We Are A Match [COMPLETED]

BONUS CHAPTER

16 Years Later

Akira's POV

"Please!" I pleaded and pouted my pink lips, making puppy dog eyes as I looked at him.

He looked down at me, his green eyes brimming with amusement. Though his face remained pretty much expressionless much to my anticipations. His lips slowly upturned and he gave me a smile. The dimple on his right cheek emerged up when he smiled.

"I'm working, Akira." He replied as he turned to look back at the laptop screen where I could spot another person. I guess he was on a video conference with the Officials.

Rolling my eyes, I jumped up on the bed and crawled up to him while he gave me a serious glare.

"Please daddy! I've been asking you about it since last week and you've not replied to me!" I said as I hugged his torso while he tried to put the laptop away.

"Oh hi kiddo! Long time no see!" The guy on the laptop screen exclaimed and waved at me.

"HI KIRAN!" I exclaimed with equal excitement and waved at him.

"Listen, Kiran. I'll talk to you in a while." Dad said.

"Sure kid." Kiran replied with a grin and disconnected.

Putting the laptop aside, dad then turned to look at me with a Super-serious face. I gulped once. Dad looked at my expression and then tilted his face as if asking me what it was.

"She wants to go to that Trekking Tour Rishav," Mom said as she brought a cup of coffee for Dad and handed it to him.

"Which I have declined already." Dad said and took the cup from her hands with a smile.

"But that's so unfair! I scored the highest in the finals this year so that you grant me my wish! And this is my wish." I sulked.

"What am I? A genie?" Dad asked.

"I think you should let her go," Mom said.

Yes! Helping mom out with her work papers definitely paid off. She's supporting me!

Dad frowned at mom's words. He handed the coffee cup to me without sipping it for even once.

"Who'll look after her on that trip? What if something happens? A landslide on the way? Any dangerous animal? And you know how clumsy Akira is; what if she slips and breaks a bone or two?" Dad went on.

Mom sighed and settled down beside him. While dad was still ranting away, she smiled and shut his mouth by placing her palm on his lips. I suppressed a laugh and sipped Dad's coffee silently. He threw me a fake glare when he noticed that I was stealing his coffee while I shrugged at him.

"Akira is not a five year old anymore, Rishav. Let her go and explore on her own." Mom said.

Dad held her wrist and gently removed her hand from his mouth. His face said it all. He was contemplating on the options.

"What if she punctures the tires of the vehicle like she did on last year's school trip?" He asked a final question.

"Hey! That happened just ONCE okay? That too because I didn't wanna leave that amusement park." I defended but both of them ignored me.

I rolled my eyes and got off the bed. Flipping my brown hair back, I headed out of the room. My parents, Rishav Neil and Ananya Sharma Neil, end up into their own little world when they are together. It's like I don't even exist when they are talking! Nevertheless, I don't think it's bad. They love each other and that's what matters to me.

Walking out of their master bedroom, I walked across the silent corridors as I looked at those year old photo frames hung on the walls.

One framing my dad and his team when they won the World Cup two consecutive times. The entire team held Dad up on their shoulders as they cheered on while Dad held the trophy up in the air.

Another one framed the day when Mom and Dad got engaged. Their faces were adored with bright smiles and shy eyes. Dad looked like he'd soon transform into a tomato while Uncle Ravi hugged him with happiness.

The next picture was of the day they got married. Mom looked as pretty as ever in that red saree while dad was dressed in a creme colored shervani and he looked darn handsome.

And then there were pictures of the three of us. One picture held a five year old me sitting on Dad's back as I rode him like a cowgirl.

Another one had been clicked by Dad where Mom was crying like a little baby while she bid me a goodbye on my first day of kindergarten. I swear that I didn't shed a single tear while Mom was crying like all the other babies.

Reaching downstairs, I looked ahead at the entrance and grinned when I noticed two figures sitting in the living room.

"HI boys!" I welcomed and settled down between them.

"Hello princess!" Uncle Ravi greeted and raised a hand up in the air and I high-fived it.

"What say? Wanna go on a flight to New York? I'm planning a business trip about a week from now." He suggested.

"I'll definitely accompany if 'Mr.No' allows." I said and shrugged.

"Does Rishav know you gave him that nickname?" Kabir asked me through his glasses, a smile playing on his lips.

"No way! He'll ground me up." I said with wide eyes.

"Wait a minute, when did I EVER ground you?" Dad's voice reached us and we three turned to look at Mom and Dad coming downstairs.

"It's always Ananya who grounds you." Dad said while Mom elbowed him on his ribs.

"Oh before I forget," Kabir said as he pulled a file from his backpack and presented it to me.

"Here's the science project you wanted me to complete for you," Kabir said as he held the file out to me while I shook my head with wide eyes, trying to gesture him to put the file away.

"WHAT?! You made Kabir do your project?!" Mom yelled at me.

"I... Uh..." I started, shrinking behind Uncle Ravi to shield me from the wrath.

"That's it young girl, YOU'RE GROUNDED." Mom said, her little nostrils flaring and her brown hair bouncing about as she yelled every word while I scowled at her.

"SEE! I TOLD YOU IT'S ALWAYS HER!" Dad exclaimed, his green eyes widened and he pointed a finger at my fuming mother.