Karan was now fully awake, still looking at the envelope and wondering what to do. Faizi was pacing around the room.
"Yaar karan hum bata rahe hai. Kuch sahi nahi lag raha. Ye koi mazaak to nahi hai..."
"Faizi. Shaant hoja. Overthink mat kar. Tu bag pack kar bas. Kal shaam ko niklenge."
"Karan? Ye tum hi ho na?"
"Faizi shaadi ka card hai, mission ka order nahi "
"Mission ka order hota to behtar tha. Bichaare ka dil toot jaayega..."
"Ek minute. Tujhe....vo Siddhart ki padi hai?"
"Haan...I mean nahi....I mean...vo usse sachha pyaar karta hai yaar...Monami Tsunami ne btaaya tha ki aaj se--" Faizi paused to look at Karan, who had a 'cheee' expression on his face.
"Mai bhi kahan apna time waste kar raha hu. Tumhe pyaar ke baare me samjhaana matpab bhais ke aage been banana. Tumhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha na?"
"Aayega bhi nahi. Aur na hi samajh chahta hu. Sanju ka decision hai, respect kar. Uss Siddhart ka dil toote ya nahi kisi ko koi farak nahi---"
"Monami ki shaadi ho rahi hai" Faizi said, uninterested.
"BAKWAAS BAND KAR MAI --" Karan almost yelled, tensed.
"Kisi ka dil toote...kisko hi farak padta hai.." Faizi smirked. Karan sighed, getting his point.
"Dekh, uski shaadi hai, marzi se kar rahi hai. Tujhe bhi pata hai. Ladka jaisa bhi ho, humari jagah nahi hai bolne ki. Siddhart bura nahi hai, lekin logo ke decision ko respect karna hota hai. Ji bhi kar rahi hai, kuch sochke kar rahi hogi. Hume invitations mile hai, hum jaayenge."
Faizi sighed, accepting defeat.
"Theek hai. Lekin ek baar Sanju se Siddhart ki baat to kara de"
"Theek hai. Lekin tu aur Siddhart koi gadbad nahi karenge."
"Done. Mai call kar raha hu use." Faizi quickly dialled Sanjana's number and talked to her for a few minutes. After that he returned with a disappointed expression on his face.
"Vo to nikal gayi Bundelkhand kal raat ko..." Faizi said putting the phone back in his pocket. "Ab to chance hi nahi..."
"Tu...use chod. Training la time hone waala hai. Namoono ko tu naa hi baate to behtar hoga."
With that both of them got ready and went through the usual schedule.
~~~~~
Later that evening.
The recruits had finished the days schedule and were already in their rooms after dinner.
Karan was pacing outside Monami's dorm, unsure about his next action. He had managed to get close to her, but was he close enough for what he was going to do next? He had taken every tip from Faizi, still he could feel his heart going bonkers. He took in a deep breath and decided to just do it.
He went forward and knocked at her door, and felt his feet turning to sand.
And in a few seconds, she opened the door, looking beautiful as always- slightly curly open hair...they seemed to throw him in a trance. And the strange thing was Monami knew. And never asked him why, just looked back at him with the same intensity.
"Hi...." she smiled. "Tum..yaha?"
"Vo....m-mai..." he gulped. What was he doing? "I-I was...was..here to-- uhm...I" What the hell was wrong with him? Why was he speaking like that?
"I mean....Willyougoputwithmeonasmalltripofthreedays?"he asked suddenly.
"Uh...sorry...but kya tum please ..repeat kar sakte ho...?"
"Uhh..O-okay...kya tum mere aur Faizi ke saath ek choti si trip par chalogi? If you want...if you're not comfortable...I totally understand.."
"I'm very comfortable....I mean yes! Yes I'm...I want to- I mean okay...kab chalna hai?" Monami answered baffled, confused and excited at the same time. Khadoos Shergil was asking her out!
"Oh..okay...hume kal shaam ko nikalna hai...Bundelkhand.."
"I'll be there..." Monami said, lost in his eyes for a moment. Both of them were looking at each other like they had seen the most beautiful sight in the entire universe. Their trance was broken only by Ustaad Jim's voice announcing lights out
