A honeymoon slash picnic was not what she had expected to go on with this rude, forced to be husband of hers. Just like other girls, even she imagined to enjoy her honeymoon with her future hubby. Going to various destinations, in India or abroad, traveling hand in hand, cracking jokes, having fun and a lot of romance. But, what fate had given her was the complete opposite of her dreams.
Currently, Pari, Samarth and Jiya were on Samarth's Private Jet heading to Paris. Pari was sound asleep with her head on Jiya's lap and Jiya leant back on the couch looking at Samarth. Samarth sensed a pair of eyes looking at him and lifted his head from his laptop. He took one sip of his black coffee and looked at her expectantly while Jiya did the same.
"What?" Samarth asked, irritated by her continuous stare. "What?" Jiya used the same tone at him. "Aise kyun ghoor rahi ho mujhe, jaise abhi hi kha jaaogi?" He asked her with a 'what the hell is wrong with you' look. "Main? Aapko khaaungi? Oh please, mera taste itna kharaab nahi hai. Lekin, aapka nahi pata." Jiya resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him as he would again start with his punishment thing. She wondered what sort of 'punishment' would he give her anyways. Would she enjoy it? Would it be hot and sexy--? "Nahi!" She brushed off the inappropriate thoughts that were forming in her mind.
She had told herself not to watch that stupid Titanic Movie with that stupidly handsome actor putting up a stupid romantic scene making her go all stupidly insane. She cursed herself for going against her brain. She looked at Samarth and he was staring at her in shock.
"Kya nahi?" He questioned making Jiya's eyes wide. She mentally slapped herself for speaking that out loud enough for the devil to her. "Nahi, kuch nahi." She covered it up instantly making Samarth shake his head and bury his nose back into his laptop. Jiya stared at him for another 3 minutes before breaking the silence.
"What the hell?" Jiya yelled but lowered her voice seeing Pari sleeping on her lap. "Shhhh!! Are you mad? Well, I know you are but this is not the time to kick up your Jhagdalu hormones. What would Pari think? That her so called Jiya Mamma and Papa argue like 7 year olds when left alone?" Samarth spoke slowly and softly as if talking to a baby making Jiya all enraged with the stupid philosophy.
"Is it gonna be this way throughout the trip? Are we going on a business trip or something?" Jiya narrowed her eyes as she asked that. "No, we are going on a honeymoon to celebrate a wonderful union of two hearts filled with hatred for each other." Samarth spoke sarcastically doing hand gestures and finished it up by rolling his eyes. "First correction, we are going on a picnic and not a honeymoon. Second correction, DO NOT ROLL YOUR EYES AT ME, IF YOU CAN'T PERMIT ME TO DO THE SAME!!" Jiya's voice had significantly raised at the end.
"FINE!! BUT, STOP SHOUTING!!!" The irony was that he himself shouted while telling Jiya to stop yelling. Jiya opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out instead of a whisper groan. "Okay, let's make this interesting." Jiya broke the silence which had engulfed them for another 5 minutes. "Hmm. Go on! I would love to see your pole dance." Samarth spoke, his eyes glued to the laptop screen but he smirked.
"Chiiii!! You are such an Urghsss!! Why will I do a pole dance to entertain you? And, I was talking about the entertainment of both of us and not you alone." Jiya calmly knocked sense into him and he looked at her with his infamous mischievous smile. "Well, there's a thing we can do to keep both of us entertained." He passed that smirk which made Jiya to cock her eyebrows at him. "We can make love--" He didn't even get to finish his sentence as he received a flying cushion right on his face. He ducked and saved itself from the innocently harmless tool but saw Jiya taking deep breaths and her nostrils flaring.
He had to be scared seeing her 'kaali maa' form but instead he was greatly entertained seeing this and started laughing. Jiya looked at him in confusion not understanding whether her anger can be seen as a joke. Samarth stopped laughing as he received another cushion right at his face. He caught it but his facial expression greatly changed. "Aeee!! Just because am not saying anything, doesn't mean you're free to play this passing the parcel with me. BEHAVE WIFE." He raised his voice and threw the pillow back at her.
