As they both ate dinner in silence, alone, they both tried to understand what went wrong before today.

Maybe Raavi was too patient and Shiva took advantage of that patience. Maybe Shiva didn't understand how to handle a sudden new relationship introduced in his life.

Nevertheless, from that moment onwards, they both decided, that as friends, they'd be there for each other.

They had their entire life to figure it out, and someday, it will make sense.

Someday, it will be worth it all.

~~~~

Afternoon

"Mujhe bahar jaake ye jagah dekhni hai. Sab chalte hai na, paas me ek mela hai, thoda change bhi mil jaayega" Raavi told Gombi.

"Woh, aaj toh possible nahi hai, mai aur dhara paas ke mandir me jaa rahe hai, Dev aur Rishita ko thoda akele me time spend karna hai, toh unhe haveli me hi rukhna hai, aur Krish apne doston se milne jaa raha." Gombi said, looking through some things.

"Accha?" Raavi said, dejectedly. "Theek hai, mai akele chali jaati hu, jagah toh pata nahi, lekin manage kar lungi." Raavi turned away, only to be stopped by Shiva.

"Ae mami-sorry, Raavi. Tu akele kyu jaayegi, mai bhi chalta hu tere saath." Shiva stood in front of her, kind of adamant.

Gombi was surprised to hear Shiva say her name, but he didn't show it.

"Tu mere saath aayega? Shaayad tune suna nahi, lekin mujhe mela dekhna hai. Waha thodi shopping bhi karungi." Raavi asked, eyes wide.

"Tu ghum na ho jaaye, isliye tere saath aa raha hu, jo bhi karna tu kar. Ye jagah tere liye nayi hai, lekin mai bachpan se aata rehta hu." Shiva said, avoiding her gaze.

"Theek hai, 10 min me tayyar hoke aaja jaana." She said, happily. "Kitna maza aayega na oh my god!!"

"Ye ladki mere samajh me hi nahi aati" Shiva thought with a smile.

~~~~

At the fair

"Mujhe kitna accha lag raha hai Shiva, mai bata nahi sakti" Raavi happily twirled. "Aisa lag raha hai chain ki saas le paa rahi hu itne din baad"

Shiva walks beside her, hands in pocket, smile on his face. Earlier, when she used be all chirpy and bubbly, he'd find it so irritating.

But now that he thinks about it, he doesn't know why it bothered him.

He knows the answer, but pushed it aside.

"AHHHH WOH DEKH!" Raavi screamed in joy.

Shiva looked up and saw a candy floss stall.

"Tujhe ye khaana hai?" He asked, puzzled.

"Tujhe nahi khaana? Chal khilati hu" She said, and pulled him by his hand.

Raavi happily bought candy floss, and said "Muh khol"

Before he could react, she fed him some candy floss zabardasti. And she was smiling. From ear to ear.

It had been so long since Shiva saw her so happy.

"Kitna sahi hai, ekdum bachpan ki yaad aagayi." She said, licking her fingers.

"Ab na, ye jewellery store chalte hai pleaseeee" Raavi asked, pouting.

She looked so cute. Cute? Pagal hai kya Shiva, kuch bhi, Shiva thought.

They entered the store, and the first thing she noticed were anklets.

"Ye kitne pretty hai, Shiva dekh na!" She said, excitedly.

It was like he brought a 5 year old to the fair. But no, it was his 22 year old wife.

Wife.

"Shiva!! Kaha khoya hai, mujhe help karna, ye lagane me" Raavi said, as she sat down on a stool near him and struggled with the anklet.

"Tu karle, mujhe koi interest nahi hai isme sab" Shiva waved her off, looking here and there.

"Laaiye bhabhi hum help kar dete hai" The shopkeeper said, coming towards her.

Shiva didn't like that. He didn't want that strange man to help her. He was standing right there, how dare he.

"Koi zaroorat nahi, mai zinda hu abhi." Shiva gritted through his teeth.

He knelt down in front of Raavi, and helped her with the anklet.

Raavi stared at him, in awe, as he took a few tries to put it on. He had never done this before. And she didn't complain either.

"Kaise lag rahe hai?" She got up and twisted her leg around to show him.

"Suit kar raha hai tujhe." He nodded at her.

"Mujhe bhi yehi laga! Kitne pyaare hai ye! Bhaiyya, iska price bata do, mai pay karti hu" Raavi said, removing her wallet.

"Madam, nikaal ke dedo, pack toh kar du"

But she didn't want to remove it. She just didn't want to.

"Nahi na bhaiyya, mai iske paise de dungi, utarna nahi hai ye mujhe."

As Raavi was arguing with the shopkeeper, Shiva noticed something that Raavi didn't.

"Ae chipkali, bhes mat kar, tu aage jaa mai inse baat karta hu." Shiva said, eager to send her out.

"Tune mujhe chipkali kaha! " Raavi pointed fingers at him.

"Lekin insult nahi kiya na? Jaa, mai aata hu" Shiva shooed her out.

She stormed out in a huff and he turned towards the shopkeeper....

~~~

Raavi was surrounded by bubbles, people, the familiar smell of popcorn somewhere around the corner and.... Dhol??

She looked around to see a band of people playing music that would make anyone dance, just as Shiva left the store.

"SHIVA WOH DEKH!" She exclaimed, and dragged him towards the band.

"Arre gadhedi, kya kar rahi hai- Tu nachwane waali hai mujhe? Nahi ye mai nahi karunga." Shiva rejected this idea and tried to pull away.

"Aa gaye hai toh pura fun lete hai na!" Raavi yelled over the loud music.

She ran to the centre and started dancing, like it was her own wedding.

She was so full of happiness. Shiva was surprised to see such a drastic change, and all she needed was a little support.

He regretted being so crude with her, but whatever happened was in the past. Right now, she's the same old Raavi.

Background song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVHaXD7zHDQ

Seeing her enjoy herself, made him happy. Why? Because his friend was happy.

Friend. He never thought he'd be friends with her. But some things come unplanned, and this wasn't so bad.

He was liking this. Friendship. He never thought anyone would be his friend, with his nature and behaviour.

But here she was, ecstatic. In front of his eyes.

Ab dosti ki hai, toh nibhani padegi na.

Not going to lie, the music was tempting, so he ran next to her and started dancing with her.

They looked at each other and danced their hearts out, as if no one else mattered.

No one else joined them, but that didn't matter. They were enjoying themselves, and had eyes only for each other.

Song ends.

"Baapre, hum at least 45 minutes toh naach hi rahe the. Dekhna, andhera bhi hone ko aaya hai" Raavi huffed, as the sun began to set.

"Humare liye paani leke aata hu, gala sukh gaya hai." Shiva panted, and ran off to buy some water.

Raavi looked around, and saw a beach nearby.

The setting sun looked stunning, and it was so calm. Nobody was on the beach, birds were flying back, and soft waters of the ocean waves back and forth on the sand of the beach.

She walked over to the beach and sat down there. This was so peaceful.

"Ek hi bottle tha, share karna padega." Shiva said, as he plopped down next to her.

"Kitna sundar nazara hai na ye, Shiva. Mann karta hai idhar hi baithi rahu."

"Jaana nahi hai?" Shiva asked, passing her the bottle of water.

She nodded her head, saying no. She dropped a message to Dhara, and looked at the scene in front of her.

"Thodi der rukh jaate hai." She said.

Thodi der rukh jaate hai.

- - - - -

How was this chapter? Maza aaya ki nahi? 😉