||~~The Brewer's Girl~~||

👼I Love Her👼

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☺chapter 4.☺

❤Dedicated to fitoori_ali for always being so excited and cheering me up with her long long comments.❤

Kabir.

"Allow me, Aashna?"

I watch as her eyes open.
She was so lively all evening and so much fun to be around.

I've never enjoyed this much with anyone. This night is so beautiful because of her.
I feel an urge to push back those strands of slick black hairs kissing her face.

She stare at me with surprise, her fingers curling those hair strands behind her ears.
She is damn beautiful that it hurt to even lose myself in her.

"What?"

And those lips on which she would worry so occasionally.

I clear my throat and raise the camera to my eyes.
"Allow me?"

"Oh!" I don't fail to notice her hands on her heart as if she's trying to control her racing heart beats. Its amazing how I can make her a nervous mess sometimes.

"Sure" she gives me that dazzling smile to die for, as I click her pics.

I know my laptop, phone wallpaper and screensaver would be so happy to get a new face to their display.

Only this time its gonna be permanent.
Just as her picture in my heart would stay there forever. All mine.

This night, this time with her has made it certain to me, that she's the one.

Is love at first sight happening to me? Is that feels this way? So real? Surreal?

Because even when I said I wanted someone who made me feel like I feel for my passion, for my love of photography. I knew it then.

I knew she did made me feel like it.
I knew I was falling for this beauty, for this kind soul smiling at me.

She agrees to take some selfies too and I send them to my partner in crime, Kukkie.
She is yet to know that I feel for her sister.

That I love Aashna.

How I love the sound of it. I want to say it out loud right now, to hear how would it sound in my voice.
But I can't say it, not with her lying beside me on the car bonnet.I need her to be comfy with me, I need her to trust me and take time to open up to me.

I was so lost in my train of thoughts, its now I realize she'd dozed off when her head bobs onto my shoulder.

Warmth spreads throughout my body as I watch her face. So simple and peaceful without the care of anything that she's out in the middle of the road with me.

I look up to India Gate. 'We'll have to come another day. Filhaal toh chalte hai.'

"Aashna" I gently tap her shoulder.
"Aashna, utho" (wake up)

Her tired eyes gaze back at me.
"Get inside and then you can sleep. I'll drive you to the hotel."

She nods, slipping off the bonnet and throwing herself at the back seat of my dad's car.

I sigh and get inside, checking and smiling at the cute frown she slept with all the ride back to the hotel.

I feel bad to again wake her up so I let her sleep in the car after finding a suitable parking.
Its three in the morning.

I step out of the car and sprawl on top of it. I knew she won't like the idea of us both sleeping under the same roof of the car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next morning I wake up from the dreams full of her, laughing like the last night. I balance myself as the car jerks suddenly and Aashna gets out.

Her hairs are messy and she looks alarmed.
More like freaked out.
I set foot on the ground and smile at her.
"Good morning"

"Kabir, tumne mujhe uthaya kyu nahi , I slept here all night and you, tum upar..." (Why didn't you wake me up?)
She wriggle her eyebrows making me chuckle.

"Hotel jaisi naa sahi , itni buri bhi nahi hai yaar ye car. I had a sleep of my life." (My car ain't that bad for a comfort sleep)

"Fuck! I am so late I'll miss my train. Let's hurry back to hotel"
She hisses.

"Oh!" It dawns on me that she has to leave. Right she can't be with me all the time.
"Shoot. Dad!" I remember I have to pick my dad.

"Relax Aashna, let's get your stuff from upstairs and I can drop you on the way."

We made it on time to the railway station, for her to catch the train.

"Thanks Kabir."

"No mention. C'mon let's get your seat" I move

out of the car to her side.

"You're coming in? Ah Kabir you'll get late you have to pick uncle too."

"Its fine. I have time and I ain't just saying my goodbye here on the road."

We both look down at the mention of goodbye.

" oh no! Shoot." She seal her lips tight in a thin line.

"Kya hua?" (What is it?)
She points to her bare foot. I realize her broken heels were no good for a train journey.

"Wait" I get at the back seat scrounging for a pair of shoes.

"Take these. I bought them recently."

"Er....they're expensive and yours" she says biting her lips and tossing back at me, my precious Nike's runners.

