Anirudh Ki Looteri Dulhan (Short Story)

6. ANIRUDH'S REALISATION AND BONDITA'S DILEMMA.

At night
Bondita was arranging the bed when Ansh came to her room. He sat on the bed. Bondita looked at him and then asked while keeping her clothes in the cupboard: Kya hua......
Andh then said: Kuch nahi..... ek sawal khatak raha hai mere dimaag me......
Bondita then asked: Kaisa sawal?.....
Ansh then said: Jab se hum log..... inn logo se mile hai.... unke saath ye sab karte hue accha nahi lag raha.....
Bondita then said: Haan..... accha toh hume bhi nahi lag raha..... aaj tak itni jagah choriyan ki hai..... par kisi ke saath aisa mehsoos nahi hua...... Jahanavi Aunty aur Pinky Aunty..... bilkul maa jaisa pyaar karti hai...... Mehek bhabhi aur Samaira..... hume behen maanti hai...... aur Anirudh Ji..... kitna vishwas karte hain hum par...... aur hum unhe itna bada dhokha de rahe hain......
Ansh looked at her and asked softly: Didi..... ek baat bata..... tu pyaar karne lagi hai Anirudh bhaiya se??......
Bondita looked at him surprised for a moment. She then looked away and uttered nervously: Kya.... bakwas.... kar...... raha hai Ansh....
Ansh then said: Didi.... bakwas nahi kar raha hu mai..... maine dekha teri aankhon me...... tu kitni fikar karti hai unki..... kitna khush rehti hai unke saath.....
Bondita went into deep thinking. She started reminiscing all the moments she spent with him. Ansh shook her to bring her out of her trance. She looked at him and then said nervously: Tu... tu na pagal hogaya.... tu..... tu jaa yahan se..... warna tu mujhe bhi pagal kar dega.....
Ansh tried to say: Sacchai se bhaagne se..... sach badal nahi jayega Didi.....
She looked at him and then pushed him towards the door uttering: Humara dimaag kharab mat kar.... nikal yahan se......
And closed the door. She leaned her back on the door and took a deep breath closing her eyes. All the moments she spent with Anirudh once again flashed in front of her eyes. She opened her eyes with a jerk. She uttered to herself: Ye sab kya ho raha hai.... kahi Ansh sahi toh nahi bol raha tha..... hume kahi.... sachme unse pya.... nai nai nai nai.... Ansh toh pagal hai.... kuch bhi bolta hai.... chal Bondita so ja.... warna pagal ho jayegi..... saying this she went to her bed.

In Sethi Mansion
The trio brothers were sitting at the pool side. Anirudh said: Aarav..... tumse kuch poochna hai..... ek help chahiye.....
Aarav looked at him and said: Meri help chahiye!..... batao kya help chahiye....
Anirudh looked down nervously and uttered: Mujhe.... ye poochna tha..... ki... ki..... pyaar kya hota hai......
Aarav looked at him surprised even Rudra's mouth took an 'O' shape. Aarav then asked teasing him: Aur tumhe ye janna kyun hai....
Anirudh started looking here and there having no answer. Rudra said teasingly: Mai samajh gayaa....
Anirudh looked at him surprised and uttered stammering: Ky... kya... sama... samajh gaye.....
Aarav chuckled and said: Iski baaton pe dhyaan mat de..... tumhe janna hai na..... pyaar kya hota hai..... he nodded.... Toh.... pyaar asal me hota kya hai..... ye toh aaj tak koi nahi jaan paya..... ek aisa ehsaas hai na.... jo shabdon me bayan nahi ho sakta.... pyaar me koi matlab nahi hota.... ye kab.... kisse.... kahan.... kaise ho jata hai.... kuch pata nahi chalta..... kisi ki aankhon me aansu dekh kar takleef ho..... kisi ki ek muskurahat aapke dil ko sukoon dene lage.... iska matlab woh insaan.... aapke liye bohot mayne rakhta hai..... aap uske bina apni zindagi imagine bhi nahi kar sakte.... tab hota hai pyaar.......
Anirudh was all lost in Aarav's words. He was relating his each and every word with himself and Bondita. Rudra and Aarav looked at him and then looked at each other smiling mischievously. They both sat beside him from either sides and shouted: Anirudhhhhhh.../ Broooooo
Anirudh jumped on his place listening their voice and they both bursted into laughter.
He too laughed along with after seeing them laughing. After some minutes, he stood up followed by Aarav and Rudra. He hugged Rudra and muttered a sweet thank you to him before going to his room. Aarav and Rudra too went to their rooms.