As the bright lights in the majestic hall crowded by young adults began to simmer into a dim atmosphere, Aarohi took notice of the flat palm in front of her, twice the size of hers that was patiently waiting for her response, even though she had refused it twice before.
"I'm not that bad you know." Her ears caught hold of his voice from behind her, before she tilted her head to the right to come in line with the dark coffee eyes that had a slight glint of mischief written in them. "Just say yes once and I'll prove it to you."
"And what if you can't?" She asked, raising her eyebrows as if to challenge him until she gulped the lump in her throat when he leaned down an inch closer.
"Then tum mujhe chamgadar ke tarah ulta latka dena. I give you permission to do it."
Neil grinned as a meek guffaw released from her, upon recalling her empty yet dangerous threat during the bangle game a few days ago. Although back then he had feared for his life and probably felt the same way right now, he knew that no matter how far he wishes to get away from her, there was something about her that would always draw him in again. Something which he couldn't quite finger point on but it was mysteriously alluring, beautifully intoxicating and most of all, highly venomous.
"Deal." He heard her eventually declare as her soft hands swiftly landed into his, taking his warm one's into her cold ones whilst simultaneously rendering him speechless because if anything, that was incredibly faster than he had anticipated.
"Wow you agreed?"
"Don't let it get to your head. Chalo ab!"
The two made their way to the dance floor in between the young married couples of the Birla household, just in time for the gentle tune of the music that started to prance its way around the room and consume everyone into its deafening spell.
That's everyone excluding them.
"Whatever you do, don't you dare even try to step on my foot!" With her index finger waving at him as sharp as a knife, the bold woman warned him of the upcoming consequences he'd receive if he was to mess this up.
Hence being fully aware of her capabilities, Neil furrowed his eyebrows then cupped his left hand around the small span of hers, whilst contemplating if he should place the other on her shoulder or her waist, before retorting back.
"Need I remind you that you were the one to step on my foot at Bhai and Babhi's tilak?"
"That's coz you pushed me, on purpose!" Her instant reply caught him off guard, for it was lethal, sharp, and dominant just like the strong lady she was and though he'd never admit it, it was the one thing he had gradually started to admire about her.
He then felt his right hand move as it cautiously raised towards her, intending to land on her left shoulder, if it wasn't until he was prevented by her fingers that wrapped around the circumference of his wrist, and then briefly positioned his hesitative hand onto her waist.
"Haath yahaan rakh sakte ho." She stated calmly to provide him the consent he needed, and then decided to drop her arm upon his shoulder once the latter presented her with a reassuring nod.
Slowly, they started to sway with the melody, daintily flowing back and forth with their hands intertwined.
Yet, the two of them continuously shifted their sight to the floor and up, hopelessly trying their best to avoid stumbling, tripping or worse, stepping on the other's foot. But unfortunately, that wasn't exactly easy due to the small gap between them which as a result ended with their heads colliding together.
"Kya kar rahe ho?" Aarohi shrieked, rubbing her head with one hand. "Why are you looking down…Chamgadar?"
The young lad looked at her utterly bewildered by her behaviour.
"Same question tum par bhi apply karta hai…Chipkali!" He snapped back whilst grabbing hold of her fingers, twirling her around and then abruptly pulling her straight back towards him again.
However this time, closer than they both started with or even imagined, because her hands were now pressed against the facet of his torso and his arm enveloped around the entire frame of her figure that if either of them were to face the other, then it wouldn't take a genius to realise that their noses would just be an inch apart from contacting.
Therefore, they set their mind on looking downwards, with her head just above his shoulder and his chin in line with her forehead, they silently danced and remained in each other's embrace.
Till Aarohi stumbled upon her dress and instantaneously grasped onto his shoulders from the back to prevent her from falling as she shut her eyes tightly in fear.
All the while, Neil knew no boundaries as he held onto her protectively, (moving to the music) allowing her heavy breathing that aerated onto his neck to leisurely return to its steady pace, before he chose to speak.
"Tum theek ho?" He inquired at last, his heart suddenly racing at the idea of his confident chipkali being scared of anything, which was something he'd experienced during his brother’s wedding functions and found intolerable back then too - though he had no idea why.
"Hmm." She responded after a while, nodding her head that was cushioned beside his jaw, bringing a sense of relief to him as he released the breath he hadn't realised he held and mumbled under his breath. "Thank God."
Aarohi then took a quick grip on herself, lifting her head off from him and resuming the dance steps with her nose held high because if there's anything she detested the most in life, it was sympathy. Or better say, fake sympathy, which was something she's grown accustomed to receiving, ever since her mother passed away, whether it was from her family members or anyone else.
No one's ever cared about her or how she feels, so why would he?
Yes, she has narrated a part of her and shared a little insight of her injustice feelings to him, just to convey the empathy she had towards him for what he's been through. But Aarohi was a closed book, the pages that are deeply inscribed onto her heart were only accessible by people she chose to show to and surely, Neil was far from that.
Or so she thought.
Little did she know that Neil is the Sherlock who'd been attempting to distinguish, solve and dismantle this pretty mystery ever since he first got to know her true side. The one she masks under the cold heart, brave warrior and audacious form, all reflecting through her mystical brown eyes.
