Arakshi FF: Intezaar [Updt - pg 39, 20 March] - Page 20

He made his declaration of love, the grand speech he'd been rehearsing for the past week. As

he scanned her face for a reaction, silence hung in the air. All Sameer wanted was to hear

her say something, anything. If only for a moment. Even a whisper would suffice.

The silence was killing him.

Speak, damn it! He yelled at her in his mind.

His face was one of awkwardness and hurt as the void of sound grew between them. This is

it, he concluded. This is how it was all going to end between them. The trust, comfort and

friendship that was built over time would end in an awkward mess with his confession.

He was ready to retreat his words if it means their friendship could be saved.

Anxious about how the evening was going to end, Sameer really studied Ayesha's face for the

first time. He was surprised to see the light scarlet that coloured her cheeks and the

mischievous smile that played on her lips.

"Why are you smiling?" He asked slowly, feeling as if he already knew the answer.

He tilted his head slightly to the side, a smile forming on his lips similar to hers. His eyes

trained on her face intently, watching every hint of surprise, happiness and excitement on

her face. She averted her eyes from his and her fingers fidgeted nervously.

Sameer chuckled, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Wow! Ammunition specialist Ayesha Kapoor sharma rahi hain. Kabhi socha nahi tha, yeh

din bhi dekhne ko milega!" When he did not get any reaction from her continued,

"Agar tum aise hi chup rahi toh mein samjhunga ki tumhari jawab na hain"

"Aisi koi baat nahi hain" She perked up immediately. "I-I mean..."

That was all he wanted to hear, a warmth spread through his body with her approval. His

chest expanded with joy. His hand shot out to take hold of hers and pulled her closer.

"Ayesha you have no idea how long I have been waiting to tell you...I...I just..."

"Toh itne din bataya kyun nahi?" She asked, as if waiting to hear him confess his feelings.

His eyes took in every inch of her face, as happiness burst within him in waves, it truly sank

in how much he loves her. He knew from that moment on, there would be no other he'd love

as much as he loves her.

"I don't know, I thought...I...you know what it doesn't matter what I thought. As long as you

feel the same way about me nothi..."

"I do...feel the same way...about you"

"...nothing else matters" He finished his sentence.

~oOo~

Arjun chuckled at something Sakshi said and realised how easy it was to talk to her once he

came over his reservations. As each day passed his respect and admiration for his wife grew.

He came to learn Sakshi is not only dedicated to her work and home, she is unfailingly kind

and patient. In the three and half months of their relationship he came to realise that Sakshi

held no bitterness in her heart. When she said she'd give him another chance, she did it

with a whole heart.

In spite of the shaky start they had to their relationship, Arjun could not be more gratifying

for the way things turned out to be. They still had a long way to go in their relationship but,

things were not bad either.

Not bad at all.

They sat down to have their dinner when his phone started ringing. Knowing who it would

be, Arjun didn't bother looking at the screen as he answered the phone.

"Bol Sam, kya kaha usne?" He already knew the answer, but decided to humour his friend

knowing how excited and happy he must be after Ayesha accepted his proposal.

"Haan keh di usne. Dude, I-I..."

Arjun laughed. A flash of him and Priya sitting in a crowded cafe and his tactless confession

of feelings to her popped in his head. He remembered how anxious he was before the

confession and how thrilled he was after. He could easily imagine his friend's feelings.

"Chelo tumhe bata diya, bas dad aur maa ko bataana baaki hain" Sameer said.

"Maa aur papa ko toh keh doge, Ayesha ke papa se kaise..."

"Mujhe pata tha tu yehi poochega...Ayesha ko already keh diya hain, maa aur papa jaake

usske dad se baat karenge..."

"Accha accha thik hain. Abhi Ayesha ke saath hain?"

"Haan bus abhi usse ghar drop karne jaa raha hoon...thik hain phir baad main baat karta

hoon tumse" Sameer spoke and ended the call.

"Sameer ka call tha?" Sakshi asked dishing out the food onto their plates.

"Haan, woh Sameer aur Ayesha...they..." As he spoke he looked down at his plate.

"Aloo ki sabsi? Tumne toh aaj baingan banaya tha na? Toh yeh..." He asked looking up at

her confused and relived. He saw her making baingan that morning, and he has been

dreading eating his least favourite vegetable ever since.

"Haan woh bhi hain, par woh mere liye hain. Bahut din hogaye, khane ka mann kar raha

tha toh apne liye bana liya..."

"Par do sabsi kyun?"

"You don't like baingan right?" She asked as a matter of fact.

"Haan, par tumhe kaise? I mean..."

"Arjun last time jab tumhe baingan khate hue dekha toh samajh aagaya tha. Agar pasand

nahi hain toh bataya kyun nahi??" She asked earnestly, making him stare at her for a

moment. He did not reply, just smiled, and went to take a bite of his roti with the sabzi.

After a few seconds of silence he spoke.

"Mujhe tumhari yeh aloo ki sabzi acchi lagti hain. It's very different"

As soon as he said those words, a childlike happiness twinkled in her eyes.

"Really?" She asked, a sweet smile spreading on her lips.

Arjun couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. One small compliment from him made her so

happy. The shine in her eyes that he saw on the first night of their marriage returned to her

eyes. The brightness and life returned to them.

One small compliment.

At that moment, Arjun really understood how hard Sakshi was trying.

"Yeah...Yeah, really. I like it" He whispered.

ELEVEN