CHAPTER66 [SHAYARI, TEASING & UNEXPECTED FEELINGS]
The game continued in the middle of the beautifully decorated garden.
The bottle was spun again, moving slowly between the two teams before finally stopping in front of Aryan, one of Vihaan's cousins.
Everyone immediately started cheering.
Sana:
"Aryan bhai, your turn!"
Aryan smiled and thought for a moment before saying-
Aryan's Shayari
?"Pyaar hua, ikraar hua,
Phir shopping ka vaar hua,
Dulha bola, 'Budget sambhalna,'
Dulhan boli, 'Ab tumhara kya kaam hai?'" ???
English Translation
?"Love happened, then came the confession,
And then came the attack of shopping,
The groom said, 'Please take care of the budget,'
And the bride said, 'What use are you now?'" ???
The entire garden erupted into laughter.
Sana clapped loudly.
Sana:
"Perfect, Aryan bhai!"
Aryan gave her a small nod.
Aryan:
"Thank you, thank you."
Karan immediately shook his head.
Karan:
"I think the boys' team is finally getting some competition."
The bottle was spun again.
This time, it landed on Kavya, one of Rhea's closest friends.
Kavya immediately smiled.
Kavya:
"Okay, my turn."
She looked toward the boys' team and dramatically cleared her throat.
Kavya's Shayari
?"Mohabbat mein humne dil haar diya,
Unhone bas ek smile se humein maar diya,
Ab shaadi ke baad samajh aaya,
Dil ke saath wallet bhi haar diya!" ???
English Translation
?"In love, I lost my heart,
They killed me with nothing but a smile,
But after marriage, I finally understood-
Along with my heart, I lost my wallet too!" ???
Everyone burst out laughing.
Karan immediately pointed at Kavya.
Karan:
"Kavya yaar, itna sach bhi nahi bolna tha!"
Sana laughed.
Sana:
"But whatever she said, she said it absolutely right!"
The whole group laughed again.
Even Aarohi couldn't hold back her smile.
But there was someone who wasn't paying attention to the shayari anymore.
Vihaan.
He wasn't listening to who was speaking.
He wasn't even interested in who was winning the game.
His entire attention was fixed on Aarohi.
His eyes remained on her as though everything else around him had simply faded into the background.
He watched the way she smiled.
The slight movement of her lips.
The way her eyelashes lowered whenever she laughed.
A few strands of her hair repeatedly fell across her face, and she gently tucked them behind her ear.
Her earrings moved softly with every little movement.
The bangles around her wrist made a delicate sound whenever she moved her hands.
Vihaan simply watched.
As if he were trying to memorize every little detail of her.
Her smile.
Her expressions.
The way she looked when she was genuinely happy.
It had been so long since he had seen that version of her.
And perhaps that was why he couldn't look away.
For once, he didn't care about the game.
He didn't care about the teasing.
He only wanted to remember this moment.
Because somewhere inside him, there was still a fear that happiness like this could disappear again.
Meanwhile, completely unaware of the intensity of his gaze, Aarohi continued enjoying the game.
The bottle was spun again.
It moved around the circle...
slowed down...
and finally stopped in front of-
Karan.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Sana pointed at him.
Sana:
"Karan bhai! Again!"
Karan looked at the bottle in disbelief.
Karan:
"This bottle has something against me."
Everyone laughed.
Arjun calmly looked at him.
Arjun:
"Maybe the bottle knows you're entertaining."
Karan placed a hand over his heart.
Karan:
"At least someone appreciates me."
Sana laughed.
Sana:
"Come on, bhai. Shayari!"
Before Karan could say anything, Arjun interrupted.
Arjun:
"First tell us which team you're actually on."
Karan immediately pointed toward the boys.
Karan:
"I'm on my team's side! Completely loyal."
Arjun raised an eyebrow.
Arjun:
"It doesn't look like it."
Karan rolled his eyes.
Karan:
"Fine! Listen."
He stood up dramatically and delivered-
Karan's Shayari
?"Shaadi ka ladoo jo khaye, woh bhi pachtaye,
Jo na khaye, woh bhi bas sochta reh jaaye,
Humne kaha single hi theek hain janaab,
Phir ek din koi mili... aur saare principles bhaag jaaye!" ???
