Chapter 9

Happy Rakshabandhan to everyone who is celebrating today ❤

Chapter 9

Yash had a video conference with his friends and one of the girl decided to meet. Yash invited them to his villa. They reached in the evening, Aarti got ready in a pink color salwar kameez. Yash was admiring her as she was smiling with his friends. He notices the subtle changes of expression of her face which convey different emotions. In heart he wishes someday he will witness her laughing carefree with others too.

"She is such a sweetheart" Pari finds him lost in Aarti. Yash nods. Soon they sat for dinner, Yash ordered all their favourite foods.

Pari and Vicky are a couple, Aarti notices the way they're mushy with each other even at the dinner table Vicky grabs Pari hand under the table which makes Aarti smile, she look away. Soon Yash switched on the music, Aarti left for the kitchen to bring cold drinks where she saw Pari and Vicky.

"Vicky" Pari turned away shying but Vicky yanked her back and twisted her hand behind her back. Pari pleaded him through eyes, he ignored it and kissed her passionately. Aarti moved back feeling her heartbeat raising uncontrollably, this reminded her of the guys who forced her. Yash saw her there, the striking vulnerability in her eyes. Her view blurred with tears as she looked at him.

"Shhh" he hugged her without saying anything, she tightly closed her wet eyes fighting all the bitter memories. Yash realized that her culprits had died but that terrible past related to them haven't left her soul.

Later Yash scolded Pari Vicky for being so desperate.

"I'm really sorry Yash" Vicky apologized realizing that they triggered Aarti's past trauma, Pari also made a sorry face.

*******

One day Yash get Radha's call and she informs him that Neelam is coming from Delhi to celebrate Holi. Yash was happy with the thought of meeting his baby sister after so long. Aarti came to Yash cabin and found him on call, he seemed really happy to her. Yash ended the call and looked at Aarti.

"My sister is coming to Mumbai, its her first holi after marriage" He tells her excitedly that he is booking tickets for both of them. Aarti smiled seeing him so excited. Somewhere she started feeling happy in his happiness.

Later Aarti informed Manik that she is going to Mumbai with Yash. Manik was not pleasant hearing it, somewhere he doesn't like how she is more comfortable with Yash than him, even though he knows they're just good friends but still their closeness makes him jealous.

*******

Yash postponed all his meetings till five days and informed his staff that he is going to Mumbai. In the evening Yash Aarti returned to home as they needed to do their packing, after dinner they both packed bags, their flight is next morning.

They landed in Mumbai. Jay was there at the airport to pick them. Aarti got all his attention.

"Hi Mr. Khurana" Yash smiled tightly at him. Jay smiled shyly and open back door of his car and about to sit beside Aarti but Yash asked him to take the front seat. Aarti smiled at Yash as he sat with her.

At the door Radha was already waiting for them. Yash bent to touch her feet, she blessed him. Aarti also joined hands. Radha smiled at her as now she look healthy both with looks and skin which is now glowing pink. Radha showed Aarti a room as Yash left for his bedroom. Jay was restlessly roaming in the living room just with the thought of touching Aarti.

In the evening Aarti sat on dinner table Radha by her left side Jay also reached and he gleefully came to sit on an empty chair on the right side of Aarti when Yash also joined them and took that seat before him. Jay moved to front chair. During the whole dinner he was just staring at Aarti with a creepy smile.

Later they sat in the living room talking, Radha told that Neelam is coming next day with her husband Kartik.

"Let's go to an ice cream parlor" Yash suggested. Meanwhile they were at the parlor when Radha saw Suraj's mother Savitri.

"Maa" She went toward her. Savitri was really happy seeing her and Yash after so long.

"Dadi maa" Yash touched her feet. She embraced him with pure delight. Radha somehow makes Savitri agree to come to her home. It was already late at night so Radha asked Jay to sleep on the living sofa as Savitri will sleep in her room. Aarti Yash also left for their rooms.

"When is Yash getting married?" Savitri asked as Radha entered the room with a water jug in her hand.

"Maa, you know today kids want everything of their choice so I'm also waiting for Yash to show some interest in marriage" Radha said. Savitri nods.

"Won't you ask anything about Suraj?" Savitri asked. Radha was silent, Savitri sigh sadly.

******

Next morning everyone gets ready to welcome Neelam. Yash was sitting with Savitri in Radha room.

"Yash, when are you planning of getting married, I want to see your kids before dying" Savitri told.

"Dadi please don't talk like this, my marriage will happen when the right time comes, you don't take tension" Yash gives her a side hug.

