I arrived around 8:15 in the morning at PVR Rivoli and came to know that the ticket counter will open after 9 am. Shit man! I could not understand why I was always in a hurry. No one was there in the theater, not even cleaner. I was sweating a bit as I wore a ‘Red t-shirt’ inside and cotton 'Being Human' brand’s shirt on it. I decided to have breakfast in a cafeteria, which was just opposite to the theater where I found a different type of Parathas. I ordered my favorite Gobi Paratha.
I noticed a beggar who was searching for food in the dustbin. As soon as he started eating half paratha, which he had picked up from the trash bin, I stopped him and ordered fresh Paratha and tea for him. My heart started crying after seeing his sparkling eyes. I guess he had not eaten fresh food for last many months.
I called Hritisha to ask whether she left office or not. She said she would be there within five minutes. I checked myself in the mirror whether I was looking fine or not and would be able to impress her for the second time. I took four to five selfies and clicked photos of the theater for preserving it as good memories.
I noticed that she was coming and looking around to find me. She wore that same black top with flowers, which she bought specially for the day. We gave hi-five to each other. That day, I realized, reality is always quite different from social media chats. We did sex chat through social media, but in reality, we both were afraid of hugging each other.
Slowly slowly, two to three couples started entering the theater. There was also one college group who bunked their classes to watch the movie. We bought tickets as soon as the ticket counter opened. The security guard did not allow me to enter, with a plastic shopping bag in which I kept one extra T-shirt and the purse, which I bought for Reet. The theater did not have lockers to keep items, which were not allowed to carry inside the hall, so we had to keep the shopping bag in a garage behind the theater, which was secured.
‘Untie your hair please’ I asked Hritisha.
‘No. Not now’ she said.
I wanted to see how she looks in reality when she leaves her hair untied. We reached the cinema hall and took our seats. That was the fifth time I was watching that movie and I was still enjoying the movie because of Salman Khan.
‘Can I ask you something?’ I whispered in her ears.
‘Kya?’
‘Can I hold your hand now? No one will see us.'
She smiled and held my palm; I too held her hands very tightly and started playing with her fingers. It was the first time we touched each other for so long.
It was a magical moment for me. I closed my eyes to feel her more and more. She also started playing with my fingers, my palm, and my hand. She kept her head on my shoulder and I wrapped her in my arms. I kissed her hair; we both were enjoying the moment as well as the movie.
‘Tu chahie, tu chahie sham aur subhah tu chahie, tu chahie tu chahie har martaba tu chahie, jitni dafaa zid Hi Meri, utni dafaa, tu chahie’ I started whispering the song along with the movie. Hritisha put her finger on my lips and asked me to keep quiet and let her enjoy the film. I hold her more tightly after that.
‘Abey mottu, you should have let me enjoy the movie. Every time romance romance romance. Ganda dimaag’ she smilingly scolded me.
‘I wanted to do romance that's why I already saw the movie in Dubai. How could I loved you and Salman Bhai at the same time’ I replied
‘Shut up. Now, what? Where you want to go?’ Hritisha asked
‘Let's go to some beautiful and romantic place.'
‘Hmmm, let me think.'
‘Let's go to Le Meridian.' I suggested.
‘Hmmm….okay. I don't have any idea about the food their haan.' She warned me
‘Areey it's okay. At least there will be some nice restaurants.’
‘Haan, let's go there then’
We collected my shopping bag and handed it over to Hritisha. I asked her to give it to Reet. We hired an auto rickshaw and reached Le Meridian.
‘I guess Le Belvedere seems to be a nice place, they serve Chinese food as well. I think it’s your favorite’ I said after inquiring at the reception at Le Meridian, Connaught Place.
‘Nice idea, let's go.' She said
We entered into the lift and reached the 20th floor.
‘Hi, Good afternoon! I have booked a table in the name of Ms. Hritisha Jain’ I informed to the manager.
‘You must be Mr. Siddhant Shah, from Dubai, right?’ He confirmed.
‘Yes, that's me.’ I winked at him.
‘Welcome to India Sir. It would be my pleasure to serve you’ He shook his hand.
Hritisha sat beside me. We choose the table from which we can see the fantastic view of Delhi including Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate.
‘So you pre-planned everything?' She asked.
‘Yesssss balak’ I replied.
‘You won't change Na?’
‘Never.'
‘Hmmm… and you have booked the table on my name. Right?’
‘Haan baba. I was searching the best romantic restaurants on Google. But I don't know why I liked this place so much.'
‘Bravo Google uncle. Ok, now tell me are there any other surprises left?’
‘Mmm, still few things are left. Let’s order food first.’