English Translation
?"Those who eat the wedding sweet regret it,
And those who don't eat it keep wondering what they're missing,
I said being single was perfectly fine,
Then one day someone came along... and all my principles ran away!" ???
The garden once again filled with laughter.
Karan proudly sat back down.
Karan:
"Now that's poetry."
Sana:
"That's not poetry, that's your future confession!"
Karan immediately shook his head.
Karan:
"No, no. Let's move on."
The bottle spun again.
This time, it stopped in front of Sana.
Aarohi immediately smiled.
Aarohi:
"Now you speak. You've been troubling everyone since the game started."
Sana placed a hand on her chest dramatically.
Sana:
"Fine, fine. I'm saying something."
Karan immediately warned her.
Karan:
"Make it a good one, Sana. Don't say something that ruins everyone's mood."
Sana looked at him with a mischievous smile.
Sana:
"Karan bhai, you just watch."
Everyone waited.
Sana turned toward Rhea and Yash.
Then she smiled.
Sana's Shayari
?"Ishq ka bukhaar sabko chadh gaya,
Rhea ko dekha toh Yash bhi pighal gaya,
Shaadi ke baad kya hoga, ye toh waqt batayega,
Abhi toh bechara sirf 'Yes, dear' kehna seekh raha hai!" ???
English Translation
?"Everyone has caught the fever of love,
The moment Yash saw Rhea, even he melted,
What will happen after marriage, only time will tell,
For now, the poor man is simply learning to say, 'Yes, dear!'" ???
Rhea's face immediately turned bright red.
Yash looked down, trying to hide his smile.
Everyone started laughing and clapping.
Sana looked between the two of them and dramatically gasped.
Sana:
"Ohooo! Lovebirds are blushing!"
Rhea covered her face with her hands.
Rhea:
"Sana!"
Yash laughed softly.
Yash:
"You really don't spare anyone, do you?"
Sana grinned.
Sana:
"Not today!"
The laughter continued through the garden.
And somewhere across the circle, Vihaan was still watching Aarohi.
This time, however, Aarohi happened to glance in his direction.
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment, everything around them seemed to disappear.
Vihaan's expression softened.
Aarohi's smile faded into a small, thoughtful expression.
Neither said anything.
Then Aarohi quietly looked away.
But this time...
she didn't feel the same urge to run from his gaze.
And Vihaan noticed that too.
---
The laughter in the garden continued as the bottle was spun once again.
Everyone leaned forward, waiting to see where it would stop.
The bottle slowed down...
once...
twice...
and finally came to a stop in front of Aarohi.
Sana immediately pointed at her with a huge smile.
Sana:
"You have been escaping for quite some time now. Your turn, Aaru!"
Aarohi looked at the bottle and then at Sana.
Aarohi:
"I don't know anything, yaar. You say something on my behalf."
Sana immediately shook her head.
Sana:
"Absolutely not! And don't tell me you don't know. You used to write poetry during college. I still remember!"
Aarohi smiled faintly.
Aarohi:
"That was a long time ago."
Sana folded her arms.
Sana:
"So what? Poetry doesn't expire. Come on, say whatever you remember."
Aarohi looked around at everyone.
Almost everyone was waiting for her.
Even Rhea was smiling expectantly.
Karan joined in.
Karan:
"Please, Bhabhi. Just one. Everyone else has already performed."
Soon, the entire group started encouraging her.
Everyone:
"Aarohi! Aarohi! Aarohi!"
Aarohi finally laughed softly and raised her hands.
Aarohi:
"Fine. Fine. Be quiet. I'll say one."
The garden slowly became quieter.
Aarohi took a small breath.
Then she began.
Aarohi's Shayari
?"Mohabbat kya hai...
main batati hoon.
Tumhe karni nahi aati,
main karke dikhaati hoon.
Tum zinda kar loge mujhe,
main mar ke dikhaati hoon.
Waada karo samet loge mujhe,
main bikhar kar dikhaati hoon.
Ishq hai jaise chalte hue angaare,
Main uspar chal kar dikhaati hoon.
Hai bewafai insaan ki fitrat,
Main fitrat badal kar dikhaati hoon."?
English Translation
?"What is love... let me tell you.
You don't know how to love, so let me show you.
You will bring me back to life, while I will show you what it means to give everything for love.
Promise that you will gather me back together, and I will show you how I can fall apart.
Love is like walking across burning embers,
And I will prove that I can walk across them.
