CHAPTER 4
The icy wind roared silently… dispersing the virgin snow… hitting her face… flapping her long brown trench coat… she was shivering slightly despite her warm attire, she looked at her watch for the umpteenth time… impatience creeping in, she cursed him for being late…as it is she had been angry at Nudrat for ditching her at the last minute, which was very much like her… but she hadn't expected Nudrat to give anything precedence over meeting Afsheen… then again Nudrat had always spent more time with her friends… she simply didn't know what agitated her more the fact that Nudrat didn't care to meet Afsheen after so long… or the fact that Nudrat had ditched her leaving her all alone... with him…
She was perhaps thinking too much, she thought, and shrugged the thought away, when his black Mercedes Benz smoothly halted, right in front of her, breaking her trail of thoughts. He opened her door while he still sat in the car, she slipped into the front seat and closed the door, he just immediately sped off, none of them glancing at each other for once, though they could feel their scents mingling, she could sense his manly musky cologne and he could feel her sweet lavender perfume with an amazingly scented strawberry and peach shampoo. He smiled, looking ahead, the smell... it was so... HER... yeah! Just her <3
She tried looking at him, to judge from his facial expressions if he was in a good mood, angry? furious... He seemed a little stern. He wasn't smiling. She was confident he was still mad at her because he hadn't looked her way or acknowledged her. His eyes stred ahead, on the road. One hand casually on the gear, the other gripping the steering wheel. His face seemed so serious. She felt a lump growing in her throat. Basically, she didnt even know what her fault was, and if he WAS mad at her, then why? She had to speak to him. She couldnt stand his stern behavior, the silence, she couldnt stand this cold behavior, if they didnt talk now, she was sure she would burst into tears really soon.
"Thankyou" she said in a low voice, just enough for the two of them in front to hear, she was playing with her fingers and the little thread strands on her neck scarf, which were lying on her lap. He was surprised. He twitched his eyebrows together and pouted his lips a little, expressing that he was confused at what she wanted to thank him for. He slowed the car down a little.
Looking at her, he asked her straight "For what?". She almost immediately looked at him and just as quickly as she looked at him, she averted her gaze too, she knew she would get lost in his brown orbs if she stared any longer, "Umm, for coming... i mea... i mean for picking me up and..." her voice trailed off. He just smiled, looking ahead.
"Have you been to Trancis before?" she asked casually. "Just once" he replied immediately, She was dying for him to talk to her normally, since the thought of him or ANYONE for that matter being mad at her was something she couldnt take. And a deep long silence followed. He sighed after a while. She had tried hard to start a conversation which could keep them going for the next 3 hours, but looks like it didn't help. He sighed again, a little louder this time. She looked up at him, and then back to looking out of the window.
WHY ISN'T HE TALKING TO ME! OH DEAR LORD! she thought.
She felt like a fool for some reason, and the thought that he wasnt talking to her and seemed annoyed was turning her stomach upside down, the lump in her throat just growing by the second, she knew she could start crying any moment now, the uneasy feeling like the one before an exam just came returning to her, and yes, her heartbeat wasnt in her control either. She thought she had to try and speak to him again or else she would burst out, and that's just what exactly happened! As soon as she opened her mouth, to speak, "I ... i am s-s-orr-sorry" She managed in between her tears, her voice becoming heavy and clumsy because of the lump forming and because she had been controlling her tears for sometime now. He was startled by what she said and even more so on her tears… He was thinking along the same lines. Even he wanted to start a conversation, but she'd say something, and he'd answer, in a hope, that she'd continue, but it didnt happen, he though SHE was annoyed at him, and just as he was about to say sorry again, personally, she burst out in tears and apologized herself to him. He wanted her to speak, but in no means did he expect it to be like this... with sobs!. He first of all applied the breaks, and his first reaction after that was "What? Sorry? Khirad? What Happened?" he was becoming extremely worried about her sudden outburst. Her nose was red and her cheeks were tear-stricken, and more of it just kept forming as she wouldnt stop crying. She was crying full-on now, and he touched her shoulders, even more concerned now.
"I... i am sorry, i dont even know what you are mad at me for... im sorry i just dont know what my fault is... right now i can endure anything but your silence and the stern cold behavior" she hicupped "You scolded me on that day for something that I had no part in…you spoilt my dress" she hiccupped again, "I didn't say a word to you…You know how hard it was to find another dress, I ended up wearing a grey dress, which I had despised the day Mom bought it…but I had to wear it… I endured it all…" he noticed she was taking short breaths, it amused and surprised him to no end. He had given pain to her... so much of it. His heart actually swelled with happiness.. She... she too cared about his happiness? It made him happy... VERY Happy... He must have meant something to her, why else would she care about his silence and want him to speak to her? This was a good start, he decided.
"And then on the wedding you seemed so stern, you never looked my way, didn't greet me, I mean we are part of a family now… and I… I just can't stand your silence, its eating me…and I…you know how much I have cried because of you… please if you hate me, its fine just tell me, and I won't show you my face ever again" she finished, breathing hard. "You done?" she didnt say anything and kept looking down, her tears had halted, except for one or two that dripped from her cheek and mixed with her woolen shirt. "Look, I am really sorry about spoiling your dress, believe me I know by now how much you cherished it" he chuckled. She looked sideways at him, he was looking straight ahead and was grinning. She felt herself going red…utterly embarrassed at herself, she was about to look away, when his next words stopped her senseless…"You were looking breath-taking…just plain perfect...I am glad you didn't catch me staring…" his strong voice unusually husky said, and then looking into her moist-eyes he said, "couldn't have stopped myself even if I wanted to", he said, a very cute smile playing on his lips, he was now looking at her face contently, observing every change in color on her face and every expression playing in her eyes and on her face. He didnt look away, so she did. She managed to stammer a "thanks"
"So... you dont mind me staring then?" He played flirty with her, raised his eyebrows and an amused smile playing on his lips now. She looked at him for once, and then burst into laughter. her slender fingers adorned with a few silver rings… covering her mouth… he laughed along with her… he could see her eyes twinkling in a different way now... a happier way, he had longed to see her laughter…unknown to her this sight stirred his heart.
She started at how funny he really looked with the egg on his hair, face and suit and that she just couldnt control her laughter that time... not that right now she could... cz she was still laughing again, like she was a minute a go, she didnt hear him say anything, so she turned to look at him, and her stomach turned, seeing the same serious look on his face. He was sure this would scare her and that exactly what he wanted. She averted her gaze, closing her eyes, mad at herself for making him angry, she got scared and thats exactly when he started laughing, seeing this state of hers. She turned to face him, her mouth forming a wholesome 'O' and her eyes wide, threatening to drop down, she playfully hit him on the chest. turning to her he said "I am glad you can't get my face out of your pretty head…It's a pleasure to invade your thoughts… Kheer" he winked
She played along with him "Are you trying to flirt with me Mr. Asshu" she said, slightly blushing.
It was perhaps in these few moments…as her smile deepened…as his eyes twinkled…as their laughter entwined…that they set foot on the road of love…a little unaware…a little unsure…
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