And it all started with a show...

Tripe Date

"I'm so sorry." Kartik yelled from across the room and ran towards the table Aisha was sitting at.

"Come you can't be that mad, I was just a little bit late." He said breathlessly staring at Aisha's stern face.

"Oh yeah just an hour late." She said in a cold voice. "Hope you enjoy your coffee and like your gift." She shouted while throwing a box covered in golden wrapping towards him.

Aisha furiously stomped off the restaurant, Kartik following her like a golden retreiver.

"Aisha wait! Just listen to me. Please." Kartik pleaded with puppy eyes and his arms wide open to stop her from running.

"Go on. Give another excuse." 

"Ahaan Bhaiya is back from L.A. and I was just helping him settle back into his room. I'm so sorry." Aisha took a good look at his face and immediately softened. She couldn't help but smile looking at his innocent and childish face.

"Chalo, nautanki!." Katik let out a sigh of relief as Aisha said this.

"You didn't have to get me anything." Kartik said taking a seat across Aisha.

"Ha par agar main nahi lati toh tum tumhari nautanki shuru kardete."

"Main Nautanki nahi karta."

"Tum aisa pretend karte, as if you're not upset but you definitely would be. Then you would keep taunting me for not getting a gift for rest of our lives. Oh, you'd also call me kanjoos and makhichoos." Aisha finished her extraordinary speech with a wide grin while Kartik's mouth was wide open.

"You know too much." He said as Aisha laughed.

"Well open the gift!" Aisha said with excitement.

Kartik's eyebrows furrowed together as he saw a small chit kept inside the box. He carefully took out the chit and started reading it.

"No freaking way!" Kartik screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Well I knew you'd like it. What can I say I'm a-" Before Aisha could go off about how great she was Kartik hugged her. Aisha reciprocated and they stayed like that for a few minutes.

Kartik separated and went back to his seat with a smile and tears in his eyes.

"Kartik! Ro kyu Raha hai, just tell me if you don't like it yaar. Not a big deal, it's just a ticket to some stupid music fest."

"It's not stupid music fest. It's going to be the best music fest that has ever happened."

Aisha smiled knowing that he actually did love her gift. Just then her and Kartik's phone beeped at the same time. They exchanged a look and checked their phone. It was a message from Ishqi and Ahaan telling them  that they all were going on a dinner date.

"Ishqi di?" Kartik said in an interrogative tone.

"Yuh-huh. Ahaan Bhai?" Aisha asked.

"Yes. Looks like we are going on a dinner date. I'm so glad you are here otherwise I'd have to be a the fifth wheel."

**********

Ahaan- Ishqi jaldi Karo, we're going to be late.

Ishqi- Coming.

Ahaan had reached Ishqi's hotel about thirty minutes ago and was waiting patiently for her until Kartik started ringing him. "Iss Kartik ko bhi sabar nahi hai." He muttered to himself.

"Ready."

Ishqi's voice fell in his ears and he looked up only to get astonished. Ishqi wore a long floral dress with minimalistic jewellery that complimented the dress.

Ishqi- kya hua?

Ahaan- Mere dil garden garden hogaya.

The room filled with Ishqi's laugh. Ahaan's eyes shone brighter than ever as he thanked his stars for everything. Just then the background music of Ahaan's favorite song started playing and the first thought that popped into both their minds was that it was their bollywood moment but to their disappointment it was Ahaan's phone ringing while displaying the caller id 'Idiot Kartik'

"I'm going to kill Kartik."

**********

"Aree bhai app itni jaldi aa bhu gaye. It's like no time has passed." Kartik proudly taunted Ahaan as Ahaan and Ishqi approached them.

"Let's get going, we're getting late."

"Oh so now we're getting late?"

Ahaan gave him a death stare which was enough to make him go quiet and make others giggle.

"Guys, mujhe aur Ishqi ko tum sabko kuch batana hai?" Ahaan said grabbing everyone's attention as they handed the menu book back to the waiter after ordering. 

Kartik- You guys getting married?

Kartik screamed at the top of his unable to hold his excitement.

Ahaan- NO! Mera aur Ishqi ka show iss week release hone wala hai.

Raj- That's amazing news. Aap dono permire party pe jane wale ho right?

Ishqi- Ofcourse. We're leaving the day after tomorrow.

Sonu- So cool yaar! Aap log celebrities se milenge, you'd get interviewed, you'd get famous! Main bhi actor bajau?

Raj- I think it's a fabulous idea. Waise bhi apne bhai Kartik ke jaise tum bhi saara time nautanki hi toh kartik ho.

Ahaan almost spilled his drink at Raj's statement while Sonu best the shit out of him.

Ishqi- Okay guys enough! Waise Kartik aur Aisha tum dono bhi date kyu nahi karte, waise bhi tum dono ko apni apni 'setting' karvani thi.

"Him/Her never!" They both said in unison and exchanged looks. Maybe they knew somewhere in their hearts that it wasn't true but egos said otherwise.

Sonu- Koi pagal hi hogi jo Kartik se pyaar karegi.

Kartik- Oye shut up tujhe Tera pagal Raj milgaya hai na, toh tu chup reh.

Sonu- Chepad don't call Raj Pagal!

Raj- Pagal hu par tumhare pyaar mein!

Within a fraction of second as Raj flirted with Sonu chaos spread across their table. Aisha couldn't help but stop her elder brother from moving forward, Kartik on the other hand had a large smirk on his face and kept teasing both of them.

Ahaan- As cute as you both are I have to stop you two there.

Aisha- Thank you!

The rest of the evening was slow and peaceful. They had dinner and talked till their mouths were dry, laughed till their stomach ached and eyes filled with tears and shared gossip until they got side-eyes from everyone near them.
.
.
.
.
.
To be continued...
_______________________________________

Precap:- A day on shoot

Word count- 1028

🄿🄴🄰🄲🄴✌︎
_______________________________________