*Very Very Long Chapter!*
Avni's POV
"That you are."
Blast this Block of Ice for making my heart fill with warmth again and again. How does he manage to do this? Never in my life had I felt so loved and I don't think I'll ever be tired of saying that I love this man.
"Mr Khanna you're becoming really cheesy lately.", I pinched his nose lightly and instantly he swatted my hand away."You're so cute.", I continued grinning widely.
"Miss Mehta.", Mr Khanna gave me a cold look, a look that screams 'Stop this or you see the consequences.' But he forgot he's messing with Avni Mehta and Avni Mehta never fears anyone.
"Yes.", I grinned wider and proceeded to pinch his cheeks but once again he swatted my hand away.
"Miss Mehta stop this right now.", Mr Khanna said in a strained voice.
"Stop what?", I asked innocently.
'Innocence and you don't go in a single sentence babe.', my subconscious taunted me.
Mr Khanna raised his perfectly shaped eyebrow that means he's going to say or do something which will leave me either horrified or shocked or better traumatised for life. Just when I was about to tease him more he slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me so impossibly close, all my teasing mood and the evil smile faded at once.
"Someone is being quite tantalising, huh?", Mr Khanna whispered in a husky deep voice that sent shivers down my spine. I tried to say something but words didn't seem to form in my throat." Cat caught your tongue my tigress.", his lips were touching my collarbone and that made my mind shut down.
'System crash!'
'Brain Crash!'
'You don't have that.'
'Shut up I can't think anything.'
'Stars do you have any place in that sky of yours, I'm coming.'
'Have you lost it?'
'You lose something you have, honey.'
His lips caressed my skin gently as if afraid I'll get hurt if he used a little more strength."You don't have anything to say now, Miss Mehta.", Mr Don't-Interrupt-me was urging me to say something. Miracles don't cease to happen, goodness!
"You are doing this intentionally, aren't you?", I said timidly. Goddamn! I'm a bloody feminist why am I trembling like a freakin' coward.
"Why would I do that?", he peppered feather kisses below my ear. Heat surged my body accompanied by icy chills. Hell! These things were not taught in my lessons on Thermodynamics. I need to sue my science teacher.
"Mr Khanna I need to see a doctor real quick.", I blurted. With lightning speed, Mr Khanna brought my face to his level and scanned me top to bottom.
"I told you I don't appreciate such humorous statements, Miss Mehta."
"But I'm not joking, whenever you come close to me, my heart speeds up, goosebumps form on my skin, I feel chills, hell! I think I'm suffering from some terrible rare disease. Do you think I should see a specialist, do you know a good cardiologist, but he'll take so much of fees, my budget will collapse for the month, do you think I need to pay for an appointment or some...", my rant was interrupted when I felt soft lips against mine. Mr Khanna's lips to be specific.
"You are adorable crazy.", Mr-I'm-unquestionably-occupied chuckled and I felt a jolt in my body.
'Was that a compliment or insult?'
'Who cares? I'll take that as a compliment.'
~~~
My whole day passed in anticipation. My stars! I'm going on a date with Mr Khanna, Mr Hopelessly Romantic Khanna. Is it a dream? No, it's not a dream. I looked at the communication device-wait hold on. What communication device, it's mobile yes mobile. That man is getting in my head.
"I want you to keep this every moment with you.", his icy cold voice made it seem like an order but I knew he was concerned. My Block of Ice! I grinned thinking about his cute gesture.
I wore a cute knee-length dress. I wanted to pair it with the earrings maa gave me for my 21st birthday but one of them is lost. I sighed and proceeded to Liza's room but someone caught me in the way, Mr Stop-this-right-now Khanna to be specific. His arms were around me in a protective manner and my back was against his chest.
"Ti piace davvero mettere alla prova la mia pazienza, vero?", he blabbered in Italian and once again my mind went blank. At times I feel he does it intentionally. That Manipulative-Bastard!
Translation: You sure love to test my patience, don't you?
"Mr Khanna I don't understand Italian."
"Vous êtes incontestablement belle et je ne veux pas que les yeux sales de quelqu'un d'autre vous regardent, Miss Mehta.", I recognised, this time it was French language. My Stars, is he a secret agent or what? How does he know so many languages.
Translation: You look unquestionably beautiful and I don't want someone else's dirty eyes on you, Miss Mehta.
"Do you take me for a Google translator? Like hell, I'm understanding even a single word of what you're saying, Mr Khanna."
