ZaYa SS: Worth all the Spicy Lies-chapter 10 pg 24(23.1.2016) - Page 17

10. Challenge accepted

Zander's POV

Last night, outside the bar

She smiled at me brightly "...tu mujhse PYAAR kartheho...Zain Abdullah?" my eyes literally popped out of my socket aur mere dil toh ussi waaqt ruckgai. P-Y-A-A-R?...aur A-R-I-E-L Se?...my ever working mind, shut down for the first time...mein toh soch nai paretha. Even though I knew that this was not the sane' Ariel talking but the drunk' version really made me think of my feelings...'mera asali' feelings...the crazy tickling feeling originating my stomach wouldn't stop.

Aaj kya bahana bananahe? Mere dimaag se koi puchratha but before I could even look into it. Ariel slowly slide away from me laughing hysterically, that's when everything around me came to focus...every drunken men and women outside the bar, every cab passing by and the almost Empty Street' which was starting to feel like a freezer.

I watched Ariel laughing like a child around the side walk, shayad mere chehare pe bhoot dikratha. My lips automatically curved into a small smile looking at Ariel's childishness...ye he mera maamu ki bhanji joh mein humesha janthithe, the carefree and cute little girl...yes I did just say CUTE' because she really is.

Now?...now she's grown into a self-confident, strong beautiful women...who fatefully happens to be my wife...and who already has TWO EX-BOYFRIENDS TRYING TO WOE HER...what? Yes I'm angry and irritated at peak, thank you.

Within my thoughts, I failed to notice the slow stammering Ariel. She turned around and looked at me with squinted eyes, just before passing out in the middle of the street...well almost.

Thankfully, I caught her just in time Again...looks like being her husband means being the same-old small handsome boy who used to carry maamu ki bhanji around whenever she was tired or hurt...Arre mujhse yakeen karo yaar?...I really was Handsome as a small boy.

Almost unconscious on my arms, she kept on murmuring something, fanning the alcohol ridden breath over me. She was so damn close with her breath spreading over my face and her lips almost puckered up.

It took me every ounce to resist myself from taking advantage of her vulnerable state...even while being her husband, I just can't and won't do that to ARIEL...she's my Muffy after all.

Yep, yeh toh chaal nai payage...guess it up to you Zan I told myself when she slouched completely in my arms. I took a sharp long hard breath and I tugged Ariel towards my back and bounced her on my back. Piggy-bag all the way.

As soon as her chest pressed against my back I could feel weird sensations running crazy all over my body. Trying to ignore the awesome feeling, I juggled her on my back one more time to make her hang onto me comfortably.

I took a few steps forward when I felt Ariel snuggle closer on to me, resting her chin on my shoulder...clearly adjacent to my face. I could feel her breath against my collar-bone making every hair on my body stand-up. I took slow strides along the side-walk which almost looked abandoned except for few breathing person here and there.

"tu mujhe bohath miss kiya na...london mein?" Ariel's soft voice against my ear startled me. But I couldn't help but smile at her comment...who purre joot nahi tha, it's like whenever I met a girl...any girl for that instant, I would involuntarily compare her to Ariel, woh hi toh peheli ladki thi joh maine...hmm...jaana.

I somehow muffled all the memories at the back of my head, "NOOO!!" I strictly replied Ariel ignoring her teasing yet cute grin. I could hear her chuckle hugging my neck tighter.

"joot...tum joot bolraho, I can see it in your face...Mr. Husband" she sang while swaying her legs in the air, making me loose balance. She kept on playing with my shirt...oh god! She's fully drunk my mind spoke on its own shayed ab main usse sare sachayi puch sakthihun...this might really save time.

"So Ariel...I've wanted to ask you something..." I started as I could feel Ariel raise her head from my shoulder and trying to listen to me intently. "So you have 2 boyfriends?" I asked her carefully not trying to push her boundaries.

It took her a whole minute to answer me "No!" she said it in one swift sound. I stood in my track confused, essi nahi he ki main na-khusi thi per Doll toh mujhe kuch aur hi kahani bathayatha. "Kya? Oh okay, now you're lying Mrs. Wife" I realized how childish I was as soon as I said it "...Then who are Phillip and Eric?" my mind was boggling me at the moment.

Ariel hit me hard on the chest, "I didn't say it like that...what I meant was I HAD two boyfriends...and now I have only ONE husband..." she said hugging me. I couldn't stop the fluttery feeling or my thumping heart beat against my skin, even a small child could say that I was glowing and grinning madly in happiness.

She's drunk Zan my inner-mind interrupted my lala land but was right. I started to walk again "okay fine...your Ex-boyfriends..." I hesitated to continue but it now or never "...have you decided on them...meaning, have you decided on whom to chose?" I finally told in one smooth flow.

Waiting for her reply was the hardest thing...main jaana chathithi per nahi jaana chathithi, does that even make sense? I finally realized that we were standing just outside our apartment...yes yes I have got used to calling it OUR apartment. I slowly titled my head to see Ariel fast asleep while drooling over my shoulder.

I slowly smiled at her...at US and made my way towards the apartment. While waiting for the elevator, a lady around 40 or something came and stood next to us...waiting for the elevator too. She initially ignored me but then looked closely at the drooling' Ariel on my shoulder and stared at us for some time.

Finally realizing my uneasiness, she smiled and spoke "Sorry, I'm just happy she finally found her Prince charming'" I almost felt like she was talking in Greek and Latin "I'm sorry..." I questioned.

She laughed at me for the second time...but not the teasing' kind but the kind' kind, ya looks like I'm making no sense at all today. She then stared into distance "we're known each other for sometime...and I remember once I asked her about the guy of her dreams...and she said she was still waiting for her Prince charming' who might put her to bed when she fell asleep somewhere else..." Now I was intently listening to her "...and hold her when she's having nightmare...and cook breakfast for her occasionally"

I smiled at the lady, taking in everything she said before she continued "...and from where I stand, I think she found hers" I finally realized she was talking about me and also I was being rude to her all along "ohh...I'm sorry...I'm Zander Wilson...I would shake my hand but I'm kinda engaged here" I said slightly holding off Ariel to her, while Ariel nudged more closer while the lady laughed at us.

"...I'm uhmm...hmm...I'm Ariel's childhood friend" I somehow fetched the answer from a tree of relation. The lady just gave me a knowing look "Of course you are...I'm Heather Cage...I'm Ariel's neighbor" she finished when we got into the elevator.

After few seconds or so "Wait...childhood friend...you wouldn't be the THE' childhood friend who used to tease all day ...would you?" I blinked few times tomes before I spoke "how would you know..."

but was cut short when we arrived at our floor.

The lady laughed "OH wow...Ariel always talks about you...all the pranks you played on her...times you made her cry..." I was starting to feel embarrassed and guilty somehow "...but even though she complained, I could tell she liked and cared about you a lot..." she finished as I stood before our apartment door. "I'll see you around Zander..." she nodded towards me. "It was nice meeting you too, Mrs. Cage...good night" I exclaimed and entered our apartment.

I slowly made my way into the apartment deep in thoughts- toh maamu ki bhanji ne mujhe humesha pasand kiya he I chuckled at the thought. This is going to be interesting and easier than I thought, I slowly entered her room. Ab toh mujhe mera jawab milgai, per agar woh khud mujhse yeh nahi kehana chatihe toh I smiled while gently placing her on her bed, lagthahe mujhe he usse kehane main majboor karna padega...no matter how long it takes I stared at her with determination...not the freaky kind by the way.