Aanya reached home and found Manya's door slightly open. She pushed it slowly and went inside to find Manya sleeping with a file in her hand.
Aanya took away the file and pulled the covers on her. Manya was working very hard to finish her current project in the office so that she could take her holiday for the wedding. As the day of the wedding was nearing, Aanya was realising more and more how much she was gonna miss her.
Her sister was beginning a new chapter in her life, love had done her good after all. Is it true what everyone keeps telling her? Is it really worth the try? She would have to do it herself if she wanted to know. But was Raj the one who she'd want to give it a try with?
Which other guy interested her currently? None, she thought.
Aanya went to her room and sank in her bed. She finally made the decision.
She called Raj.
One ring.
Two rings.
Three rings.
"Okay I called but he ain't picking. There goes my try," she spoke to herself and was about to hang up when a voice spoke from other end, "Hey."
"Umm hey," Aanya replied.
Silence followed.
"I'm sorry," both of them blurted at the same time.
Aanya took a whole minute to register it before both of them laughed.
"Look I wanted to apologise for snapping at you like that!," Aanya told him.
"Well even I'm sorry, I was rude to you," he said, "It's just that I'm not used to being turned down."
"Same here. Like I'm not used to being flirted with," Aanya said.
"What?," Raj exclaimed, "How can someone not flirt with you?"
"Oh well everyone knows me and they know better than messing with me that's all," she said and could here Raj giggling.
That was when she placed her hand on her forehead, "You were flirting again!"
"Aanya I doubt guys must not be flirting with you. They sure must be! Its just that you can't figure out they are," he laughed.
"Look honestly. I can't flirt. I mean I don't know what to say and when to say it. So excuse me if I fail to understand your words," she told him.
"You'll understand," Raj said, "You'll understand when I'm trying to woo you."
Aanya got butterflies in her stomach. Did he just say he would woo her? Was he like declaring that he was gonna flirt with her?
"You said you aren't used to being turned down. I take that as you're quite a womanizer?," she asked.
"Oh you hurt me Aanya! Not all! Just some beautiful ones like you," he smirked behind the phone.
How much ever Aanya wanted to blush and smile, she replied, "Woah there. I never said your flirting was accepted. Don't make me change my mind about you!"
Raj lay on his bed as he asked, "So you've made your mind about me?"
"I.. I.. I d.. Didn't say that," Aanya said.
"Oh god Aanya. Relax. I was kidding," Raj laughed.
"Umm ya whatever," she said.
"You look adorable when you narrow your eyes like right now," he said.
Aanya panicked and looked around.
"No I'm not spying on you," Raj laughed again.
"Okay I just called to apologise and know that we were cool! I'll see you tomorrow then?," she wanted to hang up.
"Hey listen. What are you doing tomorrow after class?," Raj asked.
"Nothing as such. Why?"
"If you don't have any plans. Would you let me take you for lunch?," he politely asked.
Is he like asking me out, Aanya thought.
'Say yes', an angelic version of hers appeared in front of her and said.
'He's just trying to pass his time, he has no other intentions. Refuse,' a devil Aanya appeared.
'We can't judge him already,' the one in white said.
'And thus we can't trust him,' the one with horns said.
"Aanya? You there?," Raj was speaking, "Look its okay if you don't wanna go. Sorry I shouldn't have asked like this."
"No," Aanya exclaimed, "I'll go with you. Anyway I owe you one for snapping at you earlier."
"Well me too. For being rude. So a make up lunch it is then?," he asked.
"Yeah," she said.
"All right. See you then," Raj smiled and Aanya could make it through the phone.
"See You. Good night," Aanya said before handing up.
She took a deep breath and thought, "That escalated quickly."
If she had to know about him, she had to go out with him.
Pushing away rest of her thoughts, she turned off the lights and slept.
...
Keya woke up to her alarm and looked around for Krish. He wasn't in the room. Keya got up nevertheless and went to check if the bathroom was empty. Surprisingly, it was.
So where was Krish?
Keya tied a bun of her hair and went to take her hair clip from her bed side table when she saw a white paper there.
