"One day, you will shine so brightly that even the darkness will shy away from you."
Hearing 'can't keep my hands to myself', Aahana groaned in frustration, letting out a thread of curses. She covered her face with the comforter to block the sound but the bloody phone wouldn't stop blaring.
"Aahana," Atharva grumbled. "Your phone."
Aahana shook her head and leaned against his chest. "You answer,"
"Aahana," He tapped her cheek. "Please."
Wanting to kill both Atharva and the person on the other end, Aahana let go of the warmth, unwillingly, and stood up in what looked like sheer rage. Instead of glancing at the called ID, she picked up the call and heard Jay's annoying voice. "What's up, Sweetpea. When are we going shopping today?"
She blinked. Once. Twice.
Aahana couldn't hold on anymore. "JAY?" She yelled incredulously. "You are so dead Jay." with that she hung up and switched off her phone.
It was Sunday, so sleeping was a must but the drowsiness had washed away. She scowled at the thought of Jay who was insane to infinity and sluggishly walked into her room to clear her head which was hell-bent on planning ways to murder him.
It was still 6 in the morning when she came out of the bathroom, freshly showered and ready.
She thought of making breakfast but again, it was too early. She went back to Atharva and he was peacefully asleep. She jumped on the bed next to him and sighed wistfully.
Lucky him.
Her fingers threaded into his hair, her fingertips running along his scalp gently.
"You have soft hair. Really, really soft." She mumbled to herself.
"You can use my shampoo." Aahana let out a squeal in surprise when he cracked his eyes open.
"Mine is better tho, thanks." She rolled her eyes and shook her head deliberately, making droplets of water from her slightly wet hair fall on his face.
"What the- go away." Atharva aimed a pillow at her face, his voice thick and hoarse with sleep.
Aahana let out a cry and ducked in time to see the pillow land on the floor. "You are trying to kill me."
"A pillow doesn't hurt." He pulled her to his chest, his strong arms sliding around her tiny waist. "Who was that?"
"Jay."
Just one word and Atharva groaned, already knowing what he wanted. "I don't know anyone called Jay nor is my wife friends with any Jay."
Aahana laughed. "Hmm, I have switched off my phone."
"My wife is the best." Atharva attempted a salute and gave a lazy smile, his eyelids drooping from time to time.
Aahana's heart fluttered.
He could be adorable too.
Her eyes flickered down to his lips and she gulped at their proximity. He was so close and she could easily kiss him if she leaned in just a little. Atharva somehow knew what was coming next and felt his face fall. He sat up immediately and moved away from her as if, as if she was going to burn him.
He cleared his throat awkwardly which brought her back to her senses. Her eyes went wide as saucers, face flushing in mortification.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. "I'm so sorry. I- I don't know. I ha-haven't... I swear I wasn't going to-" She sputtered.
"Kiss me?" His face was blank, not giving away anything.
Aahana nodded and looked down at her lap.
Atharva swallowed. "I have never been kissed before."
"Same." Aahana's voice was just above a whisper.
Atharva nodded but stopped short. His head shot up in her direction. "Never?"
Aahana shook her head, her lower lip between her teeth.
"Weren't you from the popular group?"
"They were just friends." She frowned at him.
"That's uh...impressive." Atharva's lips twitched which eventually turned into a smirk as mischief flashed in his eyes.
Aahana couldn't help but gape at him. This was a totally different Atharva, the sexy one she hardly ever saw with that look and his untamed bed hair. "Shut up." She glowered at him.
Atharva chuckled and placed his arm around her shoulder, guiding her to the kitchen. "Just give me some time?"
She was staring at her feet but that made her look up at him. "Forever, remember?"
He breathed. "Alright, so I'll just freshen up and come."
Aahana nodded with a smile and was about to make coffee when the telephone rang. With a puzzled look, she hurried to the hallway and received the call. "Hello?" Her voice was tentative.
"How dare you switch off your phone?"
"Jay? Are you kidding me? How did you get this no.?"
"Sources." He muttered. "So when are you coming?"
"After breakfast." Aahana sighed.
"No no, we wouldn't want to be late sweetpea. Tonight is the opening and I have to buy everything. I don't know if I can, I'm so nerv-" Jay started to babble in a distressed tone but Aahana cut him off with a chuckle.
"Aww poor baby, don't freak. We'll be there in five."
She was already wearing faded blue jeans and a red shirt tucked in it which looked fine for shopping so she slumped on the couch and waited for Atharva to come.
"No breakfast?" Atharva asked while shrugging on his blazer.
"Nah. Jay wants us to be there now."
Atharva groaned. "Why must I go? I have work to do."
"I don't want to be a third wheel." Aahana's voice was low. She sure was imagining them do the dirty.
"Stop. You all will be shopping Aahana." He ran his fingers through his hair.
"Please," She stared at him with puppy eyes. "Just today?"
How could I say no?
He smiled. "Let's go."
Her face lit up and she nodded happily.
When she met Jay, she felt her anger re-surface. She marched in his direction with narrowed eyes and crossed her arms.
"Who the hell disturbs at 5 in the morning? And Dinesh, could you not stop him?"
