Arakshi SS - Between the Pages of a Book - *Complete* pg 50 - Epilogue - Page 25

Originally posted by: miss_precious

Omg he just realised he is in love
Can't wait to read more
Plz update soon and thanks for the pm x

Originally posted by: shreya09

aww... this was such a sweet part
Rituuu 🤗 🤗

lovely writing yaar
very very very nice
Sameer-Arjun... it was sooo good to see their friendship like this 👍🏼
Arjun-Sakshi speechless

very nice writing

loved it

waiting for more 😳

Originally posted by: kunchu

magical again

wish I cud celebrate an Xmas as such

lovely description as always

happy holidays

Originally posted by: vivy58

Beautiful awsom and as usual magical update .
Thanks for pm.
CON.soon .:-):-)

Originally posted by: sweetpari4u97

awesome update.

written beautifully.

thankx for pm.

Originally posted by: anitasharma

Beautiful update
finally arjun accepted
continue soon

Originally posted by: sakshiarjun

Outstanding update yaar...👍🏼👍🏼 Big big hugs to u🤗

Everything was just miraculous...Felt like everything is happening before my eyes...I could visualize each and every scene👏

At last both realized that they are in love❤️❤️❤️

Arakshi moments were breathtaking...

The bonding between Sameer and Arjun was awesome...Sameer is truly a best friend...

Sakshi could read Arjun's mind like the pages of her favorite book...

You thought that it was a hurried update but never did we felt so...👏

When will you come back from vacation?? Update asap when you comeback pleaseee...

We'll be waiting...Love you a lot...

Originally posted by: skrafty

Awesome update
Loved it
Loved Samjun bonding
it was amazing
Loved Arakshi
I could visualize everything in front of my eyes
I had a smile on my face while reading this part
It was just beautiful
MAGICAL
waiting for the next part
continue soon
Enjoy your vacations

Originally posted by: PoohLover

Rituuu rituuu you made me go in the Christmas moood now..i want gift 😉 😆

Love how you explain each and very detail soo beautifully and soo differently..unique in its own way 😃 😃

Aur pyaar hogaya... yoohooo yes yes he is in looove

Love the cute,fun going arjun and also the part where you showed us about arjun and sameer friendship which was kinda lost after roshini death 😛 😛 😛

Loovoe looove the updateee very berry much ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you soo much and biiig biiig hugs 🤗 🤗

Originally posted by: Rehana25

Oh god I lost in those magical moment
You describe beautifully
Christmas tree decoration
And when light up the effect comes it's really nice
So sameer join him
Great ETF complete in lodon
Only chotu left hhhmmm
But it's ok
So finally ACP sahab accept that fact
She is his lost part wow nice finding
But what next I am curious when sakshi know his name
So what come in her mind?
Please do continue soon

Originally posted by: manurocks

superb...!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by: shymali

I loved this part

each and every emotions are written beautifully

continue soon

thanks for pm

Originally posted by: PavithraKrish

hi ritu

first of all i am very very very sry yaar 😭 😭 😭

i had my semester exam so couldnt find tym to read this one by the tym i strtd,pc was taken away frm me

nw they have got over so i read all 7 together in one go 😳

wow...how do u manage to write everythng so magical 😳

loved each & every update 😃

i too love reading books other than those related to subjects 😉 😆

this one has already made a special place in my heart

thank u so much for the pm 🤗

Originally posted by: ll-Farheen-ll

Rathod's reaction was the best.😆Bechare ko itna bada jhatka de diya.24/7 ghusse wale chehre par 32teeth wali laugh dekhkar kaun nahi darega.😆😆
Finally,both accepted to atleast THEMSELVES that they are in love.Waiting to see when they'll express their love in front of each other.Well more than that I m waiting for Saakshi's reaction about Arjun being the one whom she was desperately looking for & who for her is the one character who is more like a Prince Charming riding on a horse for his princess character of her book.

Originally posted by: _Nikita_

Awwssmmm part
Loved it
Supperbbb...
Amazing...
Mindblowing...
As always Magical...
Loved Sam-Arjun moments...
Sam's reaction was supperbbb...
Finally both realized that they fall for each other...
Cont sooon
Thanks for PM

Chapter 8 - It had to be you

Sakshi stood at the kitchen counter with a faint smile on her face as she stirred her coffee cup absently. The sounds from the living room had drowned out around her and she could only replay the moment she had spent with Arjun near the Christmas tree, over and over again. His closeness, his touch, had left her weak in the knees.

