BADLAAV:

Note: This is Part 4 of 5 of the Bundelkhand series.

Amma ji looked up as her bhatija tapped her shoulder, and she smiled at him.

"Bol, maude, ke chahiye tujhe?" She asked.

"Bua, mujhe, na, wo... wo..." He said, blushing a little.

"Ise koi pasand aa gayi hai", Kundan said.

"What? Really, bro?" Sid asked. He flicked his eyebrows up. "Kaun hai wo?"

"Wo", Anuj, her bhatija said, nodding to someone. Sid followed his gaze, raising an eyebrow at the group of cadets.

"Maude, kaunsi waali?" Amma ji asked.

"Wo, white top mein", he said, and Sid's eyes widened.

"Monu!?" He almost shrieked. "Tumhe Monu pasand aa gayi hai?"

He shook his head. "Pasand nahi, bhai. Pyaar! Bua, shaadi ki baat karo, na? Please keh rahe hain?"

"Haan, haan, tujhse pasand aayi toh hum zaroor kuch karoge", Amma ji said. She made a face. "Par yahi pasand aa raho hai tujhe?"

'In mein se ek ko meri waali pasand aa gayi hai, ek meri bro ko pasand kar chuka hai, aur ek toh mujhe hi pasand kar chuki hai', he thought. 'Yahan par jo bhi aata hai, yeh log bina shaadi ke waapas nahi bhejte kya?'

"Uh, ek minute, guys?" Sid said. "Wo, uh, mujhe baat karni hai in sab se." He dashed to them before anyone could get a word out.

"Kya hua?" Karan asked, glancing behind him.

"Wo... wo jo Anuj, matlab Aunty ji bro ka bhatija hai, na, use koi pasand aa gayi hai", he huffed out. "Aur Aunty uss ladki ke saath uski shaadi karwaane ki baat kar rahe the."

Faizi stifled a laugh, staring at him. "Kaun?"

"Monu bro", he said.

"Kya? Kaun hai wo? Main-" Karan said, and Monami pinched his arm lightly. Her eyes darted to the cadets, giving him a stern look.

"Oh ho, Monami madam", Bala said.

"#No, no. Aisi #relative toh door door bhi na mile", Chitra said. "Yahi kehti rahegi poori #life, 'aye mori, kapde chote hain.'" She mocked her tone, and everyone laughed at her impression, even Karan sporting a smile.

"Suman ji ko toh yeh samajh nahi aa raho hai ki yeh tujhe pasand karto hai ya nahi, Monami. Abhi apne bhatije ka rishta karane ki baat kar raho hai, aur pehle, tujhe itna sunaaya usne. Chudail."

Aneesh clenched his jaw lightly. 'Ab yeh Karan kam tha, jo yeh ek aur aa gaya hai?' He thought.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Wo Amma ji ka stupid bhatija toh nahi jaa raha tumhaare saath, na?" He asked.

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Nahi. Nahi, jaa raha hai."

"Ho sake toh door rehna", he said.

"Karan, tum possessive kyun ho rahe ho?" She asked. "Main tumhaari hi hoon. I love you." She glanced around before leaning up and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"I love you too", he said.

"Main baaki cadets ke saath village tour par jaa rahi hoon. Tum bhi aa jao?"

He shook his head a little. "Maine dekha hua hai. Aur mujhe Faizi se kuch baat karni hai. Tum sab jao."

She made a face. "I'll miss you", she said, smiling at him, before running up to join the other cadets.

He rested his head on the wall, watching quietly as she met up with the others, the cadets playing around with each other. He smiled slightly, watching her laugh, and he sighed a little, staring at her.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Sanju, kal tumhaari shaadi hai", Faizi teased. "Kya soch rahi ho?"

"Yeh soch raho hain ki kisi ka muh naa todh payenge ab", she joked.

"Shaadi kar rahi hai. Dentist ka clinic band karne ki kya zaroorat hai?" Karan asked, and she sighed.

"Sir ji..." She said.

"Monami ji", a voice said, and the academy people looked up, finding a man. Karan raised an eyebrow at his dressed up form, his hair slick with tons of gel.

"Anuj", Sid muttered, and Karan's eyes narrowed, looking him up and down.

He produced a rose from behind his back, kneeling down on one knee, and holding it out to Monami.

"Humne aapko apna dil de diya hai, Monami ji", Anuj said, and Sid's hand flew to his mouth, stifling a laugh. "Humse shaadi kar lijiye. Kasam se, bahut achhe se rakhenge aapko."

Monami stared at him, blinking at the rose he held out. Karan's jaw clenched, and his hands curled into fists.