He placed a soft kiss on my shoulder and I shivered. Sue me for wearing an off-shoulder. "You sure as heaven don't want to know what I'm saying.", he muttered in my ear.
"What if I say I want?", a chuckle escaped Mr Khanna and I felt it due to the way he was holding me. And just when I was about to question him more,
"Oh, what do we have here?", a third voice interrupted us and once again I tightly shut my eyes and cursed Mr Khanna. The hell with him! The hell with this off-shoulder dress! The hell with his date! The hell with my fate!
I cried internally, this is so embarrassing. I opened my eyes and sure enough, it was Mr Khanna's little gang. All three of them had evil smirks on their faces. Beside me, Mr Khanna had such a fierce icy look in his eyes that if looks could kill, these three would be 6 feet under already.
"Oh, Poor baby is getting angry?", Reece cooed Mr Khanna, his eyes dancing with amusement and mischief.
"I think it's time for us to leave.", Mr Khanna broke his icy silence.
"Next time don't do such frivolous activities in the hallway. Get a room you two.", Liza taunted air quoting the words 'frivolous activities' and Mr Khanna glared at her.
"Oh na Liza, this ain't frivolous for him, is it Neil?", Ivan smirked at Mr Khanna and my ears burned with embarrassment.
"What is happening here?", Naina di came from nowhere and asked the three. They grinned as if they caught Mr Khanna stealing cookies from the kitchen.
"Neil and Avni were discussing something and we just asked them how was it going?"
"Discussion I see.", Naina di smirked and before she could pass a comment, Mr Khanna took a hold of my hand and we walked to his room. As soon as we entered his room I stomped on his feet.
"How will I face them my stars.", I scowled at Mr Khanna who had his back turned to me. What was he doing in his almirah? He pulled me by my forearm and I gasped due to the sudden reflex.
"Don't touch Mr Khanna you've embarrassed me enough for the day.", I ordered sternly making a hand distance. He raised an eyebrow and a smirk plastered on his face." You forgot I don't take orders, Miss Mehta and I lay my finger wherever I desire.", saying this he gripped my hand and twirled me, I tried to break free from his grasp but he won't let me."Stay still otherwise we'll be late for our date."
Our date!
Eeeeek! That means he's equally excited for our date.
And next moment love and more love-filled my heart by his gesture. "The night of the ball you left your jewellery article over there and I picked it.", he said and gracefully made me wear the diamond earring.
"Why did you pick it? You could have just left it."
He hesitated and I could swear on that, Mr Khanna doesn't hesitate."I-I couldn't."
He bent down and when I saw his hand reaching for my foot I backed away, Mr Khanna shot a glare towards me."Stay still."
"Mr Khanna, what are you doing?"
Instead of replying to me, he grasped my ankle and that's when I saw, my sandal wasn't strapped. He did it and got up. My heart swelled seeing his gesture. The man who believes in male chauvinism just touched a woman's foot. A wide grin plastered on my face.
"James you've only two minutes, the third minute I want the guards ready, make sure...", he kept on barking orders at the twins James and Charles but what caught my eye was a bracelet in his almirah, a familiar bracelet. A very familiar bracelet!
Flashback
"Mumma I don't like it here.", I sobbed gripping my star bracelet." Why did you leave me here, it would be better if you were alive today. He hits me, Mumma, he doesn't talk to me like the fathers of my classmates do with their daughters. He doesn't like me, Mumma, Papa doesn't like me, he hates me.", I ran my small palms on my mom's grave, the only place I run to when he comes home drunk.
The sleety rain drizzled down, not very hard and not very fast, but steady as if trying to provide me with a cover-up to hide my tears. Why is my life not normal like that of my classmates. It pricks me when he comes home drunk and starts cursing at me. I am alone Mumma. I'm weak and lonely.
"Why are you releasing these ocular fluids?", a boy approached me. He had soft brown eyes but his features were sharp. "What happened?"
"I'm not releasing any os-oclar floud.", I stuttered not being able to understand his words. He sighed and grabbed my hand and we walked to a shelter. He passed me a handkerchief and I wiped my tears with it.
"How old are you?", he asked me in a commanding tone.
"Ten.", I mumbled.
"I'm thirteen years four months and twenty days.", I gaped at his specificity." Where are your parents?", he further asked.
"My mother is with stars and I don't want to talk about my father.", I muttered sobbing softly."I'm alone, what about your parents?"