"What was that?" Liza's voice started her and she spilled a little coffee on the counter.

"What?"

"You know what I am talking about. You, him and the Christmas tree." Liza nudged her playfully, a teasing smile on her lips.

Sakshi blushed and opened a cupboard to look for the jar of sugar.

"Here," Liza pushed the sugar jar towards her and laughed. "Since when did you forget your way around the kitchen?"

"Since she fell in loveee." Aisha's singsong voice entered into the kitchen.

"Shut up!" Sakshi tucked away a loose strand of hair behind her ear and continued to stir her coffee.

"Who's in love?" Shree entered into the kitchen, his eyes searching for something.

"Yeah, let's invite everyone into the kitchen shall we?" Sakshi muttered.

Aisha laughed and said to Shree, "You."

Shree scrunched up his nose, pointed towards Liza and said, "Who wants to fall in love with this duffer? I am a handsome guy after all. I do have a reputation in uni."

"I never even said her name, idiot." Aisha laughed and Sakshi couldn't help but join in.

Liza raised the sugar jar at him and said, "Who said I am in love with you? Geek."

"Next time you come to me with your assignments, I am not helping!" Shree crossed his arms and leaned against the kitchen door.

"Fine! I can do my assignments myself. Who said I need your help?" Liza grinned.

"Happy fighting, we are leaving." Sakshi laughed and dragged Aisha out of the kitchen.

***

Aisha spotted Sameer lurking near the balcony door with their jackets, when she returned with two cups of coffee.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," he stood by the door, shuffling his feet.

She handed him his coffee cup and opened the balcony door to step outside in the chilly night air. She leaned against the glass railing as she watched the city lights glitter in the distance.

He stepped out with her and shut the door behind him. "It's cold."

"You'll get used to it." She smiled.

He stood beside her and nursed his cup of coffee. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

"I feel like I have heard your voice somewhere." She started off the conversation.

"You know what, I feel the same."

"But I cannot remember where!"

"Same here." He laughed.

"So...how do you know Arjun?"

"He works with me. Actually," his voice turned solemn, "He was married to my sister."

"Was?" She asked, hesitatingly.
His expression turned painful and she regretted having asked the question. Hurriedly, she added, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to talk about it. I don't know why I asked." She stared into the distance, her finger absently circling the rim of the coffee cup.

"It's ok. It was a few years ago." The pain in his voice made her flinch. "She died in a car accident." A long silence followed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok." He sighed.

Just when she thought he wanted to end the conversation, he continued, "He still blames himself for her accident sometimes. She wasn't supposed to drive that day."
"Whatever will be, will be."

"Yeah, I know. But sometimes, it's hard to accept it right?"

"Yeah. They say time heals the pain, but it doesn't really. There is always a scar that reminds you of what happened."

He glanced towards her, his eyes full of understanding and nodded.

"So, what do you do?" She steered the conversation away from the subject that pained him. It was best not to dig up memories that hurt, she thought.

He smiled and replied, "Ah! I haven't really introduced myself. I am ACP Sameer Rathod, ETF chief in Mumbai."

Her heart stopped as soon as she heard the name. Her eyes stopped blinking and his voice became more and more distant as her mind repeated his name over and over again.

ACP Sameer Rathod.

The telephone call.

Sakshi's curiousity.

The book.

The note.

ACP Arjun Rawte.

She couldn't speak. He waved his arms before her face and yet, words failed her.

"What happened?" He kept on asking.

She had to ask one question. She pointed towards the balcony door and asked, "Does that mean... Is that... ACP Arjun Rawte?"

***

Arjun looked around the kitchen door for signs of anyone nearby. He couldn't see Rathod and Aisha. He was sure he had seen them disappear around the balcony door. And that bickering couple seemed to be in the living room, busy in fighting over Christmas presents. The coast was clear. He sighed in relief and poked his head around the kitchen door. Sakshi was standing at the kitchen counter, her back towards him as she prepared the icing for the gingerbread cookies that were baking in the oven.

He hesitated near the door as his fingers played with the red and silver tinsel paper that was untidily wrapped around the Christmas present he had hastily bought for her that morning.

