Chapter 31 (Blockbuster)

◀PLAYLIST FOR THIS EPISODE▶

*****

Independence Day Special 🇮🇳

A few days later, Sanchi was seated at the breakfast table of the Trivedi house when her phone buzzed with a text message. Her brown eyes lit up when she saw the sender's name.

*Vihaan | Sanchi*

*Good morning hickory! Will you mind if I change my alarm's name to 'Hickory'? It forgot to buzz today and I got late waking up!*

*Good morning jerk! Will you mind if I change your name in my phone to 'God of Arrogance'? It forgot to pick me up in time today as it was too busy picking up all it's arrogant shit!*

*Early morning metaphors are too bitter to gulp. Move out quickly, I am already waiting for you.*

*Wait for a second, Vihaan!*

*You say a second and I wait like for minutes!*

Sanchi chuckled when she read the last message. Packing her bags to depart for the bureau, she waved at Vidya. "Bye Vid-ya, I'll meet you in the even-ing."

As Sanchi left, Vidya gave a call to Dheeraj. "Hey Dheeraj!"

"I am getting ready to go to the bureau, I already got late."

"I will wake you early, daily after marriage. But now listen to me."

"Shoot!"

"I spoke to Sanchi yesterday and she accepted that Vihaan has apologized to her. She also told me that they are friends now. But the way I saw Sanchi smiling while texting him and the way her eyes lit up when we talk of Vihaan, I sense she is falling for him."

"Are you serious? Vihaan texting Sanchi!"

"I am not lying."

"He is the only person in the universe I have seen who can't send even an emergency text to anyone. He always does important calls, I wonder what has happened to him?"

"You try knowing what he feels for Sanchi because I am scared. I don't want Sanchi falling for Vihaan but Vihaan refraining from it. I can't see her getting hurt again."

"If that is the case, I am in."

"She has done so much for us and it is our turn to help her out."

"I think I am going to get a huge shock if I see my brother falling in love!"

"The Bundela brothers are known for suppresing their love instead of expressing!" Vidya taunted him.

"I love you for teasing me." Dheeraj grinned.

"Aren't you getting late now?" Vidya teased and he disconnected the call in a hurry.

*****

The night Vihaan apologized to her, he had requested Sanchi to return home but she had denied politely. She couldn't betray the friendship with Vidya and couldn't accept to be called a selfish. She promised him that she would return only after the day of the marriage.

Vihaan made it a daily routine to give Sanchi a bike ride to the bureau. He would pick Sanchi up daily from the Trivedi house and drop her in the evening. As the days of togetherness were passing by, their special friendship was growing stronger than they had already imagined.

Vihaan had also apologized to Arjun in his own arrogant style and made a promise to himself that he would never doubt her friendship with Arjun. He liked the fact how Sanchi had given him a special friend's status and he wanted to keep her happy in every possible way.

Sanchi sat across the desk in Vihaan's cabin while he had his eyes rooted into an important file. "Vih-aan, it's lunch time al-ready."

"Stop becoming my reminder, hickory!"

"Isn't it why you name-d me that!" Sanchi frowned, opening the lunch box before him.

Vihaan put the file aside as soon as the sweet aroma of the less spicy food cooked by Sanchi trailed his nostrils. "I know this is your trick to get me to turn to food according to your wish."

"Isn't it the God of Arro-gance who keeps remind-ing me to have my food on time but he him-self tries skip-ping meals?"

"I am not as weak and delicate as you!" Vihaan rolled his eyes.

"I know I am we-ak!" Sanchi said, lowering her wet eyes. Vihaan frowned, feeling disheartened for her.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Vihaan said, pulling her chair closer to him. "I was kidding."

"I kn-ow you were but it is any-how true." Sanchi inhaled slowly.

Cupping her cheeks, he muttered slowly, "Look at me, now."

When she looked up at him on his insistence, he wiped her tears with the tip of his thumb. "I have never seen a stronger lady than you, ever in my life. Your strength is weakening my arrogance, do you even realize that?"

