Arhi SS/FF ORCHIDS CH 10 (68) 20/06 PM's LATER - Page 31

Chapter 8

It was the longest drive that I had been ever since I stayed here. And I hate surprises. When the surprise was from the man who manages to unbalance my heart, I hated that even more. I tried in every way possible to know where we were going but the stubborn that he was, never gave a word away regarding this trip. He said that the place was somewhere two hours away from the city and that he promised to drop me by 11 pm. He wanted to show something and he was really excited about it. So I gave in, and now I was with him in his car.

After the hours of riding in silence, me upset with him and he enjoying my silence, we finally reached the place. I guessed it as he parked in a jammed lot and shut off the engine and then looked at me. "Still upset with me?" he asked with a smile but not answering, I got down and took the surroundings with awe. The place was fully packed in what looked like a small night pub. Holding my hand, he made our way through back door. The way he walked around the place with ease, I suppose he was really used to it. But that was not what caught my attention. It was the way he held my hand, as if we were together. His opinion of us that he had said in the park last day – we hadn't really talked about it and I didn't even tell him that I am okay with these things. It was as if he heard my unspoken acceptance which made me smile at him. He could be that charmer who would shut my mouth and lock my rules. "We got a local band live performance tonight," he said, excited, "I bet you will love it, Khushi."

I have no words to say at that. Band…? "Hell, I am interested now," I shouted at him with happiness. "Local band…? Whoever they might be, must be really talented to gain such audience. Arnav, I love this place."

And thank god I dressed accordingly with a white tank top and red skirt that reached my ankle. When I looked at Arnav, he was lost in thoughts but shrugged as soon as he noticed me. "Come on in, I need to warn you about a shock here." with that, he led the way and I noticed a man in the bar counter mixing drinks. He took me to the man and introduced, "hey man, Khushi's here…" and turned to me with a sheepish grin, "and Khushi, this is Shyam, he owns the club."

"At last," the man said with a smile as I returned the smile with a handshake, "Arnav had been talking about you for a long time now. Nice meeting you, Khushi."

I glared at Arnav who looked everywhere but me. I hate it when people knew me better and I have no idea about them. "Nice meeting you too, Shyam," I tried to be as friendly as possible, ignoring a certain Raizada beside me, "and nice place…"

"I will pass the compliment to my wife and her brother who helped me make this out," Shyam replied with a grin, "thanks… and a drink…?"

"Sure, I will go with Margarita."

Arnav excused himself, leaving me there to catch up with few of his other friends in the club and clearly, his life has nothing the way I expected. Not that I hated this night life, but somehow, I felt alone. I know nothing about him, the man who held my feelings. Pushing his thoughts aside, I focused on the way Shyam fixed my drink, his hands moving and mixing with ease. The man was huge with perfect muscular body. The black t fitted his body, showing the angular lines. "I am guessing he said nothing about the band." He stated with a known nod, confusing me, when the music started at the same time. Turning around, I had the clear view of the raised platform where the band stood, ready to start the performance.

My eyes stuck at the lead singer. The surprise… the shock… I don't know what I have been expecting from this trip but it was definitely not this. I have known Arnav from a month, as a friend and director of our plays but not as a singer. Definitely not the one with these audiences in the place. There were few other guys behind him, and that part went unnoticed by me as I took Arnav in a new angle.

He had changed into coffee t that fit his body well and a black worn out jeans with his sandy hair fell on his forehead. The t brought out the color of his eyes. He started singing, something rocky and loud. People started shouting, encouraging him, his eyes lingering on each of his fans on first few rows around him. His hand held the microphone stand, leaning over it, as he held his other hand out for his fans. The way he was looking right now was sexy.

Arnav got really great voice.

"He stopped singing for a while now," I heard Shyam and turned to him, who was looking down at me with a friendly smile. "From past few months, he had been busy with these plays and tonight, he decided to have few hours, re-grouping with the band. I am glad he decided to come."

I tried to smile but something caught me off guard. May be, it was the affection the man had in his words while speaking about Arnav. Or maybe, the way he knew about me so much and I have nothing to speak about him except for his name. Or maybe, the deep scar across his forehead, just above his right eye that looked recent injury. "What happened?" I asked before knowing it, "the scar…?"

"Oh," Shyam shrugged with a shake, "it's nothing. Met with an accident few months ago and got it."

And as suddenly he answered that the pieces clicked in my mind. "You are his Jeejaji…?" I asked Shyam, shocked. I had no idea what to talk to him now. He laughed at my expression but I was so angry on Arnav that he didn't even mention about me meeting his Jeejaji. I really will have to kill this director.

"Chotey isn't planning on all this introductions, Khushi," he said with a chuckle, "he just wanted to have you around the place when he sang."

We stood there without another word as I listened Arnav singing few songs, his eyes lingered on mine most of the time. I nodded at him with a glare, letting him know the whole Jeejaji thing to which he broke the eye contact with a sheepish grin and a wink. He was a different man while singing and he enjoyed it thoroughly. He ended with a couple of songs and left the stage, and reached me. I watched him nod at Shyam and took my hand and I found myself moving away from the crowd and to a corner, down the corridor. He trapped me with his hands on either side on the wall. "I am sorry that you came to know about Shyam in this way," he whispered, the music came as a far background noise along with the crowd shouts, "I never intend to you bring you in this way but this performance tonight is just unexpected and I want you to be…"

I pressed my finger to stop him and smiled with a blink. "I know, and I am glad you brought me here, Arnav. I loved the club, your Jeejaji, the performance and…" biting my lip, I whispered the last part, "you."

And my eyes widened, mirroring his, as my words hit me.

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