"You can come in you know." Her teasing voice made him smile. Her back was still towards him.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I can tell." She turned around, smiling, and he felt his gaze fix on her for the umpteenth time that night.

He only realised his mouth was wide open when she came closer and pushed a piece of gingerbread cookie dough into his mouth. As she burst out laughing, he felt like slapping himself. What was wrong with him?

"What?" He asked, recovering from the moment of shock.

"Nothing." She laughed and moved back to the kitchen counter. "Why are you here?"

He remembered then about his Christmas present and he moved closer to her, his hands still playing with the wrapping. He wondered if he should have just left out the wrapping. He wasn't very good at wrapping presents.

"I got something for you." He pushed the little wrapped parcel towards her.

Her eyes sparkled with delight as she spotted the gift and she said, "Oh! Christmas present?"

He nodded and lowered his gaze. He didn't know why he felt shy.

"Let me get mine too!" She hastily wiped her hands in a towel and ran out of the kitchen.

Great. He could breathe again.

***

"Yeah, that's Arjun. ACP Arjun Rawte." Sameer frowned, suddenly noticing Aisha's changed expression.

"Oh God." Her face held traces of hurt, recognition and confusion.

"What?"

"Oh my God." Aisha seemed to be in a distant land, and he didn't know why. He wondered if he had said something wrong. Did she know him? Where had he heard her voice before? He cursed himself for not having a good memory. He was the ETF chief, for God's sake! Shouldn't he have a better memory?

He watched realisation dawning on her face as she asked, "His wife...your sister's name was Roshni?"

Now it was his turn to be surprised. How did she know? Had he absently mentioned her name when he was talking about their past? Did she know Roshni? But the, how could she? He knew all her friends.

His mind buzzed with questions as he stood there with his cup of coffee that was slowly turning colder with each passing minute.

Finally, he asked, "How do you know Roshni?"

***

"You first."

"No, you go ahead." He shuffled his feet and held out the present towards her.

"Ok, fine." She took his present and started unfurling the red and silver tinsel paper. "I already know what it is."

His eyes were fixed on her delicate fingers which peeled away the untidily cut pieces of tape that held the tinsel paper together. He watched the smile creep up on her face as the tapes were peeled off. He watched the smile deepen into a grin as she pushed away the wrapping paper to finally reveal the title of the book.

It was the book she had talked to him about once. A book, he knew she desperately wanted but hadn't come across the right copy yet. In her words, she hadn't found the one. He didn't know if this was the right copy for her, but he hoped that it was.

She brushed her fingers over the title and looked up at him. The happiness that he saw in those sparkling eyes, instantly reflected in his.

"It's not much, but... Do you like it?" He asked.

In response, she threw her arms around him and whispered in his ears, "I love it. It's the one."

He felt as if breath had been knocked out of him as she pulled back. He found it quite unsettling every time she came close to him. And now, he was grinning like an idiot as she pushed her present towards him.

It was another book, he could tell, although the size seemed a bit bigger than a paperback. But unlike his, this one was wrapped neatly in a gold and silver wrapping paper. Merry Christmas was scribbled all over it in fancy cursive writing.

He took his time. Leaning against the kitchen counter, beside her, he slowly pulled away the tapes.

She giggled as she played with his red and silver tinsel paper and said, "You do unwrap quite slowly for a guy."

"I liked to savour the moment." He grinned as the last tape came off the wrapping paper.

He watched her excited expression as the paper fell away to reveal his Christmas present.

It was not a book.

It was something more special.

It was something more priceless.

***

Aisha stood leaning at the balcony, with her coffee cup that felt stone cold to touch. Sameer stood beside her with a solemn expression on his face, staring into the distance; his eyes revealed nothing. She wondered what was going through his mind.

The past couple of minutes, she had been narrating the tale of her best friend and the stranger. The story that had started from a second hand book that was left in a bookstore. He had listened, quietly and patiently. He was a good listener. And now, he was quiet.

She gently touched his shoulder and asked, "What are you thinking?"

He moved his gaze towards her and said, "This is too unreal."

"I know." She smiled

"It's too...I don't even have a word for it."

"Destiny."

"Perhaps. Whatever it is, I don't really care. I have not seen him this happy since Roshni... I don't want him to fade out again." The hurt in his voice almost made her heart shrink.

