First time- an ashlok OS - introduction. - Page 9

Astha didn't talk to shlok throughout their drive to the wedding...shlok was feeling kind of wary of astha's behaviour..he remained confused about whether to talk or not...but at any rate he didn't want to upset astha more...and so didn't utter a word.

They reached the wedding hall and went inside...naren and maya welcomed them warmly...

"Shlok!!! My buddy...how do I look??" Naren questioned him showing him his sherwani..

"You look awful...what a odd colour choice!!!" shlok said with a mockingly shocked expression.

Naren gaped for a minute at his words and then laughed..."shlok...as sarcastic as always..." and hugged him good.

Astha felt happy seeing naren and maya in wedding attire. She had bonded with them quickly in a short span of time...and considered them true friends...them getting married was really a happy news for her...and it was reason for her to forget what had happened before.

"Maya...you look so lovely..." Astha praised maya with a broad smile.

"Better than your saree??? I Bet so...right???" maya said cheekily.

Astha flinched at that question as it brought back a lot of memories...Why is it always like this??? Astha thought to herself and sighed...Maya did not know about her past...till now, it's no use blaming her..she thought and let go of it.

"Yes...much better..." she replied back with a smile.

The wedding gala took place in grandeur... naren and maya got wedded finally. Reception took place after their wedding...as they had to leave for us the next day itself...

Astha saw shlok talking to some men along with suresh...Shlok was smiling and enjoying himself...in a way she never knew...and it made her feel insecure..she was boiling with jealousy...especially suresh...and it showed on her face...she felt really troubled...so troubled that she didn't notice a woman approaching her...

"Angry are we???" Maya chided astha. She noticed astha has been feeling angry..and leftout. "Let the men take their time...we women can do our own thing...right??" she said with a smile.

"yeah...but" astha protested. Maya was sure astha wanted to talk to her...more than that she wanted to talk to her too. She noticed something has been off between the both of them.

"Okay...let me take you somewhere..." maya said to astha and took her out of the hall... they both settled down in the bench back down the garden...Maya felt she should talk to astha and know what had happend.

"What's wrong astha?? " maya asked seriously.

"Nothing..like that.Why do you think so???" astha replied back.

"NO...I know you are very upset, did u guys have a fight??? You don't seem really happy today...not as much as you should be...or you would be..." maya said with a sigh.

"Well...you see..." astha spoke slowly...maya knew her well...she couldn't hide anything from her. She decided to tell what has been bothering her...and poured out all her frustrations and insecurities onto her.

Maya listened everything intently...she too was not sure why shlok acted like that. But nevertheless she wanted astha to clear her mind of all things and feel calm.

"Astha...isn't it better if you ask all these things yourself???Only he knows why he is doing it...right??? maya said thoughtfully...

"Yes I know ...will he say the truth??" astha asked doubtfully.

"You won't know unless you try...right??" maya answered her back.

"Do you have any idea...or advice?? All my plans seems to fail..." Astha said sadly.

"Astha...I am not going to advice on this one...I think you should do it on your own...surely I think you don't need to act on another's advice to seduce your man...What do you want??What does your heart feel?? Think about it...I'm sure you will get the answer..." Maya held astha's hand assuredly

"I hope so..." astha stated in confusion. Just then both of them heard Naren's mother calling maya...

"I think saasu bhai wants me to get acquainted with the guests...come on astha let's go..." maya said with a smile and went back inside.

Astha sat up there for a long time...her mind working out what is that she wants to do...and finally after a long time, a smile crept up her face. "That's it..." She thought and chuckled to herself...and she got back up and went inside.

Astha and shlok both got back home from the wedding. Shlok noticed astha was in a mellow mood and was feeling much better. Thinking about it made him feel happy. Both of them changed into their pyjamas and went to bed...astha wanted to confront shlok directly...she was no longer feeling angry and frustrated but rather sad and curious at the same time. Shlok was not in a mood to sleep and so was watching TV.

Astha thought it was the best time for her to ask shlok directly.

"Shlok???" astha called him.

"yes astha..." shlok replied back.

"well...It's just..." she started to say something. The phone rang ...

"OH the little devil..." astha muttered to herself clearly annoyed.

Shlok had to attend the call...he lazily got back up picked up his phone. It was suresh...He had called to inform about the client meeting tomorrow. Both of them soon started talking about other things...and shlok didn't realise astha was waiting to talk to him...and went on ahead.

Astha was losing her patience by the minute...she was very angry at shlok for giving importance to suresh over her...What kind of guy is he??I mean he is not that way right??? Astha questioned her inner mind, seeing shlok so happily laughing..and enjoying himself.

She just wanted to snatch that phone away from him and break it to pieces. She just got up, sat on him and snatched the phone from him ...Shlok was astounded by astha's behaviour...he was just about to shout at astha when he noticed something...and he remained unable to say anything.

"What is the problem with you??? Is suresh more important than me???huh???" astha was shouting at the top of her voice...but shlok just remained mum...Astha got even more irritated...

"What are you being mum for huh???" she was shouting at him...when he signalled towards her ... HE had obviously got a glimpse of her cleavge... Shlok gulped ...and continued to stare at her...Astha blushed and turned her head away...but she noticed shlok was still staring at her...Here's my chance then... Astha thought to herself and lowered upon shlok to kiss him...shlok on instinct put his hands around astha's waist...and the minute he did... astha moaned his name.

"Shlok..." astha mumbled.

Shlok got startled hearing astha's moan... he quickly pushed her away and went to bathroom to cool his head off... This woman is my death... shlok mumbled to himself and splashed water over his face...while astha was nearly crying...

"I won't give up... one last chance..." she mumbled to herself and went to bed.

Shlok noticed astha had slept and he too lay next to her and finally drifted off to sleep.

But astha was not sleeping... she was analysing shlok's action just now... Maybe there's hope?? She thought humming to herself.She quickly took a glance at shlok to see if he was sleeping. IT seemed he fell asleep...Astha slowly got up, picked up the phone and tip toed across the door.

She closed the door behind her and called someone... "Hello?" the voice sounded. It was suresh...

"Suresh... it's me astha...I need you to do me a favour..." she talked.

"Tum bhabiji??? What is it??" suresh asked with intrest. Astha told everything she planned to do. But suresh felt unsure about it...

"What if shlok bhayya doubts??" he asked uncertainly...

"I'll handle it...you do what I say ok??" she commanded him.

"Okay bahbiji...I'll do it..." suresh sounded unsure.

Astha didn't want to back down at this point. She wanted to do it by hook or by crook. "Okay.. that's fine. Good night suresh" she said simply and cut the call. She gave a smug smile... tomorrow it all ends shlok... wait for me... Here I come... She thought and opened the door to her room... excited about tomorrow...