At night, Priya was doing some office work when Ritika came in her room.
Ritika:"Diii... (She hugged her) You must be proud of me dii.."
Priya:"Are kya hua?"
Ritika:"Dii, aapko pata hai, SK group of companies ki advertisement ke ek model dhundh rahe the, and I'm nominated.."
Priya:"Sacchi? Congratulations.."
Ritika:"Thanks dii.. Just hope mein select bhi ho jau.."
Priya:"Ofcourse tu select hogi.. Vese audition ke liye kaha jana hai?"
Ritika:"Unki head office yaani Bandra me.. Vese tu bhi to SK group of companies me hi kaam karti hai, to tu jaanti hogi na ki CEO and owner kon hai.."
Priya:"Haa, par me thodi head office par kaam karti hu.. Aur mene kitna try kiya hai, par unhone apni identity bahar nhi aane di, aur jinhe pata hai, un sab ko bhi batane se mana kar diya hai.."
Ritika:"Haa, Shardul bhi vahi job karta hai, aur use owner kon hai ye bhi pata hai, par usne mujhe batane se mana kar diya aur kaha ki unka trust nhi tod sakte, phir mene bhi zyada force nhi kiya.."
Priya:"Oh, koi baat nhi aur vese bhi we should not interfere in anyone's privacy if they don't want.."
Ritika:"Haa, par tu ye bata tune shaadi ke haa kardi?"
She smiled and nodded.
Ritika:"Yayyy! I'm very happy for you di, vese shaadi ki date decide ki ya nhi?"
Priya:"Are aaj hi to shaadi ke liye ha kaha hai, abhi ruk aur vese bhi vo department mumma papa ka hai, to unse hi puch tu.."
Ritika:"Di, tu khush to hai na iss shaadi se?"
Priya(smiled):"Ofcourse khush hu.."
Ritika:"To kya Ram jiju bhi tujh se pyaar karte hai?"
Priya:"Jiju?! Abhi shaadi hui nhi hai, ki tu abhi se Ram ko jiju bula rahi hai.."
Ritika:"Haa par shaadi hone to vali hi hai na.. Pehle jo pucha uska answer de na.."
Priya:"Nhi, vo mujhse pyar nahi karta, Ram ne kaha tha ki second chance to har koi deserve karta hai... Mene bhi bohot socha phir mene socha ki kisi bhi aire gere se shaadi karni pade baad me usse accha me Ram, jisse me already pyaar karti hu usse baat ban rahi hai to usi se shaadi kar leti hu, agar vo mujhse pyar na kare to koi baat nhi, iss shaadi ke zariye mujhe apna best friend to vapas mil sakta hai na.."
Ritika:"Haa, par dekhna Ram jiju ko bhi tujhse pyar ho hi jayega, vo kehte hai na 'Shaadi ke baad pyar hote hote ho hi jata hai..' "
Priya(smiling):"Hope so! Chal abhi so jaa, mujhe kal office bhi jana hai varna vo mera khadoos boss phir se meri class lagayega.."
Ritika:"Ok.."
Priya closed her laptop and put it on its place and lied down on the bed.
Priya(m):"Iss shaadi se me khush hu, mere gharwale khush hai, Ram ke gharwale khush hai, magar Ram to khush hai na? Kahi esa to nhi hai na ki kisi pressure me aake Ram ne shaadi ke liye haa ki hai? Usse puchu kya?... Nhi nhi ese kese seedhe puch lu? Kya sochega vo? Par pata to lagana padega.. Par agar vo sach much chahta hoga to? Vo sach hi to keh raha tha ki everyone deserves a second chance, par agar vo baad me regret karega to? Agar shaadi ya engagement se pehle usse kuch baat karne ka mauka mile to me usse puch hi lugi.."
Here, Ram on the other side,was in the same situation..
Ram(m):"Priya ne koi jald baazi me aakar ya kisi ke dabaav me aakar ye faisla nhi liya hai na? Vo agar mujhse shaadi karke regret karegi to? Par esa bhi ho sakta hai na ki vo sach me chahti ho... Jese me apni dost vo vapas paana chahta hu vese vo bhi chahti ho... Par sirf dosti paane ke liye shaadi? Par me chahta hu humari shaadi ho, I don't know why par I want to marry her, par agar uske mann me koi bhi doubt ho, then it must be cleared.. Priya ne sahi kaha tha 'Shaadi hai koi mazaak nhi' isiliye me jaan na chahta hu, agar shaadi ya engagement se pehle usse kuch baat karne ka mauka mile to me usse puch luga.."
Both were continuously thinking about each other. Sleep was far from both of their eyes.
.
.
.
.
The next day in the evening Priya was standing outside her office building waiting for an auto. Suddenly a car stopped in front of her. The man in the car slid the window down and she saw Ram in his black shades and black suit looking very hot to her.
Ram:"Hi.."
Priya(smiling):"Hi.."
Ram:"Tum yaha kyu khadi ho?"
Priya:"Umm.. Vo auto nhi mil rahi thi isliye.."
