@@@--- Last Part---@@@Dave parked his car at school parking lot , and then with his all gentleman man grace went to open the door for alina. They looked good together piya thought watching them. Dean did same for her, and offered his hand to her. Piya tried hard not to roll her eyes, it would have looked awfully wrong at the moment. "Be nice to him " She reminded herself. She placed her hands on his and came out of car. "You don't really need to do all this. " She said as calmly as possible.
"A beautiful lady deserve a gentleman treatment. " Dean said with a smug.
"So is a needy lady, an old lady, weak lady, and also, every not so beautiful lady... " Piya said but became silent as soon her eyes went to alina who were glowering at her conveying silently but pretty clearly that she should shut her mouth. She bit her toungue, and smiled meekly "I mean every lady deserve a gentleman treatment as long as she is not claire. "
"I agree with you. " Dave chuckled, saving the moment for piya. And with that dean smiled too.
--------
They entered in overly lit school gym area which had been decorated with chritmas lights and chinese lanterns. Fog machine had been set up to complete the whole look. Everyone was dazzling in their expensive attires. Some students were dancing with their partners, some were just watching others dancing and some were gossiping. In a corner, there was a huge spruce tree decorated with lights and colour full decor balls.. just like christmas tree. It was a christmas tree. Except, it had so many colurful paper chits stuck on it. Here it was called as 'wishing tree' .
Their school had been organising this 'winter dance' event every year for senior year students to celebrate their last christmas with them, and 'wishing tree' had been a crucial part of it. It was like a tradition that had been followed from years.Students took one of those colourful paper chits placed under the tree and wrote a wish on it...not for themselves but for any other student and stick it onto the tree. The name of the student for whom the wish had been written should be mentioned at the top of the paper. if students able to find their name written chit out of so many, they considered themselve lucky. Piya admired the tree but she didn't think she was going to write any wish for anyone.
A man at entrance asked for the coats piya and alina had been wearing over their dresses. It was freezing cold outside, thus to keep themselves warm they had to wear coats before leaving house. They took off their coats and handled to the man, he kept them with others.As they came inside alina looked overly excited about almost everything and dave was no less. They were perfect partner for each other. Whereas dean had some expectations from piya..like at least she would dance with him, but she just felt like going home. Then she thought she had no right to ruin last dance of his school life and leave him embarrassed infront of his friends.Thus, she stayed quite.
"Hey Piya, " A fimilar voice tapped her from behind. Piya made a grumbling face as she said "Not this again. " under her breath.
"Hey Claire, " Piya smiled forcefully as she turned to the voice. Claire glaced at dean and said with fake sad expression "Disappointed. I thought you would come with someone else " .
"And I thought she wouldn't come at all. " The girl behind claire commented and all three of them laughed, including claire. Dean came forward to defend piya but she stopped him.
"Shh.. She is AR lover, you should talk nicely with her." Said the other girl with a devious smile.
"Correction..creepy crazy stalker, not the lover.. " Claire supplied mockingly and they laughed.
Piya looked at them with bored face. "You know claire , you should've left your bitchiness at home for tonight. It doesn't go well with your dress. " She said, plainly. That made alina giggled.Claire felt insulted and tried to reply her back but piya cut her off as she continue "Don't worry, you can still fix it up.You look decent til don't open your mouth. "
"I will be the one who will be crown as 'Dance Queen' .You'll see. " Claire frowned.
"Yeah, exactly that's why I'm here, you see? " Piya yawned. She continue "if it will somehow magically cure your spiteful behaviour, I will vote for you myself. " She smiled at her wryly, adding "Even alina and dean will. Whatta say, guys ? " She looked back at them. "Yeah, sure. " Dean grinned and alina try hard not to laugh as she nodded. "Count me as well. " Said dave, smirking.
Claire frowned harder. "Huh, I dont need your votes" giving a shrugged to her shoulder she stepped away from piya, and the other two girls followed her like ducklings. They all laughed watching them go.
