DID-1

1

"Who are you?" He asked!

"Ji?" She was zapped by the voice from the other side of the bush!

"Who are you?" He demanded again-his voice deep and rumbling in the darkness.

"Hum?" ( Me?) She enquired!

"Lady I don't have time! Do you need help?" He demanded again!

"Humey kisiki bhi madad ki zaroorath nahi hain!" She said  firmly, although still sobbing!

( I don't need anyones help)

"Accha? Lag tho nahi raha tha!He was all over you!" He scoffed!

( It didn't appear that way!...)

"Aap kaisey aisa bol sakthey hain? Aap sey matlab?" She lost her cool!

( How can you say this? What is it to you?)

"Why did you interfere then? Tumhara kya matlab tha?" He counter demanded.

(What did you mean?)

"Woh alag tha! Per aap aisey humaarey beech mey..."She could not even say anything further out of shame!

( That ... was different!How could you come in between both of us)

"Why not? And will you grow fat for him? I mean put on weight? He enquired listening to her sharp intake of breath at the usage of the word fat by him!

"Ji? Hum kuch bi karien issey aapko kya?" She was enraged!

( What ever I do! What's it with you?)

"What is it to me? Nah! What can it be for me?" He said laughing.

"Aap apna kam karien!" She advised( Do your job)

"Kiya tho tha!" He said smugly!( I did)

"Haaw! Aap itney besharam kaisey ban sakthey hain!" She was embarassed.

( How can you be so shameless)

"Ismey besharmi ki kya bath hain? Ussey tho accha hun! Who is that?...That Preet whatever of yours!" He nagged at her.

"Aapne er... sab suna?" She asked him closing her eyes in embarrassment!
( Did you er... hear everything?)

"Yeah! And you...?" He asked her!

"ji!" ( Yes) she replied

"What the#$%@!" He cursed!

"Phir? Aur kya baqi hain" She said dejectedly...and added "Chalthey hain!"
( Whats more is left now! Ok! I shall make a move!)

"Ok Bye!" He said.

"Aap"

"Tum" 
Both of them spoke at the same time! 
"Bolo!" he snorted! 

She started crying silently! He could make out from the silent sobs that she tried to suppress from being heard!
"Ek kaam karo my yaheen hun tum ek paanch minute rolo!" He suggested!
( Do one thing! I am here for another five minutes! You cry your heart out !)

"Aap humaara mazaak..."
( You are making fun of me...???)

He did not let her finish and yelled at her saying," Lady I am trying to ease you out and you find fault with me what the hell! Just bring it on! But for gods sake just cry silently else who knows someone else might be listening to all this and might think I have done something to you!!!"
His sarcasm fell flat on Khushi who cried in earnest! Deep sobs raked her body as she recollected the situation in which she was palmed off to Preetam!

A DIALOGUE IN THE DARK

...

"Paayalia ki shaadi tho jaisan taisan hogi! Ab taareeq bhi pakki hogayi hain!Per iski? Isey kaun karega?" Madhumati asked Shashi who was bed ridden and was a mute witness to everything that happened around him.
( Paayal's wedding will be over somehow! But what about thsi girl? who will marry her?)

"Kyun Jiji isko kaun kyun nahi karega?" Garima defended her foster daughter Khushi!
( why Jiji?Why won't anyone choose her?)

"Yeh? Iskay lacchan dekhey hain? Poocho mohalleh waalon say! Tarah tarah ki baathein karthein hain!" Buaji said looking at Khushi.
( Just look at her! The entire colony talks about her)

"Kya? Per kyun?"( What? But why?) Garima was suddenly alert! She turned to Khushi and asked," Khushi! Tum nay kahi yeh kya hain bitiya...!"
( Khushi... did you... whats all this my dear?)

"Amma? Yeh sab kya bol rahey hain aap log?" Khushi was hurt by the talk!
( Amma! What is all thia?)

