“It was love that kept Kais sane, otherwise the world had already claimed him as a Majnun without understanding him.”

“So, Siya do you want to see your jiju?” I choked on the juice that I was sipping as Shikha aunt chirped to Siya. Siya browsed her gaze on me and cleared her throat, “Yes. I definitely want to.”

I extracted the napkin from the box and wiped my lips before inhaling a deep breath. It was not the best way to kick off a day. Aunt was going to implement a bud in my head if she handed me the picture. I decided to stuff the toast and omelet in my mouth and raced my fingers in finishing the poha served on my plate. Contrary to the plan, I woke up late and ended up postponing the shopping plan that was made up with Rhea. Granted, she was grumpy but I didn’t meddle. Now, seated on the eight-seater dining table, I was almost on one way ticket to heaven when Shikha aunt said the ‘jiju’ word.

“Isn’t she being the fast forward? I am telling you with this speed, she will be getting you married to the guy the next day.” She chuckled occupying her seat beside me and I kicked her under the table.

“What are you guys talking?” I breathed a sigh of relief as mom entered the picture and I rose to my feet. “Nothing. I am leaving for Rhea’s residence because I am sure she must be hitting the roof thinking I cancelled the plan.”

Mom chuckled and nodded, “Make sure you are here by the lunch because Tushar is coming today.”

“But, his trip was of two weeks right?”

“His work winded up early.”

“Okay, that’s good. I am leaving now. Bye!” Hurrying on my way, I noticed Aunt producing an envelope out of her bag and handing it to Siya. “He’s so handsome. Mom, look at jiju’s picture.” I heard her exhaling as I raced to the exit. Daft!

***

“Rhea... Let’s go.” I dragged her outside, without taking a glance as to what she wore when she opened the door and yawned.

“Hold on! You’re here correct on time. Am I dreaming?” She rubbed her eyes, un-gripping and halted in my steps. I looked at her in disbelief, she was in her bear printed pajamas and top at the eleven o’clock when she had ruined my sleep at five o’clock by calling me. It was she because of whom I had to get up early and when I decided to take nap, I ended up snoozing for three extra hours.

ESV glared at her, ‘She was sleeping ruining mine.’ I did the same.

“Umm... Come inside and then I’ll explain you.” She shuttered, pulling me inside her room and I was two minutes left from strangling her.

“You were sleeping?” My voice was stale and pronounced as the calm before the storm.

“I can explain.” She repelled, shielding her hands before her as I bear down on her, “You’ve just one minute to recite the last prayer, you bitch!”

I grabbed the pillow and threw it at her followed by another and she maneuvered to dodge that but winced as one of the pillows hit her straight on her face. I smirked at my exquisite aim.

“I didn’t want to...ow... sleep but that...hey don’t throw...boring program just...ow...did it.” She let out her whine interspersing with puppy words to convince me.

I glared her, calming down and settled down on the bed, pressing a side pillow on my lap, “Go and get ready fast and send some juice for me. You’ve T minus two seconds.”

“Will be back in split of seconds.” She grinned and ran to her bathroom while throwing an order for her Butler to serve me. Within snaps, I was served with a glass full of Grape Juice and vanilla cake. I, stoically, flipped the pages of a fashion magazine that was carelessly resting on her dresser.

“Where are uncle and aunt?” I inquired, closing the magazine as she came out all dressed.

“They have abounded me. Now, I am all alone here.” She rapped out melodramatically, sauntering to the dresser and coiffed her hair in a high ponytail.

“Really! I still feel they are late in doing so.” I remarked, smirking and corrected my lip color as she glared me, “How mean!”

I giggled and she joined me in.

“Mom and dad are out for one of my relative’s wedding this week. They won’t be back until Friday.” She informed, buckling her seat and I jumped on the driver’s seat, “That would be three days.”

“Correct!”

“Alright then, let’s go.” I cheered and ignited on the engine to drive to the south X mall that was just a few blocks ahead from our vicinity. It was a ride of ten minutes and I parked the car in the parking lot, dropping rhea at the entrance.

