Let's consider something like this Ayan's dinning hall interior look pristine, eye-catching where they all have gathered around.
*******
Through the intercom Ayan Instructed to let Avni in. And there was no reason remained for the concierge not to allow them all to proceed towards the elevator. Blowing out a hefty sigh the man took his seat back with a straight face and they walked past him.
Ayan was at the door with a face antsy, waiting for Avni to be arrived. His eyes bored at the sound the elevator door dinged opened halting at his floor. And then it took him just a second when he caught sight of all of them few steps away behind Avni.
"Happy Birthday" all said in chorus as soon as they ambled to him out of the elevator. Their voices resonated around the space made Ayan a bit taken aback. He didn't expect the day would end this way or rather say the day another might start with a note this jovial. Because it's already 12a.m then.
"Hey" his low voice. Ayan released out all his anxiousness in a single word he had grown since Avni has called him.
His arms crossed over his chest now, in a manner so-this-was-the-plan-and-vindication-so-eager-to-meet-me-at-this-hour?
Ayan couldn't hold back anymore, a moment past all his desolation faded off his countenance. His face glowed with a bright smile on his lips when they reached him and all huddled around him. And Then next moment his hands are around Aravi.
Because Aravi is the first who embraced him wishing again hugging him tightly.
"Hollygod! Don't tell me you have already opened those parcels" muttering Aravi jerked away her hold off Ayan and scurried passed him inside his home totally dodging him. Her eyes apprehensive, wary in search of those loaded boxes. No one really can predict Aravi and her next move. This is what Ayan thought about her inwardly.
"I was about to......
Wait, how do you know about those parcels....don't tell me...." His words lost in some incoherent mumbling got him left the sentence incomplete after Aravi.
His face formed a deep, perplexed frown snapping his eyes at the way Aravi left just when he realised what she muttered parting away.
Ayan pulled his face back straight when Shivam greeted him with a brotherly hug which earned his frown faded and his look hugging his cousin was like_what-the-hell- you-guys-are-on. And next moment his face softened at Neil who clasped his hand with him passing a tight smile and in reply Ayan returned a small appreciating node.
"Those are all cakes..." after Neil passed by Aman quickly replied giving him a quick bro hug then parted walking in.
"All Four? Are you kidding me?" Ayan's words again behind Aman. He let out a snap being unsure.
"They are all from your closed ones..." Neela asserted in a motherly affectionate tone putting a hand on his cheek one side before Ayan followed them walking in as well.
"Juhi sent one...." leaning to him Avni surreptitiously whispered and Ayan put his face impassive only his eyes studied her shortly and then he looked away with a manner uninterested. Lastly Sweta followed by two elder males_ Prakash and Reyaansh walked in before Ayan locked the entrance after them while Avni waited for Ayan few feet away him. She had seen Neil walked passed her along with the rest. She gave him a bashful smile and he returned a faint one. She found herself grumpy eyeing at Neil's back and then turned her head abruptly to face Ayan.
"Don't make faces you liked it already I know" Avni's words were with a low giggle. He let out a light scoff.
"What's the point in sending cakes in parcel by some delivery boys when they know they would be here next minute by any means?" Ayan wanted to ask this question to Avni but the name she mentioned, shut him up not jumping into any conversation further regarding those parcel thing.
Ayan averted his mind into proceeding chat with other members, being a good host receiving his guest.
********
As they reached inside his house everyone's face glowed admiring the sumptuous, pristine view they are witnessing taking a short eye tour around that debonair hall interior.
Avni and Neela quickly finished settling all those heavy mouthwatering cakes on the dinner table, unpacked them one by one delicately.
Neela stepped aside Aravi took her spot there were some candles in her hold. She made them sit one by one on the cakes each.
"This girl has a huge crush on you. And I'm jealous" Aravi whispered sitting over the last one, that was which Juhi sent.
"Shup up.You are married" Ayan snapped, whispered back. And Avni failed stifled a chuckle listening to them. And Aravi fake glared at her bonu for attracting everyone's attention towards them.
*
"Well, Thank you to all of you so very much. For such delicious looking cake having for me here and making my day really, unexpectedly special" Ayan's appreciating speech was taking a good look over the cakes each , then pulling up his contented glance over everyone he continued.
"Umm...but still You people don't need to do all these efforts. Seriously" letting out a low chuckle, speaking his gaze collided Neil's intense shade gauging Ayan's every movement standing across him.
"Make a wish" Avni delightedly said interrupting him. Instantaneously Ayan's soft gratified gaze over her away Neil rested for few seconds, then his gaze back over the table where those birthday cakes has been placed on.
Ayan took a deep breath taking her words in, closed his eyes before he blew all the candles in a single breath.
Every time I see her I breath a little more. Thank you Mom. Ayan opened his eyes.
