THE FORGOTTEN COUPLE: ARHANA

EPISODE 4

Everyone was enjoying the ride. Shahana was staring out of the window and admiring the nature. Nature and Aryan were the things that helped her to relax. Her train of thoughts were broken by a nudge on her elbow. She looked side wards and saw Aryan making a face.

"What happened to you now?" she asked.

"I'm hungry." he said with a cute pout.

"But now only we had snacks!" she exclaimed.

"Haww, it was 1 hour ago and we had lunch looooong ago, before boarding this bus." he pointed.

"1 hour is not long, you drama queen." Shahana chuckled.

"I'm not a drama queen." he whined.

"That you are. You are absolutely correct Shahana, give me a high five." Ranbir joined in.

"As if you are not hungry." he pretended to be offended.

"A tiny bit." Ranbir replied innocently.

"What! You also?" she exclaimed.

Both Ranbir and Aryan were grinning and were a bit embarrassed.

"Stop your talks and look someone has fulfilled your wishes." Prachi said.

She pointed towards their Principal who was now standing up apparently to make an announcement.

"Students, pay attention. We are going to stop for half an hour. You can eat your dinner in the mean time and report back to the bus. Any doubts?" the principal instructed.

He looked and finding no doubts, sat down again. After sometime, the bus stopped near a dhaba.

Ranbir and Aryan peeped out and looked confused.

"What happened?" Prachi enquired.

"Has the old man gone mad? Where shall we eat?" Ranbir sounded skeptical.

"There" Prachi pointed towards the dhaba.

"WHAAAAAT?" Ranbir and Aryan screamed.

"We can't eat there. It's too unhygienic." Ranbir pointed.

"You had similar views about roadside coffee too, but now you love it. Trust me and eat here once. You will love it." Prachi assured.

"Ok, if you say so. Let's go." Ranbir agreed.

"You three go I'm not coming." Aryan was not still convinced.

"And why is that?" Shahana asked.

"Actually I...... I'm..... Not Hungry." he lied.

"O really? I thought you were very much hungry. Please come and try something at least. How will you know if the food is good or bad until you have it?" she raised an eye brow.

"I won't come. You go." he said stubbornly.

"Please come na. If you don't come, I will also not go." she pleaded with her best puppy eyes.

Aryan melted at her antics and agreed to go. While they were getting down, they noticed Rhea and Dimpy were still in the bus.

"Won't  you eat Rhea?" Prachi asked kindly.

"What did you think? I'll eat here! Dude I have a class. I don't eat anything anywhere like you all." she said haughtily.

"She just asked you for your well being. Why are you always so rude?" Shahana retorted angrily.

"Well being my foot! Rhea Mehra can take care of herself." she said.

Shahana was going to argue but Prachi forbade her and they went away. They entered the dhaba and sat on a cot.

"Hey! You can't sit together." Ranbir exclaimed.

"Why?" Prachi asked.

"Aryan and me have no experience of eating in a dhaba and if no one guides us, how shall we eat?" Ranbir explained.

"So, what do you want?" she enquired.

"Shahana can sit with Aryan and I can sit with you." Ranbir suggested.

"Not bad my soon to be jiju. You are always in a mood to romance." Shahana teased.

"We are only FRIENDS." Prachi denied to accept that they liked each other.

"Oh! I forgot that your relation is a public secret." Shahana said sarcastically.

"Really bro, both of you should now become official now. Even a blind person can tell that you love each other." Aryan advised.

"Not a bad idea" Ranbir grinned.

"Have you gone out of your mind?" she swatted him lightly. "Why are you standing here? Go and sit somewhere." she ordered Aryan and Shahana.

"Ok my dear sis. We are going now but the matter is not over yet. Till then, enjoy with Ranbir." Shahana smirked.

Before Prachi could answer, she ran away from there  and sat on another cot , away from her. Soon Aryan came and joined her.

"What do you want to eat?" Shahana asked.

"No idea. You order." he shrugged.

Shahana ordered kadhi chawal and dal makhni for themselves. The order arrived and Aryan was eyeing it suspiciously. Shahana noticed it.

"Don't worry. I know that you can't eat spicy food and have ordered accordingly. None of it is spicy." she smiled.

"Thank you so much. I love you yaar." he exclaimed excitedly.

Shahana was shocked at what Aryan said. She looked at him wide eyed. Even Aryan understood what he had said.

"I'm sorry. I just said it in excitement." he mentally cursed himself.

"It's Ok. Now follow me and start eating." she sighed in relief.

Aryan tried to follow her but was having some difficulty as he had never ate with his hands earlier. Shahana noticed it. She held his hand and tried to help him. As soon as she touched Aryan, a strange sensation passed through them. (Background music- Pehla Nasha) She went on explaining him how to eat but nothing was audible to Aryan. He was mesmerized by her. A soft breeze was blowing which made her hair flutter. She was an epitome of beauty for him. He had seen her multiple times but each time her face appeared new to him. It was full of love and innocence, with no tinge of maliousness. Her eyes seemed to hold some secrets and were like shining beautiful gems. A stray strand of hair was bothering her. He put it behind her ears. This made Sahana shiver. Once again he loved the effect he had on Sahana. 

He then noticed she was signaling something to him.

This update is specially for ChandrapalSingh1 who had asked for this one.