[ RECAP:  Shreya , bengali rooted girl well accustomed with life in mumbai. She met the ‘Dosa’ stall guy Raunak on a busy day on the way to her office. somehow she recovered her from the incident she did at Dosa stall ]

 

Chapter 3

Window Shopping

 

Sometime somewhere someone said, if you continue thinking of something which you admire most, your destiny will bring it to you at some point of your life for sure. And it became true for those two strangers.

‘Dosa’ stall incident was a disaster where the auto rickshaw ride sown new seeds of heart ship.

Shreya is not an easy breaking girl. Her face doesn’t reflect her mind. Raunak can’t hide anything. His eyes talk every secret of his mind. It’s a minute job for Shreya to read Raunak. And she did.

Raunak a very shy guy. He would have never asked her to meet again. His tongue didn’t let his heart to talk. But Shreya caught it and took the advantage of Raunak’s eyes candy look.

It was as usual a crowded Saturday evening in R city mall in Ghatkopar. Nowhere a place to park any vehicle.

“Bhaiya, leave us on left only. We will cross the road”  Shreya said impatiently.

“Oh wait. Don’t hurry?” Aparna pulled her down.

Somehow the auto rickshaw driver brilliantly took U tern and they are in front of the gate.

“Ah, thank God !” Shreya relaxed her breath

Aparna kept the fare ready in hand. She paid to the driver and both rushed to the mall like two bullets released from the gun.

But oh! Both bullets had to stop and stand in long queue for security check at the entrance.

“Every time this is disgusting” – Shreya got irritated

“Oh, patience baby… patience !”

“What patience Apu? Nonsense! This mall people are nuts. Don’t they understand that it’s common crowd in weekend. Can’t they think of any other ways to make the entry faster?” – Shreya yelled

“hmm.. they could” – Aparna agreed with her.

Shreya’s mood was off since the morning when she woke up late and missed the tatkal ticket to book at 8. Mistakenly she had set the alarm 7pm instead of am. Ops !.

So, the flight was the only choice left to attend her school friend’s marriage in Jodhpur.

She asked Aparna also to come with her. As Aparna was her shadow friend, they both got invitation. But Aparna was not comfortable as she was her unseen friend.

 “Wasn’t the scan enough. Why do you need to again open the bag” – Shreya was mad at the lady security guard.

“Madam, we need to label these two things” – the lady pointed Shreya’s lipstick and nail color.

Aparna pushed Shreya at side and said  “No problem”

“What’s wrong Shreya! Calm down please” – Aparna crushed her teeth to Shreya

Finally they stepped into the floor. Mumbai is always crowed although people find life in it. The gorgeous ambience started cooling Shreya’s temper.

They took left and straight to the escalator for the first floor.

”Where should we start Apu? Will go for groceries at last“ – Shreya sounded confuse

“Let’s go for your dress first. For your friend’s marriage. After that my tab, next big bazar for utensils and groceries at end”

“Perfect” – Shreya happily agreed. Aparna’s plan made Shreya’s life easy.

They came to second floor ‘SOCH’, an exquisite hand-picked apparel store for women.

“Shreya!! “ – Aparna pulled Shreya as if she was going to fell from the floor.

“Ouuch! Apu !! What’s up” – Shreya was shocked

Aparna directed her eye balls towards the opposite lane on the floor.

“Don’t shout. Look there” – Aparna quietly asked Shreya biting her lips.

“Isn’t he Raunak?” – Shreya questioned.

“What??” – Aparna gave a surprise look.

“Why so surprised?”

“He is that food stall guy” – Aparna stated

“Ya , I know”

“What do you know? How do you know his name?” – Aparna opened her question bank

“We met” – Shreya replied sharply

Shreya kept on walking and Aparna followed her

“Oh I see……..” Aparna took a long tone. sounded prank. She added “Do you need me now? Or should I give space”.

“Apu, don’t be funny. Come…” – more or less Shreya ordered Aparna to follow her.

Aparna dumbfounded. “Listen! Where are you heading?”

Shreya walk towards Raunak. Raunak was googling something in his mobile standing on the floor.

“How are you Raunak?”  Shreya called.

Raunak turned to Shreya’s smiling face..

“Hey.. You are here!.. surprising” – Raunak beamed at Shreya

“My friend is more surprised that how do I know you” – Shreya laughed looking at Aparna. “She is Aparna, my friend” – Shreya introduced.

“Hi, nice to meet you” – Raunak shook hand with Aparna

“It seems she has resolved her ‘Dosa fight’ with you” – Aparna poked Raunak.

“Ha ha.. not really..” Raunak laughed

“So.., waiting for someone or shopping alone” – Aparna asked Raunak

“Window shopping, you can say” – Raunak replied

“Ah I see…” Aparna looked unconvinced.

Shreya jumped of the gun. “Apu, do you wanna go for your tab?.. I’ll wait for you… just give me a call once you are done.”

Aparna exclaimed inside. Shreya dragged her from bed to come for own shopping and now she turned into someone who was giving favor for  her.

