FF: When Love And Hate Collide... Pt26 pg145 10/07 - Page 48

Originally posted by: florine_20

want an update di. pleaseee

Originally posted by: kajalkmh

the story going superb cherry👍🏼

Originally posted by: zoya_naziya

Di? Friday is coming to an end:( When can we expect an update

Originally posted by: cherry227

sorry dear... but doesnt look like i will be able to update today! i've still not completed it stuck with a project completion 🥺

Originally posted by: zoya_naziya

Oops!! No worries Di.. Will wait...Good luck for the project completion:)

managed to finish the update despite my busy schedule 😃

PART 14

Arohi wearing her casuals… her hair open… sitting cross legged on the carpeted floor… guitar in her hand… and a song on her lips… a subtle happy smile playing with the dimple on her cheeks… her black orbs lit up with childish pleasure… her lean beautiful fingers carresing the strings effortlessly… a bit of skin peeking from the space underneath her tank top and above her cotton trousers as she rocked to the song… her melodious voice singing to the tunes her fingers were playing…

Arjun had had a good time last night before Arohi had burst his happy bubble. And, Arohis behaviour with him had been the highlight of the evening for him. However, after the anger had died down and his ego had gone off to sleep, this image of Arohi is what stayed back in his mind.

As if he was painting a picture and she was the subject, so minutely he had observed details about her. Maybe it had been something he did not expect because of which the memory was imprinted in his brain but he could not deny to himself that he, Arjun Singhania, was attracted to, whom he considered, as his biggest enemy on earth! And somewhere he wished to see that scene replay in front of his eyes again.

Arjun was a businessman and an opportunist. So when Arohi wanted to apologise to him, his mean wicked brain decided to milk the situation for what it was worth. Not only he wanted to see that genuine smile, he wanted to see it directed… at him!

He leaned back and looked at Arohi. Arjuns own mind had fogged for a minute here when he smelled jasmine again as he had neared her. Shanti was on leave today and he could not see any flowers in Arohis cabin. Maybe it was her perfume… so which meant, that they had one thing in common… they both like the scent of white jasmine.

Arohis face had almost turned white and her brain was busy trying to understand what Arjun had just asked from her. A smile? He wanted to see her smile??? Why! It was not like Arohi never smiled or didn't know how to. But the very fact that Arjun had asked for it, implying the same, irritated her. And besides, why should she smile for this… Arjun??!!

'D..uhhh… To earn his forgiveness! You were the one who gave him an open field by asking what will it take for him to accept your apology… remember?'

Arohis inner voice had been prompt in reminding her. So basically, again, it was all her fault. Great!

As she came out of her inner battle, she realised that Arjun had stepped back from the claustrophobic position and was looking at her, waiting for her reply… or smile? She felt like knocking the mischeivious 'i-got-you-now' smirk off his face!

"Bas? Just a smile. Its not like I don't smile Mr Singhania. But since that is what will make you accept my apology, then I will give it to you. Meet me in the boardroom sharp at 7.30 pm and you shall have it."

Arjuns eyes opened wide in shock. This girl was really mad.

"Arohi… maine ek smile maangi hai tumse… not a presentation! A smile is the most simplest expression that comes to any human being with ease. All you have to do is lift the corners of your mouth… like this…"

Arjun lifted his hands, tucked his forefingers in the corners of his lips and pulled them up… demonstrating a smile. Arohi folded her hands back under her chest at Arjuns childish way of explaining.

"… and this… can be done in a few seconds. Usske liye boardroom jaane ki jarurat nahi hai. Try it here and now." Arjun folded his hands now, imitating Arohi, and raised his eyebrow, waiting for Arohi to give him what he asked for.

Arohi rolled her eyes. Leaving a deep breath, Arohis lips lifted slightly at the corners, making her look like, she was either doped or mentally challenged.

Arjun flared his nostrils, struggling to keep his laughter under control. Clearing his throat, he shook his head slightly at Arohis sad display of a smile.

The corners of Arohis lips dropped and she exhaled sharply. Closing her eyes, she tried to distract herself with some happy thoughts... like getting a new tender… or her employees finishing their work on time… Opening her eyes again, she attempted to smile… resulting in an obvious fake one.

Arjun scrunched his nose and lifted his hand, shaking his palm horizontally, saying that it was ok but not great.

Arohi grunted in frustration. "This is too hard. I… I cant just smile with you staring at me like this."

"Do you want me to close my eyes and see you smile???" Prompt came the reply. Arjun raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Arohi… all people have to do to smile is… be happy. Are you telling me that it is a very difficult exercise for you?"

"Don't judge my happiness on my ability to smile, ok? Just because I donot function like a joker all the time doesn't mean that I am not happy. I maintain a certain kind of discipline…" Arohis words faded as she saw the blank look on Arjuns face. She suddenly remembered that she needed him to accept her apology and this way it would be next to impossible. She turned her head away.

