THE NEIGHBOURHOOD ROMANCE

Chapter 7

Chapter – 7     

Aryan came out of the noisy pub and found her in the balcony overlooking the fountain. She had pulled up her hairs with a clip. “Pakhi” he called and she turned towards him. The moon light had brightened her face just like that night. But today there was a scorching blush in place of those heart-breaking tears. “This is not who I am Aryan” Pakhi said in a low voice. He slowly went beside her and touched his cheek with his outer palm, “This is exactly who you are. Till today you were just masquerading with your own self.” She stared at him in silence. The only sound of flowing water from the fountain was heard. “So, what’s with this makeover?” Aryan finally broke the silence. She gave a soft laugh and said, “It was your sister’s idea.”

“Hmmm I smelled Tina in this plan. Was the dress also chosen by her?”

“Yes!”

“Only a best friend can tell what looks good on your pal!”

“She wanted me to have fun at least once. And her idea of fun is by hooking me up with someone.”

“And she realised today is the perfect day for that.”

“Yes”

“But I suppose they didn’t have to work hard. Just lenses, a dress and.....” Aryan pulled out the clip from her hairs, “opening of that forever ponytail of yours, and ta-da a moon goddess appears.” Soft breeze blew her tendrils over her face. Aryan took the strands and pulled it behind her ears. He noticed that his kiss had removed some of the glitters from her lipstick. “Your hair looks better this way.”  She smiled and closed her eyes smelling the night fragrance.

Aryan kept on staring. He was a fool not to see that innocence underneath the facade of pranks. He cursed all those years he spent irritating her. If for once he had ignored that childish behaviour, he would have broken the barrier erected by themselves, way before. Throughout these sixteen years he had considered her as the forbidden fruit and since she had listened to silly school gossips, he concluded that the fruit was sour. But now with the growing age he felt the growing desire that was sleeping in him. And then he decided no matter what happens, this time he would answer his own craving.

Pakhi finally opened her eyes, “I went through a nasty-break up. He betrayed me. You were right, I had always believed in the idea of falling in love and in that I ignored the desires. I never considered that there was not a single spark in between us. But tonight I feel free. I just want to play along. I just want to give in. Ira is right I had to break the shield I created.” Just like that she let down her shield and before she knew it, her deep desires formed words and without thinking she uttered all that to the devil standing in front of her. he had considered him as the person who reflected the same darkness as the man who had tormented her but no Aryan was something way better than she thought him to be.

“Pakhi, it doesn’t always happen what we think. Sometimes we get the unexpected.” Aryan took her hand and looked directly at her eyes. Pakhi bit her lower lip again. “Don’t do that!” Aryan exclaimed. “What?” Pakhi asked. “That!” Aryan said softly putting his thumb on her lips. “Aryan I – “ Pakhi stopped midway to her sentence when Aryan slowly held her waist with both his hands. “Now would you let me finish what I started?” He asked and before she could say anything, not that she would have protested, his lips claimed hers. Very gently his lips were deepening the kiss. Very slowly his tongue entangled with hers. Her hands went around his neck and he pushed her closer to him. She felt her back touching the pillar beside the balcony and his lips were crushing on her. She could feel that burning need she always wrote about. She shuddered under him when her breasts touched his broad chest. Even in her sky high stilettos she barely reached his shoulder. He had engulfed her with his strong body.  Her slender waist fitted perfectly in his strong hands. Her eyes were long closed but her heart was beating faster and faster. She realised what was lacking in her previous relationship. Though for Aryan it was plain lust but for her it was a turning point. She had never experienced such a kiss before. She understood why girls threw themselves at him. She shuddered again thinking she was nothing compared to those sex goddesses Tina had mentioned to be found in Aryan’s bed.