The Debt -An OS on AnuPre || Anurag || Prerna || Kasautii Zindagii Kay || KZK || Parth Samthaan || Erica Fernandes

The college was empty, except for the few students who stayed back a bit longer in the library or those who enjoyed the after college rush to indulge in sports. The cultural fest, scheduled for the end of the month, had not yet inspired the students to stay back to practice. So the stroll through the quiet corridors of the college to take the car keys he had misplaced, was relaxing.  Finding the keys where he thought he had placed them, he was about to walk back when he saw the need to take detour. A few feet away stood Anjali,chatting with a group of friends. Seeing that Prerna was not with her, he decided to take a different path to reach his car.

Passing by the Auditorium  the strain of music caught his attention.

 Yeh Hosla Kaise Jhuke
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke

It was one of his favourite songs and curiosity drew him into the auditorium.And he saw her dancing.

Manzil Mushkil to kya
Dhundla Sahil to kya
Tanha Ye Dil to Kya
Ho Hooo

Grace and beauty flowed with her every movement, mesmerizing him. He stood back in the shadows not wishing to disturb her.

Raah Pe Kante Bikhre agar
Uspe to phir bhi chalna hi hai
Shaam Chhupale Suraj magar
Raat ko ek din Dhalna hi hai
Rut ye tal jayegi
Himmat rang layegi
Subha phir aayegi
Hooo

 Her each movement strengthened the meanings of the lyrics, making the dance a proclamation of the will to overcome every hurdle in  life.

Yeh Hosla Kaise Jhuke
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke

He  saw the tears that slid down her cheeks and her attempt to brush it away.

She made a futile attempt to stop the tears by closing her eyes. Yet the tears continued to wet her cheeks as she continued her dance.

 Hogi hame to rehmat ada

Dhup kategi saaye tale
Apne khuda se hai ye Dua
Manzil lagale humko gale
Zurrat so baar rahe
Uncha Ikraar rahe
Zinda har pyar rahe
Hooo

Now it was more like she wanted to make the lyrics come true with her dance. But the sorrow that was etched in her face  belied the hope that was proclaimed by the song.

Yeh Hosla Kaise Juke
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke

As she fell down on her knees sobbing he wondered if he must go to her. Her pain felt too personal for him to intrude. It was true that in the span of the past few days, their decade long relationship had developed from being mere acquaintance to what could be called casual friends.He respected and appreciated her love and devotion to her parents. And yet.

May be... even as he started to move forward, he heard her name being called out.

"Pree.." Anjali ran towards her friend. "what happened , Are you hurt?"

"Nothing... Just give me.." Prerna held on to her friend as she sobs racked her body. When the tempest of tears subdued, a bewildered Anjali asked again, "What happened? What has upset you so much?"

"It is okay now," Prerna tried to evade. " i just needed a few moments to .." she wiped her face with her dupatta and smiled as she looked at her friend. "See I am okay now.I just needed to get back resolve. It is alright now. Everything will be okay."

"What are you saying Pre? I don't understand."

"A girl is bound to have doubts and apprehension when she is getting married, isn't she?"

"Married? You are getting married?" Prerna nodded her head in answer.

"But who to? When?" asked Anjali shocked.

"To Naveen Babu."

"Navee.. that pervert?" Anjali burst out laughing. " you can't fool me Pre with this joke Pre. You know I am your best friend."

"Yes, you are my best friend and that is why I am telling you  now. So that you won't complain later. And I am not joking, I am getting married to Naveen Babu. He wants a proper Bengali wedding as it is my first..." She shook her head as she recollected his words, the way he touched her, " and tonight is adan pradan."

She moved away from her friend.

" You are lying. I don't believe you. How can you Pre? He is so much older than you . He is Anurag's uncle!"

"Kaki Ma  and  Naveen babu came to our home yesterday with the proposal and I accepted.  That is the truth."

Anjali moved to stand in front of her friend. "Wait a minute. You said you accepted . What about your family? I am sure Uncle and Aunty will never allow it."

