Tu hoga zara pagal,
Tune mujhko hai chuna...

Author's POV-

A week has passed since Mannat's college began but she has not been able to wake up early and get ready on time. But the day when she actually has a holiday, Mannat is getting all dolled up and ready at 9:30 a.m. in the morning. She is wearing a pink Anarkali suit with little jhumkis and of course her signature jutti.

Already done with her skincare, she picks up the hair dryer and starts drying her hair while humming a soft tune.

Hmmmmm....

Hmmmmm...

Yeh moh moh ke dhaage

Teri ungliyo se jaa uljhe

Koi toh toh na laage

Kis tarah girah yeh suljhe

Hai rom rom ek taraaaa...

Hai rom rom ek taara,

Jo baadlo mai se guzreee...

Hmmmm..... Hmmmmm

She continues the song ahead singing it and then notices that her hair has dried. She then turns off the hair drier and brushes her hair out, letting it fall behind her shoulders. She applies her perfume and a lip gloss then takes her bag, ready to take on the day.

She goes out of her room, skipping happily.

Mannat's POV-

"Good morning Mumma,
Good morning papa"

"Good morning, aaj yeh suraj kaha se nikal aaya? Itni jaldi kaise uth gayi aap?"
(Good morning, where has the sun risen from today? How did you wake up so early?)
My mumma asked raising her eyebrows a bit shocked to see me awake so early.

"Mummy darling. Aaj Maine socha ki gurdwaare hoke aati hu. Last week jaa nahi paa rahi thi kyunki late uth rahi thi. Isliye Aaj jaldi uthke taiyaar hogayi"
(Mom darling. Today I thought that I should go to the gurdwara. I wasn't able to go last week because I had been waking up late. That's why I woke up early today and got ready)
I told her while lightly pinching her cheeks and smiling softly.

"Parmatama tainu sadbudhi bakshe. Enni smart kitho ho gayi meri tiye?"
( God bless you with good sense. When did you become so smart my daughter?)
My mother said looking at me smiling. Mischief evident in her eyes.

"Kya yaar mummy, tussi vi na"
(What now Mom, you also?)
I said pouting like a child and going away from her.

"Achha achha nahi bol rahi kuch." She said while smiling lightly.
"Magar ik gal dass. Yeh gurdwaare ke liye kyu itna saj dhaj ke jaa rahe ho? Vaise toh har wakt mujhse puchti hai aaj kya pehnu aaj kya pehnu?"
(Okay okay, I'm not saying anything.)
(Just tell me one thing. Why are you all dressed up just to go to the gurdwara? Every time you ask me what should I wear what should I wear, and today you got ready on your own?)
She asked while sipping her morning tea.

"Voh mumma actually aaj college Mai fest type ka ek event ho raha hai. Ridhi bhi jaa rahi hai. Toh vahi puchna tha. Mai bhi jaa sakti hu kya?"
(Mom, actually there is a fest-type event in college today. Ridhi is also going. So I wanted to ask. Can I go as well?)

Papa finally looked up from his phone, his gaze set on me. He put his phone on the table in front and took a sip from his tea and then asked me, "Kitne baje tak aaoge vaapas?"
(Till what time will you be back?)

"Papa vaise toh yeh raat tak chalega yeh around 8 baje tak. But hum log jaldi nikal aayenge kyunki jaa jaldi rahe hai. Dopahar tak toh aa hi jaungi"
(Dad, though this will be going on till night at around 8 o clock, we will leave early since we are going so early. I'll be back in the afternoon)

"Chalo theek hai fir. Magar time se aa jaana"
(Okay then. But be back on time)
He replied while taking his phone from the table and started scrolling again.

"Yes, Papa" I replied to him. Happy inside that he gave me permission to go.

Author's POV-

She hugged both her parents goodbye and then left her home. Outside the house, she took a rikshaw to the nearest metro station by her house and then swiped her metro card and reached her platform. While waiting for the metro, she took out her headphones and connected them, listening to some songs.

After around a minute or two the metro arrived and she got on the metro and reached her desired station in about 15 minutes. She left the metro station and walked for about 15 minutes and she saw Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in sight.

She put the dupatta on her forehead and entered.

Mannat's POV-

I entered the gurdwara while putting the dupatta on my head. Then I removed my slippers and gave it inside the jodha ghar (footwear house- it's a place inside the gurdwara where we can remove our footwear. People over there take our footwear and give us tokens in return. And when we want to collect our footwear while leaving the gurdwara we give the token back to them and they give us our footwear back. This way our footwear doesn't get misplaced or lost.)

Author- The part that I've been waiting for 🤭🤭

I went further in and climbed the stairs of the gurdwara. I was about to bend down and touch the porch of the entrance when my head collided with someone.

I was about to stand back up when suddenly I felt a push beside me and I was about to fall in front of the man but he steadied me by holding my waist.

My breath hitched. Not one man had ever touched me like the way he did and I felt my heartbeat increasing and my breath quickening just from his touch. I could feel his calloused hands even through the layer of cloth between us and he made me feel things which I never even thought I would be able to. They made me feel protected even though he was a stranger. I needed to get away from him.

I moved away from him a little bit when I felt myself steadied but as I moved, I felt a tug on my dupatta. I looked up and saw a locket stuck on it. Moving my gaze further up my eyes stopped in front of his brown chocolatey coloured orbs and I felt myself drowning further in them. His eyes. They were mesmerising and captivating that seemed to be hiding something. Something that no one was allowed to see.

