As expected, Rab ne bana di jodi was a huge hit and the debutant actress was showered with praises. A lot of success parties were going on, bollywood seemed obsessed with them. Anushka had just managed to sneek out of one, she was done giving fake smiles to everyone.
After coming out of the back door, all she could think of was calling Virat. She had come to this party with a friend in her car and now she had no means to go back home this late. Luckily, she thought, he was in the town.
Virat reached just on time. He was well aware of her party repulsive nature. He was surprised that she even agreed to attend these back to back parties. Nevertheless, he was ready to save his queen from the party trap.
The night had been fun for both of them. They had gone on the beachside, strolling mindlessly while talking about the randommest things. With Anushka, one thing was sure for Virat, he was in for never ending laughs. Same was true for Anushka too, they seemed like two people from West Delhi in another universe. From the comforting silence between hearty laughs, Virat knew, she is the one.
Anushka's feet tho, had started paining because of wearing heels all night. She had taken them off while walking on the beachside, now wearing them again to go back was a pain. She looked at her feet, they were a lil swollen. She anyhow tried to fit them, but a wince escaped out of her mouth as she tried. "Wait a second nushkie" , Anushka heard Virat's voice.
He bent down and gently took her feet out of the shoe. "Leave them, I'll take you to the car", he spoke as he lifted her up and started walking. Anushka's heart skipped for a second as her eyes met with Virat's soft eyes. She wanted to look away, lower her gaze but couldn't help staring in those eyes when Virat was looking at her like that. Like, he was in love with her. Her heart started beating faster when Virat pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Before she could gather her thoughts, Virat made her sit in the car. Anushka finally pulled herself out of the hysteria, "Virat my heels"
"La rha hoon yaar. I know those are expensive" Virat gave her a warm smile before he ran away to take her heels back.
Anushka too smiled back after he went away. She couldn't believe what was happening around her. Was she really in love with Virat? And was Virat really in love with her? She felt butterflies all of a sudden. Is this what they call love in movies, she thought.
Virat cringed looking at the time, the sun had already risen long back, Mahi bhai would also have woken up. Although he had already informed him on text that he was going to nushkie, since she fell sick in a party, he was sure the red blush on his face was going to embarass him.
"Cheeku aa gya bachcha. Good morning" MS greeted as soon as he saw him coming. "Anushka kaisi hai ab? " MS asked.
"Thik hai bhai. She was just feeling a lil nauseous. She is better now" Virat told. Mahi bhai bought it but Sakshi came out just at the moment, "Toh isme itna laal kyun ho rha hai? "
Virat visibly facepalmed. Mahi bhai was a very observant person, but somehow he never seemed to notice these things, or may be he just chose to ignore. But Sakshi bhabhi was a different case. She would just tease him to the death.
Virat just chose not to answer, because no matter what he replied there was no escape. He just wished Sakshi atleast took care of the surroundings. Why did she tease him in front of Mahi bhai always? He felt even more shy.
"Bhabhi coffee" Virat asked, just to distract her from the topic.
"Ban rhi hai. Have patience. Waise ye bata, have you proposed her? Isliye itna sharma rha hai? " Sakshi asked. Virat's tricks hardly worked on her. She was too well versed with his ways.
Virat sneaked a look at Mahi bhai. He was leaning on the slab, smiling a bit. Virat looked away and then shook his head.
Sakshi shook her head disapprovingly, "You are hopeless Virat"
"Bhabhi yaar please. I don't even know what she feels. Aise thodi propose kar du" Virat ranted, making sure his voice was low enough to not reach Mahi bhai.
"I would say both of you are hopeless case. Koi andha bhi bata sakta hai ki you two are in love par inhe nahi pata" Sakshi scoffed, "If it's up to me, mai tum dono ki pakadke jabardasti shaadi kara du, its useless leaving it on you two"
Virat made her sit on the dining chair and brought a glass of water. "Kyun subah subah itna gussa ho rhe ho. Come on, cool down". Sakshi glared at him, Virat grinned at her, making her glare harder.
" Virat Deshmukh, you have one year to propose her." Sakshi said, giving him the ultimatum.
"Uske baad? " Virat almost gulped.
