(Allahabad: One Night Stand)
"I swear I don't do this!" Khushi pinched her neck dramatically, as she settled on Chandani's bed.
"Do what?" Her host asked.
"One night stands!"
Chandani looked at her with wide eyes. The shock gave way to laughter. "My God, your sense of humor should be kept in a museum!" She settled down, facing Khushi. "Waise, I have had many."
"Hawww!" Khushi whispered. "Besharam!" (Shameless!)
"With my sisters." Chandani giggled.
"Why are you so clean?" Khushi whined.
"What do you mean?"
"I can't tease you about anything!"
"You know, you are behaving as if you have known me for 7 years, not 7 hours. Not that I'm complaining. I rarely get to meet someone like you."
Khushi scoffed airily. "I am a masterpiece, you know. One of a kind. 7 hours, 7 births, it's the same to me."
"Pretty confident, eh? Tum ekdum-"
"Badon ko aap kahte hain." Khushi corrected her, unwillingly making Chandani panic again.
Badon ko aap kahte hain.
"Chandani?"
He was walking away, no running away.
"Chandani?!" Khushi shook her.
"Ha... Haan?"
"Kya hua? Kahan kho gayi?" (What happened? Where are you lost?)
"Kuch nahi. Pichla Kumbh yaad aa gaya." (Nothing. Just remembering last Kumbh)
"Sachi? Tum thi yaha?" (Really? You were here?)
Chandani nodded. "Wo akhiri baar tha jab... jab Maine Dev ko dekha tha. Mujhe to pata bhi nahi tha ki wo Dev hai." (It was the last time when... I saw Dev. I didn't even realize it was him.)
"Toh pata kaise chala?" (Then how did you know?)
Badon ko aap kahte hain.
Chandani shook her head. "Woh choriye, humein ye btaiye-" (Leave that, you tell me-)
They heard loud clanging of utensils from outside.
"Is someone in the kitchen?" Khushi asked.
"No. Come, I'll show you what I found recently."
Chandani went the door, but instead of opening it, she locked it three ways. Turning back, she went towards one of her windows, which opened in the hallway. She signaled Khushi to come.
Khushi stood behind her, being two inches taller than Chandani helped to not lose any view. "Count to 10, then close your eyes."
"Close my eyes? Why?"
"Otherwise you won't hear it."
"Hear what?"
Chandani shut her eyes. Slowly, she smiled. Her head moved, as if listening to a lullaby.
"I don't hear it." Khushi whispered.
Chandani's hands came to her face and Khushi got the point. Closing her eyes, she waited.
"Still don't hear it." She whispered.
Khushi opened her eyes to see Chandani asleep on the bed.
"Well, that's weird."
YOU ARE READING
The Other Half
FanfictionKhushi Gupta is a memory. Easily forgettable. Payal Gupta is a bullseye. Extremely memorable. Twins Arnav Singh Raizada and Advay Singh Raizada do not know of each other. They were born Maliks after all. Indrani Vashishth has had control of Allahab...