"There must be something in your life that must make you smile… no matter where you are… home or office… no matter which mood you are in… happy or sad… everyone has that one reason to smile Arohi. You just need to find yours."

Arohis head snapped in Arjuns direction. His eyes did not speak of mockery or arrogance… they had softened with a touch of genuine honesty. Suddenly a picture of her family singing away when Arjun played the keyboard, flashed in her memory. One glass in his hand raised in the air, her father sang, completely out of tune… her mom smiling shyly as her husband and brother egged her on to sing in her beautiful voice… and her brother grinning away like a fool and singing in his raspy voice…

Arohis family meant everything to her and seeing them happy brought a smile to her face. No matter what issues she faced in her work, the moment she reached home and her mom stroked her head lovingly, she forgot all her tensions. Even screaming at, and fighting with Sanchit was her way of de-stressing from her office work. Once when Sanchit had entered her room without her permission, she had chased him all over the house and pulled his hair so hard in anger, that a few strands had broken off. Her mom and dad had been too shocked to even stop them both!

Arohis face lit up with a smile at that memory and a small laughter bubbled in her throat. Her eyes were glazed, looking in Arjuns direction but staring in to nothing, as she revived the sweet memories in her mind.

Arjun just stared at her. He saw her beautiful face become more radiant as happiness broke out in the form of a smile. Her soft pink lips, which spoke harsh words most of the time, looked more fuller and softer. Her cheeks displayed the rare dimples which only a few fortunate people had witnessed. And her eyes… there was a certain glow in them now… as if someone had lit a bonfire in them.

Arohi trance broke as Arjuns soft voice reached her ears… from a lot closer than she expected.

"Whoever it is, that has brought this smile on your face… is a very lucky person!"

Arohi went back to blinking in confusion, finding Arjuns eyes a few inches away from hers. Before she could respond, Arjun stepped back and strode lazily towards the door. With his one hand on the door, he turned towards her.

"By the way… apology accepted." Flashing his naughty smile at her, he pulled open the door and left.

Arohi did not know, for how long, she stood staring at the door, with the smile intact on her face.

Purple Rise Discotheque…

A mental war of regret was running in Arjuns mind. He should not have gone so close to Arohi.

His whole intention was to affect her… but he had returned getting affected himself. So much that he had mindlessly bumped into D, who was carrying hot coffee for his boss. Luckily, Danish had balanced himself and avoided spilling the burning liquid on him. But the glares that he had sent Arjuns way, had burnt Arjun anyway!

And now he kept getting lost in Arohis thoughts so much that he had practically ignored the girl sitting with him throughout the evening. Suddenly Arjun could hear a ring above the loud music of the discotheque. Excusing himself from his date, Arjun stepped out in to the corridor to take the call.

"Hello…"

"Khotte de puttar! Kidhar hai tu??? Kabse phone try karrahi hu… tujhe ring sunaai nahi de rahi!"

Dadis screechy voice was louder than Sunidhi Chahuhan's, who was singing to 'Halkat Jawani' inside the disc, the noise of which was bleeding into the corridors.

"Haww… daddi! Aap dad ko khotta bol rahe ho???"

"Chup kar… nalayak! Kitna shor hai waha… tu hai kidhar?

"Discotheque mein aaya hu… isliye awaaz mein shaayad sunaayi nahi diya. Aap kaha ho? Mein aapko bohat miss karraha hu."

"Chal jhootha… mujhe chodke, kisi ladki ke saath udhar naach raha hai aur bolta hai miss karraha hu…"

Arjun immediately smiled hearing the fake anger in dadis voice. The oldest member of his family was his most favourite one. The way he could connect to her, he could not do that even with his mother!

"Ab aap yahan nahi ho na… isliye apni umar ki ladkiyon se kaam chala raha hoon!"

Dadi chuckled and Arjun laughed at his own joke.

"Badmaash… din-ba-din tu bada shaitaan hote jaa raha hai."

"Ab insaan ko zindagi mein aage bhi badhna chahiye na… kab tak chota shaitan banke rahunga."

"So toh hai puttar. Lekin itna bhi aage mat badh jaana ki apni dadi ko bhul jaaye."

"Impossible! Aisa ho hi nahi sakta… kyuki aapse jyaada khoobsurat iss duniya mein koi nahi."

"Kya pata… kahi waha koi desi kudi mil gayi jo mujhse bhi jyada khoobsurat ho toh tu toh wapas bhi nahi aayega."

"Arre! Bharosa rakho dadi. Agar aisa hoga na toh mein usse US leke aaunga, lekin aap sabko chodke yaha rehne ke sawaal hi nahi uthta."

"Achha thik hai. Ab itna emotional mat bann. Ye bata sab kaise hai waha? Sudhir tera khayal to rakh raha haina???"

