Sorry guys work is insane 😭
EDIT TO ADD: CHAPTER 15
"Bhaiyaaaaaa....please! I worked on it all weekend...but I'm busy....Bhaiya please! Okay, I'll come soon....no, I'll come soon. I promise....okay....okay....I promise! Okay, bye!" Akshu finished her call and looked at Abhi and sighed. "I have to go home and work on my thesis. More practice tomorrow?"
"But we just started...."
Akshu raised her eyebrow. "Umm we been practicing for three hours?"
"Oh right.....you will come to the hospital tomorrow?"
"Ya ya....we are almost done anyways. Maybe one more day of rehearsal. Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow." Akshu picked up her bag and her guitar and went downstairs with Abhi following her.
In the living room, the whole Birla family was sitting drinking tea. "Arrey Akshu, tum ja rahi ho? Drink some tea first."
"No thank you, Manjiri aunty. Kairav Bhaiya is waiting for me."
"Akshu! Your guitar is fixed? Kitney din hogaye....play something first, na?" Parth requested.
"Koi aur din, Bhaiya. I really have to go."
"Akshu beta. Ek song se kuch nahi hoga. Please play something." Harsh told her.
"Theek hai...." Akshu took a seat and took out her guitar. "But kaunsa song?" Everyone started to suggest songs at the same time. "Stop! Stop! I know what to sing...."
Akshu straightened up. Closed her eyes and started to play her guitar and sing....
Abhi na jao chod kar
Ke dil abhi bara nahi
Abhi abhi toh aaye ho
Abhi abhi toh...
Abhi sat on the edge of the sofa, staring at the girl in front of him sitting with her eyes closed and a smile on her face, singing in the sweetest voice. This girl who kept on surprising him....Everytime he thinks he have her figured out....She looked so at peace at that moment, it made Abhi feel like he had no worry in life either. He could happily look at her and hear her sing and....
"Wow! Akshu! You just get better and better!" Parth started to clap with everyone else following suit. Abhi got out of his thoughts and clapped as well.
"So you really can sing sing." Abhi smiled at Akshu.
"I told you!" Akshu beamed. "Acha now I really have to go...." Akshu put her guitar in the bag and waved at everyone.
Abhi wanted to stop her. Abhi na jao chod kar, ke dil abhi bara nahi....magar kyun?
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"Okay since you will be putting on mehndi, I'm going to pull your hair up in a braid and put flowers. Okay?" Aaru asked Akshu while brushing her hair. "Waise bhi you hate your hair down even though I think you look better..."
"Mmmmm....put it down. Even the khadoos said I look nice with my hair down...."
"Acha? Khadoos ne kaha so you are okay with your hair being down now?" Aaru smirked.
"Aaru yaar....tum ne kaha, khadoos ne kaha so why not? Bechara has been working hard on his dance so maybe I should listen to him."
"Bechara? Khadoos is now bechara? Wow Akshu...."
"Shut up! He's my friend....hurry na!"
"Okay, just one second." Aaru out the last flower in Akshu's hair. "Turn around, let me see." Aaru gasped.
"Kya hua?"
"Thu thu thu! Akshu!!!" Aaru hugged her. "Tu kitni pyari lag rahi ho!"
Akshu turned around to look at the mirror. "Aye main khud pe sadke! Kash Sid mujhe dekh pata!"
"Sid ko chod aaj paka khadoos toh gaya kaam se!"
"Kyun? Mere pyare lagne se khadoos ko kya?"
"Bas. Aaj toh woh gaya kaam se." Aaru laughed.
"Jahan jana hai jaye bas dance theek se karey."
"Aye Akshu....tera kya hoga?" Aaru rolled her eyes. "Now come!"
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The Mehndi was being held at Krish's fiancé's house so the Singhanias, Goenkas and the Maheshwaris all gathered there with their close friends, the Birlas joining them.
Abhi looked around to find Akshu but couldn't find her anywhere.
"Akshu ko doondh rahe ho?" Aaru came from behind Abhi, grinning.
"No...no...why would I be?"
"Okay...so I guess I don't need to tell you where she is." Aaru said walking away.
"Aarohi! Wait....umm I just remembered! I have to ask her something....so umm where is she?"
"Sure!" Aarohi giggled. "She's in the back fighting with Vatsal Bhaiya." Abhi started to walk to the back.
"Abhimanyu. A word of warning....dil ko tham lo." Aarohi laughed.
