A giant pepsi bottle and an equally large packet of kurkure were having heated words with each other in front of Pandya Stores while Shiva helplessly watched from the sidelines.

Kaka refused to chase them away because they were customers too.

Shiva didn't know how to react to that. He is not letting a bottle of pop and a bag of crisps ruin the ambience of his beloved store. He stormed over to them brandishing a bat.

"Ae gadhero! Niklo yaha se. Apna yeh kutte billiyon ka khel kahi aur jaake khelna. Abhi bhag yaha se!" Shiva shouted at them.

The giant Pepsi looked at him and started shaking violently while the kurkure started laughing hysterically.

Shiva was pissed. How dare they laugh at him?!

He swung his bat and hit the Pepsi right at the abdomen. But the carbonated drink was already fizzed up to the brink and the moment Shiva's bat hit it, its cap burst open - spraying Shiva and everyone in its vicinity with the ice cold liquid.

Shiva got up with a start. He raised a hand to his face, wiping the cold liquid from his face and turned to look at Radhika who was holding a now empty jar of water in her hands. She grinned at his murderous glare.

"Aise ghoorna bandh karo. Maine koshish ki thi tameez se jagane ki. But tum toh kumbhkarn ki neend so rahe the." Radhika said grinning blithely. "Bhabhi ne bola hai uthke nahane ke liye. Naha ke ao. Nashta lagati huu."

"Pehle woh Chipkali kam thi jo ab yeh bhi aa gayi meri neend kharab karne." Shiva grumbled to himself. "Tu itni subah subah yaha kya kar rahi hai?"

"Main toh Krish ko lene ayi thi. Ice cream khane jaa rahe hai. Tum chaloge?"

"Nahi. Tum dono gadheron ke beech kabaab mein haddi nahi banna mujhe. Tum khao apna ice cream." Shiva chuckled as Radhika blushed a bright red.

"Kuch bhi matlab na? Apne dimag ko break laga lo. Aisa kuch nahi hai." Radhika pouted looking away.

"Haan haan. Jaise hum toh kal paida huye the. Andhe bhi hai. Humko toh kuch dikhta hi nahi bhaiii!!!" Shiva laughed ruffling her hair affectionately before getting up and grabbing a towel.

*****

The last thing Raavi wanted to see when she entered Pandya Niwas was Shiva and the Dayan flirting so early in the morning. Why is she even here? Doesn't she have a home? Or is she hoping to be adopted by the Pandyas?

Raavi made a beeline to the kitchen when Dhara di and the Dayan were getting breakfast ready. They looked up as Raavi entered the kitchen.

"Arre Raavi! Aa gayi tu? Chal aaj nashta humare saath kar le thik hai."

"Haan Dhara di. Main kuch help karu?"

"Nahi Radhika ne saara ready kar hi liya hai. Tu baith araam se." Dhara di smiled at her not noticing Raavi's face sour at the mention of Radhika. "Accha sab toh ready ho hi gaya hai. Radhika ek kaam kar. Shiva ki chai usko deke aa."

Raavi's eyes widened. No way in hell is she letting this Dayan give her Shiva tea. At least not while she is still alive.

"Dhara di main de deti hoon."

Dhara looked at Raavi as soon as she spoke. "Kya?"

Raavi fumbled for a second before replying, "Woh Shiva ko chai main de dungi Dhara di. Radhika already subah se kitna kuch kar hi chuki hai. Yeh main kar deti hoon." Raavi spoke through her clenched teeth.

"Haan Bhabhi! Raavi de degi Shiva ko chai. Mujhe bhi nikalna hai." Radhika said looking amused for some reason.

Raavi frowned at her before she collected Shiva's breakfast and left the kitchen. She walked over to his cot but Shiva wasn't there. He probably was in the bathroom, she thought. Leaving the tray on the bedside table, she walked into the storeroom to pick the clothes for him to wear. Raavi opened the wardrobe and got his clothes out, and before she could shut the door, a file fell out of the wardrobe, papers scattering all over the floor.

