Vaishnavi: (nudging her) Tune vrat rakha hai Karwa Chauth ka?
Mini was about to speak when heard Neil's chuckle.
Neil: (chuckling) Kuch bhi?... Mini kyu vrat rakhegi?...
He sat beside Mini.
Neerja: Tere liye rakhegi na.....
Neil: Kaisi old school baatein kar rahi hai?....
Mini: Kyu?.... Isme kya old school hai?... It's tradition yaar.... Vrat rakha hi jaata hai iss din apne partner ke liye.
Neil looked at Mini in a snap.
Neil: What?
Mini: Kya what?... (Mini turned her face before he could read the mischief in her eyes) Babes bhi rakhti thi.... Har saal.... And tell me... Tumne mujhe dekha aaj subah se kuch khaate hue?... It's obvious.
Preet and Bonavi was also looking at her like is she the same?
Mickey was listening to the discussion while ordering the dinner from all of them. He knew Mini had had her breakfast but Neil wasn't there and understood she is playing a prank on Neil.
Neil's face got a worried frown and disbelief on her words.
Neil: What do you mean... it's obvious?.... Are you mad or what?
Neerja: Isme kya problem hai?.... Mujhe bhi mom ne bola hai rakhne ke liye jabki mera to koi hai bhi nahi... Mini ki life me to tu hai na... Obvious to hai hi...
Mickey: Ha Neil... Yaar tumhari hone wali mangetar hai yaar... itna to expected hai hi na.
Preet looked at Mickey with a surprised face.
Neil: Preet ne vrat rakha hai?
Mickey held Preet's hand tighter squeezing a little and spoke before she does.
Mickey: Obviously!
Now Preet too understood there is some sort of prank going on. Bonavi too knew Preet didn't had any fast so they too understood that it's a prank as Preet didn't said anything.
All of them tried to suppress their smiles.
Neil sighed out while trying to remain calm thinking Mini hasn't eaten anything from the morning and he didn't realised it.
Neil: I can't believe tum log sab ke sab aise react kar rahe ho.... (tugged Mini to turn to him but she didn't did) Mini... Look here yaar...
Mini: No I won't.
She straightened her face before her huge smile makes way on her face.
Neil: Mini.... I didn't expect this silly behaviour from you...
He held her by her arms and turned her to him and had a glance of her eyes before she turned away her head and he got suspicious now.
Neil: Ahan... Look at me...
All saw his face expressions changing into a suspicious one.
Mini understood from his tone that he had realised being pranked and turned to him with I-got-caught face.
Neil folded his arms and with his suppressed tilted smile, stared at her.
Neil: (mocking her) I can't believe this.... You are such a prankster!
Mini: Mere prank abhi bhi chalte hai tumpe... Nice...
She chuckled and laughed, hifying with Mickey.
Mickey: To clear out misunderstandings, Preet ne bhi koi fast wagera nahi rakha hai.
Bobby: And jab Mickey ne Preet ke fast ke baare me bola to hume bhi samajh aa gaya tha.
Neerja: Matlab aapne vrat nahi rakha hai?
Mini nodded in a no.
Mini: Tune rakha hai?
Neerja: Ha mom ne kaha tha.... Par aapne kyu nahi rakha?
Mini: Mujhe nahi khaane pe sar dard ho jaata hai.... Pure din kuch nahi khaungi to ya to aaj hi chakkar khaakar girungi ya to kal ke din sar dard ki wajah se soti rahungi.... Rasme riwaaz sab alag baat hai lekin health bhi to allow karna chahiye na... Aur phir tera bhai alag tension leta hai vo bhi to point hai na.
Neil: Accha to yeh faltu ka prank karne ka kya zarurat tha?.... Jab itna hi samajh aata hai tumko to?
Mini: Maze le rahi thi.
Mini chuckled and Neil glared at her with an attempt to stop his smile from widening.
Neil: Bahot maze lene hai tumhe... H?.... Sab milke mujhpe prank kar rahe the!
Mini continued to chuckle.
Neil tickled her on her waist while chuckling and she wriggled laughing crazily while trying to hold his hands.
Mini: Neil... hhh..h...h... Neil stop... hhhh.h..h.h.h.h.h.h....Neil.. Neil... ruko yaar.... hhhhhhhh...h.hhhh..hh.hh.h.. Pls.... Neil stop yaar.
Her head was leaned on Neil's shoulder while she wriggled.
