Arylie FF: I'm Happy Here With You

five ~ tu ban ja mere ishq di chasni

zubaan hai pheeki, shaam se hui na tose baat bhi

dekhun subah subah jo tujhe

toh saara din accha hai guzarta

... ... ...

Imlie was swinging on the garden's swing set early in the morning, trying to study. This swing set was not originally a part of Rathores' garden when she had first arrived here. It just suddenly appeared one morning. When Kakima asked the gardeners why they randomly decided to add a swing, they'd given a dozen lame excuses that made Arpita Didi giggle madly. Anyway, she loved it, it has been her spot since then. It reminded her of Pagdandiya, her childhood days.

Now, her mind far from the notes she was holding, she contemplated whether she should tell Niyati that her father was an incompetent doctor. He'd just laughed at her complaints yesterday, then told her fondly that she just needs to stop crying. Her eyes were fine. Imlie had wanted to start an argument but didn't for Niyati's sake. Also, because the doctor uncle gave her a nice looking candy and didn't even charge her for the consultation.

ABP is right, free stuff is never up to the mark, I should go to a hospital.

Well, her eyes were much better today. So, maybe the doctor knew what he was doing. She kicked her legs and started to swing higher, a happy laugh escaped her lips automatically. She got too engrossed in the act that she never heard the car or the gate. But suddenly she saw him standing, leaning against his car, hands casually in his pocket, probably looking at her but she couldn't be sure as he had his aviators on. She abruptly stopped her motion and realized a little too late that it was going to make her fall.

At this point she almost expected it, so was not really surprised when he got to her before she hit the ground. The shock was to feel bare skin under her fingers instead of the familiar cloth. She took in his appearance for the first time. He had traded his usual suit with a polo shirt and casual pants and the effect was, well something. The material of the polo stretched across his body and the biceps on display was a visual. Imile's hands slid down from bicep to elbow on autopilot. Then she let him go and took a few steps back as if burned. He made an incomprehensible sound under his breath and took his sunglasses off.

There was a moment of awkwardness between them, then they spoke together.

     "So, what's up?"

     "Kya haal hai?"

***

Despite Abhay's many mocking comments on how he had an unhealthy obsession with his cars, Aryan had sent the new car ahead of him the previous night and was glad to see it waiting for him at the airport. It was a thing of beauty, though he might still favor his Benz. The class on that vehicle was on a different level. After all, the place of the Mrs. was irreplaceable. He shook his head fondly. Only Imlie can come up with the idea of declaring a car as his wife. He couldn't wait to see that Jungli, and listen to her silly laugh. He sped up.

The scene that greeted him when he finally reached Rathore Mansion was her swinging and laughing. During one of their nightly chats, she had told him stories about how her Dadda made her first swing back in Pagdandiya, how that was the first time she'd felt the freedom to fly, leaving the ground, carefree, even if only for a moment. He'd waited for two weeks, enough to make the idiot forget the conversation, then bribed his gardeners with fifteen days paid leave to set up the swing and lie to everyone that it was their idea. It had worked, Imlie suspected nothing and made a happy habit of using it every day. And even though Didi gave him knowing looks, it was worth it.