She saw the expression on Prerna's face, "I am right. They  didn't, right?"

"It..It doesn't matter. I will marry Naveen Babu. I gave my word. I will honour it, I should."

"But why, Pre? There is something else, isn't there? Something or someone is forcing you."

"No!" Prerna replied in panic. " No one is forcing me. I want to be rich. By marrying  Naveen babu, I will never have to worry about money. He promised her will take care of my family too."

" So you are doing this for your family. But how will Aunty and uncle be happy when they see how unhappy you are? He is a divorcee and so much older than you. I have  noticed the way he looks at you. Like a lecher. You said you would have slapped him for touching you like that had it not been the occasion of Mata's bidai. Yet you are marrying him and giving him the right to touch you.. not just your hands.. more!"

Prerna shuddered remembering the way she had felt when he touched her, the look in his eyes had made her wish to run so far.. to hide..

."Stop.. please ..don't" she  turned away .

Anjali jerked her back to face her, " see even thinking about it makes you so upset. Don't do this Pre. It won't make your family happy, not when they realize you have ruined your life for them. Whatever the problem is that is making you take this decision we can find another way to resolve it. I am sure Uncle and Shekhar bhaiyya will find a solution. Together we will find one, you just tell me what it is."

"There is no other way. There is no time to find one. Only I can save my family ."

"At least tell me  what it is."

"I can't "

Ok then, if you are so stubborn  I will ask Shekhar bhaiyya," Anjali started to call Shekhar but Prerna held her hand.

" They don't know. They shouldn't . Promise me!"

"Pre, what do you mean? Even your parents don't know ?This is the limit!" Anjali raised her hands in exasperation. " HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID!"

"No, I am not. If I don't marry Naveen babu we will loose our home. Do you know how much Baba values it? To him it is so much more than a roof above our head, it is the blessings of our forefathers. He lived his whole life in it. How can I stand back and see ittbeing taken away from him? How can I accept that when I know I can stop it?"

" So you are telling me unless you marry that.. that man  you will loose your home?"

"Baba had taken a loan  from Kaka babu sometime back. Unless we repay that 15 lakhs within a day, we will loose our home.  Now there is not even a day left."

"But.. why so sudden ?"

" Because Kaki ma.." Prerna went on to tell Anjali what had happened.

    Anurag was late when he reached home. It had taken him some time to accept that his mother, who loved her children so so much, could do this. He knew, even with the depth of love he had for her , that she had her faults. Pride being one of then. That she would go to this end to seek vengeance over her hurt prideh, hurt him. He knew how much Baba valued his friendship with Rajesh Uncle. If this proposal went ahead, Baba might never be able to forgive his mom. He couldn't discuss this matter with Baba for that very reason. He had considered cancelling the debt, but that too had its own repercussions. It would hurt the self respect of Rajesh Uncle.

The decorations and the mood of festivity at home had angered him. Seeing his mom so actively involved in what he considered the ruining of a girl's life upset him. How could she be so insensitive! He had tried talking to her, hhad even asked her who was the girl who was so desperate to marry his twice divorced Mamaji. But his mom had evaded. Now there was just one thing left to do, he thought as he got ready to attend the function of Adan Pradan.

Seeing the distress Prerna was going through as she was paraded as the bride-to-be, strengthened his resolve to make right the wrong that was being done to her by his family.

As the thali holding the horoscope was to be exchanged, he reached over to take away his mamaji's horoscope.

"Anu, what are you doing?" his mom asked.

"I don't think it is the right horoscope Ma," he took the one he had brought with him and place it on the thali.

He heard his mom's shock in the breath she drew in as she recognized the horoscope. " But this is.. "

"Mine, " he completed. Then lowered his voice to say, "when you collect debt from a person you should also ensure that it goes to the right owner. Rajesh Uncles's debt was to Baba, not to Mamaji. As the son of Moloy Basu, I hold the right to collect this debt, which you think Prerna should repay with marriage into this family."

Indulekha