Ram:"Oh (m) Lift offer kardu? Usi bahane se jo me puchna chahta hu vo bhi puch luga.. (to her) Me drop kar deta hu tumhe.."
Priya:"Nhi it's ok, vese bhi abhi mujhe kuch samaan aur books lene mall jana hai.. So it's ok, me manage kar lugi.."
Ram:"That's a coincidence.. Mujhe bhi mall jana hai.. Tum chalo mere saath, baad me me tumhe ghar bhi drop kar dunga, raaste me hi padta hai vese bhi.."
Priya(m):"Haa bol du kya? Isi bahane se jo me puchna chahti hu vo bhi puch lugi.. (to him) Umm.. Ok.."
He smiled and she got settled on the passenger seat. He started driving to the mall. They remained silent for few minutes then Ram started conversation.
Ram:"Tum vahi building me kaam karti ho, jaha tum abhi khadi thi?"
Priya:"Haa, vahi mera office hai.."
Ram:"I think it belongs to SK group of companies, right?"
Priya:"Yes.."
Ram:"IT sector, right?"
Priya:"Kind of.. Actually ye meri first job hai, me yaha 2 saal se hu, aur mere kaam ki vajah se me abhi senior post par hu, aur me almost sab kaam dekhti hi hu, sirf naam ke liye IT sector me hu.."
Ram:"Oh... Then your boss must be proud of you, right?"
Priya:"Kaha? Unhe to mujhse personal dushmani hai..."
Ram:"Par SK group of companies ka owner kon hai tumhe pata hai?"
Priya:"Nhi, mera matlab vo boss se nhi tha, jo humare branch head hai unki baat kar rahi hu.."
Ram:"Oh.. Par esa kyu? Agar tum itna accha kaam karti ho to unhe tumse kya problem hai?"
Priya:"Actually, unka beta Yuvraj, vo mujhe like karta hai, but I don't like him and that's why my boss don't like me.."
Ram:"Oh.. To tum na ek kaam karna, humari shaadi ka invitation card sabse pehle unhe hi dena.."
He said mockingly. She also chuckled slightly.
Ram(m):"Shaadi ka topic nikal gaya ab me puch sakta hu.."
Priya(m):"Thank god iss ne hi shaadi ka topic nikaal diya ab me puch sakti hu..."
Raya:"Tumhe koi pressurize to nhi kar raha na.."
They both said at the same time not looking at each other. After saying that both looked at each other and smiled slightly. After few minutes..
Priya:"Tumhe esa kyu lag raha hai ki mujhe koi pressurize kar raha hai?"
Ram:"Kyu ki koi bhi mujhse shaadi kyu karna chahega?"
Priya frowned.
Priya:"Esa kyu bol rahe ho? Sirf vo Kriti ne tumhe chod diya isliye?"
Ram sighed..
Ram:"Baat sirf Kriti ki nhi hai Priya, ab me pehle jesa nhi hu-"
Priya(cutting him):"Kyu? I mean mene abhi 2 din me jitna notice kiya mujhe to esa hi laga ki tum vese hi ho, jese pehle the.. Tum batao tum ab bhi apni family ki care nhi karte, tumhari maa tumhari Jaan nhi hai ab? Tum tumhare dosto ke liye kuch bhi nhi kar sakte, ya vo log tumhare liye kuch bhi nhi kar sakte? Mujhe to yahi lagta hai ki tum ab bhi vese hi ho.."
Ram:"Kyuki ye tum ho Priya, tumhe kisi me burai dikhti hi nhi hai.."
Priya:"Tumhe pata hai, tumhe jitna lagta hai tum utne bure nhi ho... I mean burai kis me nhi hoti, koi perfect nhi hota.. Par tumhe mujhse shaadi nhi karni to it's ok, koi baat nhi.. Abhi der nhi hui hai.."
Ram:"Tumhe kyu esa laga ki mujhe koi pressurize kar raha hai?"
She looked away from him, and looked down..
Ram:"Mujhe pata tha... Jo abhi mene kaha vahi tumhe kehna hai right?"
She closed her eyes and bit her lips between her teeth..
Priya:"Ok.. Abhi jo mene tumse kaha vo me khud se kehti hu... Aur mujhe koi pressurize nhi kar raha, sach me, mene khud sochne ke baad hi ye decision liya hai.."
Ram:"Mujhe bhi koi pressurize nhi kar raha... Actually na mujhe pehle hi soch lena chahiye tha, tumse ye question karne se pehle.."
Priya:"Kya?"
Ram:"Yahi ki tumhe koi pressurize kese kar sakta hai, ghar par to sab darte hoge na tumse.."
He said controlling his laughter while she glared him..
Priya:"Tum agar pure ke pure badal jao na phir bhi do aadat kabhi nhi badalegi tumhari.."
He laughed.
Ram:"Konsi do aadat?"
Priya:"Ek mera mazaak udane ki aur dusra bad jokes crack karne ki.."
He laughed more, and after some time she also joined him.
They reached the mall. They got down from the car.
Ram:"Tumhara kaam ho jaye to mujhe call kar dena.."
Priya:"Ok.."