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Darling, chhodo zara sharmane ka yeh qaayda
Hey darling, hairat bhi hai, gairat bhi hai kya fayda
Kya fayda!

Hey darling, public mein sansani ek baar karne do
Darling aankhon se aankhein chaar karne do
Roko na roko na mujhko pyaar karne do

Beqaif hai bahara, bechain jaane yaara
Bulbulon ko abhi intezar karne do
Darling aankhon se aankhein chaar karne do

Darling aankhon se aankhein chaar karne do

Darling!

A young 22-year-old lady was seen dancing without any fear to the song playing on her handset at full volume. Soon, the next song started playing and as the tempo of the song, she started singing it at her highest peak of volume just as the song it was.

I wouldn't wanna be anybody else
You made me insecure
Told me I wasn't good enough
But who are you to judge
When you're a diamond in the rough
I'm sure you got some things
You'd like to change about yourself
But when it comes to me
I wouldn't want to be anybody else

Na na na
Na na na
Na na na
Na na na

I'm no beauty queen
I'm just beautiful me

Na na na
Na na na

You've got every right
To a beautiful life
C'mon

Who says
Who says you're not perfect
Who says you're not worth it
Who says you're the only one that's hurting
Trust me
That's the price of beauty
....

A 26-year-old young man standing with his two friends coughed slightly to get the attention of a lady who was singing like she was in any concert.

It didn't take a moment to let her know that her little embarrassing show was witnessed by someone. With panic in her eyes, scolding herself with some colourful words, she turned around. She wasn't able to lift her eyes to see the very person whom she wanted to be last to witness her little show. She voiced out, "Google!! Stop the music"

"Okay, Vaishali. You got a great taste, by the way." Replied the artificial assistant inbuilt in her handset.

"Hi, I am Dheeraj. Your husband's best-friend." Said the young man standing beside her beloved husband, whose eyes she was unable to meet.

"Hus...band", This was the whisper coming from the lady standing on the other side of Vaishali's husband. It was unnoticed as the other two male were busy gawking at the lady standing in front of them. One was seeing her with respect, amusement and excitement while the other was surprised to know that she has such a beautiful voice and a great taste in music. He was thinking how little he knew about her. God knows how much talent she had inside herself.

"Tanu, meet my wife, Vaishali. As he introduced himself is my best-friend. And she is Tanu, my friend." said Ritwik, her husband.

"Hello" she replied meekly and added, "Sorry about the earlier. I didn't know that you all came. I thought that he would come at his usual time."

"I am so sorry, bhabhi. We should have informed you. Sorry."

"No... no, bhaiya. What are you saying? I am sorry. Heck, this is so embarrassing. I should have lowered the volume."

"You called me bhaiya, na. Then don't worry, we are family. This duffer standing beside me is your dear husband. This is Tanu, our friend. And I am your brother. So don't think much..... By the way, your voice is beautiful. If you genuinely asked me, I would say that I can listen to your melodious voice day and night without getting bored." Replied Dheeraj in his ever joyful voice. He possesses joie de vivre.

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"So bhabhi, how are you tolerating this misanthrope piece of shit?" Asked Dheeraj, turning toward the lady who was currently serving them the Veg-Manchurian, they bought before coming here.

Soon, he was delivered with a punch in his stomach by the same misanthrope piece of shit, sitting beside him.

The one female was controlling herself from bursting into the bits of laughter while the other was silently eating her share of Manchurian, musing in her inner thoughts.

Vaishali sat on the head chair while to her left sat her husband and beside him was Dhruv. To her right was sitting Tanu.

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"Bhabhi, come on, yaar. There will be so much fun. Don't be like him. Please come with us. After reaching there, if you feel uneasy or don't like it. Then, we will come back right away. But for our sake, for your husband, come with us. I swear we don't touch alcohol. Hey, Rit, why are you standing silently? Tell her na, to come with us to the club."

"D, if she doesn't....."

"Rit..."

"Vaishali, umm, come with us..... Please"

"Okay.."

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"Why is she taking so much time?" Said impatient Dheeraj. He didn't like to wait. And that's the only reason, he had 10 break-ups.

"No wonder, why did you have terrible break-ups?" Said Ritwik while chuckling. Glancing at his left, he silently asked Tanu, "Is everything alright?" Nodding her head in negative, she dismissed him.

Not a second after, they heard a click sound of the door. All of their eyes stayed on the lady who was standing awkwardly sensing their stares, as she thought she did wrong choosing this dress. She wasn't a big fan of short dresses. She liked western clothes but she didn't feel comfortable in short dresses. So she chose to wear a white t-shirt paired with a black damaged jeans, black denim jacket, black boots and a white sling.

On the other hand, her husband got another shock. He definitely didn't know her all. She was surprising him with her hidden talents. She was looking dead gorgeous. She didn't need to show her skin to look hot. In this attire, she was able to blow up his mind easily. And she didn't know it. More than her dress, her hairs were complimenting her, her waist length, thick and shiny hairs.

Before he came out of his shock, Dheeraj complimented her, "OMG, bhabhi, seriously if you didn't call me bro earlier. I would have proposed to you in front of your husband and convinced you to divorce him and leave him."

