Sanju was shocked to see Ranbir hugging Prachi, protecting her from the bullet.
On feeling no pain Ranbir moves back and sighs in relief once he sees that the bullet didn’t hit Prachi. He looks around for bullet and is glad that it is on the floor and that it didn’t hit anyone. Soon anger replaces relief and he is about to go to the masked man but stops when the masked man says, “don’t move a step or else I will kill your mother, also Prachi come to the mandip or else I will kill your and his (pointing towards Pragya and Pallavi) mothers and I will kill him also (pointing towards Ranbir)…” he is about to say something when someone suddenly snatches the gun off him and two people drag him and Ranbir away too fast for anyone to catch up and find where they hid.
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Abhi and Vikram who had got free of the goons and had bought Ranbir and the masked man with them into hiding signaled Ranbir to remain quiet. Abhi whispered, to the masked man, who was about to shout for help, “if you say anything I swear I’ll kill you on the spot.” The masked man immediately closes his mouth and Vikram, without warning makes him faint and then they tie him up. Abhi says, “there’s no way the three of us can take down all twenty of those goons and who knows when the police will arrive so me and Vikram have made a decision, that Prachi will get married today.” Ranbir horrified, at the thought of Prachi getting married to someone else, says in a whisper-yell voice, with a bit of a crybaby face, “what your go getting Prachi married to him (pointing towards the masked man).”
Abhi and Vikram smiled on seeing the effect of their words on Ranbir and Abhi softly asks, “Ranbir do you lo..like Prachi?” “Chief who doesn’t like Prachi, everyone in the family does so why would it be different for me?” Ranbir replies. “What Abhi means is do like Prachi enough to ma..marry her?” Vikram asks. Ranbir looks at Abhi and Vikram shocked. “How do you guys now, for I myself realised today and I haven’t told a single soul that I am in love with Prachi?” asks Ranbir, in one quick go, still keeping his tone quiet.
Abhi and Vikram both give a small smile and Abhi whispers, “so you’ll have no problem marrying her pretending to be that masked man? Ranbir looks at Abhi shocked and says, “chief I have no problem in marrying Prachi, but what if she has a problem in marrying me?” Abhi replies, “well, me and Vikram will tell her and everyone else that there was no other way to get away from here so me and Vikram decided that you and Prachi will get married.”
The trio, not bothering to have a look at the masked mans identity hid him somewhere, where he was unlikely to be found and tied ropes around him and his mouth so that he will not be able to shout for help or escape.
The ladies who were still held hostage by the goons, had a small hope that the men would return and they would all leave here safely and return their lives to normal, but that hope shattered as soon as they saw the same masked man holding Abhi and Vikram at gunpoint, but on seeing no Ranbir Pallavi’s and Prachi’s hearts began to race in tension and all they hoped for was his wellbeing. Before Pallavi could ask about the whereabouts of her beloved son, Prachi bet her to it and with fear she stuttered, “whe..where..is..Ran..Ranbir?”
Abhi and Vikram both, have stern faces on the outside but on the inside they where dancing with join for Prachi’s concern about Ranbir made it clear that she did like him as a friend, if not more than that. Ranbir on the other hand was shocked on hearing the concern evident in Prachi’s voice and small ray of hope began to rise through him, that perhaps, Prachi did like him after all and the hatred she claimed to have for him was just an act.
Ranbir replies, in the mimicked voice he could achieve, “I have tied him up somewhere so that he will not cause anymore interferences in this marriage.” All sensed a change in the kidnappers voice, but the ladies decided to ignore it and Pallavi & Prachi were too worried thinking about Ranbir and his wellbeing. The goons too noticed the change of voice and the leader spoke up and says, “why do I feel like your voice has changed?” Ranbir slowly replies, “it is so that they don’t recognize me by my voice.” Everyone believes Ranbir and the marriage rituals start.
