Part 5 - "Twin Torment!" - Part 2
Aahil called Nida from work and told her that he wanted to see her tonight. He was not busy, why don't they catch up for dinner?
"No can do Aahil. I am busy tonight. Have to go clothes shopping with my cousin Shinaz. She's getting engaged next week and I promised her already, so can't get out of it now! Also, trust me, she needs my fashion advice. Her dress sense has much to be desired!" Said Nida in her usual dramatic way.
"Yeh Nida bhi na" thought Aahil. She had to have something on tonight of ALL nights? What excuse is he going to give Rehan now?
"What's happening with you these days anyway? Since you came back from your visit to the Jungle, I have not heard from you?"
"Jungle?" said Aahil confused.
"You know, tumne koi jahil gao main gaya tha na? Punjab main? I'm sure, wo jaga jungle sain kum nahin tha?"
"Yeah. It was quite an experience. But the place was not that bad"!
"Not that bad? How can people survive without wi-fi, and good coffee man?" shuddered Nida.
"You really should try living the simple life once in a while Nida? Wi-Fi ki bina bhi duniya chalthi hain", said Aahil sarcastically.
"Simple life aur main? Anyways since when are YOU interested in the simple life, Mr? You really have gone through a personality transplant Aahil. Looks like falling for that Chef Girl has made you go soft? What is happening with her by the way?"
"It's not happening. And NO, I DON'T want to talk about it Nida!"
"What happened?" Said Nida, as if he had not even spoken. "Usne tume reject kar diya? Aww...I told you Aahil...She won't be that easy to sway? But come on...you can turn on the charm? How long will she resist you"?
"I told you I don't want to talk about it Nida. Have fun shopping"! Snapped Aahil, as he cut the call.
"Fine! Be like that!" said Nida, as the call disconnected. Looks like rejection was really not sitting well with Aahil? Of course it was not? How many women would have rejected him to date? Nida's guess would be zero? So this must be tough for Aahil. Nida laughed. Serves him right. Rejection is good for the soul? Or was it reflection? "Whatever it was, looks like Aahil needs a dose of it!" thought Nida, as she started to browse her "What's App". No way could she live without wi-fi! "Simple life my "A**!".
The conversation with Nida had really brought down Aahil's mood. She thought that Sanam had rejected him? Well she has. She has accepted his brother, so technically she has rejected him. Even though he didn't really get a chance to ask her out? "Damn it"! WHY didn't he just ask her out the very next day after he had been to 'S2' with Nida? WHY had he waited? He knew he felt something for her? THAT was the problem. The reason he had not asked her out right away, was because he knew he felt something for her other than the passing fancy he usually felt. So he had hesitated, because he had himself been adjusting to this new feeling. Then this trip had come up. Who would have thought just over a week could make such a difference in one's life? The whole thing sucked. Now on top of everything else, he had to find a new excuse to avoid Rehan.
Aahil decided that going to the movies would be his only way to escape Rehan tonight. He should just leave from work, and Rehan will just assume he is catching up with Nida. He had been meaning to catch the new X-Men movie anyway, but never got the time. He didn't go to the movies as often as he used to. During his Uni days he used to be a sort of movie buff, and went all the time. Mostly with Rehan or other friends or whoever he happened to be dating at the time. Not a lot of girls he dated liked action movies and most wanted to watch Rom Coms. Most of the time he could not stand them, even though some were OK. He also didn't enjoy Bollywood movies that much, but he did watch them occasionally if he heard they were good. But that was usually low on his list. He loved action movies and listening to Rap, and to date he had never met a girl who liked both. He didn't mind going alone to a movie occasionally, coz sometimes not having company meant he could really concentrate on the movie and not worry about being good company. He had heard some great things about this movie, so movie it is. Aahil went online and purchased a ticket for that night at 7pm. He would leave work at 6 and grab a burger or something on the way. He had a closet attached to his cabin and a bathroom, so if he ever needed to change at work he can. He did have to sometimes, when he was seeing clients and then sometimes had to go from work for functions etc, and would not have time to go home every time. He knew he had a busy day with meetings lined up. So avoiding Rehan at work won't be that tough. Anything so he does not have to discuss Sanam. He knew this can't continue, but it was just too raw right now for him to confront head on, and avoiding the subject was the only way he knew how to cope with it.