"Arey aay din ek naye babu kay sath nayee gadi mein aathi hain aur dekhou kaisi ban than kay jaathi hain?" Buaji said pulling at her multi coloured dupatta. 
( She comes home everyday with a new man in a new car! And see how she goes all decked up)

Khushi looked at her dupatta which looked very chick as she bought it in a 70% sale that too as an employee so it had costed her just fifty bucks after an added 25% employee discount!!
Her danglers which were small and with multicoloured stones were a birthday gift from her colleague and best friend Meera and the chappals she was wearing were bought out of a gift voucher given by the company for the new year to all its employees!

Her gold bangles and chain were a rememberance of her mother along with the anklets!The bag that which she took to the office was the only thing that she bought at the Sarojini Market after saving hard for three months as she needed a decent one for working at the head office which she would be joining on the coming Monday as  the company she worked for, recognised her talent and shifted her from Lajpath Nagar branch to the head office with a slight increase in pay to cover commutation charges! She was promised a raise after Diwaali!

"Baahar Kam karath hain Jiji! Thoda accha pehan na padey haina?" Garima again defended Khushi!
( She goes to work Jiji! Don't you think she needs to dress well?)

"Accha tho roj roj naye aadmi kay sath ghoomnay wala kya kaam bolo?" buaji insisted again.
( Oh yeah? Then tell me what's that job that wants her to move with a new man everyday?)

"Buaji hum Executive Assistant ka kam karthey hain! Yaaney ki...." Khushi did not know how to explain... but tried still... "Jo sabsey badey branch kay afsar hain unko har kaam mein madad karthey hain!"

"Accha tho unhee key sath rehna haina? Secretary hi tho ho humey bhi patha hain ladki ... tumhaarey Phoopa ji badey aaffice mein kaam kiye rahe... haan!" Buaji said rolling her eyes at her!
( Then you need to be with your boss! I know what a secretary is all about! Your uncle had had worked in an office too!)
"Hum secretary nahin hain Buaji... hum.. kya bolein?" She turned to Garima and asked her in frustration for which she winked at her to keep quiet!
( I am not a secretary Buaji! I ... what should I say?)

There was a knock at the door and Aakash Raizada walked in with an elderly lady and everyone was suddenly busy ushering in the groom and Khushi was pressed into service for taking care of them with tea and a snack!
"Ji...."Aakash typically shy said, "I was just passing by and thought will just say hello! Ahem...er...Ji yeh meri Baroda waali maasi hain"Aakash introduced his maternal aunt!

"Ji Namasthey biraajiye!" ( please have a seat) Buaji started making small talk with her when...

"Jeejaji Jiji say bath karni hain?" Khushi called from the kitchen and everyone shusshed her but he smiled and said... "As a matter of fact yes!" He turned to buaji and Garima and Shashi and said, " If you don't mind can I just ask her what colour she likes and also her birth stone! Mom wants her to wear the ring with her birth stone in it and I want to buy her something as a wedding gift!" 
Buaji and Garima beamed and said "Bilkul bitua! Oo kamrey mein bath karleo" and took him to an inner room! Khushi served tea and the elderly lady looked at her from head to toe! She looked stinking rich!

"Kya naam hain tumhaara?" She asked!
"Ji Khushi!"Khsuhi answered politely 
"Accha!" The lady said looking down her nose.

"Acs padhi hain meri bacchi aur company secretary hain" Garima introduced Khushi proudly! 
"Accha!" The lady took an inventory of Khushi which irritated Khushi but after a few minutes Aakash joined them and they left!

After two days... Aakash's aunt's son...Preetam's match was proposed and was accepted under Buaji's auspices and within two days a meeting was organised between the two families! 
Preetam was an engineer and did his MS in the States and was working in a big business house's automobile venture! He was smart and the first question he asked Khushi was how much she earned and she did not quite like it!
Then he spoke for twenty minutes about what he expected from her and then when Khushi wanted to talk he suggested they do it after the engagement as he was ok with her!

They were engaged on the same day as there was no other auspicious day and also both Khushi and Preetam did not have any leave that the elders decided should be used for the upcoming wedding which would be six months after paayal and Aakash's wedding!

A DIALOGUE IN THE DARK

...

"Accha! Aap kisee sey...kahengey...tho nahi na..."Khushi asked him warily.
( Ok! Shall I assume you won't mention this to anyone?)