"Janaab-" Faizi started, wincing as he stormed over to the man.

She gasped as Karan clutched his throat, slamming into a wall, and hands flew to mouths, as everyone stared in shock.

"Karan!" Monami said, as he squeezed his throat a little. "Chodho use!"

"Door reh Monami se", he hissed. "Agar use dekha bhi, toh aankhein nikaal loonga teri! Stay away from her! Samjha?"

"Karan", Faizi said, pulling him away and Anuj slid to the ground, gasping slightly as he clutched his throat.

The villagers stayed back, looking wide eyed at him.

"Humaari Dadi ne kaho tha ki aise log rakshas ka roop hoto hain", a small kid muttered to a friend.

"Par soch, inhone apni dost ke liyo Amma ji ke bhatije tak ko maar diyo", another one muttered, smiling dreamily.

"Haan, Karan Bhai ji", Bala said. "Bilkul sahi kar rahe hain aap."

"#Go, Karan Sir", Chitra said.

Monami glared at the two harshly, and the two looked around innocently.

Karan shrugged Faizi's arms off. "Iske baare mein sochna bhi mat. Dimaag zameen par hoga tera."

"Karan!" Monami said.

"Kya? Tumhe karni hai shaadi isse?" He asked.

"Karan, kya bol rahe ho tum?" She snapped.

"Meri girlfriend ho tum, Monami", he said. "Aur iss namoone ko dekhne ka bhi haq nahi hai tumhe. Himmat kaise hui ise tumhe propose karne ki?" He pulled her closer, engulfing her in a hug, and Monami numbly lifted her hands in a hug. Did he just disclose their relationship?

"#Called it", Chitra said, clapping excitedly.

Bala whistled, clapping. "Mujhe toh pehle hi pata tha. Monami Madam aur Karan Bhai ji, ILU ILU."

"Suman ji ko bhi pata tha."

"Mujhe bhi shanka thi", Prem ji agreed.

"Hume naa pato tha ki aap kisi se pyaar karti hain", Anuj said, and they pulled away, finding his eyes downcast. "Hume maaf kar do. Par humaare pyaar ko naa bhoolna."

"Teri toh-" Karan said, and Monami immediately pulled him back.

"Karan!" She said. "Bichaara maafi maang raha hai. Aur pyaar ka izhaar hi toh kiya tha, badtameezi thodi na kari hai, itna violently kyun react kar rahe ho?"

"Maude, theek toh hogo tu?" Amma ji said, running over to him. "Zyaada chot toh naa lagi? Aye mori, teri-" She trailed off, as Karan's fierce eyes slid to her, looking away from him.

"Bhai, theek ho tum?" Kundan asked, inspecting his throat. He looked at Karan angrily, and he narrowed his eyes back dangerously. Kundan looked away, focusing on his cousin.

"Itna gussa kyun karte ho tum?" Monami said, sighing. "Anuj, I am sorry."

"Ke sorry?" Amma ji snapped. "Naa akal hogo, na tameez. Aur-"

Karan took a step forward, and she fell quiet.

"Chal, maure, chal", she said, quickly urging him inside.

Monami turned to Karan, crossing her arms. "Kya zaroorat thi? Karan, tumhe itna gussa kyun aata hai?" She sighed in frustration, shaking her head.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Yeh mori itna raat ko kahan jaa rahi hai?" Amma ji thought, as Monami passed by the window. 'Isse toh baat karni padegi hume.'

Aneesh looked up, as he saw a figure pass by the window, recognizing the built as Monami's. 'Yahi sahi mauka hai. Baat kar leta hoon. Karan se waise bhi naraaz hai yeh.'

The two got out of their rooms, following her, unaware of the other. Karan pulled her into a room, and the two ducked down, peeking through the window to see her.

"Chodho mujhe", Monami protested, wrenching her hands away from his grasp.

He dashed in front of her, and she tried to move past him, before sighing.

"Arey, suno toh sahi", Karan said. He clutched her arm, pulling her closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she sighed, lifting hers and wrapping hers around his neck.

Amma ji stared at them, hand flying to her mouth. "Haaye, Ram! Shaadi se pehle itne kareeb?"

"I know thoda zyaada gussa aa gaya mujhe, par... kisi aur ke saath tumhe dekhne ka soch bhi nahi sakta hoon."

"Kya zaroorat thi itna dhamkaane ki use? Chota sa crush tha. Itna harsh rejection mil gaya usko. Main kaunsa shaadi karne waali thi. Mujhe tumhaara alaawa kisi mein interest nahi hai, Karan. Aur sabko aise bata diya. Aur tumhe itna violently nahi react karna chahiye tha", she said. "Use kitna bura laga hoga, Karan."

