Remember This! (ArSh FF) (Completed) - Page 51

Part 23

Shilpa gazed at muskaan's reflection in the mirror and exclaimed: wow! Muskaan! You are totally going to bowl over rahul. You look out of this world!

Muskaan smiled as she was admiring herself in the mirror: I know! Rahul is so going to faint at the sight of me!

Muskaan wore a rose colored lehenga with heavy embellishment on the border, with a matching Kurti on top and duppata. Her usual curling mass of hair was styled to lay across her shoulders in smooth burnished waves. Her makeup was artistically applied to enhance her pretty features making her face glow with excitement and happiness. The jewellery she wore complimented her clothes and was part of the ensemble rather than being the focal point. She looked like a princess with the jewels sparkling at her ears and throat but they dimmed in comparison to the sparkle of her eyes.

Shilpa moved closer and wrapped her arms around her: I'm so happy for you two! I feel like all my dreams are coming true.

Muskaan held on to shilpa as her throat tightened at her words: I know! I'm scared (laughing at herself she pulled back) I know its stupid! Its only an engagement ceremony! (she closed her eyes and tried to calm her screaming nerves by breathing deeply)

Shilpa laughingly: relax! You look divine! Think of rahul and how he will react when he sees you looking like this.

Muskaan laughed wickedly: now that's a thought! (her gaze zeroing in on shilpa) shilpa! do you want me to go hysterical? (at shilpa's questioning look) look at yourself! You are not even ready yet!

Shilpa: muskaan chill! It doesn't take me long to get ready!(pointing towards a garment bag) see! These are my cloithes now that you are ready, I'm going to get dressed.

10 minutes later shilpa stood infront of the mirror in a blue lehenga and matching choli, with light embellishment all over it. Shilpa stood infront of the mirror expertly applying eye shadow to create smoky eye look while muskaan kept an eye on her. Done with make up shilpa started to wear bangles when servant knocked on the door and informed them that the groom and his family was here.

Muskaan jumping up from her seat: finally! Lets go down shilpa!

Shilpa who was brushing her hair: not now! Let them get settled then we'll make an entrance!

Muskaan: the way we are looking we'll make an entrance even now!

Ananya who stood at the door: I knew it!(making both the girls jump) muskaan! Remember I told you! Torture! (then smiling at both of them) let me first look at you both! (smiling beatifically at muskaan) perfect! You look perfect! Rahul is definitely going to faint! ( making shilpa and muskaan laugh)

She shifted her attention towards at shilpa and smiled: I've got something for you!( bringing out a jewellery box from behind her and handing it to shilpa) open it!

Shilpa opened the box and exclaimed: maa!(looking up at her in surprise. There lay on a bed of velvet kundan earings and necklace, appropriate for the occasion) for me? but how can I ?

Ananya took matter in her own hand as she picked up the necklace and placed it around shilpa's neck: no arguing! Don't you know its no use arguing with mothers' b'coz they're always right.(she quickly placed the earings on shilpa's ears and stood back to survey her handiwork) you look beautiful!

Shilpa hesitantly touching the necklace: its too much! I can't wear these!

Ananya firmly: you can! And you will! I can give my daughter any thing I want!(shilpa hugged her as she was at a loss of words) enough now! Both of you come down soon now!(kissing both girls on their foreheads)

Shilpa looked at muskaan: ready?(muskaan just nodded her head in affirmative) ok! Then lets take this show on the road (and opened the door for muskaan to walk out first.)

Downstairs the main hall was swarming with friends and family members. Amidst them stood Armaan and Rahul trying to be gracious to the numerous guests who were coming up to them.

Rahul: trust muskaan to make me wait even on our engagement.

Armaan: we've hardly been here for more than half an hour, I think she is suppose to wait that long before she comes down.

Rahul cheekily: that's why you've checked your watch atleast 10 times in this time.

Armaan who was looking at his watch jerked his wrist back guiltly: I was just wondering whats taking shilpa so long to come down, wasn't she suppose to be from our side.

Rahul: you wish! These girls are sticking together, she'll come down with muskaan. Tell me how I look!

Looking at rahul who was dressed in a cream colored embroidered kurta speckled with gold beads and matching scarf around his neck looked quite debonair: you look your usual ugly self!

Rahul gave armaan a once over, noting the identical cream color kurta minus the gold beads: same back at you bro!

OPTION 1

While they were bantering amongst themselves a hush fell across the hall signaling the entrance of muskaan and shilpa. Rahul and armaan turned to have their first look of their beloved and stood stock still at the sight they made. Rahul stood mesmerized looking at muskaan make her way down the stairs and formally greet ananya and billy as rahul's parents.

Rahul managed to murmur to armaan: beautiful!

