"Let's go. Khushi's with Arnav. Let me introduce you to our families." Asad said.
"Do you think your siblings will like me?" Zoya questioned.
"Of course they will, I think half my family already loves you more than they love me. I am being ignored." Asad pouted putting his arms around Zoya's waist and pulling her closer.
Zoya's hands automatically went up to lock around his neck. "Aw, my poor baby." She teased.
"Aren't those words usually followed by 'want me to kiss it better'?" Asad grinned causing Zoya to laugh.
"You are awfully insatiable."
"When it comes to you, yes. Plus, I didn't even get a good morning kiss today." Asad said nuzzling her neck and skimming her collarbone with his nose. He placed a kiss on her jaw and mumbled against her skin, "you were saying?"
"N-Nothing." Zoya gasped as he placed an open mouthed kiss at the base of her throat. Asad smiled as he felt her breathing accelerate. "Oh god." She gasped as he trailed the kisses up to her face and pulled away.
"Kiss me." Zoya whispered impatient, she was shocked at her own words as soon as they left her mouth. But his breath on her cheek, his lips on her neck and his body around hers just felt so good. She never knew that it could be like this, she now understood why people snuck away to make out like horny teenagers.
Asad moaned softly as he closed his eyes before opening them again and looking at Zoya intently. Zoya bit her bottom lip, attempting to control the urge to just pull him to her and kiss him crazy.
"You do that a lot." Asad murmured softly, his voice husky. He pulled her bottom lip from between her teeth with his thumb and caressed it softly. "Is it a nervous habit?"
"It usually means that I'm nervous. But it can also mean I'm incredibly excited..." She whispered against his thumb, her lips trembling.
"Zoya'." Asad whispered as he moved closer and his lips made a trail from the corner of her mouth, up to her ear, and back down again where he continued to trail the kisses over her neck. Over and over again, until they were both trembling.
"Please'" Zoya whispered breathlessly, clutching him closer and locking her hands in his hair. Asad finally ended the torture and brushed her lips gently with his. Zoya sighed as she kissed him back, she felt as if she would have melted into the ground if he didn't have a tight hold around her waist.
Asad pulled back after a few minutes of the innocent kisses. He caressed her cheek and then pulled her face towards his and crashed his mouth against her causing Zoya to let out a loud moan, her lips parting as his tongue slid against hers where a battle ensued. Zoya pulled back gasping for air, but Asad's lips didn't leave her skin. His mouth travelled to her neck, kissing and sucking on her delicate skin. Zoya felt like she was on cloud nine, the kiss made her shiver with want as her whole body lit up on fire, the heat burned deep to her very core. Zoya pulled Asad's head away from her neck and crashed her lips onto his taking him by surprise as they swallowed each other's breathless moans. Both of them broke apart panting for air as they stared at each other.
"Wow'" Asad gasped softly as he backed away a little. "I think you should kiss me good morning like that everyday...I'd never wake up grumpy." Asad teased causing Zoya to turn red.
"We should go..." Zoya said patting Asad's wild hair down. "Do I look okay?" She asked fixing her own hair.
"You look perfect, like you've been thoroughly kissed." Asad replied.
"Ya Allah! I can't look like I was just thoroughly kissed in front of your family." Zoya shrieked pulling at her clothes and hair.
"You look beautiful. They won't know. Now lets go." Asad said pulling her from the terrace into the hallway. They both stopped short at the sight in front of them. Arnav had Khushi pressed flush against the wall, her legs wrapped around his waist as they kissed.
"Mhm Mhm." Asad said clearing his throat causing Khushi to let out a loud shriek. She unwrapped her legs quickly and pushed Arnav away.
"Y-your hair." Zoya said as Khushi started fixing her hair. "Is that a hickey?" Zoya screamed noticing the red spot on the base of Khushi's neck.
"What? ARNAV!" Khushi screamed and hit a smirking Arnav. "Come hide it!" She said to Zoya.
"Wait, you can hide it with your hair, just pull it all to the right side. And do not, under any circumstance, move it." Zoya said fixing her hair.
"Honestly, Arnav." Asad said shaking his head teasing him.