"Shut it. I am giving you these as a gift. Now friend hu ki nahi? (Am I not your friend?)
Put them on quickly unless you want to miss the train and come home with me and dad . probably my grandmom will be so happy to see I brought a girl because she's afraid I'll marry my camera someday! "

I tease her and her mouth keeps opening wider if that is possible.

"You shut it !" She laughs while putting on the shoes.

"You are biji's favourite type by the way ."

"I'm everyone's favourite type " she winks and rise out of the car. I join in chuckling.

We hear the honk of the engine and hurry to her compartment.
I start feeling low.

"So its time to go" she says looking up at me.

Its not like i'd never see her again but in this moment I feel a developing lump in my throat.

"Yeah uh..Aashna I had a great time yesterday. Its got to be forever here."

I point to the my chest , at my heart and her gaze follows. She smiles as her eyes glistens.

I want to hug her right now but the engine give its last call.

She waves me a good bye and I give her the best smile I can manage in spite of my dipping heart.

"Meet soon" I mouth and sigh heavily as the train takes her away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If my spirits were down, Dad's arrival fixed it back.

It is so good to see him still jolly, not a trace of tiredness visible on his face from the long journey between the clouds.

We are on our way back to home. Dad is answering worried calls of my mom, assuring her that he'd landed and would see her soon.

"So?"

I look up at him, raising my eyebrows. His face glows with amusement.

"So ?" I wait for him to say more.

"Found a girlfriend?"

I am flabbergasted by his sudden query.
"What! Dad you know I know nobody here in India."

" when did I mention she's Indian?" He smirks and I look away shrugging and changing the gear.

Dad's piercing gaze is making me uncomfortable.
I set my hairs as we drive ahead.

"Okay!" I clear my throat unable to take it anymore of my dad's eyes on me.
"Dad! What!"

I notice dad's tongue roll as he smirks again.

"Since when did u start wearing heels?"

"Huh?" For a second I can't react. My eyes follow dad's gaze down to Aashna's broken black heels.

Shoot!

I had to pull on the breaks.
"Dad its not what you think. Let me explain"

My ears feel warm and heated. I am pretty sure I would have surpassed red to Maroon in embarrassment.

Dad is cool with most of the stuff. But I don't want him to think any funny business which I didn't even dare do in his car.

Dad's laughter erupts and I restart the car not meeting his eye and making up a story about a girl with a broken pair of heels,whom I met on road and donated my shoes.

I know dad didn't buy my lie but fortunately, for the rest of the ride back home, he gets busy with his lawyer on a phone call.

Gladly I go back to memories of last night.

To her.

How she'd feel the winds.
How she'd look so peaceful.
How she'd laugh carefree with her eyes curiously shining.
The way she'd worry her lips.
A slight tension would make the lines visible on her forehead, with her eyebrows shrinking and stretching plain now and then.

Don't get me started on her hairs. I'd lose myself in that beauty forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It has been a month to our Delhi delight.
She is always on my mind and I am falling for her just like those grains of sand.

Thankfully dad didn't bring the topic again in front of biji but I am aware both mom and dad are keeping a close eye on me.
I am being careful and caring around my family. We did spend a good time.

And today is the day I am going to Pune for the same project I had come to India from Ireland.

Beep.

Have a safe flight.

I smiled at the message flashing from kukkie. She still doesn't know I am in love with Aashna and if she does, the girl never asked me directly.

I am glad. For she is not only my partner in crime but also Aashna's sister. And I am still awkward with the idea that Aashna would get to know I love her from kukkie.

It is only me who is going to tell her that.

Kukkie has taken to teasing us both, though it is more harder for Aashna to bear being at the direct receiving end of kukkie's teasing.

I have no problem because I realize the feelings were growing as we got ahead in our friendship.

That talking over the phone with her is some special experience of my life.
Whenever I hear her voice right in my ears, it feels like she's real close to me.

Talking in hushed voices while sipping coffee in the balcony has become my favourite hobby. Somehow the whispering mixed with the night's light breezes and delicious aroma of latte combines to make it romantic.

"Hello?"
Aashna's worried voice sounds over the phone, with utmost care.

I just smiles. We are best friends now. Yes this quick. That's what she calls me.
I'm actually amazed at the level of understanding and trust we have achieved in the past month.

Aashna is very caring and sensitive herself.

"Kabir? Hello you there?"

"Yeah"

"Safe travels Kabir, i'll see you at the airport"

"Thanks cya"

Somehow my feet drags me faster knowing that she'll be there when I land.

