This chapter is a light hearted one and since it’s packed with a lot many songs, I dedicate it to all the music lovers like me!?
Happy Reading!!?
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She could hear the banquet hall thundering with claps, she could see the guests walking up to the stage to congratulate him, she could see him passing on smiles to everyone, thanking them, but then all of a sudden….he disappeared in the crowd. Her eyes went on searching for him, but in vain.
Her heart was fighting battles with her mind.
“Was that song for me?….Does he….does he still….”
“Are you out of your senses Sona? For God’s sake accept that he’s moved on….He has a girlfriend damn it!!
“I know…..I know it all….but then what’s that longing in his eyes for? Why does it always affect me so much??”
“Coz you still haven’t been able to get over him….and that’s not going to harm anyone more than you. Stop thinking about him, forget him, don’t let him affect you. He’s a stranger….a mere stranger….did you get that??”
“I guess you’re right. I can’t let him spoil all my good time. I am not going to get affected by him at any cost. He has no powers to do that and neither am I going to make him feel that I still love him…….and need him…..and want him back in my life……”
She felt her heart weakening as it said those last words. But her mind stood affirm for the support.
“Yes Sona! You are no one sided lover…..so stop behaving like one. You are self sufficient and you need no one else to keep you happy. You are so strong Sona….You are….You are Sonakshi…the Bahubali!! Jay Maheshmati!!”
Ele: Hain?? Maheshmati? Are you a Bahubali fangirl too?
Sona: Kya?
Ele: Kya kya? You were standing here all alone and murmuring Jay Maheshmati! Don’t tell me you too have a star crush on Prabhas.
Sona: Offo Ele…tere kaan baj rahe hain. Chal drop it. I wanna go home….shall we leave??
Ele: No….Sona I can’t leave now. The guest are still here. Some foreign officials are gonna stay here for longer. I can’t leave before 2:00!
Sona: But I wanna go home….I’m too tired.
Ele: OK wait! I guess my friend can drop you. One sec I’ll just ask him.
And things were just working as planned. Ele went on to call Dev, who was all set to take Sona for a long drive. Seeing Ele returning with Mr. Dixit, perplexed Sona a bit.
Ele: Dev will you please drop Sona home?
Sona: Its OK Ele…I’ll catch a taxi!
Ele: Its 12:30 already…plus there’s a transport strike tonight….you won’t find any taxi or bus.
Sona: Its OK….I’ll manage.
Ele: Sona don’t act stupid…Dev please drop her home.
Dev: Yeah sure….chalein Dr. Bose??
He said making way for her and she had no other option left than to give in.
Dev: Don’t worry I won’t kidnap you.
Sona: I can’t trust you with that.
That was a dusty answer straight on his face. Mr. Amiable Dixit hit his heart with his fist.
Dev: Ouch!! That hurts!
And she simply ignored him. They got into the car…and zoomed off to Elena’s house.
Sonakshi was visibly too bored after 10 minutes of the mute drive they had, with the spooky silence lingering them.
Sona (to herself): Kitna boring aadmi hai….Can’t even bother to switch on the FM. Urgh!! I can’t take it anymore.
And she helped herself switch on the FM and tuned into a radio station.
Yeh raatein, yeh mausam,
Nadi ka kinaara
Yeh chanchal hawa….
Kaha do dilo ne
Ke mil kar kabhi hum
Na honge juda….
Yeh raatein, yeh mausam,
Nadi ka kinaara
Yeh chanchal hawa….
That was a beautiful song, in fact, it was her favourite but according to her, it didn’t really suit the scenario right now, so she tuned into another station.
Raat akeli hai….
Bujh gaye diye….
Aake mere paas….
Kaano mein mere….
Jo bhi chahe kahiye
Jo bhi chahe kahiye
Sona’s POV:
God!! What’s wrong with these stations?? Yeh kaise gaane baja rahe hain…..kismat hi kharab hai!!
She kept on switching stations, but it only added up to the awkwardness between them.
.
.
Janu!
.
.
Janu!
.
.
Janu!
Aaj raat ka scene bana le….
??????
Dev was having a hard time controlling his laughter. He pressed his lips tight not to let out even a smile, but now his cheeks were paining due to exertion.
So he took the charge and switched off the FM, turned on the music system and played their all time favourite track. He knew she loved the song since school days and could never stop herself from tapping her feet along with the beats….and so was she doing tonight…..her body grooving with the lyrics.
The club isn’t the best
place to find a lover
So the bar is where I go
Me and my friends at the table doing shots
Drinking fast and then we talk slow
Come over and start up a conversation with just me
And trust me I’ll give it a chance now
Take my hand, stop, put Van the Man on the jukebox
And then we start to dance
Dev could no longer hold back himself and began singing out loud, shocking Sonakshi a bit, irking her even more.
Girl, you know I want your love
Your love was handmade for somebody like me
Come on now, follow my lead
I may be crazy, don’t mind me
Say, boy, let’s not talk too much
Grab on my waist and put that body on me
Come on now, follow my lead
Come, come on now,
follow my lead
I’m in love with the shape of you
We push and pull like a magnet do
Although my heart is falling too
I’m in love with your body
Sonakshi’s rage tossed up and she grumbled under her nose.
