A sudden noise jerks them both awake.

"Mai so gayi thi kya? I'm so sorry mujhe pata hi nahi chala." Raavi woke up, sheepishly.

"Mai bhi kabhi soya pata hi nahi"

Only then did they both realise how they had slept off. They looked anywhere, but at each other, embarrassed.

"Shiva, 9:30 ho gaya, hum itni der se bahar hai! Chal jaldi!!" She said, rushing.

They helped each other up, and walked down the beach to reach the bottom entrance of the haveli.

"Shiva, tu itna accha bhi mat ban" Raavi suddenly said.

"Tujhe dimaag pe chot aayi hai kya? Uss din mujhe suna diya kyuki mai accha nahi tha, ab jab accha ban raha hu, toh usme bhi problem? Chahti kya ho madam??" Shiva asked, looking at her as if she's stupid.

"Arre nahi, matlab, humari woh ladhai, ek dusre ko insult karne waali thi. Ab agar nok jhok hogi, toh ek dusre ki insult nahi karenge na. Mazaak ho jaayega woh."

"Life me thoda mirch masala nahi hoga, toh faayda kya?" She looked at him and laughed.

"Tu mujhe kabhi samajh nahi aayegi, chipkali, maa kasam." Shiva said, and breathed a sigh.

"Ae bhootnath, ab accha laga na? Woh kya hai, ki jab log Shiva aur Raavi ka naam sunte hai na, toh sabse pehle word aata hai 'ladhai'. Ab ye humari speciality hai, toh aise kaise chod de"

Both of them walked back home, creating a ton of stupid nicknames on the way back.

