Naina (Al-Ameen Family #4)

Box

Hope 2019 is happy and prosperous for all! May God bless us with everything our hearts desire 💖  

I forced myself to get out of bed early. I had to spend the morning packing. Namrata sent me my tickets and it was imperative I got to London on time. Apparently, there was a breakthrough in the case.

I packed until lunch and then stuffed my face at lightning speed. Armaan asked me to meet him around 2 at the field. I put on a nice dress again and put on my favourite jhumkas. I let my maid know to wrap up her day as I'd leave for the airport around 4:30, as soon as I came back.

"Naina, where are you?" Armaan called as soon as got into the rickshaw.

"I'm coming yaar, wait 10 minutes I'll be there."

When I did actually get there, there were a lot more kids then I expected. I walked onto the field and Armaan spotted me from the other side. He jogged over in his black jeans and white t-shirt; odd choice to play cricket in but he's the professional so what did I know.

"You finally made it!"

"Excuse me, I'm on time," I scoffed, walking towards the bleachers with him. Some of the little boys from last time yelled out hellos to me. It felt like eons ago but in reality, it was only a few days.

"Ready to play?" I asked him, tying my dupatta across my torso.

"Born ready, let's go!" he seemed really excited. A little too excited.

We got into teams and took positions. I was fielding with most of the boys from earlier this week, and Armaan took most of the new kids to bat.

We played a short game but an exhilarating one. Armaan was not going easy on me this time.

After his team one, the kids all flooded the field, high-fiving and shoving each other playfully.

"I lost," I shrugged, fixing my dupatta again as we walked towards the shade. Armaan handed me a cold water bottle.

"I won," he beamed, much happier than he needed to be over a casual cricket game.

After a long drink, I made conversation. "So my flight is as 4:30 so I should b-" I couldn't finish my sentence as loud music began to play throughout the cricket grounds. "What's going on?"

"I don't know, maybe I should check it out." Armaan had the biggest shit-eating grin I'd ever seen.

I recognized the song instantly. And then out of nowhere, the Dandiya Devils-the team of kids I taught dance to- appeared in the middle of the field. Armaan was now wearing the mirrored jacket he wore a couple nights ago when we went to play garba.

Music played through the speakers. I watched, stunned as Armaan performed the choreography with my girls from the team. I couldn't help but melt on my spot as he danced with the little girls effortlessly, winking at me.

"Didi!" one of the youngest boys on the team came up to me and hugged me around my legs. "Aap ki shaadi hone wali hai? (Are you getting married?)," he looked up at me with his big brown eyes.

"Kya? (What?)," I asked in confusion but before he had time to say more and before I could ask, a few of the older boys pulled me on to the field. Dholida, the song we danced to the other night began to play. Armaan handed me a pair of dandiya sticks and then launched into the routine that we choreographed for this song.

It took me a couple seconds, but I got into it eventually. I was dancing, carefree and happy but towards the end of the song, when the rhythm picked up, everyone flooded the field, almost a hundred kids and I was pushed into Armaan.

Usually, this would have been a cute moment, where I would have blushed and stepped back and it would have been like the movies. But this wasn't one of those moments.

When I bumped into his chest, I felt it then. A box, a small, square box, tucked away in the pocket of his jacket. Perfectly small, perfect for a ring.

Aap ki shaadi hone wali hai?

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

I had about ten seconds, maybe twenty before he was going to take that ring box out. If he was going to take the ring box out.

But I wasn't going to stand around and risk watching him do it. I plastered a pleasant look on my face and spun around, looking for an out. As soon as I saw Armaan's eyes dart away from me, I made a mad dash for the bleachers where my purse was. I knew I couldn't leave from the main exit, because then I'd have to go right through the crowd, so I continued to run, inside the tunnel that led towards the changing rooms.

There must be an exit in the back somewhere. I found a door and managed to escape, luckily catching a rickshaw immediately. I got home, grabbed my stuff and made my taxi driver speed to the airport.

I had a bunch of texts and missed calls from him, but I couldn't answer. I couldn't do anything except turn every emotion off and focus on work. Namrata said if I got to the airport by 3, she could get me on an earlier flight and right now, that's all I wanted to do.

I didn't realize I was gritting my teeth so hard till I felt a sharp pain in my temple.

My federal level security clearance got me through the airport without having to deal with customs and before I knew it, I was sitting first class in British Airways, crying into my heart out into a small airplane pillow.

I knew my phone was supposed to be on airplane mood but I needed my best friend right now.

I texted Sanam.

Sanam?

Hi Nainu. Did you get to the airport yet?

I'm on the plane.

Already? Someone's' eager to get to London 😛

I'm in love with him Sanam...

WITH ARMAAN?

Yes.

What happened?

I ran away from him. I let myself slip up. It hurts so much Sanam.

Oh Naina... What happened?

I told her everything that happened since we got to India a week ago. The nine hour flight involved a lot of crying and a lot of old Salman Khan songs.