"Hey bro, you got a little lip gloss there." Arnav said pointing to Asad's face. Asad's eyes grew wide as he frantically started wiping at his face as Arnav broke out into laughter. "Don't be teasing me when you were doing the same thing." He said to Asad while walking towards Khushi. "Lets go." He said grabbing her hand and walking down the stairs.
"Is there any lipgloss on my face?" Asad asked Zoya, who just shook her head.
"I can't believe you fell for that." Zoya laughed as they walked down the stairs.
"MAMMMU!" Aarav and Riya both yelled running up to Arnav as soon as he walked into the room with Khushi. Arnav laughed and picked them both up in his arms. Khushi's insides melted just a little as her ovaries exploded seeing Arnav with kids. It had to be the cutest sight she had ever seen, yet her mind directly went to their kids which brought up the whole making of the kids part.
"How are my little angels?" He cooed kissing them both on their cheeks.
"You turn Mamu." Riya said kissing Arnav's cheek with a smile.
"Who is she?" Aarav asked looking at Khushi. "She is pretty."
"Ya, like my Bawbie." Riya added with a smile causing Khushi to laugh.
"This is Khushi." Arnav said.
"Khuwi?" Riya said cutely while holding her arms out in the universal 'pick me up' sign. Khushi smiled and took her from Arnav.
"Hi there Miss Riya, aren't you the cutest little girl out there?" Khushi cooed. Riya was a mini Anjali, the same eyes and pouty lips. She probably had the whole house wrapped around her finger with her little pouty, chubby, cute face.
"How do you know her name?" Aarav asked shocked.
"I just know Aarav." Khushi winked at him and he gasped.
"You know mine too?" He asked. "Mamu did you telled her?"
"No, I never told her." Arnav said stressing the word told.
"Magic!" Riya screamed smiling as Zoya and Asad walked into the room.
"More Bawbie!" Riya screamed looking at Zoya.
"Asad Maamu!" Aarav said squirming out of Arnav's arms and running to Asad. Asad laughed swinging him up in his arms.
"What's up champ?" He asked as Zoya tried not to turn into a pool of goo watching Asad holding a kid.
"I got a new car!" Aarav said excitedly before turning his attention to Zoya. "Who is she? She is also pretty." He said looking at Zoya.
"This is Zoya." Asad said.
"Oyaaa!" Riya squealed in Khushi's arms holding her hands out to go to her newest friend.
"She moves on fast." Khushi smiled handing her to Zoya.
"Aw, you must be Riya. You look exactly like your mom." Zoya cooed holding her. "Aarav looks kind of like Arnav though. P-O-O-R K-I-D!" She spelled out teasing Arnav.
"You are spelling stuff! It's about me right?! You said kid! Can you speak a little slower next time?" Aarav asked.
"Sure Mr. Aarav." Zoya smiled.
"Nanaaav!" Yelled another small voice. Khushi looked down to see a cute little boy hopping towards them.
"Piyush! You can walk!" Arnav smiled picking him up while Khushi's ovaries starting hyperventilating again.
"Piyush, come back!" Yelled Payal as she ran into the room with Akash behind her. "Oh." She said noticing the audience.
"Hey Akash!" Zoya said.
"Zoya." Akash smiled. "And you must be Khushi." He said looking at her. "That was quite the entrance you made back in Bhopal." He laughed causing Khushi to blush.
"So you are the infamous Akash, nice to meet you." Khushi said.
"Meet my wife Payal. Payal, meet Zoya and Khushi."
Payal smiled at the two warmly.
"Maaa." Piyush yelled grabbing for his mom.
"I see we don't even get a 'Hello' Doctor Payal." Arnav said sadly as Asad nodded.
"I am supposed to be mad at you two." Payal said calmly.
"Kyun?" Asad asked putting Aarav down.
"Kyunki tum dono meri baat nahi suntai, maine kitni baar kaha hai ki yeh kaam chod do aur shaadi karlo. Tum dono ki wajah sai Akash bhi ghar nahi rehtai." She said. [Because you don't listen to me, I've told a bazillion times to leave this job and get married. And because of you two Akash doesn't even stay home].
