SURBHI RAGHUVANSHI

NOVEMBER 2023

I was a straightforward person and so I told him that I'll work even after we get married but he did not reply instead he smiled. High on the tea I served him I guess.

"Kitaben padhne ka shauk hai aapko?" (You are fond of reading books?) He walked towards my bookshelf and asked. He surely is dumb like what is up with this guy? I was talking about such a serious topic and this person does not seem bothered but nevertheless I had to reply.

"Ji padhne ka hi nhi likhne ka bhi hai." (Yes not only reading but writing too.) I said and my gaze was fixed at him. "Oh so you've written books?" He asked and to be honest he deserves some ghee and shakar for saying that, but I lightly shook my head. "Not yet." I replied and he nodded.

My patience is everything I hold but with this man, I was losing it. I stepped closer towards him and said, "I need answers." My voice sounded demanding, really demanding. He chuckled a bit and my heart started beating fastly.

He pulled me closer to himself and pinned me to the wall. His hand travelled to my waist and he pulled me closer until our chests collided. "Aapko rokne ki kisi ne koshish bhi ki toh unko apne haathon se jahanum ka raasta dikha denge." (If someone even tried to stop you from working, then I'll show them the way to hell from my own hands.) His voice sounded drop dead serious and he sounded hot. Way to hell? Interestingly, he passed my vibe check as soon as he helped me in the kitchen but I couldn't give in so soon. Surbhi Raghuvanshi, the girl who rejected men after men, needs a lot of effort in a relationship.

His voice was deep enough to make me feel butterflies in my stomach. I wanted our gazes to meet but unfortunately this man was giant so I had to angle my head upwards in order to meet his gaze. The intense gaze was igniting my body with fire, a fire that can burn me down, a fire that can destroy a person and for a fact I know that this man had made me needy after so many years. Suddenly I heard the door opening and I looked towards the door.

"Maa is calling both of you." Arana said and turned around and I noticed that he was looking at Arana until she left. As soon as the door closed, he leaned in. The first thing that came into my mind was a kiss. He was absolutely leaning in for a kiss and no matter how bold and strong I looked, my submissive self felt weak in her knees and my lashes felt heavy and I let them rest by closing my eyes. I was waiting for a pair of lips to be on mine in no time but instead I felt hot breathing on the side of my neck. He opened his mouth to say something. "Aapko nhi lagta iss sab ke liye abhi kaafi jaldi hai?" (Don't you think it's too soon for a kiss?) He said and my eyes opened immediately. I felt blood rushing quickly through my body.

What was I even thinking of? A kiss? At first meet? That too with a person I didn't even know properly? I have a fever, Reyansh, I'm kinda crazy. I was embarrassed, more than embarrassed. I wanted to escape this scene as soon as possible. "I guess we should leave." I said and he nodded. I watched him walking out and my hand made its way to my chest. My heart was beating really fast, really fast. I took in a few deep breaths to calm myself and walked out.

We walked towards the living area but there was no one and I heard noises from the dining area and before I could guide him, "Jiju, this way." Arana muttered. I haven't yet agreed and she is already calling her jiju. We both started walking towards the dining hall but Arana said something that made us stop. "By the way , didi ko vanilla pasand nhi hai." (By the way, Didi does not like vanilla.) Arana said and I looked up at her in shock. I immediately slapped her arm. She has lost her mind, why would she say that to a complete stranger? I gave her a death glare but somewhere I wanted to know what he thought about it.

He leaned in and said, "Vanilla karne ka sabar nhi hai humein." ( I do not have the patience to do Vanilla.) As soon as he said that, blood rushed through my cheeks. I looked up at him and saw him walking inside the dining area. "Raat ko baat karte hai." (Let's talk at night.) I said and Arana frowned. "Mein kya karungi aap dono ke beech mein?" (What would I do between you two?) She said and ran inside the dining area. This girl.

All the seats were occupied. I saw a seat was empty beside Reyansh and I sat down. "Toh kya socha aapne?" (So what did you think?) His mother asked me and me being the woman I am, I kept my conditions.

"Rani-sa I would only agree to this marriage if I am allowed to work afterwards. '' I said and I looked towards his father who was eating the breakfast silently. "Rana-Sa I hope you wouldn't mind any of it." I said and his father looked up at me. "You are like my own daughter Surbhi, and if I can allow Ruhi to work then you will never be left behind." He said and I smiled. My heart smiled at this. He was supportive just like a father should be, unlike Karthik Raghuwanshi.

"Ji, humein aapke parivar ka hisa ban ne mein koi aitraaz nhi." ( I have no problems being a part of your family.) I said and I saw everyone smiling. I saw my Maa and her eyes widened at what I said because I had finally said yes to somebody.