If betrayal is said to be human nature,
Then I will prove that even nature can be changed."?
For a few seconds, nobody said anything.
Then the entire group burst into applause.
Sana's eyes widened with admiration.
Sana:
"Haaye, meri jaan! What did you just say? I'm officially your biggest fan!"
Aarohi laughed softly.
But she didn't notice that someone had been watching her throughout every single word.
Vihaan.
His eyes hadn't left her.
He had listened to every line.
And perhaps what affected him most wasn't the poetry itself...
It was the way Aarohi had said it.
There was something hidden behind those words.
Something he understood.
Something that made him wonder whether she had written those words because of him.
For a moment, Aarohi looked toward him.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them looked away immediately.
There was no anger in Vihaan's eyes this time.
Only silence.
Regret.
And something far deeper that neither of them was ready to name.
Aarohi eventually lowered her gaze.
Sana, completely unaware of the silent exchange, suddenly grabbed Aarohi's arm.
Sana:
"Aaru, listen!"
Aarohi immediately became suspicious.
Aarohi:
"Absolutely not. I know what you're going to say."
Sana laughed.
Sana:
"Please! Just one more!"
Aarohi:
"No."
Karan joined in.
Karan:
"Please, Bhabhi. Just one more!"
Soon everyone started supporting him.
Everyone:
"One more! One more!"
Aarohi looked around helplessly.
Finally, she sighed.
Aarohi:
"Fine. But this is the last one."
Everyone settled down again.
Aarohi looked at the ground for a moment before slowly raising her eyes.
Then she began.
Aarohi's Second Shayari
?"Yun der tak nazrein na milaya karo,
Dekho zamaane mein badnaam ho jaoge.
Itne saare khaas bhi na banao khamakha,
Sab mein aam ho jaoge.
Ye ishq hai, ise ishq hi rehne do,
Ibaadat na banao, gulaam ho jaoge.
Chupke milna hai to parda bhi rakho,
Yun be-parda aaoge to sare-aam ho jaoge.
Jaise ho, waise hi raho, mujhe aadat na banao,
Bewajah laachaar, be-bas, be-kaam ho jaoge."?
English Translation
?"Don't hold my gaze for so long,
Or you'll become the talk of the world.
Don't make me so special without reason,
Or you'll become ordinary among everyone else.
This is love; let it remain love,
Don't turn it into worship, or you'll become its slave.
If we must meet secretly, then keep the veil between us,
For if you come unveiled, we'll become a spectacle for everyone.
Stay just the way you are; don't make me a habit,
Or you'll become helpless, powerless, and lost without me."?
The moment Aarohi finished, the garden erupted into applause again.
Some of the guests whistled.
Rhea clapped enthusiastically.
Sana looked absolutely delighted.
Sana:
"Okay! That's it. I'm officially obsessed with your poetry!"
Karan suddenly stood up and walked toward Aarohi.
Everyone looked at him curiously.
He stopped in front of her and dramatically bent down to touch her feet.
Aarohi immediately stepped back in surprise.
Aarohi:
"Karan! What are you doing?"
Everyone burst out laughing.
Karan straightened up with a completely serious expression.
Karan:
"Bhabhi, I am officially your fan. How can someone have this much talent?"
Aarohi shook her head, laughing.
Karan turned toward Vihaan dramatically.
Karan:
"Bhai, your luck is seriously unbelievable. You didn't just get a doctor..."
He paused for effect.
Karan:
"You got a doctor AND a poet!"
The entire group laughed again.
Sana immediately teased Vihaan.
Sana:
"Haan bhai, maan lo. Aapki kismat achhi hai."
Vihaan finally smiled.
His gaze briefly shifted toward Aarohi.
Vihaan:
"I know."
Aarohi looked at him for a second.
There was something about the simplicity of those two words that made her heart pause.
He hadn't joked.
He hadn't tried to impress anyone.
He had simply said it.
And somehow, that was enough.
Aarohi quickly looked away, hiding the small smile that had appeared on her lips.
The music started playing again, and the atmosphere returned to its earlier liveliness.
Everyone went back to teasing each other.
But somewhere between the laughter, music, and celebration...
Aarohi and Vihaan had shared something that neither of them had spoken aloud.
A moment.
A feeling.
And perhaps...
the beginning of something neither was ready to understand yet.