Thank you for all your votes and comments. Sorry I did not get time to go through all of them.
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The next day, Bani woke up to a text from Veer. He wished her morning and gave her the details of date he had planned. They were vague but Bani knew they were going to be great. She noticed how her sister had saved his name and frowned.

B: Ye Ranu bhi na! Iska naam nahi pata tha toh text pr pooch leti, bina jaane aisa kaise name save kr diya..

R: Kya bad-bad kr rahi hai??

Rani said as she came into the room.

B: Ye kya naam likha hai tune Veeranshu ka?

R: Uhem! Uhem! Tujhe kya? Kahin tujhe pasand toh nahi aa gaya..

Bani kept mum but a faint shade of red spread across her cheeks.

R: Arey arey! Ye toh breaking news lg rahi hai..wow!

B: Shut up!

She left the room. She changed Veer's name on the phone and replied.

~~~~~~~~~~

Bani curled her hair and wore a dress, but this time it was from her closet.

She drove to the restaurant Veer had asked her to. He had offered to pick her up but she was scared about Rani finding out that she is going on a second date with Veer and said she will come on her own. Veer met her at the gate.

V: Hey! You look good....

B: Thanks! You look nice too.. This seems like a nice place.

V: Come, I'll show you around.

Veer gave her a tour of his restaurant.

B: This is really beautiful, but all of this is so empty!

V: Actually, I gave all the staff the evening off and we are closed tonight. Today, this chef will prepare this lady something which is hopefully the most scrumptious meal she has ever had.

Bani was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of it all. She, unlike Rani, hated extravagance. She liked dates with effort, not where the only effort is throwing away a wad of cash.

V: So, Rani...ease up and follow me..

He guided her inside the kitchen and made her sit on a counter.

B: Let me help! (she offered)

V: No way! Today I will prepare everything for you...you just sit there and talk to me..

Veer rolled up his sleeved and took out the ingredients. He began chopping while the two also kept talking. As Veer cooked and laughed at one of her lame jokes, Bani noticed how good he looked. How his eyes creased at a joke and how genuine his laugh was. His rolled up sleeves displayed his veins and fit arms. Bani found them attractive.

V: Rani??

B: Hun?

V: Kahan kho gayi?

B: Kuch nahi...tum kya keh rahe they?

V: I was asking you to taste the gravy..

He bought the spoon to her lips and Bani sipped it in.

B: Umm...yumm..

V: Wait- you got something..

He wiped the gravy from under her lips. Bani's breathe hitched. Veer also felt the same sparks and both got lost in each other's eyes.

Bani was sitting on the counter and Veer was standing in between her legs with a spoon in his hands.

B: Do You smell that??

V: What?

They both broke away from their trance and saw that the food got burnt.

Well shit!!

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Bani laughed as Veer paid the delivery boy and bought the pizza boxes inside.

V: What is so funny?

B: Your face! (laughs) you look so grumpy!

V: Sb tumhari ankho ki galti hai..I got lost in them and my gravy burnt. I really wanted to give you a good meal!!

Bani blushed at the fact that he so openly accepted that he got lost in her eyes.

B: It was a damn good gravy. I can imagine how good it would have turned out but jo ho gaya so ho gaya...maybe you can take me out on another date and feed me something you made?

She winked and Veer beamed.

V: Oho...Means you also like spending time with me!! I will love to take you another time..

B: Done! But next date has to be something I plan..

V: wow! Okay...I never had a girl plan some date for me...but I will be glad if you my first Rani..

Veer winked and Bani blushed at the double meaning but her mood also darkened due to the name.

B: thinks- Ye tujhe Rani samajh raha hai...aur tu toh Bani hai...kya karu? Isse sach bol deti hoon..

Bani tried to speak but she couldn't muster up the courage and nibbled her pizza slice in silence. Veer spoke but noticed the shift in her mood. He asked but Bani avoided the topic.

B: I had a great time. Thank you.

Bani said at the end of the date.

V: Lair! I noticed you've been sad for about the last forty five minutes! Is it something I said?

B: n-nahi...kuch nahi..aisa nahi hai..