---------
Everything went fine after that, not as tough as piya thought. Claire didn't bother her after that and dean turned out a nice guy. He didn't try to do anything that could've made piya uncomfortable. She was glad about it. He was standing beside her as she watched alina who were dancing with dave. She was blushing alot and looked totally lost in her dream world.
"They look good together, aren't they ? " Dean said.
"Yeah... "
"I'm glad dave asked alina to come with him. He really likes her. " He told piya, that made her looked at him with surprised "Dave likes alina? " She asked, puzzled.
"Yeah, it seems so. " He replied. "He is into her from a long time , but scared to expressed his feelings infront of her. I hope he would manage to propose her before school end. " He chuckled.
"I hope so. " Piya said hopefully , glancing at alina and dave. "So... " turning her eyes head back to dean she asked him "You wanna dance ? "
"If you won't mind. " He smiled.
"Don't worry, I will not mind." She assured him. He nodded, gladly. Then he took her to dance floor and they both danced with others.
--------------
As expected, Claire crowned with 'the dance queen' title. She acted to be surprised but failed miserably. She smirked at piya as they made her wore the crown, in response piya again yawned at her. The best part of the event for piya was when dave who had been crowned as 'The dance king' had to dance with dance queen means claire. She grabbed the opportunity and cling to dave as if she was glue and he was some kind of paper. At that moment alina's face was something to be witnessed and piya enjoyed it thoroughly. Alina deserved it for dragging her here. Even though,their dance was anything but romantic..alina wasn't happy. She didn't like it. Dave awkwardness was quite visible and they were not even in sync , he was continuesly glancing at her with apologetic face, but claire made sure that alina burn with jealousy. Dean and piya enjoyed the scene while having a drink. As soon dance ended, dave came back to alina' side, meekly. He tried to make her understand, and after some attempts alina forgive him and they were again a happy couple.
After a while, piya told alina that she wanted to go home back. According to her she had already spent enough time there, and she was no more in a mood to hear claire' bragging about her winning 'The queen ' title. Alina insist her to stay for some more time, she told that she couldn't let her go alone. Their parents wouldn't like if she would go back without her , and she wanted to stay with dave for some more time. Piya rolled her eyes as alina again started requesting her. She agreed to stay before alina could have started her please session again.. she was dangerously close to it.
Piya agreed to stay for alina' sake, but she didn't understand what she should do here. Dean introduced her with some of his team mates, after a formal introduction piya excused herself from out there. She was annoyed because of alina, she always forced her beyond her comfort zone, and piya hated this that about her.
When she passed the 'wishing tree ' she stopped there. Standing infront of it she felt like writing now. She glaced at alina who was with dave looking all lovey-dovey. Piya turned her face from them, grabbing a chit and pen from under the tree.
"Alina Dobrial,
May this Christmas, Santa gift you some understanding and respect for your sister' likes and dislikes, So that you can stop forcing her for every damn thing ! " She wrote, then looked for the place on tree where alina could most likely to see it. She stuck it onto the tree and turned to leave when her eyes fell on a chit. She immediately turned back to the tree. Her eyes widen as she read what was written at the top of that chit "Four-eyed girl, "The wave of shock ran down her spine. She snaffled the chit by quickly unsticking it from the tree and read it."Four-eyed girl,
You are good as you are. Never change for anyone' sake. I like you this way..
P.S. I'm sorry .
P.P.S. I missed you. "
She couldn't believe what she was reading, she was completely taken aback. She remembered those words very well, Those were his words. AR had said this to her at the moment when he wished her birthday. She left stunned and for few seconds unable to respond after reading it. She felt weak at the knees just by reading those words of him. She turned around abruptly and looked for him, but couldn't spot him anywhere. She waited and waited hoping that he would come out from there, or there..but he didn't. There was no way he would risk to come here in her school dance.. would he ? . She thought impatiently. She bit her lower lip in anticipation thinking this all couldn't be real. But, that paper chit in her hand felt more than real. She read it so many times to make herself believe that she wasn't imaging it. Then she started searching for him everywhere. He had to be here somewhere, she believed.When she didn't find him anywhere, she left disappointed. Perhaps, he wasn't there at all. He just had managed to sent his message to her somehow. She thought about it holding his chit close to her heart. She wished he was there because now she badly wanted to see him. She had been missing him more than she thought she did.