Then clapping they all sang for Ayan, the birthday song and delicately he cut the cakes, all four of them, of different shapes one by one.
Ayan started with Roy's first then Aravi then Khanna's and at last the blueberry cake his favourite, sent by Juhi. And this how the initial cake cutting ceremony ended partly.
For the first bite his hand moved towards Avni standing beside him at his left. Avni took a small bite then feed him back taking a tiny piece from his hold. The smile they shared with eachother was profoundly adorable, ostensibly winsome.
There is some kind of inscrutable emotion flashed in Ayan's eyes then disappeared promptly Neil has noticed when he feed Avni the cake.
Neil's whole body was livid, highly attuned to that affect, notwithstanding he remained appease.
Ayan's eyes met with Neil's pale ardous pair over them. He started at Neil for few seconds plastering a faint smile then his eyes back to Avni. His countenance returned to it's gleeful as soon as his attention was back on Avni.
Ayan's hand holding little pieces moved Shivam to Aravi, Aman to Sweta, Prakash, Neela, Reyaansh.
"I wish I had a daughter" Sweta winked at Ayan, put some cream on his left cheek and his smile broadened. There was a real blush appeared on his cheeks in reply to Sweta's words. Ayan let out a light chuckle and Sweta dilated her pupil being amazed. "Look at him. He blushed" Sweta said in a low exhilarated tone, her finger towards his cheeks pointed the spot showing all.
"Uff my mom and her matchmaking thing. Never mind Ayan bhae" Aman chimed putting his hold on Sweta's shoulder both the sides. And shrugging off her shoulder offhandedly she made a face rolling her eyes and all giggled but Neil. He heaved a exasperated sigh no one has noticed.
Then feeding Pradesh, Aman and they to him Ayan moved to Neela.
"You are no less than my own children. You know that right?" Neela said smiling with her eyes little glassy. She shoved a small piece in his mouth. Ayan smiled, pulled her in a hug. His hands covered in cream so he kept away them fisting awkwardly in attempt to save Neela's suit not to stick cream on them. He planted a small kiss on her hair shaking his head frantically assuring Neela's words. The air around them turned emotional.
Ayan has a special place for Neela in his heart and he knows the reason, it is why so. Neela did something years ago, anyone at her place would have thought thousands of times before doing anything as such without thinking of the repercussion. This is the reason she is a special soul to him.
"You are doing excellent my son. Wherever they are, Your parents must be very proud of you, as we are" were Reyaansh loving words for Ayan as he moved to feed him a chunk. And Prakash put a hand on his shoulder blinked his eyes in reassuring.
And lastly his hand halted at reaching Neil. His gaze fixed waiting for Neil to have a bite from that little piece he is holding. Everyone's beaming eyes at them.
"Wish you a great life Ahead" Neil said in a smooth, austere tone. Their eyes firm at eachother. Neil took it from his hold, shoved that small piece whole inside Ayan's mouth instead. Ayan quietly chewed it looking at him as if trying to interpret Neil's mind. Gulping the entire thing his lips curved a small smile in accepting Neil's words, he said for him. And next in a jiff Ayan was back to his spot in the middle of Shivam and Avni.
Aravi has changed her former spot and slipped next to Sweta and got herself busy taking the other flavours she missed.
Certainly Ayan busied back himself with the rests. Continuous giggles, chatting voices were heard for half an hour next.
As soon as Ayan is away, with a sigh Neil averted his gaze downward in search of something and at once he spotted the thing he was looking for. He pulled a tissue from the tissue box kept on the table aside. He wiped his hand off very densely yet calmly, that little amount of cream he had around his few fingers.
Neil never noticed before Ayan's eyes grow differently beaming when he look at Avni. There is some kind of affection he never seen in any other guy for Avni before. Now Neil is a little confused what he has just sensed. That is why to be precise there is his intuition and it's ramifications is_Neil is growing ambivalent with the entire scene.
Neil then deflected his mind. He mulled.
Ayan never appeared any kind of shrewd person does all flirting, blandish macking over anyone's girl. Neil never felt such vibes around him. But still there is some innuendo with his instinct that telling, something inevitable is going to happen. Which is building him effing antsy inwardly.
" Since You didn't have a single bite. Here it is" unceremoniously an intrusive move from Aravi brought him back as if off some resuscitation Neil was in. He couldn't help grew glum, bitter when Aravi shoved a piece of pastry quite big in his mouth without any warning. Chewing very roughly pouring his all repugnance he gulped it down his throat.
Eventually few minutes later in seeking his mind to interspersed away such things Neil's head said blowing out a sigh "let's abstain such thoughts for future references" but not longer he kept his conscience parallel, unfazed.
His eyes grew back incandescent, malice, muscle flexed when his gaze fell at Ayan and Avni next to eachother.