Sanam could not believe that she was finally going to get to watch the new X-Men movie. She had always loved Sci-fi, and Action movies. A lot of people never thought of her as someone who would like Sci-fi or action, coz her favourite author was Jane Austen. She was a Chef by profession, so they always thought of her as more of an artistic type. They would have touted her as the person who would watch Rom Coms and her sister the programmer as the sci-fi fan. Even though Seher liked these movies, she was not as big a fan as Sanam was. Sanam had got the evening off tonight, as one of the junior chef's was going to be Sous chef tonight, and Sean head chef. They had been training him to take on more responsibility anyway. It was time she took a night off, coz otherwise; she was not going to have a life left. Their restaurant was nearly 2 months old now, and they were doing well. Seher had told her that she should take Wednesday night off every week, so she can re-charge. She had to agree that having the evening off felt good.
Of course it would have been better if Seher had come with her to the movie. She brought two tickets coz she had told her last week that she would come, but out of the blue Seher got a call from the guy she was seeing, and he'd asked her to go play pool with him, and of course she had said yes. She had apologised to her many times and told her that she didn't want to ditch her, but HE called and she didn't want to say No to him. Sanam had laughed at Seher, asking her where all her feminist attitudes and independent streak had gone? She was ditching her sister for a guy, and that too at short notice? She usually didn't change her plans for guys? Seher had blushed and said that it was different with him, and she just had literally not been able to say no to him! Sanam had smiled and said that she was just kidding and she gets it. She understood that she really likes him. Nothing to apologize for.
This was the first time she had seen her sister this taken with a guy. She had met him the other day when the two of them had dinner at their restaurant. Rehan Imraan Qureshi. He was in I.T just like Seher. Until that day, Seher had kept him under wraps. Her "hot and cute" guy from the I.T conference. Sanam had to agree the guy was pretty cute. Handsome too, and seemed like a nice guy. He seemed quite laid back and a good foil for her outgoing sister. But it seemed like he had a sense of humor, coz she had seen the two of them laugh a lot. Sanam had indulgently watched them for a few minutes. Her sister looked so happy and that made her happy. Who knew if things continued like this, she may have to get used to living without her sister every day? As happy as she was for Seher, the idea of her sister leaving home made her sad. They had never really been apart. They had joked as kids that they should marry brothers and live in the same house! What were the chances of that happening? This was not some old movie or a TV show after all?
Sanam had called her friend Rhea to see if she was free to see the movie with her. She was a Hugh Jackman fan as well as a James McAvoy fan, more than a Sci-Fi fan. She had said she would try to make it, but an hour ago she called to say that she had been stuck at work till late and that by the time she gets to this side of town it will be too late and she was pretty tired anyway. Sanam had told her it's Ok, she was fine with watching the movie on her own, coz sometimes that way you can really concentrate on the movie.
The traffic was worse than she had expected, and after parking her car quickly, Sanam reached the movie venue just 10 minutes before the movie stars. She had tickets so no issue. She stood in line to get Popcorn, coz she really loved it. She also loved Choc top ice creams. The line was so long, but it had been ages since she had been to the movies and she really wanted her pop-corn, choc top and drink. So she had stayed in line. The coming trailers were on as well, so that usually gave you a buffer of 10 minutes? Either ways, by the time Sanam got all her goodies, it was at least 15 minutes past the time the movie was meant to start, which meant the movie must have just begun after the trailers? She hated missing the start. She quickly went to the guy that checks the tickets and she was let into the theater. It was dark as the lights had been switched off. Sanam was shown her row by one of the attendants with a torch. She slowly made her way down the row of seats. This row had a few people in it, the movie had been running for some time. So it was not completely full.
