Farq Hai
Chapter 2 — Tu Chamak Hai
•×•
Vanraj winced in pain, when the lights came back.
Anupamaa froze."Anu di.. if not me, my bhai will come. He's this six feet tall man.. maybe he'll wear his same old grey shirt. Plus, he has this tattoo on his right hand.. Shiv ji's tattoo."
She had noticed the tattoo, but now it was way too late.
She gulped nervously."Anu! What happened.."
Kanta, Anupamaa's mother rushed out from inside the house.
She paused staring at the man.
Then the stick in Anu's trembling hand, and the thick red mark on his bicep all thanks to the way her daughter had hit him.It took her a moment to recognise.
"Anu! What did you do?!", She said, half annoyed, half nervous.
She immediately jogged down to Vanraj.
"I.. I thought he's a goon..", Anu mumbled in embarrassment."Do I look like a goon to you?!", Vanraj snapped in pain.
"No..", She mumbled looking at his bicep.
"I'm so sorry from her end beta.. she's so stupid sometimes..", Kanta mumbled looking at the mark nervously."Please come in..", Kanta added.
"No no.. thank you.", Vanraj said irritably, turning to leave.
"Please Vanraj beta.. come and have some tea.. Anu will tend to that wound also.", Kanta said softly.Anu looked down, feeling terribly embarrassed.
He was her guest and she literally hit him with a stick.Vanraj glared at Anupamaa, but since it was a request from her mother, he nodded.
He walked in.
Kanta immediately pulled Anu.
"He is the boy who's photo pandit ji gave.", She whispered.
Anu paled two tones.Under the pressure of neighbours, her mother had agreed to marry her off.
And this is her prospective groom.
And she had made a terrible impression.Vanraj sat on the chair in the shabby room.
His voice was only slightly better than this place.
Inhaling the scent of incense sticks, he sighed.
Anupamaa immediately came with the first aid box."No thanks.", He said irritably taking the box.
He took the oinment and applied it, while she stood watching him.Hmm.. he only came like a thief in the dark.. and now look at all the attitude and anger..
How will I live with this man?!She sat on the chair beside him.
Watching him.
Her mother was going to make tea with whatever milk and tea leaves were left.Vanraj noticed her observing me.
"What?", He asked.
"I apologise for that. I did not realise.", She said softly.
He drew in a deep breath."Fine.", He said handing the box back to her.
Suddenly something struck him."How does your mother know my name?", He asked in a hushed tone.
"Oh.. because.. you know..", she picked up his photo from the centre table.
She gave it to him.He looked at it awkwardly.
"So.. you are the girl I am supposed to see tomorrow?", He asked, trying to determine what expression he should give.
"Hmm.", She said, sighing.There was a moment of silence.
Kanta immediately brought him tea. He accepted it reluctantly, watching Anupamaa.
She was definitely not happy with whatever was going to happen.
As a matter of fact, neither did he like the idea.She was not even close to what he wanted for a wife.
He needed an independent modern girl, like his ex girlfriend, not some ordinary girl who hit guys with sticks."And.. what do you do?", Kanta asked.
"Job.. eight thousand per month.", He said, finally looking at Kanta.
"Wow! You've just started with that salary.. you'll earn so much more in future..very good.", She said beaming.He forced a smile.
His ex girlfriend's father had definitely not been appreciative of this.
He drank the tea and got up.
He walked towards the gate, Anupamaa followed him out to escort him."I did not want to hit you..", she whispered, looking down.
Vanraj drew in a deep breath.
"It's okay.. but.. when I will come tomorrow don't cook nicely. Otherwise my Bapuji and Moti Naa will choose you. I don't want to marry you.", He said plainly.Anupamaa looked up at him, somehow his rejection on the face stung.
"I don't like you either! Huh!", She snapped at him.
"Excuse me—"
"Go away, okay?! Leave!", She said angrily.He gulped, taken aback.
He noticed how the bangle in her wrist twinkled in the light.What more colours does she have? Just now she was all sad, now she's angry..
He turned towards his home.
Tomorrow would be a big day.
•×•
YOU ARE READING
Ranjha
Roman d'amour"If you and I were never meant, why do we keep meeting everytime?" • AnuRaj short stories anupamaa x vanraj. #1 in ache #16 in compassion