At last, she came back to the wishing tree, took a fresh chit and started writing."Abhay,
You're forgiven.
P.S. I missed you too. "She wrote over it and hang it where she had found his chit, hoping he would get her chit as she found his.
After that, Piya said her good bye to dean and thanked him for being nice to her. She went to alina to informed her that she was going out. Alina asked her if something wrong seeing her in such a haste, piya shook her head saying everything was fine. Though she was feeling anything but fine. There was a rush of emotions going inside her, she felt elated at one moment then disappointed in other. She failed to understand her own feeling and just needed to be alone at that moment.
She collected her coat at the entrance and came outside. It was cold and foggy outside..as if dream dust had been sprinkled in the sky. Piya breathed in air, Bitterly cold and humid - such an enchanting combination. Still a week left for christmas and there looked high chances it would start snowing before that. The very first snowing of the season was yet to happened.
Tightening her coat around her neck, she followed the path and came to ground which was at the back side of school building .She sat there on a bench. It felt so relieving there, away from noises and unwanted attention. She admired the way trees had been decorated with beautiful lights there. They weren't overly bright, just providing the efficient and comforting luminousity.
She remained sitting there in silence. Her nose and hands went cold. His chit was still in her hand. She putted it into coat pocket and caressed her fingers over it. Unknowingly, a smiled formed on her lips. At least, he hadn't forget her.
When she was lost in his thoughts she heard footsteps approaching towards her, and her smile fell. She thought alina had sent dean behind her.
"I knew I would find you here. " A voice said from behind. He wasn't dean, but she didn't need to turn around to see who it was.
"You doesn't know me, So no need to pretend. " She replied non-chalantly as he came infront of her. Dressed in his black hoody and demin pants AR gave her his most charming smile. Butterfly rose in her stomach as he pined her into his gazed. "I agree I doesn't know you, but, I'm fully willing to. " He confessed, sitting beside her on the bench. She didn't reply anything on that and sat there silently.
"So, did you missed me? " He asked. It was so cold out there that their breaths could be seen in the form of white fog coming out from their mouth as they spoke. "Would it make you feel good if I say 'yes' ? " She asked instead of replying.
"Yes. " He said without any hesitation.
"Then, no ! " She said simply "I didn't missed you at all. "
"Oh really? " He watched her holding a smirk on his face. "But a little birdie told me differently. " He brought his hand infront of her and showed her a paper chit, the same one she had left on the wishing tree. And, she wasn't surprised, curious though "How did you get it from there ? " She asked.
"It's my little secret. " He winked at her, that made her roll her eyes. She turned her face from him and looked straightly.
"Look at me, Four-eyed girl. " He made a low rumbling sound. "Why? " She asked, without doing what she was told to.
"Because If you wouldn't, How would I give you a kiss? " He said, plainly.
"What ?! " She whipped her head toward him in utter shock.
"Now you are looking at me. Good. " He gave a crooked smile. "Chill. I will not kiss you. " He raised his both hands in surrender. She understood he was just tricking her. She shook her head in disbelieve, saying "Why don't you just leave me alone ? "
"I can't. " His voice turned husky as his eyes met hers "What do you think, I came here from Los Angeles to leave you alone ?.."
"Then, why you came here ? "
"First of all, to apologise. I want to apologise you for all the trouble you've faced or.. facing because of me. If it make you feel any better..I hadn't been in a happy place either. " He sighed.
