Free Palestine 🇵🇸

•••

Ranbir and Hriday were staring at Veer for past twenty minutes. He was sitting on the couch, his knees pressed against his chest and his face buried in them. After long moments of silence, he looked up and spoke, “Guys, I have committed a crime.”

“Did you sell question papers?” Ranbir asked curiously.

“No,” Veer shook his head.

“Are you... having an affair with a student?” Hriday asked hesitantly.

“No.” Veer shook his head again.

“You slept with a colleague?” Ranbir asked.

“No.” And Veer denied the speculation again.

“Then what did you do!?” Both Ranbir and Hriday asked in unison.

Tears brimmed in Veer's eyes as he fumbled, “I... I... I broke a Burnee that was carrying FORTY-YEAR-OLD ACHAAR!” By the end of his confession, he was crying like a baby.

Ranbir and Hriday gasped in disbelief.

“Considering your obsession with Achaar, that's the worst crime you could have committed,” Ranbir tsked.

“My tongue keeps imagining how tangy and savoury that Achaar would have been. Why!? Why did I chase after that goon that day!? Why!? It wouldn't have happened then.” Veer was drowned in sorrow.

Hriday sat down next to Veer and tried to console him, “Veer, that Achaar has left this world. Our ancestors must be enjoying it in heaven right now.”

Ranbir rolled his eyes at Hriday's way of consolation, “Hriday, for God's sake, it was a mere pickle. It has no soul.”

Ranbir's words offended Veer, “Ranbir!” Ranbir instinctively moved away when Veer yelled at him angrily. Veer continued, “Don't you dare refer Achaar as pickle! Pickle is a depressed cucumber drowned in sorrowful vinegar. Achaar is an explosive ride of tangy and savory flavors. They are not that same!”

In that moment, Ranbir wanted to kill this Achaar lover who was haunting him since childhood, “Alright, alright. Achaar is not pickle. Pickle is not Achaar. But Veer is a Drama Queen. Drama Queen is Veer!” Ranbir yelled in frustration and walked out of Veer's apartment.

“At least, get the gender right! It should be Drama King. But I prefer Drama Prince. I'm still quite young,” Veer yelled at Ranbir who had already disappeared from his sight.

“No, you aren't. You are thirty-two. Thirty-two is not young,” Hriday argued.

“Hriday, you could at least agree to keep my heart,” Veer reacted dramatically.

“Why should I keep your heart? Keep it inside your ribcage. You can pledge to donate it after death if you are so eager to give it away,” Now Veer was rolling his eyes.

“What was I expecting from a fucking heart surgeon?” 

“I'm still a virgin,” Hriday argued again.

Veer was literally pulling his hair now. “Ah, you have worsened my mood. Earlier, I was heartbroken. Now, I want to break some bones,” He yelled in frustration.

Hriday understood that the said bones belonged to him so he quickly excused himself, “Oh, I suddenly remembered that I have an appointment with a physiotherapist. My hands keep shaking nowadays. Bye!” And he ran away.

“Do that nonsense again and I'll make you study Calculus all night!” Veer shouted after him.

✿ ✿ ✿

Anokhi was in a dilemma. Her grandfather fell sick and the first thing he said after waking up was, “Anokhi Beta, my restless soul will keep wandering after my death if I didn't see one of my grandchildren get a Master's degree in mathematics.”

“But, Aajoba, why me? Sona can also do it,” Anokhi whined.

Sonakshi quickly defended herself, “Tayi! You know that I start getting panic attacks when I study maths. Maths is injurious to my health.”

“Anokhi, you have always been bright in studies. You can definitely study mathematics,” Aajoba tried to persuade Anokhi.

“Just because I'm good at studies, it doesn't mean I'm willing to ruin my peace of mind by studying maths. It has never been my cup to tea.” But Anokhi was no way agreeing to his demand.

“Anokhi Beta, come with me.” Her father took her out of the room.

“Baba, I will die before Aajoba if I studied maths.” Anokhi was ready to cry any moment.

“Listen to me. You don't have to do good at it. Just get passing marks.”

“But I don't even want to do bare minimum. I will also start getting panic attacks if I had to study maths again.”

“At least, try for one semester,” her father requested.

“I don't want to!”

Her father also failed to persuade her. But the very moment Sonakshi came to them and told her sister, “Arrey, Tayi! You won't be pressurized to get married for next two years if you agree to study maths.”

“I'm ready!” And Anokhi immediately agreed.

Shyam Bhide looked at his daughters with a look of shock and disbelief, “Hain! It was that simple?”

✿ ✿ ✿

“Ranbir, please!” Veer was clinging to Ranbir's arm like a stubborn kid.

“No!” Ranbir said sternly.

“Ranbir, please!”

“I said No, Veer!”

“But her Achaar is very tasty.” Veer was convincing Ranbir to buy Anokhi's Achaar for him.

“Then buy it yourself.”

“She won't sell her Achaar to me because I broke that precious Achaar ki Burnee.”

“Then apologize to her.”

“It won't work naa. She hates me now.”

“But why me?” Ranbir asked in annoyance.

“Because you are my best friend.”

“Okay, then I disown our friendship right now!” And he freed himself from Veer's hold.

“I'll buy you a vintage wine if you agree to buy her Achaar for me!” Veer put forth an offer that he knew Ranbir won't be able to refuse and that's exactly what happened.

“Ah, it's a tempting offer. Alright, I'll do it for you.”

“But don't let her know that we are friends,” Veer warned him.

Ranbir rolled his eyes, “As if I want people to know that this lunatic is my friend.”

“Oh, really? Let me bring my gun then.” Veer threatened his ‘best’ friend.

Ranbir's attitude immediately changed at the mention of gun, “Aye, I was joking! I'm so proud that you are my best friend.” He put his arm on Veer's shoulder.

“Better.” Veer smiled.

And Ranbir yelled in frustration. Of course, in his head.

•••

I know that it's a funny chapter 😌

•••

Recommend me a few K-dramas and C-dramas. They should be light-hearted and funny. Nothing scary or serious or tragic.

•••

Bye 👋