"Lagta hai ki aapki baat maani hi padegi." Arnav said smiling at Khushi who just blushed and looked at the floor uncomfortably. The whole bringing up of 'marriage' already scared her. She had met the guy a week ago, but in some corner of her heart it felt right.
"Acha?" Payal said following his gaze to Khushi and noticed Asad staring at Zoya as well. "Hm, lagta hai ki dono ka kaam hogaya." She murmured low enough so no one but Akash could hear her causing Akash to laugh. [Looks like they are done for.]
"We should go." Akash said. Everyone except Asad moved. Asad was a bit mesmerized watching Zoya hold Riya. And for the first time in his life he thought of having his own kid. A kid with Zoya.
"Asad Miyah, we know Zoya is gorgeous but you can admire her later." Payal laughed pushing him towards the door, Asad and Zoya both just blushed as Asad followed Arnav and Payal trailed behind with the girls.
"BHAIJAAAN! BHAI!" Came three loud voices as Asad and Arnav entered the dining room.
A squealing Nikhat and Najma hugged Asad and Arnav. Ayaan stood back and waited for Nikhat and Najma to move out of the way before he jumped on the boys, one leg around Asad and the other around Arnav causing the whole room to break out into laughter as Ayaan fell down due to the awkward position.
"And who are these beautiful ladies?" He asked smiling at Zoya and Khushi as he walked up to them.
"A pleasure." Ayaan said grabbing both their hands causing them to giggle. "Arz kiya hai...Tamam umar aap ka intezar humne kiya, aapke intezar mai naa jane kis kis se pyar kiya." He said smiling crookedly.
"Wah, kya baat hai. Ek saath do ladkiyo ke saath flirt kar rahe ho." Zoya teased. [Wow, flirting with two girls at once.]
"Aab tak toh do ladkiyo ke saath flirt kar raha tha, aab do mukko ke saath flirt karega, haina Arnav?" Asad smirked. [Until now he was flirting with two girls, and now he's going to flirt with two fists, right Arnav?]
"K-kya?" Ayaan said.
"We." Arnav said pointing to Asad and himself. "Will punch you if you don't stop flirting with our girlfriends." He smiled.
"Girlfriends? Kya bhai, ek khoobsurat ladki hamare liye bhi lay aate, in dono ki koi behen hai?" Ayaan said running his hands through his hair and sulked as Asad and Arnav both shook their heads. [What is this Bhai? You should have brought a beautiful girl for me too, wait, do either of them have sisters?]
"Waise Ayaan Miyah." Khushi started. "Mujhe aisa kyun lagta hai ki aapne pehle sai hi bahut ladkiya dhoond li hai." She teased. [By the way, why do I feel as if you already found a bunch of girls.]
"No, Khushi! Woh saab toh isse dur bhagti hongi naa, itna bada flirt joh lagta hai." [They probably run away from him since he seems like such a big flirt.]
"Bhai 1 and 2, aapko Payal bhabhi jaise shaant ladkiya nahi mili, joh in dono ko ghar lay aaye." He teased back. [Couldn't you find a calm/nice girl like Payal, why'd you bring these two?]
"Ayaan Bhaijaan, shut up." Najma said.
"Hi I am Najma!" She said smiling at Zoya and Khushi.
"I am Khushi and this is Zoya!"
"Waise Najma, maine sunna ki sab tumhe Tamatar bulatai hai, lekin Asad nai bataya nahi kyun..." Zoya said and watched as Najma turned red. "Aha, mystery solved! Wow, you turn really red." [I've heard that everyone calls you Tamatar, but Asad never told me why...]
"Hey! Only I can tease Tamatar." Asad smiled standing beside Zoya.
"Waise Bhaijaan, aap dono saath mein kaafi aache lagtai hai. Lekin apne mujhe bataya kyun nahi?!" Nikhat asked sadly. [You two look so good together! But Bhai, why didn't you tell me about this before?]
"Nikhat right?" Zoya asked.
"Aapko kaise pata?" [How'd you know?]
"Asad told me."
"Bhaijaan, yeh sab kabse chal raha hai?" Najma teased. [Bhai, how long has this all been going on?]