Jiya caught the pillow just in time and carefully got Pari's head out from her lap and settled her on the soft and comfy couch. She then got up and threw the pillow at him just when he had resumed glaring at the laptop's screen. Samarth now grew enraged, shut the laptop, kept it aside and got up. "Ek baar mein baat samajh nahi aati?" He questioned sourly. Jiya grinned at him wickedly. "You think am scared of you. Dr. Jiya Mathur isn't scared of anyone in this whole damn Universe!" She twirled her index finger to emphasize her point. Samarth threw the pillow back at her.
She caught the pillow and threw it again at him which he easily dodged. "You want this? You'll have this." There ensued a not so popular pillow throw fight between them. They ran along their compartment throwing pillows at each other. Samarth thanked the Gods that they were travelling in a Private Jet. Had it been a public plane, he would have grown red with embarrassment asking for forgiveness on behalf of his wife's childish behavior.
It wasn't only Jiya who was being childish, Samarth too was becoming a child, laughing his heart out, playing, running around in a carefree manner. He was said to be one of the most composed, mature and controlled person ever. But, with Jiya, he himself got surprised with his actions. She always brought about that hidden child in him which somewhere had gotten lost amidst the most tragic demise of his beloved wife. With the nicknames he created for her, the illogical fights which happened only with her, the teasing session, he began to like, everything was bringing him close to the woman without him even realizing it.
He followed Jiya throughout the plane throwing pillows and cushions and all sorts of comfy things at her whichever he found at the moment. Jiya too was doing the same. Her silly fights with her childhood friends, Shivani and sometimes even with her brother were not able to stand up to this moment. She ran ahead of Samarth while calling him 'Sanki' again and again and throwing the pillows right at his face many of which didn't touch his devilishly handsome face.
They ran to a secluded corner of the plane. A room sort of thing with a curtain concealing it. Jiya went inside trying to get away from him but her laughs and giggles attracted Samarth towards her and he hugged her from behind as soon as he found her. Jiya kept her hands on Samarth's which were wrapped around her waist from behind and both of them laughed like little kids enjoying ice cream. They laughed without a care in this world, forgetting that they were adults, that they had their child sleeping in a nearby compartment, that they hated each other's guts and that it was a plane and they being a doctor and a reputed billionaire were expected to behave.
Their laughter ended with both of them still letting out chuckles and giggled from time to time before Jiya decided to turn around and wrap her hands around Samarth's neck. "Can't we always be like this? Talking freely, laughing, chuckling, having fun and enjoying?" Jiya innocently asked looking into his bewitching chocolate colored eyes. "Yes, we can but you become too much of a Jhagdalu putting up fights and arguments I hate to participate in."
Jiya's heart fluttered and she felt herself melting under his words. "You hate to fight with me?" She asked, not able to believe him. Samarth looked at him and innocently nodded making her grin widely. "Then why do something which you hate?" She asked him putting up a fake scowl, showcasing equally fake anger. Samarth chuckled and looked into her eyes deeply. Now, he realized, he hadn't taken enough time to gaze at his wife. She indeed was beautiful. Her eyes, her sharp nose, her curvy and full lips, every feature of her face was perfectly designed by God.
Jiya, just like Samarth, was staring at him, drooling, ogling, call it whatever you want. She removed her hands from around Samarth's neck only to cup his face in them. She caressed his soft, recently shaved stubble with her fingers and the touch made her fingers tickle. It would be a lie to say that Samarth didn't enjoy it.
In these 6 years after his wife's death, he had maintained a two feet distance from women and never lead them on, arising people's doubts of him being gay. But, that doubt would go when they would meet his daughter, but still people, especially sinfully gorgeous women would be curious to know the reason behind him ignoring them making them crave his touch even more. But, with Jiya, he was enjoying all this, like her hands were meant to touch him.