Hey pumpkin, you were sleeping so peacefully that didn't wanna wake you up. I'm off to office early. Have a video call with the Australian office.
I'll see you tonight.
Hugs & Kisses.
Keya sighed. It's been a while since Krish and she spent some quality time together.
Keya got ready sooner than usual and had her breakfast.
"Mumma will you come with me to Vivan's place? The furniture has arrived and we need to set the baby's room. I'll stay around for an hour or so and then leave for work," Keya asked Gauri.
"Yes my love. I'll go change and we can leave," she replied
...
"Varun and Aanya have done an amazing job," Reema was telling Gauri.
"Oh my god mom! They even got a miniature sofa set. Like seriously? And look! A mini office?!," Keya exclaimed as she went around the stuff.
"Guess he is going to take after his father," Reema said.
"Keya I hope you don't mind with the changes I've made," Reema asked her.
"No aunty! Why would I? After all you definitely have more sense in these matters," Keya told her.
In an hour they had almost set the room. Keya's bed and wardrobe would stay as they were for Simran to use. The baby's crib was placed between the bed and the windows.
Rest of the furniture replaced Keya's old furniture.
"Take this all to the guest room on the second floor," Reema told Marc.
"I've shifted Vivan's room next to Varun's too. In case you decide to stay here, you can stay next to them," she told Keya.
Keya left for work leaving the two ladies to catch up on their yesteryears.
"Everytime I meet Keya, I never fail to get a glimpse of Priya in her," said Reema, "Keya gives in her everything for the ones she loves too."
"She is one gem of a girl," Gauri said, "Frankly, Krish always gets on our nerves. Ever since his childhood, he has been rebellious and mischievous. But Keya, she never has once given us any chance to be upset at her. Infact she is also a major reason why Krish has improved. Sameer and Krish used to be playing all day long, turning a deaf ear to our warnings. But once Keya was born, they calmed down. They spent most of their time looking after her then."
"I wish I could be here with you guys," Reema said, "I regret not coming back to you guys."
"Don't be crazy Reema. Yes we did miss you all the time but you were just fulfilling your duties of a wife and mother. And look what a fine job you've done. Vivan's arrival has like lightened up this complex. I've never seen Keya this happy since Sameer left us," Gauri said getting a bit emotional.
"I couldn't be happier either, about my son staying amongst you people. I secretly wished that my husband permanently gets us to shift here. That was what I hoped when we came to India. To somehow convince him to stay here itself. But things turned the other way around," Reema sighed.
"How is he? Like has he asked about the baby?," Gauri inquired.
"He does talk to me. But he never asks about the boys or the baby," she replied sadly, "I need to find a way to bring him back. Only then can my family solve their issues with each other."
"You will Reema. And never forget that we are with you in this! You aren't alone," Gauri assured her friend.
Reema smiled at her and they resumed the work.
...
Keya went to the hospital and checked on Simran before starting her work. It was late in the afternoon that she was sent to their head office which was where Vivan worked from.
Keya happily went there and headed straight to the accounts department where she was to attend a meeting. Her meeting was done in an hour and she went to see Krish and Vivan.
The office where Krish's team worked from was empty so she went to Vivan's cabin. The secretary warmly welcomed Keya and sent her inside.
Vivan who was attending a phone call beamed on watching Keya who mouthed a 'Hi' to him.
"Mr. Stephens, I'll call you back. Fetch me some more information till then," Vivan said on the phone and hung up.
"What a pleasant surprise," Vivan got up and hugged her.
"Seriously Vivan? We just met last night. You acting like its been ages," Keya smiled while still in his arms.
"Oh girl. Don't you get it. Ever hour without you is equal to a year," he said while Keya giggled and gave him a peck.
"Do you know where Krish is?," she asked Vivan.
"Oh yes I do. He is in the conference hall right now. His team is exchanging and interpreting reports with our Australian counterpart. It would take him a while to be done," he told her.
"Oh," Keya let out.
Vivan judged her face and said, "Is there anything important? I can call him over for few if you want."
"Oh no no. There is no hurry. I'll meet him at home tonight. I was just curious. You know he left early today and all," she told him.
