Ekansh:
My stomach rambled like thunders in the storm with multiple voices. I lost the last energy source and slammed on the couch, my head resting on my big brother's lap.
Ruhi is great. She has been observing this fast for the past two years, and this is her third.
"When will the moon be visible, Bhai?" I muttered, feeling exhausted.
Suddenly the lights went off, and I heard the voices of familiar anklet bells, the ones that I gifted to Ruhi. My head moved to my left. A girl similar to Ruhi's height wearing a backless blouse stood in the centre of the room.
From background, bole chudiyan bole kangana song played.
Then she whirled with a broad smile on her face pointing her finger towards me when the lyric played... Hai mai hogayi Teri sajana .
I dropped suddenly onto the floor to find Ruhi, dancing to the song. Everyone laughed at my reaction but she continued waving her waist and arms on the song.
"Ruhi can dance?" I asked more to myself.
But Iklav Jiju heard me and replied with proudness filled in his tone, "She is a classical dancer, dude."
"What the freak?" I stood up. She approached me and moved around dancing beautifully, swaying her sexy waist. I forgot everything... My hunger, people's gaze. I caught her wrist and pulled her close. She stuck her tongue out, teasing me and moved away.
But then I say my brother grabbing my bhabhi's hand and slowly moving her in his arms and repeating the lyrics... Roop aisa suhana tera chand bhi hai diwana tera.
Following them Ruhi's cousins joined them too.
Once again I approached Ruhi. I didn't know much, so I rolled her in my arms and hugged her from behind when everyone was shaking their whole body with perfection. Ruhi tried to teach me a few steps but it went in vain. I just shrugged my shoulders when everyone laughed at my failed attempt.
But Ruhi rested her head on my shoulders and whispered, "You don't have to prove anything, you are the best, Ekansh."
"Moon is visible!" Ekta announced. Ruhi stared at me and smiled.
Meanwhile, the song played in the background when every female observing fast stood in the circle and exchanged the trays of their Diya.
Iklav Jiju directed us to go and join our respective wives. I walked to Ruhi. She looked flawless in her red saree and jewellery.
She took the stainer in her hand and saw the moon through it first and then at me. A bright smile loomed on her beautiful face. I smiled back at her.
Then I took the glass of water and brought it near her mouth. Before the brim touched her lips... She shook her head.
My brows pulled in and she brought the same glass near my mouth. "Drink," She demanded. I took a sip and then made her drink the rest of the water. Then we fed sweets to each other. She signalled a maid to take the tray away.
"You didn't have to do it," Ruhi muttered. I lowered my head and placed my forehead against hers.
"Jab aap humari lambi Umar ke liye wrat rakh sakthi ho. Toh hum kyun nahi, Meri Jaan?"
"When you can observe fast for my long life, then can't I do the same for you?" I whisper-asked.
She looked to and fro, and when she found everyone was busy with their partners, she angled her face and performed a bold stunt, that widened my eyes. She placed her lips on mine.
"Yeh kya ho raha hai yah!"
"What's happening here?" Instantly she opened her eyes and pulled away when her Dadaji's voice roared from her behind.
Immediately, she walked around me and hid herself behind me.
"Humne pucha, kya kar rahi thi aap? Wo bhi sabke samne?"
"I asked you what were you doing. And that too in front of everyone?" He demanded to her.
"Ekansh, save me," she whispered, cutely. But she wasn't aware of the playful smirk forming on her dadaji's face.
"Stop hiding. And. Come out, Ruhi!" He commanded her, still with a fake anger.
Ruhi:
I shouldn't have done that stunt of kissing Ekansh in front of everyone. But I couldn't control it when he replied to me the reason for observing fast.
But now I am scared of facing Dadu. I went against his rules and his discipline. My heart pounded in my chest.
biting my lips, I stood in front of dadu.
Dadu's footsteps approached me and my head was nonetheless tilted down.
"Look into my eyes," he ordered again. I gulped and slightly raised my head.
I was mistaken when I saw a gleam in his eyes instead of anger.
He laughed at me. Then took out a huge amount of cash and took out Ekansh and mine Jinx by swirling it around our heads at a time.
Then he called a maid and handed her that. He welcomed us in a hug and whispered, "I am so happy for you both. Now I think I can die happily."
"I already warned you, you will not repeat that word again, Dadu," I bragged with anger at him.
"But one or other day, I will die, Ladoo Rani."
"Then I will die with you too."
"Then what about me, Ruhi?" An immediate response from Ekansh reached in my ear.
I looked surprised at him. "I thought, you have... I mean you will find my replacement." I muttered. I can't fully trust him, can I?
On behalf of him, Dadu asserted, "he couldn't Ruhi. Not everyone can bring love and happiness in his life like you."
Ekansh left the hall and when he arrived at the dining room, he looked different. He gave me one very unusual glance. When I was serving his plate, he stopped me with his hand gestures and served himself some starters.
There were so many dishes but for some reason, I didn't feel like eating and it was because of Ekansh's silence.
I glanced at Ekansh. His eyes were glued to me. "Why aren't you eating?" I asked.
"As if it matters to you..." He muttered under his breath. I narrowed my eyes and tried to apprehend the reason behind the sour mood of Ekansh.
I couldn't apprehend what could have gone wrong with him. But he was behaving strangely with me.
