Always been yours!

The Dinner

RECAP
Come on everyone let's sit for dinner" ai said brightly and all of us did sit. Unfortunately ai asked me to sit right beside her, but that wasn't the problem. On the other side was sir, and that was the problem. But I brushed it off and we started with dinner.

Sara's POV
Everyone was eating happily, enjoying the scrumptious meal cooked by ai. She was the best cook in the world. I remember that at one point during school summer breaks, I used to be here at their place all the time. My main reason was ai's food. I had even told Akshita, but she had just laughed it of and said 'as long as you are here, I don't care about the reason'

'Ai the food is out of the world' I moaned softly. I realized that sir was looking at me, but the look in his eyes was different then usual. I forced myself to look away and then I looked at ai.
'Ai, please, I am begging you, teach me how to cook like this. Can I work as your assistant. Pleaseee' I whined looking at her with puppy dog eyes.
'Of course bacha' she said smiling, but suddenly she pulled my ear and I groaned 'ai what did I do now? '
'You are working as Ram's assistant right? You didn't feel like telling me. Do you really thin of me as your ai or do you just call me that to get all my secret recepies' her stern act faded and she ended up smiling.
'Maa I am telling you, she only calls you ai for the recepies you give her.' Akshita spoke as she strolled into the room.
As she sat on the table she grinned at me and told everyone,
' You know, since you were all talking about Sara being bhai's assistant, I have a little story to tell you all. It is about the time when Sara got the letter for the interview. ' I put my head on the table knowing that she would embarrass me.
'Go on' baba told her. She grinned maliciously, I will get back at you for this. You wait and watch Akshita.
'So, bhai you remember the day I woke you up early last week, just two days after you got back from New York after your studies.'
'Ya, I remember, what about that'
'You remember, you shouted at me saying that I was insane for waking you up so early just two after you returned. Well you should know, your dear PA, who was supposed to pick me so we could go shopping , chose to sleep in instead . I don't have my driving license yet, so I had to wake you up in order to go to her place and wake Her Majesty up. I didn't even get a sorry. Anyways, we were all having breakfast later and just as we were about to leave the doorbell rang. Aditya, her amazing brother, completely opposite from her, opened the door and got the letter. It was for her. After she read it you should have seen her. She thought it was some error. Uncle finally told her that he had sent it in for her. He told her, he wanted her to do this. When she finally agreed, she realized that she had heard Khanna Enterprises somewhere. She just couldn't connect the dots. When she did she was you know the CEO loves me a lot, it won't be fair on the others. That is when I reminded her that dad retired and bhai had now taken over. Her face, oh God, I wish I had taken a picture. You missed something valuable, all three of you. I must tell you though, if the current CEO loves you, I have no issues with it bhabs' she winked at me and laughed looking at my face. I bet I looked brighter then a tomato. Everyone else laughed, even Asram who now had a light pink tint on his cheeks. It made him look cute, I thought as I forced myself to look away for the second time tonight. What is going on with me!!!!!!!

