Chupanke Ki Saaza
-PART 9-
Jai's Big Mistake
KNOCK KNOCK
"Come in," Jai called, as he continued to work on
his laptop for the next day's meeting. It was one o'clock in the morning, but
he was far from sleep.
To his surprise Rano walked in.
"Rano?" Jai asked. "Whats wrong?"
"Bani kahan hai?"
Jai laughed. "She is out on a date."
"What do you mean?" she said narrowing her eyes.
"Well, " Jai informed. "Harsh Malhotra asked
her out and she said okay. Yeh saab
kyun pooch rahi ho?"
"And why are you not with her?" Rano asked.
"Rano," Jai said, making her sit on the sofa.
"Its a date... with Harsh. He really wanted to go with her!"
Rano let out an exasperated sigh. "And you let her go?
You know better than anyone what a
flirt that guy is!"
"Harsh kuch nahi karegi," he said confidently.
"I can't believe this is you," she said after a
few moments of watching his calm posture. "The Jai who couldn't live
without seeing Bani for more than a few hours at most is now telling me to calm
down when she is out at one in the morning!"
Jai turned his back to Rano, not wanting to show her the
hurt that flickered onto his face because of her words. "I need this deal
Rano," Jai said, using the first excuse that entered his brain.
"And so you use your wife?" she asked knowing that
it was not the real reason at all. When Jai didn't reply, she stood up and
turned him around and watched his blank face. "Whats wrong?" she
asked softly. "Why are you acting like this?"
"Like what?" Jai said, tyring to maintain a calm
face. Rano, like Krishna, had a habit
of reading his face like a book. One look at him and she would know exactly
what was going on in his head.
"Like you don't care if Bani lives or dies," she
answered.
Jai forced a smile. "As if that is possible!"
"Its not," she said. "I know that. But Bani
doesn't. And I think its high time you go and get her before that idiot Harsh
does something!"
"He is not," Jai said. "I don't know why you
are freaking out! Must be the pregnancy," he added thoughtfully.
Rano hit him on the shoulder. "Shut up!" When Jai
was about to sit back infront of his laptop, she adopted a mother-like tone
that reminded Jai alot of Krishna. "Jao aur Bani ko lee kar aao."
"Fine," Jai grumbled. "MOM!"
"Bhabhi," Rano corrected with a smile.
* * *
"Acha laga?" Harsh asked in a loud voice.
He and Bani were in a pub, where the music was vibrating the
walls and people everywhere were drunk and dancing. It apparently was the best
club in Mt. Abu, but to Bani it looked almost as a prison, in which she was
sentenced to by her husband. She grimanced at the thought of Jai.
Bani nodded. "But I am not in the mood for
clubbing..."
"Okay," Harsh said, as if relenting to her wish.
"But since we are here, why not have the time of our lives?"
"But I have to go back."
"Its only 1 o'clock," he said with a glance at his
clock. "We still have the whole night!"
"I am tired!" Bani said, now getting desperate to
find ways to escape. "I had enough for a night!"
"Want to have a drink?" Harsh asked, ignoring her
excuses. "I am sure you must be thirsty after being so hot!"
Bani didn't miss the double meaning. "No need to be soo
cheesy!"
Harsh ignored this too. "So tell me about
yourself," he said. "I have never seen you before and trust me, I
would never miss a beauty like you!"
Bani rolled her eyes. "I just joined the Walia
Industries."
"Impressive," he said. "Its not easy to get
employed there. Uday Walia is brutal!"
Like father like son, Bani thought drily to herself. But why
am I thinking about him? "He is not too bad... he knows what he is
doing."
"I dont think so," Harsh said. "Hiring a girl
like you to be locked up inside a boring office for the whole day... that is
not a decision I would make."
Bani tried to stay calm. Harsh's continuous string of
compliments to her weren't as much flattering as they were annoying. In every
other sentence he would assert how she was gorgeous - Bani knew that. But
couldn't care less.
"Can we sit down?" she asked, changing the topic.
"No, lets dance!" he replied.
And ignoring Bani's protests, he dragged her to the dance
floor. Unfortunately, just as Harsh found a space in the crowded floor, the
music slowed to a romantic song. Grinning, he pulled Bani a bit closer than she
would have liked, placed his arms around of her waist and began to sway to the
music. Bani had no choice but to follow.
"You are a good dancer Bani," he said.
Bani smiled and didn't answer, hoping her silence would be
more effective in delievering her feelings to Harsh - she wasn't interested. Of
course, if there was someone else in his position - a certain someone who she
refused to think about - things would have been different.
