Exasperated, he snapped his eyes open, his lips twitching up in annoyance. Having enough of her, he removed the blanket off his body and charged forth.
"What is your problem?!!" He hissed at her.
"Aap jaag rahe the?" Guddan asked, staring at him blankly.
"Nehi, abhi tak soya huya hoon sofe pe." Akshat replied sarcastically. He wanted to scrub off that idiotic look on her face!
"Hume pata hi tha aap soye nehi the, isliye toh aap par nazar rakh rahe the." She narrowed her eyes.
"Tab toh bada sar hila rahi thi, ab aise baar baar uthkar dekhne ka kya matlab hain? Agar itna hi problem hain tumhe toh kisi aur kamre mein jake so jao, I don't care." Akshat offered, crossing his arms.
"Hum kyun jaye? Aap jaiye aapko jaha bhi jana hain, hum toh yehi soyenge!" Guddan retorted bossily.
He took in a breath, clenching his eyes shut to moderate the irritation which had no plans of subsiding. Every few minutes, unease would crawl up her stomach and she would switch on the lights, followed by a staring session at his face till she had assured herself of her safety around him. He had tried to shrug it off concluding it was her first time, but right now, things were getting on his nerves. Her pricking stares were not helping his attempts to sleep. And to top it off, she had the audacity to ask him leave, from his room.
He leaned his face to her level with a menacing gaze and warned, "I have no issue with you behaving like an owl throughout the night, but let me sleep! Agar is bar meri neend galati se bhi kharaab hui, toh is kamre mein toh kya, tum soch bhi nehi sakti tumhe kaha sona parega."
Guddan gulped as her throat dried up. That look threatened danger, something she didn't wish to mess up with. Murmuring things to herself, she pulled the blanket over her face and squeezed her eyes tight.
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He knitted his brows at her sleeping posture which was odd, no absolutely weird. She was leisurely scattered on the bed like a slime with half her body hanging down. The creature, she, flailed her hands from time to time whilst her visage was painted with an idiotic grin. She was dreaming herself as a bird...or a snake? He raised his brows in query as her tongue suddenly poked out. Well whatever, atleast there's this soothing peace!
His train of thoughts were interrupted with her rolling over and he almost immediately rushed to save her, wrapping his arms around her petite frame. But as a token of gratitude, he was pulled over the bed by her, who had no plans of waking up in a year or so.
"Oye chorr!! Tum humse bachke nehi jaa payoge, jaldi se humare hawale kar do use! Do hume!" Guddan exclaimed.
"What rubbish are you even spouting? Get up!" Akshat ordered as he patted her cheek.
"Bilkul chup! Hume bag do jaldi se!" Guddan shouted whilst she pulled him closer in an attempt to snatch the supposed bag from his hands.
He gritted his teeth in discomfort to the current proximity, ready to blast her head off. But he didn't had to take the pain of blasting her since she, in absence of the bag she wanted, herself complied, fluttering her eyes open.
She looked at the huge figure quizzically which appeared nothing but blur to her. A monster probably! But no, he doesn't have those large canines.. It took her a few more seconds to recognize the familiar, monstrous face. Uncle!
"Aaahhh! Aap kaun hai? Humara matlab a..aap kya hai? Nehi, aap kya kar rahe hai yaha?!" Guddan shrieked at him.
Akshat swatted her hands away irritated and got off, continuing the glaring contest initiated by her.
"Yeh khud se hi puch lo! Thik se sona toh aata nehi aur upar se tumhare ajeeb o gareeb sapne! Girne wali thi tum, thik se sulane aaya tha. Par tumne toh thaan li hai ki shanti se rahogi nehi. Mujhe bhi kheech liya aur na jane kya sab bak rahi thi." Akshat chided, crossing his arms.
"H..Haan t..toh? Neend mein the hum, hume thodi pata tha aap hain, agar pata hota toh aur zor se chillate hum! Aap toh rakshason se bhi zyada daravne haina! Hume laga tha koi chor hain aur hum na use pakar rahe th.."
"Tumhe neend mein jiske saath bhi pakdam pakdai khelna hai, tum khelo. Par sote wakt toh ek jaga, shanti se reh sakti ho na? Ulte seedhe sapne dekhti rehti ho!" Akshat cut her off while she frowned.
"Sorry..... Ek second, hum kyun sorry bole? Sote wakt kisko hosh rehta hain? Aur sapne toh apne aap aate haina, hum ismein kya kar sakte hain? Jaise bhi sapne dekhe hum, aapko kya? Kam se kam aap ki tarah boring sapne toh nehi dekhte! Aap toh shayad sapnon mein bhi khana aur logon ko pakate rehte hain, nehi? Isliye na aap dekhiye boring sapne, hum chale!.... Bade aaye, Guddan ke sapnon ko kehne wale!" She retorted and left the room all miffed up.
