Chapter 1
Raj’s POV
“Tere, mere, sapne sabhi
Band aankho ke taale mein hai
Jaa bhi kaha, dhoonde bata
Wo chand ke pyaale mein hai
Phir bhi sapne kar dikhau
Sach to kehna bas yahiii
Main tere kaabil hu, ya
Tere kaabil nahi…”
“Ha ha, bas ab kaabil hi ho! Ab utho, tayar ho jao beta. Engagement hai tumhari. Aaj bhi gaane sunte rahoge to engagement kaun karega?” Maa said.
I came out of my gaane -world and smiled.
“Yes Maa, main karunga apni Pari se. Kisi aur ko dekhne tak ki ijaazat nahi dunga.”
That’s when she lightly hit me on the head.
“Aye bade baate karne waale! Chalo ab utho bhi. Apne kapde, shoes —sab tayar to rakh lo.”
I smirked and said,
“Aapko kya lagta hai, main apne din pe late karunga? Sab ready hai, dekho waha bed pe.”
I wanted to make her smile, but she got a little fired up.
“Ha, to tum ready nahi ho na! Jao naha lo. Ladki waale chale jayenge aur hum late nahi ho sakte.”
I nodded, put my phone aside, and as I saw my wallpaper, my mind got stuck on her—her smile, her beauty, her happiness.
Who is now going to be mine. My happiness.
Awww… I’m so excited to be hersss! But first, let me bathe.
As I came out, I saw… there wasn’t a dress on my bed.
Literally! Who is playing with me today? Oh my God! Today is my day , at least leave me alone you naughties!
I cried aloud,
“Arey! Kaun le gaya mera dress? Laado yaar, engagement karni hai! Main dulha hu, aise thodi khelni chahiye mujhse!”
My elder brother came and asked,
“Kya hua Raj? Kapde gayab? Kaun le sakta hai? Yaha to bas hum hi hain. Bahar waale thodi aaye? Chalo, tum kuch aur pehen lena, main dhoondh ke laata hu.”
I nodded with a small smile, thanking him.
We aren’t that close —just talk 4 –5 times a day, mostly about work. We don’t really bother about each other: why he is crying, did he eat, why isn’t he home. We just talk when Maa asks me to call him, when he needs something, or when I want to share food.
So, I wore a simple tee and pants.
As I came out of my room, suddenly a kid pushed me while running and I fell forward on a table. Then I saw kids playing outside… with a dress . Wait. What? Dress? Man, that’s mineee!
I ran towards them and grabbed it, but it was too late —they had played in the sand with it. My engagement dress was dirty and unwearable.
The kid cried,
“Aaa…aaa…aaa… Mummyyy! Bhaiya ne mera khilona le liyaaa!” His mom came running and took him in her arms.
“Are are, ni rote beta, kya hua?”
He pointed his finger at me,
“Ye mera khilonaaa! Bhaiya ne le liyaaa!”
My eyes widened. What? This is a toy?
I said, “Aish… sorry aunty, ye mera dress tha! Abhi in logon ne kharab kar diya. Main kya pehnu ab?!”
Aunty said sorry, but I waved it off. Just then, my mom’s voice thundered —calling my name.
And I knew… I was about to die soon.
She found me out in a normal dress. She gave me a confused look,
“Acha! Toh tum ye pehen rahe ho apni engagement mein? Aise hi karoge kya? Aur ye jo haath
mein hai… iska… kya… arey!! Ganda kar diya dress ko! Sharam hai tumhe? Bache nahi ho Raj tum! Hey bhagwan! Ye shaadi bhi karne ja raha aur abhi tak iske baccho ki harkat nai chhuti. Pata nahi biwi kaise sambhalegi.”
I tried stopping her,
“Maa, meri baat to suno —” But she cut me off,
“Kya! Kya hai ab! Huh! Ab kahan se laau naya dress? Isko dhoke sukhane mein bahut waqt lag jaega aur tab tak tumhara engagement ka time bhi ho jaega!”
Dad entered the scene.
“Shamila… Shamila kahan ho… Are kya kar rahe ho tum dono maa -beta yaha? Aur tum tayar nahi hue abhi tak? Jao tayar ho jao, waqt kam hai. Ladki waale nikal gaye hain bas abhi. Call kiya Shubhankar ne. Hume bhi nikalna hai ab 20 minute mein.”
I smiled sheepishly.
Maa complained,
“Aapke bete ne dekho kya kiya! Dress kharab kar liya. Samjhao isko. Abhi bache jaise karega to shaadi ke baad biwi ko kya sambhalega?”
Papa looked at me. I said,
“Papa, ye sab maine nahi kiya! Nahane gaya tha to bacche khelne lage usse aur mitti laga di. Meri galti thodi hai yaar.”
Papa laughed. Maa scolded,
“Ha, to darwaza band kar lete nahane se pehle. Ek kaam dhang se nahi hota tumse.”
She kept murmuring angrily while Dad smiled,
“Tumhari Maa ko bas wajah chahiye hoti hai kisiko daantne ki. Waise bhi ghar mein itna kaam hai na, to uska dimag kharab ho gaya hoga. Tum tension mat lo. Par ab kya karne waale ho?”
Just then bhai came,
“Are Raj, mujhe tumhara dress kahin nahi mila yaar. Pura dhoondh liya maine.”