"Yes I know why you're not yet ready for marriage. you're waiting for your Pari, right?" Savitri teased him, Yash laughed trying to hide his shyness. His dadi still remembered those childhood stories of fairy.

"Tell me honestly you're still waiting for your pari? You always used to tell me that you will only marry her" she reminded him. Yash smiled remembering those good old days of his childhood, when he used to believe everything his family used to tell him. How innocent he was to believe that fairy even exists. Whenever he used to visit temples with his parents or grandparents he always used to wish to God to keep his Pari happy and protect her whenever she is, also to make him meet her soon. But after his parents divorce he lost himself somewhere in Bhopal itself, he was never that same cheerful kid again.

"Dadi maa, I'm not a kid anymore" He looked away smiling at his childish dadi.

"I no longer believe in..." his gaze fall on Aarti who stepped in the room looking no less than a fairy out of Dadi stories. She is wearing a white color churidar suit. His breath stuck for some seconds.

"I guess you failed to recognize your Pari when she was all the way with you" Dadi said beside Yash, he tear his gaze from Aarti who was looking at him in confusion, the thought of her being his soulmate raising his heartbeats, now he get why can't he see her with anyone else, and feel protective of her, adore her so much, he simply can't even imagine a day without her. He want to smile or maybe just hug her and tell that he love her not from today but since he was unaware of meaning of love, he loved her without even seeing her, in just a hope that someday somewhere she will bump into him and he will recognize her but nothing is this simple, this world is way too cruel. He raised head and looked at her with his wet eyes before he left the room.

"Yash" Aarti gets worried for him.

********

Later Yash and Jay went to airport to receive Neelam and her husband Kartik. At home Aarti was helping Radha in kitchen, Dadi is sitting there on a chair decorating arti thali. Soon they heard car horn. Radha and Dadi went out while Aarti left behind as she was making pooris which is Yash and his sister favorite. This reminds Aarti of her best friend. Radha did arti of Neelam and her husband. Then Radha introduced them to Yash's Dadi, they bend to touch her feet. Soon Aarti step out and Neelam saw her. She can't believe her own eyes that she is standing in front of her after a whole year.

"Aarti" Neelam walked toward Aarti, her eyes blurred with tears as did Aarti.

"Neelam" Aarti's voice cracked.

"Tu kahan chali gayi thi?" Neelam asks, holding her shoulders. Aarti broke down and hugged her crying. She does not understand from where to start, how her life turned upside down in just a day.

"Shhh" Neelam rubbed her back, she realized that something terrible happened with her friend. Yash and others were looking at both of them not getting how they know each other. Neelam makes Aarti sit on the sofa and Yash gives Aarti a glass of water. Soon she calmed down and narrated everything to her. Neelam gets shocked and saddened to realize from which hell her friend goes through but she is also grateful to her brother that he got her out of those monsters clutches.

"Each and everyone of them will get punished" Neelam wiped the little moisture under Aarti's eyes. Aarti told her that she got justice. Neelam was really happy.

Evening everyone met at the dinner table. Neelam sat with Dadi, Jay was talking to Kartik. Yash soon joins them and notices that Aarti is missing. Dadi finds him worried and gets that for whom he is looking for.

"Aarti is in the kitchen." She said, Yash looked at her surprised, she smiled in return. Dadi somehow feels there is something between them. Aarti stepped out of the kitchen with Radha. Aarti Yash gazes met. She can feel concern for her. Aarti smiled assuring him that now she is fine. He returned her warm smile. Dadi noticed their silent convo which made her doubt 100% correct. Radha took a seat by jay side then Yash sat and beside him Aarti then Neelam and Kartik.

Later they all sit in the living room then only Yash gets to know that Aarti and Neelam are college friends. Neelam tells everyone how Akash used to stalk Aarti in college and when she refused his proposal of being his girlfriend he kidnapped her as she hurt his ego.

Later in the night Yash come on his balcony when he saw Aarti standing in the garden alone. Aarti gets scared as she feels someone is behind but soon she sees he is Yash.

"Why are you awake?" Yash came near her.

"I'm not feeling like sleeping." she replied. He wrapped a shawl around her shoulders, she smiled leaning on his shoulder. Yash softly held her close.

"Will you answer one of my questions?" She looked at the moon.

"Sure" He followed her gaze.

"That moon have a stain, still people call it beautiful" she said. Yash stared at that beautiful moon.

"Why?" She raise head to look at his face.

"Because that moon is really so beautiful, no stain can ever hide its beauty" Yash said while looking into her innocent eyes, he doesn't know if he is talking about that moon which is far away from his reach or this moon in his arms.

*********

Precap: Celebration.

Chapter 10