Samarth's hands were now on Jiya's waist. He didn't even realize when he put them there. Jiya leant in closer and so did Samarth. His grip around her waist tightened as he tilted his neck a bit. Jiya continued caressing his stubble and leant in even closer quickly followed by Samarth who was eagerly waiting to taste her lips on his. They were now dangerously close with Samarth's lips only few breaths away from Jiya's. If even on of them moved even an inch, they would be touching each other through their lips. Samarth looked into Jiya's eyes, which were closed given how intimidating Samarth looked from so close. He looked at her lips again, staring at them, just as a lion stares at its prey before attacking.
The moment was ruined or more precisely they were saved from embarrassment with a phone call. Samarth's phone rang causing both of them to separate and straighten themselves. Jiya's face was flushed, her heartbeat erratic. She looked everywhere but at Samarth to hide her state of shyness. What was she doing? Going to kiss her husband who was still not mentally and emotionally over his ex wife? She was taught better than this.
"Yes?" Samarth barked into the phone making Jiya flinch. He massaged his temples with his fingers and calmed himself. "Yes?" He talked more politely this time. "No, finish the deal with Mr. Camphell for now---Really? But why?----Okay, hang on, I'll deal with that on my own once I return to India.----Yes, yes, I remember. Tell him to finish filing the documents and the deal? What about the deal with Rose? She was hell bent on signing it with us.----You guys!! Okay, I'll manipulate her somehow with the agreements and contract. And, yeah buy that land. I have been searching about it for very long and I find it good, I'm ready to invest. Call in for the owners." He hung up without any closing formality like 'bye' or 'see you'.
He looked around the room and it was empty. He thought probably Jiya had returned back to her seat. The moment where he was just about to kiss Jiya flooded through his mind. He couldn't help but give in to the moment. He needed to be more in control of his feelings and emotions from now on. No getting physical with that doctor, he reminded himself.
He walked back to where Pari and Jiya were. He found that Pari was still sleeping. She might have gotten tired with her jumping around the whole house yesterday, not sleeping at night and being too excited about the trip this morning. Yes, Pari was more than excited to go to Paris. Going abroad with her father was nothing new to her but, what made her more exuberant was the fact that now she was going on a trip which involved her mother as well. Only Pari knew how much she'd been yearning to go on an adventure with her mother.
Jiya looked at Samarth as he came and sat his seat. He looked at Jiya with the same flustered emotion which she had. They were embarrassed and regretted even coming this close to each other. Both had issues to deal with right now, they weren't prepared for the love bug kicking in. Jiya stared at Samarth for what seemed like eternity and her long stare broke when Samarth shifted his gaze from her to the laptop screen which notified that he had received an email.
"Urgghhh!! Who works on a trip? It's a family picnic for god's sake!" Jiya groaned not able to take the silence anymore. She was feeling like a grounded kid when even Samarth had given in to the moment. Why was he ignoring her? She hadn't seduced him or something. She had just innocently tried to kiss him. Okay, maybe, that was not an innocent thing but still him avoiding her when they were bound for years to come seemed senseless to her.
"So, what do you want me to do? Get off the plane and start doing Chaiyyan Chaiyyan?" Samarth moved his hands in the air doing the song's signature step. Jiya looked at him weirdly as if he had grown two heads and later sighed. "No, let's---let's play something." Jiya suggested with joy on her face. "Something like basketball or cricket?" Samarth said sarcastically making Jiya look at him with a disgusted face. "No!!! Let's play 20 questions." Jiya again said with the same amount of exhilaration.
"Now, what's that?" Samarth asked, annoyed. "It's where we'll take turns asking each other questions till we complete a set of 20 questions and when one of us don't answer they'll have to speak a good thing about the other." Jiya kept the punishment knowing she would be able to listen at least one good thing about herself. But, with Samarth being an introvert and very closed about his life, she would maybe here a whole of 15 good things, who knows?