I sighed, showing him the ruined dress.
“Thank you bhaiya, mujhe mil gaya hai… par is halat mein.”
He laughed out loud until Dad shushed him.
Then Papa hesitated but finally said,
“Raj, bura na maano… par meri engagement ka dress hai. Shayad tumhe fit ho jaega. Kya tum use pehen loge?”
I froze. Should I say ok or no? I had no other way. Can’t go shopping now. Wearing Papa’s dress after 29 years —people may not even recognize it.
Bhai snapped his fingers, bringing me back.
“Uh… Ok Papa. Ab koi rasta nahi hai, to wahi karte hain.”
Finally, I got ready. Only 10 minutes left. I checked everything —watch (gifted by her), phone, shoes. All set.
I called Prem.
“Tring… Tring…”
“Are Raj, kahan ho yaar? Main bahar hu, car ready hai. Ajao. Traffic hoga to late ho jaega fir…”
“Prem, ruk bhai. Maine check kar liya, traffic nahi hai. Waise bata, car mein bas tu aur main hi na? Aur koi aa to nahi raha?”
“Sorry, samne waali car mein bachon ke liye jagah nahi tha, to hamare car mein bhej diya unhe.”
“Kya! Bacche!! Yaar subah se mere peeche kyun pade hain ye! Chal theek hai, main aa raha hu.”
I waved goodbye to everyone, ran out, and sat in Prem’s car (my best friend and also cousin).
He looked at me, surprised,
“Bhai, wah! Kya tayar hue ho. Bhabi to aaj pat jaayengi tumhe dekhke!”
I hit his head.
“Tu gaadi chalu kar pehle. Waise mera dress —piche baitha us kutte ne mitti laga di. To Papa ka pehna hua hai.”
Prem glanced, then laughed.
“Bacha hai, jaane do. Chill kar.”
“Ha Prem, to gaane lagao na.”
Suddenly, it started raining.
We smiled at each other, pressed the start button, and looked outside the window.
“Tere sang guzar jaaye
Ye umar jo baaki hai
Hasdo na, zara khulke
Kahe ki udaasi hai…
Mujhko barsaat banalo
Ek lambi raat banalo
Apne jazbaat bana looo jaan…”
Author’s POV
Suddenly, a voice broke in — “Oooohooo!”
Raj paused his songs,
“Rehne do aaj. Inke saamne kya sune, maza nahi aayega.”
One of the boys, Avneet, teased,
“Bhaiya, ye love marriage kar rahe ho na aap?”
Raj turned. Prem smirked,
“Saale, tumko kyun be? Chup baitho aur chalo. Warna yahi barish mein fek dunga tum teeno ko.” Raj got a call from Papa.
“Hello Raj.”
“Ha Papa, boliye.”
“Arey, Vedanth tum logon ke saath aana chahta hai. To jo bacche tumhare paas hain, unhe aage wale shop ke paas rukana. Hum aa rahe hain. Vedanth, Revanth, Priya ko tum log bitha lena.”
“Ha Papa, theek hai.”
Prem laughed,
“Chalo be, jao, fek diya tumhe. Bhago!”
Though not very close to those kids, it was their responsibility to keep them safe. So they stopped the car near the shop. Raj took them out, waiting for the other three.
As soon as they came near, all three hugged Raj. They lived opposite Raj’s house. Vedanth and Revanth (16 -year-old twins) had always played with him since childhood. Priya (14 years) was their younger sister. Raj wasn’t that close to her, but she loved him like her own brother. He too, since he never had a sister.
They got in. Prem started the car. Some small talks, then silence.
Vedanth finally asked,
“Raj bhaiya, kuch puchu?”
“Hm.”
“Apni story bata sakte ho?”
Prem looked at him,
“Kyuu?”
Vedanth smiled,
“Aise hi! Jana hai ki apne bhai ko itni sundar aur achi bhabi kaise mili. Aur ap log ka safar kaisa tha. Isliye is car mein aaye hum.”
Raj looked at his watch,
“Arey, time to hai ek ghanta. Par bache nahi ho tum log?”
Prem smirked,
“Is generation mein tumhe wo age wale bache lagte hain? Bhai, 1st –2nd class wale bhi pyaar ke chakkar mein lage pade hain.”
Raj chuckled,
“Sab kharab ho jaaye to hone do. Main hone nahi dunga apne bhai -behno ko. 25 saal ka hu main ab. Jaanta hu sab.”
Revanth teased,
“Uh… Vedanth ka one -sided hai.”
Vedanth got shocked,
“Arey! Teri bhi to crush hai!”
Everyone laughed.
Raj glanced at Priya in the back mirror. She was quiet, but when she saw him, she said,
“Mujhe nahi pasand ye pyaar -vyaar kuch. Bekaar hai. I love studies. Relationships divert karte hain hume. So I hate them.”
Vedanth pouted,
“Kitaabo waali! Tum kya jaano pyaar ki duniya. Aish…! Mera bhi two -sided ho gaya to dekhna. Aisi shaadi karunga ki duniya sab jaane hum dono ko!”
Everyone laughed again.
Then Vedanth pleaded,
“Bhaiya! Batao na apni story, pleaseeee.”
Raj couldn’t refuse them, but…
