Ahana
"Bataiye na kaha Jaa Rhee hai hum?" I repeated this question for the seventh time.
(Please tell me na... Where are we going?)
"Tum thori shant hoke ready nhi ho skti? Kitni baar bolu its a surprise." His voice came from behind me. He was lying lazily on the bed with one hand under his head and the other scrolling through his phone.
(Can't you calm down a bit and get ready? How many times should I tell you that it's a surprise?)
"But I'm curious na" I muttered, puckering my lips slightly while applying a soft pink lipstick that went perfectly with the lavender saree hugging my figure. I couldn't help but admire how beautifully this colour suited me. The thought of how carefully he must have chosen it made a warm feeling spread over my heart.
Yes he had especially brought this beautiful saree for me and suddenly, out of nowhere asked me to get ready. Not even saying where are we going? Why are we going? Only one word kept stuck on his lips—it's a surprise sweetheart.
Then I picked out a pair of jhumkas in the same shade, the tinkling sounds of the beads started echoing in our room as I hooked them in my ear.
Around my neck, I clasped a dainty pendant which looked like it was made for going with this look only. Ekdam perfect. And of course followed by my mangalsutra. Like always. No matter what I wear. Where I go. It just gives me a strange sense of safety. A feeling of belonging, that I'm his wife. His sweetheart. After that I dotted a tiny black bindi on my forehead which enhanced the beauty of my look.
Finally at last, it's time for sindoor. I took out the box from the drawer and carefully picked a pinch of sindoor between my fingertips and raised it to my hairline. As I leaned closer to the mirror, my eyes shifted towards him through the mirror. His gaze wasn’t on his phone anymore. It was locked on me. My reflection.
But then suddenly, something odd caught my attention. My eyes narrowed slowly as realization dawned.
THIS MAN. This pervert man.
I quickly applied the vermilion and turned sharply at him and shouted, "Pervert… Shameless man! Sharam nhi aati khud ki hi biwi ka chup chup k kamar ka pic le Rhee hai aap!"
(Don’t you feel ashamed while secretly taking a picture of your own wife’s waist!)
I pointed the comb at him like a weapon and marched towards the bed. His eyes widened slightly and I saw his neck flush red, the corners of his mouth twitched in guilt at being caught.
"Aap na... phone dijiye to apna" I demanded, stretching my hand to snatch it. But he was quicker than me... fast like a cunning fox. In a blink of an eye he tossed his phone to the other side of the bed.
(You... You give me your phone)
"You Devil! Rukiye bss aap!" I exclaimed, lifting my saree slightly and ran to the other side. But before I could grab it, he took advantage of the fact that he was in his track pants. He jumped down effortlessly and snatched the phone before me.
(Just you wait)
My irritation was boiling up by now, my cheeks unknowingly puffed up in annoyance. "Aap denge ki nhi!" I shouted in annoyance. My eyebrows furrowed in a deep frown in anger.
(Will you give it or not!)
But he seemed less concerned, his lips curved in a smirk "I won’t give. It’s my phone. And yeah... I didn’t take any pictures. Trust me. That’s… Yes, I mistakenly turned on my flashlight."
"Chi… chi… Aise jhut pe mey thuk na du. Aapko jhut v bolna nhi aata…" I scrunched my nose in disgust, making an exaggerated eww face at him.
(Eww... Such worst lie I feel like Spiting on it. You don't even know how to lie)
"Sweetheart, ab zyada ho rha hai..." he warned me, his voice dropped in a little serious tone that made me pause for a second. Made me rethink my cleverness, my words. But this time, I didn’t back away. I held my ground.
(Sweetheart, now this is getting too much…)
Instead, I crossed my arms dramatically and with already a winning smile I said, "I will count upto three and within the count your phone should be in my hand or else… Yes… or else no cuddle for a whole month." I stretched out my palm confidently, knowing very well that if I blackmail him with this thing, he wouldn’t even need to wait for my counting.
And just like I thought, the moment the threat left my lips his phone magically appeared in my hand. I grinned in triumph.
"Good husband" I teased, sticking my tongue out at him before breaking into laughter.
"This is a crime. You blackmailed me" he said sulking like a kid and walking towards me. and then he slipped his arms smoothly around my bare waist, resting his fingers on my skin.
"You know Aastik ji" I called unlocking his phone while sneaking a glance up at him, "you're such a koala."
"Of course, only for you" he replied instantly, burying his face deeper into the crook of my neck. His soft lips brushed against my skin followed by his warm breath which fanned over my skin leaving a small tickling sensation.
"Haww... Aastik ji? Are you my stalker?" I teased with a blushy smile while scrolling through his gallery. "How many pictures did you even take without me knowing? I can literally file a case against—ahhh—" my words broke into a helpless moan as I gripped his hand tightly.
