Aarohi And Dev

CHAPTER 6

Aarohi POV

I walked, battling against the urge to break down when suddenly a vague memory rushed back to me.

FLASHBACK:

As a twelve-year-old, I crouched behind a wall, eavesdropping on the conversation after misbehaving at school, while the principal complained about me. "Why was she even born? Just to make my life more miserable? Should we just send her off to boarding school? Or maybe to an orphanage?" my dad's voice echoed with frustration. My grandmother's words cut even deeper, "It would have been better if God had taken her instead of my husband."

As the memory washed over me, I found myself seated in the middle of the road, arms wrapped around my knees, tears streaming down my face.

I've never known the embrace of love, the tender touch of being the first thought in someone's mind each morning. I've not encountered the serenity of crying on a dependable shoulder, knowing that there's always a reassuring presence.The melody of being the muse in someone's cherished romantic song. The solace of being a guiding star in someone's darkest moments. The poetry of being etched into someone's heart and soul. The beauty of being a treasured artwork in someone's gallery of memories. The joy of being the constant topic in someone's conversations.

Crushed to my very core, I summoned a cab and made my way home. Locking myself in my room, I gazed tearfully at the sky, silently imploring God to alleviate my pain. Lost in a whirlwind of sorrow, I eventually succumbed to exhaustion, slipping into a restless slumber, my heart heavy with despair.

"Ruhi, get up! Do you want to miss your class?" My mom's urgent knocking on the door startled me awake.

"Mom, there's no class today!" I yelled.

In a daze, I fumbled for my phone. As I scrolled through the messages, I saw texts from Tara: "How's your date going, babe?" "Are you back home yet?" "Don't tell me you're already at the 'ding-dong' stage?"

I chuckled and chose to withhold yesterday's events from her for two reasons. Firstly, I was concerned about her extreme reaction towards Advik, and secondly, it could potentially worsen my relationship with my dad.

"Hey there! Yeah, I'm home safe. A date was a blast, but sorry, no ding-dong before the ring!" I texted with a cheeky grin emoji.

As I glanced at the date, I noticed it was Women's Day. Feeling inspired, I decided to brighten Tara and my mom's day with a surprise flower.

As I reached the Flowershop, I turned the corner, my breath catching in my throat as I beheld a breathtaking display of flowers. A riot of colours greeted my eyes, each bloom more beautiful than the last. Mesmerized, I reached out to touch a delicate petal, feeling a rush of awe and wonder at the sheer beauty of nature's creation.

I opted for Alstroemeria flowers for Tara, as each of its six individual petals carries profound symbolism: patience, empathy, respect, humour, understanding, and commitment. As for Mom, I selected white Carnations, symbolizing the essence of motherhood.

While perusing the flowers, I noticed a man facing the opposite direction, clutching two blossoms in his hand, a yellow rose and a white rose. He appeared somewhat puzzled, as if uncertain about his floral selection.

I approached the cashier and requested a note and a pen from her.

I scribbled a quick note, stating: "Yellow roses signify jealousy and infidelity, whereas white roses represent loyalty and peace. So, it seems white would be the ideal choice."

I passed the note to the cashier, requesting her assistance in delivering it to the man with the flowers.

I made my way to Tara's place, eager to present her with the flowers. I carefully placed the flowers by her doorstep, accompanied by a note that simply stated: "Your essence empowers my femininity."

Arriving back home, I presented my mom with the flower and gently kissed her forehead, softly uttering, "You are my rock."

She smiled warmly and thanked me, saying, "You are the reason I find strength."

As I strolled back to my room, a delicate knock pulled me from my reverie. With an eager heart, I opened the door to find a breathtaking bouquet of lavender roses waiting for me. Their sweet scent enveloped me as I tenderly gathered them in my arms, discovering a heartfelt message tucked among the petals. With bated breath, I read the words: "Thirteen blooms for the sorceress who kindles my spirit's flame, enchanted by the prospect that you wield the key to my final acclaim."

A faint smile graced my lips, but upon realizing it would be from Advik, it faded away.

I unlocked my phone, intending to text Advik. Glancing at my phone, I found a text from Tara awaiting my attention: "Ruhi, thank you for the lovely flowers! Love you." I replied with a heart emoji.

Meanwhile, I also sent a text to Advik.

Me: Thank you for the flowers!

Advik: Which flowers?

Me: Did you happen to send me roses?

Advik: I wish I had been the one to send them to you first, baby.

If I hadn't caught wind of his conversation yesterday, I might have been convinced he was the ideal partner for me.

I pondered to myself, 'Perhaps it was mistakenly delivered. Should I simply keep them? They are indeed beautiful.'

The next day, as per routine, we attended our class only to find another note, a chocolate, and a rose awaiting us.

It seemed like Karthik was going all out to impress Tara. However, Tara remained unimpressed and discarded everything with a scowl, muttering, "He's starting to get on my nerves now."

"Wow, looks like he's really stepping up his game. Starting to wonder if he's serious about you," Mayank observed, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Hey, quit it! May the universe protect us from such a calamity!" she spat out her words like sour candy.

Rajveer's demeanour didn't escape my notice, and it seemed he wasn't pleased with the circumstances.

As we found our seats, Tara leaned in and whispered, "Please, don't tell me Rajveer has a crush on me." I was surprised by her observation, knowing she's not usually very perceptive, yet she had noticed his feelings.

"Hey, don't tell me you've fallen for him since you're dissecting his every little gesture now," I teased with a laugh.

"Shut up, he's definitely not my type," Tara declared firmly.

As we focused on the class, a text message appeared from Advik, saying he'd come to pick me up. I responded with a thumbs-up emoji.

As the lecture concluded, we all began to make our way back, and I noticed Advik waiting for me, holding a bouquet in his hands.

He's radiating some kind of aura that's grabbing everyone's attention. Mayank was giving a reaction as if he'd just spotted a celebrity. Tara remained unfazed, but Rajveer abruptly started walking away. We all exchanged puzzled glances and muttered, "Weirdo."

Before Rajveer could leave, Mayank intercepted him by linking arms with him and said, "Let's all go and meet him, shall we?" I nodded in agreement and invited them to join me.

I was surprised by how easily Rajveer agreed. Could it be because Tara would also be there?

"I'm telling you, he's completely whipped for me!" she declared, with a mix of seriousness and amusement in her tone. I couldn't quite read his expression, so I opted to stay quiet.

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Who do you think sent those flowers? Is someone about to make a grand entrance?

And as for Advik, do you believe he's the perfect match for Aarohi?

If you're captivated by the story, I'd be grateful for your support. Please consider leaving a vote and a comment, it fuels my passion for writing and keeps the story alive.