We ordered her favorite dishes and clicked many selfies and photographs. After finishing the lunch the most horrible thing happened was, Hritisha ordered full chocolate pastries for the desert. She knew that I hate chocolate cake, but she wanted to tease me, and she ordered that. Hritisha forcibly made me eat that by putting it in my mouth even after I resisted. She burst into laughter after watching my reaction.
‘I want some space for a while.’ I told the restaurant manager in private when I pretended to go to the washroom in front of Hritisha.
‘Sorry Sir, but we don’t have such space’ the manager said.
I noticed that there was a bar inside the restaurant, which was not exactly the part of the restaurant. One can fag and booze there. I asked the manager whether we can use the bar for some time and told him not to send anyone inside the bar for a while. He refused and said that he would not stop anyone from entering the bar. I agreed with him and started praying that no one steps into the bar till we were there.
‘Come on. Get up’ I told Hritisha.
‘What happen?’ She asked.
‘Keep quiet and come with me.'
I held her hand and took Hritisha inside the bar. I made her comfortable on the chair and I tied her eyes my handkerchief on her eyes so that she could not see anything that was going to happen.
‘What are you doing Siddhant?’
‘Wait a minute Bacchi.'
I sat on my knee, held her hands.
‘Now Just answer my question by saying YES or NO. Okay?’ I said to Hritisha.
‘Hmmm. Okay,’ she agreed.
‘Will you harass me for the lifetime?’
‘What?
‘Say YES or NO only. Will you harass me?’
‘Yes, with pleasure.'
‘Great. Will you tease me for the lifetime?’ I asked
‘Yes.'
‘Hmm. Will you hold my hand till my last breath?’
‘Shut up Siddhant’
‘Yes or no?’
‘Yess bettu.'
‘Will you be the owner of Hritisha Movies Pvt. Ltd.? In future?’
‘Hahaha. Yes’
‘Will you leave me ever?’
‘Yes.'
‘Hein?’
‘Just kidding bachhu, no, I won't.'
‘Now wait.'
‘Ab Kya kar rahe ho? Please tell me.’
‘Last. Wait’
I removed my shirt, took a Diamond Ring from my pocket.
‘Now remove the handkerchief’ I said.
She uncovered her eyes and got shocked by seeing my posture. Hritisha saw me sitting on my knees with a diamond ring in my hand. She noticed the mysterious RED T-Shirt on which I printed her photograph. ‘Hritshuuuu, Will you marry me? Plss…?’ was written on it.
Hritisha started crying. I could understand that every girl wants a boy who will make her feel so special, who will love her like anyone else on earth. She could not stop crying. I hugged her very tightly for the very first time and she too hugged me back. I kissed on her forehead and her cheek and licked a teardrop that was rolling down her cheek. I started kissing her all over the face. I wiped her tears and tried to lighten her mood.
‘Iska to jawab de yaar. Roti Hi jaa rahi Hai kabse?’ I teased Hritisha, pointing at the question that was written on the t-shirt.
‘Of course YES mottu’ she smiled.
‘Yesss. Yesss, Yesss’ I started dancing and put the diamond ring on her finger. She instantly kissed it.
‘Liked it?’
‘Haan Pagal. Anything else is left, to surprise me?’ She asked
‘Oh yes. I have written and composed a song for you.'
‘Oh, my God. You won't change na?’
‘No Never. Now can I sing for you?’
‘Hoja suru.' She ordered
‘Okay then. Listen’
I held her hands and sat on my knees again. She was still shivering; maybe she could not get over with the surprise yet. I started Singing,
Jab same tu aaye, dil mera dhadkaye,
Jab dur tu mujhse jaaye, dil mera tadpaye.
Zara mujhe bata de dun Kya yehi pyaar hai?
Kyun karta dil mera tera intezaar hai
O ooo, Jab samne tu aaye, dil mera dhadkaye,
Jab dur tu mujhse jaaye dil mera tadpaye.
‘Finished?’ She asked when I took some pause after singing.
‘No No. I forgot my lyrics. I am feeling nervous, I don’t know why' I stammered
She burst into laughter
‘Love you mottu’ Hritisha kissed me on my forehead.
‘Haan, yaad aa gaya.'
I started singing the second stanza.
Iltezan tu sunle mere dil ki, Nahi jeena ab to tere bin.
Ishq ka yeh jaam hai Jo tera, nahi peena ab to tere bin.
Raato ki neend churaye, tumhari yeh nigahen,
Meri jaan le jaaye, tumhari yeh adaein,
Zara mujhe bata de tu kya yehi pyaar hai?
