Ishqiya - Chapter 23: Chapter 23

I wanted to be anywhere but here. Gosh, I felt stuck as I was surrounded by a bunch of relatives I'd never once in my lifestyle ever seen. My mother was doing the honours of introducing me to each one of them much to my disdain.
A woman dressed in a very shimmery saree enough to hurt my eyesight flashed a very bright smile towards me, the remnants of coriander from the starter dishes stuck between them. Gross
"Oh Neil beta pehchan mujhe?", she pulled my cheeks and cooed at me. I had the biggest dislike towards people who pulled at my cheeks, I hated whenever someone went for my cheeks. Koi bachao yaar mujhe, meri handsome si shakal per daag!
[Translation: Oh Neil, son you recognised me?
Someone, please save me, a stain on my handsome face!]
"Aap vhi ho na jisse Maine bachpan meh dekha tha? Jab Mai bohot chota tha", I replied with a really forced smile earning a smack on my back from my mother who gritted some incoherent words under her breath.
[Translation: Are you the same one whom I saw in my childhood? when I was very young]
"Behave", she warned glaring at me and making me pout. Meri kya galti thi? All I did was tit for tat! [Translation: What was my mistake?]
I hated attending social gatherings because of this shit. A random uncle or aunty would pull you and pop your happiness bubble by inquiring about your career planning. They wouldn't care about themselves but would want the whole report about what's going on in your life and wouldn't stop until extracting every piece of information from you. They would go like,
"beta 10th ke baad kya?"
"beta 12th ke baad kya?"
"beta college ke baad kya?"
"beta naukri ke baad kya?"
"beta shaadi ke baad kya?"
"beta bachhon ke baad kya?"
MAUT AUNTY! MAUT! ap bhi try karke dekho.
[Translation: "Son, what after the 10th?"
"Son, what after the 12th?"
"Son, what after college?"
"Son, what after the job?"
"Son, what after marriage?"
"What after kids?"
DEATH AUNTY! DEATH! You too try it and see.]
I clicked my tongue in annoyance and made a futile attempt to escape but was stopped by an uncle who wanted me to motivate his son to be serious and consistent about his career. Bhai koi bachao mujhe! [Translation: someone save me]
I flashed them a sarcastic smile but alas had to knock some sense into the guy who wanted to be anywhere but here. Us bro us!
"You know I don't want to be here", the guy said making faces. Us moment bro!
"me too, but your father won't stop until he thinks his son is sane enough to act according to his wishes", I replied looking at him. "It all started because of my elder cousin who went abroad to study medicine, now my father wants me to follow his footsteps and appear for competitive exams", he added averting his eyes and I felt sad for the poor soul
"I could be a doctor, Engineer, Lawyer or a disgrace to his name", he clicked his tongue gazing at the ground. "Don't worry! Everything would be fine", I patted his shoulder sympathizing with him to which he just nodded
We talked casually for a few more minutes with those occasional glances from his father which was, to be honest, sheer torture. Bachaao mujhe koi! [Translation: someone save me]
And to my relief, I was finally saved. A kid around the age of six came running towards me. "Bhaiya they are calling for you", and my happiness knew no bounds. I looked back at my mother, silently asking for permission through my eyes to which she gladly agreed. [Translation: Brother]
I walked away from there following the little boy and ruffled his hair,"aaj tune bacha liya champ", he stared at me confused but decided to ignore it and ran towards the ice cream stall where I noticed a circle of my cousins. [Translation: today you saved me champ]
Upon reaching them I noticed them standing in a circle with a really serious expression on their faces. Abhi kaunse fufaji neh siyappa kar diya? [Translation: Which uncle has done something now?]
"Yeh lo Bhai bhi aa gye", Jay my cousin acknowledged my presence grabbing everyone's attention. [Translation: brother is also here]
The whole crowd turned towards me and gosh I felt that I suddenly forgot how to breathe. I was smitten at the very moment I saw her clad in a red lehenga, matching my red kurta. Her long open hair brushed against her cheek, her plump luscious lips coated with a thin layer of nude lipstick, her eyes lined with eyeliner, natural blush adoring her pale skin becomes of the chilling cold weather. She was around my age, maybe a year or two younger than me, in height but shorter as compared to me.
When I saw her, the whole world around me, stopped and all that existed for me was her and my eyes staring at her. There's nothing else. No noise, no other people, no thoughts or worries, no yesterday, no tomorrow. The world just stopped and it's a beautiful place and there's only her. Just her. And my eyes stared at her.
And the damage was done the moment her eyes collided with mine. The huge lawn felt as if it was fading away, I felt those slow violin tunes in the background, a cold breeze brushing against me causing a deep shiver to run down my bone.
When she looked away from me breaking our eye contact, the world started again and I didn't like it as much as I liked it moments ago. I could live in it, but I didn't like it. I just survived around it and waited to see her again and waited for it to stop again.
And then as if God had heard my prayers she turned her head towards me again and then those magical tingles were back. And I loved it when everything stopped again. It was the best thing I've ever known or ever felt, the best thing, and that is why I stared at her like a hopeless romantic again.
