chapter 66

Chapters 67, 68 are updated on ScrollStack

Chapter start

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The Mehra office is bustling with the usual afternoon lull.

The clock on the wall shows it's 2:30 PM.

Aarav comes out of the lift on his floor and heads towards his sitting area.

He comes to his seat, his eyes involuntarily go to the desk next to him - Ikshita's desk. Empty. He furrows his brows.

" Where is she ?" He thinks, not seeing Ikshita at her place.

Well he is already a bit upset with the way she behaved in Delhi.

She came back to Mumbai alone and he did not like this thing about her.

And today after 4 days, he has come to the office because after returning from Delhi he got a little busy with his college work.

But for the last 4 days the thought of Ikshita has not gone from his mind thinking that he has to talk to her, he will talk to her about her behaviour which she did in Delhi because that day things happened so fast that he did not know how to stop her and talk to her.

But today when he is here thinking of talking to her, now she is not here.

Aarav takes a deep breath and he sits in his chair but his eyes keep flicking back to Ikshita's empty chair.

But again he takes a deep breath and opens his laptop, but he is not able to concentrate as his thoughts are repeatedly thinking about Ikshita.

Somewhere, something about today feels different to him, like a piece of his routine is missing.

Every day when he comes here, he finds a smiling Ikshita who greets him. Even when he is silent, her chatter continues. He is probably missing this thing about her.

Some time passes and suddenly a familiar voice catches Aarav's attention, That voice which he was probably longing to hear ever since he entered the office.

He gets up from his desk and looks around and finally sees Ikshita.

But his eyebrows furrows when he sees her standing not alone but with a man whom he does not know.

And that place ? why is she standing in someone else's place ? and if she is in the office then where was she for so long, why didn't she come to her desk. He thinks.

Aarav's eyes narrow slightly as he watches them. The man is leaning in a little too close, and Ikshita is laughing.

Unknowingly Aarav's jaw tightens. A small, unfamiliar sensation stirs inside him. Maybe Jealousy.

" Who is he?" Aarav suddenly asks an employee passing by him who stops at Aarav's question

And understanding Aarav's gesture the employee responds :

" Ah, that's Ravi from the marketing team. He's new here." The employee replies to Aarav.

And obviously he hasn't come here for the last 4 days so he must have missed some things and in the same things, there is this new employee, who is standing with Ikshita at this time.

" Oh." Aarav says only this much in response to the employee's reply and the employee goes ahead from there after giving a smile to Aarav.

But there. Aarav's eyes are still on Ikshita and Ravi, but Aarav's eyes soften a little when Ravi leaves from there but in the next moment, Aarav gets a bit shocked when Ikshita sits down where she was standing and she continues her work.

And after seeing this thing of Ikshita, it is not difficult for Aarav to understand that maybe she has changed her place.

" Ohh, So she doesn't even want to sit with me now, she has changed her seat, great." Aarav mumbles to himself.

And while he was already unhappy with the way she behaved in Delhi, now he is more irritated by her this behaviour.

" huh, It's ok, What does it matter to me? I was crazy to think of talking to her." He says to himself

" But should I go and ask her once why she changed her place?" Aarav thinks

" No, for nothing, she will take things the wrong way if I question her but there is nothing like that...I don't care where she sits." Aarav thinks further and after looking at her one last time, he sits back in his place.

But as soon as Aarav sits at his place, Ikshita looks up in the direction of Aarav's desk and a smile appears on her lips.

Other side, Aarav is forcing himself to concentrate on work but his thoughts are in turmoil. Why hadn't she told him about the desk change? And why is she so...comfortable with that new guy ? Why she's talking and laughing with him ?

But while Aarav is thinking all this, at the same time he is repeatedly convincing himself that he has nothing for Ikshita from his side.

But somewhere today, seeing her talking to someone else and sitting away from himself, the seed of jealousy is planted.

" Get a grip, Aarav." Aarav says while running his hands into his hair and pulling them hard in frustration.

Aarav leans back in his chair, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He tries to focus on his work again, but his eyes betray him, he again stands at his place from where he sees Ikshita sitting at a distance.

But then he immediately sits back on his chair.

"What is happening to me...no, no, I have to stop thinking about all this." He says to himself in low voice and takes a deep breath and then gets up from his place and goes straight out of that place to get some fresh air which might help him get out of all these thoughts.

He really doesn't understand why this little thing is bothering him so much when he has nothing for her.

she can talk to anyone, why is this thing bothering him?

And while Aarav is leaving the place, Ikshita watches him go, thinking something.

🦋🦋

Later, it is evening time. Working hours are over. Employees are leaving the office.