Is he missing Anthra?
Or did something happen between them?
He left me as soon as he was done with dinner. He hardly had one piece of paneer starters and watching him, I couldn't eat anything. When I entered the room he was already on the bed with his back facing me.
I sat down on the chair in front of the dressing table. I stared at his back. There was no response or any moment.
I messed with the hooks of my jewellery intentionally and voiced, "Ekansh!" He didn't respond, "Ekansh!"
"What?"
"Can you please help me with these jewellery hooks?"
"Seek help to someone else." He replied rudely. I lowered my head. Maybe they fought very badly.
"Did you fight with her?" I found myself asking. Maybe I hate her more than anything but I shouldn't forget that she is his girlfriend for 3 years.
He sat up and stared confused at me, by drawing his brows in, he inquired, "With whom?"
I gulped, I couldn't meet my eyes with his, "With your girlfriend?" I mumbled.
"With Anthra?" He confirmed. I nodded my head, now staring at him. "Yes." He replied.
"Oh!" I exclaimed and stood up, feeling hurt. That's why, he left the hall after breaking the fast. Everything he is creating is fake. I should have apprehended it. I stood up and announced, "I will seek help from Ekta."
While I approached the door, I heard him demanding "Lock the door and come back, Ruhi."
"It's... O-okay. I will ask her, she will help me."
"Ruhi, I am already annoyed don't annoy me anymore." I locked the door and silently moved inside.
He climbed down the bed and constantly glared at me by standing, "I observed fast whole day for you and you assume my sour mood is because of another woman. What are you exactly, Ruhi?"
I stood in front of him and bragged, "You are the same one who left me on the second day of our wedding for her. And you are the same one who yelled at me on the third day of our wedding for her to spend the whole day."
"So you think that Ekansh and this Ekansh are the same, Ruhi?" He probed.
I stared at him. His eyes revealed a bit of hurt. "I don't know..."
He snorted his nares in anger. "You didn't know anything, Ruhi. You were true, I already have a replacement," he yelled and then stormed out.
I removed my jewellery and felt sick of the things. He will not understand through what my brain is going. I have multiple questions and even fear that if I express myself, I will lose him. But having hopes for this baseless relationship is also scaring me shitless.
I walked to the balcony and lay down on the single-arm couch. Tears fell out of my eyes.
Humari zindagi bhi us phaid jaisi hogayi hai jo sirf chaya Dene ke layak hai aur kuch nahi.
I closed my eyes to refrain from crying. But when I felt a familiar presence in front of me, I opened my eyes and let those tears fall out of them.
Instantly Ekansh dropped to his knees by placing the plate he brought with him on a table. "Kya hua, Meri Jaan?" He asked, cupping my cheeks.
I didn't care about anything and fell upon him by hugging him tight. I hadn't realised how important he had become in my life that the fear of a day without him would kill me to death.
"I thought you left me," I expressed my fear to him. He squeezed me in a hug by balancing himself from falling.
"I went to get food." He informed. I pulled away, he wiped out my face. "I saw you didn't eat enough because of my sour mood."
I nodded my head and added, "Even you didn't eat because of my stupid words. But I didn't mean that..."
He placed his index on my lips, " You didn't realise that no one has the standards to replace you in my life...Now let's eat first." I nodded my head. I sat back on the couch and he sat down beside me.
"Moon is so beautiful today," I whispered when he brought a bite of paratha with butter chicken near my mouth.
"Yes." He smiled and had a bite for himself. We sat in silence observing stars and the moon glowing brightly. Then he went inside the room to keep the plate and returned to sit down beside me.
"Ruhi, I have a thing of yours..." he informed.
"What?"
He took out a small bracelet from his trouser's pocket. I took that adorable bracelet made of black and golden pearls in my hand and examined it. It looked old, too old and fitted in my two fingers, only.
When it hit me, I gaped at him amazed. "Isn't it the bracelet of babies? The one we use to keep away babies from black eye and jinx..." I asked him.
"Yes. I stole one of them from your hand when I was a toddler."
I laughed. "Ekansh. You are unbelievable."
"I know. But don't think that I passed my life by watching it every day. Today I found it accidentally when I was searching for my cufflinks."
"Whatever. You still had them. Thank you."
"Don't you think I deserve a kiss now?"
I leaned towards him and slightly placed my lips on his. He took my lower lip in his mouth and kissed me softly and I did the same with his upper lip.
Slowly my pallu dropped from my shoulder, exposing my chest and bare belly. The cool wind hit my belly and simultaneously Ekansh wound his arms around my back, with his palm resting on my bare stomach.
Cherry on the top he squeezed my belly and I gasped out in his mouth. He didn't stop kissing me and kissed me with desperation. He moaned in my mouth, which clenched my core and I moaned "Ekansh!" He pulled away smiling at me.
"Boliye, Meri Jaan!" He whispered against my lips. I constantly stared at his lips, which were stained with my red lipstick. "Ruhi! Boliye na!"
"Aaj sari Rath bas aise hi kiss karne ka Maan ho raha hai."
"Tonight, I just want to kiss you like this!" I expressed.
Instantly, He lifted me in his arms in a bridal style. My pallu was not on my shoulder but on the floor and swept all of it away to our bed.