As the auto stopped in front of a famous Chinese restaurant, Roshni stepped out, surprised.
" This place is costly." She frowned.
" The bill's on me." Pratap shrugged.
" Doesn't mean you will waste money." Came a stern reply.
" I am Pratap Singh. I can afford these places for you!" He smiled.
" Doesn't mean you should." She shook her head. "I would like to pay for myself."
" Fine! I won't argue with you. Hungry ya not?" He asked sternly.
" Yes, Yes." A quick reply came.
She has also become a drama queen, Phool's effect!
" You said something?" Roshni pointed her finger at him, eyes scrutinising.
" No..."
" Okay, let's eat." She smiled.
They ordered the food, and the waiter said, " It will take around 20 minutes, sir!"
The restaurant was a luxurious one; rarely did Roshni come to such places if not with Phool. She felt a little underdressed for a place like this and was aware of the stares. He could read her thoughts.
" Why do you keep staring here and there?" He asked, looking intimidatingly at her.
" What?" Roshni looked startled.
" Look here, talk to me." He pointed at himself.
" Umm...You will be shopping too?" Roshni asked, straightening the handkerchief on her plate.
" Sure, if I like something." He shrugged. "Or you choose something."
" I need to buy a lot of things." Roshni looked worried.
" Like?" He cupped his hand to support his chin as he listened to her.
" A lehenga, but I am gonna buy that with Phool. I need earrings. A nose ring. Some cosmetics. And Ma told me to buy some gifts with you."
" What gifts?" He asked with a frown.
" For your parents and Daadi." She reminded him.
" What about me?" he asked, surprised.
" You will get a ring, won't that be enough?" She laughed as he made a frowning face.
" Then what do you want?" The moment she asked it, she knew this was going to cost her.
" You will give me anything I want?" Pratap smirked.
" No, only if I can." She looked away.
" Ohh yes, you can." He insisted.
" Pratap!" She slapped his hand on hers.
" Aww, are you scared?" He taunted her face, turning red and laughed.
The food arrived, and for the first time, she noticed that he ate like a child. Gobbling his food, as if someone was going to eat it. She smiled.
" Why are you smiling?"
" Because you eat like a child."
" Maasa says this too."
They arrived at the shopping mall, and there were some junior girls from school there.
" Pratap! OMG, it's you." To her surprise, they hugged him, poked him and tugged at his shirt too; he seemed amused by it all. Enjoying the attention these people gave him. She was looking at these strange people from a distance. One of them hugged him to say bye. There was a warm feeling in her body. She walked up to them, put her hand around Pratap's arms and said, " Hi, Everyone! Pratap, introduce us, please." He was still in shock as she held his hand tight, as though to say, Mine!
" She ...Ummm... Girls, she is..." Damn, her hand feels so good on my arm.
" Am his fiancée." Wide-eyed, he looked at her in surprise as she smiled at the confused girls. Jealousy can do wonders! She had fumbled every time she wanted to tell him her feelings. Now, to utter strangers, she was introducing herself as his fiancée. He was discovering a new side of her every day.
As the girls left, she let go of his arm, "Let's go."
He quickly matched her steps and held her hand, finger to finger, rather awkwardly.
" You were jealous?" He asked as she checked some sarees for his mother.
" No, they were, of me!" Came a straight-faced reply.
" You know what happens when you try to lie?" He asked, amused.
" What?" She shot him a glance.
" Your nose flares!" He tried hard not to laugh.
" What?" Roshni felt vulnerable at the moment.
" Yes, you lie and your nose flares awkwardly," he laughed again, making her feel embarrassed.
" That's not true."
" Okay, if you say so." He chuckled. She selected a saree for his mom and his Dadi, then moved to the adjacent jewellery shop. Entering, her eyes caught a pendant. Platinum and diamond in the shape of a heart, the price tag said something in five figures.
" Can I help you?" The store Manager seemed familiar with Pratap and welcomed them.
" Yes, I want earrings, something within 50K, please." Roshni was a little awkward for the first time in her life, although she knew the budget for her engagement was more than her parents could normally afford. She was trying on earrings when he decided to help.
" Buy that one, looks nice."
" For the Sagai?" She asked.
" Why not?" He insisted.
" Come, let's see rings!" He dragged her by the hand to the next counter.
" Show me some exclusive rings, please." He asked the woman at the counter.
" What? No!" Roshni was intimidated.
" Why?" He asked, surprised.
"It's something I will wear daily has to be simple." She reminded him.
" What do you want?" he asked.
