All of us sit outside of the pandal including the friends, sisters and brothers of Bratati.

"So, why don't we all do some activities?" Sneha suggests, Bratati's best friend, a very thin girl with a sleeveless blouse and white saree. Apparently, after we enter and meet the bride again, she introduces us to her friends and brothers-sisters. And then, we all decide that we need to eat some snacks at the stall the bride's family has arranged for everyone.

Sneha suggests us fuchka and chaat* then ice cream. We simply cooperate and Amit has been eagerly waiting for this opportunity. They become very friendly with Trayi, however. Then Sneha, Priya and Trayi drag along Agni who has been busy avoiding the gossip crews (of both sides of bride's and groom's) and selfie crews (who are eagerly waiting to put a photo with her and brag about it).

"What kind of activity?" Asks Amit, giving her his best charming grin of the last year as it is same as the year and before it and so on. He never changes.

"Like..." Sneha takes a few moments finding something interesting to offer us then adds, "Antakhsari*?"

"I'm in!" Amit says even if he never sings, sometimes plays guitar but he can't sing if someone doesn't want to be deaf, that is.

"I'm...in...?" Priya says a bit turning red and it isn't still clear if she has agreed or questioned however, Sneha doesn't even paid attention. Priya looks down at her lap as if it's a interesting thing while nibbling with the end of her kameez* and cannot even look at us.

"I'm really bad at singing!" Dev admits.

"Do whatever you want, I'm with you," Jatin answers.

"C'mon! It'll be fun." Sneha exclaims encouraging everyone to join.

"Okay! But we will take Aditya in our boys group," Amit says.

"But you guys are like eight against four!" Trayi says with a frown. "Adi vaiya will be with us!" and this spikes Agni as she casts me a glance.

"What? No!" Barun interjects, "he'll be with us."

"It doesn't matter. I'm in!" Everyone's eyes fell on Agni as her igniting gaze makes the air around us a little challenging and I say, "Game on! I'm in!"

No one could beat me in anything that involves songs and singing. It's my hobby after all.

***

It seems Agni has a long list of songs in her head that will not be running out anytime soon. However, I have millions of songs as well. The first ten-twenty songs had been from new movies that everyone seems to know of and they have participated but now, it is only me and Agni.

'Aa dekhe zara, kisme kitna hai dum, jaamke rakhna kadam, mere sathiya'¹ I finish as adrenaline coarse through me and Agni's face lights up with amusement then she takes the microphone from me and starts with 'A'. (Let's see, who has got guts, my friend)

'Aaj ki raat... Koi aane ko hai, re baba, Aaj ki raat.'² By now each one of the guests who has came to see the couple of tonight's occasion, now has gathered around us as audiences while we both sing and compete with each other. They are simply enjoying the songs like us.(Tonight,someone will be coming, tonight)

After so many songs, we both come to know how much we love old songs especially if its R. D. and S. D. Burman's, Salil Choudhary's and Laxmikant Pyarelal's and other old songs.

A few songs later Agni finishes her last song at 'Bh' and I start with it another song, 'Bheegi bheegi raato mai, mithi mithi baaton me'³. (In the

The audience applause and some of them throw us 'Wah Wahs' and I notice Agni taps her feet as I continue.

Then the song ends with 'H'.

She takes a few seconds then begin, 'Hay mera dil churake le gaya, churena wala mera katil'⁴. (OMG my heart has been stolen, the thief is my killer)

A few loud claps come from our audiences and I see there are almost everyone present even the caterers.

Her voice has a sweet touch that every time she sings and I feel more excited to sing with her. After many years, I have finally found a partner who is fighting in the battle of old songs.

Amit nudges me from behind and I disregard as I continue the song. After two songs, Agni starts, 'Piya Tu ab to aaja...' and almost everyone howl with joy including me. Someone from the crowd shouts 'Monica!' and everyone bursts out in a laughter.

'Piya to ab to aaja... Shola sa man dehke aake bujhaja... Taan ki Jwala thandi ho jaye aise, gele laga ja...'