“What are we going to do first?” She asked as we entered the mall and look around, shoving her hands in her jean pocket.

“Shopping?” I shrugged slightly confused.

“Of course but, what thing first? Like dresses or accessories?”

“Whatever you want to try first, that’s not much of a big deal.” I rolled my eyes and dragged her to the accessories store. It was named as ‘Belle Collections’, they had such exotic and antique pieces in accessories; from beads to stones, from sparkle to stale, from diamonds to metals, you would find everything there.

“Hey, how about this?” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, trying a metal and beads rare combined neckpiece.

“Pretty good!” I, myself, was fascinated with the earrings. These danglers had a unique pattern; more like a combination of wattle and stud.

“Butu! Come. Let’s check it out. They have awesome collection, look at that shirt. Oh my my! I LOVE IT.” With that she started her rant as we stroll to apparel section after purchasing accessories. One after another, the shopaholic Rhea Kulkarni was spending money on dresses and accessories like water.

“Don’t call me Butu in public place.” I glared her and she ignored me, getting busy in checking the latest collection.

“Okay, so, Pizza or chilly sizzler?” I asked browsing through the menu card as we sat in one of the posh restaurant that provided best Italian available in the south of the Jaipur. We’d shopped up to our credit card’s limit, so we decided to hop in the nearby restaurant to feed our growling tummy and also to put a period on the shopping.

I had to give it to them that the way these fancy restaurant owner printed the devious dishes on their menu cards, it became so tempting that customer had to perform more self-restrain to curb the urge of ordering all the dishes listed down there.

“Hmm... Let’s order pizza for now because last month we’d ordered sizzler and top of all, I’ve sore in my mouth. So extra spicy is not good.” Rhea made a cross with her coke can.

“Okay then...” I called the server and placed the order. Within 10 min, Delicious pizza was in front of us. I inhaled the aroma as I opened the square box and sprinkled seasoning on it. Why do they give round pizza in square box? This sudden thought cross my mind but I shrugged it off and savor the bursting flavors.

Who the hell cares? I licked the melting cheese on my lips and moaned my best, though involuntarily, but that came out loud. Rhea widened her eyes with mouth opened ajar, her hand in the midair with cola can.

“What?” I asked when I noticed her and she hushed, looking around. “Do you want to give wet dreams to men over here? I’m sure AF that after this, they must jerk off with your notions in mind.”

“Eww!” I gagged hard; the thought of anyone jerking with my thoughts had me disgusted. I slapped her forearm with my coke bottle, and unceremoniously glared at every man who darted his eyes on our table for a fleet of the second.

“Hey Butu! Give me a hand. Please!” I made a face when Rhea played her puppy face trump card, showing me her bags laden hands. I hated to shop because if I did, it would mean that I had to carry all the bags which were not something I fancied.

“Puleaseee!” She stretched, making me roll my eyes and I took half of her bags, reluctantly. She had shopped more so she had more bags than I. I made a face and nodded whatsoever.

“You know what, you should say yes to Mrigank. I am telling you he’s a gem and you will not find anyone else like him and he’ll do this bag taking thing for you.” Rhea put the idea in my brain till we reached the car and I smiled at her.

Mrigank was my crush. He worked with us and was one of us, except he’s our CEO’s son but no one would depict him haughty as he’s a gentleman. He’s not the some guy I admired from ajar, he’s our common friend but I, sort of, liked him – no, I didn’t not like him as love types, just crush types and I was well aware that he was aware of it.

“I think I should play a cupid here. What do you say?” She quacked and I threw bags on the backseat. “Don’t build castle in air.”

“What’s this? The girlish pride or the haughty Rajputana arrogance?” She chided, scoffing at me and I rolled my eyes. Since she wasn’t a Rajput, she had some fictitious assumptions that each of my denial was prompted by the Royal Rajputana Arrogance.

“You know what I think you should focus on something constructive despite this.” I said wryly, accelerating the car.

“Care to elaborate!”

“You should focus on new appoints. Girl! They are hot.” I exaggerated to divert her mind and that did work.

“Who?”

