In the bustling sector of Chandigarh Mohali, amidst the boutique shops, a voice called out, "Oye Paaji, lehenga ready hoya ke nahi, varna aunty meri jaan kha jayegi!"("Hey brother, is the lehenga ready or else aunty will devour me!")

"Ohh didi bas thoda seena baki hai," the tailor shouted from inside. ("Hey sister, just a little more work left.")

"Paaji, jaldi karo na! Aunty di bori vichon meri jaan nu na bachao!" the voice shouted back.

("Brother, hurry up, please! Don't let my life be devoured by Aunty's wrath!")

As the girl flipped her hair to look outside, her face turned into worry as she saw the old, stout lady walking into her shop. With an air of authority, the lady scolded, "Noor, main tainu apna lehenga banan layi do din pehlan ditta si, te abhi tak tayyar nahi hai?" ("Noor, I gave you my lehenga to make two days ago, and it's still not ready?")

Feeling a pang of panic, Noor rushed to reassure her customer. "Aunty ji, bas thode final touches baki ne. Jaldi hi tayyar ho jauga, main vaada kardi haan!" ("Aunty ji, just a few final touches are left. It will be ready very soon, I promise!")

Pammi Aunty, leaning against the counter, taunted, "Eh tan hi tere wadde designer banugi, Noor! Tere chehre dekhe ki lagda, eh ta koi kaam karna hi nahi hai!" (This is how you will become a big designer, Noor! Just look at your face, it seems like you don't want to work at all!)

Noor's face contorted in anger at Pammi Aunty's words, but she halted herself. She couldn't disrespect an elder, yet she couldn't tolerate any disrespect either. With a firm voice, she responded, "Aunty ji, lehenga banan vich kamm karde samay do hafta lagda hai, te tuhade kol ki kujh chahida hai ohna naal, par mera darzi ne do din ch vekhi banaya hai, ik vari vi nahi soya." (Aunty, it usually takes two weeks to make a lehenga with all the things you want, but my tailor has made it in just two days, without even sleeping once.)

Pammi Aunty's ego was hurt, and she was about to taunt once more before the tailor emerged, visibly tired. "Eh lo, tera lehenga. Jiven tu change is—comfortable, itni tight te kharab nahi, bilkul Alia Bhatt di tarah," he announced wearily. ("Here you go, your lehenga. Just how you wanted it—comfortable, not so tight and itchy, just like Alia Bhatt.")

Not wanting to give Noor the satisfaction of acknowledging her completed work, Pammi Aunty spoke up, "Changa, agle vaari jaldi karo. Tuhada paisa, aṭhārā hazār, idhar hai." ("Good, next time be quicker. Here's your payment of 18k.")

But Noor, feeling a sense of injustice, argued, "Aunty ji, eh tan vīhā hazār da hai."("Aunty ji, it's actually 20k.")

Pammi Aunty, taken aback, responded, "Ki matlab? Asi aṭhārā hazār te sahmat ho gaye si." ("What do you mean? We agreed on 18k.")

Noor cut her off mid-sentence, her voice firm, "Aunty ji, gall ta eh si ki, jad kaam samay te mukammal nahi kita gaya si." ("Aunty ji, the agreement was if the work wasn't completed on time.")

Pammi Aunty, her pride stung, argued, "Main koi rupaiya vi nahi davaan jo assi samjheya si." ("I won't give a penny more than what we agreed upon.")

Noor, recognizing Pammi Aunty as a tough nut to crack, decided to play her own card. With a calm yet determined tone, she said, "Aunty ji, izat sab kuch hai. Agar zarurat paway, main sab nu das dawangi ki Pammi aunty apni gall nahi mukdi." ("Aunty ji, reputation is everything. If I have to, I will let everyone know how Pammi aunty is not sticking to her words.")

Pammi Aunty's expression softened slightly, realizing the potential damage to her reputation. After a moment of contemplation, she relented, grumbling as she handed over the extra amount. "Theek hai, lai lo apna vīhā hazār, par yaad rakhna, agle vaari eh nahi hovegi." ("Fine, take your 20k, but remember, this won't happen next time.")

As Pammi Aunty angrily sauntered out of the shop, Noor couldn't help but chuckle softly to herself. The tailor, sensing the tension lifting, murmured, "Main so ja reha haan." ("I am going to sleep.")

Noor nodded in understanding, sitting on her chair and stretching her arms as the orders for the week were finally over. She silently prayed for new orders and more money to come their way. Just as she was about to close her eyes and relax, her phone rang. A smile, accompanied by a blush, spread across her face as she saw her best friend's name flashing on the screen.

On the other end, Shubman's voice spoke, "What is my kudiye doing?"

Noor's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her best friend's voice. With a soft giggle, she replied, "Oh, just winding down after a busy day at the shop. What about you?"

Shubman leaned over the balcony, overlooking the Australian scenery. "How many lehengas did you sew and sell?"