"That's none of your business, here we are talking about you.", his words were sharp yet low." Just..Just stop grieving."
"I'm just ten stop using so difficult words.", I muttered wiping my face with his handkerchief.
"You know you should stop grie I mean crying, Your mother won't be happy seeing your tears."
"You think so?"
He nodded and wiped my nose gently taking his hanky from my grasp."Problems are in everyone's life, but it's the life you have to live." He handed me the handkerchief and went up to leave."I need to go, you too go to your home."
"But your hanky is with me."
"Keep it.", he said and started walking away.
"But my teacher says whenever we take something from someone we need to give something in return, I don't have anything besides this bracelet, you take it. It is my favourite bracelet."
"If it's your favourite why are you giving it to me?", he raised an eyebrow at me.
"Because I want to.", I sassed and his lips curled upwards slightly.
"You're one crazy girl.", he shook his head and took the bracelet from my hand. I waved at him but he didn't wave back.
Rude.....?? Name? He didn't tell me his name. I was about to go when his voice fell on my ears."Bye stranger."
A smile crawled my face, he was a nice stranger.
Flashback ends
It was him. The boy who gave me the most important lesson of my life. He was the stranger, Mr Khanna was the nice stranger. Frankly speaking, I had forgotten everything about him but today seeing the bracelet all the moments played like a cassette in front of my eyes. I never would have known that we'd met before if not for this bracelet.
"Let's go, Miss Mehta.", he paused for a second." What pray are you doing there?"
"Uh nothing.", I reassured him but his sceptical eyes didn't leave my face." Really.", I added. Mr Khanna gave me a curt nod and stretching his hand like a gentleman he asked."Shall we?"
"We shall.", I smiled at his gesture and we walked out of the house. Mr Khanna opened the door of the expensive vehicle and I gasped internally. Chivalry and Mr Khanna together! That's some miracle. I tried to seat myself gracefully but ended up hitting my head and Mr Khanna muttered 'clumsy girl' under his breath which I ignored for the evening. Once I was seated in the passenger seat, Mr Khanna took the car keys and walked to the driving seat. I frowned, does he not want to make it alive?
"You will drive?"
"You are going on a date with me, aren't you?"
"Yes but the last time you drove us, your gang was with us and that made me feel safe. I don't trust your driving alone."
"Miss Mehta?", Mr Khanna spoke in a questioning tone.
"Yes."
"Shut up."
'Hahaha, I love it.'
'You shut up.'
"P.S. I'm not in some mafia and stuff that you're calling them my gang.", he added and started driving.
I ignored his snarky comment and looked out to see where we were heading towards but when I failed to recognise the way I sighed and did what one would do in this situation. I asked Mr Khanna, of course!
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see." This man never fails to anger me. See I'm a very patient and non-violent person but this man here makes me so angry I sometimes feel like smacking his head. Always being I-know-everything Khanna.
"Mr Khanna I'm not coming with you. Stop the car.", I declared and proceeded to pull my seatbelt. Mr Khanna took ahold of my hand instantly. Still keeping his eyes on the road he gripped my one hand in his while his other was handling the steering wheel.
"Just wait for a few minutes" and then I heard the most unbelievable word out of his mouth"Please."
I quickly shook my head and blinked my eyes rapidly."Did you just say the word please?"
"We are here.", he stopped the car ignoring my question. I looked in front and the view I saw left me flabbergasted. We were at the beach!
Freakin Beach! I've always wanted to visit the beach since the moment I landed in Mumbai and today when I did, I couldn't help but squeal in happiness. I turned to face Mr Khanna who was already looking at me, a soft look on his face.
"I take it you like the place."
"Like? Holy heavens I love it." He unbuckled the seatbelt and I started doing the same and just when I was about to open the door of my side, Mr Khanna did it for me. How did he walk so fast? Is he a vampire?
'Shut it Avni, we know you don't have a brain so stop freakin' proving it again and again.'
He grabbed my hand and I grinned widely. Just when we were getting close to the shore, Mr Khanna bent in front of me and took off my sandals and trust me when I say that, once again my heart filled with utmost love for him. The sand beneath my toes was the most gentle hue of gold and gracious! oh so soft, I savoured the steady warmth from the grains. The briny aroma filled the atmosphere and I enjoyed every bit of it, every single bit.