She left wishing by goodnight but Veer wasn't convinced about her excuses.

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Bani went and took a shower. She tried to clear her thoughts.

(Bani's internal conflict: Italics is the one that favours her dating Veer, normal font- doesn't support)

B: Ye rishta Ranu ka hai...Vo rishta jisse khud Ranu accept nahi krna chahti...arey usse to Veeranshu ka naam bhi nahi pata tha....tere papa ko bohot hurt hoga jb unhe pata chalega...Veeranshu ko bhi hurt hoga...kya hurt hoga?? Veer to Rani se milla bhi nahi hai...vo like kr raha hai to mujhe like kr raha hai...pr tumhari shakal to same hai...agr kl ko ye Rani ke saath bhi gaya toh kya pta lagega..

Bani cried in frustration and went to sleep early.

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The next day, Bani was in the kitchen and Rani was sitting outside arranging thing on the shelf when her phone rang.

R: Bani!!!! High command se phone aya hai....

Bani ran out confused and saw it was their father on a video call.

Ra: Bani!! Kaisi hai beta??

R: Usse baat krni thi toh uske phone pr phone krte...mujhe call krke usse baat krne me kya maza ata hai apko..

Ra: Chup kr...vo to mai pehle Bani se jaana chahta tha ki aaj tune kya naya naam nikala hai mera..

R: Uff...you know how seedhi your daughter is...mai ye sb kaam nahi krti...Khilji!

Ra: Ye nahi sudhregi..Bani tu bata..kaisi hai..

B: Thik hoon papa..

R: I am also amazing, thanks for asking..

Ra: Amazing to tu hai hi..ye bol ki gayi thi us ladke se milne ya nahi?

Bani started to feel nervous but Rani said yes with confidence.

Ra: Kaisa hai..

R: Apke type ka...umar zyada hoti aur female hota toh aap kr lete shaadi...

Ra: Rani!! Dhang se jawab de..

R: Boring tha papa...not my type okay...

Ra: Accha?...kahan gaye they date pr..

R: Vo- ..ugh..kya naam tha us jagah ka Bani??

B: Restaurant tha papa, Levels.

Ra: Accha...aur ladke ka naam kya tha?

R: Mangal Singh!

Ra: Kya?

B: Rani?! Veeranshu naam hai papa..

R: Arey jiss gali jana nahi, wahan ka naam pata jaankr kya karoge? Maine mana kr diya hai...ab wahan aap chill kro..aur hume bhi apko miss krne ka mauka do..phone mt kro..byeeee...

Rani cut the call and smacked Bani on the head.

R: Gadhedi! Papa ke samne konsa saap sunjh jata hai tujhe!? Saari poll khol deti...

B: Tu chup kr..aur mujhe mara kaise..

Bani pushed her on the couch and sat on her.

R: Haye! Mai mr gayi...uthale prabhu....isse uthale..

B: Ranu!!! Tere jitna hi weight hai mera...natak mt kr...aur tu dukhi hai toh tujhe uthaye bhagwaan...mere naam pr bill mt fadd!

R: Vo baat to tune suni hogi Binni..

B: Kya?

R: Arey arz kiya..

B: Nahi..

Bani left and went into the kitchen. Rani followed her.

R: Arey arz kiya hai.....

Bani ignored her so Rani poked the cook.

Cook: ouch! Uh! Irfan didi..

R: Irshaad Irshaad...arz kiya hai...tu sooraj mukhi...mai chandramukhi..tu sooraj mukhi...mai chandramukhi...mai tujhse dukhi..tu mujhse dukhi..

B: Jaakr khood jaa chat se...tu bhi sukhi mai bhi sukhi..

R: (surprised) waah waah!!..Bani ko toh sb pata hai...(to cook) dekh rahe ho didi..hoshiyaar kr diya maine apni behen ko..

B: Rani to jaa yahan se wrna ye saare knives fenk kr marungi..

R: Oh god! Chi! How violent! Mai jaa rahi hoon....

~~~~~~~~~~

Later, Bani received a call from Veer.

B: Hello?

V: Rani! Hi!

B: Hi..

Veer told her he had a free hour as rush wasn't that high in the afternoon so he thought of giving her a call. They spoke for a while. Later, Bani thought of taking him out on a date and confessing to everything. She texted him the details.

B: (In mind) kl sb bol dena Bani...jo hoga dekha jayega..

Thinking this, she filled herself with positive thoughts and went to sleep. Meanwhile, Veer was also thinking about her.

V: Rani....jaisa Jai ne describe kiya tha waisi toh bilkul nahi hai ye...bilkul bhi nahi hai waisi...shyd isliye log kehte hai ki suni sunai baaton pr vishwas nahi krna chahiye...thank you dad, you really picked the best for me...Kl ki date ke baad I will tell her about my feelings. I hope she likes me more than a friend and agrees to date me officially.

With each other in mind, the too dozed off to deep sleep.

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To Be Continued

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Upnext: Bani takes Veer on a date. Ranvijay comes home.

Take Care and Love yourself
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