CHAPTER 13

Alisha's POV

I woke up to an empty bed beside me. It was 7:48 AM. I was never awake so early. I decided to get dressed and go down. I got up from bed and went towards the couch where Armaan was sleeping. He was rude to me last night. He hurt me last night. The bruises on my wrist had faded, but it still hurt. I remember I hadn't done anything wrong. I went near my wardrobe, took my clothes and went to take a shower.

I went downstairs and saw Mom ordering the cook on what to cook for breakfast.

"Oh! Young lady. You wake up so soon. I thought you must be tired." She asked as she saw me entering the kitchen.

"Yes mom, I woke up early today. Mom, What should I cook?" I asked. I had called maa before I came down, she told me about the pehli rasoi ritual.

"Prepare any sweet you want, beta. Rakesh you start preparing breakfast." She told.

I started preparing the sweet dish. Mom was sitting on the kitchen slab and looking at me more like glaring. What's wrong with me these days. I find everyone glaring at me. Why will mom glare at me. I questioned myself. After a while I couldn't control my urge of asking mom why she was glaring at me so I finally asked.

"Mom."

"Haan."

"Uhm... why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" She asked confused.

"Like glaring at me."

"Glar..glaring? Me? You?" She told in between her laughs. I felt embarrassed.

I waited for her to stop laughing.

"Why would I glare at you? You are my sweet little kiddo. I was just looking at you." Mom told once she stopped laughing.

"Yeah. Exactly. So only I asked you." That's true. Mom would never glare at me. She has always treated me like her own kid. I must be feeling that way. Only because of that Shanaya these days I find everyone glaring at me. What if even Shanaya looks at me with adoration and I take it as glaring. I guess bhai was right. I was lost in my thoughts when someone tapped my shoulder.

"You prepare your kheer. Where are you lost?" She asked

After a while my kheer was ready and the breakfast was also ready. I thought of helping Rakesh in arranging the table but then he resisted and asked me to sit for breakfast. I went and pulled the chair next to dad opposite to mom's chair when someone came and sat before I could. Who would it be? None other than  the great Armaan Malhotra.

"This is my place. You sit somewhere else sweetheart." He said after he sat.

Is he bipolar or something? Last night he created so made such a big drama and today sweetheart and all. I'm sure he is suffering from mental illness.

"Kya soch rahi ho?  Baith jao. (What are you thinking? Sit.). He said bringing me out of my thoughts and pointing towards the chair next to him.

All of us ate breakfast silently. Both me and Armaan weren't allowed to go to office today. After breakfast it was time for everyone to taste my kheer. I was really excited and nervous for that matter. I served kheer to everyone and then waited for their reaction.

"It's yummy. Mom, I feel like kissing your hands. You have magical hands. It tastes different today though." Armaan complimented thinking that mom made it.

"Of course. It will taste different when someone else makes it and not your mom." Mom replied.

"Matlab?" Armaan asked confused.

"Alisha made it not me. Praise her. By the way you never complimented me so much. Shaadi hui nahi joru ka ghulaam ban gaya." Mom said eyeing at Armaan and winked at me which went unnoticed by Armaan.

"No mom. I thought you made it. If I knew Alisha made it I was never pr..." He stopped realising what he was saying but then he looked at me wide eyed.

"You made it?" He asked confusion all over his face.

"Like seriously. Alisha Kapoor knows how to cook." He commented. I glared at him for that.

"Now, stop it Armaan. Alisha beta come here." Dad ordered Armaan and called me.

"Take this. This is the gift for your yummy kheer. It was very yummy." Dad complimented.

.

.

.

"Armaan, when are you leaving for Paris?" Dad asked while having dinner.

"Next Thursday, dad." He replied.

The dinner was finally over with some nok jokes between mom and Armaan. Armaan wanted to go back soon and mom wanted us to stay here for a few more days. Everyone went to their respective rooms.

I was sitting on bed and working on some designs when I suddenly someone pulled my laptop and then pushed me towards the headboard.

"Armaan....What are you doing?" He was holding both my wrists in his one hand and pressing them tightly.

"Don't even think of telling my parents about my behaviour. Just act normal in front of them. And don't think anything is normal between us. You will only suffer in this marriage and I will make you suffer for what you did to my love." He said in a low tone but a dangerous one.

"I didn't do anything to anyone." I replied. He squeezed my cheeks and pressed them hard.

"Shut up. You know what you did. Don't lie. And yeah if anyone gets to know about this I will make sure you will suffer even more." He warned and left my cheeks.

"But tell me what's my mistake at least."  I told.

"Next Thursday we are leaving for Paris. Till then you better keep your mouth shut." He warned and went to the balcony leaving my to cry.

Armaan's POV

I was standing in my balcony and thinking about Alisha. I felt so bad when she looked at me with those tearful eyes. It hurts to see her like that but it hurts even more when I realise that she is the reason my Neha isn't there with me today. I feel like cheating Neha when I'm soft towards Alisha. Thinking this I sat on the chair in balcony and I slept there.