Pep Talk

Pep Talk

Pratap grumbled as the sun rays fell on his face as he tossed in the opposite direction hoping to get away from it. He sighed in contentment on finding the escape, but he felt someone breathing heavily next to his neck. Moments later, a hand fell on his waist, and as he tried to move, the hand gripped him tighter.

“you move way too much, Pratu.”

Pratap’s eyes opened wide as he recognised the voice and shot straight up in bed, Beside him lay none other than Jalaluddin Mohammed Akbar completely shirtless, but as he looked at his own body, Pratap realised he was shirtless as well. He looked around hoping to make sense of things when his eyes fell on the girl sleeping on the couch

“Ruqqaiya” he whispered her name as she snuggled into the sofa and continued sleeping.

“Good morning,” Jalal spoke making Pratap jump in bed as he glared at the other man, who had placed his hand over his mouth worried that the girl would wake-up. Both of them slowly got out of bed and made their way to the other room, where breakfast had already been set-up and that included the hangover drinks.

“What the hell happened yesterday?” Pratap asked as he took a sip of the bitter concoction that would help him get rid of a headache. All he remembered was snippets of his actions here and there but nothing made sense. Jalal had come to visit him at his office, and then they had started talking about things, drinks had started as well, but he didn’t remember when things went out of hands. He thanked Jalal for his hospitality and drove off back to his home.

At home, he sat in his room reading the message he had minutes ago; we need to talk. He knew something must have occurred for her to send him such a message but he still didn’t recall anything.

“Hukum, your guest has arrived and is waiting for you in the garden as you wished,” the servant informed him. Pratap stood up to face the heat of the guest. Hopefully, she would go easy on him.

“Looks like the hangover is all gone, or you are an excellent actor,” the young woman commented as Pratap walked towards her with a smile.

“You know me; excellence is the only thing I strive for, Ruqqaiya.”

The duo hugged each other and then sat down to talk. The family butler appeared with coffee and butter cookies for the pair and took his leave. 

Ruqqaiya took a bite off the cookie and smiled, “you remember my choice but not last night I assume.” He nodded his head in agreement.

“In gist, you got drunk, created a scene at Ajabde’s office, broke off your engagement with Phool, decided to choose Jalal over everyone because he is your bhai and you also gave an earful to Dheerbai over the phone.”

Pratap’s mouth was wide-open as Ruqqaiya counted of his actions making her laugh. “I did what….!!” He facepalmed himself.

“You did what your heart has wanted to do for the last two years. It broke free from all the bounds that were keeping you away from Ajabde. Admit it Pratap, you were, are and will always be in love with Ajabde, and no one can ever replace her.”

He stared at his hands, “but I hurt her…badly” He recalled their fights and then the day she had left him and chosen herself.

“Then have a fresh start,” Ruqqaiya’s words made him look up, “let her decide what she wants and go from there but be honest to yourself, Pratap.”

Later, Pratap sat in his room playing with the handycam that Ruqqaiya had left for him. She had advised him to watch it alone and to sit on the floor. 

“Why should I sit on the floor to watch this?” he thought as he switched the camera on and played the video. The very first snippet had him on the floor hard for in it he was ball dancing with none other than Jalaluddin Mohammed Akbar,

“try to dance with a little more elegance,” Ruqqaiya was laughing in the back while the male duo pulled off the ballroom dance on a song they sang.

 Pratap and Jalal hugged each other when the servants tried to separate them, “hum juda nahi ho sakte… yeh pralal ki prem kahaani khatam nahi hogi”

Pratap sank on the floor and took a deep breath it was going to be a long video.