"But didn't even you guys meet just yesterday?," Vivan smirked.
"Well no. We do share a room and we do see each regularly but we didn't get the time to 'talk' for a couple of days," she told Vivan.
"For how long max have you two stayed without 'talking' to each other until now?," Vivan asked Keya.
Keya took a seat and lay her head down on the table and said, "I don't even remember because there have hardly been such days. Like few years ago, after my brother left us, Krish had gone to this camp. I had fallen sick because of him not being around me. As we grew up, I started to become self dependent but still, Krish was always there. There was no reason for him to be away from me. In Australia, we used to be busy all day but in the end, we used to be together. We had a deal that we would never have dinner without the other unless we had any night out with friends. But our friends were common too. A day or two might have been the max."
Vivan surely felt a bit jealous, not about his girlfriend being addicted to her best friend, but of why he never got such a best friend.
"I don't wanna sound wrong but don't you wanna spend time with me?," Vivan asked.
"Vivan I do spend time with you," Keya looked up at him.
"Well you sure can go without me for more than a day," Vivan said and regretted it immediately. He never wanted to say that. God knows what took over him.
Keya widened her eyes at him and spoke, "You want me to be with you everyday?"
To Vivan's surprise she did not question him about comparing himself with Krish. He thought about what she asked and replied, "I like being with you. The way I feel when you are around, I'd like to feel like that everyday of my life."
Keya's heart made a flip. His words made blood rush to her cheeks. It's not just what Vivan said, but the way he said it which made Keya smile.
"Did you spend time your ex girlfriends daily?," she asked him.
"What? No!," Vivan exclaimed, "I couldn't stand the same girl for more than a week."
Keya raised her eyebrows and Vivan bit his lip and said, "Okay one month.! But the point is, you are my first serious relationship."
Keya laughed but she couldn't overlook the fact that Vivan was comparing their relationship with that of her and Krish's.
"Vivan can I ask you for something?," she asked.
"Anytime my love," he replied.
"Promise me that you'll never jump to conclusions like that. Just coz I wanted to spend time with Krish, it doesn't mean that I didn't want to spend time with you. Krish is my best friend as well as support system. Talking to him helps me solve my life. Some people call me addicted to him, but it's not addiction, it's just something that we did spontaneously. We are habitual to it, not addicted. I can stay without talking to him for more than just two days or maybe two weeks, but it's just that we've never come across such a situation and I hope we never do but if it ever does, we'll be quite mature about it and accept it. And as for us Vivan, I love you and I enjoy being with you. But lets be a bit practical here. Had we not living so close by, had we not shared the common banner to work under, would we have spent every day with each other?," she asked.
Vivan pouted as he thought about it and then replied, "Had we even been together if it weren't for the conditions you just mentioned?"
Now that was a reply Keya never expected. But it was the truth. Had Vivan not come to stay next door and had she not worked for him, they wouldn't have interacted the way they had.
"Convincing enough," she said, "But do you think that in order to maintain this relationship we need to meet every day?"
Vivan smiled, "Nah! Its not this relationship that wants us to meet everyday. It's just my stupid little heart."
Keya rested her back against her chair and swirled around in it.
She spoke whenever she faced Vivan, "I think. We need to. Find a solution."
"How about you move in with me," Vivan said and made Keya almost fall off the chair.
He went to her and laughed. He held her hand and took her to sit on the couch. They sat facing each other but Keya expression was still of shock.
"I was kidding babe!," Vivan laughed, "My mom would kill me if she found out. How much ever she might be liking you, she still believes in her traditional indian values."
"I knew you were kidding," Keya said.
"Oh really?," Vivan smirked.
"Yeah! Vivan Rathod would never let anyone invade his space!," she said.
"Oh Keya! How little you know about me," he teased her.
"Whatever! I think I have a plan," she told him.
"And what would that be?," Vivan asked.
"You could drive me to work every day," she suggested, "Since the hospital is on the way to this office. You could pick me up and drop me off."
"Why didn't I think of it before," Vivan wondered.
