"Come with me," he asked me for my hand.

"But where are we going?"

"To pay your debt"

"Arrey chalo (Come on)" he grabbed my wrist and pulled me with him.

"Although we can take help of rickshaw to reach there but I won't. As it would save my money and burn your calories"

"Esa tumne mujhe kya khila dia ki mujhe calories burn krwa rahe ho (I haven't eaten much that I need to burn calories)" I shrugged.

"Mera dimag khaya hai wo kam hai kya (Is it less that you have eaten my brain)"

"Excuse me!" I narrowed my eyes while putting my hands on my waist.

"Mera... mera matlab hai ki.... maine tumhara dimag khaya hai to mujhe calories burn krne ki jaroort hai (I ... I mean... I have eaten your brain so I need to burn the calories)"

I gave him a bewildered look.

"Don't waste my precious time in thinking so much. Just come with me"

After passing through various streets and listening to his nonstop blabbering we reached the fair.

"Fair! Why have you took me here?"

"Circus ki team mai tumhe bharti karwane (To admit you in circus team)"

"What!!"

"I mean to watch circus"

"Circus dekhne ki kya jaroorat hai? Khud ko hi dekh lo... tum kisi circus se kam nahi (What is the need of watching circus? Have a look at yourself, you are a circus)" I said sarcastically

"Ye kya meri bejjati thi? (Did you just insulted me?)"

Ignoring him I entered the fair. I also wanted to come here but I couldn't because of the busy schedule. He followed me.

"Arrey ruko kaha jaa rahi ho (Hey, wait where are you going?)"

"Jahannum mai.... chalna hai? (In hell.... do you want to come along?)"

"Arrey, aapke sath to hum doosre gole par bhi chalne ko tayyar hai (I am ready to accompany you to another planet too)"

"Are you flirting with me? And what do you mean by Gola?"

"Mera matlab hai barf ka gola (I mean icecream)"

It felt like he is trying to change the topic.

"Would you like to have ice cream? (Barf ka gola)"

"NO!"

"Kha lo thoda dimag thanda ho jaega (It will help in cooling down your brain)"

Before I could argue with him I heard some shuffling sounds. I took a step towards my left to find some kids trying to hide.

"Come out!" I yelled.

"Ronak!"

"Present madam"

I smirked at the innocence of the kids. I heard another kid asking him to keep his mouth shut.

"There is no use of it now. Come out. I have already caught you"

One by one everyone came out creating a semi-circle in front of me.

"Good morning madam"

"It is afternoon now"

"Hello, kids" that jerk jumped in between all of a sudden.

"Hello, uncle" the kid's faces glowed all of a sudden.

"Gola khaoge bachcho? (Kids, would you like to have ice cream)?"

"Yayyyyy" all of them jumped on their places in excitement.

"First tell me, have you taken the permission of your parents before coming here?" I asked them and they stopped jumping and smiling.

Suddenly the environment became silent and all of them sealed their lips.

"That means your parents don't know your whereabouts"

"Arrey come on Masteriji. Harr waqt bachcho k sir pr danda lekr khadi rehti ho.  Let them live their life. It is their time. You are acting as you have never bunked class in your school days"

I moistened my lips as I was not left with an answer. I have bunked a lot. I huffed and looked another side.

"Haan to jaldi jaldi se gole wale bhaiya ko batao konsa flavor lena pasand karoge (So, tell the uncle which flavor of ice cream would you like to have)"

Kids got very excited and they jumped on each other in the competition of getting their favorite ice cream first. There was a wide smile on their faces, eyes were shining in joy and they were dancing in their places.

A wide smile made its way to my lips looking at them this happy and enjoying their life.

"Haan to ab itne saare gole le liye hai to hum dono ek hi mai share kar le? Isse mere paise bachenge (when we have purchased so many icecreams so can we share one icecream? It would save money)"

"No way!" I yelled.

"OK!" He yelled mocking me and then chuckled.

"Haan to aap konsa flavor lena pasand krengi?  (So which flavor would you like to have?)" He asked

"Kala khatta (Choco bar)"

When I was licking and sucking my icecream he was looking at me making me awkwardly uncomfortable. I turned to my left and showed him my back till I didn't finish my ice cream.

"Thank you so much, uncle. Aap bahut ache hai (You are awesome)"

"Kaash ye baat humari masterniji ko bhi samajh aa jae (I wish your teacher also understand this)" he mumbled

"You said something?"

"No!! Jao bachcho tum khelo (kids go and play)" he ignored my question.

"Haan bhaiya kitna hua? (Yes brother, how much do I have to pay?)"

"60Rs."

"60 RS... how?" his eyes widened.

"There were 10 kids and two you. One icecream was of 5 Rs"

"I bought 12 icecreams from you. You should give me some concession"

Ye aadmi phir se shuru ho gaya. 🤦‍♀️

"Kyu gareeb k pet par laat maar rhe ho? (I am poor, don't debate over Rs)"  the icecream seller said.