"You want me to lie?" Samarth asked her, his eyes on the screen. "No, I want you to play and tell something right about me which is true. Don't make up something obnoxiously incorrect." Jiya informed him of the rules and Samarth waved his hand off at her in dismissal. "I don't have any time to play a stupid game with an equally stupid Jhagdaalu like you. Unlike you, I am a very busy person, having things to deal with, so will join you later. Till then, you talk with yourself like you usually do occasionally." He smiled at her shortly and then resumed his work.
Jiya got up in a fit of rage and shut the flap of the laptop. "What the fuc-" Jiya raised her hand and pointed her finger at Pari who was sleeping. "No curse words in front of my daughter." Jiya reminded him strictly. "Why did you shut my laptop, I was composing an email for god's sake." Samarth got up and hissed at Jiya through gritted teeth. "You'll have to play this 20 questions with me. It'll take hardly few minutes. After that you can compose whichever email, song, documentary, whatever you want. Besides, through this game we can get to know each other. I know we are partners only for the world to see but at least we should be knowing basic things about each other, otherwise we'll be a shame on the name of husband and wife. This is a great chance, you can even ask me about my weakness and I can get to know of your strengths."
Jiya waited for him to respond in anticipation. She looked at Samarth who was looking on the floor and thinking about whatever Jiya had just said. It seemed to be good. Perhaps, he will get to know more about her, which was really required since they were a couple and media these days, don't rest until they do almost 100 compatibility tests on couples. If they wouldn't answer, which they obviously wouldn't if they failed to communicate, media and Jiya's parents will start doubting their marriage, love marriage.
"Done! Let's get into it." Samarth comfortable sat in his couch while Jiya sat on hers, opposite to him. She was smiling as she was happy that Samarth had obliged for whatever reasons, but he had really obliged to her request slash demand slash suggestion. "Start!" Samarth ordered. "You go first." Jiya nervously said as she didn't have any questions in mind. "Pehle aap, pehle aap ke chakkar mein Lucknow ke nawaabon ki gaadi nikal gayi thi. Tum chahti ho aisa?" Samarth asked to which Jiya shook her head and began thinking of a good question to start with a ignite interest.
"So, what is your favorite song and what makes it your favorite?" Jiya began with her question and waited for an answer. Samarth thought about it for a while. His favorite was 'Pehla Nasha' by Kumar Sanu. He remembered how he and his Mihu used to sing this song to each other whenever the other one would get upset or angry. "Pehla Nasha! Kyunki---kyunki ye Mihu ka favorite tha." Samarth stammered at the thought of whether she deserved to know about Mihu or not. It had been always this way. Mihika had influenced his life deeply. Her favorites eventually became his favorites as well and vice versa.
"Mihu?" Jiya questioned him already knowing the answer but still wanted to confirm it. "My beloved wife." Samarth proudly stated and Jiya felt unknown pain in her heart as he addressed his ex wife as his wife in front of his present wife. This was all very messed up. She smiled dryly at him and asked him to ask her something. "Umm---What do you fear the most?" Samarth asked curiously wanting to know whom she loved the most. "Losing my loved ones. My Mom, Dad, Bhaiya, Di and obviously my cutiepie Pari." Jiya caressed Pari's forehead and smiled looking at her.
Samarth didn't want to accept but he did feel hurt as she forgot or maybe casually didn't mention his name. Why would she? What was he to her? "And, of course, you as well. How ever Sanki you are, you're my husband." Jiya smiled sheepishly at him and Samarth grinned, not able to contain his happiness at the mention of his name. Why did it affect him so much? "Okay, what are your weaknesses apart from Pari?" She voiced out her next question. "Apart from Pari? Hmm---Okay, one is Math and the other is umm---only if you promise not to tease me." Samarth spoke in such a childish voice that Jiya almost chuckled. Almost. She restrained herself and motioned him to go ahead.
"I hate lizards. They--they are my weakness." Samarth confessed and closed his eyes disgusted at the creature. Jiya chuckled not being able to believe that the ruthless, cold businessman, feared by almost the whole world was himself afraid of the tiny living being. She knew it would come handy whenever he got out of control. My lizard fearing husband. She chuckled silently.