Armaan who was lost looking at shilpa couldn't think of anything else to say: beautiful! (he knew he needed to focus but for the life of his he couldn't tear his gaze away from shilpa. she moved across the hall totally oblivious to the effect she had on people around her and most of all on him)

Armaan's gaze roamed over her frame taking in her perfect figure delineated in the traditional clothes and the jewellery which were perfect for her beautiful face. Her gaze met his across the hall for a second and for that second the world stopped for armaan, when they blinked the moment was over but leaving behind armaan with the thought what the hell was he waiting for.

Armaan followed shilpa who had disappeared in the direction of the kitchen, he found her pilling sweets in dishes to be served after the ring ceremony was done. Armaan closed in on her and grabbed her arm from behind making her turn to look at him.

Shilpa: armaan! Not now! I've got loads to do. (but armaan was in no mood to listen he pulled her forward) armaan! Let go!

Armaan asked her in a husky whisper: is this any way to greet the guy who loves you beyond any reason(shilpa who was trying to get away looked up as he uttered those words and got lost in his eyes. Armaan smoothed back her hair from her face, tilting it upwards and murmured the words next to her lips) hi!(his mouth covered hers in a kiss that robbed shilpa of any thought)

When he drew back shilpa looked at him with eyes wide: hi!(she managed a bit breathlessly) you make me forget everything else(she kept looking in his eyes, as her gaze dropped to his lips she smiled) your wearing my lipstick(she quickly rubbed the lipstick off his mouth) now let me finish my work!

She tried to turn back only to have armaan stop her: it can wait another few minutes, I've got to ask you something!

Shilpa frowning: can't it wait till after the ceremony? I'm busy right now!

Armaan shook his head: I've waited long enough!

Shilpa resigned turned towards him fully: ok! Go ahead!

Armaan looked into her eyes: I had planned to do it differently but today when you came down the stairs it made me realize that I don't want to wait.

Shilpa confused: if you keep talking in riddles I'm not going to get what you are saying.

Armaan smiled and moved closer to her: shilpa! will you marry me? (shilpa looked stunned) I know you must think of all the places and time, why now? But shilpa! I love you! And I want us to be together forever an I don't want to wait for the perfect time or place b'coz when I'm with you everything is perfect. So shilpa!(moving closer yet he took her face in his hands and gazed down in her shimmering eyes) will you be mine?

Shilpa looked at armaan's face and thought that she must have done some good deeds in her life to find a man who so obviously loved her. She couldn't help but smile as she thought that he still thought that he needed to ask: yes! Yes! Yes! (she threw her arms around his neck burying her face in his chest) ten thousand times yes!(she pulled back looking up at him with eyes sparkling face glowing) I love you! Just you! I don't need anything else, this moment, this place is perfect for me.

Armaan looked into her eyes and saw their future together, and knew that nothing else matters: Shilpa! (holding up his finger indicating her to wait, he looked around the kitchen counter his gaze lighting on something) got it! (shilpa tried to see past him but armaan turned around) I know this is not what you've expected but I don't want to wait(he held out his hand silently asking for shilpa to place her hand in his. When shilpa place her hand in his he raised her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on her ring finger, he drew back and started rolling up a rubber band on her ring finger. Once in place he looked up at shilpa while his thumb rubbed against the band he had just rolled on her ring finger)

Armaan: I don't want there to be any doubt!

Shilpa looked down at her hand clasped in his and felt a strange emotion wash over her at the sight of that band encircling her ring finger, she looked up into armaan's eyes and saw love, pride and possessiveness. Shilpa moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue: I don't want there to be any doubt also.

She withdrew her hand from his and searched for something on the counter on finding it she turned towards armaan and picked up his hand. Like him she rolled on his ring finger a rubber band as a symbol of her love, once done she looked up at him and smiled.

Armaan closed his arms around her and breathed in her scent, he wanted to absorb her into him so that nothing could separate them. Shilpa closed her eyes against the sting of emotions she was feeling, the beat of his heart calming her, she drew back to say something only to jerk back in surprise as muskaan mother walked in the kitchen.

Muskaan's mother: beta! Plz bring the sweets out the ceremony is about to start!

Shilpa picked up the dish of sweets and trailed after muskaan's mom as everyone had gathered around in the hall as the ceremony was about to start. Shilpa made her way towards muskaan and stood beside her while armaan stood by rahul with their respective parents. Rings were about to be exchanged when shilpa looked up at armaan who was also looking her way.

