𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘩, 2017
𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘬𝘢

"Who. The. Hell. Is. He?"

If jealousy were to be a viscous liquid, it would be my honour to announce that it was dribbling from the begrudged countenance of Mr Lawyer who had his jaw gripped as if I had just knocked it out and I could also notice his congealed fist. Who said love was in the air, I could already cut jealousy through the visionary principles of my combat skills. 

Having a cunning smile dancing on my lips, I whispered, "Plan number 11," inside the ears of the same man who had mutated Mr Lawyer to his usual Mr Hippo vogue.

There was one famous saying, the one who gets annoyed easily, there's a greater vigour to aggravate him more. My conspiracy was already contrived, I just was left to electrocute it.

"Well, I'm her boyfriend. Pritika's boyfriend. Do you've any problem with that?" 

Amandeep Veerji was the most consequential dramebaaz kinsman of mine who was also my partner-in-crime who had been remarkably accommodating in all my escapades which were already written in the golden folios of our chronicle, I giggled jocularly and glanced at Divyaant's face which was worth howling in utter hysteria. His mouth was ajar for a fly to do its afternoon chores and his eyes were resembling the top-eyed toy I had bought for Noor.

And then Mr Hippo decisively closed his mouth to squeak a, "What?".

"What is he saying, Pritika?" Plan number 11 was working splendidly now, I grunted beneath my breath and gave him those He-is-stating-the-truth looks which prompted another set of eloquence on his features. I had a hard time to control my smile, better serve you, Mister, for cancelling the date, I mused victoriously and feigned those innocent looks of feeling guilty and gloomy. "But you were single, no?" the bluntness of this lawyer, I tell you, I swivelled my eyes and smiled inwardly. He looked adorable though with jealousy warping his grimace.

"Actually....he's just joking. He's my cousin, Amandeep," not wanting to make this chap cry in heartbreak and melancholy, I stated out voluntarily and broke into giggles because Divyaant was looking extremely ludicrous in his 'All red mode on' resembling a lost hippo of Kaziranga national park. 

I now knew that he was jealous, very jealous. Amandeep Veerji too chortled in laughter and Noor likewise wasn't behind, she started tittering noticing how her aunt, as well as her Funny uncle, was laughing.

"Nice to meet you, Mr Divyaant, right? Have heard a lot about you," Amandeep Veerji beamed and forwarded his hand towards Mr Hippo for a handshake which he oh-so haughtily overlooked. "It wasn't nice to meet you," Divyaant glared at Amanjeet Veerji and then at me, this man surely didn't like pranks and jokes, did he? Giving us a last dazzle and bidding, "Bye Noor. Bye Pritika," he subsequently left for wherever he was heading towards earlier but now in a very foul mood.

I looked at his back and regretted whatever I did with him. I shouldn't have(s) and I should have(s) started playing Kabaddi in my head and the more they argued, the more penitent I grew. 

"Oye, Preet. I think I should leave immediately, I had to exchange a shirt and Amanjit would be waiting for me at home. Say my Sat Sri Akaal to all. Take care and you too, my baby," giving back Noor in my arms, Amandeep Veerji belatedly left for his house; he was always in a rush, be it for his office-going day or a day at Elante.

With a little contrition and despondency in my heart, I further split towards the Kids' store with the subtle and sober Noor in my arms. My remembrance was showing me the flashbacks of the time when Divyaant was socialising with me. I never left a chance to irritate him, how could...my solicitudes in the spur of the moment suspended abruptly when a shrill 'boo' was trumpeted aloud in my delicate ears. "What did you think? I'd let you go for your stunts, Miss Boo?" playfulness and smirking demeanour lacing his features, Divyaant stated softly, staring right through my soul.

My heart was already pulsating powerfully and his gaze was adding more fuel to the pyre.

At that moment, I felt as if I would just get inundated in his black ocean of overwhelmed feelings and sink deeper and deeper into his realm, succumbing my whole self to him like a nincompoop girl in love which I was or not, even I wasn't assured about. His return was as invigorating as the advent of Rafaels in India. I felt stalwart, stimulated and energetic. 

Was it my feelings or my sidelined hormones playing with me and my soul? I kept gazing at him, he looked charming with that playfulness and smirking looks just like what I had read in novels.

Was he that hero of my life with whom I would be spending my entire life?

Was he that hero of my life with whom I would be sharing all my secrets?

Was he really?