“I told you about this new HOD of Marketing Department, Akshat. He’s really a nice guy and I think he is also hot.” I winked at her and she sniggered, “I need to now know him as you are tagging him as hot.”

“Deal done!” I had this strong intuition that they both would click pretty soon. I wondered why I was failing in having any intuitions about Abhimanyu.

ESV filed her nails, ‘She was on the beginning and you just played cupid here.’

“Aye, Aye, captain!” I said in sing sang tone.

“Anyways, stay the night with me. I am feeling very alone in my home,” She pouted and I rolled my eyes, “My door is always open for your petite frame to slide in. Why do you want to stay in your home? And take that as a chance for feasting upon my mom’s tasty meal.”

“Great idea!” She grinned.

***

“Coming!” I groaned irritated as Siya continuously knocked on the door, I peered at the watch; it’s ten past three in the evening. Rubbing my eyes, I opened the door almost half sleepy.

“Seriously! How can you sleep like zombie Di? I thought the whole neighborhood is going to get up except you.” She dropped a clinger.

“Why did you ruin my sleep? What’s so effin urgent?” I sat on the bed followed by her and she giggled, wiggling her eyebrows, making me suspect her. “What?”

“Nothing! I saw the guy and I am telling you Di, he is hot. Like really hot.” She said, dramatically and I made a face “And you barged in to tell me this. I didn’t sleep properly because Rhea ruined my sleep in the morning and now you.”

Where’s his photograph? Show me show me show me!

I was intrigued because Shikha aunt praised him too much and here, Siya was also exaggerating his charm, so yeah I wanted to see him, badly.

“Actually I thought you would want to see him, so I brought his photograph for you but...” She took out the envelope flipping casually and sighed. “Since, you aren’t interested. I think I should keep it back in her closet.”

“You rummaged through her luggage? Siya, what the hell?” I was shocked. This was wrong, extremely wrong – wrong in so many levels.

“No, I didn’t. She forgot the envelope on the sofa and I took it for you but if you don’t want to see him, I will keep it in her closet.” She rolled her eyes and turned to go.

ESV screeched on top of her lungs, ‘Wait wait wait!’

“No, wait.” I said and she stopped, “um...I mean if you have brought it, leave the envelope here. I will take a look.” I shrugged casually.

“Your wish!” She smiled, mischievously and kept the envelope on my study table, winking at me.

I could count my heartbeats on my fingers. The envelope was left untouched on the table; I was contemplating whether to look inside or not. Finally, trudging next to the table, I took up the envelope and peered inside to see the photograph. Excitedly, my heart raised in supersonic speed. I could hear my heartbeats and my quivering hands pulled out the postcard size photograph.

A drool worthy figure smiled at me, the straight upturned nose, thick eyebrows, and a tempting dimple digging on his right cheek screamed of arrogance. I bit my lip shyly tracing my fingertips on the cold plastic coated card. Heat rose up from my neck to my cheekbones. Unable to get a grip on myself, I put the photograph back in the envelope and shoved it in ulterior corner in my cupboard.

Sauntering, I fell down on the bed to close my eyes but his face kept running on my mind. He was slowly being the tune, I couldn’t forget. To my drift, I blushed and covering myself completely with the duvet, I forced myself to sleep. The moment slumber started casting its spell on me, some of my extremely preposterous kinsman decided to put oar in.

“Di?” Siyu raced inside again and pouted. I rubbed my eyes and wiggled my eyebrows at her.

“What did you want now?”

“Photograph!” She mouthed, miming ridiculously to a book actually.

“Why, I haven’t looked at it properly.” I slid off the bed and opened my cupboard to hand her the envelope, she arched an eyebrow, being all eyes.

“What?”

“Why did you keep it in ulterior? You know study table has a drawer.” She smirked, crossing her arms.

“Why are you here when you’ve given me this a few minutes ago?” I questioned back.

“I didn’t know Shikha aunt remembered that she left it.”

“Did she ask you to go get it from me?” I was going to die out of embarrassment.

“No, she didn’t. I told her that I kept the photograph safe.” She assured me. I blew out the breath that I was holding from so long. “Thank God!”