CHAPTER – 2

June 27, 2014

Anjali was doing the final touch up when she heard the door bell ring. She is wearing a golden colour designer sari.  She walked down and opened the door for Kushi and Lavanya who appears to have reached at the same time. La is wearing a short black dress with sequins while Kushi has clad herself in a lime coloured plain saree with a designer blouse.

Kushi: Hai Anjii

Lavanya: Haii bhabhiiii

Anjali: Haiii darlings!!!

Introducing Lavanya Kashyap to you - Lavanya is Viren’s cousin. Lavanya is a sweet bubbly girl and free spirited being. She has just finished her course from US and just like Arnav, is here to join their hospital. Anjali adores her like a sister.

Anjali: Aree kitna late kar di. Guests will arrive any moment.

Lavanya: Oh bhabhi, we are guests too!

Anjali: Yeah sure!

Kushi: Hey how many people are there?

Anjali: Oh just our close circle. Want to introduce Arnav to all of them na, so.

Lavanya: Areey haa, where is your jigar ka thukda bhabi? I will be meeting him for the first time today; have heard that he is really handsome. Will I get any chance to call you Di instead of bhabhi?!

Lavanya winked giggling while Anjali joined in with a smile. Kushi was checking the decorations done through the window.

Anjali: Hay hay, don’t worry you can call me Di, if you want. No need to involve my brother for it.

La: Bhabhiii

Anjali (laughing): Ok baba. Don’t worry. I was just teasing you. He just went up to get ready; will be down soon.

Lavanya: That’s cool. (Suddenly catching her tummy) Oh God. I’m famished; I don’t think I can wait till the party begins. Bhabhi do you have something in the kitchen?

Anjali: Wait I have something for you.

Anjali moved inside the open kitchen with both of them on toe. She removed the cake from oven and presented it before him.

Kushi: Wow, you baked? Yummy!!!!

Anjali: Arey nahii

Even before Anjali could say one piece of carrot cake touched Kushi’s taste buds melting all her senses. Kushi had a sweet tooth and loved anything sweet.  Anjali’s mother was good at baking; though Anjali was not that good she too did it well. But today the cake tasted a lot better; it reminded her of the same taste as of Maya Aunty’s.

Kushi: Wow Anjali. This cake is really awesome. You have improved well. This one really tastes so good. Bilkul Maya aunty ke banaya hua cake ki tarah!

Anjali: That’s because it is not made by me but my chotte.

Kushi (shocked): What?

Anjali (shrugging): Yup. He has inherited Maa’s cooking skills actually. He bakes really well.

Lavanya (eating another slice): mmmm this is really good. I love it. Bless your chotte!

Kushi could not believe for a second that Arnav could bake so well. But then she remembered Arnav always used to hover around his mother and help her whenever she was cooking. He used to insist to be part of her baking trials too. This tastes so good, he deserves praise for sure. She took another big slice and stuffed her mouth.

 Arnav chose that exact moment to walk in on them. He found Anjali with two other ladies; a dusky beauty licking her fingers and a fair skinny one with her cheeks swollen with a cake slice half way through her mouth. He realised it was the cake baked by him.

Arnav: Hai ladies!!!!

Lavanya withdrew her fingers and checked him out. She felt like a bulb has lit over her head. She could hear bells ringing and violins playing in the background, also her heart began to race seeing his charming smile; all in all she felt all the symptoms of a ‘love at first sight’.

Whereas Kushi stood unsure how to react; she didn’t know if she should finish eating or stop eating altogether. The Arnav she knew was a small boy who was just 13 or 14 when she last met him. Though she had seen his photos from Anjali, seeing him in flesh at 6 feet and with an amazing physique like a man; she felt like she is meeting a totally new person.  

Within few seconds, Arnav recognized the fragile white beauty before him.

Arnav: Heyyyy...Sexyyyyy....is that you?

Kushi closed her eyes in ire but presented a funny picture as she tried to chew the cake in her mouth as fast as possible while her face was red in anger. Anjali sniggered at his comment while Lavanya stood confused.

 Of course I’m not meeting a new person; he is the same old irritating lad; only difference, he is not an irritating lad anymore but an irritating Man!

Kushi (finishing the piece, and trying to smile stiffly): Hi Arnav

Arnav: Oh my God, it IS you; how can I not recognize that stiff smile which makes your face look like a white owl even now.