Fuck. His sudden attack on my neck caught me completely off guard. His lips pressed sensually against my skin, moving in a heated rhythm— sucking, pulling, biting, nibbling... His lips were grazing my skin in such a way I know very well it's going to leave a dark mark on my skin and that's the only thing he wants.
Every drag of his lips was so deep, so dangerously good that my knees betrayed me, trembling uncontrollably. I knew he felt it because his smirk curved right against my neck. His hold on my waist tightened instantly, securing me, keeping me upright when my legs had already given up. At that moment, his grip was the only anchor I had to stop myself from melting on the spot.
"ahh... kya kar Rhee hai... chhodiye na... jaane dijiye, please" I managed but my voice slipped out as nothing more than a moaning plea rather than a protest.
(Ahh… what are you doing… leave me… let me go, please)
His guttural, low growl rumbled against my skin. It's vibration made me shiver as his lips continued their merciless torture, ignoring every broken word that escaped my mouth. It was as if my resistance only fueled him more.
And then, when he was finally done with his sweet torture he suddenly picked me up in his arms strong and unyielding, carrying me to the bed.
"Choriye na... Ufffff..!" I complained, my voice coming out in a mix of irritation and helplessness as I struggled against him. The saree I'm wearing is making it more impossible for me to wriggle out of his hold and that only made me more angry.
(Leave me na)
I raised my fists and started punching his shoulders but it was like striking against a wall of stone—he didn’t even flinch,there was not the slightest reaction on his face. His body was so solid that my hits felt completely useless, as if I was wasting my energy for nothing. On the other hand, my poor bechara hands started to sting from the impact, the dull ache spreaded through my knuckles from the impacts.
"Ek second ruk jao, jangli billi" he said with a mischievous grin, settling down on the bed with me still caged firmly in his lap.
(Wait a second, wildcat)
I was still in the middle of understanding his intentions, still trying to process everything when his voice rang out bringing me back from my detective thoughts "stop troubling that little brain of yours and look front, sweetheart"
Confused, I reluctantly turned my head to the other side—towards the mirror-filled wall and in an instant, my stomach dropped. The reflection staring back at me made my mouth part in shock. A dark, reddish mark sat boldly on my skin glaring back as if mocking my helplessness. It was big, it was eye-catching and there was absolutely no way anyone would ignore it.
His eyes gleamed with pure triumph as he caught my reaction, the victorious spark in his gaze was louder than his words could ever get.
"Kya kr dia apne Aastik ji, mera or zada kam bara dia... Abhi meko isko firse cover Krna parega" I groaned in frustration.
(What have you done, Aastik ji? You made my work even harder… now I’ll have to cover this up again.)
I thought this was the thing he wanted to show me and now maybe… maybe his mischief was done. So, I tried to break free from his iron hold. But I was wrong. His grip stayed just as tight as before, not leaving me, silently indicating that he wasn’t done yet.
"Aab kya?" I muttered, turning my face toward him with a mix of frustration and defeat.
(Now what?)
But instead of replying he leaned in dangerously close to my face, brushing his lips near mine before planting a soft peck. His minty breath fanned across my face making me gulp, my throat was getting dry again and again I don't know why. "Who told you you would cover it, sweetheart?" he murmured in a low and husky voice, laced with a strange sense of possession that made my heart thudder even harder.
I blinked at him in confusion. "What do you mean? Of course I need to hide this hickey!" I said in an obvious tone… because honestly I couldn’t think of any other way except covering it.
His grin stretched wider, a spark of mischief dancing in his eyes as he replied, "No, darling, you won’t hide it. This is my way of removing evil eyes from you. You know, like 'kala tika.'" And before I could even react to that absurd explanation, he leaned in again stealing another quick kiss before finally loosening his grip on me, satisfied with his little declaration.
[For those who don't know what is kala tika— so basically it's a small black dot given with kajal. It's said that it protects one from evil eyes.]
My jaw nearly hit the floor at his words, my mind was still struggling to process what he had just said.
I turned back toward the mirror staring at my own dumbstruck reflection. My fingers moved on their own almost hesitantly, as they brushed against the fresh mark as if needing to confirm something.
"Issshhh" a tiny whimper slipped from my lips at the sudden sting, making me wince.
"This mark… is equal to kala tika for Mr. Devil? Remover of evil eye? Seriously?!" I muttered under my breath as disbelief etched all over my face.
I leaned closer and studied the mark once again but this time through his point of view. Finally, I came to a conclusion—if anything, it would only draw more attention. But here’s the thing: the longer I stared, the stronger it felt… as if the mark itself was screaming, STAY AWAY. I’M ALREADY SOMEONE ELSE’S WOMAN.
*************
It was almost time for sunset. The sunlight has started fading and the passing breeze carried a faint chill. He was continuously driving for the last three hours but now at last the car came to a halt, yet the place where he stopped made me frown.