They began asking questions one by one to each other and by now they had completed asking 18 questions to each other. They both had answered every single question which meant neither one said anything good to the other person. "How did Mihika die?" Jiya knew she had pressed the wrong nerve at how Samarth's face grew pale which was filled with enjoyment not a moment ago. "Skip!" He roared making Jiya flinch in fear. She understood he wasn't yet ready to talk about his past with Mihika. Jiya had successfully avoided questions about Mihika till now but with the game taking the flow and setting its pace, she could wait no longer.
"You know the punishment then." Jiya tried to lighten the heated atmosphere. Samarth inhaled and exhaled with closed eyes and then opened his eyes again, all anger wrong gone. How does he do that? "What should I say about you? I--I would say, you're a very kind woman, of course you fight way more than required, can't keep your temper in check, need to be constantly reminded on not rolling the eyes and keeping your smart mouth under control--" Samarth was cut off by an offended Jiya. "Woah Woah!! I asked you to say one good thing, you've enlightened me about all my bad deeds instead of good ones." Jiya pouted making Samarth stare at her lips, with a foreign emotion filled in his eyes.
"I just wanted to show you, how difficult it is to find a needle among a haystack. Meaning, finding a good quality of yours, from a haystack of bad qualities instilled in you by, god knows who." Samarth glanced at his surroundings trying to think of one good thing. "You're an innocent person, Mrs. Saxena. You know just how to get your work done. You know how to manipulate people as you wish, which if you ask me, is a really good quality. Such people are really required in my office, but alas! The number of such people there is low." Samarth put on a fake sad expression making Jiya giggle and look at him.
"Okay, your question is have you ever been kissed by anyone?" Samarth didn't know why did he even blurted that out from his mouth. He wanted to take that back. What would he do even if she had kissed someone or not. But, now since, he had asked the question, he could do nothing about it except wait for her answer. He saw her face turning shades of crimson and red telling him that she had lost her first kiss already and to someone else, making him feel a weird sensation in his rather emotionless heart. He remembered she had a boyfriend.
Jiya blushed on his question as she remembered the small intimate moment which was about to take place in the room. She didn't know what effect it had on him 'cause he was really awesome in masking up his emotions. But, the moment had left her really flushed, flustered and flattered. Flattered on the thought that Samarth too wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him. She eradicated the thoughts away from her brain and straightened herself ready with the reply.
"No!" She answered confidently. Samarth's ears perked and he stared at her in shock. "No? Are you kidding me?" He asked dazed. "It's impossible to not kiss someone you've dated for 6 good months." He uttered in a tone which shouted disbelief. "I will explain if that's your next question." She told which came out like a question at the end. "Yes!" He leant in ready to hear. "But, first let me finish with your next and last question. So, the last question for you is, I want you to be dead honest. If, god forbid, tomorrow I die, would you miss me?"
Would he? Samarth didn't know how to answer that. With her entering his life, surely a havoc had been created in his life. But, he also couldn't deny the fact that she was the one who was able to make him laugh the way he did now. She was the one, cuddled to whom, he had had the best sleep after 6 years. She was the one, he could leave Pari to and not worry about. She was the one changing him slowly without him even realizing it. She was the one who had gotten so close to him just like an hour ago apart from Mihika. She was the one who drew extreme emotions of joy or anger from him. Daring that she was, she was the first one to keep such a stupid nickname for him, but he enjoyed that. He had started to enjoy her company. How was it possible? And, her question? Would he miss her if she were to die tomorrow?
"Samarth!" Jiya brought him out of his thoughts making him look at her. "I can't afford losing you." Samarth spoke, his voice broke for an unknown reason. Jiya felt shiver run down at her spine. "I had had enough turmoil and ruckus in my life. I don't wanna lose you now. I don't know why, don't ask me. Just remember it's not just about Pari, it's something else too." Their emotional moment was greatly disturbed as the announcement for landing was made.