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It was evening time and all this while I saw Maa and Arana being so happy that I am finally getting married. I guess they want one room empty for I don't know what reason. I was cooking in the kitchen and Maa got a call from Maasi.

"Surbhi, your Maasi said that I'll have to be there and prepare everything for Niharika's wedding." Maa said after she ended the call.

"So you're going earlier?" I said and she nodded. "Being the youngest Maasi, I was always excited for her wedding and now Didi said that I'll have to look after the arrangement so , I'll have to go." Maa said and I understood her completely.

"You'll handle everything here right Surbhi?" Maa asked and I smiled. I walked towards her and I cupped her cheeks. "Of course Rekha darling." I said and pecked her forehead. Maa has been my bestest friend and she'll always remain one forever.

"Toh mein kal jaa Rahi hoon." (Then I'll be leaving tomorrow.) She said and I nodded walking back towards the stove and turned it off. I served dinner and we started talking. "I'm happy for you Surbhi." Maa said and I smiled. I'm happy because you're happy Maa.

"Didi." Arana called and I looked up at her. I wanted to kill her but as soon as she showed me her smile , I forgot about my anger. "Jiju ko number de diya hai meine aapka." She said and my eyes widened. My contact number? For real?

"Did you ask you for my number? No right? Why the hell did you give it to him?" I said and pure frustration could be heard in my voice. "Par unhone maanga tha." (But he asked for it.) She said and I didn't dare to speak further.

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It was 10pm and I was still completing all the pending designs. I looked outside the window and noticed the beauty of nature. The moon was shining brightly and the stars were twinkling more than they usually twinkle.

I kept everything aside and got up. The winds are chilly these days because winters are approaching so I took out my shawl and wrapped it around my arms. I walked towards my balcony and sat down on the chair.

I kept looking at the moon , it's surrounded by stars. As a child I always thought that all the stars out there talk to the moon but I soon realised that it's lonely. Being surrounded by many does not mean that you're happy. You can have a lot of people around you but deep down, you know that they aren't with you and this is because you don't trust any. You want to tell them that you aren't feeling right but a voice interrupts you from doing so and tells you that they cannot do anything about that.

My thoughts were hindered by the ringtone. I looked at my phone and picked up the call. "Hello." I said and expected somebody to reply but there was no reply. As soon as I was about to cut the call I heard a familiar voice.

"यह चांद भी आज आपकी बराबरी नहीं कर पाया।

आप की आंखों ने कुछ ऐसा जादू किया है हम पर कि,

किसी और का साया हमें आपसे अलग कर न पाया। जिंदगी में हर चीज़ सुंदर नहीं होती,

लेकिन आपकी आंखों में कुछ ऐसा नशा है,

कि एक बार जो हमने उसे चखा,

तो और किसी भी चीज़ को चखने को,

मन ही नहीं माना।

"Ye chaand bhi aaj aap ki sundarta ki barabari nhi kar paya. Aap Ki aankhon ne kuch aisa jaadu kiya hai hum par ki kisi aur ka saya humein aapse alag kar na paya. Zindagi mein har cheez sundar nhi hoti, lekin aap ki aankhon mein kuch aisa nasha hai, ki ek baar jo humein usse chakha, toh aur kisi bhi cheez ko chakhne ko, man hi nahi maana. "

( Even the moon could not match the level of your beauty today. Your eyes have casted such a spell on me, that nobody else's shadow could separate me from you. Not everything in this life is beautiful , but there is a kind of intoxication in your eyes, that once I tasted it, I did not feel like tasting anything else.)

I was silently listening to him until he completed and my heart skipped a beat. Did he really mean it or what?

"Kal aap se milne aa rahe hai, kyunki Ruhi ko apni bhabhi se milna hai." ( I'm coming to meet you tomorrow because Ruhi wants to meet her sister-in- law. ) He said and I smiled.

"Oh so you have a sister?" I asked and he hummed. "Just like Arana." He said and I chuckled. "Taang karti hai aapko?" (Does she trouble you?) I asked and there was a pause.

"Aapse jyada nhi." (Not more than you.) He said and my heart started racing.

"Maa is going somewhere tomorrow." I said while I was fidgeting with my finger.

"It's okay, vese bhi hum aapse milne aa rahe hai." ( It's okay, I'm coming to meet you anyways.) He said and I frowned.

"Aap ki Ruhi?" (You or Ruhi?) I asked.

"Aapko pata hai ki aap ki jyada zarurat kisko hai ." (You already know who needs you more.) He said and I giggled.

"By the way, the lines you said were beautiful ." I said and looked up at the moon.

"They weren't Surbhi. They can never match your beauty, they can never match all the ways I've felt ever since

I saw you, and they are definitely not enough to define what I feel about you. "

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Bye!