Vaani saw her father's friend, also Prateek's father enter.
She stood up and Prateek asked.
"Aap office aane wale the?"
"Tujhse milne nhi aaya."
His father said and turned to Vaani.
"Happy birthday beta. May God bless you always."
He said patting her head lightly and she smiled widely. He was afterall the first person to wish her.
"It's your birthday today?"
She heard a voice and nodded looking at Prateek.
"Why didn't you tell?"
She shrugged and said looking down.
"It's just a birthday. Nothing special."
"A birthday is always special beta."
His father said and she looked at him with a sad smile.
"It is special for people who have someone to celebrate it with. Lekin jab kisi ko farak hi na padta ho toh it's a normal day na uncle."
His father patted her head and said.
"You know your father is crazy asshole. Usse realise hi nhi hota what a gem he had got. Don't worry he'd realise it soon. You enjoy your day."
He said and took his leave. Prateek kept looking at Vaani's sad face. He tried ignoring her but couldn't.
Sighing loudly he finally got up from his chair, took his stuff and said.
"Come on! Let's go!"
She looked at him surprised.
"Huh?"
"Get up! We are leaving."
He said again and she asked.
"Leaving? To where?"
She thought they had an impromptu meeting.
"Surprise!"
He winked and walked out. She looked at him shocked. She blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. Realising he had left she quickly packed her stuff and ran behind him.
They entered the lift and she asked again.
"But hum jaa kaha rhe hai?"
"Bola na maine. Surprise!"
She huffed when he didn't say anything else. They sat in his car and he drove towards God knows where.
He parked the car making her come out of her thoughts.
She looked around herself and a wide grin formed on her face. She looked at him with a mouth splitting grin.
"Oh my God! Really!"
He chuckled at her babyish grin.
"I hope you like rides."
He said getting out and she jumped out in excitement.
"Like? I love rides!"
He had bought her to an amusement park. He went in and he got the tickets for all the rides available.
"Choose!"
He said putting all of them in front of her. She looked at them like an excited baby. No one has ever put such efforts for her. Not even her parents.
"This one!"
She picked one out. The grin never leaving her face.
The spend the whole afternoon in the amusement park.
Prateek then took her to a fair where they had their food and then Vaani bought a lot of fascinating stuff from the fair.
They moved back to his car and she smiled at him.
"Thank you so much. For making my so special."
He smiled back and she said.
"Smile kia karo tum. Achhe lagte ho."
He looked at her raising his eyebrow and said.
"Aise hi dekhti rahi toh pyaar ho jaayega tumhe mujhse."
He teased and her smile widened.
"Achha?"
He nodded and she fished out something from her bag.
"I got this for you. Pehne rakhna isse."
She said making him wear a bracelet. He looked at her with a smile but then said.
"Hamesha ka kuch nhi keh skta. I don't wear such things."
He said and she made a face mumbling.
"Sadu!"
They sat in his car and he dropped her home. The smile never left her face.
That day unknowingly he moved a piece of her heart towards his own. But she knew that he would never love someone so imperfect like her.
A few months later Prateek had a meeting with a client in London. Vaani had accompanied him.
They were coming back from the meeting and on her insistence were in a public tram.
Now she regretted the decision because three creeps were staring at her from top to bottom.
At first, she too gave them a scowling look but that made them lick their lips lustfully. One of them said something to the other two and they looked at her and startef moving towards her making her scared.
Suddenly she felt an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a warm embrace. She looked up to see Prateek glaring towards the boys.
She smiled slightly. He had indirectly claimed his stake over her. That she was with him.
They got off at their station and Prateek walked out holding her hand. She looked at their joined hands and then at him.
"Hey Prateek!"
He hummed and she said.
"Chance maar rhe ho mujh pr?"
He stopped and looked at her raising his eyebrows.
"Waha tram mai you pulled me closer draping your arm over my shoulder, yaha haath pakad kr chal rhe ho. Iraada kya hai?"
She teased and he gave her a stinky look.
"Chance? Aur tum pr? Duniya ki aakhri ladki bhi bachi na tum tab bhi nhi."
He said and left her hand moving ahead. She gasped and started running behind him.
"Oyee! What do you mean? Kya problem hai mujhe me? Ruko! Ouch!"
Vaani being Vaani stumbled and was about to fall but balanced herself. Sje cursed her heels and herself.
She couldn't even comprehend what happened but the next second she was in someone's arms.
"Thik se chalna bhi nhi aata iss ladki ko. Har jaha girti padti rehti hai."
She round her arms around his neck in reflex and glared at him.
"Maine uthane ko nhi bola tha tumhe. Agar aise sunana hai toh put me down."
He smiled too sweetly at her and took her near a trash can.
"Khushi se!"
He said and startedd lowering her over it. She shrieked and held on him tighter.
"I'll kill you Prateek."
He adjusted her properly and took her to the hotel with her still grumbling and cursing him.
**************************************
Please do leave your comments.
Also, please vote for the story.😊🙏🏻
Laters!!😘❤️