Neil stopped tickling when it was enough for her and she breathed in and out calming herself and looked at his eyes meeting his gaze while both were chuckling.
All adored them looking at each other, lost in themselves.
Neerja had a little wet eyes seeing Neil happy like that.
Mini: (nudging him turned) Idiot ho tum!... (seeing all of them looking at her like that) Kya hua?... Aise kya dekh rahe ho?
Neil: Vaise ek baat to prove ho gayi aaj....
Mini: Kya?
Neil: (to Mickey, in a teasingly taunting tone) Soulmates sahi hi kehte ho tum dono ek dusre ko.... Dekh lo.... Tumhara asar ho gaya hai Mini pe 2 hi din me...
Mickey widened his eyes in surprise as how does he got involved in this discussion.
Mickey: Mera asar?... Main kaise?.... Main kahan se beech me aaya tumhari baaton me?
Neil: Mini tumhari hi tarah bevkoofiyon wali baat kar rahi thi na...
Mickey: Maine kab bevakoofi kari yaar?
Neil: Kal ka prank yaad nahi hai kya?.... Bevakoofi nahi thi to aur kya tha?
Mini: Are ha.... Preet.... Sach me tera Mickey na kal baal baal bacha... Varna bechara aaj tujhe propose karne ki haalat me to nahi hi hota.
Preet: Kyu?.... Aisa kya prank kiya Mickey ne?
Mini: Helmet pehen ke bike lekar aaya aur itni paas se guzra laga thok hi dega....
Bobby: (to Mickey) Bhai tu zinda kaise hai?
All laughed.
Neerja: Exactly.... Vo bhi without any visible injury?
Vaishnavi: Doctoron ke paas koi self healing ke liye instant formula hota hai kya jo tum theek ho gaye?
Mickey: H?
Preet: (hitting on the back of his head) Kya soch ke aisa prank kiya tune?
Mickey: (irritatingly) Are sab mujhe pe kyu chad rahe ho yaar?... Ab mujhe thodi na pata tha ki Mini apne possessive boyfriend ke saath hai... Mujhe laga thoda chida lunga yeh gussa ho jayegi to.... Aur sach me nahi thok deta main.... Paas se hi lekar jaane wala tha.
Neil: Aur god forbid... Bike skid kar jaati to?... Galti na bhi hoti tumhari par disbalance ho jaate to?
Mickey blinked his eyes multiple times trying to find if any reply to this question exists but didn't found any answer so just nodded in agreement.
Bobby: Dekh Mickey... Ek na advice deta hu tujhe.... Ab yeh jo Mini tere saamne baithi hai na... Teri vo college wali friend nahi hai... Vo ab apne Neil ki Mini Madam hai.... To yeh na soch ke chalna... Varna kisi din Neil ke hatthe chad gaya na to to tu gaya.
Mickey: Are almost hatthe chad hi gaya tha main.... Collar pakad ke kya ekdum se bola Neil ne... amm... kya bola tha?
Mini: (enacting as Neil) Sadak pe chalte log dikhaayi nahi dete kya?... Ya zyada hi tashan dikhaane ka shauk hai?
Mickey: Ha bilkul yahi...
Mini: (chuckling) Aur iski vahi taitaifis ho gayi.
All chuckled except Mickey and Neil.
Mickey: Honi hi thi... Ek to iski height upar se physique bhi kam nahi hai... Main sidha saada doctor hu yaar....
Mini: Oye 'sidha saada' words ka matlab bhi pata hai tujhe.... Chichora hai tu ek number ka... And obviously Neil ka reaction aisa hi hona tha... Kitna dar gaya tha vo pata hai... Kahin thok na de tu.
Mickey: Accha?.... Ab boyfriend mil gaya to usko hi dekh le... Soulmate ki koi kadar hi nahi hai.... Soulmate dar gaya vo nahi dikh raha.... Boyfriend ki hi padi hai bas.
Bobby: Bhai... Neil ke gusse se to Mini bhi darti hai...
Mini: Oye Shut Up!... Main koi darti varti nahi hu.
Vaishnavi: Rehne de... Vo to dekh hi liya humne Bombay me.
Preet: Are yaar... Batao na... aise suspense mat banao.
Mickey: Ha... Mini dar gayi?... God... This gotta be worth hearing.
