Chapter 29 Aachoo

720 93 2
                                    

"Wo wo wo!! U look so beautiful in this dress...Nandini!" Kabir exclaimed seeing Navya in the long black gown and her hair in curls. She totally looks so different Kabir thought as he admired the beauty of Navya. 

"Oh..thank U, Kabirji...aap bhi bahut handsome lag rahe ho.." Navya complimented Kabir. 

"Oh..but one thing is missing!" Kabir replied bringing out a surprise packet which he had hidden away. "Here's a little gift for U!" 

"Gift? Iski kya zaroorat thi? Hum gifts nahi lete anjaan logon se!" 

"Why man? What's wrong in accepting gifts? U called me a stranger just now? Itne saare paise tumpe kharch kiye and I became stranger? Not good..Nandini..not good!" Kabir said making a no with his finger

"Arre I didn't ask U to spend money on me na? Wo beauty parlourwaale hamare band bajaa rahe the! Aapko kuch pata bhi hai? Itne saje dhaje for the party..warna tho hum agree na karte!" Navya said with an attitude. 

"Ahh..thanks madam..U truly are kind. Abhi chale? Oh wait!! The gift. Here it is..if U don't like it..return it ok?" Kabir said handing over the gift to Navya. 

"Ismein kya hai?" Navya asked with a suspicious look on her face. 

"Iske andar? Bomb hai! Kyon? Abhi isko baahar phekoge?" Kabir asked getting annoyed by Navya's questions. 

"Kabirji..aap hamara mazaak udaao mat! Don't make fun of me. I don't like funniness without reason. ok?" Navya said adding one more word for oxford dictionary

"Funniness?" Kabir asked with a little giggle "Ok..no funniness! U open the gift and look! If U don't like, I'll give it to Navya, ok?" 

"Ok..." Navya said opening the gift wrapper of the rectangular box. Navya opened the box and looked and her eyes went large with excitement. 

"ARREEE, necklace!!!! Wo bhi diamondwaaliii?" Navya asked in an excited tone. 

"No! Actually na..pehle main stone necklace banwaana chahta tha..coz stone is cheapest. But kya hua ke stone age jaa chuka tha, so copper necklace banwaane copper age chale gaye, wahan se bhi bhagaa diye, bronze age na the tho phir silver ornaments banwaane ke liye gold ornaments ke shop gaya tho dukaan bandh ho chuka tha tho diamond hi mile! Abhi pasand nahi tho isko lautaake aaoon?" Kabir asked getting annoyed. 

"Arreee aise kaise? I loveee diamonds. I thought that whenever I marry na..I will make my patidev buy a diamond necklace for me" Navya said with big smile on her face and keeping the necklace on her neck and looking in the mirror. 

"Aha? Patidev? Already?" Kabir asked fidgeting nervously. "Man..by the end of tonight, hope she won't insist on marrying me coz I bought the necklace for her!" 

"Kabirji..please help na! Help me wear this necklace!" Navya said placing the necklace around her neck. Kabir felt a bit nervous seeing the way Navya was looking at Kabir through the mirror. Kabir walked over slowly to Navya and caught both ends of the necklace and gently touched on the nape of Navya's neck. 

Navya lost her senses at the touch of Kabir and whispered "Kabirji...aap first ho.." The necklace slipped off Kabir's fingers in shock. 

"What??" Kabir asked with a shocked expression on his face. 

"Wo na...aap wo first ho..jismein idhar touch kiye.." Navya said pointing to the  nape of her neck. "Aapne kya socha?" 

Kabir heaved a sigh of relief and muttered "No..nothing..U really scared me! Ok so please stand silent" Kabir said as he once again picked up the necklace to make Navya wear it. 

Navya looked into the mirror and started blushing at Kabir. 

Kabir felt his fingers shake with  nervousness as if he was touching his bride on first night. 

"Pehnaaoo na..." Navya crooned as she made Kabir more nervous. 

"Bahut se samples ko dekhe..magar ye sabse alag hai..pata nahi aaj mera kya hoga" Kabir thought as he tightened his fist a bit before moving closer to Navya once again. 

"So what is your answer, Nandini?" Manik asked continuing to wait for the answer. 

"Aaachoo" Nandini replied.

"U ok?" Manik asked looking nervously at Nandini. 

"Haan..I'm ok.." Nandini replied sniffing and wiping her nose with the back of her palm. 

"Ok..so tell me...what's your answer, Nandini?" Manik once again enquired in a matter-of-fact manner with his hands folded over his chest. 

"Actually na..kal SPACE main mera f..first...aaachoo" Nandini sneezed once again. 

"Achcha? SPACE main first aachoo hai?? SPACE main asteroids, comets sab sune hai...magar aachoo pehli baar sune hai! Like seriously? Aise cold leke jaaoge kya class attend karne?" Manik asked getting closer to Nandini. 

"N..No Manik..I don't have a co..col ...aaccchooo"

"Achcha?? Aachoo Nandooo? Tho ye baar baar kya kar rahe ho? Ye aachoo aachoo karna achchi baat nahi! U alright?" Manik asked with a concerned expression on his face. 

"N..No...I am ok!" Nandini replied taking one step closer to Manik. Suddenly her eyes went half closed as she fainted. 

"N..Nandini sambhaalo!" Manik said as he caught hold of Nandini in his arms. She felt so light in his arms. Manik lifted Nandini in his arms. "Like seriously..what kind of girl says she is ok just before fainting? It seems the rain has affected her. Hope she doesn't catch a fever."

Manik placed Nandini on the stone bench where they sat earlier and started making a phone call. 

"Hello?? Yes Ramu kakka..hamare driver se bolo ke gaadi leke aaye. I'm right now at..." Manik continued to speak into the phone. 

Nandini opened her one eye and looked at Manik who was busy making a phone call. 

"Ayyappa...thanks for saving me. I don't like saying lies..but iss sawaal se bachne ke liye..aur koi raasta na mila..aap mujhe maaf karoge na?" 

Ayyappa didn't say anything like always..he was busy listening to Manik's phone call. 

Aiyoo Ayyappa-  MaNan FFWhere stories live. Discover now