A car parked in front of a large house, its tires screeched. A young man stepped out. He ran his fingers through his long hair and kicked the door close. He marched inside and sat on a large couch. A few seconds later, a female came there with trembling hands.

F: S-Sir...vo...vo

Jai: arey kya vo vo vo...bol na..

F: sir, j-juice..

Jai: rakh aur jaa...

The poor woman hurried out.

'Kyun us bechari ko dara dete ho hr baar Jai?'

Jai looked up to see a woman come downstairs. She was wearing a crème saree and her long hair was in a loose bun. She was Mandakini, his maternal aunt.

Jai: maine kya kiya masi..aise hakla kr bol rahi thi, gussa to aana hi tha na...aaj ka din hi manhoos hai..

She sat next to him and lovingly caressed his hair.

M: accha pehle juice peeyo aur mujhe batao ki hua kya?

J: hona kya tha masi...vo jo minister ke bete ki party ki catering thi na...vo cancel hogyi ..vo bhi us mercury ki wajah se...can you believe it? Ek restaurant ko chor kr ab pub me party hogi...

M: arey beta...youngsters me common hai...they like this disco and all...

J: but still..milli kinhe? Un Singhanias ko!...ugh...aap janti hai na unhe...unke naam se bhi chid hai mujhe...specially us Veeranshu se...pata nahi kyu...usse dekhte hi gussa aata hai...mano koi janmo purani dushmani ho...and mera itna bada order uski wajah se cancel hua...aur abhi jb mai aa raha tb  koi ladki mujhe lecture dene lagi..

M: kon?

J: pata nahi, maine nahi dekha...Maine gadi bhaga li wahan se...

M: accha chal vo sb chod...shaant ho jaa....okay...

Jai rolled her eyes but did what she said.

..............................

Bani's cab stopped at the cafe door. She stepped out, paid the person and turned to see her sister. She waved at her but frowned when she saw her with a man.

B: Meera di?

M: Bani...vo maine tujhe isliye yahan bulaya tha...Meet Tapish..

B: Hi..aap?

T: Hello Bani...bohot suna hai tumhare baare me...

B: All good things I hope but maine aapke baare me kabhi nahi sunaa..

M: andr toh chal..saari baaten yahin kr legi kya..

Bani nodded and followed them all in.

T: A table for four..

Bani looked at Meera questioning. Tapish saw this and answered.

T: vo mera bhai bhi aa raha hai..

Bani nodded. They all sat at a seat and chatted for a while. Bani spoke a little awkwardly and kept signalling Meera to tell about who he is but they told her to wait for his brother. Suddenly Bani's phone rang.

B: Hello?...(looks at them) sorry..ek second..

She got up and started to talk.

B: Ji D'souza aunty...haan vo order ready hai, maine shelf pr hi rakha hai...haan...milla apko?..

The woman thanked her and also told her that she won't need her help tomorrow as orders weren't that much but she requested her to help her with a special order that was to be sent today only. Bani agreed and was turning when she heard a thud. An old fruit seller had fallen down, his fruit basket fell open and apples surrounded him. A group of young bike riders booed him and drove away in speed. She rushed to help him. She bent down when bam! Her head banged with another who must have rushed to help as well.

B: ouch!

V: tch tch...dekh kr-

A palm flat against their heads as they rubbed their foreheads, they looked up and their eyes met. The world froze. 

For Veeranshu Singhania, he had never seen eyes so deep, so alluring and enchanting. He was lost the moment he saw her dark brown orbs. He truly couldn't focus on anything but her eyes. If she was to disappear right as this moment, he wouldn't be able to describe anything save her eyes. He kept looking at her unblinking. Bani, too was lost in his eyes. She felt an invisible pull. Something about him was calling her. She felt like she knew him already.

B: (thinks) ye kon hai? Aisa kyun lag raha hai jaise mai tumhe janti hoon? Ho kon tum?

V: (thinks) mai kya hoon, kon hoon...mujhe kuch nahi pata sweetheart...bs itna pata hai aaj se sirf tumhara hoon.....

Bani somehow forced herself to look away. She noticed that the fruit seller was slowly collecting his fruits. She helped him and then rose up.

B: kaka aap thik ho na...pata nahi kon they vo badtameez..

She noticed Veer was still sitting on the road, unblinking.

B: (thinks: isse kya hua? Kahin zyada zor se toh nahi lg gayi?) hello...aap thik toh hai na?...hello...aapse baat kr rahi hoon...mister?

V: pata nahi..(he looked up to meet her eyes)

B: (thinks: bada ajeeb hai pr ye ajooba mujhe cute kyu lag raha hai?) are you okay?..

Veer didn't reply. Bani gave him her hand to get up. Veer held her soft hands in hers, a sensation passed both at their very first touch.

V: (keeps a hand on his heart) ab thik ho gaya..

B: hain? Weirdo?...

She looked in through the window to see her sister sitting with Tapish at the table. She thought that the brother was yet to arrive.

B: (thinks: ab vo sahabzyada to aya nahi...aur meri awkward si behen se to mai ab ghar pr hi milungi)..

She quickly texted her that she needs to go to the flower shop urgently and left. Veer stood their frozen, his eyes trailing behind her till she disappeared out of sight.