Lavanya had her mouth open while Anjali tried hard not to laugh. Kushi’s face kept changing colour from red to white and vice versa.

Arnav: How can I forget you Sexy? Come here let me have a hug.

He came near her for a hug; she tried to restrain but he insisted.

Arnav: Oh come on Sexy, for old times’ sake.

Saying so he hugged her hard, making it difficult for her to breathe. Anjali knew when to put a full stop, so as soon as Arnav moved out of the hug, she caught hold of him arm to not create the next episode of their cold war in her kitchen.

Anjali: Arrey chotte, just go and check on your jijaji. Guests will be arriving any moment.

Arnav: Ok Di.

Just then he noticed Lavanya

Arnav: Hey we have someone else here too.

Lavanya( with a shy dimple smile): Hai Arnav

Arnav: Di, is this Lavanya?

Anjali: Yup, Lavanya I hope you have guessed this is my chotte.

Lavanya: Oh but he doesn’t look like a chotte from any angle bhabhi.  He is large in all sense!!! Change this stupid pet name.

Arnav: You are right. Do advise my sister at times. Actually her friends are always boring and old fashioned; it’s a refreshing change to see a girl like you around her.  

All in the room knew he was taking a dig at Kushi again. Anjali hurried him out of the kitchen while Kushi was boiling at 180 degrees by now.

Anjali: Ok chotte, now go fast. Go.

Arnav: Hmm, okay then catch you later in the party sweetheart.

Lavanya: Sure baby

Arnav: Bye

With that Arnav left the kitchen blowing a whistle while he avoided eye contact with Kushi. Once he left the kitchen, Kushi too moved out to wash her hands and to cool her mood cursing under her breathe. Anjali could not hold any longer and broke into peals of laughter. Lavanya was asking her what was all this and Anjali got busy in explaining the famous cold war between her brother and her close friend.

                                            ****************

Hours later all of them were enjoying the party. Food and drinks were served and Arnav was already mildly drunk. Viren and Anjali’s friends and their family alone were present and Arnav knew none of them. But within minutes of meeting them, he was behaving as if he knew them from ages. All of them got gelled with this highly energetic handsome guy too. Arnav was lying on his jiju’s BMW car and drinking from a bottle. Most of the people were drunk and some were complaining there is no entertainment. Hearing that Arnav started singing an old Hindi song “pyaar deewaana hota hai”and others joined him. When he concluded the song, he suddenly heard a question hurled at him.

A girl: Hey, since you were singing so much about love, tell us what does love mean to you?

Arnav heard the question and turned his head in that direction. All others supported saying ‘bholo’. Girls in the party waited to hear his reply while boys were just egging on. Arnav lazily brushed his hair and replied with a genuine face.

Arnav: Love....is an emotion that can take control of you completely but one on which we don’t have any control. Love can happen any moment, at any place and with anyone. But once you are in love, then it is like you are struggling to swim up a tornado; no matter how much you try to come out of it, you will drown in it.

All were listening intently to what he is saying. Arnav saw all of them so keenly listening.

Arnav: Since, I’m nowhere near any tornado yet (he smirked) why don’t we enjoy this evening some more?

All laughed while a guy yelled jovially: You are a badameez yaar!!!!!

Music can be heard lightly in the background while Arnav says the following words standing up slowly with a mischievous face and smirk intact on his face.

Badtameezee ek bimari hai
Ek aisi bimari
Jo dheere dheere waqt ke saath
Budhaape mein badal jaati hai
Main kehta hoon jab tak budhaapa nahi aata
Thodi badtameezee hi kar lete hai

Full moon stood proudly in the background while Arnav’s face came in the middle of the moon and focus came down onto him grinning boyishly in drunken state. He broke the bottle in his hand and all cheered for him.

Music

He got down the BMW he was standing on and sent flying kisses in all direction. Once the music started taking up beats, he started walking towards Kushi with a saucy look in his eyes. Kushi started getting nervous at his pointed gaze. When he reached her, he took hold of Anjali’s hand who was standing next to her and moved amidst the crowd.

(Imagine as in song)

Paan main pudeena dekha
Naak ka nageena dekha
Chikni chameli dekhi 
Chikna kameena dekha
Chaand ne cheater hoke cheat kiya toh
Saare taare bole gilli gilli akhaa
Pa para para...