"It did made me feel better. " She smirked. "And, secondly...? " She asked him to tell further. Although, the sight of ground was pretty beautiful with all those lighting trees, The weather was getting colder.. She tighten her coat around herself and encourage him to tell more.
"I wanted to see you in this dress. " He said, giving a shrug to his shoulder.
"Oh yes, this dress. " She said reminding "I forgot to say thanks. " She smiled politely, then, half-turned toward him and suddenly started hitting on his shoulder.
"Ahhh... " He groaned. "What is this for ? "
"For using my phone without my consent ! " She said, sharply. He gave a short laugh "You would've never let me send that message to your sister in your consent. "
"Excatly ! "
"Then why bothered to ask.. "
"You...! " She hit him again and he started laughing seeing her annoyed face. When she tried to hit him fourth time he held her hands in his. She told him to leave her hands but he didn't. He wraps both of his hands around hers with a firm grip and looked into her eyes intently. There was something in his eyes...warm and welcoming. She was sort of lost in them even without knowing. He felt how cold her hands had gotten. He tried to warm them with his touch. "The whether is colder here than LA. " He pointed out, lighty stroking his thumb over hers. His voice wasn't beyond than a whisper. She felt butterfly in her stomach. For first time in life she was sort of words.
"You do not really hate me... do you ? " He asked. The way he was looking into her eyes looked like he was searching his answer there.
"I don't hate you. " She managed to say.
"Good. I haven't sleep properly since the day I heard you saying those words to me over phone. " He confessed "I had told my manager to find you and had almost fired him when he failed to do so. " He smiled thinking about that "I went little crazy, just wanted to find out you somehow. "
"All that trouble just because you wanted to see me in this dress, right ? " She joked, in attempt to hide her nervousness. Whatever he was saying was making her nervous.
"Right ! " He replied.
"What would have happened if I hadn't wear this dress..or... hadn't come to this dance at all ? " She wondered, teasing him while freeing her hands from his grip slowly.
"Hey, I made sure you'd come here wearing this. I'm not a weak player, you know? " He smirking, proudly. Her mouth left open. "You got to be kidding me ! " She watched him with wide open eyes, trying to figuring out was he joking or serious "How? " She had to ask in the end.
"Alina.. " He took her sister name casually, making her shock beyond words. She could only say "what?! "
"It's a funny story actually. " He sighed "She really loves you. "
"You guys have met? "
"No. We only talk over phones, that too just twice " .
"I don't understand... "
Piya uttered incredulously.
"Remember that restaurant in LA where you and alina had gone ? " . Piya nodded in reply. He continue " That restaurant belongs to my friend, Nick. After that second article got posted, Your sister was furious and wanted to take it out on me. I don't know who gave her this idea, but she started making phone calls to that restaurant. She knew restaurant Owner is my friend. She requested them to convery her messages to me. She was expressing all her anger on those messages. Her calls became quite entertaining for restaurant staff, they started enjoying it. When nick came to know about it he told me everything. I easily got her number from there and called her back."
"Trust me, I couldn't have been happier. She literally saved adam's job. I had been searching you myself and had started thinking I would never able to find you. I'm glad I did. "
Piya thought something after hearing that "She is the one who had stuck your chit on wishing tree and gave you mine , right? " She figured it out.
"She gave it to adam, my manager. " He corrected her. "
Piya left bewilder after hearing alina' involvement in all that.
"You've written over it that you have forgiven me.. is that mean you won't mind if I request you for something. "
"As long as you wouldn't want me to take off this coat. " She quipped " It's cold here. " .
He grinned widely hearing her reply "Don't worry about that, I'll make you take off your coat in a warm and cosy place. Where there would be on one else to see you but me."
"Fantasising too much ? " She rolled her eyes.
"You've no idea about that. " He said wickedly. "But, that's for later. For now, " He got up on his feet, "Dance with me. " He said, offering her his hand.
"We have no music here... " She pointed out.
