|| IshRa SS || Haule Haule Ho Jayega Pyaar ✔

08 | Cheeni Kum

Raman took out his car to go to dinner to escape the inedible food ishita had cooked. They all set out to leave within minutes. The cold breeze hitting the window panes, it looked like it might rain. Neha was restless "It might rain, guys" 

"We'll be done soon" Raman replied pulling his car over to the driveway of the restaurant. They all got down and went in to know it was already crowded. Neha groaned while Mihir made an enquiry about when they could get a table. But when they found that it would take another hour they made a rational decision of moving to a less crowded place. And once again, they were in the car. 

Neha, who was restless, decides to strike up a conversation "Who made that food? and was it really that bad?" Ishita who was already feeling at fault about feeding sick Raman bad food and making him go out turns to his friends and throws a guilty look. She certainly wasn't making a great impression to his friends either.  

Mihir laughs "And who tasted it?" Ishita points towards Raman who is driving seriously. A pity expression flashed on both Mihir and Neha's face which confused ishita. Neha playfully hits Raman, "I hope you weren't rude" Raman shrugs that he was a perfect gentleman. 

Ishita backs him up, "Yeah, he wasn't rude. But I don't get why you ate more?" 

Mihir was shocked. His jaw dropped, he confirms once again  "What !! Seriously Raman tasted... and also ate extra?" They kept giving him weird looks which surprised ishita, she tried to catch up  "Kyu? Kya huva?" [Why? What happened?]

Neha gets super excited, she sits up straight and replies in a high pitched tone "Raman never eats bad food He leaves the table dramatically and oh those snarky remarks. And usne tumhara kharab khana khaya? oh my god! Someone pinch me... I can't believe it"

Mihir eyes suspicious looks towards Raman, "Khana kya sach main kharab tha ya?" [ Was food really bad or ...?] 

Raman frowns, "What would you mean by that? 

Neha retorts, clutching her head "oh no, you wanted to go out with Ishita alone and we guys came in as kabab mein haddi" Ishita is giggling at the thought of that. She laughs, "Kuch bhi, Food was really bad. Even I tasted it" 

Neha was trying to wink while trying to get her friends to admit "Don't lie you both. C'mon, tell us" Mihir was equally excited as well. His friend liking someone was a miracle. He was the most sceptical person there was and he let a stranger live with him. This had to mean something right?

Raman smoothly ignored his friends' snarky comments while glancing towards ishita who was looking out of the window with a big goofy smile, her cheeks red. They stopped at a nearby Dhaba. Mihir and Neha went ahead to get a table while Raman and ishita stayed back to park the car. 

Raman laughs nervously hoping his friends haven't scared ishita off "Inn dono ko kya huva?" [What happened to them?] Ishita smiles curtly,  "Mujhe kya pata? Aapke hi dost hai" [What do I know? they are your friends]

Raman asks, his hands on his hips, almost offended "Mere dost hai Matlab" [What do mean MY friends?] She rolls her and eyes and gets out of the car, "Aapke dost hai toh aapko pata hoga ki who kya keh rahe hai" [They're your friends, so you should understand what they are telling]

He says as they both are walking towards the Dhaba, "Ajeeb ho yaar tum" [you're strange] she playfully hits on his arm, "Ajeeb main...main Kaise ajeeb huvi" [how am I strange?] he forms his hand in namaste position, "Accha meri maa. Mujhe kha mat Jaana. Jao jaakar baito, I'll order something for you" [Okay now don't eat me up. Go and sit]

"Kya sochke tumhara Naam Ishita Raka, Jhansi ki rani zyaada suit Karta tha" [What did they think and name you? Jhansi ki rani would have suited better] he winks while walking away, she goes to sit with a slight smile on her face. 

Meanwhile, Mihir and Neha are having a serious discussion. Neha states,  "Kuch toh chal Raha hai inke beech" [Something's cooking in between these two] Mihir's eyebrows are lifted in question. She continued,  "Didn't you see apna Raman Kitna Badal Gaya hai" [Our Raman has changed a lot]

Mihir shakes his head, "doesn't mean that. they can just be friends. oh here they come, shush"

At the same time, Ishita occupies seat next to them and waits for Raman to turn up with their food. They are all having ice breaker conversations and trying to get to know each other. When Mihir sees Raman struggling to bring many plates in his hand, he rushes to help him while Neha excuses herself to wash her hands. 

Ishita just sits there waiting, humming some random tune while playing with the edges of her dupatta when she hears a familiar voice that sends chills down her spine, "Finally! I found you"

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Also, I totally understand bad cooking - as now that I've taken up cooking in lockdown days and all I seem to be great at is burning. Are you all good cooks? I would love to hear your cooking chronicles.