"Anu"
"Yes"
"What? Did you say yes? Say again." His heart was pounding at top speed in excitement.
"Yes."
Arjun's eyes glowed up like winning something so precious. He stood up and hugged her tightly. Both of them closed their eyes.
"I thought it was not going to be that easy to win this heart beating in you. That means it's not only me, the feeling was mutual." His husky intense voice caressed her ears.
They broke the hug slowly parting ways. Arjun held her face while tugging her loose hair strokes behind her ears. He looked deep into her eyes rubbing her cheeks slowly.
"This day can't be more special than this. Thank you, my love." He said calmly kissing her forehead. Her heart melted down in his warmth. A smile curled up on her rosy lips.
"Wait a minute. I have something for you." He walked to the table and came back with a gift packet.
"What's this?"
"Open it."
She unwrapped the packet to find out a royal blue colored gown.
"Arjun, it was not needed."
"Sshhh, you can't take my rights to bring something for the special person in my life."
"Arj..."
"Let's go." He held her arms and took her inside the house to a dressing room and pushed her inside and closed the door before leaving.
"I am waiting outside."
Ananya looked at her reflection in the mirror. A lone teardrop slid down her lips. She wiped it off and glanced at the dress shining in the box.
After some time she came out wearing the dress with her long hair tied in a bun ready. Arjun looked back sensing her presence. With her each step towards him his senses were failing to work properly. He cherished her with his love-filled eyes.
His heart was beating each time admiring her, for the first time she walked out as his woman, belongs to him only, glowing in his gifted dress.
As she came close Arjun pulled her in his arms. He tugged the white rose in her hair. She looked at him confusingly.
"I knew that you like white roses." He replied reading her eyes.
"Do you even know how you are looking? Just like a queen. I think my choices are not bad at all." He winked at her. She smiled at his compliment. He took her hand in his and made their way to the front yard.
As they moved close Ananya started spotting the decoration getting denser.
"What's happy..." She was about to ask but a hoarding came to her notice.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARJUN
Some unfamiliar faces started to show up.
"Today is your birthday?" She asked stopping on her way. Before Arjun could answer his friends came hugging him altogether. Ananya moved aside to avoid them when a hand pulled her.
"Ananya" Neha shooted shocking glance at her.
"You said yes to him, I can't believe it."
"You knew about the proposal thing before only." She said in her calm tone.
"I know this proposal was unexpected to you but you saying yes was unbelievable." She exclaimed while shaking her shoulder with widened eyes.
"But I'm so happy for you that you finally realized that you both are made for each other." She joyously wrapped her both arms hugging her tightly.
"Anu" she turned to face Rahul standing behind with a smile.
"You are looking gorgeous in this dress." He stated while moving to her more. His eyes were trying to say something, and Ananya's subconscious mind could sense it.
"Anu you remember I told you I have something to talk with you." He said in a low tone.
"What?"
He checked their surrounding for once.
"I think it's not the right place. So can you meet me later?"
"Ok come to my home tomorrow evening."
"But Dadi.."
"It's fine. Dadi herself told me to invite you. So it's not a big deal."
"Thank you"
"You welcome, but what's the matter? Is it so much important or something crucial?"
"It's important but not so important." He said while tilting his head.
"Enjoy the party."
After some time Arjun realized Ananya was no longer with him. His eyes searched for her when he saw Ananya and Rahul talking with each other in one corner. And every time he saw them talking alone his heart starts sending him unknown damage. He knew they were very good friends, and somehow both of them shared a thin connection bridge between them. And the fact that his Ananya once loved Rahul, scares the shit out of him.
He made his way to her.
"Hey bro, it's time to cut the cake. Come fast." Vishal shouted who was standing near the table where the has been kept.
He sighed and went to Ananya.
"Can I have your attention ma'am? It's my birthday." He whispered near her ear.
"You never told me that it's your birthday today."
"You never asked me." He countered back.
"I didn't get a chance either."
"Leave it. I think we have e long way to get to know each other. Now let's go and finish the super old rituals of birthdays." He said shrugging.
"Your dad isn't here."
"Well, he is out of the town. And normally my friends arrange my birthday."
Arjun cut the cake. His eyes searched for a special one to give the first bite but Ananya who was standing behind everyone was overshadowed by the gathering around Arjun. Failing to see her he made others eat Shriya and Vishal. As the gathering started to scatter his eyes noticed Ananya standing behind everyone. He took a piece and proceeded to her.
"Where were you? You were supposed to be standing by me?" He said with a little eagerness radiating from his voice.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't reach."
"You always have excuses, Ms Roy."
He put the cake in her mouth and she did the same with the remaining. Arjun applied little cream behind her ears suddenly.
"Hey, what was this?"
"Punishment." He uttered making a hard face with a little smirk curled up in his lips.