Kyun karta dil mera tera intezaar hai?
Jab samne tu aaye, dil mera dhadkaye,
Jab dur tu mujse jaaye, dil mera tadpaye’
‘Waaah Waaah. Bravo Bravo’ she praised me.
‘Shukriya madam’. I said.
I had put on my shirt, and we left the bar.
‘Congratulation Sir, Congratulation Mam.' The waiter said.
I guess he noticed the happiness on our face and saw Hritisha kissing the ring again when we were heading toward the restaurant table
‘Thank you’ we both replied.
‘Would you like to have something else, sir?’
‘No thanks. Bill Please’
‘Sure sir’ He smiled and left.
She kept her head and kissed my shoulder. We both were speechless and were enjoying the moment silently. We left the place after which I entered the washroom to change my t-shirt.
‘Were you not feeling hot? Itne sare kapde pehnke aaye the?’ Hritisha asked.
‘Actually yes, I was sweating, but it's worth Na?’
‘Haan wo to hai.'
We took a selfie outside the restaurant.
‘Now where you want to go?’ After leaving the restaurant Hritisha asked
‘I am in love with the whole Delhi.’ I replied
‘So say Dilli, not Delhi.'
‘Yesss. I am in love with Dilli.' I followed.
I asked her, what would be our next destination; she smiled and replied that she would have to reach home by five. Therefore, we just had two hours left to enjoy. She told her mom that she would be late due to some seminar in the office.
‘Vidhyaben doesn’t know I have come to Dilli?’ I asked Hritisha.
I always use to address her mother as ‘Vidhyaben,' and not ‘Aunty’, just for fun.
‘No. I told my parents that you would come on thirtieth July evening, means today.'
‘Ohhh. Then let's go to some nearby place.' I suggested
‘Let me guess.'
‘Humayun's Tomb? I saw it only in movies. I want to see that.'
‘mmmm. Okay. Let's go.'
We hired an auto rickshaw and reached to ‘Humayun's Tomb.' The place was filled with tourists and local people. She paid for the entrance tickets, as I was not having change. We decided to sit on a bench near the garden inside and talk to each other rather than wasting time by seeing the whole tomb. We sat very close to each other. Hritisha again kept her head on my shoulder. Her warmth and love made me emotional and I was about to cry.
‘Hello Madam, Where are my gifts?’ I asked Hritisha.
‘Ohh Shit. I forgot. Wait’
She opened her bag and gave me a pink color T-shirt. However, I had never used pink color clothes, but I liked it. It was of ‘Being Human’ brand, which is actually my favorite brand. It had word I-N-D-I-A printed on it, with some famous monuments of Delhi including Qutub Minar, Jama Masjid, India Gate, Taj Mahal and Lotus Temple.
‘Acchi hai Na?’ She asked
‘Ohh I love it. Thanks’ I said.
‘I knew that you would like ‘Being Human’ brand.'
‘You know everything about me; that’s why I love you.'
We both kissed each other on cheeks and took many selfies again. I still remember when I was clicking our pictures; I played a prank with Hritisha. I was pretending as if I was clicking her picture and kept the selfie mode on my phone. She thought I was taking her photos and she went on posing. When she asked me to show her pictures, she realized that I never clicked a single photo of hers. I was just playing a prank with her.
'Aur kuch?' I asked.
'Wait.'
Hritisha gifted me a coffee mug, which was entirely black. Initially I did not notice anything but later on, I deciphered that our photos and some quote were printed on the mug. They would be visible only after one fills it with hot coffee or tea. I had never seen such magical cup before. I thanked her for both the gifts.
'Actually, I forgot to bring a greeting card which I have specially designed for you’ Hritisha said.
'You mean handmade cover?'
'Yes.'
'I don't believe this. You are not that much talented' I again started teasing her.
'Achha Bacchu? Now I won't give the card to you and believe me it's the best card, but you are unlucky as you won’t be able to see it anymore.’
'Sorry Sorry, I was just kidding. I want to see.'
'No. Now forget it.' She said angrily
'Plleeeaaaassssseeee' I sat down on my knees
'Ok ok get up. Of course, I will bring it on Saturday, just remind me.'
'Sure sure.'
Suddenly I bite on her cheek while we were talking and I asked Hritisha to keep the red t-shirt along with the diamond ring. But she refused and gave it back to me. She was hesitant to keep such expensive ring with her.
'Means you didn't like the ring. Right?' I asked.
'Are you mad? Of course, I like it.'
'Then why you don't want to keep it with you?'
'What if my mom or anyone else will catch me with the ring?'
'Tell them Siddhant gave you.'