Wrapping her arms around his back, she allowed herself to cry against his chest. She wondered to herself, "The stren-gth which you have seen, Vih-aan, is fake. It is only to save my-self from the outer wo-rld. The depth in me is weak, very weak whi-ch you don't even know. And I am sure you will drift apa-rt from me when you come to know ab-out it. It sca-res me like hell all the time."

"Sanchi, now stop being a kid. I don't like you this way when you cry like a fool. Why are you becoming a cry baby nowadays? Don't you know I befriended you because you are strong?" Vihaan asked, brushing her hair.

She jerked apart from him and said, "So you will bre-ak the friend-ship if you ever find out I am we-ak?"

Vihaan stood up from the chair and sat at the edge of the desk to take a closer look at her. Taking her palm in his, he uttered, "Do you think I will ever let you become weak? You were always so strong even in front of the bloody Shakti. I don't think anything else in this world can ever weaken you. If that really happens ever, I will always be there beside you as your strength. Stop worrying now."

Sanchi nodded like a fool, thinking to herself, "You will never under-stand Vih-aan, what I am talk-ing about."

"Let's have our lunch now. Have you given Arjun his lunch box?" Vihaan asked her as he took their lunch box in his hand.

"I did and he is enjoy-ing his lunch with Dhee-raj bro," Sanchi responded and Vihaan thrust a diet pancake into her mouth.

Sanchi smiled at him and he spoke, "I am victorious in this. Even you have started eating less spicy foods like me."

"Just beca-use I real-ized less spicy foods are good for hea-lth. You can't call your-self a win-ner." Sanchi smirked.

"I am always a winner you know but when it comes to you, I become a loser. Just tell me some ways to win over you...." As Vihaan said, he pressed his lips together when he realized what he had just uttered.

"Win ov-er me?"

"I mean gain victory over something against you." Vihaan changed his words quickly. Sanchi smiled sheepishly as they continued finishing their lunch together.

*****

Sanchi was lying on the bed in the guestroom at night when her phone rang. "Vih-aan! Have-n't you slept till now? It's al-ready twelve in the night. Stop work-ing late, my health-conscious spe-cial friend."

"Was that a mock? Working late and health-conscious don't go hand in hand." He warned her.

"When you kn-ow it, why don't you foll-ow it? Why can't you go to sle-ep early?"

"You already know I can't sleep early even if I want. So you have to basically lull me to sleep, over phone."

"I can't si-ng in a bro-ken voi-ce," Sanchi stuttered more than ever.

"Will you keep repeating the same thing daily that you have a broken voice? If I were before you right now, I would have poked your dimples as many times I liked unless you confessed that you have a sweet voice!"

"Vih-aan! Stop flatter-ing me."

"Sanchi! Stop annoying me." He imitated the same tone as her.

"Stop imi-tating me! You were bet-ter before as an arro-gant jerk." Sanchi stared at the time. "I am rea-lly feel-ing sleepy."

"Fine, go then. Good night, hickory!" Vihaan greeted before hanging up.

Sanchi smiled to herself before switching off the lights to the bedroom. Vihaan smiled to himself as he slept with the lights shining above his head.

Both had interchanged their positions and went to sleep against their own habits only to feel each other's presence with the other. If there was any definition for the 'Special Friendship' status, this was it!

*****

Half of the month of August passed by quickly with the special friendship of Sanchi and Vihaan growing into a strong bond as ever. The preparations for Vidya and Dheeraj's marriage were moving ahead perfectly.

Sanchi didn't even realize when the fifteenth of the month arrived as it was always special to her. It was one of the red letter days for the year, the day when her country had achieved the freddom status from the shackles of a foreign rule and came to be known as the Independence Day.

On a different note, she was happier because it was also the auspicious day of the Raksha Bandhan festival, when the particular ritual held a special place in every brother and sister's hearts. It is believed that on this special day, a sister ties a sacred thread 'Rakhi' around her brother's wrist, wishing for his long life. In return, her brother promises to protect her till his last breath.

Sanchi texted Vihaan early in the morning before leaving her bed. She knew he was yet asleep but texting him had become her habit.

*Happy Independence Day, my special cop friend!*

She smiled after she had sent the text and moved downstairs to participate in the sacred thread tying ceremony. She remembered how she used to tie 'Rakhi' around Shaurya's wrist as a child and felt excited when she realized that she would again be doing it after ten years.

