Abhishree's POV

I grip the bat tightly as I focus on the ball in the baller's hand. I have to show this ghamandi aadmi that women are no less.

I take stance as the ball approaches me and wooshhh!

I hit the ball and it goes straight into the air.

The other team's captain who put the bet looks into the air trying to look for the ball. He then looks at me open mouthed.

Haa! Take that you chhuchhundar!

I swirl the bat in air and move towards him with a smirk.

I stand in front of him and move my fingers through my hair showing tashan.

"Kya keh rhe the tum? Ladkiyan haan ladkiyan achha cricket nhi khel skti. Yaha uss kala ka pradarshan toh tumne kia. Toh tum huye ladki."

(What were you saying? Girls yes girls cannot play cricket. You did that here. Then you are a girl.)

I say and everyone laughs. He gives me a stinky look.

"Chal ab mere paise nikal."

(Now give me my money.)

He grumbles and hands me two 500 rupee notes.

All my friends jump and shout with happiness.

They pick me up on their shoulders and roam around the whole ground shouting in happiness and I move my bat in air like a real cricketer.

We were celebrating our victory when I hear a loud voice.

"ABHISHREE!"

My friends put me down and I look at the human being I call my mother looking at me with anger. I swear if she was a cartoon there would be smoke coming out of her ears right now. That's how much angry she was.

She came near us marching angrily and held my hand.

"Pata nhi kin awara ladko ke saath ghumti rehti hai ye ladki. Ek bhi ladkiyon wale lakshan nhi hai iske. Ghar chal tu. Tere papa se shikhayat karungi mai."

(God knows which useless boys she roams with. There is not a single thing she does like girls. Come home. I will complain to your father.)

She says and starts pulling me along with her.

"Arre mummy suno toh."

(Mummy listen to me.)

"Chup bilkul. Bhut manmani kr li tune. Ab chupchap seedha ghar chal."

(Shut up. You did your wish a lot. Now come home straight.)

I was about to say something but she glared at me and I went with her quietly. I looked back at my friends and saw them looking at me with sadness.

I see Parth coming near us and I smile. How caring my friends are.

"Aunty! Aunty ek minute. Wo Abhi ke paas hamare paise hai. Mai please wo lelu."

(Aunty one minute. Abhi has our money. Can I take that.)

I look at him with narrowed eyes. Kutta kahi ka!

Mumma looks at him and nods.

"Abhi please hamare paise dede."

(Abhi please give our money.)

He says in the most sweetest tone. Tujhe toh mai baadme dekhti hu beta.

I hand him the money and he runs away to the rest.

I go back home with mumma knowing that I am about to get a huge lecture on being a woman.

Raunak's POV

I reach home finishing my shift. Mumma opens the door and I smile and greet her.

She asks me about my day.

"It was good. Tiring."

I say and move towards my bedroom. I loosen my tie and keep my bag on the couch.

I then slump on the bed and sigh.

God! Today was really tiring. I just want to sleep right now.

I close my eyes and was about to slip into dreams when I heard a knock on the door.

Groaning I got up and came face-to-face with my mother.

"Dinner ready hai. Bahar aaja."

(Dinner is ready. Come out.)

She says with her evergreen sweet smile and I nod.

I change my clothes and go out after freshening up.

We have our dinner with me and papa talking about things in general. Mumma was giving her input in between.

I love it when she does that. She had not always been very confident. 

Papa used to tell me how she used to be quiet in front of him when they were just married. With time she got a little confident and started speaking her thoughts out to him.

I want my wife to be comfortable with me so that she can share her thoughts and feelings without any inhibition.

After our dinner I was about to move back to my room to sleep when mumma stopped me.

"Raunak sun. Idhar aa."

(Raunak wait. Come here.)

She called me near her and I sat beside her with my head on her shoulder.

She started doing something on her phone and then showed me a picture of a girl.

"Bata toh kaisi hai?"

(Tell me how is she?)

She asked me and I looked at the picture carefully.

The girl in the picture was beautiful. She was not like the model figure but looking at her smile in that picture, she was beautiful. She was wearing a traditional suit and I don't know why I could feel that she wasn't very comfortable in that. 

Funny, how I was able to conclude so much with just one picture. 

"Bata na!"

(Tell me!)

I came out of my reverie hearing mumma's voice.

"Hmm. Achhi hai."

(She is nice.)

"Sirf achhi hai?"

(Only nice?)

"Kya kehna chah rhe ho?"

(What are you trying to say?)

I ask her directly and she turns to me with a smile.

"Teri shaadi ki baat chal rhi hai isse. Abhishree naam hai. Hayye mai toh naam sunke hi khush ho gyi thi. Kitna pyaara naam hai. Ek hafte pehle mili thi mai kisi rishtedaar ki shaadi mai. Bhut pyaari bachi hai. Tere saath khub jodi jamegi."

(We are talking about your marriage with her. Her name is Abhishree. I was so happy to know the name. Her name is so pretty. I saw her in a relatives wedding a week ago. She is very sweet. She will complement you.)

She said everything in one go looking very excited.

I chuckled and said.

"Agar aapko itni pasand hai toh samjho ki mujhe bhi pasand hai."

(If you like her so much then I like her too.)

"Hayye! Sachi!"

(Really!)

She squealed excitedly. I chuckle again and nod.

And she starts again at how I will love her so much because she is very sweet, beautiful and what not. 

I smile and keep sitting there, looking at her picture and imagining everything my mother said.

Sleep was long gone from my eyes and all that mattered at the moment was Abhishree.

Damn! I haven't even met her and I am already behaving whipped.

But her smile! Gosh! Its so beautiful and pure.

"Ab bas bhi kr. Photo mai se hi nazar lagayega kya?"

(Now stop it. Will you ward an evil eye from the photo only?)

Mumma teases me and I smile sheepishly. 

"Tu free kab hai? Mai Abhishree ke gharwalon se baat krke tumhari ek mulakat fix krwa deti hu."

(When are you free? I will talk to her parents and fix your meeting with her.)

"Waise toh meri chhuti Sunday ko hogi lekin aap kaho toh mai kal off le skta hu."

(I have an off on Sunday but if you say I can take an off tomorrow.)

I say eagerly and mumma laughs.

"Nhi. Itne bade ehsaan ki koi zarurat nhi hai. Mai Sunday ka hi bol rhi hu."

(No. No need of so much favour. I will talk about Sunday.)

I rub my neck in embarrassment and run to my room in the pretext of being sleepy to save myself from further embarrassment.

I could hear mumma laughing. I slump on the bed and a smile started forming on my face.

"Abhishree!"

I whisper and slowly start to slip into my dreams.
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