Thank you for the terrific response to the banner... isnt shona the best š³ š... this update is dedicated to her... for being so super sweet š¤
Part 49
Arjun watched as Arohi checked for her phone one last time in the bag as she walked towards the exit of the venue. He got out of the car and went to the passenger side holding the door open for her. Arohi looked up and gave him a small acknowledging smile. After seating her, Arjun went around the car and got into the drivers seat. Giving her a small smile, he tilted his head, asking without wordsā¦ "chalein?" Arohi nodded her head in a wordless "haan" and Arjun started the car, and drove towards home.
This had become almost like routine. It had been 7 days now, since Arjun had promised Arohi to trust her completely and unconditionallyā¦ and so far he had maintained it. Since the event date for the wedding was near, Arohi had been very busy in setting up everything. She was enjoying working with her bua and additionally it was helping to get her mind off the recent events.
Arjun looked at her from the corner of his eye and smiled. He had never thought that he would enjoy silence so much in his life, that too with Arohi. Since she loved to talk, there were very few memories of them together where she had been silent. But Arjun loved their this daily routine, where he picked her up everyday from the venue and they rode back together. They both were busy with work and this was his way of ensuring that they spend some alone time together.
Arohi was talking to someone animatedly on the phone and she laughed at the opposite persons comment. Arjuns mind went into la la landā¦ it had been quite sometime now that he had heard her laugh in his presence. She was still pretty angry with him, but she had gone from frowning at him, to not giving him any reaction, to a smile of acknowledgement. In Arjuns file, he had noted it as PROGRESS! All Arjun was doing now was waiting out. He knew how much Arohi hated routines and loved being spontaneous. So he had given her what she wantedā¦ spaceā¦ silenceā¦ and his trust. Ever since Arohi had kicked him under the table, he had even stopped teasing her in front of everyone too. But that was more out of concern for possible damage that may be caused to his body parts.
But his partner, his confidante, his biggest supportā¦ had been Raj! Since the day his son had assured him that he was on Arjuns side, Raj had tried everything in his power to push his parents towards each other.
Firstly, he had started this new routine of sleeping between them saying that he wanted them both to hug him. Then, he would make sure that he was sticking to Arohi like second skin, so that when he demanded Arjun hug him too, Arjun actually ended up putting his hand around Arohis waist and cuddling her alongwith Raj in the process. Arohi had complained with her eyes the first time, but when she realised that she could not do anything about this, she sulked like a child and ignored him. Then, this sly six-year-old would slide off the bed in the middle of the night and go to dadi's room, due to which, Arohi ended waking up in Arjuns arms every single morning!
She had initially protested Arjun holding her by struggling out of his hold, but only when she had found Arjun awake. When she woke up before Arjun, she did what she loved doing the mostā¦ observe her sleeping husbands adorable face! Arjun even faked sleeping a couple of times to keep her close to himā¦ but he wanted more. He missed his old drama queen nautankibaaz Arohi. He missed their their hot love making sessions. He missed his wife His tigressā¦ and her wildness! He knew that somewhere even she had started getting affected. Rajs tiny devilish plans had started working and he could make out that Arohis mask of anger was slipping.
Now all he had to do was wait till she cracksā¦ and something told him that point was very near! Arjun smiled as he realised that Arohi was ending the call, and the next moment his smile vanished.
"Yaaā¦ definitely. Thanks. Ok. Bye Karan!"
She was talking to Karan? Correction. She was laughing with Karan!
All he got was a smile and Karan gets a full fletched laughter???!!! How can she be so unfairā¦
Arjun frowned and his hands tightened on the steering wheel. He started remembering his promise to Arohi and started memorising it as if counting to 20, to cool himself down! He trusted herā¦ but he did not trust that ass!!! He had kept gratitude towards him but this was the end of it. This guy had overrun his time for Arjun to feel grateful now. One more timeā¦ if he comes near Arohi one more time, Arjun will just shoot him! He trusted Arohi but not this moronā¦
He frowned and looked at Arohi. She was smiling to herself and keeping her phone inside her bag. She turned to Arjun as she realised that he was looking at her, and her smile got demoted to a small curve on her lips!
"What???" Arohi asked him.
Arjun took a deep breath and turned his attention to the road.
+
Rashi smiled looking at the hall. She had not imagined that there would be so many people here today! The music, the laughter, people dancing on the dance floor, the decorations, the animated talksā¦ She looked around to notice how much, many of these people had changedā¦ and how some hadn't changed at all! No matter how the people were, the walls, the roof, the structure and the air surrounding it was still the same. It still gave her the same exhilarations when she bunked lectures and went to the canteen. It still made her anxious, like when she used to get before her exams. And it still made her heart soar, just like she felt when she was surrounded by her friends. Rashi felt all of it all over again at her Universitys Batch Reunion and she was loving it.
How could she not smile. Although she had not smiled for the past few daysā¦
All she wanted to do was spend this evening with the one person who made her happy the mostā¦ in recent times. But what did he doā¦!!!
Sadness and a tiny bit of anger flashed in Rashis eyes! A simple yes or no is what she had expected. But noā¦ men had to make everything so complicatedā¦ And on top of that they donot even acknowledge that they are the ones making things difficult. Was it really him or was she the one messing things up because of her past??? Or was she really a difficult person to be with? Jignesh was with her only for the money so she could not say that he loved her but Rajveerā¦ Had she made a mistake in reading him?