And I sing with her on the male chore 'Monica, oh my darling.' The whole crowd starts to clap in beats and it only makes us excited to sing together. Then we both start to sing together until the song finishes.

"Guys! It's time!" Amit hisses and both Agni and me cast quizzical brows at him.

"Err... You know the thing we had planned?" He asks and a brick fell on my head. I have totally forgotten about our drinking plan. I nod and turn to Agni who looks puzzled and gives me a questioning look.

"Um... We have to go. But hey, it was amazing," I say as excitement rushes through me. I don't know but suddenly singing with her felt more precious than to go drinking. "Guess, we could partner up sometimes."

A smile tugs on her red painted lips and she nods, "Definitely!"

I put the microphone down and the Antakhsari comes to an end with no winning team at all. I am in cloud nine as I approach my friends.

They raise their brows, "You've managed to impress the Lady, congratulations!"

However, that congrats don't look genuine at all and I do a dramatic bow, "Thank you!"

"I knew it! You traiter! What happened to our 'brothers before lover' code?" Barun says which awestruck all of us especially Jatin as Kanchana is Jatin's cousin sister.

I narrow my gaze down at Barun, "You, by chance, don't want Kanchana to find out our plans, do you?"

A sheepish grin spreads out on his face, "Ah! I was joking!"

"You better be." With a threatening glare Jatin whispers through his gritted teeth.

"Have you guys find a spot yet?" I ask.

"We will... There are many empty spots behind the trees," Barun answers but my mom comes to me, tapping on my shoulder, "Adi, come!"

"Where?"

She grabs hold my arm and drags me toward a crowd where a few uncles and aunties stand, engrossed in conversation. Dev trails behind me. The older people stops as soon as I approach and their eyes glint which gives me a knowing shiver.

"This is Aditya, my son," mom introduces and I nod as I don't know what am I doing here among them however, I have a slight clue.

Then one of them calls out a name "Shanaya, come here."

I knew it!

A scowl leaves from my mouth but pauses as my mom directs a glare at me.

The aunty says, "Meet Aditya! He lives in Mumbai."

Shanaya, a slim tall girl who almost reaches my ears. Her golden Lehenge blazes in the lights of the pandal and she looks at me before giving a sweet, innocent smile.

Another one of my mom's match making plan.

"Hi," I say with a curt nod and Dev stands behind me.

"She's beautiful," he whispers and coughing at the same time to conceal his statement.

"Shanaya lives in Delhi and works at Wipro," my mom informs.

"Oh! Many of my friends works there too." I answer and mom glares indicating me to start a conversation with her.

"Oh, she's very shy, sometimes. But when you get to know her, you'll find her friendly." Her mother says and mom giggles.

"Oh, Aditya has always been shy around girls, don't worry."

Both Dev and me look each other and reminiscing our bachelor party in Goa before Barun's marriage, three years ago. After the whole night drinking and flirting, I had found myself half naked with a naked girl beside me the next day. But one should never let out a word of their bachelor party.

"Oh! Our Shanaya is very good at knitting and drawing. You should see her drawings sometimes." Her mom says.

"Oh! Knitting? That's a very good thing as every girl should learn it. But nowadays, girls can't even cook Maggie." My mom says and I almost roll my eyes. Maggie doesn't need to be cooked. Even my five years old niece can make it.

"No! Shanaya can also cook. Last Sunday, she cooked Biriyani. And once she cooked..." she continues to say which her daughter can cook. It almost feels like she has memorized a list to impress everyone.

"Why don't you guys chat a little?" My mom encourages as I am about to give an answer with 'no thanks' but my mom's straight gaze tells me otherwise.

"Off you go, buddy." Dev leaves and I plead him in a low voice, "Don't leave me." But he has already crossed the crowd leaving me here with them.

"So..." Shanaya begins and I notice the group of match makers has left us alone, already.

"Err... Yes. Wh-what were you saying?" I ask.

"Nothing. It's just...you live in Mumbai, right?"

I nod.

"I've always wanted to work there and I'm trying to get a transfer," I nod still don't know what to say. Mind it, I'm not a shy person but this is hell awkward.