"What do you take me for?And what do you think of yourself? You are not some celebrity that I gossip about you! On the contrary,Do you know who I am...?" He stopped himself from divulging his identity.

Nahi matlab...???"( No! what does that mean?) She was at loss for words!
HA! This was a welcome change! But that may be coz she didn't see him! Or heard anyone call his name! It was all dark sans the light that was there... somewhere far off! He thought and patted himself on the back for not revealing who he was! Else, she would be making money by supplying titbits to the gossip press.

"Aur tum?"(And you?) He asked her!
"Kya? Hum kya?" She asked him.

How much did she listen to and how strange! This was a first that he was actually caught in such a situation! Usually he was very discreet but this one- this woman he had been with, was a spoilt brat and he wanted the project very badly!So he had to do what he did! He thought!

"Lady are you dense he yelled at her! What did you listen to?"
Khushi gulped hard!!!!! Recollecting everything!...

-It was a A DIALOGUE IN THE DARK...

"Khushi thu bhi chalna!" Paayal jiji had asked her!

( Why don't you go with me)

"Hum kya karengey wahaan kabaab mein haddi!"Khushi refuese to spoil her sister's evening out with her fiance!

 ( what would I do between you both love birds?)

"Nahi reh tumhaare woh bhi aarahe hain" Paayal said winking at her!

( Nope! Your fiance would also be there!)

"Hey Devi Mayya!" Khushi gulped hard in disgust!

From the day one she did not like the man! He leered at her and she did not like his temparment! 

He was forever looking below her neck which irritated her! Their engagement was a very hotch-potch affair and when she went on to the terrace as requested by him and his mother to 'speak' to the groom he tried to touch her without any reason several times, and when she refused to give in...he was reluctant to accept that she was not for such behaviour before any commitment on his part! He said he understood but still touched her waist with his clammy palm! 

Khushi felt revolted at his sweaty palm touching her but thought it was all new to her and may be that was how it was! Garima brought them up in a protected way and although she went to a co-education college she never socialised beyond a limit....

She did her best for two minutes and when she could not get accustomed to his touch slowly got rid off him by moving away! But he was forever trying to irritate her!

All the time, she observed that, he boasted about his wealth and position and job and asked her without any preamble if she had any affairs in the past?

Khushi did not like the way he presented it but neverthless told him she never had any past connections which he somehow did not believe!She never was heard! He never tried to find out about her tastes and feelings! It was him all the way... Then they were called down and that was the end of their first meeting!

The exchange of mobile numbers brought new trouble to her as he forwarded crude jokes and if she did not respond phoned and banged her about phone manners!But he chose never to respond to her! Not that she texted at all to him! She always preferred to call him and that too under pressure from Buaji and Amma now that they were planning for the weddings! 

Khushi would not have accepted the proposal but for the fact that he was Aakash jeejaji's aunt's son and a part owner of the AASTHA foundation hospital in which her dad was undergoing treatment for paralysis! Buaji had already used his connections to get her father admitted so that he would be in better shape to attend Paayal's wedding and indeed he was recovering fast!

She closed her eyes! This was the least she could do as she knew with her salary, she coud not afford much of the care that her father was getting there as the would -be father-in-law of its part owner! Further, Amma had pawned the last of her jewellery for her education which according to Buaji went on for ever! 

She accompanied Jiji and Preetam came with Aakash Jeejaji! They parted at the wedding and since then she was suffering his oversized ego and absolutely high handed behaviour! It was all ok even... but what he did just a few minutes back was unpardonable!If the stranger had not interweened then, she would have... Hey Devi Mayya! She did not herself know what would have happened...She shuddered as she remembered...

...

Aakash and Payal drifted away while Preetam started grilling Khushi about her class mates... male ones especially, at college... Then when she became quieter after failing to convince his one track mind,he suggested a  stroll in the garden and dragged her to the gardens! 

Then he got a call and vanished saying he will be back in a few minutes and ordered her to wait for her! Ordered not requested! She remembered with a sigh! He seemed to think that he had bought her off the rack!She waited for him to return wandering off into the gardens and sitting besides a thicket on a stone bench,far from the maddening crowd... when she heard some rasping sound quiet near to her...