Heeren moti main na chahoon
Main to chahoon, Sangam tera,
Mai to teri saiyaan, tu hai mera,

Saiyaan, saiyaanaaan (while rahul and muskaan exchanged rings armaan and shilpa stood there lost looking into each other eyes. As everyone moved forward to congratulate the couple the spell got broken bringing shilpa back to earth. Shilpa started to circulate in the guests offering them sweets to celeberate the engagement. Coming face to face with armaan she forwarded the sweet towards him while armaan smiled and opened his mouth for her to feed him. Shilpa smilingly picked up a piece and held it to his mouth, armaan held her hand as he bit into the sweet, his lips grazing her fingers)

Tu jo choole pyaar se, araam se mar jaaun (shilpa's breath clogged in her throat at the feel of his lips against her fingers)
Aaja chanda baaho mein tujhmein hi ghum hoi jaaun mai, (shilpa drew her hand back pressing her lips against her fingers as armaan's eyes flared with desire as they stood their oblivious to their surroundings)
Tere naam mein kho jaaun,
Saiyaan, saiyaaan.

Rahul and muskaan were being pushed together to have their pictures taken with family and friends. Finally armaan and shilpa were pushed towards them so that they could have a picture taken together.

Mera dil khushi se jhoome gaaye raatein. (Rahul and muskaan looked at each other with happiness beaming out of them, looking at them shilpa couldn't help but let her gaze move towards armaan)
Pal pal mujhe doobayein jaatein jaatein,
Tujhe jeet jeet haaron, yeh pran-pran waaru,
Haye aise mai niharu, teri aarti utaaru.
Tere naam se jude hai saare naate, (Sensing her gaze armaan looked at shilpa, seeing the emotions swirling in her eyes armaan clasped her hand and brought it up to his lips where he kissed her ring finger just abovethe band encircling her finger)
Saiyaan, saiyannn..

Banke maala prem ki, tere tan pe jhar jhar jaayoon
Baithun naiyan preet ki sansaar se har jayoon main,pyaar se tar jaayoon

The lights were dimmed and rahul and muskaan were asked to start as a couple to dance on a romantic song. As they circled round the dance floor armaan extended his hand towards shilpa who wordlessly placed her hand in his, who swept her in his arms circling the dance floor

Saiyaan, Saiyannn

Yeh naram-naram nasha hai badhta jaaye. (shilpa placed her head on his chest near his heart whose beat in tandem with hers. She never wanted to let go, never wanted the moment to end, ever.)
Koi pyaar se ghunghatiya deta uthaye, (Armaan made her lift her head and looked directly into her eyes, reading her every emotion and letting her read his eyes also)
Ab baawara hua mann,
Jag ho gaya hai roshan, (as they circled around the dance floor it felt as if they were the only two people in the world)
yeh nayi-nayi suhagan,
ho gayi hai teri jogan,

Shilpa and armaan stopped in a shadowy corner as they continued to look into each others eyes, no words were necessary as their eyes did all the talking)

koi prem ki pujaran mandir sajaye.
Saiyaaan, Saiyaaan (2)

Heere moti mai na chahu mai to chahu sangam tera, (Shilpa placed a hand on his heart and with the other tugged his head down towards her and placed her lips on his)
mai na jaanu, tu hi jaane mai to teri, tu hai mera...(2)
mai to teri...
tu hai meraaa...

OPTION 2:

Armaan and rahul looked up and saw shilpa and muskaan make their way down the stairs. As muskaan made her way to rahul side accompanied by shilpa, armaan had only eyes for shilpa. Accompanied by their parents rahul and muskaan exchanged rings amidst cheers and applause of family and friends. Rahul swept muskaan up in his arms making muskaan laugh in startled surprise, shilpa also gave a delighted laugh, drawing armaan's gaze to shilpa's happy face.