Ikshita grabs her bag and she also takes a lift and comes down to the parking lot.

The parking lot is nearly empty and quiet. The sound of her footsteps echoes as she approaches her car.

She reaches it but her steps stop when she sees the front tire which is completely deflated, with all the air gone.

She bends down, examining it, frustration mounting on her face.

At that very moment, Raj reaches there with Aarav. Both of them are laughing as Raj shares something with Aarav while coming out of the lift but Raj's steps stop when he sees Ikshita bending near her car, looking stressed.

Raj and Aarav shares a look and then Raj walks towards Ikshita

" what happened bachcha ?" Raj asks her

And there Ikshita hears Raj voice and straightens up, trying to hide her discomfort.

" It's nothing, uncle, Just... looks like I have a flat tire." Ikshita speaks in a low voice.

This is the second time she is like this in front of Raj. Somehow she feels embarrassed.

But there, Saying this, when Ikshita sees Aarav standing behind Raj, her eyebrows furrows when she sees Aarav suppressing his smile on seeing her condition.

" huh, ise fir se meri car ko khatara bolne ka mauka mil gya, kya bhagwan ji iske saamne bejti karwaani jruri tha..." Ikshita thinks glaring at Aarav and at the same time complaining to her God.

" It's okay. Aarav.... Saying this Raj turns back towards Aarav and before Raj could complete his sentence, Aarav says

" Do I have to drop her home today too?" Aarav asks in disinterest tone to Raj to which Raj glares at him.

" Yes." Raj says glaring at him because he doesn't like the tone in which he said those words

And Ikshita also feels that maybe Aarav doesn't want to do this and that is why she thinks of refusing.

" No uncle, today I will really manage, I will take a cab." Ikshita says but is unable to speak further when Raj interrupts her

" but I'll not let you manage, Aarav is dropping you home. Your safety is my responsibility and that is why no if and but. Aarav you drop Ikshita home." Raj again tells Aarav to which he nods

After Raj tells him, Aarav goes to get his car and comes close to them.

Ikshita gets into the car after giving Raj a sweet smile.

The car ride is quiet, both lost in their own thoughts. The tension is palpable, as Ikshita gazes out the window, clearly lost in her feelings for Aarav.

Well, today she did what she did not want to do but she had no option.

She deliberately drew Aarav's attention by talking to the new employee after Aarav came to the office.

She doesn't know whether she did right or wrong, whether her doing so will have any effect on Aarav or not, she doesn't know anything but she did whatever she felt like doing at that time to get Aarav's attention.

She has kept her seat away from Aarav just so that he thinks about her once. Well, here her hopes were definitely dashed.

She had expected that Aarav would come to her and ask why she changed the place but that did not happen, but it's okay. Anyway, what she wants never happens.

" Reason for changing your place ?" Suddenly, Ikshita's thoughts are interrupted when she hears this question from Aarav, who breaks the silence between them.

On hearing this question from Aarav, Ikshita turns towards him whose attention is on the road.

" For your peace of mind. you must have felt good today not seeing me beside you." Ikshita gives him this answer to which Aarav does not react.

Disturbing his peace of mind, she is saying that she changed the seat for his peace. Great.

" Oh, If you really did this for my peace then thank you for that, I really found peace today." He says this with a forced smile, to which she smiles back slightly.

And she does not say anything further on which even Aarav does not understand what to say, he broke the silence between them but after two words there was silence between them again.

He really gets irritated by her behavior, earlier at least she used to talk to him by taunting him or in some other way but why is she so quiet today.

In the office she was smiling and talking with that new employee but here she was silent with him.

Further, both of them remain silent the entire way.

And soon the car stops in front of her house.

Ikshita unbuckles her seatbelt, but before she gets out, she looks at Aarav one last time.

" Thanks for the ride, Aarav." Ikshita says this but on hearing her words Aarav doesn't say anything and keeps looking ahead silently.

But then she gets out of the car and gently closes the door and before Aarav can start the car, she leans near the window

" Would you like to come inside for coffee?" She invites him inside her home

And on hearing this, Aarav looks at her with a forced smile.

" Have a coffee with your friend Ravi." He says and without saying anything further, he starts the car and leaves from there.

And seeing him leaving, suddenly a smile comes on Ikshita's face when she remembers the words he said before leaving.

Have coffee with your friend Ravi.

Did her actions really have an effect on him ? Was he upset to see her talking to someone else? she wonders.

🦋🦋

The sun is just beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the garden.

Neil is sitting in the garden of the Khanna house with Reyansh who has just arrived here with Aaira after returning from the workshop to drop Aaira home.