Dressed in a beautiful golden suit, Sanchi sat beside Shaurya to his right. To his left, Vidya was seated and the three of them were giggling together after many years.

Vidya was the first one to perform the ritual because she was elder to Sanchi by an hour. As she tied the thread around his wrist, Shaurya kissed Vidya's forehead. He promised, "My happiness will always be yours and your pains will always be mine."

Embracing Shaurya passionately, Vidya stretched out her palm. "Where is my gift?"

Shaurya laughed before handing a large box to her. Vidya unfurled it quickly only to find a beautiful pearl beaded hand bag for her. "I loved it Shay, I love you too."

"Now your turn, Vanya." Vidya gestured her.

Sanchi did the same thing as Vidya and it was Shaurya's turn to promise her. "I know I failed to fulfill my promises for the last ten years but now I will never let it happen. I promise you that I will protect you from every hurdle which will be directed towards you. It will have to face me before touching you."

"I love you Shay." Sanchi hugged him and he kissed her cheeks.

"And my gi-ft?" Sanchi asked like a little kid and he handed her the gift box meant for her.

Unfurling the box, Sanchi found a beautiful pair of pearl beaded high heels. "You still remem-ber, Shay?"

"I do remember how much you loved high heels as a teenager though I don't know why you have stopped wearing it nowadays." Shaurya frowned.

"That's a diffe-rent issue but I wll defini-tely wear it on some spe-cial occa-sion." Sanchi promised him.

*****

"Whe-re are we go-ing, Vihaan?" Sanchi asked him as she sat in the paasenger seat of his car.

"I told you I have a surprise for you on the occasion of Independence Day. Stop asking questions till we reach." He shushed her with his forefinger before holding the steering again.

"You are bei-ng rude!"

"I know, don't be a hickory now."

"As if?"

"My reminder clock. You keep reminding me that I am arrogant, rude, jerk and etecetra when I already know it."

"I will keep do-ing that!"

"You do but I won't mind. I am already famous by those adjectives." Vihaan laughed.

Sanchi looked outside the window. "I am just wonder-ing where we are go-ing."

"We are heading to the Star Auditorium at Indore," Vihaan told her.

"Wh-at for?"

"That's a surprise I said. You aren't supposed to question me because it's my duty." Vihaan rolled his eyes in amusement.

*

"So here we are," Vihaan moved out of his car after parking it in the lot to the auditorium. He was dressed in an expensive grey Armani suit, beards trimmed lightly and his wavy hair fluttering in the wind.

Sanchi followed him. She was wearing the beautiful golden suit and had let her long hair open for the occasion. She looked beautiful even if she always carried a simple look wherever she went.

"Vih-aan, how beau-tiful the tri-colour looks when it soars high-er in the sky." Sanchi exclaimed, staring at the flag in the middle of the open space when they walked past the lobby.

"It's the pride of the nation," Vihaan responded as he led her to take the staircase.

They walked side by side until their arms brushed against each other. Clasping her palm with his, she entered the elevator to reach the auditorium on the third floor of the skyscraper.

The lavish decorations of the auditorium meant purposefully for the country's occasion filled her heart with ecstasy. The artful combination of saffron, white and green mesmerized her.

"Tha-nk you so much, Vih-aan, for bring-ing me here. I have never been to such func-tions ever. It is really a great sur-prise and attend-ing such a func-tion with the deputy commi-ssioner of Indore adds to my pride."

"This is nothing, Sanchi. There are many surprises waiting for you inside." Vihaan promised her.

The gate to the auditorium parted and Sanchi was taken aback when a group of uniformed policemen greeted Vihaan with a salute. "Welcome to the police festival, Sir."

Vihaan nodded as he made his way through the crowd, keeping Sanchi guarded in front of him.

Sanchi whispered, "Vih-aan, you didn't tell me this is go-ing to be a police fest-ival!"

"I said surprise!" He responded.

"Will papa, Dhee-raj bro and Arjun also be he-re?"

"They won't be here. This is the biggest police festival of Indore and they invite only a handful of officers. Like every year, they don't miss out on me," Vihaan told her and then called for a volunteer.