"We met two years ago." Zoya smiled.
"Ya Allah! Do saal! Bhaijaan aap toh bade chupe rustam nikle." [OMG! Two years?!]
"Tamatar, just because we met two years ago doesn't mean we've been dating since." Asad rolled his eyes.
"Acha. Tanveer ka toh dil hi toot jayega!" Nikhat laughed as Asad groaned holding his forehead, his signature pissed off move. [Tanveer's heart is just going to break].
"Tanveer?" Zoya asked intrigued.
"She is our...friend. More of an acquaintance, she is only friends with us because she has always had the hugest crush on Bhaijaan." Nikhat explained.
"And what does she look like?" Zoya asked suddenly very jealous.
"It doesn't matter what she looks like, she is annoying as hell." Asad said.
"Why can't I know what she looks like? I should know who my competition is." Zoya stated.
"Because it doesn't matter, and she isn't competition. She doesn't hold a candle to you." Asad said wrapping his arms around Zoya smiling.
"AWWW!" Rang out the voices of Nikhat, Najma and Anjali.
Zoya blushed and smiled at Asad.
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"I forgot my phone in the room, I'll be right back!" Khushi said to Arnav, Akash, Payal and Ayaan before she ran up the stairs.
Due to the speed she was running through the hallways with she ended up stubbing her toe on the wall. "F**k that hurts." She said out loud slowing down as she rounded the corner to her room. She picked up her phone and ran back downstairs making sure her hair was still to the right of her head, hiding her hickey. Unaware to her Aarti Raizada was watching her the whole time.
Arnav smiled and grabbed Khushi's hand as soon as she got back and dragged her to the table where everyone was already seated.
"Khushi Bitiya, yaha humare paas bethiye." Nani said with a smile. Khushi sat with Nani to her right and Arnav to her left.
Zoya sat in between Dilshad and Najma with Asad pouting at her from across the table, his family had already claimed Zoya and were taking her every second.
Aarti Raizada came down the stairs with a curious and stern expression on her face as she noted her son and her mother conversing and smiling with the girl she had seen upstairs. Aarti Raizada was surprised at the turn of events. She walked to the table as Arnav got up and hugged his mother.
"Chotte." She smiled lovingly at her son and then looked across the table to see another girl sitting there.
"Yeh..." She asked looking from Khushi and Zoya.
Khushi twisted uncomfortably under Aarti's gaze, feeling that she was being scrutinized.
"Maa, this is Zoya Farooqui, Asad Bhai's girlfriend." Anjali smiled introducing the two. "And this is Khushi Gupta, Chotte's girlfriend and your future bahu." She said pointing to Khushi.
"Beti, aapko apni bahu kaisan lagi?" Nani asked her daughter. [What do you think of your daughter-in-law?]
Dilshad watched her best friend intently, she was frozen at the spot. "Humare dono beto ki choice kaafi achi hai naa?" Dilshad added hoping to appease Aarti who was looking at Khushi intently. [Both of our sons have a great choice, right?]
Khushi's eyes grew wide as she looked at Arnav's mother who was standing still observing her very keenly.
"Bahu-to-be?" She finally said looking at Nani. "Woh hum dekhlenge. Miss Gupta, I would like to talk to you tomorrow morning. And Arnav beta, we will talk after dinner." She said taking a seat on the table. [Future Daughter-in-law? We'll see.]
The conversation around the dinner table was lively as both families got to know the two new additions to the table. Everyone seemed to love Khushi and Zoya. However, everyone seemed to pick up on the tension between Aarti Raizada and Khushi. Aarti had not spoken a word to her or Arnav throughout dinner and had excused herself early.
Khushi was worried out of her mind, Arnav's mom had been giving her weird looks throughout dinner.
"Khushi Bitiya, yeh aapki gardan ko kya hua hai?" [What happened to your neck?] Nani asked noticing the red blotch on her skin. Arnav started choking on his food as soon as the words left Nani's mouth and everyone else turned to look right at Khushi's neck.
Khushi looked at Zoya wide-eyed.