As he observed the girl suddenly alter her behaviour and twist away from him to avert her gaze, he knew just then that those round eyes were a small window to her emotions, and perhaps a key, a hint or an open opportunity for him to understand and empathise with her, more than he thought he already did.
Therefore, he had the strong urge to see them. He had to see them.
In the meantime, a strident gasp escaped the agitated fay's lips as the large hand that kept hold of her, jerked her towards her left. This resulted in her entire body to pivot across him until he quite smoothly yet firmly, clutched both her hands and caged her petite frame into his arms as her back crashed into him - leaving her numb and speechless.
Even her heart started betraying her, rapidly knocking against her ribs so excessively that she could hear it screaming to break down its walls. But why?
Neil didn't even have any of the qualities she requires from her dream guy so if her heartbeats increased to this rate, then there must be some other perfect explanation.
Maybe she was fascinated by his dance moves? He was right, he isn't that bad. In fact he was good at it…incredible even. Dancing with him was definitely a good choice, so that must be it. It has to be the only reason.
"I know hum dhono close nahi hai, but iska ek benefit hai! Isliye tum mujhse kuch bhi share kar sakte ho…jo tum family se bhi nahi keh sakti."
Aarohi gulped at the feeling of his breath that gently tickled her ear as she attempted to understand his words which oddly sounded familiar.
"Ring any bells?" He prompted this time as she began to apply more pressure to her brain, till it eventually struck her. Those were her words she told him at her sister's saawan milni.
"Mai bhi hoon tumhare saath, Aarohi." He spoke again, more of a loud whisper this time, his feet stepping to the left and right with the song as he secured her into his custody, unknowingly offering to be her blanket of protection as well as comfort.
She closed her eyes then. It was all too overwhelming. One minute she had absolutely no one and now suddenly there's someone who wanted to support her. Someone who once hated her and judged her - just like everyone else did.
Who gave him the right to?
Aarohi huffed inwardly, once she was satisfied that she's made up her mind. Her head then looked over her shoulder to meet his gaze, his eyes genuinely filled with concern as opposed to the daggers she shot from hers.
"Listen." She advised, pouring out as many ruthless words as she possibly could. "The only reason I said that to you was because I felt bad for what you went through. I found it so sad and tragic so as a doctor, I couldn't let you stay so upset and decided to help you!...And one more thing, tum please apne kaam sa matlab rako. Meri mamlon mai taang larane ki koi zuroorat nahi hai!"
She noticed his jaw clench at her words, proving that he was absorbing it all in, and as glad as she felt at that moment, she wasn't going to lie that she regretted it too, because from all the times she'd spent with her Chamgadar, somewhere deep down, she had started to develop a soft corner for him too.
Neil exasperated a heavy sigh, feeling somewhat stupid for his actions when he knew she was obviously going to say something spiteful to push him away. And indeed her plan would have worked if she was free to storm off like usual.
But right now, she was trapped in his arms, her only weapon being her deadly glare but Neil took no notice of the threats they were delivering to him because instead, he was reading right through them.
Her eyes were like that of a lion cub. Those big coffee drops had captivated him into a trance as they swirled like the ocean, mingling with a myriad of emotions. Pain, apprehension, remorse - they were all there, enveloped into a twisted misery.
Like him, she was just another absentminded soul that was cocooned inside her shell of comfort and in contrast to his, that shell had walls higher than anyone's reach which he was strangely willing to either climb over or smash at any given opportunity if she was to let him just once.
Except, today was not the day. So despite the amount of things he wanted to say to her, Neil settled the conversation with a simple "Ok" by taking the mauve adorned doctor by the hand and allowing her to pirouette from the tip of his finger.
Daintily, the long skirt of her dress flowed, levitating to her ankles from the floor as her wavy hair bounced leniently across her face;
and she stood there like a flower, powerful and blooming.
But Aarohi was no ordinary soft floret, thought Neil, as a subtle smile graced his lips. She was a rose, a blue rose to be precise; the rarest and mysterious of them all. Apparently they were impossible to attain, nonetheless he was daring to try it.
What could possibly go wrong?
"Waise." She began to speak to divert the topic as they returned to the initial position with him placing her arms around his neck for ease. "Tum itne bhi buri nahi ho." But one look at his cocked eyebrows and she instantly realised the formation of her words. "I mean…as a dancer obviously."
"Thanks." He grinned with his charismatic smile, delighted to know that he's actually impressed her for once. "You're good too."
"Any task or job, Dr Aarohi humesha Best hi karti hai because she is the best!"
"Isme koi shaq nahi hai." Neil wasn't startled or stunned this time because if anything, that was the truth. Dr Aarohi was best in quite a lot of things and that included concealing her true emotions too.
On the other hand, Aarohi certainly was astonished because for years this was something she'd been saying to others to convince herself, regardless if she meant it or not. And for the first time, someone actually agreed to it.
Her eyes bored into his hazy ones, glistening against the spotlight behind her as she scavenged for any hint of humour in them desperately hoping to find that he was joking. But the two brown orbs gleamed back at her, bright, positive and diluted which triggered her wretched heart to intensify once more, because this idiot, her sister's brother-in-law and the one whom she calls Chamgadar, meant every word he said.
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