However, when Harsh tried to pull Bani a bit closer after a
few minutes of silence, she gave up all pretense of politness.
"Don't," she whispered dangerously.
"What?" he said, pretending innocence.
"You know what," she replied, pushing his arms
away and taking a step back. "I am not interested!"
And she turned her back to him and stalked off to the bar.
"Come on Bani," Harsh said., who quickly followed
her. "Don't pretend that you dont like me!"
"I am not pretending!"
"Then why did you come with me?" he asked, the
smile on his face wiped clean.
Bani let out a sarcastic smile. "If you haven't
realized, you are the one who forced me to come with you. I was never
interested in you!"
This seem to hit Harsh hard. He didn't answer and just
ordered two drinks, which Bani suspected to have vodka in them despite looking
like juice. She didn't dare touch hers.
"You are lying," he said, after finishing his
drink in one go.
"about what?"
"That you are not pretending," he said. "Its
impossible for a girl like you to stay away from me!"
Bani was confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that everyone dies to be with me and you are
refusing to even acknolwdge me? Especially when you are single!"
The comment stirred up her memories of Jai - he too, like
Harsh, was confident that he was too hot to resist.
Misinterpreting Bani's silence, Harsh continued. "What
is it that you want?"
Bani was caught off guard with that question. Yes, what did
she want? There were many things... She wanted to run away from Harsh who
seemed to know everything she thought about. She wanted to keep running untill
she found Jai. And then, she wanted him, Jai, to care for her like how he used
to. Most of all, she wanted everything to be normal in her married life.
"Waise," Harsh said, watching her closely.
"It won't hurt to be my girlfriend you know!"
Bani was brought back to reality with those words.
"Girlfriend?"
"Haan," he said.
"You have known me for a few hours max and you are
asking me out?" Bani said. "Do you even know who I am?"
"I wanted to ever since I saw you Bani," Harsh
replied, with a glint of longing in his eyes. "I couldn't resist
you!"
Bani rolled her eyes. "Stop joking!"
"I am not," he replied. "I wanted you ever
since you entered that party and every single person turned their head towards
you."
Bani felt odd at that comment. It was almost as if she was
an object that he wanted to own. As seriousness spread across his face, she
finally realized that it was not a good idea to hide that she was married.
There was almost an obssesion visible in Harsh's eyes.
"You have lost it Harsh," Bani said, trying to
make the conversation less serious. She then got up to leave - she had enough
for one night - when he grabbed her hand. Now, Bani was scared. Harsh was
definetly stronger than her; he could pick her up and leave, without anyone
realizing.
However, that did not seem to Harsh's intentions. As if
dazed, he raised his other, free, hand up to Bani's face and was about to brush
a strand of loose hair, which a cold voice said, "Don't."
Harsh jumped at the unexpected interference and whipped
around to find Jai, leaning against the bar, with his hands in his pockets. He
appeared to be pretty cool, but Bani knew he would be seething with anger. She
felt almost elated at the sight of him.
"Jai," Harsh said in confusion. "Tum
yahan?"
"I came to take Bani," he explained.
But Harsh didn't let go of her hand. "But I brought her
here. I will drop her off too."
Bani tried to free her hand, but Harsh seemed to hold on
that much tighter. Anger flashed in Jai's eyes as he straightened up. He was
the same height as Harsh, but yet he somehow seemed to tower over him.
"I don't like repeating myself Harsh," Jai said in
a dangerous voice. "So, let go of her hand now or you won't be able to
leave this club without assistance from four other guys."
The threat was obvious, but the way Jai said it, made it
sound like a passing remark. Bani didn't know whether it was the way Jai
glowered at Harsh, or if Harsh simply didn't want to make a scene, or maybe a
mix of both, but whatever it was, it was enough to make Harsh turn his back and
walk out.
Jai watched him leave the club and turned to Bani.
"Chale?" he asked, back to his jovial self.
But Bani was mad... anger seethed inside her like no
tomorrow. It was his fault that she was stuck with Harsh and if he didn't come
on time, god know what Harsh would have done to her. She shot him an angry look
and turned her back on him.
"Uh-oh," Jai said to himself. "This is not
going to be pretty!"
Because he knew that an angry Bani was equivalent to a
horde of angry bees.
************************************
I am sooo sorry for the lateness! I had part 8 ready, but the stupid internet was down, so i couldn't post. but in compensation, i posted BOTH of the parts!
Now, waiting eagerly for your comments... hope you liked them and ill try my best to post a part every two days!
Archi
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