Chapter 37

Part 34:

Recap – Arsh Challenge

Now –

"Challenge accepted." Shilpa said. "Apna face lal karwane ke liye ready ho jao Armaan!" she challenged. Armaan smiled and bent to say something in her ears.

"Be my guest Shona…" he whispered.

"But what's the catch?" Anjali asked.

Everybody looked at each other for suggestions. "Haan well… " Sid started.

"Let them decide each other's punishment. What say guys?" Muskaan suggested.

"Armaan would like that won't you Armaan?" Rahul teased.

Armaan looked at the gang and then at Shilpa. "Beware shona, I can ask you for anything."

"Same goes for you too Armaan!" Shilpa said, smirking. Her mischievous glare, though all the colors looked so sensual that Armaan had to bite back a groan. He ached to hold her again,

Sid looked at Riddhima and smiled. "Let's do this!" he shouted.

The elders didn't know about Armaan and Shilpa's bet. Everyone came outside, and Shashank had invited some of his colleagues for the celebration. Everyone was having fun, throwing colors on each other, everyone except Armaan and Shilpa. They were both working their own strategies for the competition!

"I have to win this!" Shilpa was thinking. "Warna uss Armaan ka koi bharosa nahi!"

Armaan on the other hand was just observing Shilpa and having fun. She had tried a couple of tricks but to no avail. She was now standing behind Muskaan, talking to Riddhima and Atul. He looked around, slowly walking to where they were all standing. Shilpa had finished her drink, so he assumed that she will turn around to keep her glass.

He walked to the counter and stood next to the bar-tender guy at the table, silently waiting for her to turn. She turned and extended her hand to keep the empty glass. He moved forward swiftly and caught hold of the hand and pulled her, with color on her hand.

Just as he applied color to her face and was about to announce that he won, he looked at her with a victorious expression and got the shock of his life. God-o-lo it was Muskaan that he had applied color to!

He turned around to see where Shilpa was. And she was standing right behind him, rolling with laughter, Riddhima standing right next to her, laughing at him. And he realized that he had walked into their trap, literally! He narrowed his eyes, and looking at her.

"Muskaan aur mujhme difference nahi dikha Armaan!" Shilpa teased.

"Shona… ab toh tum gayi kaam se!" Armaan said and ran after her. Shilpa's eyes widened and she took off towards the house.

"Shilpa! Not in the house!" Riddhima yelled. "Armaan! What the hell?" Riddhima started running after them only to be stopped by Sid.

"Jaane do Riddhima! Kuch nahi hoga!"

"Kuch nahi hoga! Sid this is all because of you! If they color the house, I am gonna make you clean everything!" Riddhima warned.

Rahul and Atul grinned. "Bechara phir biwi ke samne kuch nahi bolega!"

Muskaan and Anjali laughed and Sid glared at them.

"Dekho Armaan!" Shilpa ran ahead of him.

"No one is saving you from me today Shona!"

She ran into the house, and turned into a room. She laughed and ran around the bed in between.

"Wait… Armaan the house will get dirty! Riddhima di will kill us!" Shilpa warned.

"You should have thought about that before entering the house… I am not letting you out of here…" Armaan grinned. Finally some alone time! Armaan thought.

"Well we are already in so… " she trailed off as she saw Armaan advance towards her with the plate full of red color.

"Armaan! Cheating! I do not have color!" she turned to run, but Armaan was faster as he moved to block her. He put the plate on the counter next to the bed and cornered her towards the wall. As he took one step towards her, she took one step back, looking deeply into his eyes.

"Ab kaha jaogi Shona…" he said softly, staring back at her.

Shilpa kept walking back, lost in his eyes until her back collided with the wall, stopping her retreat. That broke her trance and she looked around for the plate of colors. Just as she extended her hand to grab some color, Armaan got hold of it and pulled her forward, crushing her hand between them.

At such close proximity, Shilpa forgot what she was going to do and looked at him. She tried to free her hand, but the more she struggled, the more he pulled her closer to him.

"Color toh sabse pehle main hi tumhe lagaungi Armaan!" Shilpa said.

Armaan smiled. "Most welcome Shona. Tunmhare haaton se toh main kabhi bhi rang lagwa sakta hu." He teased.

Shilpa blushed, going red at his reply.

"I don't need to apply color to your face shona… I just have to look at you for that charming blush on you cheeks…" he teased looking at her face.

Shilpa touched her cheeks. "I am not blushing." She chided.

He turned her around and pulling her closer held her by the waist, pressing her closer to him than ever.

"Armaan…" she whispered.

He stared into her eyes. He then took some color from the plate and raised his hand towards her face. She moved her face to the other side and closed her eyes. He tightened his hand around her.

And then Armaan looked at her face. Her face showed an adoring mixture of excitement and nervousness. He still could not believe she was in his arms, so close to him, her soft body against his hard. She looked so innocent that he could not resist. He bent forward and pressed his lips against her forehead, kissing her tenderly.

Shilpa opened her eyes in surprise, completely out of her element. He looked down at her with a soft smile on his face. She looked back, her lips curving into a tender smile. They stayed like that for god knows how long. He then extended his hand and offered her the color in his hand, turning his face away, so she could apply the color on his face. Shilpa looked at him in surprise and then slowly took the color from his hand and applied the color to his face, with one hand.