"Ji dadi. Uncle toh mujhe dad se bhi jyada pyaar karte hain. Aur Amrit aunty… voh toh khud itni pyaari hain ki mujhe bilkul mom ki yaad dilaati hai. Aur Sanchit bilkul Romit ki tarah hai… Sirf baal ki dukaan nahi hai…" Arjun chuckled.

"… aur Arohi?"

Arjun immediately sobered up at the sudden question. When he didn't say anything, dadi spoke again.

"Arohi kaisi hai beta? Maine toh usse bachpan mein dekha tha. Ab bohat badi hogai hogi na? Kaisi dikhti hai abi? Bachpan mein mujhe yaad hai, usse lambe baal bohat pasand they. Ab bhi lambe hain usske baal yaa kaat diye? Gussa toh usske naak pe rehta tha… ab gusse wali hai ya hogayi shaant? Aur usski kaali aankhen…"

Arjuns mind had taken him to his fantasy land when dadi started asking questions about Arohi. After a first few, he did not hear what dadi said. When she spoke of Arohis hair, he remembered the night of the party, when for the first time he had seen Arohi leave her hair open. When she spoke about Arohis anger, he remembered how angry she had been when she thought that he was flirting with another woman. When dadi mentioned Arohis eyes, he remembered them becoming round as saucers when he had kissed her. And then only dadi heard what she said because Arjun was busy thinking about Arohis lips, her cheeks, her jasmine perfume, the feel of her soft skin…

"Arjun! Hello??!! Kidhar marr gaya… jawab toh de bevkooff!!!"

Dadis profanities shook Arjun and crashed him back to the corridor of the pub.

"Ji… ji dadi… yahi hoon… lagta hai connection kuch thik nahi hai… Arohi bhi thik hi hai… Dadi mein aapse kal baat karta hoon, ok? Meri battery bhi low hai. Take care… Ok. Bye."

Arjun hastily cut the call. His eyebrows frowned at his own lack of concentration. Since when did he start day dreaming about stuff? He needed to get a grip… and he needed to get that soon!

Whereas in US, dadi was staring at the phone for quite sometime at her grandsons unusual behaviour. Lifting the phone back from its cradle, she dialled a number.

Ahluwalia Aashiaana, dinner time…

"Im very proud of you Arohi. A person who can own up to his or her mistakes has the potential to grow in his or her life. The first step to rectifying any mistake is acknowledging them. Im glad you've taken that first step. Did you invite him for dinner next week?"

"No… but I will! I just didn't want him to feel that im trying to compensate for my behaviour. But I will invite him tomorrow for dinner on next Friday."

"No. Next Friday toh Khurana ki beti ki shaadi hai… jisme hum sab ko jaana hai!" Sudhir quickly added as he saw the defiant look on Arohis face. His daughter hated such functions and he knew that, but unfortunately she didn't have a choice.

"But dad… Mera aana kyu jaroori hai? Aap aur mom chale jaaiye…"

"Tumhara aana issliye jaroori hai kyuki he is one of the investors of the project that you and Arjun are working on. Infact even Arjun will have to come with us. Ek kaam karo… tum Arjun ko next Tuesday dinner pe invite karo. Tab I will talk to him."

"Ok dad." Arohi pouted a bit and dipped her face in her plate to finish the rest of her dinner quietly. She did not want to go to any stupid functions. And now she had to attend it with Arjun… Great! Atleast her family will be around to distract her.

Its not like Arohi did not like functions or going out. But when they had to be done as a social protocol, that's when she hated them. She loved going out with her friends once in a while, or attending a friends marriage functions. But going to a business dinner and faking a plastic smile was not her idea of spending an evening. She still did it most of the times for her business. But right now a lot of things were sucking the energy out of her.

And one of them was being around Arjun! After what had happened today, Arohi had not been able to stop thinking about Arjun for a very long time. Infact he was still at the back of her mind now! And it was not the Arjun who was plastered to Gauri, or the Arjun who was hitting on her friend… but it was the sincere and brilliant Arjun during their meetings… or the nervous stammering Arjun when he had tried to apologise to her… or the hurt Arjun, whos heart had broken when she had said mean words… or the naughty smiling Arjun who had accepted her apology…

… and the intense Arjun who had kissed her!

Arohi could not handle so many Arjuns! It was much easier when she had just the first two memories of him where she could hate him with all her heart. But now… all the bitter thoughts had been replaced with confusing ones! And so much thinking was taxing Arohis brains. So the best solution was to keep it as professional as possible when it came to Arjun. But with all the dinners and wedding coming up, she was going to have a hard time doing so. If only Arjun decided to cooperate and kept himself strictly professional with her… but when that would happen… pigs would fly and fish would climb trees!!!

things are going to start to change now 😉 please like and comment! also for those who havent seen the teaser for Mohabbat Restart, please do so... sorry i didnt get time to pm for that one 😳 thats the theme of the next update... which i will post by friday 😊