"That's great. You should. The place is nice."

She tugs a hair behind her ear while smiles, "You sing amazing."

"Thanks but I guess Agni sings better than me. Her voice is...amazing." Agni's smile flashes before my mind's eyes.

"Oh! Agnishikha?" She asks snapping me of my trail of thoughts.

"Yeah."

"You know, she's cool but..." she leaves her sentence in the air hanging which is both irritating and exciting.

"But?"

"Well, I shouldn't say this but she's divorced and I've heard she was bad at handling a family. She's more like, you know, like a tomboy." She laughs but I don't understand her reason.

"So, tomboys can't handle a family?" I ask.

"What? No! I mean, she has tattoos and she feels cool but...weird."

I nod suddenly don't like to continue the conversation and definitely not liking her company. Then finally I say, "Yeah. I get it. I will be coming back soon (hopefully) however, I need to go to the washroom. It's nice to meet you."

I dash away from the crowd and from Shanaya as soon as possible while meet up with Dev. He's being watching the scene all along but has no desire to help me break free of Shanaya.

"Why did you run away?" Dev asks pressing his lips tightly together as if he's trying to suppress his laugh.

"You know why."

"But she's pretty." He shrugs.

"Match yourself instead of me and I'll be forever grateful to you."

"No thanks." Dev scoffs before we meet the others at the entrance.

***

I stand in the darkness of a tree shade a few yards away as Dev has gone to join our friends and I have asked to leave me for a moment as it feels irritating.

I bring out a cigarette and search for the lighter or matches box but nothing is with me, "Damn!" I must have forgotten it in the cottage.

Then a light comes just beside me on a lighter. I look at the owner and it's Agni.

"Do you have another cigarette?" She asks making a gap on my mouth and my cigarette fell on the floor from my lips.

"Err... Yes, I have." I take the cigarette from the ground and gives her another one as she begins, "You have amazing voice!" Her praise makes my heart do a few back flips and I give her a grin.

"I didn't know you love R. D. Burman's songs." I say blurting out the thoughts.

"Why?"

"Um... You know..."

"Because of my tattoos and piercings?" Her voice becomes cold all of a sudden. It is a bit dark but I can feel a offended tone.

"Well, yeah. Sorry. I thought you might like funky and new songs."

"No! The new songs are good but not best."

"I agree."

We both become quite and a weird strangeness surround us.

I have noticed her, avoiding much interaction with anyone other than her family. She lights her cigarette and inhales as I ask, "You were avoiding everyone, didn't you?"

She looks at me and nods, "Yeah. The same conversation over and over again. Then the same part comes, pity..." She says the word with so much bitterness that I flinch at it. But I don't wanted a conversation with her in which she may feel uncomfortable.

"Well, I'll have to go now." My cigarette is finished and I cast her a grin, "But I surely want to sing a few duets with you, especially the old songs."

Her mood changes within a second.

"Let's do that, but when?" She asks.

"Come to Kolkata with Bratati, tomorrow. We have arranged a program for the night."

_______

- Glossary -

Fuchka- (Gol gappa) a snack item very famous.

Chat- Another one of snacks items also famous.

Antakhsari- A game of songs. Any number of persons can sing. The rule is they have to begin a song the last letter of the last song.

Kameez- Women's clothing

- Songs -

1- Aa dekhe Zara, kisme kitna hai dum(1981) - Sung by Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle & R. D. Burman (also composed)

2- Aaj ki raat koi aane ko hai re baba(1973)- Asha bhosle (singer) & R. D. Burman (composer)

3- Bheegi Bheegi Raaton me, mithi mithi baton me(1974)- Lata Mangeshkar(singer), Kishore Kumar(singer) & R. D. Burman (composer & singer)

4- Hay mera dil chura ke le gaya(2000)- Alka Yagnik(singer), Udit Narayan(singer) & Anu Malik(composer)

5- Piya Tu aab to aaja(1971)- Asha Bhosle (singer), R. D. Burman (composer)

________

2nd October, 2020