"I tell you, Kaake, it was a madhouse today," Noor exclaimed. "But I did it! Ten lehengas sold! Can you believe it?"

Shubman chuckled at her friend's excitement. "That's amazing, Noor! You're unstoppable."

Noor sighed, "Yeah, but Pammi Aunty came today for her lehenga. I swear, she's like a hawk waiting to pounce on every little thing."

Shubman chuckled at Noor's frustration. "She's probably taking revenge for every mischief we got up to as kids," he joked.

Noor blew her cheeks and said, "I was innocent; it was you!" Shubman narrowed her eyes, recounting her mischief. "Remember how you drowned Pammi Aunty in blue colour during Holi? She couldn't remove the colour for days! Luckily, she didn't know you were behind it, or else we both could have been grounded by our parents. Anything one of us did, everybody assumed we had a hand together in it."

Noor laughed at Shubman's remark before brushing off the topic. "Enough about Pammi Aunty," she said, shifting the conversation. "Tell me, what's my Munda onto?"

"Well, your Munda is coming back to India after winning the series," Shubman replied with excitement.

Noor's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's amazing! Did you stitch Gabba ka Ghamand?" she asked eagerly.

Shubman grinned, nodding in affirmation. "Of course!

Noor, feeling proud of her friend, blew a dramatic kiss through the phone. "Proud of you!" she exclaimed.

"Now tell me, what are you bringing from Australia?" Noor asked eagerly.

Shubman pouted playfully. "Are you my girlfriend that I need to bring something? I am coming myself, isn't that enough?" she teased.

Noor laughed at Shubman's playful teasing. "Fair point," she conceded with a grin, "but I'm still your best friend, right?"

Gill's playful expression softened into a warm smile. "Of course, Noor," she reassured her. "You're my best friend, and having you waiting for me back home is the best gift I could ask for."

Noor smiled, feeling touched by Shubman's words. "Aww, thanks, Kaake. I can't wait to have you back."

Shubman smiled warmly at Noor's response. "I'm keeping my phone off now. I'll be back in three days," he announced.

Noor frowned slightly. "Three days? Why so long?" she asked, feeling a hint of disappointment.

Shubman explained, "I've got to make a quick stop in Mumbai first, then I'll be on my way."

Noor's frown deepened, and she pouted slightly. "Mumbai again?" she muttered. "You've been visiting there quite frequently lately."

Shubman chuckled nervously at Noor's observation. "I know, I know," he admitted. "But I promise, this time it'll be a quick trip. I'll be back before you know it."

Noor nodded, reluctantly accepting his explanation. "Alright then, just make sure you come back soon. We've got a lot to catch up on!"

As the phone call ended, Noor couldn't shake off the thought of Shubman's frequent trips to Mumbai. She couldn't help but wonder why he always seemed to be drawn there when his best friends and family were there. Pushing aside her concerns, she reminded herself that Shubman had promised it would be a quick trip and that he would be back soon.

Meanwhile, Shubman turned to look around, only to find his disappointed best friend standing there.

Seeing his disappointed best friend, Shubman asked Ishan, "What's up?"

Ishan let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't understand why you need to go to her when you can literally date Hoor ki Pari Noor," he explained, frustration evident in his tone.

Shubman's eyes widened in surprise, realizing the underlying implication of Ishan's words. "Wait, what? Noor is just a friend," he clarified, feeling a mixture of confusion and bewilderment.

Ishan sighed, frustration evident in his tone. "A friend who is just perfect for you, but you still want to go behind that," he expressed, his words laced with exasperation.

Before Ishan could continue, Shubman's expression turned to anger. "That's enough!" he snapped, feeling offended by Ishan's implication.

Shubman pointed his finger at Ishan, his anger palpable. "I love someone else," he clarified firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Noor is not someone I see in that way, especially not as a potential partner."

Ishan was about to argue further, but Shubman cut him off with a stern warning. "No more words on this," he asserted firmly, his tone brooking no argument. "The flight leaves in three hours, so pack your things. We've got to leave."

Unbeknownst to Shubman, those three days before his departure to Chandigarh were his last moments of freedom.

*******

ᴄʜᴀᴘʟɪɴ ꜱᴘᴇᴀᴋꜱ

Hey there, lovely readers!

I hope you enjoyed diving into Chapter One of our story! 📖✨ It's been such a blast crafting these characters and bringing their world to life, and I can't wait to share more with you.Now, here's the fun part – your thoughts! I'd absolutely love to hear what you think. Did a particular scene make you laugh out loud? Did you find yourself on the edge of your seat during a certain moment? Or maybe you connected with one of the characters in a special way?Feel free to drop a vote and leave a comment sharing your favourite parts, your predictions for what's to come, or even just to say hi! Your feedback means the world to me and helps guide the direction of the story, so don't be shy. Let's make this journey together!Sending you all the warmest vibes and excited anticipation for what's next. Until Chapter Two! 🌟

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