THE ARRANGED LOVE STORY

EPISODE 12

"Ugh! I'm so jealous." Shahana cried through the phone.

"Can't do anything about it friend. My boss left early, so my work is done and I'm going to my apartment. I might sleep early as well." Aryan bragged.

"You are such an insensitive prick! You called just to tease me?" Shahana exclaimed.

"Hey! It's not my fault that your boss is making you work hard. By the way, what did she say to him."

"She said that she would invite him to the party."

"Did she say anything else?"

"I don't know. I was not there? Why?" Shahana asked.

"Because he got all worked up after the call and left in a hurry." Aryan said trying to control his laughter.

"Oh..."

They both went quiet, trying to imagine what Prachi might have said.

"I think it's best not to think about it, right?" Aryan suggested as he didn't want to imagine their conversation.

"Yes" Shahana agreed, feeling the same way.

*****

Prachi was nervous and jittery. She had never flirted with anyone in years. Then, why did she change her tone while talking to Ranbir? She had no answer.

Would it be weird to have a crush at twenty-six?

"Ma'am, the new designs are ready. The order will be here by tomorrow."

Prachi's thoughts were interrupted by Shahana who had entered the cabin.

"Oh, Good." Prachi said. "Lock the files in the shelf. We are done for today."

"Ok, ma'am."

Prachi collected her phone, purse and keys and left the office, ordering her assistant to wrap up the remaining work.

Throughout the drive home, Prachi was smiling and blushing. Ranbir had sounded so nervous on the phone, she wanted to laugh. Maybe, that's what made her use a teasing tone.

Pragya raised many questions when she noticed a smile on her daughter's face, but Prachi evaded all questions and escaped to her room.

After completing her night rituals, she laid on the bed. Her thoughts again went to Ranbir and their upcoming date. Wait! What? DATE!! She didn't know if she could call it a date or not, but the excitement was the same. She wondered whether Ranbir was thinking about it in the way as she was.

She had no idea about his past relationships. He had never mentioned any girlfriends. But their conversations didn't breach the topic of their love lives. Still, she knew that he was single and it was ok for them to party together.

A relationship was not in her card. She was not yet ready for it. But it was also a relief that she was finally moving on, and Ranbir seemed the right person. He was gentle and supportive, not the kind to force himself into someone's life.

Maybe, she can be happy in her life once again.

*****

"I'm so glad you could make it, Ronit" Ravi exclaimed. "I thought that after a break from the industry, you would not model for me."

"Come on Ravi, you are one of the best and it's Lakme. How could I say no?" Ronit chuckled.

"Thank God! With Prachi bringing Sara Ali Khan on the stage, I had to bring someone good too." Ravi said dramatically.

"Prachi is taking part in Lakme Fashion Week?" Ronit was shocked.

"Yeah....it has been more than three years since she started her company, so she is eligible."

"Oh..." Ronit went quiet.

"Are you having second thoughts about working with me, Ron?" Ravi spoke in  a nasty tone. "Don't want to upset your ex?"

"Uh....no. She is matured enough to understand. I am an actor and I need to work with various people. More over, she could not stand against me earlier and will not be able to do it now also." Ronit declared.

"Yeah. It's not as if she is still hung upon you. She has surely moved on..... don't you remember Ranbir Kohli?"

Ravi smirked on seeing the disturbed expression on Ronit's face. He still couldn't believe that Prachi could ever move on from him.

Ravi was celebrating inside his head. Till then, Prachi had thwarted all his attempts to pull her down. But this time, he had an opportunity to create a havoc in her life.

*****

Ranbir could not get over the conversation she had with Prachi that evening. He wondered whether she was flirting with him or not. Her tone sure sounded different.

The more he thought about it, the more he could not stop smiling. He also felt weird that he was behaving like a teenager. But, it didn't feel wrong.

The only thing that worried him was if he was misinterpreting her and if she reciprocated his feelings or not. The budding friendship he shared with Prachi was special to him and he didn't want to ruin it. And also, there was an issue of her ex, whom he had no knowledge of.

Nevertheless, that thought didn't dampen his mood. Prachi had invited him and that was what mattered to him at that moment. He was feeling so excited to meet someone for the first time. Whatever may happen, he wanted to give it a chance.

He decided to select his clothes in advance and opened his cupboard. After about an hour, he finally decided that he had nothing good to wear among the heap of clothes.

He picked up his phone.

*****

Aryan thought that he would have a long and peaceful sleep, but at 11o' clock, his phone started ringing loudly.

With his eyes shut, he began searching for his phone and finally picked it up.

"Hey.... Don't think about it too much. We can talk tomorrow." Aryan said in a groggy voice.

"What?" Ranbir said from the other end. "What are you blabbering about?"

"Shahana, why your voice sounds so rough? Were you screaming too much?" Aryan said dreamily.

"ARYAN, WHAT THE HELL" Ranbir shouted to bring Aryan into his senses.

Aryan immediately sat up straight on realizing who was on the other end of the call. It wasn't Shahana. It was his boss! His sleep jumped out of the window and he was scared.

"Sir... sorry sir. What was I saying?" he asked nervously.

"Ugh! Don't even bother about that." Ranbir was annoyed.

"I'm really sorry, sir. Why did you call me, sir? Is there any problem?"

Ranbir took a deep breath and calmed himself. "Well, I saying..... for that party....."

"With Prachi ma'am?"

"Yeah that one. I need a new suit for that."

"Okay, sir"

"Do it quick. I want to see it tomorrow in the morning and don't even think of buying it from anywhere except Mehra Designs."

"It will be done sir."

Ranbir cut the call.

Aryan cried internally. Gone was his sleep. He opened the website of Mehra Designs and began scrolling through the pictures of various suits.

He still needed a good sleep though.