It was completely dark and the only light was near the venue which was quiet far off from where she was sitting.She felt odd but just waited for Preetam as she could hear a male voice saying," Is this what you wanted in return that day and a moan most definitely of a female was the reply!"

When there was no more noise Khushi thought they might have gone away when suddenly she could listen to the voices again! 

"Cool" the woman said! She sounded very hep and said,"Do me babe!"

"You sure mean it don't ya?" The man's voice came muffled as if he was kissing and talking at the same time!
But Khushi broke into goose pimples at the slight inflection in his voice that made it very very... sexy! 

"I am! But I don't know what's keeping you?" Ms. sultry voice purred!
"Nothing and no one keeps me darling remember that" The man's voice came out crisp and after another bout of kissing, his voice whispered hoarsely, "You will get what you want when I get what I want!"

The promise  in his voice was clear! Khushi could hear it and even in that she could see that he was shrewd! His voice was laced with just the right amount of passion for the woman in question! But Khushi thought she could hear the sarcasm in it!Could that woman make it out? Obviously not as she was panting after him! He was baiting her luring her with something that she fancied and also warning her that as she gets what she wants, he would clinch what he fancied without remorse! And something told Khushi that what ever he wanted, he would always get and right then, it was not the woman in his arms!

There was a russle of a plastic sheet and the woman's voice came over again, this is the sample darling and the specifications are written on the envelope on the inner side!There was more touching on the other side of the bush...and Khushi could hear more shuffling noises...

'Hey Devi Mayya! Khushi grew embarrassed to sit there! She was just on the other side of the bush! She made to get up when suddenly there was a deep moan as if...!!!! 
Khushi's face scalded imagining what would have happened and she just sat back shocked! 

"You gave me a small gift babe! And I don't keep any favours!",The man's voice came out thick yet somehow unattached and aloof!Was he not involved at all in what he was doing? Khushi wondered!The woman was gasping and her voice when she spoke told Khushi she was at his mercy completely!

"But I can't wait darling...Don't you feel the sparks between us?" Ms. sultry voice complained!
Khushi could imagine her pouting and smiled for the first time in the evening! Hmmm! How very silly women can be! Doesn't she have any self respect? Going on her knees like that for a man? She wondered!

"I can!!! Came his voice crisp and clear! I do not believe in sparks or stars! I believe in something called need and fulfillment! You need I can appease! Thats it! Don't read more into it! If I happen to like it with you, then I might indulge you! But I warn you, It lasts as far as it lasts! When I am done, I will be gone!
Do I make it clear?" His voice was so cutting that Khushi gasped at the sheer lack of emotion in it.
The voice which was laced with so much of desire suddenly turned ice cold and very clinical! 

She was already upset with Preetam and this made her feel very turned down! Was the world only full of this, in the name of relationships?Do all men think that it was a give and take? How can two human beings come together without a shred of emotion to it! Was there no difference between human beings and anaimals?Khushi felt really very disturbed from within!

The particular spot she chose was a little away from the venue and it was also very calm as there weren't many people around! Infact, apart from the stranger his partner and her there wasn't any one! The rest were to the far left nearer to the artificial water falls that were the part of the huge landscape!

"But What about my heart?" Ms. Sultry voice complained!
"Well! Take care of it! Its yours! Why ask me?" He said so flippantly that Khushi at once felt how shallow he must be to think so lowly of someone else's feelings!

"How mean!!!" Ms. sultry voice purred! "Don't you have one? What if someone else breaks it?" She asked him...
"I do have a heart but I strongly believe sweetheart that a heart is an organ like any other! When your lungs and Kidneys don't depend on others for their upkeep why should your heart do?" He countered her.

"And well... heartache! Nah..." he drawled! "Its for those weak people who let their heart rule them!I live by me and myself he said! none affects me!"He sort of declared making Khushi flare her nostrils in rage! What does he think of himself? How very arrogant and unfeeling and cold!!!

"Oh Yeah? so what rules you then?" She asked him?
"None of your business!" He cut her off as briskly as he led her on a few minutes before... Khushi noticed!He was an expert in these sort of mind games... she realised.

