chapter 74

[ Aru's p.o.v ]       We sat to eat and I haven't tasted what I made. She refused to let me. She said she liked it and plus she got us food as well on the way back so now if I didn't eat it , it was to go waste. I agree though. I should have already told her if I was planning to cook. " Do you really -"     " For the seventeenth time now. I love everything you make so now you eat that and let me eat in peace.", she cut me off chugging another glass of water. This was the third glass. How am I to believe her statement now.    " It's just a bit spicy . Next time please consider putting less spices.",  she said sticking her tongue out. I nodded. Maybe I should add less chillies but I added according to the ingredients. Maybe she doesn't like too much spice. It took us long enough to finish food. Not really finish. I ended up putting the remaining half in fridge. Looks like we have settled for breakfast tomorrow.      " You said you were joining class?" , she asked . I just hummed. I sat on the sofa at one corner while she laid down with her head on my lap. I was playing around with her hairs. For some reason it didn't feel illegal anymore. " I talked to dad. We will go get information tomorrow."" We?" " Sneha is joining with me."" That's good. Atleast I don't have to worry about the company then."" What were you worried about?" " Ofcourse I am concerned about my wife . "" You talk as if I was going abroad."" Distance doesn't matter . I would be worried just the same. " " Yeah yeah. "" You want me to go with you? For the enquiry?" She didn't have to convince me she worried. Her voice said enough." Not really. I think I should be able to do it. Also I need to learn to talk on my own, like mom says. " She chuckled and held my hand brushing the back of it with her hum. " It all feels so unreal."" What?""Us."" Us?"" Like almost a year ago I believed I had ruined it all. You won't even look at me. Luckily you atleast started talking but I never thought I would actually have a chance with you. " , her voice broke a bit as she spoke. Was she about to cry? I hope not. " And you still didn't stop caring."" Huh?"I didn't respond just pushed the locks of her hair to the side so I could gaze better at her. " Being honest I didn't myself know about my feelings. I was just scared. It all felt wrong to me. I first thought you were crazy ." " Woah- what an impression to begin with. Then?"" Then I got to know you."" So how am I now?"" So now I know you are crazy. "     She laughed at it and turned on her side facing the TV which was on in background for no reason. None of us were even looking at it actually. " But I still love you ." , I don't know why I felt the need to add that. I ran my fingers through her hairs. " I know. ", she mumbled. " But why so suddenly?" " Huh?" " Why did you suddenly decide you love me and that you want to be with me? Like till morning you were pissed about being called my wife?"      I was expecting that question. It was indeed weird but I haven't prepared any answer for that. " I actually kind of don't know how long I have actually liked you . All I know is I was scared to accept my own feelings leave alone confess then."" So it's not today that you felt like you wanted to be my wife. "    Why are we even on this topic from my class admission. I could only hum. " So what made you confess. "" I had a nightmare." " A nightmare?"  she turned again now looking up at me . I looked at the TV . The nightmare was the one that made me think but it started a bit- " What's wrong?", she asked reaching out to make me look down at her. " I just , you walked away. I don't know how to put it. It was like I kept calling you but you just walked away and I couldn't stop you. I was scared I lost you. "     I expected teasing but instead she sat up straight and held both of my hands in hers looking at me with those concerned eyes. " I would never ever leave you. I promise. You don't have to be scared about it. I mean it." , the sincerity her voice held made me breakdown. I don't know why. I just moved into a hug and she welcomed me as always. " Aww my wifey. I promise I am never ever walking away from you again. Not even if you push me away. " " I won't ."    Those photos suddenly popped up in my mind creating an unsettling feeling. Should I ask her? But would it ruin everything we have now? What if she - " Vibha ", I pulled away looking at her  straight in eyes . " Yes darling?" " Can I ask you something?" " Anything love. "" Where were you today?"" Office? Why?"" Did you go somewhere after that?"" Yeah. To meet a friend. "I nodded." Why do you ask?"      What do I tell her? What if she thinks I am spying her or something? I am not. It was an unknown number. But what if she thinks this is why I wanted to be with her? It's still true that it triggered my confession but-      " Arushi? Darling what is it?" , she asked again but her tone shifting this time. I gave her my phone opening the chat. She looked at me confused but took it anyways. I studied her expressions as she scrolled through them.  