She squeezed his shoulder and said, "He will be fine. He has a friend like you."

He smiled at her in response and said, "There is another fact he needs to face." His face turned grim again. "He goes back to Mumbai after New Year's day. What happens then? I don't want him getting hurt again. And this time, it will be worse."

She had been wondering the same thing. It worried her because she knew how much distance hurt. Yet, she smiled and replied, "If destiny brought them together, it will find a way to keep them together."

He laughed, his face now freed of the lines that had kept appearing every few minutes. He worried a lot, she thought. Perhaps, it was due to the nature of his job.

She bit her lips and asked the question she knew was running through his mind as well.

"Do you think I should tell her?"

***

It was a scrapbook. Arjun brushed his fingers over the thick white cardboard cover that was printed with vintage-style letters. He settled down on the wooden floor of the kitchen and flipped open the book to the first page. She settled down beside him, hugging her knees to her chest and said, "I hope you like it."

He began the journey through the pages, one by one, in the yellow glow of the kitchen light, as the strong smell of gingerbread cookies filled the kitchen.

The scrapbook contained parts of their life, parts of their memories, the moments that had been theirs and theirs alone.

A bus ticket of their first night out, photos of their crazy dance, the library, a receipt of the assignment they had done and submitted together, dry leaves, pine cones, photos and scraps of tissue paper with quotes they had shared written in a neat handwriting.

He was at a loss for words when he finished.

She rested her head on her shoulder, her fingers brushing over the blank page that was yet to be filled and said, "It's our memories. This is how you should remember London when you go back." Her voice had turned soft and distant.

The truth hit him in the face again like a blow. He was going back after New Year's Day.

He tried to put on a jovial voice as he said, "There are still some pages left to fill. We still have time. Memories that are yet to be made."

She nodded and looked into his eyes as she replied, "Even if this story finishes here, there will be a sequel right?"

He smiled, placed his fingers over hers and replied, "Of course. Our story hasn't started to finish so suddenly. And, thank you... for the memories."

***

Sakshi yawned as she finished reading out the last page and glanced at her side. He sat leaning against the wall near the windows, his eyes staring into the fading darkness of the sky outside. It was nearly dawn and they had been reading to each other the past few hours as their friends slept in sleeping bags on the floor of the living room.

Midnight had come and they had wished each other Merry Christmas by the tree. That had been followed by a midnight snack of gingerbread cookies and milkshakes. He had laughed as he ate and had complained about it all being childish. To which she had replied that that was what Christmas was about. All of them had then gathered around the Christmas tree with their sleeping bags and played games until they were too tired to. They had all dozed off, leaving Arjun and her awake by the tree, staring up at the lights which blinked in the darkness. That's when he had suggested reading to each other until they were tired.

Maybe it was because their time left with each other was running out, that kept them up the entire night. Or maybe, they just never wanted the night to end.

"Are you sleepy?" He asked, his voice tender.

"No." She suppressed a yawn. She was tired but she didn't want to sleep. Not now. She needed to stay awake.

She sat upright and asked, "Do you want to pick out another book?"

He laughed and said, "Sure."

"Let's go to my bookshelf!" She said, excitedly.

***

"You have too many books." He laughed.

"You can never have too many books." She absently brushed her fingers over the titles of the books on her shelf.

"True. But then you should get a bigger shelf." He pointed at the books that were stacked on top of each other. All crammed together into one small space.

"But, it's not like I am living here permanently. One more year and then I am gone."
"I bet you'll have books on the floor then." He laughed.

"Ha ha. One day I want to see your shelf." She crossed her arms and turned away from him.

That's when his gaze fell on the worn out book resting on the top shelf. The spine that was too familiar to him. Sakshi's voice faded out as he reached out for the book that he had seen too many times in his own house. Back in Mumbai. It was the very same book, he knew.

He felt as if he was stepping back in time as he pulled out the book from the shelf. All of a sudden, everything rushed back to him. Roshni's smile as she had buried herself in the very same book day after day. His taunts on the book, her Mr. Darcy and her defending the characters she loved so much.

And then, the note fell out from its yellowed pages.

The note that he had once written to her.

*************************

How was it how was it? Do leave your comments and likes😉😃

And thank youuu for readinggg🤗