Chapter Eleven
- The Puja of Whiskey-Ice-cream-
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"I have Cookie Dough and Chocolate Therapy."
Her eyes, latching on to the two cartons of Ben and Jerry's ice-cream with a look akin to salvation, Aasha looked up at the long legged blonde, swathed in a impossibly sunny yellow, coat.
"Renee Archibald you are a goddess!!" she swore fervently.
"I know, now start talking."
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"Well'you're in fine form." Said the all too familiar voice, it's low chuckle resonating in the room, much to Damien's displeasure.
A displeasure he was much too happy to not display.
"f**k off Archibald." he bit out succinctly, as he too yet another swallow from his glass of mind numbing alcohol.
Only for reasons known to the smirking Adonis himself, his succinct reply seemed to have been translated as a lengthy heart-to-heart, grabbing a crystal decanter from the ledge in front of him, the hulking soothsayer, seated himself right beside him.
"Girl trouble?" he asked.
And yet still Damien could not bring himself to think of anything more than a half-hearted, "f**k you Archibald."
Only to be severely tempted to bash his head against a wall as, that annoying chuckle rang out again, and his uninvited guest lolled back against the counter and in a tone of mock-disappointment drawled, "I'm afraid I don't swing that way Bass."
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"How long have you even been back here?"asked a cross legged Renee Archibald, her loose blond hair floating over her shoulder as she bent over to snag a spoonful of Aasha's Cookie Dough Ice-cream.
"Almost two and a half years now." Answered Aasha with a guilty wince as she caught the look of shock on her once close-friends face.
But as shocked as Renee was, it was very apparent the sheer audacity of what Aasha had pulled off astounded her. "You've spent over two and a half years here in New York and nobody knew you were here?!"
Aasha shrugged, digging her spoon into her tub of ice-cream yet again as she answered in a slightly abashed voice, "It wasn't really that hard, I kept out of the popular cliques, went slightly new-chick awkward on the outfits, avoided my trademark NYC hotspots, and thankfully didn't have a hulking body-guard, following me around like back in Delhi."
Her friend who it seemed was still to shocked that one of the most prolific Fashion Moguls daughter had managed to pull a Ivy-Dickens reverse scheme on the whole Upper East Side, while even Gossip Girl had given up looking for her, simply stared at her, before finally fumbling ' "You didn't even tell your God-father?"
And as if someone had switched on a light at Christmas, Aasha immediately lit up, "Of course I did! I just wouldn't meet up with him; I called him everyday though'."
"And you didn't bother to call me? I should hate you, you know, you skinny little witch."
Aasha laughed ducking out of the way as Renee who was viciously waving her spoon inadvertently let a blob of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Therapy fly her way.
"Renee, you have the biggest mouth this side of the Atlantic there is no WAY you could have kept quite." She pointed out sagely.
Renee Archibald, who was despite her airhead-ish airs well aware of her lack of ability in certain areas, rolled her eyes and let her friend off the hook, she was after all right, besides she had major gossip to share.
"Fine whatever, you traitor," she pronounced as if she had relieved Aasha of some great burden, only to continue in excited hushed tones, "But'.now that you're here'.there is something you should know'.two things actually'"
Aasha who was quite used to her friends polarity when it came to thoughts, arched her eyebrow in perfect imitation of her father as she silently indicated that she proceed.
"Well, one...Bevin is back in town."
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Once again in his decade's worth of friendship with Damien Bass, Sebastian James Archibald the second, found himself immensely grateful of the fact that, 'looks', even Bass 'looks', were as yet incapable of dealing fatal blows.
After all, dead really wasn't one of his best looks.
Damien apparently, dissatisfied with his attempt to have him quail in terror after sending him a murderous 'look', was now once again glaring gloomily at his tumbler of whiskey, while mumbling half under his breath, "Who gets engaged at 21?"
James Archibald, would probably be quite within his rights to let an opportunity like this slide by, but he was also part Vander-Woodsen, and as such, his carefully devoid of amusement tone, voiced his not so held in check glee, as he deduced, "So it is girl trouble'.my, my 'isn't this a blast from the past?" Only to watch with feigned indifference, as his friend turned to look at him, only to lose his battle with his self control as he said with a helpless shrug, that was so unlike him, the four words that held a wealth of hilarity in them for the sheer repetition factor, especially given when they had been last said'
"You have no idea."
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Aasha Singh Raizada was purported to have a composure made of the very same steel her father displayed in every nerve-wracking board-meeting he attended, every takeover he spearheaded and every couture line he introduced to wondrous eyes of the worlds fashion community.
However if ever there was a moment when she would much rather run around the house like a head-less chicken, as her mother was prone to when she was in a panic, it was now.
However unlike six years ago, Aasha was no longer a teenager, and she was most definitely not immature enough to let her crack in composure show, not even to Renee.
Carefully, lowering her spoon back to tub of ice-cream she was cradling between her knees, she let the sweet burst of flavor melt over her tongue, swallowing casually before she asked, "Really?...Are she and Damien still'."
Renee who knew her friend well enough to understand how difficult it was for her to have even asked, this much in regards to her once-upon a time ' debutante ball ' date, shook her head immediately and cut her off.
"They never went out actually. Not as far as I know. Or Gossip Girl 'and let's face it she knows everything." She supplied with an encouraging smile.
Aasha who had swallowed too much of her pride for one day, silently corrected her 'Not everything.' And asked instead, "And the second thing?"
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"Khushi, your being unreasonable." Exclaimed Arnav, running a rough hand through his once immaculate hair, as he tried yet again to reason with his furious wife.
However reasonable or not Khushi Kumari Gupta was not one to let her husband off the hook so easily, she'd had years of practice in learning how to steel herself against his little 'this-isn't-logical-ploys'.
Logical her butt, he'd punched her baccha, if he thought he was going to be sleeping anywhere but the damn settee for the foreseeable future he wasn't just an idiot, he was a certified idiot. Lard governor kahika, just who did he think he was?
And dammit why did he have to use the puppy-dog look?!
Her hands folding firmly in her trademark no-nonsense stature, she issued her trump-card, "Settee or I'll offer to join Di for her raath's for the next month."
Now, Arnav Singh Raizada loved his sister, he did.
And he had no issue with her endless fasts and puja's. Mildly annoying they may be, but if she and her equally pious obviously libido-less second husband had no issue with them, he could really care less.
His wife emulating her 'now that was a whole different story.
Suitably chastised he walked carefully over his wife's battle-lines over to the damn settee he vowed to burn to the ground one of these days.
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Hey Upper East Sider's, Gossip Girl here.
Your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's Elite.
Old flames seem to be heating up the UES like the blazing summer heat'only summer in the Hamptons was never as fun as this Christmas season promises to be.
Plus as if the timing wasn't scalding enough, guess what scandalous event is around the corner'the Debutante Ball of course.
What could possibly be scandalous about a troupe of awkward young Constance ladies playing dress up?
Why the dates of course.
Scandal this year sure has a foot firmly in the past.
You know you love me.
XOXO
Gossip Girl
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::Authors Note::
A very important authors note here today, please help us stop plagiarism.
It's been going crazy on the forum lately and it has to stop, before the original authors decide to.
The petition link is provided here -
Don't be a silent reader today, not for the petition, or soon we may not have much left to read.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
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