The teacher’s day incident had been a month old now and so had Devakshi’s friendship. Nothing between them had changed over the days. All this while Sonakshi had been under the impression that Dev didn’t want a relationship at this point in time and his only focus was his career. BUT!! His ‘MULTITASKER’ side had probably been latent to her as yet.
That what’s app chat introduced her to a new side of him.
Dev: Sonakshi I need your help! Promise me ki tum mana nahi karogi.
(Promise me you won’t say no)
Sona: Nahi karungi….until its within my powers and is right for you.
Dev: Will you please talk to Riddhima?
Sona: About what?
Dev: About me!
Sona: Are you serious??
Dev: Yes I am! I really like her, you know that right?? I wanna know if she likes me too and I’m sure you’ll play the Cupid really well.
Sona: Don’t be so sure Dev. Main aisa kuch nahi karne waali.
(I’m not gonna do anything like that)
Dev: But why??? You’re the only one who knows this and only you can help me.
Sona: Firstly, I’m not the only one, the whole of class 12th knows this, precisely bcoz, according to your classmates, the spark between the two of you clearly shows up. And secondly, Dev I know you can easily balance between your relationship and your studies, but do you think Riddhima will be able to do the same? At least I don’t think so. Poor girl has been trying really hard to stay focused. Aise mein, this relationship will only divert her from her goal. Still, if you think I’m wrong, tum kisi aur ki help le sakte ho.
Dev: No Sonakshi, you’re right. She won’t be able to manage both the things. And I don’t want this relationship with her career at stake. But I don’t wanna loose her either. Why should I do?
Sona: Intezaar karo! Jab tak tum dono apni life mein settle nahi ho jaate. Sirf 4 saal.
(You’ll have to wait, until both of you’re settled in your careers. Only 4 years)
Dev: SIRF 4 SAAL??? Aur tab tak use koi aur mil gaya toh?
(Only 4 years? What if she finds another guy by then?)
Sona: Look Dev! Agar woh tumse sach mein pyaar karti hai, toh woh kisi aur ki nahi hogi. She will wait for you. And if she doesn’t…..you have the answer. You can’t force her into this relationship.
(If she loves you she will wait!)
Dev: Hmmm….You know what, you’ve great persuasion powers. I don’t know how do you always manage to be right! TBH I really like your ‘Love Guru’ avatar.
Sona: Enough of your buttering?! Get me those question banks that Gaur Sir has given you guys.
Dev: Aye Aye Captain!?
It was October and the Durga Puja preparations were on full swing. Asha had to leave for Kolkata as Sonakshi’s grandmother wasn’t doing well. She had asked Sonakshi to accompany her but Sona preferred staying back.
Asha: Par tujhe toh khana bhi nahi banana aata!
(But you don’t even know how to cook)
Sona: Offo! Don’t worry maa….I’ll manage.
Asha: Sona! Beta kaise 10 din akele rahogi? Its not safe here. Mujhe saara time tumhari tension hoti rahegi.
(How will you manage alone for 10 days? I’ll always be worried for you)
Sona: Maa neighbours hai na. Golu ke parents hai, Renuka aunty bhi hain….I’m safe with them. Plus Ele, Jatin, Dev…yeh log bhi toh hain….they’ll help me if I need anything. Aap bilkul tension mat lo. Bas dida ka dhyaan rakhna. Ab toh baba ne bhi permission de di hai. Aap aaram se jaao. OK?
(Maa neighbors are there right? Golu’s parents, Renuka aunty…. I’m safe with them. And if I need anything Ele, Jatin Dev will help me. You just take care of grandma, I’ll be fine)
Asha: Mujhe toh kabhi kabhi doubt hota hai…ki main teri ma hoon ya tu meri. Sona dhyaan rakhna koi gadbad na ho…..khana banane ke baad gas zaroor band kar dena. Main Renuka ko bol doongi tera dhyaan rakhe.
(OK but stay safe…and don’t forget to turn off the gas when you’re not using it. I’ll ask Renuka to take care of you)
Sona: OK ma’am. But Renuka aunty…… She’s too nosy maa.
