THE FORGOTTEN COUPLE: ARHANA

EPISODE 51

"Stop! Stop them car!" Shahana yelled frantically.

Aryan stopped the car at the side of the road. Before he could ask anything, Shahana got down from the car and ran away.

"This girl is still a kid! I wonder what she is up-to this time." he shook his head and followed her.

Shahana ran to a person who was standing with his back facing towards her. She tapped him lightly on the shoulder. The guy turned around, took a minute to register her face and hugged her.

"How are you?" she squealed.

"I'm fine. You haven't changed a bit." he grinned.

Aryan was watching the scene with his mouth agape. He couldn't control himself any more and interrupted their conversation.

"Who is he, Shahana?" Aryan asked.

"He is Rishi, my special friend." Shahana introduced. "Rishi, he is Aryan, Prachi's cousin....."

".....and her husband." Aryan cut in and added.

"You got married and didn't bother to inform me even. And the most important thing is that, if you got married to him, then what about....."

Before Rishi could complete the sentence, Shahana puller him aside, away from Aryan.

"Don't say it in front of him. He is the guy I had a crush on." Shahana whispered.

"What's the need to hide it? You are married now and love each other." Rishi was confused.

"It's very complicated but our marriage wasn't held under normal circumstances. The main point is that I like him but he doesn't love me." she explained.

"You are mistaken. This guy definitely loves you. His jealousy on seeing me with you proved it." Rishi shook his head.

"He doesn't." Shahana said with a certainty in Her voice.

"Her does. I can bet on it. May be he is hesitant to express it due to some reasons." Rishi was confident.

While Shahana and Rishi were having their little argument, Aryan was busy choosing between the two thoughts in his brain.

"What and why are they talking secretly? He said that he is Shahana's special friend. Does it mean that he is her boyfriend?" he wondered.

"Nah! Shahana will never choose someone liked him. He is only a friend." he thought the very next moment.

"Then why are they whispering?" the first part of his mind questioned.

"Stop gender discrimination. Even you and Ranbir whisper, so are you romantically involved?" the other part retorted.

"Toss a coin. If heads come, he is just a friend and if tails come, he is her boyfriend." the former part offered a solution.

"It seems a good idea." the later agreed.

So, Aryan fished out a coin from his pocket and tossed it, praying for heads. The coin landed on the ground, but instead of stopping, rolled down into the gutter.

Aryan followed it in hope of getting an answer and tried to see from all possible angels if anything was visible.

Shahana was shocked to see him focusing his concentration on the gutter.

"What are you doing there?" she asked.

Shahana's question brought back Aryan to the real world.

"Nothing" he uttered, cast a last dejected glance for the coin and joined Rishi and Shahana.

"Come to our home. Prachi will be happy to see you too." Shahana requested Rishi.

"Next time. I have some work." Rishi denied the invitation.

"Let it be Shahana. He must have some important work." Aryan supported as he was least interested to take Rishi anywhere with them.

Rishi gave a victorious smirk to Shahana at Aryan's statement and whispered something in his ears which made him happy.

"See you later then." Rishi bid them bye.

"What did he tell you?" Shahana questioned.

"Boys talk." he refused to give a clear answer.

-----

Purab was waiting anxiously for Arhana to arrive at the office that day. As soon as they arrived, he summoned them to his office.

"I have a new project in mind for you." he declared.

Aryan and Shahana were able to notice the unusual evident excitement in his behavior but chose not to saying anything.

"I want you to arrange a meeting with PD Industries as soon as possible and make them major partners in our business." he explained.

"Major partner?" Arhana were shocked.

"Yes. It will be very productive for us, but it will be a difficult task as it's nearly impossible to impress the owner of the company." Purab said.

"We will try our best." Shahana replied faithfully.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you that Shahana won't be working as Aryan's secretary anymore." he announced.

"Why? I won't work alone!" Aryan protested immediately.

"Did I do some mistake that you are firing me?" Shahana was tensed.

Purab couldn't help but smile at the young couple in front of him.

"Shahana won't be working as your secretary as she has been promoted to the same post as Aryan. So, you will be working together on this project as equals." he smiled.

Arhana blinked at him a couple of times and then burst into celebration. Shahana jumped on Aryan in excitement and he held her back tightly. There was a sense of contentment.

"Ahem....." Purab cleared his throat intentionally when Arhana had been in the same position for too long.

They came back to their senses and were embarrassed. In spite of it, they cherished the moment. It had been really very long since they had been so close.