Apurva Vartak – Ek Ajab Rasayan [ Part Nineteen ] – Thipkyanchi Rangoli

Set in the pre-wedding phase. The wedding gets postponed for six months here and thus, everything that we saw Netra doing after Shashank and Apurva’s marriage in the show – she does it here before that. You’ll know the rest as you read.┬а┬а

| Part Nineteen |

NetraтАЩs message was a reminder of the harsh reality he knew he could not escape. He slid the phone back into his pocket, distancing himself a couple of steps, causing ApurvaтАЩs hand to fall aside with a jerk.┬а

Apurva smiled to herself as if had expected it, her hand touching her eyes as she deftly erased the evidence of her vulnerability. тАЬAlright. I already know what all that youтАЩve said to everyone,тАЭ she said, looking at Nikhil from the corner of her eye, тАЬbut-тАЭ

тАЬHow?тАЭ His query was immediate, desperate to know the culprit behind the mess.┬а

ApurvaтАЩs thoughts drifted to the videos Nikhil had sent her while she was en route to the Wada.┬а

тАЬAh, guess what? IтАЩm not in the mood to tell you,тАЭ she retorted with a forced smile, turning her gaze back to Shashank.┬а

Why was he even asking? Who could it be other than her loyal Kukki Gang?┬аHe glared at its members one by one before Apurva snapped her fingers in front of him, visibly offended by his audacity to threaten them. тАЬLook at me when IтАЩm talking. By the way, why do you look so upset about it? Did you not want me to know about the ruckus you created here? Aaj na udyaтАж mahit tar mala padnarach hota tar kay farak padto koni saangitla, hmm? Tasa baghitla tar tuzach kaam sopa zalay, nahi?тАЭ

Pretending to agree, he decided not to drag it anymore. тАЬThatтАЩs right so now that you know everythingтАж say what youтАЩve to say before we call off our wedding.тАЭ

тАЬBefore?тАЭ She rolled her eyes. тАЬI thought you already called it off!тАЭ

As the heated confrontation continued, Kanitkars remained silent spectators, unsure of how to intervene. The whole thing still seemed like a baffling nightmare they were struggling to make sense of.┬а

Standing unfazed, Shashank gave her a long stare. тАЬWhat do you even want? Have I not clarified enough? Do you not understand that I donтАЩt want to marry you? Which language do you need me to use for you to understand?тАЭ

тАЬMaybe try the language of truth? That night work,тАЭ Apurva shot back, her sarcastic tone willing to show no mercy.

тАЬListen you-тАЭ

тАЬE-ek minute,тАЭ Kukki rushed to the duo and pulled Apurva backward, creating a safe distance between them. тАЬAppu, tu ek minute ikde ye. Mala bolaycha aahe.тАЭ He dragged Apurva aside, without giving her a chance to resist. Nikhil asked Sumi to stay by Babi AatyaтАЩs side while he, Amey and Manasi followed Apurva and Kukki to the corner they had found for themselves.┬а

Netra went to Shashank and quietly stood beside him while Suva-Aai and Mai tried to calm their respective husbands down who were feeling too troubled to sit still.┬а

Kukki let go of her hand once they are away from everyone. тАЬKay chaal-lay saangnaar aahes?тАЭ he asked.

Apurva looked at him, letting go of her pretense within a moment in front of him. тАЬMala mahiti asta tar itka vel he asle arguments karat basli asti ka?тАЭ

тАЬMhanje?тАЭ Nikhil, Amey and Manasi who had reached asked in unison.┬а

тАЬShhтАжтАЭ Apurva whispered, asking them to keep their voice down.┬а

тАЬTula mahiti nahi Shashank he ka kartoy?тАЭ Kukki asked, vigorously rubbing his forehead.┬а

тАЬAamhala waatla tula mahiti aaheтАжтАЭ said Manasi.┬а

Apurva shook her head, disappointment etched on her face. тАЬI have my theories but no substantial evidence to back them up at the moment.тАЭ