"Happy Holi Armaan…"

Armaan then took the remnant of the color and slowly rubbed it across her cheeks, looking at her intensely. "Happy Holi Shona…"

She smiled as she stared into his eyes. She could see his love for her in them. He didn't need to say the words any more. She knew he loved her.

"Armaan… Shilpa… kaha aye yeh dono!" Riddhima shouted from outside.

Shilpa looked at the door. "Armaan… Leave me… chodo mujhe… Riddhima di aa rahi hai!" she struggled.

"Nahi…" Armaan said.

"Armaan! Yeh kya bachpana hai! Chodo… dekho di andar aa gayi toh bahut gadbad ho jayegi! Armaan!!" Shilpa said.

Armaan grinned and left her. She moved back and turned to run towards the door. She stopped just short of the door and turned behind. "I won Armaan!" she teased him and ran outside.

Armaan smiled and ran behind her.

"There you are!" Riddhima said. "Sab log wait kar rahe hai tum logo ka… Armaan -" she was about to ask about him, when he emerged from the same room.

She grinned evilly, and Armaan knew that the entire gang is going know about his very soon!

"Haan di! Waise bhi main jeet gayi hu! Now I can play holi with the others." Shilpa announced.

"Really! Armaan ko dekhkar lag toh nahi raha ki woh hara hai." Riddhima teased and Armaan glared at her.

Shilpa blushed and headed outside.

Riddhima stayed back. When Armaan joined her –

"Andar chal kya raha tha Armaan?" she teased

"Riddhima stop it!" Armaan said. "Aur haan, iske bare mein kisiko bhi pata chala na toh mujhse bura koi nahi hogi!" he warned.

Riddhima raised her hands in surrender. She then told him "She come around Armaan… Aaj tum harkar bhi jeet gaye Armaan! Look how happy she is." Riddhima said and patted him on his back.

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They went outside to play holi and everybody congratulated Shilpa on the win, pulling Armaan's leg that she beat him in the pranks. Soon everybody started playing again. Holi has its own magic. Everybody was happy and gleeful, totally enjoying the mood.

Somebody started the music and Sid pulled Riddhima along with him to the dance floor. Rahul pulled Muskaan and they started dancing –

Balam pichkari jo tune mujhe maari

Toh bole re zamana kharabi ho gayi

Mere ang raja, jo tera rang laga

Toh seedhi-saadi chhori sharabi ho gayi

Shilpa was in an awesome mood, thanks to her time spent with Armaan. She was now very sure about their relationship. She had finally accepted that she loved him. She loved Armaan! And being in love was an awesome feeling.

Atul pulled her to the center too and she started singing pointing towards Armaan…

Itna maza, kyun aa raha hai

Tune hawa mein bhaang milaya

Dugna nasha, kyun ho raha hai

Aankhon se meetha tune khilaya

Armaan caught her hand and pulled her towards him -

Ho teri malmal ki kurti gulabi ho gayi

Manchali chaal kaise nawaabi ho gayi, toh?

Everybody soon joined them and they started dancing in pairs –

Balam pichkari jo tune mujhe maari

Toh seedhi saadi chhori sharaabi ho gayi

Haa Jeans pahen ke jo tune maara thumka

Toh lattoo padosan ki bhabhi ho gayi

Rahul looked at Muskaan, and pulled her towards him by her hand -

Teri kalaai hai, haathon mein aayi hai

Maine maroda toh lagti malaai hai

Muskaan pushed him beck and sang –

Mehenga padega ye chaska malaai ka

Upvaas karne mein teri bhalaai hai

Shashank came up to Padma and started singing -

Ho bindiya teri mehtaabi ho gayi

Dil ke armaanon mein behisaabi ho gayi

Everyone around them hooted and clapped their hands. Shilpa looked at Riddhima and smiled, giving her a side hug. She was so happy that Shashank was happy.

The guys then ran behind their girls with pichkaris -

Balam pichkari jo tune mujhe maari

Toh seedhi saadi chhori sharaabi ho gayi

Haa Jeans pahen ke jo tune maara thumka

Toh lattoo padosan ki bhabhi ho gayi (x2)

Sid looked at Riddhima and sang, twirling her around.

Kyun 'no-vacancy' ki, hothon pe gaali hai

Jabki tere dil ka kamra toh khaali hai

(kamra toh khaali hai...)

Riddhima got down from his hold and replied back -

Mujhko pata hai re

Kya chahata hai tu

Boli bhajan teri

Neeyat Qawwali hai

Armaan came upto them with Shilpa and swung her around -

Zulmi ye haazir-jawaabi ho gayi

Tu toh har taale ki aaj chaabi ho gayi, toh?

Balam pichkari jo tune mujhe maari

Toh seedhi saadi chhori sharaabi ho gayi

Haa, Jeans pahen ke jo tune maara thumka

Toh lattoo padosan ki bhabhi ho gayi (x2)

Haan, bole re zamana kharabi ho gayi

Haan, bole re zamana kharabi ho gayi...

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So how was it? Really looking forward to all your comments this time... i want more comments this time!

Vanshika