'Okay, kis khushi mein?'
'We are going to marry. Tell them he proposed me and gave me. I can keep the T-shirt with me, as I can understand that it is quite risky. But you have to keep the ring.'
'Siddhant please try to understand yaar. I can't.'
'It means you are not accepting my marriage proposal.' I said with an attitude
'Have you lost it Siddhant? Why don't you understand?'
'Keep the ring in your bag always.'
'I keep on changing my bag.'
'Keep it in your wallet.'
'Reet and Mom don't take my permission; if they need money, they would directly take it from my wallet.
'I don't care. It is yours. Keep it or throw it.' I forced
We engaged ourselves in an argument while coming back from Humayun’s Tomb. I did not realize her inconvenience and started acting immaturely. Hritisha became angry. She stopped talking to me. I started following her and suddenly it started raining. I put my hand over her head to save her from getting drenched.
'Leave it, man, I don't like this kind of stuff' she scolded me and asked me to keep away my hand from her head.
'Which kind of stuff?'
'This, to be romantic in public places. I hate it.'
'I am sorry' I did not want to make her angry.
'Hmmm.'
Hritisha called Reet and said she would be there within half an hour. Her cheeks became red and I could see the anger in her eyes. I started blaming myself for ruining our date in the end moment.
'Bhaiya, Paharganj chaloge?' She asked an auto rickshaw driver.
'Hanji madam, aaie' he said.
'Kitna loge?'
'80 de dena madam.'
'Dimaag kharab hai? Meter se jaenge.' A real Dilli girl woke up.
'Nahi madam meter se nahi.'
'Rehn do fir.' She refused finally.
Hritisha was quite angry and started showing her anger to other people.
'Areey it's okay Bachhi, let's hire the rickshaw. Leave it. 80 toh 80.'
'I know you have lots of money but, I don’t want to make myself fool by paying more. If you want to go by that rickshaw, you can. I will hire another one.'
She became more annoyed. I decided not to speak a word more and would do whatever she says.
'Sorry bhaiya. Nahi jaan Hai' I said to the auto rickshaw driver.
'Kyaa sir, 30 rupye ke lie itni magajmaari' he told to me.
Hritisha gave him an angry look and moved ahead towards the driver to fight with him. I stopped her and made her calm down. After few minutes, we took an auto rickshaw that agreed to go by norms i.e. using the meter. She was still angry and was not looking at me. I could see her face through the front mirror.
'Give me a ring' I asked
'Leave it.' She said.
'Areey baba, I am serious, give it to me I will take care of it.'
She took the ring from her bag and gave it to me. She was about to cry.
'Now smile' I said.
'Hmmm,' Hritisha replied.
'What hmmm? I want smile wali Hritisha.'
'Not now please.'
'So when? After my death.'
'Humesha bas bakwas Hi karni hoti hai tuje. Hai Na?' She slapped me so hard that my right cheek became red; it was her love, not anger.
'Aaauch, itni zor se?' I said.
'I can slap harder, mind it. Don't say such nonsense things ever.' She warned me.
I said sorry many times, and finally, she smiled. The auto rickshaw driver was noticing the whole situation. He smiled at me when we made eye contact through the side mirror after everything was on track. I winked at him.
Hritisha just got a call from her younger sister Reet, when we reached RK Ashram Metro Station, where the auto rickshaw driver had dropped us. Reet informed her that all the family members including bade papa’s family were going to watch ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan.' Hritisha refused to join as she had already seen the same movie with me in the morning.
Reet asked Hritisha whether she was carrying her home keys or not?
As Hritisha was not carrying her home keys, she decided to go to Shruti’s place, which was near to her house. She too refused to join them for dinner and informed Reet that she would have something at Shruti’s place.
‘What happen?’ I asked.
‘Nothing, the whole family is going for Bajrangi Bhaijaan. So I will go to Shruti’s home till they return as I don’t have the home key.’
‘Hmmm.’ I replied.
I thought it would take almost four to five hours until her family members would return home.
‘Don’t go to Shruti’s place. Let’s spend some more time.' I suggested
‘No way, Siddhant, I am already tired. I need some rest and not in a mood to roam around.’ She said.
‘Then let’s go to my room.’ I said.
‘What? No way, I am scared’ she said.
‘Chal na, Khaa nahi jaunga tuje’ I told.
She agreed to give me company, in my hotel room, as she too wanted to spend some more quality time with me. She called Reet to inform her that she would be with me instead of Shruti and asked her to call her one once they are done with dinner and movie.
After we reached my hotel, I unlocked the door and switched on the light. She noticed my messed up the room.