And there Aaira leaves Reyansh with her father and goes inside to freshen up.

" So how was your day?" Neil asks Reyansh

"It was good papa." Reyansh replies to which Neil smiles

And then both of them share some more words and then Neil says :

" Well since you are here today I want to talk to you about something." Neil says

" what?" Reyansh asks to which Neil looks at him.

Well Neil is a bit hesitant but then he thinks he should make it clear to Reyansh as he doesn't want to make the same mistake again.

He doesn't want to make Aaira upset again by doing something for her, by doing something for her that she would probably like to do with Reyansh now.

" You must know that Mannat's birthday is coming up." Neil says this which brings a smile on Reyansh's face.

How could he not know, after all this day is more special for him than Aaira.

"Yes" Reyansh says while nodding

" Mannat doesn't like big parties, so every year we used to go on a family trip somewhere to celebrate her birthday, but...." Neil hesitates a bit as he just doesn't want Reyansh to take his words the wrong way.

" But what, Papa?" Reyansh asks when he stops

" But this year, I mean... look, I don't know how to say it...I mean till last year, things were a little different, I knew what I had to do for her but this year, it's you....and obviously she would want to spend her day with you, which is not wrong either." Neil says to which Reyansh sees him silently

" So have you thought of anything?" Asks Neil to which Reyansh looks at him silently

Well, Neil's only purpose of asking him this question is that if he wants to celebrate Aaira's birthday in his own way, then he can do so, he won't have any problem and he wants to clear this thing with Reyansh beforehand because he doesn't want that once again any of his actions might lead to some misunderstanding, where Reyansh plans something and he too and once again Aaira gets stuck between her father and boyfriend.

He doesn't want to spoil her birthday because of himself.

" Look, like I said, I won't feel bad, it's normal, things change with time which we have to accept, so...." Neil is unable to say anything further when Reyansh says,

"Papa, do you want privacy with your wife ?" Neil's eyes widen a bit at this sudden question from Reyansh wondering what kind of question he is asking ? It is about Aaira's birthday, where did the talk of her and Avni's privacy come from?

And understanding the expression on Neil's face, Reyansh further says

" No, I thought maybe you need privacy with maa that's why you don't want me and Aaira to stay with you guys that day...Because obviously the birthday is not just Aaira's but also maa's, so maybe you must have thought of something special for her where you would need privacy." Reyansh completes his sentence with mischief hidden in his words hearing which Neil smiles understanding his words.

And seeing Neil's smile, Reyansh understands that he too has understood what he wanted to say.

" Papa please I want to celebrate the birthdays of both my girlfriends...if you have any special plans with maa then celebrate it the next day, but please ek bete ko uski maa ke birthday par dur jaane ko na kahe." Reyansh speaks the last line in a slightly dramatic manner.

" I had no idea this calm and shy looking boy was so dramatic..." Neil says in disbelief, to which Reyansh smiles but then he becomes a little serious to say his next point.

" Papa, fortunately the birthdays of the special people in our lives fall on the same day and you know I want to see Aaira happy on her birthday.

How can I take her away from Maa when I know that she will not be happy if I do so." Reyansh says to which Neil gets a little emotional seeing his thinking.

" That's why not just this year but in the coming years, you plan Aaira's birthday but yes, I will accompany you...We both will plan together, you do it for maa and I will do it for Aaira but together." Reyansh says to which Neil smiles.

" Hmm, Not a bad idea, by the way." Neil says appreciatively, to which he smiles.

" Anyway I don't know anything about her yet, what should I give her on her birthday and what not that will make her feel special...please help me...This is her first birthday with me, I don't want to mess anything up." He says to which Neil smiles.

" Well, you don't need to do anything big because she notices the effort, even if it's small.

She's not the extravagant type. Just make her feel like she's the most important person in the world, and you'll have it covered." Neil says knowing very well that his daughter gets happy with small things.

" But will this work on birthdays too?" Reyansh asks once he is unsure about Neil's idea.

Well, he thinks what if Aaira really expecting something big from him?

" Trust me, whatever you do for her where she just feels that she means a lot to you, you will make her day. Don't take too much stress." Neil assures him to which Reyansh smiles.

" So tell me, after all this talk, do you have any idea what we should do?" Neil asks her

" As you said, every year you take her somewhere, so this time also let's go somewhere where she has been wanting to go...maybe she will like it." Reyansh suggests.

" Hmm, you are on the right track, we family were anyway going to visit our farmhouse this year, because Mannat had been wanting this for a long time and now that you have also given this idea, let's all go there this year on her birthday.

And this way you will also get to spend some good time with her and she will be happy." Neil says to which Reyansh smiles.