тАЬPatkan bol. Aaplyakade vel nahi aahe,тАЭ said Nikhil.┬а

тАЬDo you remember last week mi mazya friend chya engagement sathi Jaipur gele hote?тАЭ┬а

Flashback, a week ago

Shashank stretched his legs on the ground as he sat on a bench in the park that he and Apurva had been visiting quite often ever since they got together. His fingers traced their tiny initials that Apurva had carved on its arm.┬а

I miss you. Why didnтАЩt you ask me to come along?┬аHe sulked.┬аI am your fianc├й. It wouldnтАЩt have been odd for me to accompany you for your friendтАЩs engagement but you didnтАЩt even ask me.┬а

His rant was interrupted by the ringtone of his phone and a mere look at the caller ID made his gloomy face suddenly brighten up.┬а

He answered right away. тАЬTu nighali?тАЭ

Hearing his childlike excitement after almost a day of having no communication was enough to make her smile. She cleared her throat, suppressing her grin upon feeling the teasing gaze of her friend upon her. She quickly moved away to stand away from the crowd. тАЬKay phone uchal-lyavar hello vagere mhanaychi paddhat aahe ki nahi?тАЭ┬а

тАЬTu nighali ki nahi?тАЭ He repeated his question as if that was the only thing on his mind.

Her melodious laughter resonated in his ears, acting as a soothing balm to his restless heart. She wouldnтАЩt lie, she had expected him to miss her but the depth of his yearning was profoundly touching. тАЬNahi ajun nahi!тАЭ

тАЬAjun nahi Mhanje? Engagement party ajun sampli nahi?тАЭ he asked, glancing at his watch. It was already past eleven, quite late indeed. But then again, it was ApurvaтАЩs friend. He shouldnтАЩt be surprised even if the celebration extended into the early hours of the morning.

He let out a resigned sigh, coming to terms with the fact that he wasnтАЩt going to see her that night.

тАЬKhadoos,тАЭ she murmured, holding her phone to the other ear, тАЬmi tula aadhich saangitla hota mi udya raatri kiva parva sakaal paryant yeil. Tu visarla ki kay?тАЭ

тАЬHmmтАжтАЭ He leaned back in his place, draping his arm over the backrest, his mind reminiscing the old moments when she would be sitting beside him, her head nestled against his shoulder and his hand encircling her. тАЬMala tuzi aathvan yetey!тАЭ

Taken aback, she fell silent for a beat. She hadnтАЩt expected that blunt confession from him.┬аKhadoos had changed for the better.┬аShe smiled before clearing her throat. тАЬInstitute madhe kahi kaama nahi aahet ka? Mala miss karaycha vel kasa aahe tuzyajaval?тАЭ

тАЬKon mhanala mi tula miss kartoy mhanun?тАЭ

тАЬTu.тАЭ

тАЬKadhi?тАЭ

тАЬ30 seconda-agodar?тАЭ

тАЬAjibaat nahi! Mi mhanalo mala tuzi aathvan yetey.тАЭ

тАЬAccha? Kay farak aahe?тАЭ

тАЬKHUP farak aahe!тАЭ

Mala bhook laaglyavar maza doka chaalat nahi aani hyala mi disli nahi ki hyacha doka chaalat nahi.┬аShe slapped her forehead, knowing it was pointless to argue with him. тАЬAsoтАж jevan zala tuza?тАЭ

He hummed and snapped a selfie. Sending it to her right away, he asked her to take a look┬а

тАЬKay pathavla aahe? Nantar baghte na-тАЭ She stopped mid-sentence upon opening his message.┬аLonely hand.┬аA smile crept across her face as she read the caption before viewing the photo he had sent. Shaking her head, she pulled her phone in front of her to check the time. тАЬTu aata ithe ka basla aahe?тАЭ

