CHAPTER 19
ABIR'S POV
"No", I say firmly.
"Yes."
"No."
"Please!"
"Nope, not happening at all!"
"Abbi, don't be such a spoil sport. It will be fun."
I scoff, "Fun? Are you even hearing yourself right now? Driving for thirteen hours straight from Rajkot to Mumbai by car doesn't sound fun to me. Nope. Not at all."
Both of us are now seated on the couch, thinking about how to travel to Mumbai.
She crosses her arms across her chest and pouts slightly, that make my insides erupt, "Well, to me, it does", she mumbles to herself.
I raise my eyebrow at her and she scowls at me in return. She has to be the cutest human being I have met.
Ever.
I chuckle to myself slightly, thinking about her cute antics.
"What?", she asks, still frowning.
I shake my head in a no. After a few seconds of silence, I continue, "So. If you want to go by car, Jugnu Bhaiya will drive us. Or we can go by train or a plane. The choice is yours."
She clicks her tongue in irritation, "Abir, if you don't want to drive, let me drive. I can do that.", she says with determination lacing her words.
I look at her incredulously, "You? You haven't even gotten your license yet! How will you take the both of us to Mumbai? Do you have a fake license or what?"
She crunches her eyebrows together, an indication that she is actually thinking, "Actually, now that you say it, I think I can get that done in 2 days. You know, the fake license.", she says that as if it is that most obvious and easiest thing to do.
I look at her with wide eyes and shout, "MAA!"
She jumps from her seat and launches straight at me and covers my mouth, causing me to fall flat on my back, with her on top of me. Both my hands automatically go around her waist, holding her in place. Her other hand is supporting my neck from down, which causes sudden tingles and goosebumps to shoot down through my body.
"What is it Abir?", I heard Rajshree ma shout from upstairs.
Mishtipie held my mouth in a tighter grasp, if that is possible, "Mom, nothing. You know Abbi right, he is scared of small things like cockroaches", she chuckled nervously, "Don't worry mom, I'm here, right? I'll take care of it. Cockroaches of all sizes know that they won't be able to win against Mishti Maheshwari.", she said the last part looking directly into my eyes, confidence oozing out of her.
I removed one hand from her waist and took her hand off my mouth and raised an eyebrow at her, "So, am I a cockroach now?"
She shrugged, "Well, it depends. Do you want to fight with me?"
"Of course not."
She then placed both her hands on either side of my face, caging me between her, "So does that mean you accept defeat?"
I smirked at her. I know what she is doing. And nope, I wont fall for tricks. "No. I don't. It means we are going by car, with Jugnu Bhaiya."
She leaned closer causing my heat to race and butterflies to flutter in my stomach, "Are you sure?", she spoke in a low voice.
"Definitely sure", I whispered back, looking straight back into her eyes with the same amount of confidence and intensity.
We both stare at each other for some time, neither of us willing to give up our stand. I could feel her breathing get heavy, mixing with mine, giving so many different feelings I exactly can't name. I search her beautiful brownish-black eyes, to see if she feels them too. I can see affection and care oozing out through her eyes. My heart goes fuzzy thinking about this wonderful human being in my arms. I immediately tighten my hold on her, bringing her closer to me than she already is.
"Mishti? Have you killed it?", we heard ma shout, breaking our trance. We heard her footsteps approaching, causing the both of us to tear away from each other in a hurry. In an urgency to create some space between the two of us, Mishti tries to get off me, but trips over one of my legs causing her to hold on to my arm as she falls down on the floor, pulling me down along with her. Due to the momentum of the fall and the two of us holding onto each other tightly, we roll on the floor together, before I untangle myself from her and lie down separately. I wince due to the pain in my back, causing me to think if I have a few broken ribs.
"Mishti? Where is it now?", ma came into the living room, with a few clothes in her hand.
I heard Mishti chuckle nervously, "Don't worry ma. I hit it so hard, that it will never pick a bone with me ever again.", she spoke firmly.