"Accha, then this is my return." She said while putting cream on his lips and was about to apply it to his hair but Arjun grabbed her hand and pulled her near.
"So you wanna continue this touchy game? I have no problem though but don't blame me later." He teased in her ears making her blush a little.
Ananya was feeling a gaze continuously on them but she ignored them. The party started with the noise getting high. People started enjoying, and dancing in joy.
After having some talks with everyone in the party Arjun came to Ananya and took her hands.
"Let's have a romantic dance." He took her to the dance floor and they started dancing with their body moving slowly together, rhythmically. Arjun's dark black orbs were not moving for a second from his lady love.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"I didn't even get you any gift."
"You did. You just gave me the best gift. What can be a more exciting gift than getting the most satisfying answer from the person you wanna be with? A simple yet life-changing 'YES'."
"What if I said no today?" Ananya couldn't resist blurting out the question. She could feel the darkness originating in those black-and-white pairs.
Arjun swung her and her back touched Arjun's chest feeling his warmth.
"This couldn't have been my happy birthday anymore. By that time I would have been a living corpse. I don't have enough courage to take your no. I couldn't digest the thing that this small beautiful heart doesn't take my name. You don't have any idea how intensely, deeply you have got alloyed with each part of my existence."
Arjun's each word boomed in her heart like a stone. He left a soft kiss on her bare neck smelling the addicting fragrance of her hair. Ananya got startled at the warm wet touch sending current through her body making her hold her breath. She could feel the beating speed increasing in her left chest. Her mind was losing control in the dim light of the dancing floor at this foreign yet addicting feeling.
"Arjun everyone can watch us." She finally managed to say.
"I don't care." Suddenly they heard the sound of a glass bottle breaking. When they glanced at the origin of the sound, they found Shriya drunk looking like a mad woman. She threw another bottle on the floor breaking it into pieces.
"Shit!" the word left Arjun's mouth. Ananya could sense a concern formatting in his eyes.
"Mr Arjun Singhania would you like to dance with me." She shouted from the bar looking at Arjun with a smile. Ananya took her arm back slowly from Arjun who was looking confusingly at Shriya.
"I think she needs you." She said in his ears.
"Be right here. I'm coming." Arjun passed a command before making his way to Shriya.
Ananya felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Neha standing with a questioning face.
"Is that Shriya? If I'm not wrong that was the girl for whom Rahul left you and she got left by Arjun who loves you. What a scene!"
They noticed Shriya saying something to Arjun, more like pleading and the next moment both of them came to the dance floor dancing with each other.
"I am telling you Anu I'm gonna break this on Arjun's head." Ananya heard Neha's heated voice.
"Why? What will he do if his best friend asks him for a dance? And I don't think she is in a mode of using her brain. Already have broken enough glasses. At least Arjun could stop her from wasting things further saving those innocent bottles." Ananya said sarcastically.
"Bitch!" Neha whispered.
"Sshhh. Language." Neha realized Ananya have heard her.
"Let's go home." Ananya blurted holding Neha's arm.
"But we should inform Arjun once before leaving." Ananya spared a glance at Arjun who was trying his best to keep Shriya steady.
"I don't think he is in that state. Don't worry I will leave a text for him." Ananya started walking with Neha.
"But..."
"Ok. We will tell someone else. So tell me where is your secret informer."
Neha stopped on her way looking at her from the back with open mouth.
"My secret..."
"Yeah, from whom you get all the unexpected news before time regarding Arjun Singhania. Now shut your mouth or you are gonna have mosquitoes as desert." They started walking again.
"There he is. Vishal." She called out.
"Yeah"
"We are leaving."
"But..."
"It's quite late you know."
"Ok, I shall drop you."
"No, it's ok. I have my scooter with us. We will go. Don't worry. Bye, good night."
"Good night."
"Anu, where is Rahul?"
"He has left after the cake cutting."
"Ouu, so soon."
They left.
Shriya was so drunk that she couldn't even stand properly. Arjun could hear her saying something but it was difficult to get any meaning out of that, her voice was low, slurred, broken. Sometimes he seemed to hear Ananya's name or something else. After some unsteady dance steps, she passed out in his arms. He took her to a bench and laid her down and made a call to take her home.
After leaving Shriya Arjun's eyes searched around but Ananya was nowhere to be seen. His brows parted in concern.
"She has left bro," Vishal came to him informing him.
"Left means? How could she just leave without telling me? I asked her to stay until I come back."
"It's getting late, Arjun. She wanted to inform you but someone kept you busy I think." She said while glancing at Shriya.
Arjun narrowed his eyes realizing his sign. He took out the phone and saw a message from her.
"I have to leave. Dadi is alone. Good night."
He patted the phone on his palm to release the inner frustration that was about to form in him.