Sanam approached her seat and as she was passing the seat right next to her, she tripped over the legs of the person who was supposed to be sitting beside her. She landed unceremoniously on the person's lap.
"What the hell"? said an angry voice in the dark.
"I'm so sorry" said Sanam. "I couldn't see anything...I..."
"Of course you couldn't. That's why you should get here before the movie starts and the lights go off! That way, you can sit on your own chair not someone else's". Said the voice condescendingly.
Sanam felt her temper rise at this man's rudeness. "Excuse me? I apologised to you, and you're lecturing me? I just got a few minutes late. Big deal. Anyway, this is not a private home theater that you can stretch your legs and sit. No wonder I tripped".
"Are you going to get up? Or will you watch this whole movie sitting on my lap"? said the sarcastic voice, that somehow sounded a bit familiar.
Sanam scrambled to get up, but was impeded by all the stuff in her hands. Sanam had her back to him, so could not see his face. She was turning towards her seat so she can put her things down. Some of the popcorn fell out of the container and on to the man she was trying to escape. "Oh for God Sake's" he said as he took the pop-corn and drink off her and put them on her seat. Sanam scrambled up still holding her choc top. Then turned towards her seat, and realised that the things were still on it. She bent down and picked up her drink. Her hair was falling on to the side of her face and impeding her vision as well as covering her face from the man sitting next to her. Her hands were full now with both the drink and the choc top, and she tried to get her popcorn too so she could sit down. Suddenly a hand took the popcorn away from her seat. She sat down, and turned around to get her popcorn back, and thank the man. Rude as he had been, he had helped her after all.
"Thank you", she said as she turned and reached for her popcorn. Suddenly the light from the movie screen illuminated the face of the man.
"YOU"? she said and realized that the man had said the same in unison with her.
Sanam blinked as she stared into the face of Aahil Raza Ibrahim. HE was here of all places? No wonder she had thought the voice sounded familiar? She looked around, and saw that there was no one sitting next to him? Where was his ever present "female sidekick?"
"Who are you looking for?" he asked.
"You're date" said Sanam.
"What?" said Aahil confused.
"Yes, your date. You know, like rap videos are incomplete without 'bootylicious' girls, I thought Aahil Raza Ibrahim was incomplete without his ever present arm candy?"
Aahil glared at Sanam. "How many rap videos have you seen?"
"How typical? You think I can't possibly be a rap fan? Well you're wrong. I like Rap, but I prefer listening to it, than watching the videos. A bit out there sometimes for my feminist sentiments!"
"Where's YOU'RE date"? Asked Aahil,as he realised that Sanam had obviously come here alone. Where was Rehan? He thought they spent all their spare time together these days?
"MY date? I don't need a date to come to the movies? I think you're confusing me with some other girl? I like my own company thanks, besides I love Sci-Fi movies and it's not everyone's thing! But I am still surprised to see YOU alone. What happened Mr Ibrahim? Your current girlfriend only likes Rom Coms?" Said Sanam with a sarcastic smirk.
Aahil felt his heckles rise. This girl was really pushing it. But she was right. Most of the girls he dated liked Rom Coms. Did she say she liked Sci-fi AND Rap music? Here he had thought that such a girl would be hard to find. But Sanam was that girl. She was perfect. "Concentrate Romeo" Aahil told himself. "Were you not mad at her assumptions about you just a minute ago? Besides don't forget, she may be the perfect women, but she is dating your brother". He had escaped Rehan, but had found Sanam at the place he least expected to. What must he do to get away from these two? Leave town?