"Nani! Khushi ko rash ho gayi thi, uh, usne ek nayi cream use ki, allergic reaction ho gayi." Zoya covered up. [She got a rash, uh, she used a new cream and had an allergic reaction to it.] Khushi breathed a sigh of relief as Nani nodded and went back to eating and shot Zoya a thankful look.
Nani, Badi Bi and Rashid may have bought the rash story but the rest of the table snickered knowing exactly what a hickey looks like.
"Lagta hai ki cream Arnav nai hi laakar dee hogi, haina Khushi?" Anjali teased causing all the kids along with Dilshad to erupt into laughter as Khushi blushed and shot Arnav a glare. [Seems like Arnav got the cream for you, right Khushi?]
Dilshad looked at her plate smiling at the kids' antics. But she was worried speculating Aarti's behavior, it was obvious that she didn't like Khushi for some odd reason. And Khushi picked up on it, her eyes grew wide as Arnav told everyone that he was going to go talk to his mom.
"Sab kuch theek hojaye ga beta, she just takes time to warm up to people." Dilshad reassured Khushi as Arnav got up and followed his mother up the stairs. He turned around and gave Khushi a small smile before disappearing out of sight.
Zoya looked at Khushi and arched an eyebrow at her. Khushi just shrugged.
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"Chotte, what is the meaning of this? You show up after one year with a new girl, whatever happened to Lavanya?" Aarti Raizada asked.
"Maa, you set us up and yes I liked her but I never loved her, and I never could so we broke up." Arnav said wondering why she was brining Lavanya into this.
"So this new girl is a rebound?"
"She is not a rebound. And she has a name Maa, it's Khushi." Arnav said frustrated. "And you were very rude to her through dinner, it's hard enough for her to be in a different country, and meeting my family. She shouldn't have to deal with that too."
"You can't be serious about this girl?" Aarti asked sitting on the sofa in her room, her face blank. She looked like the heartless business women she pretended to be for the world.
"Do you really think I would bring her here and introduce her as my girlfriend if I wasn't serious about her Maa? I love her."
"And does she love you? Or your money?" Aarti asked her son. It was one reason why she liked Lavanya, she was just as rich as them so she knew that she wouldn't be after her son for his money.
"She's not after me for my money Maa. She didn't even know who I was."
"You can't be sure about that. Your father seemed to not know anything about me either, but it was all planned, he married me for my money while..." Aarti stopped short.
"Khushi is not like that."
"Where did you meet her?"
"In New York, two years ago. We met a few months ago again after Asad and Zoya started seeing each other."
"So she grew up in New York, that explains her lack of tameez." Aarti mumbled to herself before asking, "what does she do for a living?"
"She was head of PR at Vogue in New York. She is a fashion designer."
"Was?"
"She recently quit to start her own line of clothing." Arnav said as warning bells went off in Aarti's mind. She was a designer, and she had managed to trap her son, who led the biggest fashion house in all of India.
"Everyone else might be happy and excited about this but I am not. I need to find out if she is the right one for you. I won't just accept any girl as a Raizada Bahu."
"Maa, I don't understand what your problem is with her. You don't even know her. Khushi's perfect for me, for this family and I love her. Aren't you the one who taught me to never let love go? So why are you being so harsh?"
"I am done talking Arnav. You can leave now, and inform Miss Gupta to come meet me at precisely 8:00am tomorrow. Good Night." Aarti said dismissing her son.
Aarti Raizada felt as if something was amiss. She understood why everyone seemed to be taken with both Khushi and Zoya, they exuded a kind of positive energy while carrying this elegance that only a few girls could manage.
But something about Arnav and Asad showing up at the same time with two girls didn't sit right with her. They had never mentioned them before. She would warn Dilshad about it too, she was just as worried for Asad as she was for Arnav.
She had to gauge Khushi's feelings for Arnav. She wouldn't let her son fall in the traps of a gold digger. And there was absolutely no way that a girl raised in New York could have the values she wanted in a daughter-in-law. Did she follow Indian customs, practice their religion, make their kind of food or even speak Hindi properly?
DUN DUN DUNNN. LOL. Let me know what you think beautiful people :)
Ishaani
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