Life Of Rawtes

16) Sam's Dismay

Sameer was shocked to see his entire team doing overtime at once. He had known something was fishy the moment he entered the bureau. The excited whispering was not lost to him. Now was the hush that fell over them as soon as he or Arjun walked towards them.

Sameer- "Aaj tum sab ko saath me overtime kyun karna hai?"

Sakshi- "Kyunki hum sab ko kal office se jaldi nikalana hai."

Sameer frowned- "Kyun?"

Ayesha- "Hum sab ko birthday party me jaana hai."

Sameer amused- "Really? Kiska birthday hai kal?"

"Ashi ka." all of them said at once.

The smile dropped from his face. It didn't shock him one bit that the group was invited to her birthday. Her one week in ETF was enough for her to befriend all of them. However what ached his heart was his absence from her birthday party. He couldn't help but relive the past memories.

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Flashback (6 years back)

7 years old Ashi was sulking to the moon and back. It was already 7 in the evening. More than half of her birthday gone and Arjun was still not home. She had refused to cut the cake without her dada.

Sameer sat down next to her with a thud. She looked at him sadly and then again looked down, making him sigh.

Sameer- "Come on,kiddo! Aise birthday ke din koi sad hota hai kya?"

Ashi- "Aise birthday ke din kisi ke dada Ghar nahi aate hai kya?"

Sameer gave her a sympathetic look. She was really upset. He took out a chocolate from his pocket and held it out for her. She looked at it but then shook her head. She was not in the mood.

Sameer tickled her sides making her whine. He again tickled her, earning a laugh out of her.

Ashi laughing- "Nahi Karo bhaiya!"

Sameer shrugged, all the while tickling her- "Mai kuch nahi kar raha. Maybe it's a ghost ticking you!"

Ashi tried to get up but Sameer held her back, making her fall down on the couch and continued tickling her. Once he noticed that her breaths started to get heavy, he finally stopped. She glared cutely at him while breathing heavily. He gave her a cute look in return and handed her the chocolate.

She snatched it from his hands and ate it happily. The dopamine did wonders on her ruined mood and she gave him a smile.

Sameer- "Abhi cake cut kar le, kiddo. Your friends are waiting for you."

Ashi shook her head meekly- "Bina dada ke nahi!"

Sameer- "Tere dada ki flight delay ho gayi hai na? Woh aa jayenge thodi der me."

Ashi- "Mai cake bhi thodi der me kaatungi phir."

Sameer looked at the clock. It was already 7:15. The party was supposed to get over by 8. The parents would be flowing in to pick up their kids in a short while and here the birthday girl was refusing from cutting her cake.

Suddenly an idea popped in his mind and he took out his phone. 

"Ashi" Arjun's gentle voice called out her name. A smile flashed on her face and she looked at Arjun who was smiling at her.

Arjun- "Kyun sabko pareshan kar rahi hai? Tere bhaiya hai. Vahini hai aur dadu bhi toh hai na? Unke saath cake cut kar le."

Ashi pouted- "Par mujhe aap chahiye! Kidhar ho aap? Jaldi aao na."