brownie will bark everyone awake when he sees me, he does that a lot!" She smiled. "I love him. He's so adorable!" she smiled like she remembered something. He stared at her and then sat down on the couch beside her.
"I... missed you." He gathered he could start there. "Here when the bhumi pujan..." "I missed you too when I signed the book contract!" She cut in staring at him. "Ajabdeh." He took both her hands in his. "I am sorry for everything..."
"Hush!" she made him stop. "I am glad we are here." She smiled.
"I am glad you are here." He smiled back, eyes not leaving each other's heart thumping.
"I am happy, Heer and Shakti found each other." She said lowering her eyes to his chest and back at his eyes as he smiled. "And love." He added tilting closer to her. Her smile faded from her eyes as she kept staring at him.
"Will we ever... find Love?" Ajabdeh's question ended with him pulling her closer, noses touching lightly. The silences were never this meaningful before, was it?
Ajabdeh's thoughts couldn't help wondering. His gaze scared her. His eyes travelled to
every feature of her face like he owned them and stopped at her lips. And back to her eyes. Her eyes twinkled. Was it tears? He looked worried all of a sudden.
"I don't know... if we will ever... find..." he stammered starting to pull away as she stopped him holding the collar, forcing him to stare at her.
"Almost" she whispered at his frown. "What?"
"We almost... found it" made him stare at her faint smile, as he placed his palm on her cheek, a lone tear appeared in the corner of her eye, and he wiped it away, smudging the Kohl a little.
"Almost?" he asked.
"Yes, half the road is travelled; the other half leads to the locked towers of the Captive Princess' heart." Her words made him lean in whispering
"Is that the most difficult road to travel?" made her smile.
"Not when a wanderer can turn into a warrior if he needs to." She smiled as noses touched again and she closed her eyes.
"He can always... fight for you." She had expected something, yes she did. But a warm peck on her forehead melted her heart as she stared at him. She was not one of those girls he'd kiss and forget. Today, he had said that to her in his gestures.
"Good night Princy." She spoke moving away "It was nice meeting the warrior."
"It's always a pleasure meeting the carefree Ajab." He smiled holding the door for her. Once on the other side, he smiled at her alarmed "Okay Brownie Hush! Hush!"
Sleepless. Pratap tossed in his bed. He checked his phone.
Opening Instagram he saw a picture. It was of the Picholi, illuminated at night. When did she take this?
There is no place I would rather be... her caption read.
Ajabdeh opened the notification reading "Kunwar Pratap Singh tagged you in a photo"
"...Than here with you..." read the caption of a picture he had taken of Brownie probably in the evening. She double-tapped it.