"I tried. He wouldn't listen." Dinesh stifled a yawn and shook his head. It seemed like he hadn't slept all night. Don't ask why.
"Guys don't start again," Atharva stated in an exasperated tone. "We would better hurry up."
Sighing and nodding, they listened to him and headed to the shopping mall.
"Listen Jay, you don't have much time so we will help you buy and you gotta let us." Aahana said once they were inside.
Jay frowned and opened his mouth to protest but then nodded with a defeated sigh. "Fine."
Finally, after five long hours, they were done. The things they shopped could have been bought by anyone but Jay wanted to give his personal touch to the restaurant so he himself making decisions on each and everything was important to him.
"Alright, thank you so much, guys. We gotta go. See you at 7."
Atharva and Aahana nodded and said their goodbyes before heading in the opposite direction. Atharva stopped on the way in front of his office. "Okay, you can take my car. I'll see you directly at the venue."
"What?" Aahana stared at him dumbfounded through the window and rolled it down. "We just have 3 hours to get ready."
"I'm not a girl and I seriously have to sign some documents." Atharva dismissed with the wave of his hand.
Aahana heaved a sigh. "Okay,"
He gave a tiny smile and turned in the direction of the building. He nodded at everyone with a stoic face, his eyes dancing on their movement and action. He asked Pranav to bring the papers quickly and called his designer to send his tux to his penthouse.
"Sir tomorrow we have a meeting with Ms.Rao to finalize the designs for Kolkata mall." He stepped into his cabin and handed the file.
Atharva nodded slightly as he signed the papers. "Alright, tell kritika to inform the same to Aahana. She will handle this meeting."
All excuses to avoid them. He thought.
Pranav had a confused expression on his face but he didn't question Atharva's decision. "Okay, sir." He took the file and left.
Atharva glanced at his watch and sighed. Time flew so fast. He stepped into the elevator which directly opened into his penthouse. He took off his tie and blazer and headed to take a shower. When he was done there, he came out wrapped in a towel to find his attire resting on the bed neatly.
For a brief second, he felt his thoughts shift to Aahana and how he had never brought her to his safe house.
Next time.
Once he was ready, which hardly took him some time, he nodded at his reflection approvingly before heading out. He had already told Pranav to bring his Lamborghini Aventador which he drove to the venue asap. He didn't want to keep Aahana waiting but when he met Jay inside, he told that she hadn't arrived yet. Atharva frowned and sipped his drink while he waited for her. Minutes passed into hours and the opening was successful but Aahana didn't come nor was she receiving his phone call.
Atharva was worried and rigid. He couldn't sit there anymore in her absence. He apologized to Jay who wanted to go with him but Atharva shook his head and told him to stay. After all, it was his big day.
He reached home faster than he should have.
"Aahana?" He called and looked around. He checked everywhere but all the rooms were empty. His heart pounded in his chest and he felt his head cloud with doubts.
Was she okay?
He took out his phone and called Pranav to ask if she was in the office but she wasn't. She couldn't go to her parents' house nor his because he'd met them in Jay's restaurant opening.
Where could she go?
He tried her phone again and again but it was of no use. He pulled at his hair and paced around the house. Defeated, he plopped down on the sofa in darkness. He racked his brain but he realized he didn't know much about his wife. The basic likes and dislikes were futile because they didn't tell him where she could be.
One thing he knew was Aahana wasn't someone who would leave him or run away from the house but he didn't want to think about other horrible things that could have happened with her on the way. Even the car wasn't there.
"FųCk" He shouldn't have let her drive alone.
His phone blared and he picked it up with shaky hands.
"Hey."
Atharva felt his insides melt at her voice. It was a relief like no other. He could breathe again.
"Hey." He replied back but shook his head, suddenly feeling furious at her. "Hey? That's what you got to say? Have you seen the time? Where the hell are you? You d-don't know how worried I was. Why didn't you answer me? Could have at least sent a message."
He fired everything at once and waited for her to say something, anything but she was awfully quiet.
"Are you okay?" He couldn't help but ask her.
"Yes." She finally said.
"What's wrong, Aahana? Do you want me to pick you up?"
"Uh no. I'm actually at my parents' house. I'll come after a week."
Atharva went quiet. She was lying. "Why?"
"Uh um just to spent time. I was missing them." She told him nervously.
"You sure? Because I can smell the lie."
He heard her let out a soft yawn. "I'm sleepy. Can we talk tomorrow?"
"The hell, Aahana." He grumbled. "Of course not. I want to see you. So stop lying and tell me where you are."
"I swear I-"
"I was with them."
"Oh."
"Yeah." Atharva rolled his eyes. "So?"
"Um Atharva, don't worry about me. I'm okay. I-I gotta go." He heard the beep-beep of the phone, signaling the end of the call.
Was she serious?
He called again but this time it was switched off. Closing his eyes, he breathed to cool himself. He called the one number who could help him at this time. He gave him Aahana's number. "Be Quick."
He locked the house and told the guards to inform him if Aahana came back. The engine roared to life and he hit the road, driving around aimlessly until he received the call.
"Alright, thanks man, bye."
What is she doing there? He questioned himself on the way to Apollo hospital.
Don't forget to vote and comment.❤