"Right." Abhi walked to the back. Akshu was standing there with her back turned yelling at Vatsal. Abhi tried not to laugh. Vatsal was at least 1 foot taller than Akshu yet he was standing there with his eyes down with Akshu going off on him....
"Nahi...batao mujhe. Sirf batao. Yahan kya Hum Aapke Kaun Chal raha hai? Tum Salman Khan ho? Diya Bhabi ke cousin ke saath...seriously? Main Fluffy ban jahon? Jake tumhare phone Krish Bhaiya ko doon? Instead of ladoos, he will stuff your mouth wi...."
"Abhimanyu Bhaiya!" Vatsal looked up and saw Abhi. "Help!"
Akshu turned around and Abhi almost lost his balance as he felt his heart stop for a second. Akshu was wearing a yellow lengha with with white and pink embroidery. Her hair was half pulled up with pink and white flowers adoring it. Abhi was pretty sure he had never seen anything more beautiful in his life before...he wanted to...
"Abhi! Acha hua tum aa gaye! Pata hai iss Vatsal ne kya....." Just then Vatsal ran out pushing Akshu who lost her balance and was about to fall when Abhi grabbed her.
Abhi looked at face while still holding on to her. She was holding on to his kurta tightly with her eyes closed. Abhi wanted to say something to get her to open those big beautiful eyes but he decided not to so he could stare at her and hold her longer.
"Yo brooo....right." Neil walked up to them and turned around. "You guys need to stop doing this!"
Hearing Neil, Akshu opened her eyes and found her self being held by Abhi. She jumped up. "Iss Vatsal ko aag laga doongi main!" She ran off.
"Seriously? Why do you always come at the wrong time?" Sighed Abhi.
"Eh? What you mean? Maa is calling you...." Neil asked all confused.
"Chal." Kabab mein haadi.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
"Vatsal ko aag laga diya?" Abhi went and sat next to Akshu who was looking at mehndi designs.
"Dekh lena main kya karti hoon uske saath. Akshara Goenka se panga? Dekh lena mujhe."
Tumhe dekhna e toh chahta hoon main. "Okay. Are you deciding on your mehdni?"
"Haan mujhe ziyada pasand nahi. The smell...yuck. But Mimi said it's shagun so..."
"I like the smell." smiled Abhi.
"Tum laga do phir." Akshu smiled at him sweetly. "Tum na apni biwi ko kaho ke roz mehndi lagaye phir."
"Toh lagao."
"Main kyun? Apni future wife se kaho when you find her." Akshu flipped through the book. "Which one?"
Abhi looked at the designs and pointed at one.
"Akshara Goenka! Is that you?" Akshu and Abhi heard a voice from behind. They turned to look.
"Sahil Verma!" Akshu dropped the design book and ran to hug the new arrival.
Abhi stood there watching Akshu hug that Sahil and felt anger bubbling inside him. He didn't know who this Sahil was but he knew he didn't like him.
Who is this Sahil? Is Aaru right? Abhi sach mein gaya kaam se?
Typos fixed later
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Chapter 16
Abhi stood in a corner sulking while watching Akshu laugh away with that Sahil. Yeh hai kaun? Aur yeh Akshu se itna free kyun ho raha hai? He saw Aarohi walk by and called her.
"Aarohi...Listen."
"Hey! What's up?"
"Who is that dude?" Abhi looked toward Sahil and Akshu. Just then, Sahil said something which made Akshu crack up. Abhi wanted to go and punch him.
"Kaun? Sahil? Akshu ka school friend...." Aaru told Abhi. "They were really close before. Sahil ki dadi toh Mimi ki bachpan ki dost hai toh they used to joke that Akshu ki shaadi Sahil se hogi....I heard Sahil toh even had the biggest crush on her. He still does if you ask me...." Aaru looked to see Abhi's reaction who was still staring at them angrily.
"He had a crush on her? How dare he!"
Aaru contained her laughter. "Chill. I don't think Akshu knows to this day....."
Abhi turned to Aarohi. "Aarohi, Akshu bohat masoom hai. These boys...and their crushes? You have to keep her away from such people..."
"I should keep her away from anyone who might have a crush on her?"
"Exactly."
"Okay. If you say so. Let me go tell Akshu to find a new dance partner since you can't dance with her anymore." Aaru pretended to walk away.