Rashi shook her head! She had promised herself that she will not go down that road. She had analysed their last dinner a million times in her mind and yet she felt as confused as she had 7 days agoā¦
FLASHBACK
"Maine kaha na Rajveer, mujhe uss raat ke baare mein baat nahi karniā¦ atleast not now! Im just thankful that I met you... you were there for me when I needed someone the most."
Rajveer smiled at Rashi and they both continued their dinner. But he was not satisfied. He wanted to know why she had been so upsetā¦ this question had knawed him day in and day out. He had tried asking her thrice in a subtle fashion but Rashi had refused to answer it under the pretext of not spoiling the evening. If she avoids his question one more time, he was worried that he would get out of his chair, go around the table and shake her hard till she spills out the truth. He did not want to do thatā¦ this is exactly what will drive her away from him and into her shell again! And he definitely did not want that. He didn't know who else to ask!!!
Rashi kept down her spoon with a soft clang and looked up. Rajveer stared at her as he realised that she wanted to say something. His hopes went up as he felt maybe she was ready to tell him now. He kept down his spoon too and looked at her giving her all his attention.
"Rajveerā¦ mein tumse kuch poochna chahti thiā¦"
"Toh poochoā¦" He looked at her trying to assess the emotions on her pink face.
Rashi twisted the napkin in her hands. She did not know how to frame her question. Will he answer her if she asks him directly or should she beat around the bush a little? Or maybeā¦ she could ask him about the reunion and judge on his reaction? Yes.. that will be safeā¦
"Mmmā¦ Rajveerā¦ Mere college ka reunion hai next weekā¦ aur mein chahti thi kiā¦ I was wondering if you would come with meā¦"
Rajveer was a bit disappointed but he smiled.
"Sureā¦ why not! Kab hai?"
Rashi let out a deep breath and smiled. As they got into the details of the party, she felt herself feeling lighter. He sais yesā¦ he said YES!!! This means that he doesn't mind going out on a date with her. This was as good as a date! Rashi was jumping clouds in her mindā¦ from oneā¦ twoā¦ to eight and finallyā¦ number nine! They started discussing from clothes to her old friends, whom she was looking forward to meet.
Rashi has stopped dressing up ever since her accident. The first time she had done so, was when Arohi had gifted her the saree for the party. But she wanted to wear a nice dress for this party. A new dress which she had designed herself. An electric blue, one-shouldered satin dress, with a slight flair as it ended at her knees. The dress was simple but the material gave it the whole different look alongwith the slim black belt which highlighted her thin waist. She started mentally choosing accessories and rejecting them too!
"Thank you so much Rajveerā¦ for agreeing to come to the reunion." Rashi said at the end of their meal. She could not stop smiling. These were the most wonder 70 minutes of her life.
"Usme thank you kehne waali kaunsi baat hai Rashi. I really enjoy your company. Plus im there for you whenever you need me."
Rashis smile vanished and she frowned in confusion. "Rajveerā¦ Im not inviting you because I NEED you to come. Im inviting you because I WANT you to comeā¦ with me."
And then Rajveer made a huge mistakeā¦ when he asked the next questionā¦
"Whats the differenceā¦???!!!"
Rashi felt her heart sink and her hope dive down from the cloud number nine. She had been right to get worried when Rajveer had termed whatever was between them, as friendship.
Rashi kept down her napkin. "The DIFFERENCEā¦ is that if I needed someone to go with me, I could've asked anyoneā¦ a friend, maybe Arohi too. But Iā¦ I wanted to go with you.
And then the second huge mistake cameā¦ in the form of another question.
"Whyā¦???"
Rage, disappointment and dread surged through Rashi and she stood up.
"Why! You want to know why??? Well its high time you asked that questionā¦ but not to me, to yourself! Why do you want to know why I was upset that night? Do you have any answer to that 'why'!"
Rajveer stared at Rashi as she was towering over him. This was another new avatar that he was seeing of the most soft spoken person he had met. Getting a little intimidated, all Rajveer could do was stare at her wide eyed as she continued.
"Do you want to know so that you can investigate it like a good police officer and deal with it the official way? Agar aisa hai toh bohat si ladkiyan hai Chandigarh mein who need attention and justice from the policeā¦ why do you want to know so desperately about what happened to me? Or do you insist so much to every girl that you meet???"
Rajveer looked around, he saw a few people noticing their small fight and he got uncomfortable. He did not like to be a part of what can be described as 'creating a scene'. He reigned in his temper and spoke softly but firmly, "Sit down Rashi. There is no need to get so agitated!"
Rashi stared at Rajveer. He could make out her eyes going from angry to sad and he suddenly felt like the worst person on earth to do that to her. Before he could say anything more, Rashi picked up her purse.
"Yes there is Rajveer. And if you don't know the reasonā¦ or the anwer to your WHY, then just forget it."
As tears started forming in her eyes, Rashi sharply turned around and almost ran out of the restaurant.
FLASHBACK ENDS
Rashis face was blank as her eyes were focussed in a distant at the memory. She was experiencing anger, disappointment and a little bit of heartbreak after a long time. Now she knew how it felt, to feel all alone in a crowd.
I cant believe that i've completed a century in the second thread of this ff š² thank you so much for loving this story and showering it and me with so much love! i love you all... each and every one of you š¤ ā¤ļø MUAHH!