Anjali laughes seeing him dance and slowly imitated his steps

Meri baat, teri baat
Zyada baatein boori baat
Thaali mein katora leke
Aaloo bhat, Muri bhat
Mere peeche kisi ne repeat kiya toh
Saala maine tere muh pe maara mukka
papappara

Ispe bhoot koi chadha hai
Theharna jaane naa
Ab toh kya buraa kyaa bhalaa hai
Fark pehchaane naa
Zidd pakad ke khadaa hai kambakht
Chhodna jaane naa

Both Arnav and Anjali dance together while Viren and others cheer them

Badtameez dil, batameez dil, batamiz dil
Maane na, maane na
Badtameez dil, batameez dil, batamiz dil
Maane na, maane na


He does the signature step and seeing his step Anjali walks away laughing unable to imitate him in this step.

Yeh jo haal hai, sawaal hai, kamaal hai
Jaane na jaane na

He comes near his sister and continues to sing and dance surrounding her

Badtameez dil, battameez dil badtameez dil
Maane naa..

He reaches the middle of the venue and does the signature step while all others imitate him

Music

La also joins the dance and reaches near Arnav. She waves at him and asks if she can join him to which he answers by pulling her into his arms and dancing with her.

Hawa mein Havana dekha
Dhimka falaana dekha
Seeng ka Singhara khaake
Sher ka ghuraana dekha
Poori duniya ka gol gol chakkar leke
Maine duniya ko maara dhakka

La and Arnav dance together like Kalki and Ranbir in the song.

Hey Bollywood Hollywood very very jolly good
Raayi ke pahaad par teen futa liliput
Mere peeche kisi ne repeat kiya toh
Saala maine tere muh pe maara mukka

Anjali is shown standing in Viren’s arms and laughing at her brother’s antics

Ayaashi ke one way se khudko
Modna jaane naa

Kambal bewajah sharam ka
Odhna jaane naa

Kushi is seen walking in parallel to Arnav dancing and taking a seat not getting involved.

Zidd pakad ke khadha hai kambakht
Chodhna jaane na... Haha..

He reaches Kushi’s table suddenly and sings these lines surrounding her while she sat with an alert face. But by the end of the line he pulls her with him to dance.

Badtameez dil, batameez dil, batamiz dil
Maane na, maane na
Badtameez dil, batameez dil, batamiz dil
Maane na, maane na

Kushi stops short and does not dance and stands in the middle of the dancing people not knowing what to do. Arnav does the signature step with La

Music

Arnav dances tough stylish steps which involves sumersault, bend on knee step etc.

Think of Anjali in Kalki’s place here and how Arnav and Anjali having a mast time, playing with balloons, hugging each other and laughing like kids. It is clearly seen both are quite drunk

Aaj saare, chaand taare
Bann gaye hai disco lights

La singing (think in Kalki’s role)

Jal ke, bujha ke humko bula ke
Keh rahe hai, Party all nights

Anjali singing (think Anjali in Deepika’s role)

Naata betuki dillagi se, todna jaane na
Aane wale kal ki fikar se, judna jaane na
Zidd pakad ke khada hai kambakht
Chodhna jaane na... Haha..
Badtameez dil, batameez dil, batamiz dil
Maane na, maane na

All of them dancing together – Arnav, Anjali and La just as in the song.

Badtameez dil, batameez dil, batamiz dil
Maane na, maane na

Viren stands aside and watch the fun with a pleasant smile on his face while Kushi is pressing her head as a headache is making its way for her. She is so against drinking and is really getting irritated by drunken people around her.

Yeh jo haal hai, sawaal hai, kamaal hai
Jaane na jaane na
Badtameez dil, battameez dil badtameez dil
Maane naa..

Singing the last line, he had neared the table where Kushi was sitting. He ended singing and directly vomited onto Kushi’s saree and passed out with a smile on his face; leaving dumbfound and wide eyed Kushi in wake.

Viren stood up and moved forward to handle Arnav while Anjali giggled seeing Kushi’s face in her drunken state. La was hardly trying to balance herself on her legs, so she didn’t see what had happened. Kushi closed her eyes and yelled out loudly in her mind to control her anger.

Arnav Singh Raziada aka Chotte, I HATE YOU!!!!