Pee loon tere neelay neelay nainon se shabnam (Rahul placed muskaan back on her feet still keeping his arms around her irrespective of the guests around them)
Pee loon tere geelay geelay hoto ki sargam(touching his forehead to muskaan's as their lips were just an inch apart but at the last moment muskaan drew back with mischief in her eyes)
Pee loon hai peenay ka mausam
Tere sang ishq taari hai
Tere sang ik khumari hai
Tere sang chain bhi mujhko(Muskaan who tried to walk away from rahul was uncermeniously pulled back into rahuls arms amidst cheers and laughter)
Tere sang bekraari hai
Tere sang ishq taari hai(Shilpa who was totally enjoying muskaan and rahul's interaction was oblivious to armaan's gaze on hers)
Tere sang ik khumari hai
Tere sang chain bhi mujhko
Tere sang bekraari hai
Tere bin jee nahi lagda, tere bin jee nahi sakda (armaan looked at her with his heart in his eyes as he withoutconscious thought started to make way towards her)
Tujhpe hai haare maine vaare do jahan, kurbaan, meharbaan, ke main toh kurbaan
Sun le zara, tera kurbaan
As armaan reached shilpa she started to move away only to be brought short by armaan who pulled her towards himself by the arm.
Hosh mein rahun kyun aaj main (for armaan everything had slowed down and moved in slow motion)
Tu meri baahon mein simti hai, mujh mein samayi hai yun
Jis tarah ki koi ho nadi, tu mere seenay mein chupti hai sagar tumhara main hoon (he wrapped his arms around her and stood with her cheek pressed against his heart)
Pee loon teri dheemi dheemi lehron ki cham cham
Pee loon teri saundi saundi saanson ko har dum (armaan nuzzled shilpa's neck inhaling her scent making her breathing erratic)
Pee loon hai peenay ka mausam
Tere sang ishq taari hai(shilpa squirmed in armaan's arms and managed to turn around in his arms and pushed him away, making armaan jerk out of his day dream)
Tere sang ik khumari hai( he looked up and saw shilpa across the room talking to his mother who was introducing her to another aunty standing next to her)
Tere sang chain bhi mujhko
Tere sang bekraari hai
Tere sang ishq taari hai
Tere sang ik khumari hai(Armaan continued gazing her way as he walked parallel to where she was as his heart pounded painfully in his chest)
Tere sang chain bhi mujhko
Tere sang bekraari hai

Shaam ko milun jo main tujhe
Toh bura subah na jaane kyun kuch maan jaati hai yeh
Har lamha, har ghadi har pehar
Hi teri yaadon se tadpa ke mujhko jalati hai yeh

Armaan finally managed to corner shilpa into the kitchen who was overseeing the refreshments. Once ther servants had left with the refreshments leaving shilpa alone in the kitchen, armaan pulled shilpa in his arms.

Shilpa: Armaan! What are you doing?

Armaan: I thought it was quite obvious as he continued to nibble her ear and made his way down to her throat.

Shilpa tried to move away from his roaming mouth and smacked him on the arm: behave!

Armaan stopped her again: I need to talk to you!

Shilpa trying to pull away: not now armaan! I've got work to do! (again turning away to stack some dishes)

Frustrated armaan pulled her in his arms, he took her face in his hands making her look in his eyes: one question, just answer me?(shilpa rolled her eyes but armaan was insistent) just a simple yes or no would do!

Shilpa exhaled loudly: what?

Armaan covered her mouth with his giving her a kiss which blew the top of her head away and then asked: will you marry me?

Shilpa looked at him in a daze: what did you say?

Armaan smoothed his hand down the length of her hair bringing her body in closer contact with him: I love you! Be mine forever!and let me be yours!

Looking at shilpa's dazed expression and lack of response: I know this is hardly the time and the place. I had actually planned to do this slighthly differently, I had planned to take you on a moonlit beach date and then propose. But when I saw you coming down I knew I couldn't wait, I'm 100% sure this is the worst proposal in the history…( shilpa stopped him by placing her hand on his mouth)

Shilpa quietly: yes!(Armaan's eyes widened in surprise and question making shilpa smile) yes I'll marry you but you've got to stop dissing the proposal.(she took away her hand from his mouth and cradled his face in her hands) I love you! And this is the most perfect proposal ever as this is exactly what I want.

Armaan tilted her head to look deeply into her eyes: you're not going to regret it!

Shilpa smiled hugely: I know I won't but I want my ring!(she started patting armaan's body in search of the ring)

Armaan grabbed her hands: I don't have your ring yet but I have something to symbolize our commitment.(he took the one of the scattered rubber bands from the kitchen counter and roled it on her ring finger)now you are engaged to me!

Shilpa laughed inspite of the emotions clogging her throat, she also took one of the bands and placed it on armaan's ring finger: now you are engaged to me!(she held his hand while she placed her other hand against his cheek)

Pee loon main dheere dheere jalne ka yeh gumm(armaan took hold of both her hands and kissed them first on the knuckles and then turned them over and kissed palm of her hands)
Pee loon inn gore gore haanthon se hum dum
Pee loon hai peenay ka mausam
Tere sang ishq taari hai(he finally raised his head and looked in her shimmering eyes before he wrapped his arms around her)
Tere sang ik khumari hai
Tere sang chain bhi mujhko
Tere sang bekraari hai
Tere sang ishq taari hai
Tere sang ik khumari hai
Tere sang chain bhi mujhko
Tere sang bekraari hai
Tere bin jee nahi lagda, tere bin jee nahi sakda
Tujhpe hai haare maine vaare do jahan, kurbaan, meharbaan, ke main toh kurbaan
Sun le zara, tera kurbaan(they finally drew back while armaan placed a soft kiss on her forehead)