"Well because if we do so, you'll reach office an hour earlier than you usually do. Though it would be the time your office does begin, are you willing to hurt your reputation?," it was Keya's time to tease Vivan.
"I am always on time!," he said.
"Oh really?," Keya mimicked the way he had said it.
"Okay fine maybe since a say or two I've been coming late," Vivan was speaking but Keya cut him, "Oh come on! You've always come late. It was only when your dad was here that you used to come on time!"
"Yeah coz the house is filled with people now. It takes time you know, when you have to talk to so many people then breakfast takes longer," Vivan said.
Keya shaked her head and laughed, "You are impossible!"
"Okay I'm cool! I don't mind. From today I pick you up!," he decided.
"And if you come even a minute late, I leave without you!," Keya warned.
"Deal!," Vivan confirmed.
"Good Boy," Keya pinched his nose.
"Ugh Keya! Don't do that!," Vivan said and caught both her hands behind her back before starting to kissing her.
Keya was mesmerised by the kiss and kissed him back with love and passion.
It was only when someone knocked on the door that they both let go. They both straightened themselves out before Vivan called out, "Come in."
It was Krish, Sahil and one more guy who Keya recognised as Krish's colleague.
"Hey boys!," Keya greeted them.
"Hello Keya!," Sahil replied and gave a file to Vivan, "See it before giving it to Vansh."
"Yep!," Vivan said, "I'll go home and do it. You guys can go now too."
"But we've got two more hours," the third guy said.
"Yeah but there ain't much work. You guys had come in early anyway. Go home now," Vivan told him.
The guy left since he knew the others would stay.
"We'll leave too then?," Keya asked him.
"Yes sure," Vivan told her and kissed her forehead before hugging her, "I'll leave after a while with Sahil."
"Thanks," Keya whispered to him for she knew the only reason he had dismissed them early was for her.
Krish and Keya said goodbyes and left together.
"So? How was the office action. I knew you always digged the office pornos!," Krish told her while in the lift.
Keya hit him and explained, "Shut the fuck up Krish! We were just talking and you know I've never watched any of that shit!"
"Violence at work place is a chargable offence!," he pushed her.
"Ya right! Wait till we get home then!," she told him and they left for home in their own vehicles.
...
Krish arrived home before Keya so when she reached home, their mother asked, "You guys left together?"
Keya took the opportunity to get back at Krish, "Yes Mumma.. We both left together from the head office. How much earlier than me did Krish reach? I thought my car was faster than his bike! But.."
"Send him down," Gauri told her before she could complete.
"Yes Mumma," Keya shook her head like a good little girl and smirked as she went upstairs.
"Hey sexy! How was the boss?," Krish tried to tease her.
"Shut up and take that ass of yours downstairs! Mumma wants to talk to you," she told him.
The notorious smile on her face told Krish that she was up to something so he asked, "What did you do?!"
"Go and find out," she smiled at him.
"We are not done yet!," he said before leaving.
When Krish came back he was furious at Keya and going straight to her he gripped her neck in his elbow.
"Kriiiiiish!! Leave me na!!!," she shouted.
He then even held her hands behind her back with his other hand and said, "I reached early coz you got stuck at two signals more than me!"
"Yeah I know!!," Keya replied.
"Aahh Krish! Its hurting na!," she begged him to leave her.
"First say sorry!," he commanded.
"Okay sorry!," she said.
"Now say that Krish is the most amazing driver and there is no chance that I can drive as good as him!," he said.
"Not a chance!," Keya said and Krish gripped her more tightly.
"Aahannnn! Okay fine! You are an amazing driver!," she said.
"And?"
"And I can never match you!," she said quickly.
Krish finally released her. Keya rubbed her wrist and shouted, "You ass!"
She pushed him and made him fall on the bed and sat on his stomach only to start tickling him.
Krish shouted amidst his laughter and it was a riot. Their mother had to come upstairs to stop their fighting.
"When are you guys gonna grow up!," she said as she made them sit ten feet away from each other.
"Never!," both of them said at the same time.
"Come down for dinner after changing your clothes," she said and kissed each of them before leaving.