"Contrary to your belief Ms Khan, I don't need a women to go everywhere. I also like to concentrate on the movie, so that is why I came alone. So shall we do that"? he said with a tight little smile, as he handed her popcorn back to her. She took it off him with a glare and put it in one of the container holders between their seats. She saw that he only had a drink in his. No popcorn, no choc top. "Probably only eats 'Gourmet' icecream? Movie theater food was probably not acceptable to his refined palate, and I AM the chef". She thought cattily, as she sat back in her seat to watch the movie.
Aahil gave her a side glance. She was wearing jeans again, with a black top with a round neck. It was a lose top, and she had a red cardigan over it. One of the sleeves of her cardi had slipped a bit and exposed a bit of her shoulder. Her top was sleeveless. He also noticed that she wore little to no makeup, and just a pink lip gloss. Her hair seemed a bit longer than when he had seen her the other day coming out of the coffee shop? He frowned. A stray strand of hair had fallen over her eye, and she lifted her hand to push it away, and off her face, her lips curved in a small smile as she was looking at the screen. "God but she was cute" he thought, unable to take his eyes off her. At this rate, he was not going to see any of the movie.
They watched the movie quietly for awhile. Suddenly he heard a rustlings noise and looked her way. She had just opened up her Choc top and as he watched, she took a bite off it.
"Hmmm...yum..." she said, as she tasted the choc top. She could not remember the last time she had eaten a choc top. Tasting it took her back to her childhood when she and Seher would go to the movies mostly coz they wanted to eat chop top ice creams even more than watch the movies. She remembered how their Mum had taken them to the movies. She had been the most fun mum ever, always taking them shopping and out for Pizza, her Mum's favourite food, and now Seher's. Mum had been so Tech savvy, and that is where Seher had got her aptitude for I.T, and ended up as a programmer. Dad had been an Architect, more artistically inclined. She was more like him, and Seher more like Mum. Dad had been more of the disciplinarian, the 'proper' one. But he had been fun too. Abbu had been a great singer, and they used to have sing song sessions all the time with him, when he would play the guitar. They had been so happy. Her parents had been the most caring and coolest parents ever. Suddenly she felt her eyes sting when she thought of them. "I miss you Ammi, Abbu", she thought silently.
Aahil watched Sanam as she seemed to be lost in her thoughts. But that sound she had just made when she ate the ice cream? He needed to cool down after hearing that. It was so sexy. SHE was sexy. Effortlessly so. Maybe the fact that she seemed the least bit concerned about impressing him is what made her such a turn on? She took another bite out of her choc top and he was half hoping she would make that sound again and half dreading that she would. But she didn't make the sound. It was even worse. A piece of the chocolate from the choc top was stuck to the side of her lip, and she darted her tongue out and licked it into her mouth. Aahil almost groaned. This was not going well for him. He was turning into THAT guy. The one who perved on his brother's girlfriend. "Just shoot me" he thought. He remembered an old song "Jessie's girl". The song said, "I want Jessie's girl" and that is exactly his plight right now. "I want Rehan's girl"! The worst part of it was that HE had seen her first, but it was just his luck that Rehan had seen her too, and moved in and staked a claim before he could do anything, and now he was forced to live with the consequences!
Aahil reached for his drink and at the same time as Sanam reached for her Popcorn. They both had their food placed in the compartments next to each other. Aahil's hand covered Sanam's and they looked at each other. For a moment their gaze held. Sanam looked into Aahil's eyes, and suddenly realised how beautiful they were. They were a dark caramel colour and he had the most ridiculously long lashes for a guy. The eyelashes were so long and beautiful and a total anomaly for such a masculine guy. But they suited him, thought Sanam. Suddenly she realised that she was practically staring at him, at the same time that Aahil realised he was still holding her hand.
"Sorry" he said, as he took his hand away. Sanam glanced away from him and then back at him again. "I didn't realise I..." Aahil started to say, when Sanam cut him off. She wanted to diffuse the sudden tension between them.
"Shh...Hugh Jackman is on. I don't want to miss a minute".
