CHAPTER 21

Author's POV

A few days later...

Armaan and Alisha had started sharing the same room. One Friday night, they were sitting in the living room. Armaan was working on his laptop and Alisha was binge watching 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' while texting someone on her phone. Lately, Armaan had noticed that Alisha was too much on her phone and whenever he would ask who is it she'd just turn  her phone downwards and tell him that it was just a friend. Armaan felt hurt by her actions of hiding it from but he thought she was just being childish and would reveal it to him when she is comfortable with it. But different kind of thoughts that he had like 'is she dating someone?', 'is she still not over that divorce thing?' kept troubling him all the time.

"Where is your best friend Shanaya? I don't see her in her house these days. Her cars are also not there." She asked looking outside the window where she stayed. Armaan had once told her that she used to stay there.

"She isn't in the country. She had gone to Cannada to meet her father and then her father fell sick. So, she had decided to stay there until he gets well. I don't know if she's back here. And that home you see there, darling she doesn't stay there anymore. She shifted long back." Armaan said pointing towards the house that Alisha talked about and then continued typing. It was common for the him to call her darling now. That day when Armaan revealed everything  to her, they decided to give each other a second chance. They hadn't confessed their love yet but Armaan was planning to do it soon.

"Don't you think you should check on her? She's your bestie after all." Alisha suggested.

"Yeah, maybe. I'll visit her soon." Armaan replied back while typing on his laptop.

"Armaaaan." She called him sweetly.

"Ji, Armaan ki jaan. Kya chahiye aapko?" (Yes, Armaan's life, what do you want?) He asked looking at her as he knew that she would never call him so sweetly just like that. Though she wouldn't talk to him rudely now but he really knew what this tone of Alisha meant.

"I wanted to eat pizza. So could you please get it?" She asked cutely.

"Haan, I'll order it online." He said and picked his phone to order it.

"No, you go and get it from 'JONATHAN AND JONATHAN' (just some random name) They serve the best pizza and they take too late to deliver. So please go and get it no." She pouted.

"Okay, get me the keys. I'll go and get it." He finally agreed but was suspicious on her actions since they had their dinner just an hour ago.

"Thank you. I lo..." She realised what she was saying when Armaan smirked at her.

"You what?" He asked innocently as if he didn't know it.

"Nothing, go and get it na. It's almost 10:55 pm. It'll take you almost half an hour to reach there and more time to collect it. So go fast." She said giving the keys to Armaan and shooed him out of the house.

The moment Alisha was sure that Armaan wasn't going to come back soon, she called someone.

"Come home. The route is clear." She called and informed him in a exciting tone while setting up the house; unknown of the fact that Armaan was just behind her. Yes, he had left in front of her. He actually had left but just returned to take his wallet which he had forgotten. It hurt him thinking that Alisha was cheating on him. But, the thought that she's is happy, not with him but at least with someone she loves. He was happy that she had got her love. He decided that once he comes back with her pizza, he is going to talk to Alisha about it. He was hurt, but happy with the fact that she was happy and then he left to get her the pizza.

Author's POV

Armaan returned home at 12:15am only to find all the lights off. It was just an addition to his bad thoughts since  Alisha never sleeps so early during weekends. He thought of waiting outside till the lights turn on and the guy leaves but then decided to talk to Alisha about it and knocked the main door but it was open already 'careless girl' he thought and opened the door and walked in. The moment he reached the living room, the lights went on and the house was decorated beautifully.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE" was hung on one of the walls.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARMAAAAN" Armaan heard a number of people wishing him from behind and turned to find their parents, Karan, his friends from school and college and Alisha standing their with a 5 layered huge cake. Everyone hugged Armaan and wished him, then he cut the cake. The party had begun.

"You know what Armaan, your wife has been planning this for so long. Lucky you man." One of his friends said and he just smiled at his beautiful wife.

"Yeah Arru, it took more than a week for her to plan it and execute it." His mom confirmed.

His parents and her parents were to stay here in Paris for a few days which was also pre-planned. The night ended and everyone started leaving and soon the whole house was empty. Their parents and Karan had gone to their rooms to take rest since they were tired of travelling. Initially, both the mothers insisted Alisha on letting them help her clean the mess but she denied and asked them to take rest. So now Alisha was cleaning the room while Armaan waited for her to finish her work. Even he insisted but she denied telling it was his birthday.

"So, you were planning this all these days?" He asked.

"Yeah, you like it?" She asked.

"No, I loved it. It's just that with your actions I thought you were dating someone. I also heard you talking to someone when I came back to take my wallet. So, I thought of talking to you about it once I come back. I was just scared of loosing you." He let out his concern and thought that Alisha would shout at him for thinking so low of her.

"So, you were scared of loosing me, huh?" Her question surprised her but he was happy seeing her smiling face.

"Yeah, I was." He was very happy with the way she treated his parents and friends and also planned a party for him even after his rude behaviour in the starting days of their marriage.

"Thank you for all of it." He said and hugged her it was common for them now.

"You're welcome." She said and hugged him back.

"I'm done." She said after completing her work.

"Where's my gift, sweetheart?" Armaan asked.

"Oh freak, I didn't buy one." She said in a sad voice.

"It's okay. I'll take this party as your gift" He said and they went to their bed room.

Armaan didn't have to change since he was in his tracks instead, Alisha had to change because she had dressed up for the party.

"Armaan." Armaan was about to sleep when Alisha called him. He saw her searching something in the bed side drawer that was beside her place. She picked out a box wrapped in gift paper and handed it to Armaan. He unwrapped the gift and opened the box, it had a Rolex watch in it. It was the same watch that he was about to buy next week and had discussed about it with her. So she knew he wanted it.

"Thank you so much." He threw his hands up excitingly and hugged her tight.

"This is the best birthday I've ever had." He said still hugging her.

"You're most welcome. Now let's go to sleep. I'm tired.

"Okay." They laid on their bed and Armaan pulled her close to him and they both slept embracing each other.