"Yeh Bhootnath bhi kitna careless hai! File koi aise thooske rakhta hai kya?? Acche se rakhna chahye. Kuch kho jata toh!?!" Raavi grumbled as she bent down to collect them and secure them safely into the file. She looked for a safe place for the file when her eyes fell on the drawer in the wardrobe. She barely opened the drawer when she felt someone grab her wrist and she turned to look into the panicked eyes of Shiva.

Raavi's heart skipped a beat when she realised he was in only towel, still dripping wet. Her eyes followed a drop of water trailing down his jaws, over his neck, down in between his pectorals, through the chiseled valley and eventually disappearing down into his towel. Raavi watched in a daze, wishing for the towel to drop. Their eyes met and she felt a moan escape her lips as she stared into his onyx eyes. He leaned into her, caging her with his body and her breath hitched at his proximity - her senses engulfed with the citrusy smell of his soap.

The hand that grabbed her wrist was now trailing up her arm, while the other snaked around her waist. She gingerly placed her arms around his waist, slowly trailing them up his bare back, before disappearing into his hair. He nuzzled her neck gently - his fingers rubbing circles on her waist, and she leaned her head back, giving him better access. Her knees buckled when his lips touched the hollow of her neck, almost sending her crashing down but his arm held her steady. She shut her eyes, heady from the sensations coursing through her body and she dug her nails into his back.

A loud clang snapped them out of their daze and they jumped apart as if on fire. Raavi released the breath she didn't know she was holding and snuck a look at Shiva who now had his back to her - hands fisted by his side. She didn't wait for him to turn, rushing out of the room as fast as she could. She didn't hear Dhara calling after her. She didn't hear Masimaa call out to her as she entered the house. She didn't stop till she reach her room and locked the door, breathing heavily. Only then, did she break down, fisting her clothes as she crashed down to the floor, sobbing. What the hell did she do??? Her heart clenched and she didn't even know what was worse - the fact that she let her future devar touch her so intimately or that she enjoyed his touch?

How could she let him touch her like that? How dare she forget the whole world with his one touch?? How could she forget the guy she loves?? She was getting married. To the guy of her dreams. To...to his brother. Her heart whispered, breaking a little. She took a deep breath, wiping her tears furiously.

"Bas kar Raavi! Kya kar rahi hai!?! Tu Dev se pyaar karti hai! Shaadi kar rahi hai usse. Ab Shiva ko dimag par haavi hone mat de! Yeh ajeeb feelings, jo bhi hai important nahi hai. Dev important hai. Hum dono ka future important hai. Yeh sab ab bandh kar de. Aaj jo hua, nahi hona chahye tha. Kyu hua, kaise hua nahi fark padta! Aage naa ho iska khayal rakh. Dur reh Shiva se. Woh rahe apni Dayan ke paas tujhe nahi fark padna chahye."

Raavi thought, willing her heart to stop paining. She took huge gulping breaths as she dug her fingernails into her palms, breaking the skin with the force. She got up shakily and sat in front of the window. The cool breeze did nothing to calm the raging storm inside her. She was making the right decision, for the sake of her future. She will be getting everything she ever wished for. So why did it feel like she's losing the most important thing in her life? Why did it feel like she's losing a vital part of herself?

*****

"Ab batao yeh Shiva ka kya scene hai?"

Krish and Radhika sat at the ghats, savouring their ice creams when Krish asked her the question about Shiva. She gave him a confused look before speaking.

"Kya scene hai matlab?"

"Matlab wahi hai jo maine pucha hai Radhika. Kya scene hai? Kal kya tha woh sab?"

"Kya bol rahe ho Krish?"

"Arre kal woh jewelers ke waha ring wala kaand! Woh kya tha?"

"Oh! Woh. Woh kuch nahi tha. Raavi confused ho gayi thodi. Hota hai, hota hai kabhi kabhi."

"Please Radhika. Bewakoof dikhta hu, pann hu nahi. Dekha tha maine khud waha kya hua. Aur movie hall mein woh jo Raavi Bhabhi tumhe aur Shiva ko gusse se ghoor rahi thi, woh bhi dikhta hai mujhe." Krish was agitated. "Aur pichle kuch hafton se yeh Shiva bhi bina daru ke Devdas bana phirr raha hai. Mujhe pata hai tumhe sab pata hai toh please aise behave mat karo jaise tumhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha."

