A phone call rings and Sumit picks up.
“McDreamy!!!”
“Bolo Sandy!!!”
“Mahol garam hai!!!”
“Kitna??”
“Candyfloss se kaam nahi chalega, pura chat counter lagega”
“Oh… thike… Thanks for the heads up!”
“Gotta go… Toofan incoming. All the best!!”
A while later, Sai and Sumit are sitting near Chowpatty at Ambazari lake.
“Abhi bhi mood off hai?”
“Sab tumhari galti hai!!!”
“Excuse Me??? Tumhara viva bekar hua isme meri galti kaise hui?”
“To??? Koun baat kar raha tha mere se der raat tak?”
“He jasti hotay ha Sai (This is too much Sai)... main baat kar raha tha ki tumhari revision kara raha tha??”
Sai opens her mouth to give a retort but cannot and looks down sheepishly.
Sumit chuckles at her antics and lightly nudging her, says,
“Come on yaar Sai…ab itna bhi kya gussa… aur tum sirf kehti ho ki viva bura hua hai… baad main top hi karti ho … aur vo Professor vaise bhi pehle se hi khadoos hai!!!”
“Tumhe pata tha ki vo aanewale hai?”
Sai asks him in surprise and he looks at her in slight indignation.
“Ofcourse not… jab se hum log date kar rahe hai.. Main tumhare studies related kisi bhi conversation se duur rehta hun college main. Maine pichle semester koi subjects bhi opt nahi kiye tumhare class ke….”
Sumit pauses a bit, picks a pebble and throws it on the lake. Looking far into the horizon, he says,
“Sai… main soch raha hun ye job chod du!!!”
Sai who had been observing him, turns to him and says,
“Huhhh??? Kyun achanak se? Kisine kuch bola kya? Kuch hua kya?”
“Naaahhhiiii…. Kuch nahi hua my dear!!! Main bas isliye soch raha tha kyunki kuch logo ko ab pata hai ki hum girlfriend boyfriend hai. Main nahi chahta ki koi tumhare capabilities pe shaq kare aur sawaal kare … ki tumhe meri vajah se koi undue advantage mila hai. I don't want anyone to disrespect you and your intelligence.”
He replies, lightly tapping her forehead.
Sai has tears in her eyes, listening to him and quickly plants a kiss on his cheek.
Sumit, startled by her reaction, touches his cheek and looks at her with widened eyes.
“Kya baat hai Ms. Joshi!! Kya ho gaya ekdum se?”
“Tum jab aisi baatein karte ho na Mr. Pathak… tab bada pyaar aata hai!!!”
“Oh ho… mujhe nahi pata tha… lekin iska matlab tum khush ho ki main tumhare college nahi aaunga?” He asks in mock anger.
“Areeee…. Bilkul nahi… I will miss running into you in corridors and our lunch breaks. But if this is what you want, then I won't stop you!!”
“So you are okay with the idea na?”
“Haan lekin mujhe kyun pooch rahe ho? Tumhara career hai!! Tumne soch samajh ke hi faisla liya hoga”
“Haan par tum meri girlfriend ho!!!! Tumse poochna, tumhe batana jaruri hai!”
Sumit pouts and Sai smiles, happy and content.
She links her arms through his and leans her head on his shoulder. Sumit too tilts his head towards her. Sai pulls out her earphones, passing one to Sumit, plays the song. They sit quietly, enjoying the song and the sunset.
Ishq bulava aave jab aave..
Main ta kol tere rehna
Main ta baitha kol tere..
Tainu takda ravaan
Baaton pe teri hansda ravaan
Pagal main khud nu banaanda ravaan
Tu hansdi rave, main hansaanda ravaan
Tenu takda ravan...
Virat is busy scrolling through his phone when he gets a call from Sunny.
“Virat tu kahan hai?”
“Theatre pahunch gaya hun… bol?”
“Are vo Neha hai na… usko abhi last moment pe boss ne rok liya hai… tujhe batane bola hai … thoda late ho jayegi thike? Enjoy your date”
“Kya yaar Sunny… movie shuru hone wali hai!! Ab kya akele dekhne jau?”
“Dekh Boss ne bulaya hai… Main kya batau kitna time lagega… tu andar chala jaa… vo aayegi to ticket pickup kar legi. Bata deta hun usko vaisa”
“Thik hai” Virat replies.
He walks inside the theatre irritated and finds his seat. The movie starts and the couple in front of him is whispering and giggling, irking his already spoiled mood.
During the interval, as the lights turn on, Virat busies himself scrolling through his phone when the sight in front of him shocks him to no measure.
“Mere liye Salted caramel lete aana” She asks him.
“Soch lo… phir mere butter wale mat khaana” He replies with a smirk.
“Main to dono khaungi” She replies with a wink.
“Main bhi dekhta hun kaise khaogi!! Aur kuch chahiye?”
She ponders for a moment and holding his hand says,
“Haan… tum…”
“So Cheesy… popcorn le aata hun… mujhe mat khaao”
He blushes and smiles. She lets out a laugh.
Unable to control himself, Virat lets out a grunt, shocking them.
It is then that the couple turns around and look at him.
Sai is stunned and looks at Sumit. He is trying hard to bring up a smile on his face.
Sai realises she has been holding Sumit’s hand all this while and quickly lets it go and looks ahead.
Sumit finally plasters an awkward smile on his face and asks Virat,
“Are Virat.. Tum yahan?”
Virat scoffs at the stupidity of the question and yet understanding the situation, replies,
“Haan… vo ek friend aane wali thi… office meeting main fas gai”
Sai quickly gets up and leaves the theatre on the pretense of using the washroom.
Sumit taking it as a sign, leaves for buying the eatables.
They only return once the lights are off and quietly take up their seats.
Virat notices the change in demeanor in both of them.
He receives the message from Neha that she has arrived and he leaves the theatre while passing a glance in front of him.
---
Song is Ishq Bulaava from Hasee to Phasee
ESTÁS LEYENDO
Afterglow
FanficA story inspired by an idea for a new ML for Sai and her life post her divorce from Virat. This beautiful cover is courtesy Sahni2007. She has done awesome work and I am more than pleased to use her art for my story.