"Because of you I can't ride alone now. Mom said that I'll have to take you along everyday," Krish told Keya.
"Umm sorry babe! Not possible. Vivan is going to be my ride from now on," she told him.
"What!," Krish exclaimed, "So how do I ho to the office?!"
"You can ride with Sahil!," she suggested.
"Or Sahil and I can both ride with you and your lover boss!," Krish said.
"No way!," Keya told him, "That's gonna be our private time together. You guys are not welcome!"
"Ouch! That hurt," Krish faked pain holding his chest.
"Whatever!," she said.
"Well come on! Where is your save the environment ideology now! Less cars less pollution!," Krish pressed her.
"I'll plant a tree daily and compensate for it!," Keya shut him out.
"Oh come on. This is no way," Krish told her.
"Don't irritate han! I'll talk to mom if I have to but you are not riding with us!," Keya declared and went to the washroom.
...
After dinner Krish and Keya went to sit on the swing in their balcony. They decided to keep their phone indoors so that there wasn't any disturbance.
"So how's it going? The relationship..," Keya asked him.
Krish smiled and looked at the sky, "I love her."
Keya widened her eyes and exclaimed, "You what!? Oh my god! Oh my god!"
She sprang up from her seat and jumped around.
"Shh! Come here!," Krish told her, "Promise me you'll not tell this to her!"
"You haven't told her yet?!," she sat back.
"No.! I'm waiting for the right time and opportunity! I want to make it special. She deserves it," he said.
"Tell me everything! When and how did you realise you love her!," Keya was extremely excited.
"Only if you promise to shut up!," he demanded.
Keya pursed her lips, acted to zip it and throw the key away.
"Okay so you know very well why I finally gave in to her and started dating her. I had left all my baggage behind before deciding to date again," Krish began, "Keya do you remember you all always thought that I was talking to myself? You know I used to talk to Aarya right? She always appeared and she talked to me."
He continued after Keya nodded, "She used to appear everything I took some big step in my life or when I was about to do something new and different. She gave me a prep talk, or just added to my confidence or answered my queries. "
Keya opened her mouth but didn't speak anything remembering her promise.
Krish saw that and said, "Yeah I know you'd say that it was just my conscience. But don't you get it? It was my conscience from when I was with Aarya! It was the old me! Aarya's memories had helped me keep alive my old self."
Keya held his arm and leaned on his shoulder.
"I stopped seeing her," he said, "I stopped seeing her when since the time I was unsure about my feelings for Tanya. I stopped seeing her when I was adamant about not moving on. Why now? Well because now was the right time for me to move on and I wasn't."
"Thanks to you and everyone around that I'm with such an amazing woman today. Yesterday I took Tanya to the cave. Did you know she has never been there? I thought everyone must have been there but guess its just Manya, you and me who have been going there!," he said.
Keya decided to speak this time, "Umm and Vivan! I had taken him there too. It was there where we had our first kiss and.. Wait. Forget it. You continue!"
"Okay so I took her to the cave and we were just talking and enjoying the view. She told me about her years in Delhi and she asked me about my childhood. Our childhood. I talked to her for hours. I, was the one who did most of the talking. I never even realised how time flew and the sun had started to set...
FLASHBACK :
"Stop it Krish!," Tanya laughed as he sang in the most tuneless way possible.
Krish kept staring at her laughter. Why hadn't he been able to see this before? She had such a beautiful smile.
"What are you waiting for then? Tell her," a girl spoke from nowhere.
Krish panicked but it wasn't much later that he saw Aarya looking at him. She sar right next to Tanya and looked at him.
'Where have you been?,' Krish asked her in his mind.
"Thats not a concern! Tell her about her smile," she urged him.
"Beautiful," he said out loud.
"Umm what?," Tanya wondered.
"You. Your smile. It's beautiful," Krish said to which Tanya blushed immediately.
"Don't you think she should be complimented on her eyes too! Damn I always wanted those thick eyelashes," it was Aarya again.
'You what!,' Krish was dumbfounded.
