Abhirohi ff: Love & Friendship

26

Important:- Please read the author's note at the end.

❖Chapter 26❖

Aarohi opened the tap, collected water in her palms and splashed it on her face.

She peered in the mirror, the makeup was still intact. She thanked herself for wearing waterproof makeup. She wiped her face with a bounty towel and came out of the bathroom.

"Abhimanyu, you also wash your face," she said, sitting on the dresser stool.

He hummed and went in the bathroom, while she got her setting power out and fixed her makeup. She set down the eyeliner when Abhimanyu stepped out of the bathroom.

He quickly applied moisturizer and raked his hair, while Aarohi fixed her hair.

"Ready?" she asked, standing up.

"No, I forgot one thing," he said. She moved out of his way to give him space but he held her arm. "Stay still." She obliged. Abhimanyu reduced the space between them, she closed her eyes anticipating a kiss while he grabbed the eyeliner lying on the dresser and uncapped it. She opened her eyes when she felt nothing. She gave him a puzzled look. He again reduced the distance between them and doodled a dot behind her right ear. "Now we're ready!"

She realized what happened and flushed. "Uh, I thought you were going to kiss me."

Without a second thought, he pressed his lips to hers, fulfilling her wish. "Aapne kuch maanga, aur hum naa karein? Aisa toh ho hi nahi sakta. (You wish for something, and I don't fulfill it? That can't happen.)"

When they pulled apart, Aarohi rubbed off the remnants of the lipstick stain from his lips and turned back towards the mirror to reapply her lipstick.

"Let's go now," she said.

"Hmm." They walked downstairs.

In the living room, Meghna crossed their path. "I'm sorry if I caused you guys any inconvenience. I'm about to leave. My train is in a few minutes." Meghna placed her hands on her hand. "Khush raho aur sada suhagan raho (Stay happy and have a long life with your husband.). I wish you both the very best in your marriage.

(a/n: i'm not sure of the accurate translation in english of the phrase "sada suhagan raho".)

"Can I drop you?" Abhimanyu asked Meghna.

"No beta. My cab will arrive at any time. I shall get going." She wheeled her luggage out of the house, to the gate where a cab halted. She hands the luggage to the cab driver who puts it in the trunk and closed it. They both get in the car and drive away.

Abhimanyu and Aarohi go to the backyard and take their seats. Roohi immediately sits on Matashree's lap and mumbled, "Are you okay?" while she sniffles.

"I'm fit and fine. Par aap theek ho na, Shona." Aarohi kissed Roohi's temple. Roohi hummed and snuggled in her mother's warmth, feeling solace.

Later in the evening, the sangeet performances ended and the audience was given flashcards where they wrote which team they thought performed the best. Everybody did that and the answers were put in a box where it was counted. And in the end, the girl's team won.

Shefali walked to the makeshift stage with a grin and announced. "Well, we have counted the results and the winning team is... drum rolls, please... It's the bride's side." She clapped along with everyone showcasing enthusiasm. Nistha's friends shot up from their seats and booed Iravaan's friends, to which they gave them mock glares.

"The dance floor is now open, and dinner's ready to be served. Head over to the counters and help yourselves!" Shefali turned off the mike and went to Aarohi.

She hugged Aarohi and said, "I'm so proud of you."

By ten o'clock, the party ended and everybody went to their respective homes.

⁂

"Matashree, can I sleep with you?"
"Bilkul. (For sure.)"

Aarohi picked up Roohi, helping her wrap her legs around her waist and her arms around her neck. She carried Roohi to her and Abhi's room and laid her on the bed, then slipped under the blanket beside her. Aarohi gently patted Roohi until she fell asleep.

When soft snores filled the room, Abhimanyu, lying beside them, whispered, "Is she feeling better?"

Aarohi nodded and leaned over to kiss his forehead. "She's fine. Good night," she whispered, and they both drifted off to sleep.

⁂

word count: 674

Hello guys,

This is all I could write. I'm sorry for the short chap.

The story is now a bit complicated. Both Abhimanyu and Akshara are right in some aspects and wrong is some. And both the sides in which readers favour akshara or Abhimnayu are right it their own ways. Their's a neuance to it. It's not black and white. I will be writing from a neutral perspective. I won't be siding one character and disregarding the other. But I'm human as well so I can make mistakes and I apologize in advance.

Thank you for being lovely readers!