" You are very nice Reyansh, Mannat is very lucky to have you." Suddenly after all this, Neil tells Reyansh with all his heart.

" I am luckier than her to have her, Papa." Reyansh says to which Neil smiles.

After this, both of them share a peaceful moment but then both of them see that Aaira is coming towards them and seeing Aaira, a thought comes to Neil's mind, just to tease her a bit.

" Okay, now pretend in front of her that we have stopped talking after she came...you will see, she will get irritated." Neil says to which Reyansh's eyes widen

"She will not only get annoyed, she will get angry." Reyansh says and there Aaira reached.

" What are you two talking about, Papa?" Aaira asks after reaching to them to which Reyansh looks at her and Neil also silently.

" Something that we can tell you." Neil teases her saying which makes Reyansh's eyes widen a bit but Aaira's face turns pale.

" What is it that you can't tell me....your daughterrrrr..." asks Aaira with pout

" We are having Some secret conversation." Neil adds.

" Papa, seriously ? Am I your daughter? Now you will hide things from me?" Asks Aaira

" And he is my son, I cannot tell you about my conversation with him na..." Neil says and with just this statement of Neil, Aaira's eyes suddenly become moist, without her knowledge.

" Has he become more important to you than me now?" Aaira asks with pout and Neil gets shocked seeing her moist eyes.

Well he just wanted to tease her, not make her cry.

" Bachcha... Neil gets up from the couch to calm her down but before Neil can do anything, Aaira turns away from there

" I knew you don't love me anymore....Okay then don't ever talk to me again, Papa." Saying this, Aaira starts leaving from there when she sees her mother who is coming towards them to join them but Avni gets shocked seeing Aaira sad.

" what happened, Aairu ?" Avni asks her And then looks at both of them and Reyansh knows that this girl will take out her anger by breaking up with him again.

Nowadays she breaks up over every small thing.

Reyansh gives Neil a look to which Neil does anything but suppress his smile

" Mom, Reyansh has become more important for Papa now...he is keeping secrets from me because of him, I will never talk to him. Tell him to talk to his son only now." Aaira hugs Avni and says, and Avni looks at Neil and Reyansh confused as she obviously doesn't know the whole story

" And you, breakup...." Aaira says to Reyansh after separating from Avni on which his eyes widen but so do Avni and Neil's.

" Because of me you got my father and you distanced me from him.

Huh, stop doing secret gossip with my father." Aaira warns Reyansh while Reyansh is silently looking at Neil.

He got him trapped in the name of having fun with his daughter.

" Mom, do you know he had said that one day Papa will love him more than me and look today he snatched Papa from me." Aaira adds while crying more, on hearing this Neil smiles and comes close to her who is standing clinging to her mother at this moment.

He comes in front of Aaira and Aaira looks at him with a sad face

Neil holds his ear seeing which Reyansh and Avni smile

" Forgive me, I'm just teasing you a bit.....but you know, no one can take me away from you...I don't love anyone more than my Mannat." He cups her face and speaks to her and then wipes her unshed tears, to which Aaira looks at him with her cute pout

" You love mom more than me." Aaira reminds him to which he and Avni smile

" Now that is a different case." says Neil to which Aaira pouts and Avni smiles

" Ok, I agree, you love me the most so tell me what were you talking about with Reyansh ?" asks Aaira

" I won't tell you that." Neil says with a soft teasing smile and before Aaira can do anything he hugs her and kisses the top of her head.

Resting her head on her father's chest, she looks at Reyansh who is smiling watching the moment between her and her father

" If you both have been reconciled, then please get me patched up too papa...I got a breakup for no reason." Reyansh suddenly turns that father-daughter's attention towards himself saying this.

" huh, I will not do that." Aaira says twitching her lips

"Mannat, I told you not to trouble him..." Neil warns him to which Reyansh winks at her, teasing her signaling; see papa is still on my side

" Okay don't patch up, I have my maa anyway." Reyansh says while giving a side hug to Avni

But the very next moment Aaira separates from Neil, goes to Avni and separates Reyansh from her

" Don't even think, you have taken away my father, now don't cast an evil eye on my mother." Aaira says this while hugging Avni from the side, on which Reyansh as well as Avni and Neil smile seeing her childish behavior.

" Look, you may feel bad now but no matter how bitter the truth is you should accept it...deep inside maa and papa love me more than you, accept it." This time Reyansh also teases her saying this.

" huh, in your dreams." Aaira immediately replies to his words.

And continuing this banter, both of them sit with Neil and Avni and all four of them spend a happy evening with their conversation.

To be continued.......