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Pankhuri's pov
This is so much fun. This year's mela is my favourite. Me and deepa first roamed in the southern side of the Mela and then decided to go to the center. The maidan where we can literally enjoy all the rides and buy accessories.
We were on the way towards the main maidan.
It was getting windy suddenly.
The brightly shining sun disappeared between the clouds.
I frowned and look upwards.
"Maybe it'll rain" i whispered and smiled.
And it did. Rain was not too much just light showers. People started to take shelters under the shops. Few running here and there.
These people na they don't even know how to have fun. Running from the rain , ughhhh.
" Koi pagal hi hoga jo barish se bhage ga" i chuckled and sided the people.
If they can't enjoy it then let me. I spread my arms around. Enjoying the pittar pattar drops of rain on my palms.
This is soothing. Relieving the whole body.
I slowly started to step towards the maidan. The crowd wasn't letting me enjoy it.
The drops touching my face felt so fresh. You can hate anything but rain never. They say rain was the beginning of everything. Rain provides life to living beings. It soothes every person no matter if they are good or bad.The air was heavy with the earthy scent of wet soil, and the sound of raindrops tapping on the roofs of the shop.
The water droplets touched every inch of mine.
"Pankhuri" deepa called me from behind.
I turned.
"If you get wet , you'll catch cold. Come let's stay under the roof." she said while dragging me from there.
"Pankhuri" I heard a small whisper. I halted on my steps. For the first time in my life my heart started accelerating.
An unknown voice took my name again. A shiver ran across my body.
My name was never taken with such pleasure. The way that unknown voice took my name I felt worshipped.
Again. Deepa kept saying something but her voice never reached my ears. The unknown voice kept ringing.
I turned back again to search for that unknown voice.
I found no one but a manly figure.
Due to drizzle i couldn't complete get a sight of him. But the eyes reminded me of something familiar. I caught admiration in his eyes.
He took my name again. But this time i could only hear longingness , desperation , craving , yearning and nothing else. I couldn't decipher for whom ?
I focused on his eyes. They were holding admiration and desire.
Before i could solve the puzzle of his eye someone came and covered him with an umbrella.
I could no longer see his face. I felt deepa dragging me and the same goes with that unknown man.
He was dragged by another person.
The unknown man didn't turned and was walking backwards while facing me.
Both of us dragged on our sides. The distance between us getting longer.
He disappeared among the crowds and i went my way. Still unknown to the fact that who was he ?
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Dhruv smiling like a lunatic followed Ashok who was dragging him by holding his hands.
"Rain is not for you , don't you understand that dhruv ? You get sick the next day. Ma'am will eventually scold me because of you" said Ashok who was dragging him towards the car.
"Are you listening to me ? Dhruv ?" he turned back to see his friend smiling like a psychopath.
He was lost in his own world. He was following Ashok like a lost kid.
"Dhruv ? What is wrong with you ? Why are you smiling ? After crashing the cars and running like a maniac where did you go ? And why ?" asked Ashok halting his steps towards the car.
"Pankhuri" said dhruv and smiled more.
"Pankhuri ? Whose she ?" Ashok frowned.
"The Varanasi girl" said dhruv still lost in his thoughts.
"Her ? Here ? In Shahjahanpur ?"
Pankhuri , pankhuri , pankhuri dhruv kept mumbling her name and went towards the car , leaving Ashok alone with the umbrella.
His men were shocked to see him like this. His expensive car got crashed and he isn't saying anything. Instead smilling ear to ear. Last time when the car got scratched he punished the driver severely.
He went inside the car and sat. Head lying on the seat he closed his eyes and kept mumbling her name.
Ashok came inside and asked" don't you hate rain ? You're all wet sir ? Should I arrange your clothes ?"
Hearing him dhruv woke up and said " idiot , how can you hate rain ? This is love. Rain is love. She loves rain."
Ashok was surprised. The same man he knew from their diaper days is now saying he loves rain. The one who always put tantrums on rainy day. The one who cursed rain and even the gods was praising it like he never hated it.
Dhruv Khanna was loving something which he hated till core.
The sudden change out of nowhere ?
He checked outside and dhruv properly.
Did he caught someone else in the fair ? Was dhruv still inside ?
But how can there be another copy of ruthless Dhruv Khanna.
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Dhruv's pov
We reached my villa. I walked inside still smiling. Who won't ? Ofcourse i found my angel. I asked my driver to take me back to my villa instead of Mumbai. I have more important work now.
I went inside my room. A faint smile tugging at the corners of my lips.The staff and maids were shocked and confused. There boss came without any anger today. What was wrong with him ?
I chuckled. It's because they're soon going to get their lady.
My Pankhuri.
I laid on my back on the bed and stair at the ceiling.
thinking about. Reminiscing the moment I met her.
I have never seen such a beautiful girl in my life.
I kept remembering her figure , her face , her smile.