"Pagal ladki!"
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She gave out a begrudging huff as she found the saree coiled around her body like a snake while the pleats were a complete mess. Sighing at her defeat, she pushed open the door and made her way to grab some assistance for the complicated task. The saree hung loose around her feminine frame alongside her dangling dignity. The pleats were ready to come off in a second or so, her prestige slipping away............. She was pulled back to the room by her wrist and before she could shout her lungs out, he clamped her mouth shut with his palm.
"Is it too hard to use this showpiece brain of yours? Yeh kaise ja rahi thi tum mehmaanon ke saamne? It is coming off!" Akshat whispered looking the other side and removed his palm off her mouth.
"Aap toh restaurant gaye the na, aap yaha kya kar rahe hain?! Aur mehmaan itni jaldi kyun aagaye?!" She asked horrified, clutching the saree firmly to her chest.
"Tumhare saamne hi toh maa ne muh dikhai ke rasam ke liye jaldi aane ko kaha tha, kis duniya mein rehti ho tum?"
"Humne itni der laga di saari pehenne mein ki sab aa bhi gaye?!" She exclaimed in disbelief.
"Aise ghum kyun rahi thi baahar, kisi se madad kyun nehi liya tumne? Shaadi mein toh khud hi saree pehenkar aake madap pe baith gayi thi.." He chided.
"Woh wala ready made saree tha! Aur zyada chillane ki zarurat nehi hain, madad hi lene ja rahe the hum Dadi ya bahuyon se!" She retorted with a mocking look.
"They are busy attending the guests. Ek saree bhi thik se pehni nehi jati tumse!" He sighed hopelessly.
"Ab hume saree pehenna aata nehi toh ismein bhi humari hi galati?!" She raised her brows in defense, trailing, "Ab hum kisse madad lenge?"
"Let me do it." He offered, his lips twitching up in irritation.
"Aappp?!!! Bilkul bhi nehi!" Guddan denied with a wave of her palm.
"There's no other way out of this.. It's all because of your over confidence." Akshat emphasised.
"Aap samajhte kya hain khudko? Hume nehi chahiye aapki koi madad wadad. And stop taunting me okay?!" Guddan warned, raising her forefinger.
"Just fine." He shrugged and turned to go but she held his wrist and pouted.
"Kitne bure haina aap, akeli ladki ki madad kiye bina hi ja rahe hain!?.......... Achha thik hain, aap madad kar dijiye humari.." She sighed helplessly.
He shook his head and stepped closer while she clenched her eyes tight. He tucked the end corner of the saree at her waist and taking the other loose end around her back side, he tucked it in fully. While he worked with the pleats, a butterfly fluttered in her stomach with every slight contact of his cold fingers against her skin. A pinkish hue spread across her cheeks as her heart beated erratically. She couldn't comprehend what were the odd sensations all about and continued stressing her cerebrum, but as if the feeling appeared foreign to her system.
"Done!" His voice snapped her out of her trail of thoughts.
"Ek baat puche?" She asked.
"What?"
"Aapko kaise aata hai saree pehnana? Aap kya chup chup ke saree pehente hai? Hume bata sakte hai, hum kisiko nehi batayenge! Pinky promise."
"Tumhara saree pehenna hogaya?"
"Haan?!"
"Then shut your crap and go downstairs." He replied coldly while departing the room. Why in the Earth would he wear a saree?! This girl!
"Khadoos!" Guddan murmured at his retreating form and shifted her gaze towards the mirror. There she was, neatly draped in the saree with no mistakes to point at.
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"Humari madad karne ke liye thank you Uncle! Agar aaj aap nehi hote toh.." She curved her lips into a smile.
"Better you don't harbour such over confidence in you in future. Got that?" He asked at which she turned away annoyed.
"Thank you ka jawaab bhi thik se dena nehi aata inhe! Khadoos ke khadoos hi rahenge! Keh dete ek welcome, par nehi! Unhe toh Uncleness dikhani hain!" She murmured to herself, according to her.
"Uncle kahi ka! Humesha Uncleness dikhani hoti hain! Got that? " She imitated him.
He furrowed his brows at her. Why was she blabbering her thoughts aloud? Uncleness, seriously! He was least thrilled to hear words from Guddan's dictionary. Her weird inventions would mess up with his peace. He shook his head and interjected, "By the way, I appreciate your decision yesterday. It was all justified."
"Par aapko kaise pata chala?" She asked, confused.
"Yeah, that..."