тАЬI think IтАЩve already answered that question.тАЭ

Resting her head against a pillar, she searched her memory for his words to find her answer and got stuck on one.┬а

Mala tuzi aathvan yetey.┬а

She would have never guessed how clingy he could be once he was comfortable with someone.┬аBut was it just her orтАж тАЬKhadoosтАж can I ask you something?тАЭ

He hummed. Anything was good as long as he got to talk to her.┬а

тАЬHave you had any female friends before?тАЭ

тАЬYou have quite some patience, donтАЩt you? You waited almost three months to ask me this.тАЭ

тАЬUgh!тАЭ

He pulled the phone away from his ear, hearing her frustrated exclamation. тАЬWhy beat around the bush? Saral saral vichar mi kiti mulinna phone karun┬аmala tuzi aathvan yetey┬аmhnalo aahe!тАЭ

Utterly embarrassed, she covered her face with her palm.┬аHow could he be so blunt?┬атАЬNoтАж NO. ThatтАЩs not what I meant to ask.тАЭ

тАЬBut I think that is precisely what you meant to ask!тАЭ Imagining her flustered self was more entertaining than the episode of Tom and Jerry that he had watched with her last weekend. It amused him how she thought of herself as just another person to him. He could easily discern the myriad of underlying questions hidden within that one question she had asked.┬а

Have you had any female friends before?

Are you usually like this with everyone? Reserved till you get to know the personтАж till you like the person?┬а

Have you longed for someoneтАЩs sight as much as you long for mine?

Has ‘not being able to see someone for a day or two’ bothered you before?

Have you missed someone to the point of visiting a place just to be there with their memories till you could see them again?

Is it just me or have there been many before?

Am I being delusional or am I actually special?┬а

Have you had any female friends before?

He smiled to himself. Only she could have such questions. Did she really not realize that they were getting married in a week? She made him wonder at times if she was a twenty-one-year-old or just a year old.┬а

тАЬEh-IтАж I donтАЩt want to ask anything.тАЭ

He heard her stammering from the other end. тАЬBut I want to tell you. There has been nobody before you. There will be nobody after you.тАЭ

She fanned herself, fighting tears.┬а

тАЬBut look at you,тАЭ he remarked when he didnтАЩt hear her voice for a minute.┬а

She shifted aside after one of her friends tapped her shoulder, attempting to pull her onto the dance floor. She placed her palm on the phone and shushed her friend, signaling her to go ahead before returning to the call.┬а

тАЬWhat about me?тАЭ she asked once her friend reluctantly gave up and went to the dance floor.┬а

тАЬYou donтАЩt want to introduce me to your friends. You didnтАЩt even ask me to come with you for your friendтАЩs engagement. What does that mean? IтАЩm not good enough to be standing by your side.тАЭ

тАЬYou wanted to come?тАЭ Surprised, she sought confirmation. тАЬAs far as I know, you hate fancy parties. Moreover, arenтАЩt you busy with work these days?тАЭ┬а

тАЬExcuses! You just didnтАЩt want me to come with you.тАЭ

тАЬNonsense!тАЭ Frustrated, she yelled only to realize where she was. Her eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, hoping she hadnтАЩt attracted unwanted attention. Thanks to the loud music that had suddenly made its appearance but it also made it difficult for her to hear him. Stepping away from the noise, she asked him to hold on. тАЬYeah, so what were you saying? I am making excuses, huh? Do you want me to take Shrikant and Tanmayee on the conference call to confirm that youтАЩve been busy at the institute lately? Mai told me youтАЩve been returning way past your usual time.тАЭ

His throat tightened at her words.┬а

When his silence lasted unusually long, she probed, тАЬkay institute madhech busy aahes na?тАЭ

His hand fell to his side as he rose from the bench.┬а

тАЬKhadoos?тАЭ┬а

Hearing her call for him, he opened his mouth to respond but his phone vibrated. Upon checking, he saw an unknown caller ID. He rejected the call and was about to continue his conversation with Apurva when the same number called him again.┬а