Asha: Take it. You’re the one who’s decided to stay back. Ab jhelo.
So it was finally decided that Sonakshi will stay alone at her home for the entire autumn break.
She was busy cleaning her home one day, when Dev called her.
Dev: Free ho?
(Are you free)
Sona: Baat mat karna mujhse.
(You better don’t talk to me)
Dev: Arre sorry yaar. Aaj leke aa raha hoon tumhara question bank. Kitne baje aaun?
(Sorry! I’m getting question bank today. At what time should I come?)
Sona: 11:00 baje. Usse pehle mat aana. Main bahut busy hoon.
(11:00….not before that….I’m busy)
Dev: Aisa kya kar rahi ho?
(What are you doing)
Sona: Ghar ke saare kaam…saaf safai….pooja paath….breakfast n all.
(Household chores)
Dev: Tum kabse yeh sab karne lagi?
(From when have you started doing all that)
Sona: Jab se maa Kolkata gayi hain!
(From the day mom went to Kolkata)
Dev: Toh tum ghar pe akeli ho.
(So are you alone at home?)
Sona: Nahi tumhara bhoot mere saath hai! Obviously, akeli hoon yaar. Ab bakwaas band karo aur mujhe kaam karne do. Bye!
(No your ghost stays with me…….obviously I’m alone….now don’t eat my head…bye)
Dev: OK bye! See ya!
Sonakshi was hell tired after all her work was done. So at 10:30 she decided to take a nap. Here Dev reached her home and rang the doorbell…..once, twice, thrice, but there wasn’t any response. He knocked the door only to find it unlatched. He slightly pushed it open and entered calling her name in a low tone.
“Sonakshiiiiii……….So-naaaaak-shiiii…”
He had walked in only a few steps when he found her dozed off on a couch in the living room. A faint smile appeared on his face seeing her child like innocence. She looked really cute when asleep, he thought. He spotted her mobile on the table next to the couch and called her. The moment her phone rang, Sonakshi jumped up awake. Through her blurred eyes, she couldn’t really make out who was the man standing three steps away from her. She thought it was a thief and all of a sudden lead out a loud scream.
“Aaaaaaaaaaa………kaun ho tum??…..Dekho mere paas mat aana…..door…..door raho mere se…”
(Who are you……don’t you dare come closer……back off)
Dev rushed to close her mouth with his hands, looked into her eyes and said, “Main hoon……Dev!”
(Its me Dev)
She heaved a sigh of relief, when her eyes met the familiar honeyed ones.
Sona: Tumne toh mujhe dara hi diya Dev! Aise choron ki tarah ghar mein kaun ghusta hai?
(You scared me to death! Who enters like that……like a thief)
Dev: Ghar ka darwaaza khula chhod ke so jaogi, toh ghar mein chor hi ghusenge. Aunty ne tumhe akele chhod kaise diya? Kitni irresponsible ho tum. Apni safety ka koi dhyaan hi nahi hai tumhe. Maanta hoon yeh army area hai but still, you should be careful. Abhi meri jagah koi chor ya kidnapper hota toh kya karti bolo! Tum kumbhkaran ki tarah soti rehti aur chor saare samaan ke saath tumhe bhi utha ke le jaata.
(If you leave the doors unlocked and sleep only thieves and kidnappers will visit your home and along with all the luggage…..they’ll take you too. How could aunty leave you alone? You’re so irresponsible. Not at all worried for your safety.)
Dev continued scolding her, while she kept standing like an obedient student who was being rebuked for her mistake. She liked being scolded by him. She liked his concern for her. After he was done with his quota, she faintly replied.
Sona: Samajh gayi main. I’m sorry. Aage se aise nahi karungi.
(OK I got it…..won’t repeat it again)
Dev: Better!
Sona: Tum mere room mein chal ke baitho main paani leke aati hoon….and ya don’t shut that door hard it gets jammed.
(You go to my room I’ll get some water)
Dev: Ya fine.
Dev didn’t pay much attention to the last line. He banged the door of her room hard and locked himself inside.