"Hayyee", words left my lips without my knowledge as I admired the goddess before me without blinking as if she would fade away if I did so.
"Bhai?", I was pulled out from my beautiful daze when I felt Jay shaking my shoulder and like a jolt, I was back again. He stared at me in confusion while my eyes were still fixated on the red lehenga girl.
"Ha?", I question back looking away from her even when my heart said otherwise as I focused on what Jay had to say I swear if it wasn't something serious and meaningful I was going to kick his ass for sure.
"Kaha khoye hue ho?", he eyed me suspiciously with furrowed eyebrows. [Translation: Where are you lost?]
"Nowhere, now tell me mujhe kyu bulaya?", I asked. [translation: why did you call me?] "vho, she has a plan for us", he pointed in the direction of the hazel-eyed beauty who was busy eating her ice cream, and as childish as I sounded I felt jealous of the ice cream that was stuck on the corner of her lips. Gosh! It was supposed to be my lips on her, not the freaking ice cream or the spoon she was eating with! No worries, we'll correct it the next time!
"What plan?", I asked again with confusion. "She's gonna help us in hiding the shoes!", he answered back
"You sure?", my eyebrows were furrowed and he just nodded his head. "Per vho ladki walo ki taraf se hai", he added back [translation: but she's from the bride's side]
"fir vho hamari help kyu karegi?", to answer my query Jay just leaned on my shoulder and whispered the whole fiasco in my ears in a hushed tone. He even explained to me the whole plan as if we were supposed to go on a damn mission.
[Translation: Then why will she help us?]
"You sure this will work?", he bobbed his head furiously and rushed towards the enchantress. He took hold of her soft and delicate wrist and started dragging her towards me. A slight frown marked my face and I felt my insides burning with jealousy. Hands off chote Bhai if you want yours to be attached to your body for the rest of your life! Hell! I was freaking jealous of my brother and I had no shame in admitting it!
He finally brought her in front of me and I just awed at her cute frown. It looked like she would bury Jay alive if she had a chance but to me, she looked just so cute. Aww! My baby!
"The next time you decide to drag me like a sack I'll have your freaking disgusting hands hung on my doorsteps like a showpiece and I swear I would", she threatened in a dangerous tone enough to have Jay shit his pants but he just passed her a hesitant smile and muttered a sorry.
Her nose looked red in anger and it made me almost swoon over her.
"Bhai she is Suhana and Suhana this is Neil bhai", Jay introduced us. Suhana! Her name did justice to her beauty and she was as pretty, stunning, attractive, glamorous, amazing and lovely as her name was. And dude I tell you I suddenly felt a loss of vocabulary to even describe her, as this effortlessly I was smitten by her.
At that moment, our eyes met & I remembered thinking this is what it is to be struck by lightning, knowing I would never be untouched by her again as I felt her name deeply inked in my heart. And I knew I was never going to forget it ever, not in my lifetime and more to come.
She passed me a very warm and adorable smile complimenting her alluring and angelic beauty. And I felt tangled in the web of love she was creating around me. Dagabaaz re haye, dagabaaz re, Tohre naina bade dagabaaz re
"Bhai?", Jay interrupted again much to my dismay and I swear I wanted to deform his good-for-nothing face which he loved flexing and scare away his girl admirers.
"Kya hai?", I snapped at him and he looked shocked at my outburst. I realised we were not alone and passed Suhana an apologetic smile to which she nodded. [Translation: what?]
"shouldn't we execute our plan? Abhi toh photo session chal raha we need to be careful", she questioned and we all nodded. All the cousins came together and Suhana started explaining everything. [Translation: now the photo session is going on]
"So now we need someone who is wearing a heavy lehenga who would be near the groom when he removes his shoes", she said and Jia, Jay's twin came forward, "I'll do it", Suhana nodded to her and began again
"Varmala hone ke baad, couple photo session hoga right?", we all nodded at her question a serious expression marking all of our faces. "Jab fero ka mahurat hoga tab mandap meh baithne se pehle jab dulha jute utarega tab pehle toh unke shoes cover karne hai lehenge se taki kisiko Shak na ho", she explained
[Translation: After the varmala, there will be a couple's photo sessions right?
: When the auspicious time of the pheras will come, before sitting in the mandap, when the groom will come down, first cover his shoes with lehenga so that no one gets suspicious.]
"Jia aapko na apni heels pehle hi nikal kar rakhni hai okay! Fir na aapko shoes ko acche se cover karne ke baad unhe apne pairo meh pehnna hai, make sure you don't trip taki kisiko pata na lage", Suhana said "Okay", Jia replied listening attentively [Translation: Jia, you should take off your heels first, okay! Then after covering your shoes with lehenga, wear them, and make sure you don't trip so that no one finds out.]
"Then we need to bring the shoes into the dressing room, away from anyone's reach successfully without anyone from the bride's side noticing us"
"Once in the dressing room, we would need someone older, do you have someone who would help us?", Suhana asked, "we can ask Ananya di, she's the groom's sister", I replied to which she smiled at me making my heart flutter and I ducked my head down as red-coated my burning cheeks. Hayyee! Heeriye heeriye!