"Uske baad beta teri shaadi kara dungi" Sakshi said as she got up from the chair to look for her coffee.
Virat shook his head. Sakshi was so hell bent in playing cupid, it felt even more embarassing how he had behaved during their dating days. Sakshi had never taken it seriously though, she had always been cool with him. Probably she was the one who understood his state of mind better than anyone.
14 year old Virat was finding it hard to digest that his Mahi bhai will marry one day. He had been spending a lot of time with Sakshi those days. He could very well see they were in love and marriage is in cards sooner or later. Marriage, meant having his own wife, kids and family. Although Mahi bhai had made him sit and assured him that he wouldn't marry anyone he didnt approve and even after marriage, nothing is going to change for both of them. But Virat couldn't push that nagging feeling away.
Today, Mahi bhai had taken them both to lunch, hoping that they could get along. Virat being Virat, had done the exact opposite. He had clearly warned Sakshi to stay away from his Mahi bhai. But Sakshi, instead of taking offence, had laughed it away, "Tujhe lagta hai mujhe tere khadoos bhai mein kuchh interest hai? "
"Wo khadoos nahi hain. Don't you dare call him that" Virat had immediately taken offence.
"Nahin hain? " Sakshi asked him as he pulled his cheek, "Parso raat ground kisne kiya tha fir? "
"Aapse matlab? " Virat scoffed, immediately getting away from her
That was the start of their Tom&Jerry relationship. He had warmed upto Sakshi pretty soon. She had been there for him whenever Mahi bhai got stuck in some project, she was there to calm him down before any important match, she was there to save him from Mahi bhai's scoldings whenever he goofed up. She became the elder sister he never had. He chuckled remembering the day Sakshi had come to him to ask for Mahi bhai's hand in marriage.
"Virat, Can I please, please, please marry your brother? I promise I'll always keep him happy and I promise you'll never ever lose your brother " Virat flushed red. He looked at Mahi bhai who was standing behind him, he had a warm smile on his face.
"Cheeks, can I? " Sakshi asked again. Virat nodded twice before hugging her. By this time he was sure his Mahi bhai won't find anyone better than her.
"Thankyou cheeks, thanks bachcha. I promise I'll never let you down" Virat melted at the words. He was scared that no girl would ever understand the relationship he shared with Mahi bhai. Sakshi not only acknowledged it but respected it completely. He was glad his Mahi bhai chose a girl whom he could respect.
"Cheeku bachcha rishu ko jaga dena nahi utha hai toh. School ka time ho gya hai uska. " Virat came out of his thoughts when he heard Mahi bhai's voice.
When Virat came back, he saw water drained out of Sakshi bhabhi's face. "Aap theek ho bhabhi? " Virat asked. Sakshi just nodded. Before Virat could ask another question, Sakshi rushed to washroom again. Mahi bhai too ran behind her.
Virat looked for his mother. She would know what to do. He couldn't see how his bhabhi fell sick all of a sudden. She looked just fine a few minutes back.
"Bhai where is mom? " Virat asked MS when he couldn't find her anywhere.
"She had an emergency posting early morning. So she has left for the hospital" MS told him.
"Then do one thing. Aap bhabhi ko leke hospital jao. I'll drop Rish to school" Virat said.
"Virat I'm fine, it's not needed" Sakshi, who had just come out of washroom stated.
"You are absolutely not fine and you will be heading to hospital RIGHT NOW" Virat commanded.
"Aap khade kya ho? Take your wife to the damned hospital yaar" Virat chided MS who looked absolutely stumped.
"Virat sandwiches rakhe hain-.... " Sakshi's words were cut by Virat, "Samajh gya. Mai Rishabh ko khila dunga. Aur kuchh? "
Sakshi shook her head in no. Then remembered something and said, "Ask him to get something from canteen for lunch"
Virat shook his head in obedience, "Ab aap dono jayenge? "
Sakshi growled. Virat behaved worse than Mahi when any of them got ill. She couldn't believe how the boy complained about Mahi with a straight face when he himself was ten times worse. Who got this hyper over simple nausea and vomiting, when most likely it was just simple food poisoning which will get relieved by itself ?
So many cliched scenes today, I cringed while writing 😭