Bobby: Yeh dono beach se aaye the aur Mini ki tabiyat theek nahi thi to Neil Mini ke liye coffee banakar shower lene chala gaya... Mini apni coffee pikar Neil ke liye coffee bana rahi thi... Hum log tab Neerja aur Abhay ke saath the sab baatein kar rahe the... Mini ne darwaze ki awaz suni to sidha counter pe baith gayi aur Neerja ko coffee cup ke aage khada karke boli... Are yaar phir sunayega yeh... Tu hi de dena mera lecture sunne ka mood nahi hai.
Neil: (surprised) Really?
Mickeet looked at Mini with a snap and Mini had her head low with her index finger scratching her nape.
Neil: (chuckling) Mini ne aisa kaha?.... Mini ne?
Vaishnavi: Ha teri Mini ne... Believe nahi ho raha na?
Neil: Bilkul nahi!.... (nudging Mini) Yaani mere lecture ka asar hota to hai.... Haina?
Mini: (nudging her back) Shut Up!
Mickey: I can't even imagine it properly.... Tu aur kisi se itna darti ho?
Mini: Main koi darti warti nahi hu... Bas avoid kar rahi thi main....
Preet: Neil ko tu lecture de aisa to dekha hai... Par Neil tujhe lecture de yeh nahi dekha...
Mickey: Maine dekha hai.... Mini bilkul patiently sunti hai...
Preet: I can't believe this.
They all had a nice laugh.
Preet: Vaise Neil.... Tumhe pata chal jaata ki vo coffee Neerja ne nahi Mini ne banaayi thi to?
Mini: (sulking) Vo to pata chal hi gaya tha pehla sip lete hi.... Mood accha tha na... Sirf look de raha tha...
Mickey: (teasingly) Accha?... Pehla sip lete hi pata chal gaya... Kaise Neil?.... Tell us the secret.
Neil: Chef hu yaar... Itna to pata chal hi jaata hai.
Neerja: (poking her finger on Neil's arm teasingly) Obviously.... apni girlfriend ke haath ka swaad pehchaanega hi na.
Neil blushingly bit his lips.
Vaishnavi: Preet... Chand nikal aaya.
Preet: (turning behind to see) Accha?.... (turning back to them) Chalo chalo samaan lekar aate hai.
Vaishnavi and Preet rushed downstairs to get their stuff from their bags and returned with the plates etc.
Both: Balcony me chalo na... Mini tu bhi chal.
They tugged Mini too out in the balcony.
Neil was also looking at them getting their plates ready for puja.
Preet handed Mini a plate of puja items too.
Preet: Tera bhi to banda hai ab.... Tu bhi kar...
Mini looked at her in surprise.
Vaishnavi: (nudging her) Kar na... Kya jhijhak rahi hai.... Jab bhi karegi... Shaadi to Neil se hi karegi na.... To hichak kaisi?
Neerja: (excitedly) I'll shoot all of you!
Neil chuckled looking at Mini's expressions.
Mini: Zyada na khi khi mat karo tum.
Neil: (controlling his chuckle) Hmm...
Mini feeling awkward a little and slight weakness due to not eating, lifted the channi and while Neil held the plate, she placed a diya on it.
She looked at him and blushed at his intense gaze. Looking at the moon from the channi she moved it to look at Neil through it. Both smiled at each other with slight blush.
Resting back the channi in the plate, the girls circled it around their partners and the three couples poured the water from the kalash to the moon.
The boys made the girls drink water and the girls made the boys drink water.
Boys fed the sweet to girls which the girls fed back to the boys.
All the three couples were lost in their mates as all of them had their first karwa chauth together.
They blushed looking at each other with shy smiles.
.
.
.
Coming inside, they sat on the couch when the doorbell rang.
Mickey: Dinner aa gaya hoga... Main lekar aata hu.
Neil: Are main le aata hu... Tum baitho.
Mini also got up.
Mini: Main plates wagera nikaal deti hu...
She took out the plates and bowls and others set up the table in between till then.
Neil came up with the order bag and took out the items.
It was Puri, Chole, Aloo gobhi, Dal makhani, Jeera rice, Dahi Bhalle, Chawal Kheer and Jalebis.
Neil: Itna sab mangwaaya hai?.... Kisne order diya tha?
Mickey: Maine.... Mini ne bola kuch bhi accha sa mangwaane ko.... ab choosing karte karte to time nikal jaata na to Karwa Chauth special Punjabi thaali mangwa li.
Neerja: Hmm... Smart choice.
