Aadarsh stood frozen in front of Aakash, both of them void of any emotions.
"Saale maara kyun?" (Why the hell did you hit me?) Aadarsh asked, his voice sharp with disbelief.
Without flinching, Aakash grabbed his collar, staring straight into his eyes, his own burning red with cold fury.
"Door kyun nahi rehta unse? Kyun chipka rehta hai unse? Dekh, woh teri jo bhi thi ya ho, ab meri hai... aur sirf meri hi rahegi." (Why don't you stay away from her? Why do you cling to her? Look, whoever she was or is to you, now she's mine... and will always remain mine.)
Aadarsh scoffed.
"Tum dono pati-patni ko haath chalana hi aata hai kya?" (You husband and wife only know how to raise your hands, is it?)
"I swear, Aadu, if I find out even a bit of betrayal, main tujhe zinda nahi chhodunga." (I won't spare your life, Aadu.) Aakash warned, his voice cold as steel.
"Sab clear karta hoon pehle collar chhod," (Let me explain first, just let go of my collar) Aadarsh said calmly.
Aakash loosened his grip reluctantly.
"Tujhe kya chahiye?" (What do you want?) Aadarsh asked warily.
"Jawab. Mujhe bata... tu unke saath kab se, kyun, kya tha?" (Answers. Tell me... since when, why, and what was between you two?)
"And if you lie to me, main tujhe yahi maar dunga." (I'll kill you right here.) Aakash gritted his teeth.
"You want to know about Shashi?" Aadarsh began, a certain sadness creeping into his voice.
He exhaled deeply before continuing.
"We met in college, Aakash. Friends ban gaye. (We became friends.) Hum dono kaafi close ho gaye. (We grew very close.)"
"You know where I used to live... infact, it was you who helped me find that apartment."
"Shashi lived in the same building. Because of the proximity, our friendship grew even stronger."
"We became such good friends that I often had meals at her place. Sometimes we even fell asleep at each other's homes. She never hid anything from me... and nor did I."
He paused, the memories visibly overwhelming him.
"We were just friends, Aakash. We celebrated every festival together for four long years."
"But then, after four years, she left for Banaras - it was her usual thing. Every holiday she would travel, and I would return home."
"When I came back... life turned upside down because of Ashu bhai. I didn't even have the time for explanations."
"I ended up marrying Drishti the very next month... and the rest, you know." Aadarsh finished, tears slipping down his cheeks.
"I'm sorry, Aadu," Aakash said quietly, but his apology was answered by a sharp slap across his face.
Before he could even register the sting, Aadarsh landed a punch, causing blood to trickle from the corner of Aakash's lips.
"Thappad isiliye maara kyunki tune mujhe maara... aur punch meri behen ko satane ke liye." (I slapped you because you hit me... and punched you for troubling my sister.) Aadarsh growled.
"Maine kab kuch kiya unke saath?" (When did I ever do anything to her?) Aakash asked, hurt evident in his voice.
"Pyaar nahi karta to shaadi kyun nahi ki usse?" (If you love her, why didn't you marry her?) Aadarsh demanded.
"I love her, Aadu. Hamesha ussi se pyaar kiya hai maine." (I've always loved only her.) Aakash confessed, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Toh jo contract hai, woh kya mazaak hai?" (Then what's with the contract - is it some kind of joke?) Aadarsh challenged.
Aakash took a deep breath and patiently explained everything - about the misunderstandings, the distance, the pain, the bond that was slowly building between him and Shashi.
"And that's how we ended up in a contract. The first two months, she barely spoke to me... but on my birthday, she surprised me in the most beautiful way. She confessed that she wanted us to be friends... and now, we are."
Aadarsh listened in stunned silence.
"Tum dono mujhe shock pe shock diye ja rahe ho!" (You both are giving me one shock after another!) Aadarsh exclaimed.
"Tu tension mat le, main kuch nahi hone dunga." (Don't worry, I won't let anything happen.) Aakash reassured him.
"But do you even realize," Aadarsh said seriously, "it's not easy convincing her. Jo pain she went through... it's turned her heart into stone."
"What if she never agrees?" he asked, worried.
"Main woh har koshish karunga jisse woh mere kareeb reh sake. Agar unki pooja karni padhi, toh woh bhi raazi hoon." (I will do anything to stay close to her. If I have to worship her, I will.)
Aadarsh chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"Lage reh, kya pata ek din woh tujhe samajh le. Par ek baat hai, tune ek dangerous aurat se pyaar kiya hai, bhai. Good luck!" (Keep at it, maybe someday she'll understand you. But one thing's for sure - you've fallen for a dangerous woman, brother.)
Aakash laughed too, his voice full of affection.
"Dangerous to hai, par bohot pyaari hai. Din mein khatarnak sherni dikhti hai, par raat mein ek proper chhoti bacchi hai." (She looks like a dangerous tigress during the day but becomes a proper little girl at night.)
