LIES

11.ON ONE CONDITION

He was looking at her smile, and she was looking at him about to say thank you for bringing a smile to her face. They heard a voice that broke their trance
" Neil beta is everything alright there, you need my help or something, " badi mumma asked loud enough to be heard by them both
" I am fine coming down in a minute, aunty," he replied loudly while looking at her
Yes,  come down and join us for lunch, " asked badi Maa
" I am coming," he replied, still looking at her on the doorstep
" You should go down now," She replied in a normal voice
" You should check your phone regularly," he replied now turning around to move downstairs she answered, " Maybe I will now," just loud enough to be heard by him only
He smiled while walking down
" Ohh, you came back, did find the pen drive you were looking for," asked Badi mumma with a smile
" I found something I wasn't sure I am looking for( still thinking about her smile)," he mutters to himself
" What?" asked Badi mumma curiously
" Nothing,  I found that  pen drive, I should leave now," Neil said with his iconic smile on his face
" You can't leave,  not without having lunch with us, come on, kid have lunch with us," asked Badi mumma in a serious tone
"It's fine aunty, I have to be at the hospital,  mother already sent my lunch there, it's urgent,  I have to leave, next time promise I will ask for food by myself " he replied, although he was hungry but doesn't want to stay there, he doesn't feel comfortable lying to elders,  though they weren't going to ask him about his and aarohi's deal,but not telling them also comes under lying for him. He is not good at lying, so he must leave now
With this, he left the Goenka house
He was about to start his bike when suddenly his phone got a notification,  a message from chipkali,  he opened it as fast as he could
" ok, I will come to the apartment late at night, after everyone goes to bed."
Ohh she finally saw my texts
He replied, " Okay, fine, but try to consider leaving that  attitude of yours at home please 🙏 "I texted her in the hope that she wouldn't take it the wrong way
With that, he took his bike and went off to the apartment
She was now in bed reading his text
With a frown on her face, she replied immediately
"No promises there 🫥"
Not immediately but after good 20 minutes there is a notification,  a text from chamgadar, she immediately opened his text
" Alright,  but at least don't come with the mindset of returning in the night, that isn't safe and as a gentleman, I don't like you doing that again" his text came
To which she replied, " you being a gentleman 🤔 "
Immediately followed by another text
" fine, but on one condition,  you should clean the apartment "
He replied" what's wrong with the apartment,  it is clean enough "
She replied " yeah clean enough for you to live, but not enough for me, it needs cleaning "
To which he replied back
"Ok I am gonna clean it "
" Good chamgadar " she replied fast enough
"But on one condition" he texts
" I knew it, I was surprised how come you agreed so easily,  speak what's your one condition " she text him back
" you should come wearing that shorts you were wearing earlier 😉 " the message come fast
She didn't notice, she opened the door earlier in her shorts, and of course, he would have noticed that, such a chamgadar move
" fine, but  you have to fix that ac  they just had in the hall," she asked ( of course she doesn't care about that ac at all, because the one in the room works just fine, but she had the upper hand in this conversation)
" Why would on earth do you need that ac fixed, you can have room, I will be the one who is gonna sleep there, and I can manage for one night without ac" he texted after a while
" last time we didn't make it to the room, I don't like getting all sweaty in this summer heat" she replied justifying her request
" last time you didn't complain about it, why now and this time we will gonna use room only" he texted not letting her win in this
" fine then, I will not be staying there at the night I will call Uber if you are not fine with me driving at night" she replied
" and calling uber in the middle of the night seems a good idea to you? " he replied getting frustrated now
" it seems a good  idea  to me " she texted making him more frustrated
"There is no winning with you, is there? " He asked finally Giving up
"not " she texted back with a smirk dancing on her face
" I booked an appointment with a mechanic,  they will come tomorrow to repair it, so I am sorry but I can't fulfill your condition in this case" he texted in the hope she will understand
"Fine, because you are unable to fulfill my this  condition, you have to do another thing for me" she sends an after quiet thinking
" again with another condition " he replied not happy
" ask away ma'am " text came immediately after
" you have to promise me, not to look me that way," she asked with serious thought
" what way? " He asked now curious about what she is getting to
" the way you look at me, with million questions in your eyes" she replied with a serious tone
" well I am a curious guy,  my curiosity knows no bound, it leads to questions, which I can't ask you directly,  not knowing what can upset you " he replied honestly
" Alright curious guy, can you not be curious about me," she asked him
" I don't think I can do that, I am that guy who notices things no one does,  but I can promise you I will not gonna cross that boundary you didn't want me to " he replied nervously
" so why didn't you ever notice what's going on with your family, clearly they show they are perfect on paper but I think that's not the case," she asked sarcastically
" I noticed that, like I said I notice things around me, but I can't do anything about that, I have no such power in my family to change or do anything about that" he replied now a little hurt by her question
She felt guilty about dragging family into the conversation, she should be one who should know how a family can bring happiness and pain simultaneously,  she should not bring family where it is not needed, but she is too proud to say sorry, so this means to change the topic
"How about, you don't ask me any questions and I won't ask you about your smoking " she replied
" deal," he asked
" deal" she replied
" you know I will answer all your questions one day, but not today or tomorrow,  I don't know when, but I  think I will one day" she texted him sincerely
" you should take your time, I know things like these don't change overnight " he replied sincerely
" Now chamgadar, enough screen time for me n I have to go and study since I won't be able to do that tonight 🙃 " she texted him after some time since it was getting too much sincerity to her liking
" True, don't forget about those shorts though 😉" he replied almost instantly
" I will see what I can do, bye chamgadar " she replied and keep her phone aside
This is the longest conversation they had over texts, he is thrilled finally they found some common ground, he is getting tired of only getting tantrums from him, her opening up about what she wants is something he didn't expect but something they both needed
They both didn't realize when it was evening while texting