Hearing the compliment, she looked down shyly. No doubt her face is competing with tomatoes. But her husband didn't like this. Even if they didn't share any kind of relationship other than namesake husband wife relation, his heart wasn't able to tolerate someone flirting with her even if it was his friend and his friend shared a sister-brother relation with her as soon as they met each other.

"DHEERAJ!!" He said sternly.

"Okay! okay! I was just saying. You don't have to burn in a flame of jealousy." Dhruv said mischievously and turned to her "Bhabhi, come with me. He wasn't going to take you, leaving his stare competition."

Before he could touch her hand, Ritwik held her hand and headed out the apartment.

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Amidst the loud music in the background, Tanu asked, "Rit, when did you get married?" When she asked him some months ago about marriage. Then he straight-forward declined the idea saying he was not ready for a marriage and despite being told earlier, he was here with his wife.

"Almost 2 months ago, actually it's a arranged marriage." Replied Ritwik, monotonously.

"Bhabhi, what do you do?" Asked Dheeraj, half-yelling due to the sound.

"I am a government employee. Actually I am in the Intelligence Bureau." She replied.

"Wow.... Bhabhi that's so cool." Replied excited Dheeraj

"So both of you are like poles apart. He worked as an Assistant Choreographer, is in the Film industry whereas you are a government employee." Said Tanu while drinking her drink.

"And opposite attracts, right Rit." Said Dheeraj while bumping his left shoulder. Ritik looked at Vaishali with a faint smile on his face which was noticed by Tanu and Dheeraj. But Vaishali was oblivious to it.

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"Umm Rit, I want to talk to you urgently." Said Tanu while nervously fidgeting her fingers.

"Okay, just give me a sec."

Tanu nodded and went towards the canteen. He instructed the staff about the next moves then he too moved towards her. He reached there and ordered coffee.

Getting their coffee, he asked, "Tanu, anything serious. You never behaved like this."

"Actually, Rit. Actually..... it's.....
Actually it's about your wife."

Sitting straight, placing his mug on the table and resting his hands on the table, he said, "What about her?"

Nervously, she replied, "Actually, I saw her in the restaurant with a boy. I know it's not the matter. Actually, I saw her. They both were talking and smiling like... like... like they love each other. I am your friend so for proof, I went there. And tried to talk to her. But... but... I know you won't believe me."

"Tanu, don't beat around the bush. Tell me clearly what she said." Seeing the desperation in his voice, she got some courage. So, she replied...

"She said... she was using you as a ticket to Mumbai, to live a luxurious life which she was unable to live with her parents. She said many things but I can't say those to you. I am sorry."

"Tanu, don't be sorry. I .... I .... I think I n..need to go. Sir must be calling me.... Bye." Listening to her, he wasn't able to think straight. He knew he was the one who told her not to keep her hopes high. He never wanted the marriage yet he married for the sake of his parents. He couldn't say no to them. So he agreed. Also he informed her that they could be friends but husband & wife, he can't guarantee. So, if she wanted to be free from this relationship, he would let her free. But why now, there was a weight on his chest hearing that news, why he didn't want her to go, why he was feeling pain in his heart, why there was a lump in his throat. Just Why? Why? Why?

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A week later, Vaishali was sleeping due to exhaustion. When he came it's already 9 O'clock. He freshened up in the spare bathroom and checked the fridge. But for the first time, there wasn't any food on any plate or bowl. In their six months of marriage, it's the first time she didn't make dinner. They didn't talk much due to their different working schedules. But there wasn't any day left when she didn't make dinner. It's also impossible for them to sit and talk to each other.

Closing the fridge and after analyzing everything, he went to his room. Reaching there, he found her sleeping. Before he could wake her up and ask the problem why she hadn't cooked anything because if she didn't cook that means she didn't eat either, her phone rang. She groaned and picked the phone. Listening to the caller, she sat straight and said, "Sorry, I don't know when I slept."

"......"

"I'll be there within a min."

Before she could leave the place, Ritwik stopped her and asked, "Where are you going?"

She looked at him surprised, now something clicked in her head that she slept too late and also she didn't prepare the dinner. But for now, the priority is her health which has deteriorated very badly since some days. She couldn't be more late to meet the doctor because, if she stayed there and started explaining everything to him then, she would have to take another day off. Which she couldn't afford.

"I'll be back within 30 minutes. Don't worry."

Saying this, she left, leaving her husband bobbling in his own anger. When she was crossing the hall, she noticed the jacket laying carelessly on the sofa. She picked it up. Now, the thought of being late left her mind and she started examining the jacket for some important clues. Seeing the bright red lipstick stain on his jacket, probably just above his heart, her eyes started filling with some salt water again.

She remembered the conversation took place in the afternoon, when she tried to call him to let him know about her health that she took half day leave. But a particular 'Someone' picked the call and informed her about his love life, how he loved Someone' which was not her, how she came between them, how she tried to ruin their relationship. How.......

Wiping the unwanted tears that were falling from her already puffed and red eyes, she made her way to the clinic where she booked an appointment after inquiring about it with her colleagues. Because the first person she called, didn't bother to call her back seeing her call which was probably not attended by him.

She never in her dream wanted to believe her but the jacket gave all the proof. Now in the battle of her mind and heart. It seemed that at last, her mind was winning.

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- Scintillio16