And then I saw the most beautiful view of my life. Stars! More stars! And whole lot more stars! The sea was silent, soft and gentle like a lullaby and its soft waves were touching my feet but that wasn't what left me gobsmacked. It was the sky. I felt as if the sky was covered in a blanket of stars. The luminous bodies enlightened the dark sky radiantly.
I could feel his eyes on me but my gaze was stuck to the sky. I've always admired these glowing celestial bodies and today I felt them closer to me, all because of him. Finally averting my eyes from the twinkling objects I looked at Mr Khanna who had an affectionate look in his eyes. Affection for me.
"Thank you, Mr Khanna.", I whispered to him beaming. He walked towards me and pulled me in a soft embrace.
"Mi..Avni.", he started and my breath hitched. It was only the second time when he took my name and he managed to get such reactions out of me."Uh, I..I wanted to apologize for forcing you for this matrimony and since now we have true amorous affection towards each other I want to make our wedding proposition also true and fair."
My brain cells worked fast to calculate the meaning of his words. Why the hell does he use such advanced vocabulary, why can't he keep things simple?
"So you are going to propose me?", I reconfirmed if I was hearing things right or no.
"Sort of yes.", Mr Khanna answered and I praised myself for understanding his words nicely.
"You may proceed.", I gave him the green signal.
"I appreciate your permit," he added and took a hold of my right hand, caressing its palm as if it was made of some fluffy cotton he looked into my eyes for the first time in the evening.
"I know our first meet was disastrous.", he started and that made my grin wider. He too didn't know that wasn't our first meet and no way in heaven was it disastrous, it was one of the most beautiful memories of mine."Anyways before beginning this new episode of our lives I want to apologize for the extemporaneous verdicts I took in the past."
He waited for me to insert a word but I was busy solving his advanced speech in my mind. I have been good at English in my school but that doesn't mean I was an expert so when I didn't say anything he proceeded.
"It's been long since I felt the sensation of satisfaction, a satisfaction I get when you are in my embrace, in my arms. And I just want to make sure no one snatches that from me. So today at eight pm 26 minutes and 54th second I want to ask you Avni, will you let me have this sensation for life?"
My brain was still processing but my heart was swelling with happiness. Mr Khanna never in the whole period tried to open up and I also remained as ignorant as a fool but on the other side, I felt strange happiness that it was me in whom he found his safe haven just like I did in him.
"Miss Mehta I'm not an expressive man, I fail in showing general emotions. I find it really hard, I-I just do but since the day you entered my life, the numbness subsided at once. Starting from the rage I came across the weirdest yet enthralling emotion." He threaded his fingers with mine." Love, I had never thought I would feel this eerie sensation for anyone but I did.", his gaze was locked with mine." For you, only you.", as soon as the last words escaped his lips a tear dropped from my eye.
He wiped the tear away and rested his forehead against mine."Do you, Avni Mehta agree to stick with this Idiot-Arrogant-Narcissistic-Devious-Chauvinistic-Manipulative-Block-of-Ice forever?", he whispered and I laughed internally. Did he really learn all these adjectives I used for him?
"Damn! I missed son of a biscuit!.", he muttered and a burst of full-blown laughter escaped me.
"Miss Mehta stop laughing and appreciate my efforts."
I tried to stop myself from laughing, I really did but I failed miserably." M..Mr Khanna", I laughed."You really remember my all insults well."
"I have got a great memory."
"I can't disagree with that.", I laughed and softly kissed his cheek." I, Avni Mehta.."I started but was interrupted by a call.
First thing tomorrow I'll strangle DD.
Mr Khanna gripped my waist in order to keep me in place."Don't stop, continue."
"I..", but once again I was interrupted by his mobile phone. Mr Khanna closed his eyes in frustration and cursing took out his phone."You have ten seconds DD if I didn't find the matter important I'll make sure to make them the last ten seconds of your job."
But who knew this one call would change our lives forever.
*ducks down to escape the firing questions, slippers and shoes.*
I know the title of the chapter and the last line has left you with curiosity. It's good! *hahaha*.
So many of you even may have guessed what would come now but trust me no one of you can guess what I'll do and I bet upon that. *smirks*
Anyways! For now, I'll keep mum just wait for the next update which was supposed to come today only but this Neil's confession took my whole damn day My God! Please let me know if it was up to your expectation or no.
I'll see you all in the next chapter. Btw those who haven't voted on the last chapter, what are you doing? Go and vote!
Love love
Aapki seva mein sadev tatpar