"Umm... You sure we're at the right address? Like... It's just a silent road with one or two cars passing by?" I asked, knitting my brows together as I looked at him in confusion.
"Yeah. We're at the right place. Don't worry." He assured me with a smile while undoing his seatbelt. Then he stepped out from his side and jogged to my side and opened the door for me, forwarding his hand.
I gladly took his hand with a small smile and stepped out taking a deep breath. This place somehow felt less polluted than the city.
After he locked his car we started walking but suddenly, darkness came in front of my eyes. I touched my face to see what happened and yes. I thought right. He covered my eyes with a piece of cloth.
"Ye kya bachpana hai?" I asked with a chuckle.
(What kind of childish behavior is this?)
"Bachpana hi samjho, but from now on for the next 5 minutes, you can't see anything" he said, gently interlacing his fingers with mine, guiding me forward.
(Then take it as childishness but.....)
I slowly followed his steps, matching the rhythm of his pace. He occasionally instructed me where to step and where not and just like that after walking for one or two minutes, he finally stopped making me pause too. I could smell something sweet. Something very familiar but it's just not hitting my mind.
"Did we arrive?" I asked in an excited voice unable to hide the curiosity bubbling inside me. The thought of what awaited after this darkness was eating my mind.
"Yes. We did." he replied, I could feel his hands working carefully at the back of my head untying the knot of the cloth. My heart raced a little faster with every second. Finally, the fabric loosened and slipped off falling away from my eyes.
My eyelids, heavy from the sudden brightness opened slowly. I blinked a few times, letting my vision adjust. The hazy colors cleared and I finally lifted my gaze to look in front.
The view in front of my eyes made me freeze in my place. My lips parted on their own and my breath hitched. It’s… it’s heaven. It’s real heaven. Trust me. I have never seen something so so beautiful like this in my whole life. I couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing.
A wide stretch of land bloomed with tulips in every shade—red, yellow, pink, white, purple, and so many more I lost count. The soft petals swayed gently with the evening breeze, carrying a faint sweet fragrance in the air. A small river flowed beside it, its crystal surface glistened with the reflection of the last rays of the sunset. And in the middle of this dreamlike place stood a table draped in a white cloth, decorated with fresh flowers, fairy lights, candles glowing warmly and plates filled with food arranged neatly.
My eyes instantly filled with tears. The sight felt too magical, too precious. This beautiful place, did he find it for me? So this was the surprise. The beautiful surprise.
"It’s beautiful…" I whispered with a trembling voice as I turned toward him only to find him sitting on both of his knees.
I was taken aback looking at him like that, my eyes widened in shock when he gently held my hand in his. With a small smile tugging at his lips, he began to speak, "Sweetheart, I have something important to say to you but I don’t know if I’ll be able to put it into perfect words… still, I’ll try. This… this is the first time in my life I’ve ever arranged a date and it’s also...also my life’s very first date and I wanted it to be special not because it’s my first date but because my date partner is you, jaan. So yeah if I’ve made any mistakes in the preparations, please try to overlook them just for today and I promise next time those mistakes won't repeat. That day you forgave me for my behavior but I couldn’t forgive myself. I kept remembering the moment I asked you, ‘can’t you trust me a bit, why didn’t you tell me about being Lily…’ Those words still burn inside me, my heart because how could I even dare to question you when I myself have always been a mystery to you? I never truly shared anything about myself and yet I expected you to do so. That thought haunted me, made me feel disgusted with myself. So to earn your forgiveness today… today I planned this for us. Our time. Our moment with the Aastik who belongs only to you—not Aastik Malhotra, but your Aastik ji. Please forgive me not just with words but by spending these few hours with me, smiling with me and making memories together."
By the time he completed, pools of happy tears were spilling down my cheeks. His thoughtfulness, his words, everything about this moment was driving me insane with emotions. My heart couldn’t contain the rush of emotions I felt for him. Without another thought, I dropped to my knees in front of him and threw my arms around him hugging him tightly. "Thank you… thank you for noticing so many details about me. Thank you for thinking of me, my feelings. Honestly I can’t express how happy I am right now… I can’t… can’t find the right words to express it." I said while sobbing in his arms.
Then I slightly pulled back and looked at him, in his eyes and gently cupping his face with both my hands I leaned in and joined our lips in a deep kiss, pouring every unsaid words, every unsaid emotions into it. I hope... No... I trust that he would understand everything my heart was screaming through that kiss.
Please give me a little strength, God. I know this feeling—my heart recognizes it well. But putting it into words makes me tremble. Love. I’m feeling love for him. Anyone would… not only me. Who wouldn’t fall for this man? But I’m scared. I don’t want to lose him. I just want to stay with him like this… forever. I don't wanna mess up everything because of this foolish feeling.
