Kyon Nahi ✓ || (neirohi)

4. nimbu mirchi

4. nimbu mirchi

"Come on, loosen up. Itne boring kyu ho tum?"

Instead of taking offence, Neil chuckled the beer glass laying untouched, while Aarohi besides him had gulped two tequila shots and one glass of whiskey already.

"Boring nahi hu," He said, looking at the girl who had now come from the dance floor, dancing with a guy. "Clubbing is more fun with friends." He smiled, scrolling through the Instagram.

Aarohi tsked, groaning aloud, 'Boriiiiiinnnnnggg." She rolled her r and eloganted the word, teasing him and Neil turned to face the girl. "Ye kya hai, beer? Beer kaun Peeta hai yaar!" Neil chuckled when she ordered the bartender to scrap the beer and lay six clean shots of tequila. "Ye hai sahi main, mazza." She smirked, looking at him.

"Aarohi, hume wapas chalna chahiye. Waise bhi, ek ghanta ho chuka hai plus sab log..."

"Shii yaar," Aarohi cringed, clearly being tipsy by the alcohol. "Kyu muh ka taste bigad rahe ho, gharwalo ka naam leke."

Neil now kept his phone back in his pocket, as he met Aarohi's drunk eyes, "why? Is there something wrong with your family?" He asked, now intrigued about the girl.

"Upar upar se," Aarohi shook her head, a silly smile on her face, "upar upar se kuch bhi nahi."

"Aur andhar andhar se?" He asked, tilting his head.

To that she whispered him to lean closer, "andhar andhar se..." she whispered and he held his breath, feeling like a secret was about to be unfolded. "Andhar andhar se bhi kuch nahi," She giggled and Neil couldn't help but smile, also breathe in relief.

He didn't want his brother marrying into a family with secrets.

"Toh?" Neil asked, sitting back on the seat and asked for a glass of lemon water from the bartender for the tipsy girl.

"Toh kya?"

"Arrey, tum bata rahi thi na? Ghar walo ke baarein mein?"

"Kiske Ghar Wale?"

Neil shook his head, "never mind." He took the glass of water and forwarded it to Aarohi. "Ye pii lo."

"Wow, vodka neat." Aarohi praised him, slapping his shoulder. "Sahi hai, chamgadar."

"Yes, vodka neat." He shook his head, holding the glass for her. "Now drink it like a shot." And with that he helped her drink the lemon water and Aarohi frowned.

"What kind of vodka is this? Bilkul mirchi ki tarah swaad hai."

"You mean nimbu?"

"Haan, nimbu mirchi wahi."

They had arrived an hour ago in the club, while the music, the theme and the ambience was all pretty good, Neil quickly found a solo seat in front of the bar while Aarohi quickly drank some neat shots and headed to the dance floor where she danced her heart out with a random stranger she made friends with.

And Neil kept his phone with him, chatting and talking to his advisors and associates on the upcoming projects they had and the things he would need to resume after the wedding leave. His eyes kept checking on his Bhai ki saali, making sure she was safe and not being taken advantage off.

He trusted Aarohi for being able to take care of herself, but as a man, he hardly trusted men and people as a whole. She was dancing with the same stranger, in fact pretty much talking and enjoying while he sat, enjoying in his personal space.

Then after the dance, the two of them had disappeared, and Neil didn't have to know why, he got a fair idea that Aarohi probably was getting laid and chuckling, he sat back, sipping his beer and glancing through the chats. And after some half an hour, Aarohi had dropped besides him, messy hair, few of her shirt buttons messily done and tipsy too but she was safe and looked happy so he didn't need to worry much.

But, he for sure was thrilled to know that Aarohi was such a contrast to Akshara and there was nothing wrong in it of course, but was different for sure.

"You feeling better?" Neil asked, once she had finished the lemon juice. "Chale wapas?"

Aarohi shook her head, "wapas jayenge toh woh shaadi dulha Dulhan aur baarat waali baatein shuru hongi." She scoffed, taking his glass of beer in her hand. "I don't like this entire idea of a grand wedding."

He shrugged, "I don't know, I mean, upto the bride and groom."

"If I'm the bride, I would get court registered and get started with the honeymoon." She chuckled and Neil laughed.

"So, when are you gonna be the bride?" He asked, as she took a huge chug of the beer. "Koi hai? Ya bas yuhi irada hai sabke dilo ke saath khelne ka?" He teased, eyeing to the guy from earlier who she hooked up with, who right now was only looking towards her with a goofy smile.

"Ey, don't look at him." She redirected his head towards her, "the rule of a night stand is no eyelock after the deed." Neil held his smile, as Aarohi held his face, their gaze locked. "And I'm not a heartbreaker, I'm a heart saver."

"Accha," Neil asked, wanting to know more about this tipsy Aarohi. "How so?" They were too close to each other and instead of being uncomfortable, both felt a different level of comfort with each other.

"Because, agar pyaar karo hi na, toh dil tutega hi nahi." She winked and Neil smiled, impressed as he raised his hand in reflex. "Hai na, pate ki baat?"

"Maan Gaye Doctor Chipkali aapko," He shook his head and they relaxed back into their seats.

Aarohi now sighed, a sad sigh that was. "Pata hai Neil, meri Akshu duniya ki sabse best hai." She said, looking at the glass of beer, blankly. "Woh ekloti thi Puri family main jo mera dhyaan rakhti thi. Warna..."

Neil furrowed his brows, "warna?"

To that she chuckled, shaking her head. "Nothing, it's just, I wish I was like her sometimes. I am so jealous of the attention she gets from the entire family." She circled the rim of the glass with her finger.

"Aisa nahi hai," Neil was now not comfortable by the conversation. "I'm pretty sure your family loves you too."

"Of course they love me." Aarohi shrugged, "bas jatate nahi. Kabhi kabhi lagta hai ki agar main Akshara ki jagah hoti toh, ki kash main bhi depressed hoti, ya anxious, ya koi addiction..."

"Aarohi," Neil was quick to cut her off. "please, aise baatein mat karo. You should know how much people suffering from mental illnesses actually go through! And your sister has been through hell..."

Aarohi chuckled and Neil saw faint tears in those dark eyes, "don't we all have our personal hells? It's just, mera wala kisko kabhi dikha hi nahi. Aur na hi kisine samjha."

_