If you're wondering what Aashna's doing in Pune, she has got a job as professor at university. Now she teaches both English and French.

So she'd be there to pick me up and i'm moving in with her.

Sounds cool eh?

I grin as I rest on the window seat, peering at the cotton world.

How it'd be like to live as flatmates?

She has put some conditions like no partying late or bringing girlfriends , as if I have any.
We both are going to pay rents and she doesn't want to be kicked out by our landlady Ms. Mary, because of me.

I wonder how that woman even rented her flat to us since hers is a no bachelors plan.
I have my suspicions that Aashna has lied to her of us being a couple.

My grin grows wider.

How wonderful it would get to tease her off with this.

'Cool hai'
I stuff my earphones and let lose cloud no. 9 to fill in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aashna.

My excitement level is in high spirits as I drive Kabir to my flat.

Our flat.

I lick my lips and some stupid hair strands gets stuck, which I brush away with my one hand while the other rests on the handle.

"Arry what are you doing!" I jump slightly as Kabir clutch both my shoulders from the back.

"Dono hath se chalaao na. Look I don't want to die. Tumhe toh pta hai na what great loss the world would suffer agar mere jaisa handsome banda tumhari wajah se mar gaya toh." (Drive carefully with both hands. You know what great loss the world would suffer if I die because of you!)

I facepalm while Kabir again guides my hands to the handle.
I shake my head at him.

In the past month my this best friend has become more flirtatious.

"Prat" I elbow him in the ribs and race the scooty.
I hear him chuckle, his hands still on my shoulders vibrating.

It is all so nicely confusing with him.
He makes me feel safe, comfortable and happy.

But a slight physical encounter and my stomach would be filled with numerous jittery butterflies.
Not in a -i-am-sick-and-scared- type of way but more like -c'mon-lets-dance-in-glee- type of way.

Kukkie leaves no chance to talk me into Kabir that way. She teases us off a lot and it would always set these butterflies on fire.

I ain't sure what it is between me and Kabir that is so magnetizing but when i'm with him I feel like I can do anything in this world.

I feel power.
And this is just the third time I am meeting him yet it feels like I've known him since ages.

We would flirt and talk and share and tell off making fun of each other.
All in a good way and that is how he became my best friend.

I park my scooty that I've recently bought and we get into the elevator.

"Do we have to pretend that we're a couple?"
He shots at me directly.

"How did you know?"

Shoot.

It came out on reflex before I could contain myself.

He winks and grins at me "I always know"

He is right. He does know everything somehow.
I scowl at him as the lift halts on the seventh floor.

"After you."

I move out and start unlocking while he push through the doors of the lift.
I let him in.
He takes a good look around.

"Wow"

It is a 2BHK flat with an extra open roof sitting area leading to the balcony facing the dining room.

Just when I leave him to walk around and get to know where is kitchen and the common bathroom I hear the speakers go off in the lift.

"Lift kisne roki " (who stopped the lift?)

I hear the security guard shouting off.

I run outside and notice Kabir hasn't closed both the doors of the lift.

Damn him.
I quickly close both the doors and send it to the ground floor before coming in the flat and shutting the door behind me.

I watch him drinking water and walking with a naughty look in the hall.

Fixing him with a glare,I sit on the sofa.
"Are you trying to put us in trouble ? What was that for ?"

"Kick.fun" he shrugs innocently and I throw a cushion at him.

"I'll kick you out if you do that again."

"Don't worry girlfriend , it won't happen again." He winks catching the cushion.

I throw at him another one.
" we don't need to pretend inside this door."

"Alright!" He says tossing both the cushions I'd thrown, back at me.

"I'm hungry! Why don't you order something while I go shower?"

"Okay! Your room's right one with no bathroom" I sing the last part.

"What!" The look on his face is worth laughing for.

I smirk. Only one of the rooms has personal bathroom and that is mine now.

"First come first serve!" I grab my cellphone while grinning at him, who disappears into his room giving out grunting sounds.

I stick my tongue out behind his back giggling to myself.
I know he would have taken the common bathroom for my sake even if he would have been the one moving in first.

I order pizza and starts dusting off.
We still have to move in necessary stuff and i am keen on getting a music system for the hall.

I hear him behind me and turn around to only frown at him as he tosses his towel on the couch.

His hairs are nicely gelled up and his body is perfectly angled with all the muscles cleanly lined in their glory.

I stare at him pointedly with hands on my hips while he sits on the sofa switching on the tv, his back facing me.
I take his towel and rub it over his head messing up his hairs.

