RAGHVI FF : A PHOENIX

CHAP 3 : DEJA VU

"The Great Warrior Pallavi."  came a voice from behind and Pallavi turned only to come face to face with the bane of her life.

"Shiva." Pallavi spoke in a stern voice.

"Haww main toh darr gaya." Shiva faked being scared. He was a guy in his 20's with a ruffled look wearing an open shirt over a white tank.

"Ho gayi tumhari nautanki. Ab batao yahan kya kar rahe ho?" Pallavi asked.

"Woh mereko sadak pe nachne ka shauq hai." he joked moving closer to them.

"Toh mujhse music bajwane aaye ho." Pallavi gave a sarcastic look.

"Ayee zyada-."

"Tum na-" both of them spoke up ready for a fight when Maya interrupted them.

"Offo aap dono phir shuru ho gaye. Kitna ladte ho aap. Shiva dada kyun pareshaan karte hain aap Taai ko." Maya complained hitting her palm on her forehead, tired of these two adult yet kids.

"Woh tu isse puch, isko hi merese problem hai." Shiva shrugged her shoulders.

"Mujhe nahin tumhe mujhse problem hai. Gunde kahin ke." Pallavi too shrugged turning away from him.

"Han hai main Banglore ka gunda. Ayee choti apni taai ko bol merese zyada magazmari na kare. Woh toh Aaji boli late ho raha hai toh tum logon ko lekar aane ko warna isske aas paas bhatakne ka shauq bhi nahin hai mujhe." he gave pallavi a pointed look.

"Hume na tumhare sahare ki zarurat nahin hai. Idhar sab under control hai. Chalo ladkiyon ghar chalte hai." Pallavi snapped back pulling everyone with her and walking towards their colony.

"Chalo Ladkiyon ghar chalte hai." Shiva mimicked Pallavi.

"Dada." Maya called out for him.

"Aaya maajhi maa." he shouted back and gave a stern angry man look to the defeated boys, "Idhar aaju baaju dobara dikhe na toh iss baar main aisa thikane lagaunga na ki laash bhi nahin milegi." he warned them walking behind the gilrs as their protector.

Pallavi came back home after dropping each girl home safely and reminding them of their big day tomorrow. Aaji smiled as she looked up from her billing book and hugged Pallavi who greeted her with a tired look.

'Aaj toh bahut thak gayi aaji." she whined sitting down as Aaji gave her a glass of water.

"Jaanti hoon bahut mehnat kar rahi hai na tu par dekhna Bappa kal tujhe hi jitayenge. Chal aaja maine aaj tere liye tere pasand ka sab banaya hai." Aaji caressed her face.

"Offo Aaji aap kabhi mujhe kitchen ka kaam nahin karne deti ho. Maine kaha hai na aap itna kaam matt kara karo." Pallavi complained hugging Aaji by her waist.

"Ho ho kal ki kal dekhenge ab aaja khaane. Aur uss bandar ko bol darwaze se jhakna band kare aur khane aa jaye." Aaji patted her back and walked back inside the house.

Pallavi looked out as she saw Shiva trying to be as discreet as possible and gave a look for him to get in.

As the trio sat down for dinner. Pallavi smiled at the way Aaji kept telling her about her entire day, her everyday quarrel with Shanta Kaki who lived just beside them. Her little adventure to the temple, even the slightest detail.

"Aaji aaj khana toh mast bana hai." Shiva who had been eating like a pig complimented.

"Ab muft ka hai toh achcha hi lagega na." Aaji taunted making Pallavi giggle.

"Kya hai Aaji khana toh bina taane ke khane de." Shiva whined.

"Ab saari naukriyan chhodhkar awaragardi karte phiroge toh yahi sunne ko milega na." Pallavi too taunted him.

"Mereko woh clerk ka naukri samajh nahin aata. Apun Shiva hai kisike aage nahin jhukta hai." Shiva snapped back as he got up and left leaving back his plate of food.

"Deva iska kya hoga mereko toh kuch samajh nahin aata hai." Aaji gave a disappointed look to his retreating figure.

An hour later Pallavi tip toed to the terrace with a bowl in her hand. She opened the entrance gate that made a slight creeked noise startling the resident of the place.

"Ab kya sunane aaya hai tu mujhe. Pett toh bhar jana chahiye tha tera." came an angry remark from the shadow that gazed the stars. Pallavi slowly and steadily made herself comfortable beside the figure as she sat on the parapet wall.

"Tumne phir naukri chhodh di." pallavi spoke in a soft voice.

"Bola na nahin aata mereko samajh." came a snappy reply.

"Shiva pehla din tha. Samajhne main time toh lagta hai na aur kitni mushkil se ek nayi naukri dhundhti thi maine tumhare liye. Kab tak aise wasooli karte phiroge kabhi toh settle hona hai na life main." she made him face her.

"Nahin kar pata hai main. Dimaag ghum jata hai jab koi battameezi karta hai merese." Shiva spoke in a sad voice. " Main aisa hi theek hai kyun sudharna chahta hai tum mujhe." he added.

"Kyunki dost hoon main tumhari. Aaji ke paas hum dono ke alawa koi nahin hai. Unhone hum dono ko ek naya ghar diya hai. Bachpan se pala hai tumhe." Pallavi reasoned.

"Jaanta hai main. Sala har baari koshish poori karta hai magar-" he ranted in frustration when Pallavi spoke up again.
"Magar Patience haar jana hai." Pallavi completed him sentence.

"Han." he gave a sad look to her, " Aisa mat dekh mereko jaanta hai main idiot hai Gadha hai. Ab kya naya naam dega. Ghamandi Shiva bulayega kya. Kyunki main ghamandi nahin hai bass apni bahut izzat karta hai." he added with a small laugh.

Pallavi freezed in the moment as her mind went in a nuzzle. Ab kya Ghamandi Shiva bulayega. Shiva's words rang in her ear. Ghamandi Rao. Her mind spiralled on that name again and again.

"Dekho Saree ka dukaan aakhri baar keh raha hai Raghav Rao se panga mat lo. Ardhamainda."

"Main tumhe jeetne nahin dungi Ghamandi Rao."

She was brought back from her thoughts as Shiva snapped his fingers infront of her.

"Kahan kho gayi tu. Aur yeh kya hai." he asked pointing at the bowl in her hand.

"Oh Nahin kahin nahin woh bas-. Yeh woh Aaji ne kheer banai thi wahi laai thi." she handed him the bowl which he happily took gulping down the sweet leaving Pallavi in her thoughts once again as she played with her bracelet.

"Aaji na best-" Shiva started talking when he saw her lost again , so this time he thought of scaring her. So he gently kept his hands on her shoulder as he shook her acting as if pushing her from the height.

'Shiva!" Pallavi screamed and he started laughing.

"Shakal dekh apna. Tujhe laga main tujhe phek dunga." he laughed.

"Tumhara dimaag theek hai abhi bracelet gir jata toh." she shouted at him.

"Are tu gir jati bracelet toh sirf ek cheez hai. tujhe uski khudse zyada fiqar hai. Ajeeb hai han tu. Itna keemti hai kya?" he looked at her being confused still trying to stop his laughter.

"han hai bahut keemti hai tum nahin samjhoge. Mujhe neend aa rahi hai main chalti hoon. Tum bhi sojana subah ladkiyon ko lekar jana hai hall." Pallavi stood up and left leaving a puzzled Shiva behind.