"Sir, need any help?" the male volunteer asked politely.

"Get her seated in the front row because she's with me and I have the VIP ticket." Vihaan ordered and the man nodded.

"Ma'am, this way please." The man directed her while she looked at Vihaan again.

"Won't you sit wi-th me?" Sanchi asked him in a serious tone.

"I can't because I'm the special guest here. I'll have to take my place on the stage." Vihaan laughed. "You enjoy the programme and I'll meet you after it's over. I'm sure you'll like it."

As Vihaan parted from her, Sanchi took her seat in the front row, sighing lightly. "This isn't a sur-prise as expect-ed. He'll be sit-ting at such a dist-ance from me but I think I'll enjoy the even-ing."

*****

The programme commenced in half an hour and Sanchi saw Vihaan taking his seat among three other officers on the stage. Different social groups were performing dance numbers on different patriotic songs, assisted by their own musical members.

In the interval between the performances, Sanchi couldn't miss seeing Vihaan, who was busy discussing with the other police officers seated next to him. "I don't beli-eve he's the same Vih-aan since he see-ms to be the same arro-gant here, but he beha-ves diffe-rently with only me. I wish he'll stay like this for-ever."

When the Nihara cultural group was performing their art, a volunteer whispered something in Vihaan's ear and the look on his face changed. He frowned his forehead before disappearing into the backstage.

Vihaan hadn't returned even after fifteen minutes and Sanchi was growing impatient. Three more excellent performances took place until the next announcement for a very familiar social group was made.

Sanchi squared her shoulders, sitting in utter shock when the host called the next group on stage.

*Swastik Orphanage*

Widening her eyes, she could exactly recognize all the children from her orphanage who were taking their positions on the stage. Chetan took the lead while the younger ones surrounded around him.

The host asked him, "Do you have a band for the song to play in the background? We are not allowing ready music, you know."

"We do have a band," Chetan said delightfully and Sanchi waved at them.

"When did th-ey get a band and was this the sur-prise Vihaan was talk-ing about?" Sanchi wondered as Chetan and the group began performing the dance they had expertised for so many days.

The band in the background started playing the music of 'Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani' (The heart is still Indian). A very familiar male voice captured Sanchi's attention even though she couldn't see the person singing in the background.

"Why do I feel I kn-ow this voi-ce?" She wondered as the performance continued for the next four minutes.

When they had finished, Sanchi was the first one to give them a standing ovation and flying kisses before sitting down again.

*****

Vihaan hadn't yet reappeared on stage and worries started preoccupying Sanchi. All the performances had ended for the evening and the host took the stage again.

"After all the amazing performances, the police of Indore will proceed to the next announcement and the award ceremony. Vihaan Singh Bundela, the DCP of Indore will be taking the stage to announce the rest."

To Sanchi's surprise, Vihaan reappeared on stage, taking the microphone in his hand. "The police festival is a special occasion when we celebrate the Independence Day with full enigma and patriotism in us. The social groups who performed here belonged to different old age homes, orphanages, tribal cultural groups and so on. We believe that these people are never bonded by any shackle of the society, they are independent in their own way. We strive hard to make them realize that they are never fighting alone in life, in fact the dutiful personalities in us give us enough strengths to extend our protective hands to them."

As the audience applauded, Vihaan continued, "This award ceremony is not the result of any judgement on the performances, but these awards will be going to all the groups who performed tonight. The groups were specially enlisted as able recipients of the awards, beforehand."

As Vihaan made the announcements one by one, the police minister of the state of Madhya Pradesh took his place on the stage. He was specially invited to hand over the awards to the mentors of each group.

Sanchi was eagerly waiting for the announcement of her orphanage, with tears of joy in her eyes. She couldn't believe her ears when Vihaan proceeded to make an announcement for the most awaited group.

Vihaan spoke over the microphone, "The next group in the list to receive the award is the Swastik Orphanage. On this day, we've worked hard to enroll the orphanage as the official and registered orphanage under the government."

Sanchi's heartbeat had almost stopped when Vihaan muttered again, "But before that, I would like to call their mentor, Sanchi Singh Bundela on stage. The award will be received by her on their