Chuckling assiduously, he snapped his fingers in front of me and spoke, "I know I'm tempting, but please, we have got a kid over here, don't give me those looks. Also, I am a very Shareef and Sushil guy, so," the freaking temerity of this man, all my Oxytocin hormones for this hippo abruptly vanished and all I could feel was adrenaline and cortisol streaming inside my system. "Yes, yes, only I am a Mafia, goon, gangster, dacoit, ain't I?" I know I was steaming but this man was the cylinder behind the vapours from my muzzle and eardrums.

I sprang marching towards the kids' store when I heard the mumbling sentence that had left his mouth unconsciously, "Yes, a beautiful dacoit of my heart". Taking a u-turn, I faced him and asked in a startled voice, "Wh...what did you just say?". 

Even he too knew what unexpected thing he had just blabbered which was somehow soothing and making me all jittery but the hippo wouldn't accept it, would he? Giving me the most innocent and babyish looks, he answered, "What? Oh! That? I was saying you're the dacoit of my hearing ability. What did you hear?" he looked at me as if I was a toddler he could deceive around.

With my own ears, I had heard him say 'dacoit of my heart' but now look at him, how he was repudiating that and manipulating his own statements. For sure he was a canny lawyer. I blustered out and continued my rampage towards the kids' store. GO HIPPO GO, I was continuously chorusing for that man to go but he was stalking me, as I could notice how Noor was interacting with him and giggling in between. 

Before I could've admonished him for his absurd antics, I heard my phone ringing.

Simran Pabhi!

My screen reflected with two touchpads, red one to cancel the call and green one to accept it. I chose my bête noire shade and picked up the call furthermore, installed the phone against my ears. The command from the other end was to cancel my excursion towards the kids' store and make it to the most famous BIBA store where Pabhi was currently, choosing dresses for mum, me and herself.

I reactivated my voyage and started going towards the commanded store which was on the second floor; I have to take the escalator or elevator then, I mused rationally and glanced towards the lift which was already pretty bustling in pooling people up and down; I chose the former option and escalated towards the escalator. 

The Hippo too was following me behind and all the way to the said store, he was busy in making faces and pranks for Noor, making her laugh every now and then. Even I had to agree, this was the first time Noor was taking interest in interacting with a stranger, otherwise, she had always disliked strangers and their involvement with her.

After a lot of ostracised glances, unparticipated jokes and impatient trials from the other end, I finally relinquished the store where Pabhi had called me. Divyaant and Noor were together and walking at a tortoise's pace, irritating me more.

"Will you come inside or not?" I asked in an irked tone, looking at the party-changer who was busy playing with the hippo's shades. "We'll come inside in a while, you go," the hippo answered giving me a cheeky smile.

"How can I be sure of the fact that you aren't a kidnapper?" putting my hands on my hips, I scrutinised him with my pointed gaze. "If I would've to kidnap anyone, it'd be you," he grumbled but I heard it flawlessly. My pointed gaze enlarged and a sudden rosiness erupted on my cheeks. "What did you just say?" for god knows what reason, I was smiling when I asked this. He had surely forgotten to take his medications today, didn't he?

"Nothing, I said, as I'm a good man, I won't kidnap her. We'll come in a while, you go," he gave me a green signal and got engaged in playing with Noor. I didn't know why but I trusted him and entered inside the store.

Plumbing a little inside the store, I saw my sister-in-law engaged in talking with some lady near one of the mannequins.

Was she really talking or arguing?

"Mom! Look, I like this one," nearing them, I heard a lady say to another older lady while snatching a beautiful Kurti from Pabhi's hands. There was a salesgirl too standing near them who politely stated, "Sorry, ma'am. But this ma'am had selected this Kurti first," and Simran Pabhi nodded in the assertion. They still hadn't noticed me yet. And I still hadn't got the fact that why they were arguing.

"But I like this Kurti and I'll buy this one. Please purchase some other dress," that lady whined babyishly and I could see how seldom Pabhi was trying to control her temper.

"Look, I chose it first so its mine," Simran Pabhi snatched the piece of Kurti and replied in an indignant tone.

"But you didn't buy this Kurti yet so it is not yours," the lady again demonstrated.

"No, its mine," Pabhi also clarified.

"No, its mine," the lady quarrelled too.

"It's mine," Pabhi snatched the apparel and before I could've countered their childish fight over a piece of raiment, I heard a very well-known voice which ceased all of a sudden and I had to take a 180º-turn, for the second time today and saw the flabbergasted look on Divyaant's physiognomy.

"Pritika, Noor loves me mo....Mom?"

~**⁕**~

1692 fans, who can make it to 1700?

I was contemplating for a double update today, let's think what we can do about it. *whistles*