"Oh! Please! It wouldn't hurt to just give away that much of yourself !" Ms. Sultry wailed!
"Nothing!" His reply came after a pause as if he was contemplating on his answer! 
Khushi could sense the smugness in his voice!

"Nothing at all babe! Thats why I am free to conquer! Nothing affects me that can make me loose my head!"He laughed then a slow mirthless laughter which was pure music to the ears and the woman with him gasped audibly!

"You laugh too? You don't even smile... I mean... I am sorry no offense meant! She covered her slip!
"None taken.... "he had said! "I am human but one who knows his place in this world and most importantly the one who knows where the others' place is! He said surprising her yet again with his depth of thoughts!
Khushi noticed that his thoughts and his words were mutually at logger heads! Sometimes they went up sometimes low and she felt like riding on a wave of high speed sometimes the crest and then suddenly when you thought you understood you were thrown into the trough! Just when she thought he was a very serious and dangerous man, his laughter made her to wonder how he would be when he laughed, as his laughter rang a bell somewhere... it was not mirthless like his wordsand deeds... it was genuine... as going by the woman, she gathered that he seldom smiled!She pitied the woman!

"Ok!Enough of this! Get your dad to sign on it and I shall!" The man's voice said...deep and sexy. 

'When???.... is there no credit facility?" She could distinctly hear the lady kissing the man as she was seated towards her side of the bush!

"Nope! You know --- doesn't believe in business on credit!" Whatever name he might have said was lost in the sound of a blaring horn... and khushi scrunched her nose in disgust! He was ...getting business done through this?Like this? Hey Devi Mayya!

She just loathed the man!But his deep rumbling voice haunted her! She loathed Preetam and his clammy hands but going by the woman how would the man be to touch!Did he really fulfill his promises? Was his body as sexy as his voice? Hey Devi Mayya! What was she thinking! She never thought on those terms! Ever! What's wrong with her that a man's voice could make her think all this which she did not imagine even when she got engaged! 

"Please darling!" The woman haggled shamelessly and then there was some more noise that Khushi could make out as more kissing and necking and finally the man's voice came very clearly," Time up Babe! You want more? Then get me your dad's signature on the Rayman deal! Till then no works!"

The woman pleaded and then even threatened but finally left and before that, the man helped her back into her dress as Khushi could make out that he was helping her wear it by their conversation!

"Oh please! If you come with me we can spend the night at Guns and Roses!" The lady tried one last time!

did she not have any self respect? Khushi wondered...

"When I choose to... spend the night... I shall decide where and how! Know that!!!" The man said trying to zip her up!

His voice sent shivers down Khsuhi's spine! The raw rasp in his voice made her wonder how the stranger would choose to spend his night with his woman and where?

Hey Devi Mayya !!!She exclaimed loudly without thinking!

Khushi  clamped her mouth shut with her palm, as there was a sudden silence at the other end, teh man an dthe woman been alerted of her presence!

"There is someone there!" The lady said!

"You go ahead I shall join later!" The man said coolly!

...And Khushi heard the lady move and the shuffling of her feet told her she trotted back to the venue!

When it was over Khushi sat there in stunned silence and did not know what to do! She somehow felt violated and anger rose in her! How dare he! And how very silly of that woman to... to... beg like that as if... !

She was disgusted and thumped her fist on to the palm of her other hand and exactly the man behind the bush chose that very moment to get up and go after wearing his clothes in place which Khushi was sure were pulled off him by Ms. Sultry voice!

Khushi sat still willing him to go away... but he simply said," If you think that you have gone unnoticed you are wrong!"making her almost choke in panic! 

His voice spelt danger! Who ever he was! He exuded power and a certain authority that came from the genes not by money or some success!

Where was Preetam! Why was he not coming! 

Hey Devi Mayya! She closed her eyes only to find a clamy palm rub her cheek saying," Hi! I am back love" he put an arm round her clumsily making her to move away and say," Kya kar rahein hain aap?"

( What are you up to?)

"Hey whats up sweety I am just... now don't act funny ok?! And going by your looks I'm sure you must have had quite a few boy friends right?" he taunted her!

Khushi closed her eyes and counted till ten and then said," I told you... nahi"

"Nahi?"( No?) he probed.