тАЬApurva, ek minute, mala ek call yetoy,тАЭ saying so, he put her call on hold and picked up the other one, тАЬhello?тАЭ

A minute into the conversation and his face darkened. He snatched his blazer from the bench and rushed out while resuming ApurvaтАЩs call. тАЬIтАЩve to go. NetraтАЩs place. IтАЩll tell you everything later.тАЭ

тАЬKhadoos, ek minute, aik-тАЭ Apurva urged him to not hang up, тАЬdonтАЩt go alone. Take someone with you. Hello? Khadoos? You there? Khadoos?тАЭ She looked at her phone only to realize that the call had been long disconnected.┬а

Too startled to think, she found herself lost for a moment but once she got a grip on herself, memories of the overlooked details swiftly came to her mind. Connecting the dots took her less than even a minute.┬а

His silence after she mentioned him getting back home late for the past few days and NetraтАЩs call to him that night couldnтАЩt be unrelated.┬а

Khadoos! You are not thinking straightтАж again.┬аShe hurriedly dialed his number but his phone was switched off, making her even more anxious. She made a series of calls to her Kukki Gang but nobody picked up.┬аKonich kasa phone uchlat nahiye?┬аRestlessly pacing back and forth, she continued calling them only to get disappointed.┬а

I really hope you arenтАЩt landing yourself in trouble, Khadoos.┬а

тАЬTya raatri Khadoos aani mi phone var bolat hoto jevha tyala bahutek Netra Tai cha phone aala hota.┬аNetra Tai chya ghari jaatoy, baaki nantar saangto┬аmhanun phone disconnect kela. Tyanantar mi tyala barech calls kelet pan tyacha phone switched off yet hota. Mi tumha-saglyanna pan calls kele hote but nobody picked up.тАЭ

тАЬArey ho, aapan bol-lo hi hoti hyabaddal, nahi, Manasi?тАЭ Amey said. тАЬTya raatri nahi ka Dada-Kakanni aaplya saglyanche phones silent karun japta karun ghetle hote aapan lavkar zopun sakali lavkar uthayla hava mhanun?тАЭ┬а

тАЬI remember!тАЭ said Nikhil. тАЬAamhi tula dusrya divshi vicharla hi hota itke calls ke kelet mhanun aani tu mhanali hoti aamhala miss karat hoti mhanunтАжтАЭ

тАЬI lied,тАЭ Apurva admitted. тАЬSorry.тАЭ

тАЬHya saglyasathi vel nahiye,тАЭ Manasi reminded.┬а

Apurva hurriedly nodded, agreeing. тАЬWhen I asked Khadoos about it the next day, he claimed that it was just work-related. He said he had to go because Netra Tai had misplaced data from a crucial experiment. I was skeptical but he sounded convincing. Khadoos khup normal hota. Eka minitala hi mala waatla nahi kahi gadbad aahe. I thought I was overthinking. Turns out Khadoos can lie better than us.тАЭ

Amey тАУ Mhanje tula mhanaycha aaheтАж

Manasi тАУ Tya raatri BhaauJi jevha Netra chya ghari geleтАж

Nikhil тАУ It wasnтАЩt for workтАж

Kukki тАУ It was NetraтАЩs plan and-

Amey, Nikhil, Kukki, Manasi and Apurva in unison тАУ Shashank/Bhaau Ji/Khadus fell for it.

тАЬAani he jaraтАж farach serious watatay,тАЭ added Nikhil. тАЬBagh na, sagle ajunahi shock madhe aahe aani saahajikach aahe. Shashank je boltoy wagtoy te samajnyapalikadcha aahe.тАЭ

тАЬPan aata aapan karaycha kay aahe?тАЭ Manasi looked at Apurva. тАЬAamhala waatla tula mahiti asel pan-тАЭ

Apurva touched ManasiтАЩs arm. тАЬWe just need some time.тАЭ

Amey and Kukki exchanged glances, ApurvaтАЩs tone quite familiar to them. They could tell that she was up to something.┬а

тАЬAppuтАжтАЭ whispered Nikhil.