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The pandit asks the bride to put her hand in the grooms, Prachi reluctantly puts her hand in the grooms. As soon as Prachi’s hand is in the grooms she feels like she has felt this touch somewhere, she it felt like she was touching someone very close to her, very dear to her. A strange sensation ran through her, something that she only felt with…. Ranbir.
Prachi was stunned at her own thoughts and accidently whispers, in a low and soft voice, only loud enough for the groom to hear, “Ranbir…” Soon she wonders if she actually had fallen for him, but than brushes off that thought after assuring herself that it was just Shahana’s words getting to her.
The groom on the other hand was shocked to hear, Prachi say his name at such a time, for a moment he wondered if she recognised him but then soon thinks that if she did she would’ve have asked him directly. He then wonders if perhaps, that she too had feelings for him as more than a friend but refused to show them and perhaps he should, after they get out of this mess, tell her his true feelings for her but soon he squashes that thought down as he knew that she would probably distance herself from him if she got to know about his feelings and he didn’t want that happening.
The pandit asks the brides father to tie the knot. Abhi pretends to be reluctant and slowly goes there but on the inside he wants to gets this marriage done as quickly as possible and is eager to go home with his soon-to-be son-in-law and daughter.
Pragya, Pallavi, Shahana, Sarita ji who were all secretly informed about the groom swap, by Abhi and Vikram, all had somber expressions but on the inside they were dying with happiness. Riya on the other hand was first shocked to the core about this revelation, but soon thought it was the best for she didn’t like Ranbir more than as a friend and she too got happy to know that Ranbir was soon about to become her jiju.
Soon, all the rounds and rituals are completed and the groom has made the bride wear the mangalsurta and is about to make put a pinch of vermillion in her hairline. The groom put the vermillion in the brides hairline making everyone but Prachi happy, though no one but the goons showed their happiness and everyone was allowed to back, though Prachi was to remain with the groom and the groom told the goons to leave. The goons at first refused suspecting something fishy, but when they heard that it was because the marriage had now happened and he was officially their son-in-law they agreed to leave and left.
Once the goons left everyone, but Prachi breathed a sigh of relief. Prachi was only wondering one thing where was Ranbir and how he was. She thought she would demand her kidnapper to tell her but soon she got the answer without even having to ask.
Abhi said, “Ranbir lift the shera for the goons have left.” As soon as Prachi sees Ranbir she gets shocked and soon registers the fact that she had just got married to him, a man she had claimed to hate and a man she continuously bickered with. Prachi turns around expecting to see more shocked faces but gets confused on why everyone was acting as if nothing at all had happened until her mother comes and says, “Prachi, beta I know it shall be hard for you to accept your and Ranbir’s marriage considering the circumstances it was done under but still the both of you have been married by hindu tradition and now share a vow for seven lives, maybe in all eternity and please do not think that Ranbir married you without your permission for it was your father and his father who asked him to this as they could not see another way out of this mess.” Abhi adds, “Prachi we know this marriage wasn’t really done the way you would’ve expected your marriage to be but it was done, so please think of it as an arrange marriage for me and Vikram would love to remain relatives for the rest of our lives.”
Prachi sadly says, “very well, I shall try and adjust into this new life with Ranbir.” Everyone gets happy on the outside, but on the inside most of them now that it is only because of Abhi’s words that Prachi agreed to remain with Ranbir, as his wife and not as friend or employee. Everyone leaves and informs the police that they are fine.
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Prachi and Ranbir go in Ranbir’s car, Abi and Pragya go in Abhi’s car, Riya and Shahana go in Riya’s car and Pallavi, Vikram, Dida and Sarita ji go in one car.
Ranbir thinks , Prachi I did want to get married to you, but not like this I just wish you had consent in this marriage, perhaps it was just the way fate that you and I were meant to get married like this and he sighs. Prachi looks at him questioningly but he just shrugs and the two continue the trip in an unlikely silence.
(1684 words)
Please tell me whether or not you liked this part in the comments.
Until Next Time!
~ Riya Sharma