"Surely we do. " He took out his phone and played her favourite song "Home is where the heart is.." . He put the phone on his hoody upper pocket from where song could be heard loud and clear. "Come, " He said very softly. She didn't hesitate and placed her hand on his. He took her few steps away from bench... near the trees lightning.
Abhay's one hand came to rest on side of her upper waist line, covering her back, and with other hand he held her hand as they move slowly with song rhythm. Piya's one hand on his shoulder, ..side of his face was touching her hairs. There wasn't any distance between them, she realised she liked it that way. Her heartbeat was racing like an engine, he could probably hear it. This feeling was new to her.She didn't wanted to understand it.. just wanted to live it. She closed her eyes, inhaling into his scent. He smelled like old Spice that filled her senses.
Piya opened her eyes and dared to look him into eyes. The tree light was falling on his face, she realised he did looked little tired. He wasn't lying when he told he hadn't been sleeping properly.
When the song came to its end, piya felt his chest going up and down as he sang along last few lines "Home is where the heart is...
Now, I know it's true
Because my home Is with you..." He sang, gazing at her with so many emotions. Song ended but she was still in his arms, losing herself in him.
"How was the concert? " She asked, slowly, in attempt to made a conversation.
"Fine." He answered " I was in a hurry to reach here.. But, I think I haven't disappointed fans, and sponsors. " His hand went to her lower back, as he said the last words near her ear. She could feel his warm breath on her ear, and her whole body felt the fire. The sensation was too high. She tightly hold on to his hand, he took it as a moment and entwined his fingers with hers. "I like the way your body reacting to my closeness... " He whispered, "But, Heart is more important..right? " .
She bit her lower lip as she nodded , and he wanted to kiss hard her right at that moment..but he held himself back. "I want you to give me a chance to impress your heart. " He said it out. She stopped moving, watching his face with blank expression. His proposal totally caught her off-guard. His hand slipped from her back and fell to his side, His other hand still entwined with hers. She felt numb.
As if God wanted to make things more raw between them, it started snowing. The very first snowfall of the season. Snowflakes from all shapes and size had begun falling from sky. Though beautiful the snow was, it was cold and sharp as it bit at their fingers and the wind kissed their cheeks.
Piya tried to go, but he didn't leave her hand, denying to let her go. "Will you, piya ? Will you give me a chance ? " He asked with so much intensity, that gave her goosebumps.
It took her few minutes to reply, She murmured, watching falling snowflakes "It won't be easy... "
"I'm willing to try hard. " He said, determinedly. She looked at their entwined hands, feeling all warm and fuzzy. Then she looked at him "You don't understand. " She began saying "I've received my acceptance letter from college. I'll be leaving town before next fall. "
"And you see it as a problem ? " he stroked her facesoflty with back of his hand, while hisother hand remained holding hers. "Even I'll be travelling all around the world time to time while doing shows... But, at the end of it, I would like to come to you. "
"You don't look like a long distance relationship type guy. " She stated, smiling. She was getting comfy under his touch.
"I promise, I'll be faithful to you.. " He said while removing snowflakes from her hairs.
"I think I can trust you. " Said she, feeling all dreamy. "Yes, you can. " His eyes were glinting as he said. A happy smiled appeared on his face, he felt gushed over her acceptance of his proposal. He didn't understand what to say or what to do next.So, he did what he wanted to do Since a long time "Come here, you. " He gushed, cupping her face with both his hands. He draw her toward himself, and then, kissed her. Despite the fact that they were standing under snow fall, Piya' body felt heated as his lips meet hers. Her senses felt drugged, she kind of went blank...totally blank. Unable to respond, Unable to think. It was so unlike anything she had ever felt. Only thing she could hear at that moment was her own heartbeat.
It was then when she didn't respond to the kiss, he thought he did a mistake. He cursed himself for not going slow with her. He shouldn't have kissed her without her consent. He was about to break the kiss when he felt her arms coming to his neck, and then her one hand went into his hairs. She started responding to kiss, and he couldn't have been happier. He held her from her back, embracing her in his arms as he deepen the kiss..They got lost in each other and kissed as their life depend on it.