тАЬWe werenтАЩt as unprepared as Netra Tai thought of us to be!тАЭ Apurva said, the faint smile on her face assuring them that they hadnтАЩt lost the battle yet. тАЬWe just need some time.тАЭ

Do leave your comments. They keep me writing. <3
Feel free to share your theories about what happened that night when Shashank went to see Netra.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
8 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Saroj Diwale
1 year ago

рдЗрддрдХреА рдЙрддреНрд╕реБрдХрддрд╛ рдиреЗрд╣рдореА рдЯреАрд╡реНрд╣реА рд╡рд░рдЪреНрдпрд╛ рдорд╛рд▓рд┐рдХреЗрдиреЗ рдкрдг рд╡рд╛рдврд╡рд▓реА рдирд╡реНрд╣рддреА. рдЦреВрдк рдЫрд╛рди рд▓рд┐рд╣рд┐рд▓рдВ рдЖрд╣реЗрд╕.ЁЯСМЁЯСМЁЯСМЁЯСМЁЯСМ
рдкрд░рдд рдкрд░рдд рддреЗрдЪ рдХрд╕рдВ рдореНрд╣рдгрд╛рдпрдЪрдВ рдкрдг рдХрд╛рдп рдХрд░рдгрд╛рд░ рд╣реЗрдЪ рдЦрд░……..рдкреБрдвреАрд▓ рднрд╛рдЧрд╛рдЪреА рдЖрддреБрд░рддреЗрдиреЗ рд╡рд╛рдЯ рдкрд╛рд╣рдгреЗ рдкреНрд░рд╛рдкреНрдд рдЖрд╣реЗ…ЁЯдЧ

Pratibha Shet
Pratibha
1 year ago

рдорд╕реНрдд рд▓рд┐рд╣рд┐рд▓рдп. рдЙрддреНрд╕реБрдХрддрд╛ рд╡рд╛рдврд╡рдгрд╛рд░реА. рдард┐рдкрдХреНрдпрд╛рдВрдЪреА рд╕рдВрдкрд▓реА рддрд░реА рдЕрдЬреВрди рдЙрддреНрд╕реБрдХрддрд╛ рд╕рдВрдкрд▓реА рдирд╛рд╣реА. рдкреБрдвреЗ рдХрд╛рдп рдореНрд╣рдгреВрди?….рд▓рд┐рд╣рд┐рдд рд░рд╣рд╛ ЁЯСМ

Pratibha Shet
Pratibha
1 year ago

рд╢рд╢рд╛рдВрдХ рдЕрдкреВрд░реНрд╡рд╛ рдкрд░рдд рдХрдзреА рдпреЗрддреАрд▓ рдХрд╛рд╣реА рдорд╛рд╣реАрдд рдирд╛рд╣реА. рдкрдг рддреБрдЭреНрдпрд╛ рдЧреЛрд╖реНрдЯреАрддреВрди рдкрд░рдд рднреЗрдЯрддрд╛рдд. рдЫрд╛рди рд╡рд╛рдЯрд▓рдВ

Pratibha Shet
Pratibha
1 year ago

рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рдирджрд╛, рдЪреЗрддрди рдЪреЗ рдирд╡реАрди рдкреНрд░реЛрдЬреЗрдХреНрдЯ vishayi рдХрд╛рд╣реА updates рдЖрд╣реЗрдд рдХрд╛?

Arya Chanwar
1 year ago

Very interestingly writtenЁЯТпЁЯТп

Waiting for the next partЁЯШЗЁЯШЗ

Riya Jain
1 year ago

Excitement for above parts reaching high

Manisha Pujar
Manisha
1 year ago

Very interesting waiting for next part

8
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x