He gently pulled back after giving a tender suck to my lips. His eyes softened as he whispered, "Don’t cry, sweetheart… it disappoints me to see tears in your eyes. Please, don’t cry." His thumb brushed away the tears from my cheeks before he leaned forward and pressed a delicate kiss on each of my eyelids.
"I won’t. Promise." I whispered back and stood up with him. My fingers still clasped in his. He led me to the table, pulling out my chair first like the perfect gentleman before taking his own seat.
"Ye sab kisne banaya? Like… aas paas toh koi bhi restaurant nahi dikh raha mujhe" I asked in confusion as my eyes landed on my favorite cheesecake, fried rice and chili paneer which were neatly arranged before me.
(Who made all this? Like… I don’t see any restaurants around here.)
"Umm… first you eat, then I’ll tell you," he said with a slightly awkward smile. I just nodded as he carefully served me first, then himself.
The moment I took the first bite, a savoring moan escaped me. "Mmmm… delicious! Kaha se mangwaya? Next time bhi wahin se order karenge" I said eagerly, taking another mouthful.
"Order karne ki zarurat nahi hai…" he murmured, keeping his eyes down on his plate.
(You won't need to order)
I froze mid-bite. Wait. No. Could it be? I slowly turned my head toward him, my doe eyes searching his face. "Aap… aapne banaya ye sab?"
His silence was enough. That meant everything—the entire spread was his effort. I couldn't help but smile at him "Awwieee… thank you, hubby. But next time we’ll cook together, okay?" I said slipping my hand over his.
"Promise" he replied with a smile kissing my knuckles.
We completed our dinner with lots of smiles and teasings. Sometimes I fed him and sometimes he fed me. The way he looked at me while I fed him made me feel butterflies in my stomach.
He really meant it when he said that he'll not be The Aastik Malhotra but he will be my Aastik ji.
"Abhi to raat hone wali hai. Yaha par to light v nhi hai... But mujhe kuch der or yaha rehena tha aapke sath" I said to him with a small pout.
(It’s about to get dark now. There isn’t even any light here… but I still wanted to stay here with you for a little longer.)
He tucked my loose hair strands gently behind my ear which was blowing freely in the air and said "I knew you'll say something like this... That's why I especially chose today's date."
"Why? What's today?" I asked him in confusion, tilting my head.
He pointed towards the sky and as I followed his direction, a smile slowly crept on my face. The full moon was shining bright, perfectly round, illuminating everything around us.
"Today's full moon day. So even if there's no electricity... nature has given us their own light." he said, sitting comfortably on the ground
I was about to sit beside him when he pulled me into his lap, hugging me from behind. "Meri godi mey baitho, niche tumhe uncomfortable feel hoga" he murmured softly near my ear.
(Sit on my lap, it’ll be more comfortable than sitting down there.)
I smiled and pecked his cheek. "Thank you."
We sat there in silence. A cool, gentle breeze swept through the place making the leaves whisper softly. The world seemed to have paused for us. There was no one else except us. It felt like our own little world.
"I really enjoyed today, you know" I whispered still looking at the moon.
He pecked my temple lightly in return and muttered, "That means I won your forgiveness" he teased.
"Mmhmm" I hummed leaning my back against his chest taking a deep breath.
But suddenly something small and bright appeared in front of my eyes.
I smiled and reached out to touch it but it fluttered away. I looked around and my eyes got wide at the sight before me. The whole place was suddenly alive with hundreds of tiny fireflies, their lights blinking softly in the dark making them look like stars in the dark sky.
"Wow... Dekhiye kitne sarii jugnu hai... It's so pretty" I said, standing up from his lap and running towards them. It felt like I was living in a fairytale like a princess enchanted by magic.
(Wow… look, there are so many fireflies… it’s so pretty.)
I glanced back and saw him standing under a tree silently capturing my pictures. I posed for him a few times giggling on my own while he clicked each one without even a hint of irritation. Just like my personal camera man.
Then, a thought crossed my mind. 'I don’t have any pictures with him.' No problem because now we would.
I ran towards him and said "Can I take a selfie with you?" Saying it made me feel like he was a hero and I'm his biggest fan.
"Of course, wifey" he replied, taking my phone and opening the camera app...he pulled me close by my waist and took a selfie.
"Wow. We look so good together" I said unknowingly, and instantly clicked my tongue at myself.
I looked up at him from under my lashes but he seemed completely unbothered, like this was the most natural thing in the world. I smiled at him, feeling my cheeks warm and took a few more pictures with him.
Later, I opened my Instagram and posted my first ever picture. The caption? An evil eye emoji.
Because nazar mujhe or meri zindagi ko bohot achee se hi lagti hai. Don’t know why.
And just like this our perfect date and his beautiful surprise came to an end with lots of romance and memories.
___________
Hey roses.
Today's upto here. Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to vote, comment and follow.
Bye💋
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