Ayan is making Avni taste all the flavours one by one, cutting them into small pieces and Avni is enjoying it gobbling all of them merrily.
Haven't this girl ate her dinner or what ? Neil's thought was fuming at his girl, while others perched to their seats on the couches around being all genial, chatting seeping into their glasses of cold coffee Aman has offered them when they refused to have any food stuff at this hour.
No one is aware of which only Neil is witnessing at the moment. His body taut, his eyes stringent over them. He is so mad at his girl.
******
"It's almost midnight. I think we should leave now" was Neil's deadpan voice enunciating those words. Pirouetted everyone's attention towards him.
In response Ayan scrutinized gaze over Neil across the spot he was. And Avni straightened her back have got cut off the moment she was having with Ayan. She slowly gulped the remaining in her mouth. God knows why she felt she is going to grounded by someone soon.
*********
With a exasperated breath Neil took some faster pace out of the elevator door as soon as it hit the ground floor earth.
His eyes scanned the parking area in search of his car. The more he will be out of the place the more his inner self would be in order. He is done for today.
But something happened next caused his heart upraised at the same time exultant and went his entire self in some lala-land.
*
"I wish I could have filled your face with lots of cream all over" Avni whispered. Finishing her words she hassled a abrupt kiss on Neil right cheek almost leaving him stuttered on his feet a step backward with a hefty jostle.
The way she clutched his shirt over his shoulder pulled him down to her level and her soft lips smashed contact to his skin made his heart leaped to his throat, caught him completely gobsmacked.
His inside trembled got Neil freezed at the spot but his hand moved upward with it's own accord, touched that spot on his face.
The sensation his body felt by her touched still lingering there on the spot so deep that he can feel it even when she was gone.
He felt dizzy, bleary.
His ears heard her stifled faint giggled on the way moving away him. She didn't take a single glance, not even bothering the effect her little stunt has left after her, stopping someone's respiratory system out of order for few critical seconds. That's how Neil got his breath choked inside his chest because of Avni.
And she was away. Avni with a quick movement of her feet she barreled over him towards the car parking spot.
His brain took good 60 seconds to register what just happened eyeing at his girl just left away his sight.
Biting his lips he suppressed not to let out a boyish grin when he sluggishly gaining back his sanity. Only he knows it took everything in him to pull himself out that compelled state caused by none other than his love's a single reckless act.
Next moment His body flinched being transfixed at the spot when Prakash put his hand on his shoulder. And his dad's eyes creased staring at his son's face all flustered under some unknown emotions he had ever seen before. Papaji squinted his eyes at his son then down at the slight weirdly crinkled shirt fabric over Neil's shoulder then back to his facade.
Prakash tried hard to figure out what made Neil glued at the spot this awfully. Because last time he remembered Neil took the elevator alone saying he is going to get the car to the driveway, when they were all busy saying Ayan no need to see off them down his building.
Neil
And here my all day exhaustion, all annoyance diffuse when she appears to me this cute taking almost my breath away my chest. I couldn't take my eyes off her all the way I slauntered to my car, climbed on my seat. She was purposely dodging not to look at my spot in pretend to talking with Shivam before Neela Aunty,
Uncle and Aravi reached them, got inside their car.
Aman was shocked when I tossed him the keys before I slided inside the vehicle and settled myself in the passenger seat beside his driver seat.
I rarely let him drive my car, not that he is a bad driver, rather I would mention Aman is much discreet in driving thing when he take hold on the steering wheel unlike my rambunctious brother Aman.
*
At the moment I'm in no mood actually over anything, but my girl. She kissed me for the second time by now and my feral heart is still in the process being gradually gripping back it's normal rhythm whereas on the contrary there are flashes of the same scene repeatedly in my head inside.
And then with a soothing sigh pushing the day aside I put the stereo on, leaned my head against the seat and closed my eyes thinking the only person had stolen my heart years back.
Aman revived engine it started with a loud roar.
My head haven't off the uncontrolled grin I'm beaming inwardly. Mom and dad in the back seat.
And the song Aman played. Aman's favourite.
That's what my brother can understand all of my mood sometimes.
I spent last night on the last flight to you (ey ya)
Took a whole day up trying to get way up, ooh
We spent the daylight trying to make things right between us
But now it's all good, babe
Roll that back wood, babe
And play me close, yeah
'Cause girls like you run 'round with guys like me
'Til sun down when I come through
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah
Girls like you love fun and, yeah, me too
What I want when I come through
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah...
~~~~~~*~~~~~~
And I'm tapping my feet voicing the lyrics along with Aman writing it....and passing by me my hubby was like_thank-god-she-is-in- a-good-mood-finally.
* Hahahaha*
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you, yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah
I need a girl like you......
Aren't you people happy??? She kissed him...oh god.
*My jaw dropped imaging the act our daring Avni has pulled with Neil*
Love MoN ❤️