When Sonakshi returned with water she found the door shut and at once guessed what had happened.
Sona: Dev! Maine kaha tha na zor se mat band karna. Ho gaya na door jam.
(I told you not to shut it hard..
its jammed now)
Dev: Arre nahi nahi….main nashta karke aaya hoon…..I don’t want bread jam….tum bas paani le aao.
(I don’t need bread jam…..I’ve had my breakfast….just get some water)
Sona: Dumbo! Not bread jam…..I said DOOR JAM!!
Dev: Door jam??
He tried opening the door but failed.
Dev: Oh shit! Sonakshi kuch karo yaar. Please kholo ise.
(Do something sonakshi….open it)
Sona: Of course! Tum andar se handle pakad ke upar lift karo…main bahar se unloak karne ki koshish karti hoon.
(Lift the handle and I’ll push it)
Both of them tried hard for 10 minutes but the door opened only when Dev uttered “Khul Ja Sim Sim”.
This little exertion left them really tired. Sonakshi came in and was just placing the tray on the table when she heard a loud thud!
Our dear Dev had been leaning slightly on the door, when he lost his balance and snapped it shut, yet again. Sonakshi turned back at the sound and glared at him.
Sona: Yeh kya kiya tumne?? Phir se jam kar diya?
(What did you do….it’s jammed again)
Dev: Arre jam nahi hua hoga! Dekho main abhi kholta hoon.
(Its not jammed….I’ll open it wait)
He tried hard to open the door, uttering the infamous, ” Khul Ja Sim Sim” again and again. But with his futile attempts, he was only making a fool out of himself.
Sona: Stop it Dev! Ab kuch nahi ho sakta! Hum lock ho chuke hain.
(Stop it Dev ! We’re locked)
Sonakshi was panicked to the pinnacle while Dev didn’t give a damn to it. He knew that his great friend Ms. Sonakshi Bose will surely find a rescue. So he just roamed around in the room humming-
“Hum tum ek kamre mein band ho….aur chabhi kho jaaye…”
It was a never changing habit of his to investigate her room. Sonakshi had now been used to it. He would check every nook and corner, every case and drawer of her room and today, it was the turn of her study table. He spotted her biology notebook and at once sat scanning it.
Dev: Tum bio waalo ki notebooks ko toh museum mein rakhna chahiye. Kitna saja ke rakhte ho…..itni saari phool pattiyan!!….tumhari notebooks pollinate nahi hoti kya?
(Biology student’s notebooks must be placed in museums. They so well decorated….so many flowers and leaves…..your notebooks don’t get pollinated??)
Sona: Shut up Dev! We’re LOCKED in here aur tumhe mazak soojh raha hai?…….Golu ke parents bhi bahar gaye huye hain……kya karu kuch samajh nahi aa raha……Renuka aunty??…..aur koi option bhi toh nahi hai……..Dev apna phone do.
(We’re Locked in here and you are kidding! What should I do…golu’s parents aren’t here……I’ll have to call Renuka aunty no other option)
Dev handed her the phone and she called Asha. Asha gave her Renuka’s number and Sona asked her to come home soon. Renuka rushed to Sona’s home and found the front door unlocked. She called out for her.
Renuka: Sona! Kaha ho tum?
(Sona where are you)
Sona: Aunty idhar….mere room mein. Door jam ho gaya hai….aap please bahar se knob turn kar ke push kijiye.
(Aunty I’m Locked up in my room…please help me open the door)
Renuka did as directed and the door flung open at once. She was utterly surprised to find a boy inside with Sona.
Sona: Thank you so much aunty!
Renuka: Yeh ladka kaun hai?
(Who’s he)
Sona: Aunty yeh mera classmate hai….Dev….Dev Dixit!…School Captain!?
(He’s my classmate Dev Dixit……school captain!)
Sonakshi tried to remind her that Dev was the headboy of the same school in which her son studied, but Renuka was busy scanning him from top to bottom.
Renuka: Tum dono is room mein kya kar rahe the?
