THE NEIGHBOURHOOD ROMANCE

Chapter 17

Chapter - 17

            Despite of being an uninvited guest Aryan had to stay for the wedding and was getting impatient, for he was much eager to spend time with his lovely girlfriend, rather than smiling at the guests who teased him of his recent PDA. They all had gathered around the mandap, while the bride-groom was preparing to leave for the guruduwara where the actual rituals will take place. “Pakhi, can we please leave?” Aryan whispered into Pakhi’s ears. “Not now, Aryan wait, I cannot leave the wedding. Alisha is my close friend.” Pakhi hushed him.

“I love you. Now can you leave?”

“No!” Pakhi giggled. Annoyed with Pakhi’s constant refusal Aryan went to stand in a corner, and kept on eyeing Pakhi. And whenever Pakhi turned her head towards him, he winked. As Aryan noticed, an old woman had caught them playing the eye-game, he sheepishly smiled at her. The lady pulled his cheeks and said, “Dear son, your love for her is shinning in those eyes and so does hers. Go ahead puttar, marry her and make her yours forever.”

“Thank you dadiji, I am planning exactly to do that as soon as this wedding ends.”

            Pakhi was so tired that she didn’t even bother to change her saree into her night wears. She put off all the lights and lied down on the bed. Suddenly she felt a soft touch on her belly. A hand closed her gaping mouth and she saw a pair of blue eyes scanning her face. She could make out the sharp features of the devil’s face even in the moonlight. “Finally, I have got you.” Aryan said in a husky tone and removed his hands from her mouth only to replace it with his lips. His kiss was scorching and hungry. Pakhi completely matched her need with his hunger. Quickly Aryan removed her saree and made her body shiver with the touch of his lips. Every time they had made love, Aryan had felt a kind of pricking in his heart, now he actually realised that it only happened when the two bodies recognised each other as mated.  He can’t have enough of her; his passion had mixed with the ultimate desire to make this night one of the memorable nights of their togetherness.

Pakhi was exhausted while sweat was dripping from Aryan’s body only to mingle with hers. She was breathing heavily from the recent climax. Aryan’s kisses had left her lips numb; she kept on starring at him. Aryan smiled and asked, “So bird; satisfied with your prince charming?” but Pakhi didn’t answer, just a small drop ran down from her eye. Aryan rubbed her face with his thumb, “Pakhi, what happened? Don’t cry baby, see I am here.” Pakhi brushed her lips over his and said, “You know Aryan, all this time I had searched for my prince charming in you only to realise that actually it’s not the prince charming who is the real hero, it is the knights who protect everyone, including the king and the prince. You are not the prince charming but my knight in shining armour.”  Aryan laughed and blew the strand of her hair that had come over her face. He kissed her nape and rested his head on her bosom. The light breeze blowing from the window slowly took them to the dreamland and the lovers fell into deep sleep under the soft moonlight.

Aryan’s work had increased after the finalising of the new deals that he had left off in the middle while he rushed back from London. Thanks to his extraordinarily convincing power, the deals had not gone out of his hand after he had left it in such a mess. Pakhi was also very busy with the more new shows Romantic Veil was getting. Still among this hectic schedule they had managed to keep their neighbourhood romance running smoothly under the dangerous suspiciousness of their neighbours. Aryan was planning to break the news to everyone, but in these two months, he couldn’t figure out the right way to do it. So he had asked for Pakhi’s help. They had decided to meet at Barishta for coffee at 7pm. 

It was already 8pm and Aryan was waiting for Pakhi. This was weird, Pakhi never got late. It was his nature to always arrive late. And if work had come up why didn’t she inform him? Aryan thought. He called her for the fourth time and this time she answered. “Aryan, Aryan I am sorry.” Pakhi quickly uttered in a sleepy tone.

“Pakhi are you alright?”

“I am sorry, I fell asleep as soon as I came back from work at 3pm.”

“What happened? You don’t sleep at this hour? Are you ill?”

“No I am not ill. I don’t know. Dr. Basu has made a thorough check up, now the reports will tell. But today I had slept for three hours extra and still I am feeling sleepy.”

“I asked you not to take so much stress in one day. But no, you won’t listen to me.”

“I know, but this new drama – “

“Forget that drama. You need to get a break. Either you take it on your own or else I’ll ask Krishna to fire you.”

“You won’t do that. You love me too much.”

“Lady, you don’t know what a man in love is capable of doing. Now go back to sleep, I’ll meet you tomorrow.”

            Pakhi was fast asleep when Aryan sneaked into his room. Nowadays Pakhi never closed the window while she was at home as per Aryan’s order. He pulled the blanket over her shoulder and very softly dropped a light kiss on her cheek, making sure not to wake her up. He went to his room and sat with some pile of works when all the while his mind drifted off to Pakhi’s health. He didn’t notice when time flew by and the big clock in his room said it was already 4AM. He had lectured Pakhi on not to take too much stress when he himself was working late night. He closed the files and finally dozed off.