After some hours aarohi came down, in time for dinner, which is a rare sight for all the family members, she needed to inform them about her whereabouts ( which is going to be a lie) and has to ask permission
" aaru beta, it's nice seeing  you here,  can join us for dinner today " badi mumma speaks with a smile
" of course badi mumma, that's why I came down, I am very hungry " aarohi replied with a smile
Badi mumma's eyes shot up with this statement,  she served her dinner
" bade papa, sorry about that day, I understand what you meant, I am going to the hospital tonight," aarohi said sincerely while looking at her bade papa
" aaru beta, sorry if you feel like I am favoring Abhimanyu over you,  I just don't want anyone else to question your intentions,  which we all know are not wrong this time, but people outside this family don't understand you  the way we as a family do" bade papa replied with softness in his eyes
" I know bade papa, you meant well, and that's why I decided to give more time to the hospital until Abhimanyu comes back and things will come to normalcy " aarohi replied sincerely
" That's very mature of you beta, but Don't exert yourself in this process" bade papa said to aarohi
" Don't worry bade papa,  that's why I am asking permission from you all, I was thinking about staying with Neha my friend who lives nearby the hospital and is also an intern at Birla hospital " aarohi asked looking at bade papa and badi mumma
" beta if you want, a driver can drop and pick you up from the hospital,  why do you need to stay with someone else " bade papa asked with concern
" bade papa it's about distance n it's about how the hospital needs me to step up in terms of responsibility,  plus I can study at her place with her instead of coming home and going back to the hospital whenever they call, it's to save time and putting more effort and dedication to my job and study " aarohi explained it all ( giving her best in lying,  she is good in this )
" fine beta, but don't forget to visit home from time to time" bade papa permitting her
" thank you bade papa for understanding me " aarohi genuinely replied that he understand her for the first time
" aaru beta, please keep taking your meals properly " badi mumma speak with concern in her voice
" I will badi mumma don't worry" aarohi replied with a smile on her face
"aaru can you give us the  contact details of your friend,  so we can contact her in case we couldn't reach you, " asked Kairav
" Sure bhaiya, I am gonna send you after dinner" replied aarohi ( she already told Neha about her staying with her, but only for her family)
" aaru don't forget about Taking proper rest, it's as  important as your job and study," Ag asked looking at aarohi
" yes AG,  I will be taking complete rest " aarohi replied genuinely
" This house is gonna be so empty with you going, vansh is already out for work and akshu is now married and moving on in her life," said Mimi with so much care in her eyes
" mimi please don't cry na, I will be visiting you from time to time and I will be there only for some days, otherwise I am not leaving you anytime soon,  but while I am gone you have to promise me you will take Care of yourself," aarohi said while looking at her Mimi with nothing but pure love
" Don't worry about me beta, I will take care of myself, I have to be healthy for my aaru's, vansh's, and Kairav's weeding " Mimi replied while looking at aarohi and Kairav
" Mimi," said Kairav bhaiya with a frown
everyone laughed at that moment,  everyone is happy at that moment,  aarohi is happy after so many days, she was really hungry this time, she was having real food with real family after so many days, and she want to preserve this in her mind

That's all from this chapter
Trust me it was better in my mind but didn't turn out in writing
Still hope you guys will like it
Please ignore my mistakes
Thank you for all the love and support ❤️