She pulled out her phone and checked something. Perhaps the number. Her lip dropped a big in frown but she didn't look surprised as if she had already expected it. " That's Sahil. The one I went to meet. I knew he was upto something but never thought he'd do this kind of shits."" What is it? ", I asked as I tried to decipher her words. " Nothing much. He's a friend who wasn't really happy with my decision of leaving Abhijit so we kind of had a fight regarding this last time we met. Today I caught a guy he paid to spy on me. That's the one in photo you see. That time when I didn't go back with you . I saw him shooting us and so I decided to check it out. Initially they didn't admit but he said he just wanted to check on me. Did that because he thought I won't answer his calls. He was 'genuinely' worried about me ." , she laughed if it were something funny. That was scary. Such things are always scary and she ." He was literally following you around stalking you what do you mean it's nothing!?" , I felt the rise in my voice as my fear hyped up. I reached out to hold her hand and as if she read my eyes she placed her other hand on mine. " Don't worry. It ain't anything to be scared of. I can handle them very well . I know what all they can pull . He even tried to persuade me to give it a second thought." " Give what a second thought?" " If I genuinely wanted to be with you and not Abhijit. If I actually loved you." " Then what did you say? " She didn't answer as if analysing my expressions. I don't know why it means so much to me but I wanted to hear her answer. " I never thought once before falling in love leave alone a second thought."          This girl seriously. I pulled away my hand and looked away. " What?" " I was being serious."" So was I!"      She moved closer wrapping a hand around my shoulder using her fingertip to move my chin so I now faced her. " I never got a chance to think when I saw you. I just fell in love and I never even gave it a second thought. I knew I wanted you and only you. You could be the only one to be my lover. " How can this girl speak such things with such a serious face? " You know. When the first time I got to know that moron ditched me for other girl I just wanted to show him his place. I was only curious who was it. When I first saw you, it didn't even take confirmation to know you had nothing to do with it. I agree I just wanted a revenge but I didn't mean any harm to you. I just wanted to mock him. "" How were you going to do that?"" By stealing his crush right under his nose. "I looked at her in disbelief." You won't believe me but that's how it begun . I was planning on hitting on you , making you my girlfriend and showing him he shouldn't have done that. I even had plans for sending him invitation card of our wedding to rub salt. " " You were doing that for revenge?"" Yes?" " You didn't even know me!"" And?"" And you were planning wedding?"     She looked as if she didn't see what was wrong with it. " I mean I am still planning a wedding. Seeing you in wedding attire is my dream. "  " You are insane."" What? " " So ..... it's all for revenge?"     I didn't know why I asked it. I know she loves me but this question it felt heavy to keep within. If we are getting it clear today, then it has to be everything. " Was "" Now?"" Now nothing changes. I am still going to marry you . Just replaced revenge with love."    I don't even know what to say anymore. " So, I mean what if it wasn't love? What if back then I had actually agreed to be your girlfriend?"" Then we would have dated and got married."" Wasn't it just revenge?"" I was more than willing to take the responsibility of what I was doing. I wouldn't have dumped you after achieving my purpose. "" What would you do?"" I just said date you and then get married."    Why is this conversation going in circle. " Would it have been different?"" I don't know? Why?"" I mean if I had just accepted my feelings back then . Would it have been different?"" I don't know. I don't think it matters. What matters is you are mine now and I am going to spoil you for the rest of our lives. " she squeezed me in a hug nuzzled her nose on my neck.  " Vibha stop it tickles ", I tried to escape only to be held tighter. She finally gave me a break after kissing my cheek. I just held onto her arm as she kept messing around. " Stop. Let's go to bed. "" You want to take it to bedroom?" , her tone dropped again to teasing. " I mean let's go sleep! Stop messing with me!" , I pulled away from her hold and stormed off. " Aww. Don't be shy wifey. "" I am not. " " Then how about.....", out of nowhere she spun me around and pinned against the wall separating hall and bedroom. " ....I try to push my luck and see how far can I go tonight?", her hand slowly glided down to my waist but I wasn't even focused on that nor the dark look in those eyes.       I was more of occupied with the hand behind my head, the hold still gentle and completely contradicting to rest of her actions and words . Despite everything, above all she cared. Though she was messing with me she still ensured I didn't get hurt . These small gestures gave me more butterflies than her actual flirting.     If I had thought the knot in my stomach couldn't have twisted further she placed a soft kiss on my forehead. " I am just teasing love. Don't give me that look. I am sorry. I won't ever do anything again without your consent? We good now?"     This girl doesn't even give me time to process what's happening . Her mood changes faster than the weather.     I don't want to answer her . I just hugged her making her stumble back a bit. " We really do love hugs, now  don't we? " " Just from you."" Damn- I wasn't expecting that." " As if you are any more predictable." " We make a perfect pair."      She kept stroking my hairs and I just love it when she does that. I love when she's soft and warm and not trying to make me shy.  Well atleast I got a way to escape. If I can't put up with her I am just tackling her with a hug.