This was just the beginning of a cute friendship, but not everything is perfect all the time.

~~~

"Ae gadhedi!"
"Ae kirane ki dukaan!"

Both of them looked at each other and laughed.

"Idhar aa."

He walked over to kitchen and saw her preparing breakfast.

"Bol kya kaam tha."

"Mai tujhe ek time ka khaana kaise banate hai, woh sikhaungi. Chal aaja"

"Pagal ho gayi hai kya? Mere ghar waalo ko maarne ka iraada hai kya?"

She laughed.

"Arre buddhu, tujhe pura nahi bana ne ko bol rahi hu, mai bhi help karungi tujhe."

"Par mai kyu sikhu, tu hai na?" He confidently said.

"Kisi din nahi rahi toh? Kya karega?" She squinted her eyes at him.

"Abhi tak dhang se aayi nahi hai meri zindagi me, ki jaana hai tujhe. Huh. Pagal chokri." Shiva huffed.

"Chal naatak mat kar, idhar aa. Sab batati rahungi"

As Shiva cut the vegetables and did just as Raavi explained, someone outside had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Taste kar poha, kaisi bani hai?" Raavi asked eagerly.

"Not bad, chipkali. Tu toh badi acchi teacher hai!" Shiva said, tasting the poha.

"Soch rahi hu atta gundh ke rakh du dopahar ke liye. Upar se woh atta ka dabba dena." Raavi said, taking out the kneading plate.

As Shiva went to hand Raavi the container, his oily hands couldn't grip it properly, and the flour went flying everywhere.

Both of them were dusted in flour from head to toe.

" Shivaaaa kar raha hai tu yaar!" Raavi said, annoyed. "Mai bhi teri tarah bhootnath lag rahi hu"

"Jaan buchke thodi na kiya." Shiva frowned.

"Hatt ab, jhaadu lagane de mujhe." Raavi said, shoving Shiva aside.

Forgetting that there was flour on the floor, she stepped exactly on the loose flour and slipped.

Raavi closed her eyes and flailed her hands around, to hold on to something. She expected to hit the floor with a thud, but didn't.

She felt a pair of hands around her waist, holding her tightly for 2 seconds, but then she fell down with a thud AND Shiva's weight on her.

Background song:

She opened her eyes, and Shiva was centimetres away from her face, staring into her eyes, just like she was doing.

Her hands were rightly clasped around his neck. She could feel him breathing on her face.

"Theek se nahi pakad sakta tha kya?" She said, voice stuck in her throat.

"Giri tu, pakdu mai, aur usme bhi complain. Ye sahi hai!" Shiva said, complaining.

Song ends

They heard a cough from the door. Krish.

"Shiva, ye sab na kitchen me nahi karte. Koi dekh lega toh?" Krish said, teasingly

Both scrambled to their feet, embarrassed, face flushed, not meeting each other's eyes.

They cleaned up the kitchen, and brought the food outside, still covered in flour.

"Kya hua tha? Awaaz suni thi humne." Dhara enquired.

"Woh mai-" Raavi began, but Rishita interrupted.

"Dhara bhabhi, maine dekha tha, ye Raavi Shiva se kitchen ka kaam karwa rahi thi."

Everyone looked surprised.

"Tujhe madat chahiye thi toh bata deti, ye Shiva se kyu kaam karwaya." Dhara explained.

"Di, woh baat nahi hai. Waise bhi, ye kitchen me thoda help kar dega, toh bura hi kya hai na." Raavi defended herself.

"Par tu apne pati se kaam kyu karwa rahi thi? Mai kabhi apne Dev ko kabhi aise kaam na karne du." Rishita slyly said.

"Mai sirf usko khaana bana ne ko sikha rahi thi. Aaj breakfast bhi Shiva ne banaya hai, meri thodi help se." Raavi smiled.

"Aur mujhe nahi lagta, ki iss ghar ke kaam karne se aadmi chota ho jaata hai. Sirf aurate kyu kare, ladko ko bhi thoda seekh lena chahiye, bas"

"Par iss ghar me inko kabhi ye karwaya nahi hai maine" Dhara said.

"Toh kya hua? Maine kaunsa Shiva ko force kiya, apne marzi se sab kaam kiya usne. Hai na?" Raavi said, expecting Shiva to answer.

He didn't. He was more nervous about the fact that this breakfast was made by him, and it shouldn't kill anyone. So he wasn't paying any attention to the conversation happening.

"Bol na Shiva, maine tujhe force kiya tha kya?" Raavi said a little loudly, to break Shiva out of his stance.

"Huh. Haan. Kiya na" Shiva replied absentmindedly, thinking that she had asked if he had cleared up the counter.

Everyone glared at Raavi, and Raavi looked at Shiva confused.

"Raavi, ye tune theek nahi kiya. Maana ki logo ko seekhna chahiye, par unke marzi ke khilaaf nahi." Gautam said, disappointed.

Everyone started lecturing her. Raavi glared at Shiva. How could he lie like this?

They just started to understand each other, and he did this? What was he even thinking?

"Shaam ko ghar laut rahe hai, mai packing karne jaa rahi hu. Aap log khaa lena." Raavi said, "aur kuch log maar khayenge" she mumbled, staring at Shiva.

Shiva looked at her leave angrily, and wondered what happened to her suddenly, until it struck him.

~~~

In the bus

Everyone had put their extra items in the compartment above, and were enjoying the ride. They all looked at Shiva, signalling him towards Raavi.

But she sat by the window, still angry with Shiva. She had been avoiding him since breakfast.

Someone sat down next to her. "Ae Raavi, maaf karde yaar mujhe"

She looked at him, squinting her eyes in anger. "Jaa idhar se. Jhootha." She punched him in his arm

"Ouch. Arre sacchi, mera dhyaan nahi tha. Mai sirf ye soch raha tha ki koi mera khaana khaake Bhagwaan ko om swaha na ho jaaye, usme tune sawaal pucha, maine kuch toh jawaab de diya." Shiva pleaded.

"Om swaha?" Raavi laughed.

"Haa. Tere jaane ke baad maine samjha diya sabko, ki apne marzi se khaana bana raha tha me. Woh Rishita bhabhi ko kahani me masala milane ki aadat hai. Unko chod" Shiva smiled.

"Bas ab ignore mat karna mujhe. Ye teri bak bak sune bager mere kaano ko chain mahi milti" Shiva taunted.

"Ye jo pura safar hai na, tere kaan shaanti ke liye taras jaayenge, bata rahi hu." Raavi smirked.

The entire bus ride, Shiva had wished he had listened to her warning.

- - - - -

How was this chapter? 😎