Soon everything will be mine.
She will be mine.
I smiled at that thought. I imagined her wearing sindoor and nuptial chain of my name. She is looking ethereal.
Wait ? What if she is already married ? No way i thought about this !! No no no it can't happen. I have already laid my eyes in her. She'll be mine.
I don't know anything about her. It won't take much of my time.
"Ashok" i called out to him.
He came inside the room even before he could ask me what happened I ordered him.
"There's this girl named Pankhuri. I saw her in the fair. She might live in Shahjahanpur or Varanasi.
Search about her and bring all the information to me tomorrow"
He said ok and was about to leave but i stopped him.
"And remember ? I told you her name this time. I want every single detail tomorrow. If you fail to bring it your life is in my hands. Remember." i said and he gulped and went away.
For the first time I'm going to sleep at night that too in peace. I was still thinking about her.
I'm turning crazy. Crazy in her love.
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Pankhuri's pov
I enjoyed my last time in the Mela. This was my best memory so far. I bought many things from the fair for baba , bhabhi , bhai....
They'll like it I'm sure.
Today mami , took care of me well. I'm going back to Varanasi. I missed it so much. 1 whole month without Varanasi feels so empty. I missed Ganga ghat , my ashram kids , tiwari chacha , nandu , my college friends etc.
My train is scheduled at 10.00 so I'm checking if i packed all my luggage or not.
For the last time i went through ma's things.
Leaving them here makes me emotional. These things reminds me of her. All these things have her memories , her essence. I feel she's near me when I am here. I wish i could take them with me but baba said we cannot keep dead people's things at our house.
Suddenly I remembered about those bangle and anklet. I will ask baba about it. How come baba was able to afford such expensive things ? That box also looked so royal.
After sometime....
I departed with raman kaka from mami's house to the station. I felt like i forgot something.
But what ?
After reaching the station I started to assemble all my luggage.
Kaka helped me to put them on the berths. I waved him good bye and started the journey towards my destination.
My Varanasi.
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Dhruv's pov
"No"
"Not her"
"No"
"Skip"
"Wait...wait wait this is the family picture of that girl ?" I asked after seeing my angel with few people.
An aged man , middle aged son , a pregnant lady and her.
"I think I have seen this pregnant lady ?"
" Sir , she's the one who stays in Varanasi , near the ghat. We bought her photo to you a month back and you said not her."
Ok. So Pankhuri lives near the ghat. The same Ghat where I killed pushpak. I should have used my mind and searched that area but that girl got missing.
So she came Shahjahanpur to visit the fair.
Fate is playing hard to separate her from me.
"This girl do you see ? I want all the information about her in next 1 hour. Got it ? Every information. Nothing should be left." I said with a strict tone and went away.
After an hour
"Sir ? This is the information of that girl." Ashok said and gave the file to me.
I was sitting in my office. I was busy in some illegal business issues. But the moment Ashok entered my happiness knew no bounds.
I impatiently took the file from him. One whole month was like years to my yearning. It's finnally going to end.
Pankhuri Pandit
She has such a beautiful name. Pankhuri means petals , A very delicate petal. Ofcourse she is delicate she's my angel after all
Age - 20
She's 12 years old younger than me. No problem love doesn't see age.
Status - single
YES !! YES I KNEW IT. I KNEW SHE WAS MINE.
I felt a different kind of pleasure.
Father - Bhairav pandit
Mother - Pallavi Pandit ( na)
Brother - Neil Pandit
Sister in law - Diya Pandit
Education - studied in Lucknow college.........
Lives - Varanasi , near Ganga ghat.
Occupation - na
Eyes colour - hazel brown
Hobbies - teaching , painting , dancing etc..
I kept reading everything about her. Only if I knew her name i wouldn't have to struggle this much.
I asked Ashok about her mother.
He said " sir , her mother died when she was 8 years old. So , we couldn't arrange her photos."
"My Angel has been deprived of mother's love too" I said sympathetically.
Letting a sigh I ordered " get the preparation ready. We'll go to her house for the marriage proposal."
"But sir Malini madam ?"asked Ashok in a tensed tone.
" Make sure she doesn't interfere" i replied while rolling my eyes.
Ashok hesitated. I ordered him " do not inform her anything about this. Make sure she doesn't get the news. If she even gets a hint I'll make sure you reach the heavens safe and sound.
I walked back to the room again. I want to make sure everything goes well.
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Each passing moment felt like an eternity as he anxiously awaited for the opportunity to ask for Pankhuri's hand. The night was spent with her thoughts in his mind. Smiling ear to ear thinking about the future.
The thought sent a surge of adrenaline through his veins, igniting a fierce determination within him.
With every step he took, Dhruv knew that this moment would change everything. No matter the obstacles that lay ahead, he was ready to face them head-on, for pankhuri held the key to his happiness, and nothing - not even his own mother - could stand in his way.