Sweet And Spicy

10. Allowing

"Anyway I am going", Arjun rushed out of the room, not being able to take their teasings.

In Starmart Center

"Jwala, Is this shopping?", Arjun asked exhausted seeing her grabbing stacks of book.

"Haan. I thought that I will leave to NYC after Pragya's marriage but now this siddharth made me stay here. I might be in India for another month, maybe. And I can't live a day without reading", she told him as her face was continuously giving different expressions.

"I can even read a page without yawning", he told her making her give an uninterested look.

"I can't relate bro", she said casually keeping the book in her hand on the shelf making Arjun stumble.

"What?", he asked not being able to catch up with reality of Jwala calling him "bro"

" I am so used to reading that I can't imagine people feeling sleepy while reading", she rephrased it.

He sighed loudly taking a deep breathe and felt relieved as the "bro" which made him worry was unintentional and didn't get her attention.

They continued purchasing, just then Arjun felt someone's presence and turned around but found no one.

Few minutes later, he saw someone standing before Jwala, blocking her way.

Arjun moves near her, gaining the person's attention. All that mattered for Arjun was Jwala being uncomfortable with the man's presence.

"So, new boyfriend ", the man asked with a smirk making Arjun frown.

"Hey, who are you? Move away", Arjun tried controlling the urge to punch right on his face as the look the man was giving toward her wasn't right.

"You calm down young man, she will dump you soon", he tells him slightly leaning forward.

"Yes, you deserve to be dumped, siddharth",she told him firmly, Jwala told his name a little louder for Arjun to understand.

"You bitch", Siddharth who was red in embarrassment was interrupted by Arjun.

"So you are the fool who left her then and working under her now", Arjun told this in a sarcastically cheerful tone which made Siddharth ball his fist.

"Now tell how embarrassing it is. How come you are coping up? Though I am against suicide, i would have killed myself for being an utter stupid", Arjun told this as he wrapped his arm around Siddharth's shoulder who was fuming in Anger.

"She was right, stupids like you who have no brain must be dumped. You never deserved her. You missed such a gem, your bad luck but thanks to you man, you missed her ",he released the grip he had on Siddharth and sided towards Jwala who was looking at him the whole time.

"Jwala, what will happen if you tell your relatives about Sheela aunty's son who stooped so low and yet lost it", Arjun told it so expressively making Jwala chuckle.

Siddharth face went pale as his only financial support was from his parents and they will never accept any disgrace.

He saw Jwala who looked at him, and heard her saying, "No Arjun, I will never be so base" She turned back and tilted her head a little and said "Grow up Sid, I have no time to close all your petty plans. Blacklisting your name from the company doesn't take me a minute"

Arjun gave a final smirk and followed Jwala who was smiling heartily.

They went to the other side of the store to get some bookmarks and highlighters. He could she how much she loved them, holding a bunch of bookmarks, he sighed and followed her.

"Can I ask you something?", Jwala turned to him and nodded, she was quiet surprised by his gesture of asking permission before shooting question, he never did that.

"Why didn't you ask for privacy while talking with Abhi about Siddharth? You knew me barely, by then. But still you told everything accepting my presence", as far as he knows, Jwala is known for her solitude and secrets.

Jwala was pensive for awhile and asked him, "Why didn't you move out, giving the needed privacy?"

She hit the right nail.

Arjun stammered but then Jwala continued, "I don't know Arjun, I didn't feel awkward that you were there with us, infact I wanted you to stay there"

As soon as she said, she realised two facts, firstly she isn't great at conveying emotions but she did that right now. Secondly, his presence was comforting.

She could see the happiness tingling in his eyes and those lips curving. She wanted him to be with her, with her maybe for life. Few minutes back when he crushed Siddharth's ego single handedly, she felt that he is someone for whom she was waiting.

"Thank you", she heard him saying, he looked truthful.

The travel back home was quiet,  Arjun wanted to rush home and tell Abhi and Pragya about today while Jwala wanted to analyse her feelings.

"I am excited", Abhi told pragya for the nth time.

" I know Abhi, Please stop shouting like this", Pragya replied flustered.

"Why? Aren't you excited for our honeymoon?", he asked relatively shocked.

"Honeymoon!", Arjun and Jwala speaks at the same time.

Turning towards them, Abhi shook his head and tells "Since you guys didn't have the courtesy to plan it. We planned it for ourself", he told with a shrug. " And you, did you know how many times you have disturbed us in our moments?"

Jwala's jaw drops and shockingly looked at her jeeju who was smirking at her. Not knowing what to tell, Jwala rushed to her room.

"That was mean bro", Arjun told Abhi siding Jwala.

"Ho Ho, hello Mr. Debut Romeo, How was your day out with Jwala?", he asked his brother, winking.

"I have a lot to say", he told excited and began to explain what happened in the mall.

Hearing the whole incident, Pragya tells to Abhi , " May be he was right, he is better with girls than you?"

"What? How can you say that?", Abhi asked shocked and told her, "Did you just compare me with him?" , he dramatically tells her "I never expected this for you, Mrs. Abhishek Mehra"

"Wanna try going honeymoon alone?", Pragya asks the suddenly flabbergasted Abhi, who stumbles reacting to the worst nightmare.

After chatting for some more time, the returned to their respective rooms. Ragini who watched all this, wiped her tear silently in the dark and left.

In Jwala's Room

Looking at the large portrait of her mother, Jwala took her diary and penned her feelings.

"Ma, I feel like I made a mistake by drawing a fence around me all these years. I wanted to be protected from emotional uncertainties, just like that happened when you left me. But now I want to break this boundary, ma. I want people in my life, ma", she told herself in a determined voice.

She built a wall around her to sheild herself from the stones and hatred but little did she knew, she stopped the flowers and love too. It took a moment for her to differentiate both. Abhi taught her to accept love while Arjun taught her love.

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Yours Chashmish .

Karthiga♥️