He deserves it.
I smile satisfyingly as he turns at me with the what the hell look.

I have to take in a sharp breathe at the sight of his six packs and those throat drying bare body plains.

"What the hell ! What was that for?"

"For" I water my lips and take control averting my eyes away from his lean upper body to meet his eye. It comes back to me why I messed up his hairs.

"For ruining the couch. Put that over the stand in balcony there" I hand him his towel and he grimaces before turning to go.
I close my eyes feeling dazed. He comes right in front standing close to me,
"Anything else madam?"

I shake my head trying to not stare at his open display of skinny mass.

What's happening ! If he's gonna walk in the house half naked I'll have a hard time.

"Get a shirt on!" It comes out breathless. How embarrassing.

He chuckle , "why? am I that unbearably hot?"

I roll my eyes. Something about someone never changes.
"How very boastful! No hotness there okay!"

He is hot. Damn hot. Hot hot.

But i'd donate my hairs but not admit it in front of him. What a trouble it would cause if he and Kukkie gang up on a teasing mission.

It is getting hard to stand feeling my knees go weak when he is stood so close, under reach of my fingers to trace those abdomen curves.

Ergh! Get a grip girl. What thoughts am I thinking even!

Thankfully the doorbell rings and he goes to answer.

I keep a hand on my thudding heart.
How can a guy affect me in that way. Such ways are only in movies and books.

"C'mon let's attack the food"
He comes carrying pizza boxes. Just what I needed.
I grab the coke and relax my drying throat.

We eat pizzas and watch the repeat telecasts of comedy nights with Kapil. Ironic how the channel kicked out the TKSS team and still ran the show on repeat to make time and money.

The fact that he is still shirtless is long forgotten as we laugh and munch on the cheesy bites.

I am comfortable again no longer bothered by his hotness. And this makes me happy 'bhook ke aage sab kuch phika hai'

Little do I know its nothing but Kabir's aura, he affects me at first but also makes me comfortable.

And I am more than happy to find a best friend like Kabir.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been a week of bearing Kabir and his messy habits like not closing the tap properly or throwing the damp towel on the couch.

He is starting work tomorrow. Past week we have done shopping, mostly my stuff as he's only staying here for a month.
I didn't let him pay for the music system, already he has given me his expensive shoes. Also I am not used to someone paying for me other than my papa or mum.

I walk in the hall after fetching the milk and is surprised to hear a guitar strumming.

"How come I never knew you play that thing?" I ask while locking the door behind me.

"I play rarely" he replies in a bored voice.

His fingers are strumming slow and soft, a distant look hovering in his eyes .

Something isn't right.
I place my hands on his bare shoulder.
It's like a wonder if he is wearing shirt when at home. This guy has a thing for showing off how hard he works at the gym.

I am becoming used to seeing him shirtless but then it sets me into frenzy making way for some dangerous thoughts.
And it is kinda awkward to meet his eyes when I am nervous.

"Is everything okay?" I ask him gently sitting beside him.
His soft gaze meet mine as he smile a forced smile.

"We all have a way for pouring our emotions in something. Like when i'm happy I listen to rock bands and go to dance parties."

"You do?"

"Yeah, when I feel good and focused I click at random stuff and feel peaceful when I aim at you" he smiles and this time it reaches his eyes.
I scratch the back of my neck, slightly flushed.

"But when I feel low , I pour it all in this."
He sighs as he starts playing 'you took my heart'

" uh hunh? What's up"

I stare at his face. He is beautiful up close.

Beautiful.

Yeah that's the word.

His eyes are downcasted with his long lashes brushing his cheeks.
His cheekbone is the one like you will find in a magazine supermodel's handsome face.

I just realize Kabir does have nice features and a great body.

His lips move synching with lyrics silently. He is half whispering half singing and is barely audible.

I don't know what crosses my mind in this moment. I touch his chiseled jaw lightly to make him look at me.

You became the meaning of my life.

He sings and there is this extraordinary force in his eyes. I can feel myself melting in those chocolate orbitals.

*Click on the screen and hit the star at the bottom of your screen to vote*

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

No confessions yet!
But do you guys think its time?
Will Kabir tell what he is feeling from one and a half month?

Next one will be coming in next 24 hrs coz I am on a spree to write 😉

Till then gimme votes and comments!
And tellme what you think of this chapter?

Love always,

Sue💛