(What were you doing in this room)
Sona: Kuch nahi aunty! Yeh toh bas mujhe notes dene aaya tha.
(Nothing aunty! He’d just come to gimme some notes)
Renuka: De diye na notes?? Ab isse apne ghar bhejo.
(He’s given those right…now ask him to leave)
Sonakshi had to give in. She looked helplessly at Dev and he gave her the “Hadd hai yaar” look. Giving a fake smile to Renuka, he joined his hands in a namaste and left for his home.
The moment he left, Renuka turned to Sonakshi.
Renuka: Sonakshi! Jab ek ladki ghar pe akeli ho, toh aise ladko ko apne ghar bulana theek nahi hai….chahe woh kitna hi accha dost kyun na ho. Its not safe.
(Sonakshi when a girl is alone at her home she shouldn’t invite guys at her house….even if he’s the closest friend.. Its not safe)
Sonakshi knew that Renuka was a social butterfly and “til ka taad banana” was her favourite pass time. She didn’t want her to exaggerate this subject, so she just nodded a yes and reassured her.
Sona: Sorry aunty! Aaj ke baad nahi bulaaungi.
(Sorry aunty I won’t repeat this)
The next time Dev and Sona met, was at the Durga Puja celebration. Sonakshi dressed in pink, was a delight to the eyes of the beholder. She joined Elena and Jatin and was merrily listening to their crazy childhood memories, when Kiara forced herself in.
Kiara: Hey guys! So good you see you all together!
Sona: Same here Kiara! You look pretty!
Elena: Veryyyyyyy pretty! Haina Jatin??
Jatin: Ya whatever!
Kiara: That’s so rude of you Jotti….(Sona and Elena exchanged glances and whispered to each other…..”JOTTIIIII….??”)
You should give in a complement if a pretty girl is standing before you!
Jatin: Oh! I’m so sorry…..I’ll do that straight away……….Sonakshi you look really beautiful yaar…..and Ele aaj toh tu bhi acchi lag rahi hai.
Kiara fumed when her Jotti didn’t complement her. She left irritated while the three of them had a hearty laugh. Their stomachs were still aching when they saw here coming back.
Kiara: Come Jotti I’ll introduce you to my friends.
And before Jatin could utter a word she dragged him all the way to her friends.
Sona and Elena waved him a goodbye and continued talking about the two of them when Elena spotted Dev and some of his friends entering the pandal.
Elena: Look Dev’s here!
She smiled seeing him, but as soon as her eyes fell on the person next to him….her simle vanished.
Elena: WTH! What is he doing with Vicky?
Sona: Who?? Vikram Tripathi??
Elena: Ya! That ass.
Elena had always hated Vicky for some unknown reason. But Sonakshi was unaware of the evil side of him. She only knew him as Dev’s friend.
Dev soon came to them and greeted.
Dev: Hello girls! Sup?
Elena: Hi Dev! You just missed the Ja-Ra moments bro!
Dev: Oh! My bad luck!
Elena: Don’t worry I’ll tell you everything. Come let’s go.
Elena took Dev a little away as she didn’t want Vicky to overhear what they spoke. Meanwhile, Vicky with his piercing gaze, scanned Sonakshi, tip to toe. He came closer to her and said in her ears.
Vicky: Miss. Sonakshi Bose. You look beautiful in pink.
Sonakshi couldn’t say anything more than a “Thank you”. Her eyes constantly looking at Dev, as if pleading him to stand by her. With each remark of his, Vicky made her feel vulnerable.
Vicky: I didn’t point it out to you, but you looked really hot on teacher’s day.
Sonakshi couldn’t take it anymore. She was about to call Dev, when he turned to look at her. He at once sensed that she was uncomfortable with Vicky. He came to her, held her hand and asked, “Paani poori??” She nodded and left with him, leaving Vicky fuming into ashes.
…………………………………………………………….
PRECAP: Vicky – The Villain in action. Expect The Unexpected!
P.S. Kitna lamba tha……?? This was the longest chapter as yet. Hope you guys didn’t sleep in between the chapter. Do comment and lemme know if you did. Love you all.