"Bhai tujhse jyada to mai gareeb hu na naukri hai or na hi chokri (Brother I am poor more than you. Neither I have a job nor a girlfriend)" he said dramatically.

He took out a 50 Rs note and handed it to him. After some argument, the seller agreed to take 50 Rs.

"Ok then bye," I said and moved on.

"Arrey kaha chali sawari? (Where are you going?)"

"Now you don't owe anything to me. I paid 50 Rs. there, you paid 50 rs. here. Hisaab barabar"

"Ese kaise? (How come?)"

I turned to face him.

"I have just paid 10 Rs out of 50, the rest was for the kids"

"But they are my students"

"But at the end of the day, they are kids that are deprived of things. Tum unn bachcho ko apni leave kharab karke free mai padha sakti ho but mai unn bachcho ko ek barf ka gola nahi khila sakta? (You can provide free education to those needy kids but I can't even give them one icecream?)" he suddenly became serious that was a rare thing.

"Ab mai itna bhi bura insaan nahi hu senorita ..... mera matlab hai Priya (I am not that bad human senorita... I mean Priya)"

He said in the style of Bollywood hero Rajesh Khanna bringing a little smile on my lips.

"So now when you have a change of 200 Rs. note so you can give me the rest of the money"

"I would have given you money in case I had borrowed money from you. But I will leave you when I will spend the full 50 Rs. on you"

"But...."

"No behes, Ab ye batao jhoola jhoologi (Now tell me, would you like to take a ride?)

"Jhoola? (Ride?)"

"Dar lagta hai kya? (Are you scared of rides?)

"Darti mai kisi se nahi hu (I am not scared of anything and anyone)"

"To aao phir bada wala jhoola jhoolte hai (Then come with me, let's take a ride of giant wheel)"

He purchased two tickets of giant wheel 15 Rs. each. He has spent 30 Rs. Only 10 Rs. are left now.

"Come on"

We stepped up to reach the ride and a man helped us in settling into one of the cabins. We sat in front of each other. All the time he was passing his weird smile. I don't know what it is there that he is finding so funny.

"Darna mat (Don't be scared)"

I rolled my eyes and looked outside as all the cabins got filled and the ride started. At the initial stage, the ride was going slow.

As the speed of the ride increased I closed my eyes to enjoy it and the cold wind hit my face, letting my hair freely fly in the air. I know by the end of the ride my hair is going to be a mess.

"Aaltu jalaltu aai bala ko taal Tu" *praying to God for saving from the worst situation*

My eyebrows knitted as these words reached my ears. I opened my eyes slowly to find him chanting this line on repeat mode with his eyes tightly shut and legs shaking.

"What happened?"

He opened his eyes to meet mine.

"Mujhe darr lag raha hai (I am scared)"

"What?"

He nodded his head.

"To tumne halla kyu machaya tha jhoole mai bethne ko (Then why did you asked for a ride?)

"Hero banne ka shok jo chad raha tha mujhe (I wanted to become hero in front of you)"

"What!!"

"I mean I wanted to return your favor"

"Then what was the need of the ride? We could have purchased anything else"

"Dekho tum jyada mat bolo... mujhe bahut darr lag rha hai.... mai yahi se kood jaunga (look I am too much scared... I will jump out of the cabin)"

"Tum pagal wagal ho kya? (Are you mad or what?)"

"I don't know anything. I want to get out of here anyhow" he whined like a child.

"Tum aadmi ho ki ghanchakkar?"

"You are very cruel" he shouted before closing his eyes again and resting his head on the side of the cabin. His face was telling me that he is really very scared.

"Rishi"

I whispered sweetly. He opened his eyes slowly. He was shocked and surprised and for some time he forgot his fear.

"Please call my name again" he requested with shine in his eyes like a kid.

"Rishi"

A wide smile occupied his lips.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Please once more!"

Mjhe lagta hai darr iske dimag par chadh gaya hai  (I guess he has gone mad due to fear)

"Rishi"

"Priya" .... Once more"

"Rishi"

"Priya".... "Once more"

"Have you gone mad?"

"Please!I have never heard a girl calling my name so lovingly"

"Lovingly my foot. Mai ye bss tumahra dhyaan bhatkane k liye kar rahi thi (I was doing this to distract your mind)"

"Distract me? Where my mind was busy earlier?" He thought for a second "Oh yeah.... fear.... I am scared of height please make this ride stop" He started shouting again.

"Dekho cheekho mat warna mai hi tumhe yaha se neeche dhakka de dungi (Don't shout else I will push you out of here)" I threatened him.

He instantly succumb back into his seat and put his legs on the seat.

I am not able to understand is he a grown up man or a 2 year old kid? Why is he scared so much? And if he has acrophobia then who asked him to become a macho man (superman)?

Whatever it is but now I have made him even more scared. Uffff....

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