Anyways, after all of them finished laughing, we ate our dinner with a little chit-chat. As I was about to leave, aunty asked me how I was going and I replied saying that I would book a cab. She looked furious.
'Young lady stop right there, don't you dare book a cab. Asram will drop you home. I am not having you go on your own. Before you say, that you can call Aditya, he has gone out and your father is also catching a flight tonight. So don't try any tricks on me. I am not having it. Your safety is extremely important and do you think your mum would have let Akshita come on her own at 10 in the night. So now shut up and go with him. Am I clear? '
'Crystal' I replied a little scared.
I walked over to her and hugged her tight 'I love you ai, but you worry too much. Chill a little, hell won't break lose. And we need to meet up soon, you have to teach me the recipe of today's meal'
'Deal, tell me when you are free and your workaholic boss gives you time' she smiled broadly and I returned a small smile.
'Next, baba kissed my forehead and told to let him know if my boss is giving me any troubles. Then I looked towards Akshita who was already sleeping on the couch. I smiled slightly and asked aunty to tell her to call me in the morning.
'If you are done with telling everyone goodbye, can we go ma'am. My parents wish that I work as your personal chauffeur, so are you ready to go ma'am' he said, a little twinkle in his eye as he said it with a small smirk. I just nodded my head grinning. I waved goodnight to ai and baba and left the house quietly following Asram.
As soon as we were out of his parents hearing range I said 'Sir, you don't need to drop me back. I can manage myself'
'Ma'am do you want me to lose my job. My parents will fire me, please let me do my job' he said grinning, enjoying his roleplay. I rolled my eyes, he is definitely Akshita's brother, I thought again.
'Fine sir, but you won't call me ma'am'
'What am I supposed to call you then Ms. Sharma?' Before I could answer, he opened the passenger door for me. That is when I realized that we had already reached the garage, I completely lost myself when I was arguing with him. He got into the driver's seat and looked at me and said 'Answer me'
His tone made me shiver a little, his voice, the authoritativeness it held, it was really captivating. Anyways, he was waiting for an answer, I reminded myself.
'Please call me Sara'
'But you are my employer'
'But ma'am or Ms. Sharma makes me feel old, plus it is too formal.'
'I agree, but then why don't you call me Asram?'
'Because sir, right now, we are just acting around about me being y OK ur employer but in reality you are my employer. So it wouldn't be right to call you by your name. '
'But sir makes me feel old' he whined like a little kid. I had a severe urge to pull his cheeks and I don't know what came over me, but I did.
'Oh God! I shouldn't have done that I am sorry sir. Really sir, I am extremely sorry. You just behaved too cutely, almost like Jay does. I just couldn't stop myself. I am sor-'
'Hey, hey, Sara it's fine. I didn't mind it. Instead it reminded me of the time when we were all little and you used to pull my cheeks. Remember your words when I asked you why you pulled them.
I groaned, I was so embarrassed when I remembered.
You had said ' Because they look so soft like a cotton candy, but since I can't eat it, I will play with it.' He laughed so hard and as I looked at him, I couldn't help but smile. He wasn't the jerk I remembered him to be during our teens. He had matured, he had started behaving like the little Asram, who used to make me laugh all day. The one who used to be my best friend when we were little. My secret keeper.My saviour. I remember, he always got in trouble because of me and could do anything for me. If I had asked him for the moon, he probably would have gotten it for me then. A few years later, he suddenly behaved very rudely with me and told me that he could not be friends with a kid. So then, through all those years I hoped he would go back to the old Asram, but he never did. And now, all of a sudden. It is a pleasant surprise and I couldn't have been happier. However, I was not ready to completly let down my guard with him due to our pasts. Thinking of our past, I remembered one more important thing in our life. Our group-Adi bhai, Asram, Akshita and me.
We used to spend all our free time together. Where did everything go?
Without thinking too much I asked him, 'do you remember our group, the four us would always be together during our free times. Where did all of that go?'
'I guess it was mainly my fault, after I shouted at you, both of them didn't want all of us to meet together. They were right. I was a jerk back then. I would have probably just shouted at you again. I really am sorry about my behavior in the past. I wish I could take all of the pain I gave you back. I just keep wishing. Hurting you is probably the only thing I regret in my life.'
'If you don't mind me asking, what cause you to suddenly change your attitude towards me back then?'
'Well being very honest, some friend of mine caught me looking at you and smiling and one of my birthday's, he had said why are you ogling a kid. That is what struck me. I thought my classmates would hate me for being friends with a junior. I didn't want to be an outcast. So I did what I did. When I finally did realize, I was already leaving for studies abroad. I never got to sort it out. I am glad I could finally tell you the truth though. I am so so so sorry Sara. '
'Don't worry about it sir, I forgave you long ago' I smiled at him but he frowned in return.
'So you forgave me, but don't accept me back as a friend. What will I have to do to earn back your friendship?' he asked seriously.
'Who said I haven't accepted you back as a friend?' I replied very confused.
'Well you called me sir, my friends call me Asram or Ram. Once there was this girl in my life, she was a special case, she used to call me Ash for some reason. She said 'As' comes from Asram and h is there because I like the letter. ' I couldn't help but grin at him. My heart beat fast as I realized that he remembered.
He was slowly making me drop down my guard again, but I really didn't mind. I had missed having him in my life.
'As much as I didn't want this to happen, we have reached'he said with a little pout.
I blushed when I realized that I had not even been aware of the surroundings.
'Good night Asram, thanks a lot for dropping me'
'It wasn't an issue. I would have done it even if mom and dad hadn't hired me for it. See you soon. Bye Sara, good night. Also, All the best for your exams' I smiled and then ran of into the house. I saw him leave just as soon as I turned on my bedroom lights turned on. Such a gentleman, I thought dreamily.