"Don't tell me you touch her," Aadarsh warned, half-joking, half-serious.
Aakash grinned mischievously.
"We sleep on the same bed, Aadu. Main toh kabhi touch nahi karta, but she's done much more than that."
"Chiii!" Aadarsh wrinkled his nose in mock disgust.
"I was talking about hugs, you idiot!" Aakash laughed.
"Ohhh," Aadarsh said, finally understanding, and laughed along.
"But still, you'll have to work really hard, bro. Shashi thinks love is bullshit. She believes love only sounds good in books."
"She hates XY chromosomes!" Aadarsh said with a dramatic sigh.
"I know that very well," Aakash said with a chuckle, "meri sherni ko poori purush jaat se hi dikkat hai!" (My tigress has issues with the entire male species!)
"Bach ke rehna bhai, bohot gusse waali hai woh." (Stay alert, brother, she has a temper!) Aadarsh warned.
"Tune experience kiya hai kya?" (Have you experienced it?) Aakash teased.
"Bilkul! Itne ache se maara tha usne... seedha sar par sansi lagi!" (Of course! She hit me so badly, I got smacked straight with a gripper!) Aadarsh said, laughing.
"Tune kuch kiya hoga na?" (You must have done something!) Aakash asked curiously.
"Kitchen mein khana bana rahi thi. Maine bas piche se bola, 'Main sirf do roti khaunga.' Pehle belan feka, main bach gaya, par doosre haath mein sansi thi!" (She was cooking, and I simply said, 'I'll eat just two rotis.' She first threw a rolling pin - I dodged it, but then she smacked me with a gripper in the other hand!) Aadarsh recounted, laughing so hard he nearly fell over.
"Sahi kehta hoon main unhe 'sherni'." (I truly say, she's a tigress.)
"Bas kar aashiq!" (Enough, lover boy!) Aadarsh teased him.
They both stood on the terrace, watching the peaceful view of the garden, sharing an easy camaraderie - but their peace was disturbed when they saw a strange figure entering the house.
"Ab yeh kaun fucker hai?" (Now who the hell is this?) Aadarsh asked, balling his fists.
"Dekh, is aadmi se mujhe bhi dikkat hai, par Shashi ke aage main kuch nahi kehta." (Look, even I have issues with this man, but I keep quiet in front of Shashi.) Aakash said, both of them controlling their anger as they descended the stairs.
Downstairs, they saw Saksham sitting with Shashi and the family in the lawn. Except for the elders, everyone was present - even Dadi Saa.
"Here he is," Shashi said, smiling politely.
Saksham turned toward them with a fake grin.
"Khama ghani, Rajput," he said mockingly.
"Hi Satnami," Aadarsh replied coldly.
Shashi's POV:
It's been half an hour since Saksham arrived. Even if these two idiots pretend to hide their anger, I can see it clearly on their faces.
I honestly don't care why they hate each other... it's not my matter.
What's bothering me more is Aakash's cracked lower lip. How did it happen? He's smiling like nothing happened. Did he fall? But he's not clumsy like me...
I'll ask him when we get time.
Hours passed, and we had dinner together, laughing about the mischiefs of the little ones.
I'm having such a good time with this family - it feels like home.
But sometimes I wonder... how will I live without them once the contract ends?
They are becoming my world, day by day.
I remember my life just a few months ago - waking up early, making my own lunch, working endless shifts at the hospital, coming back dead tired, cooking dinner for myself... because I never wanted anyone to cook my favorite dishes.
Maybe it sounds cringey to others, but I loved surprising myself with little gifts.
Because... we don't trust those XY chromosomes.
And those men... they don't deserve anything.
Author's POV:
Later that night, the couple was in their bedroom.
Shashi was lying on the bed, lost in the pages of her novel, the outside world forgotten.
Aakash stood at the doorway of the closet, silently admiring her.
"Aakash," she called softly, placing the book aside.
"Ji," he replied, walking towards her.
"How did you crack your lower lip?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.
"It's fine if you don't want to tell," she added gently.
"It's not that," Aakash smiled sheepishly.
"I slapped Aadarsh... and he slapped me back... along with a punch."
"Why the hell did you-" she started to yell, but he quickly calmed her.
"Sweetu, relax. It's our usual thing," he chuckled.
She huffed, but nodded, choosing to believe him.
They talked about random, silly things until sleep claimed them both.
As always, they fell asleep on their respective sides of the bed.
But in the middle of the night, Shashi unconsciously clung to him, draping herself all over him.
Aakash just chuckled softly in the dark, wrapping his arms around her fragile form and pulling her c
loser, smiling into the night.
______________________________________________
Hey lovelies
Hope you liked the chapter and I'm sure you enjoyed it
Love you all
🖤🩶🤍
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