"Hum nay kahaa nahi!" Khushi said firmly!

( I said no)

She could sense the man beside her on the other side of the bush suddenly getting alert!Oh No! It was his turn now to listen to her conversation with Preetam... she thought! Instant justice by her beloved Devi Mayya!

This was embarassing and going by Preetam's suspicious nature, if she told him anything about the stranger, he might assume she planned to meet him there! Hey Devi Mayya!  She could feel a head ache brewing.

"Accha koi bath nahi! Kiss karna tho jaanthi hongi!?"

( ok! You must be knowing how to kiss atleast) 

He said lewdly cutting into her thoughts and challenged her saying,"...lets see how far are your skills in it!"

Khushi froze at this! What was this man! she mustered all her courage and spirit and said," Dekhiye Preetamji... hum...aisay nahi hain!"

( I am not like that)

"Phir kaisay hain Ms. too good for your own shoesji?" He taunted her!then made fun of her asking..."You mean to say you have lived in the city and are working and never did anyone?Do take me for an idiot?"

"Excuse me! I just want to go back!" Khushi switched to english and tried to get up! 

"Not till I get my due love!" He said...

"Kya?" She could not believe it!

"Yeah! Aaj itna kharcha karkay I got a bracelet for you" he clamped some cold metallic thing on her wrist and sneered," I expect a return on my investment!" 

making Khushi go pale! 

What sort of a pervert was this man! She just wanted to call Amma and call off the marriage at that very moment! But better sense prevailed! She needed to wait! Two days from then there was Dad's major surgery and then Jiji's wedding the following week! Till then she would have to bear him for maintaining goodwill with Aaksah Jeejaji's family! Then she would show him is place!

"I don't want any gifts please!" She tried removing it and said "Anyways its very loose and not my size"

She looked at it with disgust in the dark... for her it was a glittering cold thing and a mark of possession not love or emotion!

"Loose? loose tho hoga hi? You don't even have a spoonful of flesh in you! He again taunted her! I like rolly polly females! I don't know what you do but I want you to be handful he said!Put on some weight and they say if you take some steroids you will fill up ...ummmm....at the right palces which you obviously lack in right now!"

Khushi just lost her temper forgetting that the stranger was still there by the bush!

"Ek aur bath nahin!Humey andar jaana hain...!"

( Not one word! I want to go in)

"Yeah sure let me see how compatible we are afterall I am going to spend so much on you guys..."  Preetam garbbed her and touched her shoving her dupatta away brushing her waist with his clammy fingers!

Khushi felt as if a creepy crawly thing was on her waist and shirked him off saying " Nahi! Humay accha nahi lagtha hain yeh sab!"

( I don' like all this)

"Oh So you like the kinky stuff then?" And he held her with one hand and tried to lift her lehenga when she struggled in earnest saying," Preetam ji please! Humey yeh sab nahi accha lagtha hain! Lets go back!"

( I don't want all this! Lets go)

"Kyun? Tumhay kisi aur ki yaad aathi hain?"

( why are you reminded of someone else?) 

He tried to claim her lips but she used her small hand bag to hit him on his head and missed.

Preetam was enraged and he swore loudly and said "You b$%^&#! Let me show you what a man is all about and exactly at that time the stranger's voice boomed saying,

" Let go off her and leave buddy! Else I will let you know who a real man is!"

"Wha....t?" Preetam was shocked!

"Tunay kisiko yahaan.... chupaaya hain ? Tabhi tho!" 

( Have you asked someone to be here?)he said happy that his theory was proved righta nd Khsuhi caught her forehead with her hand!

The stranger had proved his theory right! Now he will be after her for the rest of their lives! Oh no! She did not want to marry him or anyone at all, as a matter of fact!

Preetam got up and bellowed,"Kaun ho tum?Bahar tho aa!"

( Who are you! Come over here)

The man from the other side simply said," I will give you three minutes to move your butt off this place.

"Yeh kaun hain?" (Who is he?) Preetam was now raging with anger as he demanded a stunned Khushi!
"Preetam ji.. yeh..." Khushi gulped and stared into darkness as she did not know who he was! How very strange the situation was!