"You like Hugh Jackman?"
"Of course. I love his Wolverine look. Delightfully edgy?"
"You like edgy? I thought you were more into cute, pretty boy types?"
"Excuse me? What do you know about my taste in men?"
"More than you know" muttered Aahil under his breath.
"Sorry"? Said Sanam
"Me too", murmured Aahil.
"I think you really are confusing me with some other girl Mr Ibrahim. I don't like pretty boy types at all. Anyway, what do you know about me to know what sort of guy I would go for?" said Sanam in an irritated tone.
"And what do you know about ME Ms Khan, that you assumed I would never be seen in public without 'arm candy' as you put it?"
"You forget that I have seen you on two consecutive days with two different women at my restaurant. Not to mention, your reputation precedes you" she said shrugging.
"You shouldn't always believe everything you hear Ms Khan" said Aahil coldly.
"Trust me, I don't. My opinion of you is based on what I have seen and experienced myself".
"What have you experienced? Me complaining about a legitimate issue with how you presented your food that night? Are you really going to hold that against me?"
"Legitimate? It was just the presentation. The technique and taste of the food was just as it should be".
"Exactly. 'The technique' as you call it couldn't be seen when you served your Pana Cotta that way. It needs to wobble. I thought your restaurant was 'fine dining'? So I don't think expecting your customers to topple the dessert into another dish to check for 'technique' is a reasonable expectation? Or are you hoping that everyone who visits your restaurant has little to no knowledge of food?" said Aahil raising his eyebrows mockingly.
Once again, Sanam felt her temper rise. But she had to drudgingly accept that his argument was valid.
"Fine. You made your point".
"Conceding defeat ha Ms Khan?" said Aahil with a smirk.
"I am not 'conceding' anything! I still think you were Pompous and Arrogant, and you think you are superior to others coz you have a knowledge of food, that the average diner might not have. You could have easily resolved the issue with Sean, but you called me when I was off duty!".
"I believe in complaining to the top Ms Khan. That's how you affect change".
"You..." Sanam started to say, when she was cut off by a man sitting a few seats down from them.
"Will you guys please lessen your dialogues? We are trying to listen to the dialogues in the movie here?"
"Sorry" said Sanam to the man, and turned towards Aahil. "See what you did? Because of you, that man told us off!"
"Because of ME? You're the one going on a mile a minute?"
"Why you...!"
"Keep it down Ms Khan, or we will be thrown out".
"Don't talk to me for the rest of the movie", snapped Sanam turning her head towards the screen.
"Suits me" snapped Aahil back, as he too looked towards the screen. This girl really was a one piece. She came to the movies without her boyfriend, and picked a fight with the man sitting next to her, which happened to be HIM? Somehow he could not imagine her fighting this way with Rehan? "She probably just sweet talks with him! Boring!" he thought witheringly.
Almost as if alerted to his thoughts, Sanam looked towards him, and gave him a glare. He glared right back. "Hmph", she made a sound as she turned towards the screen, folding her arms over her chest. Aahil did the same, mirroring her gesture. Sanam glared angrily at him one more time and looked at the screen. Aahil smirked.
The rest of the movie went without incident. As the lights came on, Aahil stood up. Sanam stood up too.
"Hope you enjoyed the movie!", Aahil said mockingly.
"Yes I did, despite the company" said Sanam sarcastically.
"That's not the type of reaction my company usually inspires in women Ms Khan".
"Well I am not your 'usual type' of women Mr Ibrahim! Have a nice night" said Sanam as she turned on her heel and stomped out of the movie theatre.
Aahil watched her walk away. "How will I stand it if SHE becomes my sister in law? Leaving town won't do. I may have to leave the country!" he thought broodingly.
To be continued.
Hi Folks,
Hope you guys liked this part. Next part will be "Double Trouble"! Stay tuned! :)
Thanks
Mandy
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