He was bought out of his trance like state by the sudden ringing of his phone. He picked it up.

V: hmm

T: Veer? Kahan hai tu?

V: pata nahi..

T: kya?

V: hmm..

Tapish glanced out and saw him outside through the glass panes. He frowned and went out.

T: to kahan hai tu Veer?

V: Pata nahi..

Tapish tapped his shoulders. When Veer didn't react, he forcefully turned him and shook him. Finally Veer's trance was fully broken.

T: Kahan kho gaya hai...cafe ke bahar khada hai aur kehta hai pata nahi...tera kb se wait ho raha hai..

Veer shook his head and apologized. He went in the cafe and met Meera.

V: hey!..(to Tapish) your girlfriend?

Meera choked on her cold coffee and Tapish patted her.

T: bada fast hai..

V: wild guess bhai...aur kissi se kyu milwaoge vo bhi speciallu bulwa kr...koi special hi hogi na..

M: um..

V: hey! Meera right? Chill okay...No need to be ready formal.

After a few small talks, Meera eased up to Veer.

M: vo actually meri sister bhi ayi thi..we wanted to tell you both together. Tapish said he is closest to you and I am closest to my sister so we wanted to tell our best people together but she had some work so she couldn't stay..

T: uski galti bhi nahi hai...kbse wait kr rahe they Veer ka...vo awkward baithi thi as she didn't know about us

V: abhi se defending your saali, not bad bhai!

Meera blushed a deep red.

M: pr agr Bani ko pata chala na ki maine usse nahi bataya sbse pehle, vo bohot gussa kregi..

V: Bani? Nice name... waise technically you didn't tell me. She can be the first person you tell from your side...You know what? Invite her for Tapish Bhai's business launch, she can meet him there.

T: kuch bhi Veer! Itne formal event me vo kya karegi..

M: haan Veer, vo bore ho jayegi...aur seedha event me nahi batana chahiye...But family me kissi ko bolne se pehle usse batana padega hi...infact you know about my mom na, agr vo help karegi to easy ho jayega..

Tapish agreed and they planned to meet Bani later.

................................

Later that night, Veer was sitting at the balcony, lost thinking about the eyes that drowned him.

Ponky: Kya baat hai bhai? Lute hue ashiq ki tarah kyu baithe ho...

V: haan...shayd ishq hi hua hai mujhe..

P: kya? Mai to mazak kr raha tha...please bhai...vo Mayuri ko humari bhabhi mt banana...we don't like her.

V: uff! Kiska naam le liya...poora mood kharab kr diya...for the record, I broke up with her..

D: what? Ye to good news hai...but wait, isliye aap yahan aise khoye hue ho..

V: khoya to mai uski ankho me hoon...kya gehrai thi..

D: zyada ghoor ke mt dekhna...doob jaoge...fake lenses lagati hai

V: (frowns) kon..

D: (makes a face) Mayuri..

V: maine kaha na uska naam mt lo...her chapter is closed. I am talking about the girl I met today...uske milkr aisa laga jaise duniya me aur koi nahi hai...jaise vo meri zameen hai jiske ass pass meri duniya ghumti hai...vo ladki na, koi jadoo thi...pure magic!

D: (gasps) bhai kahin apko pyaar to nahi ho gaya?

V: kuch nahi pata...pr jo bhi hua hai ....accha lg raha hai..usse baar baar milne ka man kr raha hai..

P: hai kon bhai? Koi naam toh hoga jadoo ka..

V: nahi pata..

D: bhai phir aap usse dhoondoge kaise..

V: dhoondna nahi padega..mera dil kehta hai ki humare raste fir milenge..

Daksh and Ponky roll their eyes at their brothers new avatar but inwardly felt very happy.

................................

Bani came out of the washroom to find Meera in her room.

B: di? Kya bore kr diya aapne aaj...they kon vo?

M: tu kitni slow hai...ek vo tha aur ek tu..

B: kon? Ye gol gol baaten mt kro..

M: Bani? ...(nervous) vo mera boyfriend hai..

B: kya???

Meer quickly got up and closed Bani's mouth.

M: sshhhh...dheere bol..

B: kya? Kon? Kb bane? (whispers)

Meera told her that Tapish interned at the same company as her. She was in college and did this in her summer break while Tapish did it because it was mandatory in his course and he didn't want to just fake an experience from his father's company. Though they were in different departments, she met and soon became friends. They kept in touch post the internship and all was casual until last year. Meera was facing soon goons on the street when Tapish happened to pass by. He helped her and then they met again the very next day when Meera had gone to Pune for her friend's wedding and she was Tapish's colleague.

Bs phir kya tha? Sparks flew and after getting drunk at a cocktail party, Tapish confessed that he has liked her for a while now. They have been dating since then.

B: haye!...meri seedhi saadhi Meera di...aap toh kya mast tez nikli...

M: chup kr na Bani..

B: am I the first person you told..

M: haan Bani..

B: eeeh...good...now let's talk about him.

The sister's kept gushing about Meera's love life. Meera slept after a while. Bani tossed and turned, thinking about a man with gorgeous eyes.

'kon they tum? Kya hum phir milenge?'

......................................

Bani wonders if she will meet her mysterious man again who had a charming set of eyes. She doesn't know the answer. Do you? 😜

xoxo
❤❤❤