"Sach bol raha hai tu?" Sameer was pleasantly surprised.
"Haan, usne khud kaha mujhse... par usse darr lagta hai Preeti se baat karne mein." Munna explained.
Sameer had just entered the house when Munna caught him at the main door itself, narrating the entire conversation with Pandit.
"Fir toh humein kuch karna chahiye... sabse pehle yeh pata karna padega ki Preeti ke dil mein bhi kuch hai ya nahi." Sameer rubbed his hands in anticipation of a new love story.
They rushed back to the room. Pandit stood at the window, hands in pocket... his back to the door.
Sameer quickly walked to him, turning him by holding the shoulder. He spread his arms to hug him when Pandit stalled him by showing his palm.
"Haldi teri hui hai... meri nahi hai jo tu aise mujhe gale lagane ki koshish kar raha hai... ja pehle naha ke aa." Pandit took a step back, looking at Sameer's shirt that had started to show stains from the haldi that was on his arms and body.
"Arre yaar, teri bhi ho jayegi, pareshan kyon hota hai... jab pehla kadam utha liya hai toh dheere dheere aage bhi badhega... itna utavla mat ho ki aaj pyar ka ahsaas hua aur aaj hi teri shaadi ki taiyari shuru ho jaye." Munna teased Pandit.
"Yaar Munna, ched mat abhi se... abhi iska naya naya pyar hai." Sameer showed fake anger to Munna.
"Haan, haan... ekdum taaza taaza hai... thoda pakne do... dheere dheere badhne do... fir isko chedenge." Munna teased.
"Arre yaar, tum log bhi... abhi toh kuch shuru bhi nahi hua hai... Preeti se baat kaise karun, yehi pata nahi hai... meri toh himmat nahi hogi usse kuch puchne ki ya kehne ki." Pandit was extremely tensed, unaffected by the teasing.
"Tu bas dekhta jaa... hum koi na koi chakkar chalake pata laga hi lenge ki Preeti ke dil mein kya hai." Munna comforted him.
Pandit sat down on the bed, frazzled at all the new developments in his life.
"Sameer, tu jaldi se naha ke aaja... fir khana khake sochte hain ki kya karna hai." Munna looked at Sameer.
Nodding, he grabbed his towel and went for a bath. It wasn't easy to remove the dried haldi from his skin and hair... it took him a long time to come out of the washroom.
"Kitni der laga di bhai... chal ab jaldi taiyar ho ja... aunty do baar khaane ke liye bula chuki hain." Munna almost dragged him out once he was dressed.
"Arre Pandit, tu kyon nahi aa raha?" Munna looked back, puzzled, when Pandit didn't follow them.
"Tum log jao... mujhe bhook nahi hai." Pandit did not get up from the bed.
Sameer and Munna were taken aback for a moment... then rushed to their friend, grinning.
"Ab teri aashiqi pe koi shaq nahi raha... agar Pandit ko bhookh nahi hai toh iska matlab pyaar bohot gehra hai bhai." Munna pulled him up, hugging him tight... Sameer joining in.
Lunchtime at Naina's house was rushed as the mehendi ceremony was to start soon. Naina was finally sent for a bath just before lunch. Taiji was ready to faint by then... having no energy left even to get up or taunt anyone.
"Preeti, tu aur Naina pehle khana kha lo fir tu Naina ko taiyar kar dena." Bela quickly set the plates for the two of them.
Pooja and Neelu helped Bela to serve to all other guests and relatives. Swati had gone home to get dressed for mehendi. She came when Naina was almost ready.
"Ab aa rahi hai tu? Kab se tera intezar kar rahi thi main." Naina frowned at her.
"Woh... bas aane hi lagi thi ki Munna ka phone aa gaya... ussi se baat karne mein thodi der ho gayi." Swati smiled shyly.