I turned to her immediately, "Really? Because I don't think so. In fact, I feel you didn't even hit the cockroach properly.", I smirked at her.
She raised her eyebrows challengingly, "You really think so?"
I spoke cockily, "I know so."
She glared at me with so much intensity, that made me chuckle at her stubborn self in amusement.
"Abir beta, you tell me, it is not here now, right?", ma piped in, causing us to turn our attention back to her.
I smiled softly at her, "No ma, its not. I took care of it."
Saying so, I immediately stole a glance of her, to see her muttering a few incoherent curses at me, making me chuckle again. I stood up and followed ma, as she started walking towards her room.
"Abir, what happened to Mishti? Why is she in such a furious mood?"
Before I could answer her, Mishti entered, following the two of us inside, "Why? Won't you ask me directly?"
Ma rolled her eyes and focused her attention on me again, "Tell me, beta. What happened?"
"Ma, nothing actually. As you know, we are planning our Mumbai trip. We were thinking about our transportation options. She wants to go there by car with me driving while I suggested that we take Jugnu Bhaiya's help. That's it."
Ma looked at Mishtipie with wide eyes, "You actually thought that Abir can take you all the way to Mumbai by car? God, I thought you were better than that", she shook her head disappointedly, to which Mishti started laughing.
I gasped at her statement, "Ma, you haven't come with me by car anywhere. I am one of the best and safest drivers in town."
Both the mother and daughter duo started laughing and Mishti went and looped her hands across her mother's shoulders, "My mom is right Abir. You are probably scared that your poor driving skills will come out in the light during this trip."
Ma turned to her, "Mishti, on a serious note, I think Abir is right. It is a very long drive and you guys should go with Jugnu. It is safer and the best option as well."
Mishti untangled herself and gasped, "Ma, you can't keep switching sides. Pick one. Me or Abir?"
Ma smiled slightly, "Sorry Mishtu, I'm with Abir on this one."
I smirked victoriously at Mishti, as she turned to me, shooting daggers at me with her eyes.
If looks could kill, I would be buried 6 feet below Earth by now.
She pointed a finger at me accusingly, "You stole my mother!"
I rolled my eyes, "You're talking to me about stealing?"
She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, "What did I ever steal?"
"So many things. For one, if I am not wrong, the KitKat which was in my office bag is right now in your pant pocket. Am I right or am I right?", I smirked at the end.
She looked at me for a few seconds, flabbergasted at being caught, before pulling herself together, "No I didn't."
I raised one eyebrow before moving towards her to check her pockets. She moved back defensively and lifted both her hands up, as if surrendering.
She huffed, "Okay fine. I have it."
I laughed slightly while ma mumbled to herself something about how she is addicted to chocolates.
Mishti slowly looked at me through her half-open eyes, "How did you find out by the way?"
I smirked, "I know everything Mishtipie, I know everything."
She rolled her eyes and mumbled something like Antaryami Rajvansh.
I chuckled slightly in amusement, "Mishtipie, why are you like this?"
She looked at me, still frowning, "Like what?"
I pinched both her cheeks in reply, "Super cute!"
I could see her face turn a furious shade of red, as she replied, "Well, not as much as you are."
I chuckled slightly before pulling her back to the living room and taking our seats on the couch, "So, now that this is settled, we will plan other stuff. Like when should we leave? I mean, his birthday is on Saturday. So, we can probably leave early morning on Saturday so that we can reach there by night at 8 and give him a treat."
She looked at me as I was crazy, "We're gonna wish him at 8 in the night on his birthday?"
"Yeah, I guess. Unless, we both take leave on Friday and leave early in the morning and plan to reach Mumbai by 8 in the night, before surprising him at 12 in the mid-night. What say?"
Her face brightened like a 4-year-old kid's face at being given candy floss. "Now this is an idea I fully support. This is gonna be one heck of a trip!", she exclaimed with full excitement.
And I knew she was right.
This is definitely gonna be one heck of a trip.
***
Hey guys! This is Chapter 19!
Hope you guys liked it!
Will try to update soon.
Thank you!