Aparna’s eyes yelled at Shreya.

“Ya, I need it badly..see you again guys” – Aparna gave a cruel look at Shreya and walked away

“She is like that” – Shreya brought Raunak’s attention to her.

“Was she expecting you?” Raunak asked

“No no, she had to go for her tab” – Shreya clarified like an innocent. “Don’t you buy anything? Or just window shopping” – Shreya was curious.

“I do. Beside that I love to roam around shopping places.. I enjoy it” – Raunak smiled at her

“Hmm… I see”

Raunak’s phone ringed.. He checked and disconnected immediately.

“You could take the call” – Shreya said

“It’s ok” Raunak was looking uneasy. “What happened?” Raunak could not understand her tone.

“Nothing. I need something for my friend’s marriage… are you coming with me?” Shreya looked into his eyes for an assertive answer she was hoping for.

“Yes. I can accompany you” – Raunak fulfilled her silent wish

They entered in to ‘SOCH’.

“Welcome Madam, how may I help you?”. The shop representative approached Shreya.

“I’m looking for designer lehenga” – Shreya replied

“Sure Madam, Please come”. The girl took Shreya to a desk and started bringing down some Lehengas from shelves.

He took a corner in the shop and started texting in phone. Shreya noticed that.

In about half an hour.

“Raunak” – Shreya looked back and called

“Tell me” – Raunak walked towards her. “Which one you liked?”

There were few stacks of lehenga, unfolded over the desk. It was like two sales women took limitless effort to select her one from those.

“I love maroon.. but she is going to wear maroon on her marriage day…so I can’t…red one I liked but it doesn’t suit me…this deep blakish blue is nice but overpriced” Shreya looked upset and confused too.

Raunak became more confused and nervous while thinking what to suggest.

“hmm… go by what you like the most..” – Raunak somehow formed a suggestion.

“What would you buy?” Shreya asked

“Depends.”

“Depends what?” – she added

“For whom I’m buying” – Raunak answered

“Don’t ask so many questions… leave it ” – Shreya turned to the stacks and started searching for a better one.

Raunak picked up one like a kingfisher got a fish. A blood red color fishtail type lehenga fabricated with traditional design.

“I like this” – Raunak told Shreya

“It’s very long…I’m not so tall”- Shreya opened it full and checked

“It’s fishtail type… it is supposed to be long” – Raunak suggested like a professional.

Shreya was open-mouthed. “Were you a shopkeeper?”

“I just know few things… but not at all an expert” – Raunak replied gently.

“No need to be so formal” Shreya already unfolded it like other pieces. “Hmm.. you have good eyes… I must say” Shreya murmured .

“Do you like it?”

“Yes” – Shreya turned and blushed to Raunak.

Two sales women were happier than Raunak and Shreya as Shreya finally selected one.

They paid and moved out.

“Oh..see.. we are done but madam still with her tab” Shreya looked at her watch and remembered Aparna.

“Let me call her” she dialed

“Are you still with your tab?” Shreya started with her tone

“No baby. I was done in 10 mins only. Didn’t want to jump between love birds” Aparna gave a mild earful

“Shut up..we are at down stair ”.. Shreya smiled and disconnected

“Is she still shopping” – Raunak asked

“No. she is coming down”

They walked out of the mall stood near the auto stand.

“So, what’s for rest of the day?” – Shreya asked

“No plan, but yeah, have few clothes to wash for the week” – Raunak replied seriously.

“hahahaha…” Shreya bursted into laughter

“What’s up guys!” Aparna just came in

“hahahahaha.. you will not believe..” She kept on laughing

“Hey.. nothing happened at all” – Raunak wanted to drop that topic

“Wow you finally brought it !” Aparna got her eyes on shreya’s lehenga’s bag

Aparna somehow snatched it and opened the bag..

“Apu at least not here..let’s go home” Shreya didn’t want Aparna to start opening that road side.

“Ok madam” Aparna held her emotions.

“How was the day?” Aparna looked at Raunak.

“Very nice” Raunak was blushing

“He found this piece when I was totally confused between others” Shreya told Aparna looking at Raunak

“Ah I see.. Superb.. ” Aparna again in her cheezy tone. “When are you guys meeting again?” Aparna placed the question between them like a smoky sizzler.

Both went silent. Both had the same thing in mind.

“Did I ask something wrong?” Aparna broke the ice

“No no.” Raunak gave an artificial look

His phone rang and as usual disconnected again.

“Is everything ok Raunak?” Shreya asked

“Ya. all good” Raunak cut short the conversation.  Meanwhile Aparna stopped an auto rikshaw,

“Guys come” – Aparna called both

“You go ahead. I need to go somewhere” Raunak told Shreya

“Hmm. Take care.. See you again”

Shreya got into the autorikshow and it started.  Shreya was finding Raunak through autorikshaw’s side mirror. Raunak was talking to someone over phone. Shreya was curious but could not get any chance to move back.

… Go to Next Chapter Breaking News

Signup to get alert for the next chapter .

---

Tagged as novel, she said, story