He sighed. "Shayad zyaada kar diya", he admitted. "Aur sabko aise nahi bataana chahiye tha. I am sorry."

'Yeh Monami bhi, na', Aneesh thought bitterly, staring at the scene. 'Thodi der bhi gussa nahi rehti Karan se.'

"Waise..." he continued, pushing her gently against a wall. "Maine bataaya tumhe? Tum bahut achhi lag rahi ho."

Monami shook her head. "Tum compliments dekar manane ki koshish kar rahe ho?"

"Itna calculative nahi hoon main. Mujhe aisa manaana nahi aata."

"Haan, haan, pata hai mujhe kitne calculative ho tum", she said. "Kitna dimaag chalta hai tumhaara, pata hai mujhe."

"Tum hoti ho samne, toh dimaag nahi chalta. Tumhaare upar dhyaan hota hai."

"Flirt kar rahe ho tum?"

"Haan. Girlfriend ho, flirt toh kar hi sakta hoon. Nahi?" He said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She leaned up, kissing his cheek.

Amma ji kept a hand on her chest, staring at the scene. "Haaye Ram. Yeh mori! Aur yeh maura kaunsa kam hogo?"

"Bahut pyaar karta hoon main tumse", he said. "Tumhaare bina reh nahi sakta, aur kisi aur ke saath dekha nahi jaata, isliye thoda possessive ho gaya. I am sorry."

She smiled a little, nodding. "Main sirf aur sirf tumhaari hoon, Karan. Kisi aur ke saath rehna hi nahi mujhe, toh possessive hone ki kya zaroorat?"

'Pyaare toh saath mein lagto hain', Amma ji thought, a small smile pulling through. 'Shaadi kar lein, aur inki jodi salaamat rahe.' She shook her head, 'Sanskaar ki kami toh par dono mein hi hai. Par maa na hogo, toh kaise hi sikheegi?'

'Itne ghatiya lagte hain saath mein', Aneesh thought, glaring at them. 'Inhe toh door karna hi padega.'

Karan leaned down, slowly pressing his lips against hers.

Amma ji covered her face with her hands, straightening up and walking off. "Yeh shehar ki hawa", she muttered, shaking her head. "Itni jaldi ki shaadi tak bhi naa ruk sakto hain."

Aneesh stared at them, jaw and fists clenched as he stared at them kissing. "Nahi, Monami, tum meri hi hogi", he muttered to himself, walking off. He tripped on a rock in his distraction, landing face down on a smelly patch. He sat up, scrunching his nose up as he realized he was near a stable and what exactly he had landed into. "Eww!"

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

Monami paused, as she came face to face with Amma ji, and Karan watched them carefully.

"Aye mori", Amma ji said, a pleasant tone to her voice which made the academy people raise their eyebrows in surprise. "Idhar aa. Mere paas kuch hai jo tujhpar bahut achha lagega. Tu bhi pasand kar le kuch gehne. Pehlo, par Sanju ki pasand, haan. Uski shaadi hogo, na?"

"Amma, aapko pata hai, na, isne Anuj ko naa kari hogo", Kundan muttered in her ear.

"Haan, toh?" She said. "Pato hai hume. Padhe likhe naa hum, par buddhu bhi naa hain hum." She smiled at her. "Chal, mori."

She looked at Karan, and then the rest, yelping in surprise as she was pulled along into the room.

"Suman ji ko kuch samajh nahi aa raha hai."

"#Me too", Chitra said.

"Hridya parivartan?" Prem ji asked, staring at them.

"Kyun? Kaise? Janaab?"

"Mujhe nahi pata", Karan said, staring at them, just as confused.

Bala rubbed his eyes, staring after them. "Mujhe toh vishwaas hi nahi ho raha hai."

"Someone... pinch me", Sid said, extending his hand. "Is this a dream?"

Sanju pinched his arm harshly, and he yelped, rubbing it. "Sapna toh naa hogo. Par yeh humaari saas hogo, yeh bhi naa ho sakto hai."

'Ek ki wife hai ya nahi, wo samajh nahi aa raha hai. Ek missing hai aur kisi ko kuch pata hi nahi hai. Ek ka heart change nahi, replace hi ho gaya', Sid thought. 'Sanju ko bhi yahin rehna tha?'

Note- I'd love to hear your thoughts, so consider dropping a comment below. If you like my work, check my other works out.

I had originally written this as a request and purely for fun, rather than a serious series, so it might seem to be not up to mark. Hope you don't mind. Thank you!