"What? What do you mean? Why can't I dance with her?" Abhi stopped her.
"You just said to keep her away from anyone who has a crush on her...." Aaru folded her arms and looked at him.
"I...I don't....I....Aarohi! You know what I mean!" Abhi said blushing. "And I do not have a crush on her."
"No...it's way past that now." Aarohi laughed. "And chill! She's all yours...." Aarohi walked away.
Of course, she's min....what's happening??? Abhi shook his head. This girl was really messing up his head.
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"Abhi! Look!" Akshu came running to him and almost tripped. Abhi held her arm. "Bach gayi!"
"If you know you don't have any sense of balance, why do you even try to run?"
"Okay you sound like Bhaiya now...." Akshu rolled her eyes.
"Akshu, I'm not your Bhaiya." Abhi said getting irritated.
"Haan toh main kahan rakhi liye kadi hoon?" Akshu told him off. "I was trying to show you something....oh look there's Sahil! Let me show him instead."
"No!" Abhi held Akshu's arm. "Show me. Please." Abhi smiled at her.
Akshu held up her hands. "Look at my mehndi!" Akshu beamed. "It smells horrible but you said you like the smell aur tumhare paas biwi nahi hai abhi tak, so I put it on my hands for you. Hum dost hain na? And you are my dancing partner! Magar please, mere peeche mat aana to smell my hands. That would be weird."
Abhi started to laugh. "Akshu! Tume khud nahi pata tum kya ho!"
"Cool hoon mein aur kya? Do you like it?"
"Very nice." Abhi grinned.
"Okay! Let me show Aaru." Akshu said walking away.
"But not Sahil." Abhi whispered but she didn't hear him.
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"Arrey wah, Abhi. Aaj tumne apney kapde bed pe chod diya. Tabiyat theek hai na?" Manjiri said picking up Abhi's clothes from his bed.
"Kya? Haan...I'm fine, Maa." Abhi sat at his chair lost in his thoughts.
"Akshu aaj kitni pyari lag rahi thi, haina? I couldn't stop looking at her."
"Me too." Abhi whispered.
"Pata hai." Manjiri laughed.
Abhi closed his eyes. Maa, I think I'm ready. To marry her."
"Sach bata, Abhi. Tumhe Akshu pasand hai na?"
"Ummmmm.....I don't know, Maa." Abhi looked at Manjiri.
"Kya matlab? Pyar nahi hai toh shaadi kaise? Abhi..."
"Maa. Agar aap pooch rahe ho ke if I like her, then yes I do. But do I love her? I don't know. I like being around her. I enjoy her company. I feel happy around her. But Maa.....puri nautanki hai. Baatein bohat karti hai, har jagah girti rehti hai, aur aap ne dekhe hain kaise kapde pehnti hai? You should see the way she bosses me around! Maa, nobody has ever bossed me around before!" Abhi laughed. "Usually all these things make me annoyed but pata nahi, I don't mind when it's her. In fact, uss par mujhe yeh saari cheezein achey lagte hain."
"Toh yeh pyar nahi toh kya hai, Abhi?"
"Maa, this is all filmy talks but do we even know each other? We have yet to have a real conversation....she knows nothing about me and I sometimes feel I barely know her...."
"Toh shaadi ke liye ready kyun ho?" Manjiri asked him confused.
"Because I want to know her. Because it doesn't matter what the things I don't know about her....I told you I don't believe in love but with Akshu, I feel maybe love will happen."
"Aur Akshu? How does she feel?"
"Maa, mujhe nahi lagta usse pata hai ke hamare rishte ki baat chal rahi hai..." Abhi laughed. "I told you, she's...she's something else."
"Dekh Abhi. If you are fully sure and want to marry her because you want to and not because you feel pressured...phir isse aur khushi ki baat aur kya ho sakti hai? I'll talk to the Goenkas...."
"But maybe ek baar Akshu se pooch lo? Usse kya chaiye?"
"Let her family tell her first? Then maybe you can talk to her as well?"
"Okay."
"Main kal e Akshu ki Badi Mama se baat karongi."
Abhi smiled. "Thank you, Maa. You were right about Akshu.”
"Pata hai. Now sleep."
Sleep? Kya tum bhi same feel karti ho, Akshu?
Ummm how does Akshu feel??? Is she also falling for him and doesn't know?
Do you think Abhi just "likes" her or is this love?
Typos later
Indian Idol 16
Fan Fictions
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