" Something ordinary and plain." She shrugged.
" Forget it, tell me a stone you like." He asked, confused.
" umm... emerald?" She smiled.
" Show us some emerald rings then." Pratap let the woman bring out a box of engagement rings.
He chose a square-shaped emerald ring, and she tried it on, and it fit perfectly. Her smile said she loved it.
" Now, if Daadi scolds, I will tell her you insisted on this one." He frowned. "She told me to buy you the best one in the store."
"I will tell her I loved this one best." Roshni shrugged.
" We still have time, let's go to my place, Dadi will be glad to see you," Pratap spoke as she agreed.
At Pratap's place, Daadi was watching a classic black-and-white movie starring Raj Kapoor and Nargis when they arrived. Roshni sat with her as Pratap kept down the shopping bags and took out some drinks. He made a gesture at her to come to his room. He put down the two glasses on the bedside table and patted the place beside him. She sat down, trying to tie her hair in a bun.
" No, don't", he stopped her. She looked at him as his gaze moved from her eyes to her lips and back. She shifted in her place a little. The AC was on, and the door was closed. She was there alone with him. Silence filled the room as she could now hear her own breath. Damn, I should not have come. He is thinking otherwise.
He moved her hair from her face and cupped her chin with his hands. She could feel his breath, but her heartbeat seemed louder; she was scared he would hear that too.
" You were so jealous today..." His gaze was fixed on her eyes. " It was so cute..."
" Pratap..." He leaned towards her; her back was on a cushion. I can't move anymore. An alarmed cry came from inside her. " Dadi..." She murmured in her breath.
" Hmm..." His nose touched hers, sending tingling sensations to her body. His hand moved to grab her waist. She was still like a stone, scared she would make a false move. He pushed her towards him, forcing her to grab his collar. Their nose touched. He rubbed his nose against hers and smiled, his gaze still fixed as she looked here and there, trying to avoid his glance. She surrendered to him. She closed her eyes as she felt his breath near her neck. He smiled at her scared face and kissed her forehead. She opened her eyes in surprise. " I..." She felt her mouth turn dry. "Not today... not this soon." He kissed both her hands. This made her fall in love even more. She has always heard stories about what and what not people do, and she was never in a mind space to be comfortable with it. Being with him, being in love, made her feel different now, but she was glad he thought the same.
As she thought all of that, she continued to gaze at him in awe as he kissed her hands and played with her hair, running his hands through the features of her face and making her shiver at his gaze. He did not want to scare her away from him. That was the last thing he wanted. His phone rang, and their gaze shifted. VISHAL. Wrong timing, Bro, always!
" What is it?" Pratap left a half-leaning Roshni alone to attend the call on the balcony. She sat up. There was a ping from Phool.
Where are you? An urgent meeting is needed on the mission.
She was about to call Pratap in when he came in and said, " That agent called Rishi. He found the woman's details."
" Where does she stay? Phool wants to meet too." Roshni insisted.
" Yeah, they are coming over, with my car." Pratap nodded.
" Who is she?" Roshni asked again.
" Now she is some old rich man's widow, runs a boutique somewhere; she used to be Mr Singh's PA." He felt uneasy.
" I have an idea." Roshni smiled.
" What?" Pratap frowned.
" Why don't Phool and I visit the shop for some shopping?" She asked as he looked surprised.
" And... ??" he asked for more information as Roshni appeared to be thinking.
" See her for me." She insisted.
" No, I won't let you go to her alone. If she really is a gold digger, she is no nice lady." Pratap shook his head.
" What if we confront her directly and see how it goes?" Roshni took him by surprise.
" How?" Pratap asked.
" Get me some paper clippings of her news; there have to be some pictures in them."
" Roshni, this is too dangerous." He tried to stop her.
" We will go under false names, and you wait with your car on the other side of the road." Roshni persisted.
" Why do you want to take this risk?" Pratap asked.
" For you, your happiness." He looked at her, surprised. " I am happy, I have you and Daadi..."
" And a fear of losing what you love...."
" No..."
" Pratap, I know you. Trust me on this plan."
"Okay." He agreed reluctantly.
" By the way...." His tone changed. She looked at him wide-eyed. Oh no!
" Where were we?" He grabbed her hand. The bell rang, and they could hear Phool greet Dadi.
" Let me go, Phool is here." Roshni was trying to free herself as he looked amused.
" Let her come in."
As soon as the door opened, he let go of her hand with half a smile as he greeted his friends. She stood there, trying to calm her racing heart before she could explain the plan to Phool and Vishal.