Aarya just growled at him that was enough for Krish to speak, "and those eyes of yours. They are mesmerizing."
Tanya blushed but laughed immediately and so did Aarya.
"Mesmerizing?," Tanya asked and continued to laugh, "Trying to be classic aren't you?."
Krish could just look at the way both the girls laughed. What he was seeing was something he had never seen before or even realised for the matter of fact.
Their laughter matched. They synced with each other. He felt Aarya merging into Tanya until she was completely gone.
This was it. He saw Aarya again when Tanya had opened him up about his past. Tanya made him realise who he really was. The Krish who loved Aarya. That was the Krish everyone loved. Aarya had come back to him only because he had went back to being himself. Was that what Aarya was trying to convey.
Tanya did what no one else could. It made her different from all his other friends. She wasn't just his girlfriend for namesake. She made him feel better about himself at last.
She wasn't just beautiful and smart but she had the power of love with which she was solving Krish.
That instant Krish knew, he loved her. How could he not? She was everything he wanted a girl to be. She was everything Aarya was.
END OF FLASHBACK
Keya kept looking at Krish once he told her everything.
"Say something!," he demanded.
"Mesmerizing?," she said and let out she laughter she had been holding.
"What is it with you girls?," Krish sighed.
"Sorry! Its just that they don't make guys like you these days! Its more than a surprise for a girl if her guy compliments her, forget those heavy magical words!," Keya told him.
Krish didn't say anything. That was when Keya hugged him and said, "You have no idea how happy you've made me today Krish. I've waited for this day for ages now. I'm so happy you realised it. Tanya is indeed a wonderful person and she'll always keep you happy."
"You need to remember one thing though," Keya continued, "Though she is the girl you love, she isn't Aarya. She has her own identity. You can't do injustice to her by comparing her with Aarya. She deserved more than that, for you to love her as who she is and not as who you think she is like."
"I'll never compare her," Krish said.
"Baby comparison isn't always negative. You would never know but often you'll find yourself expecting from her about things Aanya did. You must not let that happen," she explained.
"You'll be there for me right? To guide me through this?," he asked.
"You don't even need to ask Krish! We are not letting anything screw us up anymore. Who would have thought? That we would find love at the same time!," she smiled.
"Love is in the air, one more time," he said.
"It is indeed," Krish heard Aarya and looked in the direction she appeared.
Keya found Krish staring into space and she told him, "Tell her I say hi! And that I'm mad at her that I don't get to see her."
Krish smiled at Keya and said, "Come on! She says she loves you!"
"I love you too Aarya," Keya smiled and looked at the deep dark sky.
...
After the lecture Varun cried, "Kill me now! All this is too boring. I wanna go out there and do something practical!."
"We all do," Raj said, "But it's important to have the basic knowledge about what we would be dealing with."
"I agree with him," said Aanya.
"When do you not?," Varun mumbled.
"Excuse me?," Aanya asked who hadn't clearly heard what he spoke.
"Well he is saying that why not! Might as well tolerate it!," Ritika spoke in for him.
"Let's go!," Varun got up, "We need to get ready for tomorrow! My nephew is coming home!"
Varun was ecstatic about it.
"Umm Varun! Actually I'm going out with Raj for lunch," she told him.
Varun didn't like it, "But Simmy is coming tomorrow instead of Sunday."
"Yeah but I had already promised Raj," she told him.
"Oh it's okay! It's just lunch! She'll join us after that," Ritika told Varun.
"Alright! See you guys then," Varun faked a smile and walked in a direction opposite to theirs.
Ritika followed him.
"Varun?," Aanya called out and told Raj that she'll meet him near his bike.
Varun turned around and went to her, "Yeah?"
"You were the one who told me that I should give Raj a chance right? That's what am doing," she said.
Varun immediately felt bad for how he had reacted and apologised, "Yeah. I'm sorry I just wanted you to come to do the preps but again, you'll be gone just for a while. Go enjoy yourself. No hanky panky okay?."
Varun laughed while Aanya make a face of disgust, "Cheeeee Varun!"
"See Ya! I'll be just a call away!," he said as he took a few steps backwards.