“Just look at him! Shameless! Sharam naam ki cheez hi nahi hai…akeli ladki saath mein baithi hai…aur yeh hai ki……cheapo kahi ka!! Yes! That’s what he is…CHEAP!”
The last word did not go unheard by him. He lowered the volume and asked.
Dev: Did I just hear ‘cheap’??
Sona: Yes you did Mr. Cheap Dixit!
Dev: Oh hello! Lemme remind you, there was a time when even you were dotty over this ‘cheap’ song.
Sona: Times change Dev and so do people. Waqt sab badal deta hai. I mean just look at yourself for instance….you’re not the same Dev I knew 8 years back.
Dev: Well I’m glad to know that you at least remember the old Dev….
The love with which he looked into her eyes melted her heart for that one moment. She wished that eyelock could last forever. Alas! He broke her reverie.
“But you’re right….everything changes with time. See…gaana bhi badal gaya!,” he said, bringing back her attention to the song being played.
Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam
Tum rahe na tum
Hum rahe na hum
Bekarar dil iss tarah mile
Jis tarah kabhi
Hum juda na the
Tum bhi kho gaye
Hum bhi kho gaye
Ek hi raah par chal ke do kadam
Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam
Tum rahe na tum
Hum rahe na hum…
Soon the car halted at Elena’s house and that was when Sona realised what a blunder she had made.
Sona: No! God no!…. this can’t be happening….yaar how could I forget it???
Dev: What happened??
Sona: I forgot the keys….they were in Ele’s bag….Damn!! Listen…take me back!
Dev: Are you mad?? Pata bhi hai diesel kitna mehenga hai? ‘Take me back’ toh aise bol rahi ho jaise 5 minute ka raasta ho. I’m not gonna drive 12 kms back to the party hall, that too at this late hour!
Sona: What else can we do then?
Dev: Uhh….. I’ll handle that.
Sona: And what do you mean by that?
Dev: You’ll get to know soon….
Sona kept scratching her head trying to make out where was he taking her. Though, she had been in Delhi for 2 years, she hardly knew these lanes and cross roads.
Sona: Where are we going Dev?
Dev: Home..
Sona: Om???
Dev: Home! Home!….Ghar!
Sona: Kiske ghar?
Dev: Mere ghar?
Sona: Tumhare ghar?? Kyun??
Dev: Toh aur kaha chalogi? Mental asylum??
Sona: Stop the car right now….I’m not coming to your home.
Dev: Talk sense Sonakshi….its 1 AM already….. Itni raat ko kaha jaaogi?
Sona: Kahi bhi chali jaaungi but tumhaare ghar nahi!
Dev: Kyun?? Mere ghar mein bhoot hain?
Sona: Haan! Aur unka raja mere bagal mein baitha hai!
Dev: Hahaha….very funny…now just keep mum and chalo mere saath.
Sona: Dev stop the car right now! Gaadi roko….I’m not going anywhere with you! Stop the car I said!
When Dev didn’t budge, Sona began to shout and hit him hard….just to distract him….and she succeeded. Dev had to give in as he nearly lost the control over the car. The moment he applied the brakes, Sona jumped out of the car and began walking on the road aimlessly. Dev ran to her and clutched her hand.
Dev: Stop Sonakshi! Are you out of your senses? Kaha ja rahi ho?
Sona: Waapas party mein!
Dev: Tumhe raasta pata hai?
Sona: Don’t worry I’ll manage.
Dev: Of course! You can manage everything on earth! Arre tum toh mars pe bhi bina kisi ki help ke jaa sakti ho. Tum toh itni self sufficient ho ki…..
Sona: Ki…??
Dev: Ki tum….
Dev was busy thinking for a suitable example while Sonakshi was guessing the probables.
“Ki tum date pe bhi akeli hi jaa sakti ho”
“Ki tum honeymoon pe bhi akeli hi ja sakti ho….” etc. etc.
And then Dev presented his version of the equivalent…
“Tum itni self sufficient ho ki….tum see-saw pe bhi akeli hi khel sakti ho!”
Sonakshi just couldn’t stop laughing…..dropping a few words in between her giggles.
Sona: See-saw?? Seriously Dev?? Main tumhe koi chaar saal ki bacchi lagti hoon?? I must say….you need to improve your analogical skills!
She still couldn’t control her laughter…..while Dev was all lost in her innocence. How he’d missed his joyful Sona, who always laughed like that on every stupid joke of his. She looked even more beautiful when she was happy around him.
He was still lost in her beauty, when her laughing sessions were brought to an abrupt halt the moment her eyes encountered a staggering figure in mid road.
She saw a ragamuffin thrash his beer bottle on the road….and heard him singing something..
Jabse mila hoon tujhse
Muskuraata rehta hoon
Jo bhi milta hai mujhse
Sunata phirta hoon
Door rehna iss mayajaal se
Warna tera jeena dusvaar ho jaayega
Has mat pagli pyaar ho jayega
Has mat pagli pyaar ho jayega
The drunkard was heading towards Sonakshi…who was too scared to react. Somewhere down there she was felt relieved to have Dev by her side.
