Pride vs Prejudice

Chapter 10

"Yes, Mom! I will call you as soon as I reach Pedhe. Don't worry" Ria whispered in to her phone, moving as far as she could from Shiv who was sitting at the other side of the rear seat.

"Love you too!" she whispered quickly before cutting the phone.

She quickly glanced at Shiv from the corner of her eye. She wanted to make sure that he hadn't heard her private conversation. But she saw him trying hard to hold his laughter. Great! The jerk had heard it and now was enjoying at her expense, she thought, gritting her teeth.

"Can I put on some music?" the driver Kailash asked them, looking at them through the rear view mirror.

She nodded gently, before focusing on the scenery outside the car.

Shiv for his part had just finished reading a message from Arvind. He couldn't believe how much his friend had gone crazy when he mentioned that he was stuck with know-it-all Khanna. He couldn't help smile.

"Sahib?" Kailash called out to him, to get his view "Can I put on some music?"

"Huh?" Shiv said, being pulled out of his reverie "Okay" he said with a shrug of his shoulder.

Kailash put on his CD, which turned out to be an old song "Tum toh thehere pardesi"

Shiv widened his eyes listening to the song before bursting into laughter "Wah (Wow)! What a choice of song!" he said in jest

"You like the song?" Kailash asked enthusiastically "I will increase the volume" he said and did just that

"What?" Ria was left wondering as Kailash started blaring the horrible song on high volume

Shiv patted his back in encouragement.

Ria closed her ears, trying to cut off some of the volume that was now hurting her ear drums.

"Bajao! Bajao!" (Play it, Play it) Shiv told Kailash, seeing Ria's state.

Ria looked at him annoyed and angry "You!" she shot at him "Band karo yeh!" (Stop this now) she ordered Kailash

"Chaalu rakho!" (Keep it on) Shiv ordered Kailash

"Shut it now!" Ria spat at Shiv

"Nopes! Not happening!" Shiv said casually, leaning back into his seat

"Kailash! Shut it now!" Ria literally screamed now

Kailash got a bit worried and shut the song

"Hello! Why did you shut it? Did I ask you to?" Shiv asked Kailash "Turn it back on"

"If you turn it on, I will break your music system" Ria warned him

"I will buy you a new better one" Shiv said firmly, looking more at her than Kailash

Ria narrowed her eyes at Shiv, before turning to look at Kailash "I will break you and your taxi"

"That hawaldar should have put you behind bars! You are the violent one!" Shiv shot at her, still looking amused at the reaction he was getting from her

"I swear you will be my first victim, if you don't butt out and stop annoying me" Ria warned him.

"What are you planning to do to me?" he asked, pretending to be scared "Oh god, please save me" he said, smirking in the end

"You! I will show you what I can do!" Ria shot at him, before taking the pepper spray from her bag.

Ria pointed it at Shiv almost ready to spray him

"What the hell?" Shiv blurted, his eyes widening at her actions.

Shiv quickly held her hand, to stop her from spraying it on him. Ria was strong, for a girl, he had to admit. Though he wasn't trying to use too much force. He really didn't want to hurt her. It was one this to annoy her in jest and quite another to hurt her in reality.