"Raj is not some psychopath!," she smiled and they parted ways.
...
"You went to an all boys school? Like seriously?," Aanya asked him.
"Well yeah. My parents didn't want me around girls you see," he joked.
"Oh did they know already that your charm would kill girls?," she laughed.
"Umm I'm not sure about that but definitely sure now that you find me charming," he smirked, "And I always wondered why weren't my charms working on you."
Aanya was a bit embarrassed at the situation so she changed the topic, "Are you planning to settle in Mumbai itself?"
"I'm not really sure. It depends where Dad wants me to be," he said.
"Don't you have a say in your own life?," she enquired.
Raj let out a hearty laugh and said, "My dad has my life planned out. I went to the school he wanted, took the classes he wanted, worked where he wanted and moved to wherever he wanted. He pretty much pulls the strings of my life.?"
"What about social service? Is he the one who put you in this?," she asked.
"Well no! He doesn't care about what I do in my free time as long as I go to his office daily be it for some time and "learn" from him," he replied.
"Your dad is almost like Varun's father except that he has given his boys lot more freedom."
"I've heard they have a loving mother," he said.
"She is an amazing woman!," Aanya said, "What about your mother. Doesn't she say anything to your father?"
"Mom? She doesn't care as long as dad pays her credit card bills and doesn't interfere in her social life. My mom is one of those typical hypocrite rich ladies who show off their money by wearing the best brands and then going out for lunch to discuss how poor and unfortunate countries like Uganda are!"
Aanya totally understood what he meant.
"You should always come her if you want donation for any social welfare. She is always in to show off by signing big cheques. I intend to loot hee for the same!," Raj said.
"Oh my god you are evil!," Aanya smiled.
"Well I do have a loving grandmother though. She is my everything. If it weren't for her I wouldn't have been so composed all my life. She saved me from the neglection of my parents. She is the one who has taught me my values. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be sitting with you here," Raj told her.
Aanya felt bad about Raj's parents but also she kind of liked his grandmother.
"You should meet her someday. I'm sure she will like you," he said.
"Oh I would love to," Aanya told him.
Aanya had started admiring Raj for his sensitive, thoughtful and loving nature. Life wouldn't have been easy for him but why didn't he ever stand up for his own choices.
"What about your family?," Raj asked.
Aanya smiled and went on about her parents, sisters and then the gang. She made a note of talking about why he never raised his opinion later some day.
They had pizza for lunch and Raj dropped her at Vivan's after that. She tried to invite him in but he politely declined saying that he had to go to his dad's office.
When Aanya went upstairs it was just Ritika and Varun in the room apart from two servants who were mopping the floor.
"Good job there," Aanya said analysing the room.
Varun and Ritika who were sitting on the bed and laughing over something saw Aanya who joined them.
"Mom and Gauri Aunty did most of it," Varun said and asked, "How was lunch?"
"Oh we went for pizza and just talked about our families," she told them.
"Where are the aunties?," she asked.
"They've gone to shop for some gifts for the couple and baby. They are holding some rituals tomorrow and planning to carry out the naming ceremony," Varun told her.
"Raj didn't come upstairs?," Ritika asked.
"No. He had to go see his dad. Seems like Varun isn't the only one who is forced into family business," she said.
"Oh wow! So now do Raj and I have a moment and we turn into buddies for life?," Varun grinned wickedly.
"Aanya this guy has been boring me entire afternoon! You can have him all for yourself. I'll take a leave now," Ritika said and got up to leave.
"Bye Aloo Tikki!," Varun said and she threw a pillow at him.
"Bye babe. Do come tomorrow," Aanya told her.
"Come lets arrange the soft toys. We got the racks built just for them," Varun told her.
While they were placing the toys, Aanya spoke, "Thanks.."
"For what?," Varun asked.
"You know for what! For encouraging me to talk to him. I enjoyed the lunch," she said.
Varun smiled at her, "See it didn't go bad right? You have to trust yourself sometimes. And no need to thank me, it was you after all who took the decision."
Varun thought that she was happy for Aanya but why was his heart telling him otherwise.
....