Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 18- The Party

CHAPTER 18

THE PARTY

"#Kitna mazaa aayega, na?" Chitra said, squealing happily. "Hum sab #dance karenge."

'Wahan ice cream hogi', Monami thought dreamily. She took a bite of her buttered toast. 'Junk food mein kya hoga? Noodles? Manchurian? Pasta? Sab kuchh?'

"Monami, tu kya pehnegi?" Suman ji asked. "Agar tere paas kuchh nahi hai, toh Suman ji ke paas ek bahut sundar saree hai jo tujhpar bahut achhi lagegi."

She shook her head. "K-Kabhi aur. M-Mere p-paas ek d-dress hai."

"Monami, tum pakka party mein aaogi, na?" Koel asked. "Aise hi bahaane banaakar mat nikal jaana, please."

'Jahan ice cream hoti hai, wahan toh main tapak hi jaati hoon', Monami thought. She smiled, nodding. She glanced at the toast, holding in a sigh. 'Abhi ke liye yeh rukha sukha toast hi sahi.'

"I can't #wait", Chitra said excitedly. She giggled. "Sab ladke bhi #hot bankar aayenge. I #wonder Karan Sir kya pehenge? Already itne dashing hain woh toh."

"Chitra!" Koel and Suman ji protested.

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Sid stared at his phone. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He nodded, dialing the number.

It rang. And rang. And rang.

He disconnected the call, throwing the phone on his bed. His hands clenched. It was all for naught? He was just talking? He didn't mean it, did he?

The phone rang, and he quickly fumbled for it. Daddy ji. His heart pounded in his chest, and he swiped to accept it swiftly. "Hello?"

"Sid! Kaisa hai tu? Training kaisi chal rahi hai teri?"

"Theek hoon main. Training bhi achhi chal rahi hai. Aap... aap kahan the? Aapne phone kyun nahi uthaaya?"

"Main doosre kamre mein tha." Sid suppressed a sigh of relief. He didn't forget him for business. "Tune pichhle Sunday phone nahi kiya waapas?"

"Woh kuchh kaam aa gaya tha. Sorry."

"Koi baat nahi. Main tujhe call karne hi waala tha abhi. Breakfast kar liya tune?"

He hummed. "Haan, yahan par jaldi ho jaata hai breakfast. Hum subah uthkar drills karte hain, phir nahaakar breakfast karte hain."

"Monami kaisi hai? Tere saath hai kya?"

"Nahi. Woh apne kamre mein hai. Theek hai. Baat karni hai?"

"Main use bhi thodi der mein call kar leta hoon. Tune naye dost toh banaaye hi honge. Mujhe unke baare mein bataayega nahi?"

Sid smiled. "Bahut saare banaaye hain. Yahan par sab cadets, na, subgroups mein divided hain. Mere subgroup mein 7 cadets hain, including me. And everyone's so nice! Monu bhi, thankfully, mere subgroup mein hi hai. I'll tell you about everyone! My roommate, Bala..."

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"Koel, tu Nanu ko keh de", Nikhil warned, as soon as Koel picked the call up. "Mujhe unse baat nahi karni."

"Koel, tu apne mendhak ko keh de", her father's voice said. "Mujhe bhi nahi baat karni isse."

"Arey, hua kya hai? Koel asked. "Kyun jhagad rahe ho?"

"Mujhe cartoon dekhna tha", Nikhil said. "Inhone dekhne hi nahi diya."

"News zyaada important hai. Ise woh dekhni chahiye thi."