ADHOORI DASTAAN

Chapter 19 - Mehendi Function

As the mehendi function continued, all the ladies got beautiful mehendi designs on their hand. Aarohi wrote Kabir's name on her hand. She couldn't stop but remember her mehendi day function when she has written Abhimanyu's name. 'No Aarohi.. That's past... You have promised to move on... You will not let Abhimanyu affect you mental peace...' she reminded herself.

 Randheer brought food for Anushka and started feeding her. Everyone's heart soared seeing this cute moment. Dadi looked at Kabir, "Kabir!! Where are your manners? Aarohi must also be hungry... Bring some food for her... Your mehendi has dried na, so wipe it..."

Kabir and Aarohi looked at each other. "It's okay Dadi... no need, my mehendi is almost dried.. I will wash it off..." Aarohi tried to avoid the situation.

Dadi took her to a side and whispered, "Puttar (Kid), you shouldn't be so nice with men, you should allow them to pamper you... You are too naive...". "Kabir! You still haven't brought the food.." she said looking at him.

As much as Abhimanyu wanted to believe that Aarohi had moved on in her life, things weren't setting right in his heart. Everything looked too good to be true. He was lost in his thoughts when he saw Kabir coming to the cafeteria. "Hi Kabir! We couldn't formally introduce... Dr. Abhimanyu Birla.." he said forwarding his hand.

Kabir shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Abhimanyu Birla.." a statement he clearly didn't mean. He started taking food on his plate.

He went and sat beside Aarohi and started feeding her. Though it was a bit awkward moment, Aarohi was internally enjoying it seeing Kabir in a pity condition. She wanted to trouble him more. 

"Kabir, not this vegetable, I want paneer sabzi... Can you please bring it.." Kabir glared at her but quietly went and brought the dish.

"Arre Kabir, I have such a small mouth and you are giving such big morsel.. Make it into small pieces..." She said teasing him. Kabir annoyingly nodded in response.

'God, I know she is purposefully troubling me' Kabir thought and decided to play along. He brought a morsel near her mouth and instead of feeding her, ate it himself. Everyone started laughing at his antic. 

"Kabir why are troubling Aarohi?" Dadi questioned. 

"No Dadi... No one is troubling your loving Aarohi..." Kabir said innocently and brought a morsel near her mouth and Aarohi bit his finger.

He screamed but thankfully loud music and people being busy with gossiping didn't notice him. "What's wrong with you?"

"You were teasing me, I just reciprocated...." Aarohi said cooly.

Kabir - "But you started, bring that sabzi.. make small pieces... I am your boyfriend.. Not your caretaker..."

Aarohi -"Fake Boyfriend.. for a week.. and an enemy for life... I won't miss out on the opportunity of troubling you..."

Kabir - "Aarohi!! Don't forget, I am also your boss.. Ek baar shaadi khatam hone do, batata hoon (Wait for the marriage to end, I will show you)...". Aarohi chuckled in response.

***

Aarohi got a call from Bade Papa. "Kabir?"

"Now what?"

Aarohi - "I am getting a phone"

"So pick it up...". She showed her hands full of mehendi. Kabir gave a dejected look, picking her phone placed it near her ear. 'Boyfriend nahi naukar ban gaya hoon (Have become a servant instead of boyfriend)' he thought.

"Hello Bade Papa!!"

"Beta, can you come to Udaipur day after tomorrow?"

"Why? Any problem?"

"No... there isn't any problem... you said na your work will be over by tomorrow.. so before going to Mumbai, you can give a visit here... Also forgot to mention earlier, Abhinav has come... You remember him right... He is staying with us for weeks as he has some work here"

"Abhinav!! It's been years since I have met him... Off course I remember him... It's nice that he came!" Aarohi exclaimed. Kabir gave a suspicious look at this excitement.

But Aarohi didn't want to go to Udaipur... She wasn't even expecting to meet Abhimanyu here. Also she had to start working at Kabir's studio. She couldn't take leave on the first day itself.

"Bade papa... If anything urgent isn't there, I will come after sometime and will video call Abhinav...."

"No.. No.. some work is there, come day after tomorrow... please..."

Aarohi gave in and reluctantly agreed. 

Swarna and Surekha were standing behind Manish and as soon as the call ended, jumped in to ask was Aarohi coming?. Manish nodded in response.

"I talked with Akshara today, they will also be back by tomorrow night...", Swarna said.

"Once Aarohi come, we will raise the topic of marriage between Aarohi and Abhinav..."

***

After lunch all headed to their room for some rest and to freshen up for evening. She stopped Kabir, "Actually I wanted a favour?"

"Favour? After all that happened at the lunch, you want to one more favour? Now what do you want to eat?"

Aarohi - "No.. I don't want to eat anything... We had decided na that after marriage functions, I will start designing the studio... It won't be possible... Bade papa had called, he wants me to come to Udaipur... So can I  start working from next week?..."

"Is anything serious?

"I don't think so... He just wants to meet me... And don't worry I will do overtime and your studio will be ready by the date I have given..."

Kabir wasn't bothered about his studio.. He had other thing in his mind and that was Abhinav and her excitement to meet him. He wanted to ask her about him but still didn't want to be intrusive.

"Heard you saying Abhinav's name... I had a friend by that name in college... Is he your cousin brother?"

"Umm No, actually he is a good friend.. But he is Akshu's best best friend. Since childhood they both were inseparable... He always liked Akshu and it was like a open secret... Everyone knew but don't know about Akshu... And everyone had thought that they would get married when they grow up but Akshu..." she paused as her mind got flooded with her marriage day memories.

"But you sister and your fiancé decided to elope and confess their love on your wedding day breaking you heart..." Kabir completed the sentence looking intently at her. He felt a mild relief that Abhinav was just a friend but he didn't know why he felt so.

"It's ok.. it's all past... What's important is you have got someone way better than that Dr." he said teasingly pointing at himself.

But unknown to them Abhimanyu was standing nearby listening to their conversation and was getting annoyed to the core. One that his suspicion was right, Abhinav did have feelings for Akshara and two Aarohi had become so close with Kabir in month that she had revealed so much about herself. And he didn't know which news bothered him more. He went away from there in anger.

"Well I will grant your leave on one condition?" Kabir said.

"And that is?"

"Will tell you at the sangeet ceremony...." he said winking at her before leaving. And Aarohi stood there confused, 'God knows what the condition will be?' she said facepalming herself.

********

Author's Note - Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Do vote and share your thoughts in the comments.. Also don't forget to follow me.. Happy Reading!!!