"Ahem... " Someone cleared her throat behind them, making them broke the kiss. Abhay gone annoyed with that unwanted halt. He turned toward the voice, piya was breathless. .. didn't dare to come up in front.
He saw two girls were standing there. First one was giving him angry look, but other one was looking at him as he was her favourite candy. She looked totally starstruck. "I didn't allowed you to kiss my sister." The first one grumbled. That made it clear to abhay she was alina, piya' sister.
"Your sister is legally adult. She knew what she was doing, and obviously, totally enjoying it. " He smirked at piya. She gave him a fake angry look, conveying that she didn't like PDAs... He ignored her look and held her from waist, bringing her close to himself. "You just ruined our moment.. " He complained.
"You've asked for 20 minutes, I gave you 30. Not my fault. " Alina shrugged.
"We will talk about this later. " He said, then his eyes turned to the other girl "You must be claire... nice to meet you. " He offered her hand for handshake. Claire was visibly shocked. Though couldn't say which was the bigger shock for her, seeing AR infront of her or seeing him with piya. She shook her hand with him, meekly. "I heard you were giving tough time to my girl... So I thought to come here myself and clear your all misunderstandings. "
Claire didn't said anything and tried to swallowed down the shock. There went an awkward silence for few minutes. Seeing she wasn't going to say anything out of shock, Abhay chose to break the silence "You want an autograph? " .
"Yes, sure. " Claire managed to say. He gave autograph on her arm as she wanted, then she walked away as soon as possible. Alina laughed seeing her leave. "What was that? " Piya demanded "Why did you brought her here ? "
"Because I wanted her to know that you aren't a stalker or attention seeker.. " She replied , stating "Though doubt she would tell anyone about it. "
"I hope so.." piya said, adding "I want to finish school without any fuss or special attention. " She sighed.
"I can't see it happen if he'll be around you. " Alina said shooting dagger at abhay.
He looked at piya "You had said your sister is my crazy fan.. are sure about it? Because she doesn't look like one. " He said to her, glancing at alina.
"I'm your fan ! Pretty crazy one. " Alina spoke up for herself before piya could open her mouth. "But that doesn't mean you would hurt my little sister I would let you get away ! "
"Woah, who are you ? And what you've done to alina? " Piya left pleasantly surprised after seeing alina' protective side. "Shut up. " Alina made a face at her. Piya laughed and gave her a hug. She tried to ask her about her calling to the restaurant but alina ignore her question saying "I found your chit that you've left for me on wishing tree. " She gumble, looking at piya "Couldn't you have wished something better for me. May be a boyfriend.. lover.. or anything like that. "
"Why? " Piya replied, "I thought dave is a nice guy. " She teased. Alina flushed with the mention of his name and hurriedly change the topic "Are you guys planning to freeze to death here ? Let's go inside. " She shivered.
"You go, I'm taking her for a long drive. " He said, holding mischievous grin.
"I don't think it's a good idea. " Piya said moving her head.
"It's a great idea. " He urged , staring at her. Alina shook her head and left saying "Deal yourself, "
When she left, AR held her cold hands in his equally cold ones "Let's go..We need to warm ourselves . " He said in a deep husky voice. Piya gaped at him. He smiled seeing her reaction "Don't worry, by not the way you are thinking. " . He said to her, touching her nose with his index finger.
"It's not like you weren't thinking about it. " She said wryly.
He acted as if he was hurt with her comment.But when she remained unaffected, he chuckled "Fine. You got me here... " He kissed softly on her lips. Then he holding her from the shoulder and lead her toward his car.**************
Epilogue on next page 😊
Edited by abhiya4evr - 8 years ago
Bhabhi Ji Ghar Pe Hain?
Tujhse Hai Raabta
Real Estate
Cryptocurrency
Seher Hone Ko Hai
4