Before I fully lost control of my brain I suddenly remembered that we were inside the gurdwara. I quickly started to remove his locket from my dupatta. But every time I tried, I felt it getting stuck even more. After a while of trying to free my dupatta, I noticed a pair of hands on top of mine. I looked up and saw him looking at me.

"Mai koshish Kara?" I heard his voice, deep but not that deep, carrying a warmth to it. I slowly removed my hands from my dupatta and nodded.

(Should I try?)

"Side pe chalte hai. Aise yaha beech mai khade honge toh raasta block ho jayega" I heard him once again and controlling my emotions I nodded my head again and he started walking slowly. I moved with him walking together. And once we were outside the way of others he held my dupatta and his locket and started freeing them.

(Let's go to the side. If we keep standing here in between, then other's way will get blocked)

Within a matter of seconds, my dupatta was free but before I could understand or comprehend anything, I felt his hands on my face and he started moving my hair to the side which had all come on my face. His whole attention was on carefully moving all the strands on my face to the side and I was just standing there looking up to him, lost in him.

When he removed his hands from my face. I felt my blood rush to my cheeks and I ran away from there.

I had just moved a few steps when I heard him call me. I wanted to move ahead, to ignore his voice and the flutters in my stomach caused by his voice but I wasn't able to and I stopped rooted in my place. I then turned to look at him and saw him staring at me continuously, his eyes softening, his facial expressions calming and his mouth parting a little bit.

Before this turned into my situation, I called out to him, "Hanji kahiye?"
(Yes say?)

I noticed that he was still lost and paid no heed to my words. I tried calling him again, twice, thrice but I heard no response. I then noticed my hair clip in his hand.

I touched my head through the dupatta and noticed that it was not there. I started walking towards him and I noticed his face tilting slightly towards his right and a giggle escaped my mouth.

I quickly reached for my hair clip which was in his hand and then ran inside the gurdwaara while giggling like a fool.

Ekansh's POV

It had been a while since I last visited the gurdwara so I thought of going there today and since it is Sunday today and my off nothing could have been better.

Waheguru ji is the one who has always been there in every step of mine. Before starting anything big I always go to the gurdwara and seek his blessings and share my sorrows with him. He is the one guiding me through everything.
I might be cold to the world, but for Waheguru ji, I'm his child, always asking for help and seeking guidance and advice from him.

I quickly started my car, reached Bangla Sahib Gurdwara and parked the car in the parking of the gurdwara. I took off my shoes in the car only and went inside eager to seek his blessings. I climbed up the stairs and bent down my head to touch the porch but didn't realise someone was standing beside me and my head banged with hers.

I was about to just stand up and move forward not wanting to spoil my mood, but I felt a girl falling in front of me. I quickly held her by her waist, my hands moving in their own accord and I couldn't help but feel a spark, a flutter.

No, I don't have time for this nonsense. I thought. The girl then moved away from me standing up and suddenly I felt a tug on my neck. I looked and saw that my locket had gotten stuck on her dupatta. Great! Just Great!

She slowly lifted her head and I saw the most beautiful hazel eyes I had ever seen in my life.

Shut up Ekansh! Kya bakvaas kar raha hai. Tujhe kabse aankhein beutiful lagne lagi?
(Shut up Ekansh. What nonsense are you speaking? When did you start finding a girl's eyes so beautiful?)

As I was thinking I saw her hands moving hastily, trying to free her dupatta.

Aise toh ho gaya kaam
(This won't work)
I then hesitatingly, but slowly kept my hands on hers and said, "Mai koshish Kara?"
(Should I try?)

I don't know how I don't know why but my voice came out much softer than I had intended it to be. There was something wrong with this girl. Seriously wrong.

I saw her nod and was about to untangle her dupatta when I noticed people climbing up the stairs and told her, "Side pe chalte hai. Aise yaha beech mai khade honge toh raasta block ho jayega"
(Let's go to the side. If we keep standing here in between, then other's way will get blocked)

I again saw her nod and then started walking to the side and out of people's way. I just want to get my locket free from her dupatta.

When we reached a side, I reached down and held her dupatta and my locket and with swift calculated movements, freed my locket. I then saw her face and noticed that all her hair had come in front of her voice and before I could think, my hands reached towards her face and then started moving them to the side, wanting to see her beautiful face. I noticed her hair clip which was loosely dangling from her hair and took it but before I could say anything she ran away from there.

She had only taken a few steps when I called her, wanting to return her hair clip.

She stopped and then slowly turned around and I couldn't help but be lost in her beauty. Her round chubby face, soft lips, hazel eyes and cute button nose. I couldn't help but look at her not being able to stop myself. Something is seriously wrong with me.

I don't want to be involved in this. I don't want to feel like this. But I just can't help but do. I saw her walking towards me and I felt as if everything else around me had paused. Only her. Walking towards me.

Before I could do or say anything I heard a giggle escape her mouth. She looks so cute when she laughs. I thought to myself.

I felt something slip out of my hand and then I saw her running inside the gurdwara while giggling.

I looked at my now empty hand and thought, "I have never let myself feel anything for anyone before but why her? Why is she shaking my world away? Should I stop feeling like this? Or should I explore this? What should I do?"

Author's Note-
Milan abhi aadha adhura hai..
Milan abhi aadha adhura hai....
🤭🤭🙈
Did you like this chapter?
This was a long one as I wanted to include both Mannat's and Ekansh's POV. I wanted you to understand how they both felt. Finally, our Ekansh and Mannat have met 👉🏻👈🏻. Do you think Ekansh will be able to handle how he feels? Or will he try and create a distance from Mannat? Will fate bring these two in front of each other again or was this just a coincidence? Only time will tell...

Until then
See yaaa buh byeeee my sweetiees...