"Tumko nahi patha tho kya kar rahey they tum donon yahaan?" Preetam let his question take a very double meaning by the way he put it!
( You don't know? Then what were you both up to?)

"Aisa nahin hain..."  (its not that way) Khushi tried to explain! But what would she say! She gaped at the darkness that was the stranger on to the otherside of the bush!
"Kaisa nahin hain?" ( How is it not?) Preetam caught her arm and jerked her close and she smelt his very strong perfume that often gave her head aches!
"Preetamji please! Aap chodiye humey!" 
( Please let go off me)
Khushi tried her best to be calm and respectful while trying to free herself from his grasp! She could not irritate him and be the cause of her sister's misery!

"Accha! Usko jo dey sakthi ho mujhey bhi dey sakthi ho na?" Preetam pulled her closer making her panic and cry out," Nahin! Please!"
( What you can dish out to him, you can for me too)

"Let go off her!" The stranger's voice boomed in the darkness!
"Tu gaya nahi abhi taq? Chalthey ban. She is my ... "
( You didn't go yet? Just leave! She is my...)

He didn't get to finish as the man's  voice came again cool and ice cold," The lady said no! Butt off...and you just walk... straight and get lost! Don't even wait for this lady! She will not join you! If you so much as try to contact her again, I will see to it that you are taken care of! So get lost!" He said coolly!

"You wouldn't do such a thing!" Preetam bulied him!

"Want to see?" The other man challenged sending a shiver up Khushi's spine by the lethal tinge his voice carried!

He then did something that none expected! He came out still on the other side and caught Preetam by his collar and pushed him out on to the stone pathway and gave him a punch on his jaw making him howl in pain!

Preetam looked at Khushi and sneered shaking in his pants," I was right! You are dangerous than what even I could Imagine"

"Move it! ....Now!" The stranger's voice made him scurry towards the venue leaving a  scared Khushi in his wake. Was this man sane?

Khushi came out of her reverie...with that ...

"Nahi suna?( You didn't listen to my conversation?)  His voice boomed in the dark...
"Ek tho tum aur woh namoona! Doosra tumney mera evening kharaab kiya aur uper sey!" Just get lost from here he shouted!
( First of all you and that specimen! Then you spoilt my evening)

"Aap humaarey uper nahi chilla sakthey samajhthey kya hain apney aapko!" Khushi Kumari Gupta shouted!

( You can't yell at me! What do you think of yourselves!)

He came round the bush and held her by her arms and shook her saying," Let me make one thing clear!"
It was pitch dark and he could only see an occassional sparkle of her danglers in white stone!He also saw one thing a small fleck of light... which he realised was a nose stud...very pretty...

She smelt of wild roses and sandalwood!Fresh and sweet!  A welcome difference from the chick who smelt of a dazzling strong brand! 
He noticed immediately that the arms he held were soft and her body pliant against his... trembling with a strange vigour in them! Very inviting! Hell! He could see nothing at all!The one single light in the garden was somewhere very far away nearer to the venue,and was very weak! Neverthless he went on...

"May be you for your middle class mentality, you think that its a great encounter!I care two hoots for such a thing!Groping around bushes with a man!"

"Phir aap kya kar rahey they! Waisay bhi Woh humaarey Mangeithar hain!" Khushi immediately rose up to his sneering!
( Then what were you up to? By the way,he is my fiance)

"Accha! Woh mangeither kam aur ghonchu zyaada lag rahaa tha! Bloody pimp!"he snorted! The galls of the man! He actually asked her to... %^^&&!!!

"I have far better things to do and think about and you saw how I get my business done!" he said smugly.
"Haan haan  dekha hain! You are no different from the man who was mauling me! Both of you were using women! For your selfish ends! Khushi spat all her frustration on him!

" What the @#$%^! I deserve this for helping an idiot like you!" And as suddenly as she found him, he shoved her aside and she saw his form receding into the darkness towards the main hall...

What the hell does she think! He... of all the people would not care two hoots for whatever happened! Arnav Singh Raizada turned back after a few paces and said..."Remember!... that for me this encounter is just a DIALOGUE IN THE DARK!!

And was gone fading into the darkness.

End Of Chapter-1

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GOLDENHAZE