Dev could feel her fears and he knew the iron was hot enough to strike. He came closer to her and whispered in her ears.
“I guess his girlfriend dumped him…..poor guy….may be you look like his girlfriend…. Dekho aa raha hai tumhara aashiq!”
Before the vagrant could approach her, Sonakshi ran into the car and locked herself in. Dev laughed at the haste with which she ran away and followed her back to the car.
Dev: Want some more entertainment or shall we leave?
Sona: Chalo…chalo…jaldi chalo….take me wherever you want….but just hurry up!
And then they were on their way to Mr. Dixit’s house. Sonakshi had never been to his house, so she had no idea where he lived.
Soon the car halted before a beautiful white apartment…. “Sanskaar”.
Dev: Tum yahi ruko…I’ll just be back!
Dev went on to park the car while Sonakshi looked around at the serene surrounding. He was back soon and together they headed to his house on the 26th floor!
“Welcome home,” he said opening the door for her. She entered the house meekly and fell in love with it at once.
He guided her towards his room which was all the more beautiful.
Dev: You can sleep here for the night, I will drop you at Ele’s place tomorrow morning. So…uh….feel at home! Good night!
Saying so he left and she stood there alone in his beautiful bedroom, spacious yet cosy, everything reflecting his taste.
Right before the bed was his photo gallery, a collection of all the golden memories since his childhood. There were pictures of him as a kid, his mom, sister, dad, friends and……and his girlfriend too. But what pinched her heart, was to find not a single picture of hers anywhere around.
Her mind was right, he’s moved on and that caused an immense pain in her heart.
As she slept on his bed with his duvet around her, his aroma made her feel his presence around her. She felt like being in his embrace again after those 8 long years.
In the morning Dev got up early but Sona was still enjoying her peaceful slumber in his room. He tried peeping through the door at about 9:00 and found her still sleeping, hugging his pillow tight. He had to wake her up as the next stage of the plan had to be brought into action.
So in order to awaken his sleeping beauty, he began singing…..well actually shouting.
I’m in love with the shape of you
We push and pull like a magnet do
Although my heart is falling too
I’m in love with your body
Sona was forced out of the bed as she heard him sing on the other side of the door.
And last night you were
in my room
And now my bedsheets
smell like you
Every day discovering
something brand new
I’m in love with your body
“Lagta hai kal raat ka hangover abhi tak utra nahi hai,” she said coming out of the room….to which he replied, darting his honeyed eyes into her black ones.
Dev: Yeh hangover pichhle 8 saal se nahi utra…..toh ek raat mein kaise utar jaayega? Anyways, freshen up, we need to leave.
She stood there confused, still trying to decipher what he meant.
At about 9:30 they came out of his flat and were just locking the door when a lady called Dev.
Lady: Dev!!
Dev: Oh! Mrs. Joshua! Good morning!
Lady: Good morning! Who’s this girl?
Dev: Aunty she’s my…….
Lady: Your girlfriend??? And what is she doing at your house at this time?
Dev: Actually aunty……
Lady: Are you two in a live in relationship???
Dev: Arre aunty……
Lady: Dev tumhe society ke rules pata hai na…..phir bhi tum….you’ve disappointed me son!
Sona: Nahi aunty….hum dono toh Bhaa…..
And Sonakshi was about the make the most obvious excuse…”The Bhai Behen Ka Rishta Excuse” But Dev couldn’t tolerate this at any cost….so he jumped into his own rescue.
Dev: Bhaartiya hain…..Hum sab bhartiya hain na aunty…..aur humaare culture mein live in relationship jaisa kuch hota hi nahi hai….she’s only a friend of mine.
Lady: Toh yeh itni subah tumhare ghar mein kya kar rahi thi?
Dev: Woh aunty yeh toh bas cheeni lene aayi thi.
Lady: Kaha hai cheeni??
Dev looked at Sonakshi’s empty hands and casted a “marr gaye” look…and she just passed on a “aur bano hoshiyaar” look.
Dev: Dekha aunty….nadaan hai bacchi…..cheeni lena hi bhool gayi! Chalo Sonakshi……hum late ho rahe hain…cheeni dukaan se le lena…..see you later aunty…..Bye!!
And he held her hand and rushed towards the lift!
In the lift:
Dev: Tumhe jhooth bolna bhi nahi aata…..she could’ve caught us easily!
Sona: What do you mean? Maine kya kiya haan?
Dev: Kis angle se hum dono bhai behen lagte hai?
Sona: Listen! I was just trying to handle the situation!
Dev: Oh yes! That’s how you handle situations! You are such an expert!
Sona: Stop being sarcastic Dixit!
Dev: Stop being over smart Bose!
Sona: You—
Before they could continue with their tom n jerry fight…the lift brought them to the ground floor…..and seeing people around them, brought their manners back!
They were moving towards the parking lot, when Sonakshi saw a girl approaching them. She recognized her, the moment the girl came and hugged Dev! It was the same girl…it was his girlfriend!
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PRECAP: Realisation, Redemption, Confession!!!