Radhika sighed deeply, looking at the now melted ice creams in their hands. She got up and dumped both the cones into the trashcan, stalling for time. When she saw Krish looking at her expectantly, she sighed again.

"Krish I never said tum bewakoof ho ya tumhe kuch samajh nahi ata. It's just that....yeh meri story nahi hai. Shiva ne trust karke mujhse share kara hai. Main uska trust break nahi kar sakti. I'm sorry."

Krish didn't say anything for a long time, simply staring into the distance. Radhika glanced at him, worried he was mad at her. After what seemed like eternity, he finally spoke.

"Shiva pyaar karta hai na Raavi Bhabhi se?" Radhika looked at him in surprise and he chuckled. "Aise kya dekh rahi ho. Jaanta hu sab baccha samajhte hai mujhe, lekin apne bhai ka dard toh dikhta hai mujhe bhi."

Radhika took a deep breath before nodding. Krish felt silent again before asking.

"Aur Raavi Bhabhi?"

"Pata nahi. Shayad." Radhika replied wearily. "Jabse main mili hu tum sabse, maine Raavi ko Shiva ko leke possessive hote dekha hai. Woh Shiva ke saath jaise hoti hai, kisi aur ke saath nahi hoti. They are so in sync with each other. Uss din Bhai ki sangeet mein unka dance. Ek baar market mein main Shiva se takda gayi thi toh Raavi itna gussa huyi thi jaise mera qatl kar degi. Itne dino mein jitna observe kara hai usse toh yahi lagta hai ki woh bohot affected hai Shiva se."

"Hmmmm. Woh dono bacchpan se aise hi hai. Ladte jhagarte. Girte sambhalte. Hamesha ek dusre ke saath rahe hai. Unki toh duniya hi ek dusre ke ird gird hi ghumti ayi hai. Dev se woh connection kabhi tha hi nahi jo Shiva ke saath hai Raavi Bhabhi ka."

"Lekin phir bhi Raavi Dev se shaadi kar rahi hai, Shiva se nahi. Sirf isliye kyunki Dev ne Raavi ko Shiva se bachaya? Bhale hi poori duniye se Shiva lada uske liye? How is this fair?" Radhika pouted.

Krish laughed at her expressions. She looked adorable when she pouted. He shook his head at his thoughts, instead focusing on the problem at hand.

"Toh ab?"

"Matlab?" Radhika asked.

"Matlab kuch toh karna hoga na. Inn dono ko qareeb laane ke liye?" Krish asked.

Radhika shook her head before replying. "Nahi. Kuch nahi karna hai."

Krish was surprised. "Kyunki Shiva ne mana kiya hai isliye hum kuch nahi karenge? Main nahi darta uss kagde se!"

"Nahi Krish. Baat woh nahi hai. Yeh unn dono ka masla hai. Hum aaj interfere kar lenge. Sab thik ho bhi jayega. Lekin tab kya jab hum nahi honge? Agar poori zindagi saath rehna hai toh aur problems ayenge life mein. Unhone ek dusre tak ka raasta khud dhundna hai. Har masle ka hal saath nikalna hai. Ek dusre ka partner banke. Ek dusre ko sambhalte huve aage chalna hai. Ek couple ke beech kisi teesre ki jagaah nahi honi chahye Krish. Bhalei hi woh unka well-wisher hi kyun naa ho."

"Par agar Dev aur Raavi Bhabhi ki shaadi ho gayi toh? Yeh toh galat ho jayega na!"

"Haan galat toh hoga. Lekin mujhe yakeen hai ki woh dono tab tak ek dusre ko samjh lenge. Zyada zaroorat padi toh kisi tarah se shaadi postpone kar denge to buy them some time." Radhika laughed.

Krish chuckled at her before sobering up. "Par tab tak hum kya karenge?"

Radhika looked ahead at the sun setting into the horizon, sighing deeply. "Intezaar."

Krish watched her mesmerised as the warm orange of the setting sun set her face aglow. "Toh intezaar hi sahi."

She turned towards him when she he spoke. Their eyes met and she smiled. He looked the very picture of serenity. They broke their eyelock and turned to gaze at the waters, as the sun kissed the horizon, whispering a promise for tomorrow.

.........to be continued

Apologies for the errors