Neil: Yeah.
Mickey: Thanks.
They all served dinner and saw Bobby fed the morsel to Vaishnavi and Vaishnavi did the same for him.
Mini: Bobby tune iss saal bhi vrat rakha hai?
Preet: Obviously.... Veerji aur Parjai ji dono ne.
Mini: So sweet.
Neil: Bobby ne bhi Chubby ke liye fast rakha hai that's impressive ha.
Mickey: Bobby to vaise bhi patnivrata banda hai... Kyu Bobby?
Bonavi blushed while Mineil and Mickeet chuckled.
Vaishnavi: Bas bas... Bobby ko koi tease nahi karega... Mere liye vrat rakha hai na... Sirf main tease kar sakti hu iss point pe.
Mini: (teasingly) Getting possessive hmmmm...
Vaishnavi: Dekh possessiveness ki baat tu to kar hi mat Mini.... Main kuch bhi kar lu... Tere jitni boldly possessive nahi ho sakti... Kya bola tha tune uss party me yaad hai na?
Mini: Ok Ok fine... Bas!
Mickeet: Mujhe bhi batao na!
Neerja: Mujhe bhi jaanna hai.
Preet: Mini yeh cheating hai yaar... Main teri best friend hu na?... Tune mujhe bhi nahi bataaya?
Mickey: Kaunsi party ki baat ho rahi hai?... Kya kaha Mini ne?
Vaishnavi: Hum log jab Bombay gaye the na... tab hamari Alumni gathering thi... Uss party me gaye the hum charo.... Meri school ki jo bestie thi na vo Neil ke peeche pad gayi thi....
Preet: Oh god... Phir?
Bobby: Are Mini ne kya jawaab diya tha usko... Bandi shocked ho gayi thi... Are vo bandi to chod... Mini ko aise react karte kabhi maine tak nahi dekha.
Mickeet widening their eyes looked at Mini.
Mini: Ha to?.... Obvious si baat hai... Mere bande pe try maarne wali hoti kaun hai vo....
Neerja and Mickeet chuckled.
Vaishnavi: Sam ko nahi pata tha Mini aur Neil ke baare me.... to pucha usne Mini se ki tum kaun ho Neil pe haq jataane wali.... You know Mini ne kya bola?
Mickey: Kya?
Vaishnavi: (enacting like Mini raising her chin in attitude) The one who owns him with pride for at least the end of this life... Try your luck in the next one sweetheart.
Mickeet: Gosh!.... Really?
Neerja: Woah!
Bobby: Are sach me yaar.
Preet: Aur Neil?
Bobby: Neil to Mini ko dekhe hi ja raha tha...
Nee: Nee aapko dekhkar kho hi gaya hoga?
Neil: Bombay me to main bhi maze hi le raha tha Mini ko vaise dekh kar.... Kho to main Australia wali party me gaya tha Mini ka vo ultra-possessive roop dekhkar sunkar.... Bombay wala reaction to kuch bhi nahi tha....
Mini nudged him as he was speaking in the flow and he stopped saying while looking at her.
Mini: Shh!
Preet: Australia?... Tum Mini se Australia me bhi mil chuke the pehle?
Mini: Are stupid..... Main apne birthday ke baad gayi thi na tab.
Preet: Oh... Tab Neil Australia gaya tha?
Mini: Ha.
Vaishnavi: Jab tu Neil se naraaz ho gayi thi?
Mini nodded.
Vaishnavi: (to Neil) To tu Australia tak chala gaya?
Neil: Are Arya ne surprise plan kiya tha Mini ke jaane se pehle par phir Madam naraaz ho gayi to 2 din tak na phone pe baat ki na message kar reply diya to 2 din pehle jaana pada tha manaane ke liye.
Mickey: Awww... So romantic yaar... (to Mini) Banda Australia tak aa gaya tujhe manaane?.... (To Neil) Mini to turant maan gayi hogi?
Neil: Mini?... Turant maan jaaye?... Possible hi nahi hai... Itne itne tantrum hai na bhai... Like out of the world.
Neerja: To?... Kya hua?
Neil: (looked at Mini who was glaring at him) Kya hua?
Mini: (glaring at him) Nahi nahi... Tum bol do na sab kuch.... Main batau kya?... Maine bolna shuru kiya na Neil Oberoi to saal bhar tak yeh log chidhaate hi rahenge tumhe.... Bolu main?