"Okay! We have the shoes we will tape them to her legs, we will get the duct tape from the kitchen pantry. And fir toh unke lehenge ki skirt se hi shoes cover ho jayenge aur kisiko dikhenge hi nhi", she completed with a victory smile and we all looked at her amazed. Yeh ladki kitni chant hai by God!
[Translation: And then the shoes will be covered by the skirt of her lehenga and will not be visible to anyone.
: oh God! This girl is so deceiving]
"What if we fail?", I questioned her
"aise kaise we will fail! Kasam hai mujhe Krishna halwai ke samoso ki Aaj toh Jeet hamari hi hogi", she had that challenging glint in her eyes that she was sure we wouldn't fail.
[Translation: How will we fail? I swear to the samosas of Krishna Halwai that today's victory will be ours.]
Suhana gave everyone their final position and they all scattered like bees leaving us alone. Finally! I can have her all by myself now, happy happy happy!
"Don't you have anywhere to go?", she turned towards me taking my breaths away again as her eyes locked with mine
"Nah! I would rather not leave a great opportunity to be graced with the presence of such an amazing lady and roam around", I replied and she looked at me with amusement in her eyes making me internally smirk
"So what did you say your name was?", she questioned with a gleam in her eyes. "Neil, Neil Bedi", I answered to which she nodded
"Toh Neil aap kya karte ho?", she asked [ Translation: So Neil what do you do?]
"Tumse mohabbat", and maine mauke per chauka mar Diya! I bit my tongue and rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment. [Translation: I love you]
"I mean I'm a student, currently studying business and helping Dad in his office likewise", I quickly corrected my mistake but didn't miss the red hue coating her cheeks as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and looked everywhere but me. Hayee! tumse milke dil kaa hai jo ye haal kya kahe
[Translation: What can I say about this condition of my heart after meeting you?]
Our moment was interrupted by the guests clapping as the bride and groom exchanged the garlands and were walking away for the photo session.
Suhana excused herself much to my dislike and I found myself being surrounded by random uncles and aunts again. My mom was busy mingling around with relatives as it was her eldest nephew's wedding.
If you want to see an actress? see my Mumma around relatives and visitors. I swear the fake smile she was flashing to everyone was far away from real.
Soon it was time was the pheras and the bride and groom proceeded towards the mandap. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Suhana barking orders at everyone and signalling them towards their said position.
And Suhana was right when she said we would succeed. I finally believed her sharp brain as I found myself in the dressing room among all the other cousins along with Ananya di, the shoes successfully in our custody. Suhana explained her everything and she happily agreed, all males were kicked out of the room as the ladies did their work.
A few minutes later the door opened and Suhana emerged out with everyone. Her face was marked with a victorious grin as she dusted the non-existent dust off her shoulders.
"Kaha tha na maine, bazi apni hogi", she exclaimed and everyone laughed [Translation: I told you, the victory will be ours]
We all headed towards the main lawn where everyone from the bride's side was scattered around searching for the shoes. They passed Suhana a suspicious look and she stared back at them with an innocent-looking face. Kya ladki hai bhai! Total dramebaaz! [Translation: What a girl! Total Dramebaaz]
"Kyu? Aa gaya swadh", I heard her whisper under her breath as she looked at everyone helplessly searching. [Translation: Got the taste?]
And finally, we won. The bride's side was unsuccessful in finding shoes and accepted defeat much to our happiness. I saw Suhana looking so proud and at ease, as she hi-fie each one of us. From the bride's side, they glared at her but Suhana being the mujhe ghanta fark nahi padta queen just passed them her infamous smirk.
[Translation: I don't give a damn]
After some, it was the family dinner time. Everyone gathered near the tables and took their seats enjoying their meals with hearty talks. I took my plate and walked towards the separate table arranged for us children.
Suhana sat in the other corner with one of her cousins and was busy enjoying every delicacy. But the fact that she was sharing a plate with him didn't settle well with me. Koi na! Yeh bhi badal denge, bas hamari shaadi hone do!
[Translation: This will change too, just let us get married!]
Once we all were done with the dinner we walked towards the bonfire as the other wedding-related rituals took place. With hurried steps, I approached Suhana and took the seat beside her. I comfortably sat on the seat as she gave me a look and focused on the fire again.
There was a peaceful silence around us and I enjoyed every moment with her. After this, I didn't know when I would be able to see her again. But I knew for a matter of fact that she was going to see more of me in the coming future and I bet that.
"Aaj chaand kitna sunder hai na", Suhana said as she gazed at the beautiful moon in the dark sky filled with constellations of stars with a small smile on her angelic face. Even though it looked beautiful but not more than her.
[Translation: The moon is so beautiful today isn't it?]
"Jo bolta hai vhi hota hai", I replied admiring her as I drank in her features through my eyes, not leaving a single detail.
[Translation: He who speaks is what he is]
She turned her head towards me, an amused expression marking her face. The tip of her ear turned scarlet and her whole face burned like a red tomato as she bit on her lower lip to control the profound blush coating her chubby biteable cheeks. And I swear if I didn't find her adorable. Mujhe tamatar toh pasand nhi but this one is my favourite!