Chapter-26 From Cheek Kiss to Heartbeat Skip

Evening Drop-Off

Nirvay came to drop Aarohi at her flat.

Nirvay:

"Give me a goodbye kiss?"

Aarohi: (smiling softly)

"Goodbye kiss? What's that?"

Nirvay:

"It's a thing. Now come on, give me one."

Aarohi: (a little shy)

"Okay… bring your cheek forward."

Nirvay: (leaning in)

"My cheek? Okay."

Just as Aarohi moved in to kiss his cheek, Nirvay quickly turned his face, and her kiss landed right on his lips.

Aarohi: (shocked)

"That's cheating!"

Nirvay: (grinning)

"You should just agree directly next time."

Aarohi:

"I'm leaving now. Bye."

Nirvay:

"Stay a little longer… please?"

Aarohi:

"We'll meet tomorrow. Now go, and don't look at me like that."

Nirvay:

"Then how should I look at you?"

Aarohi laughed, opened the car door, and stepped out.

Nirvay: (holding her hand and pulling her into a hug)

"I love you."

Aarohi: (smiling softly)

"I love you too. Now let me go."

Nirvay:

"Okay." (Quickly sneaking another kiss on her lips)

Aarohi: (playfully)

"Enough, I'm going now."

She got out of the car. Nirvay watched her until she safely entered her flat. Aarohi turned and waved goodbye before heading inside.

---

Aarohi's Flat

Lying on her bed, Aarohi replayed the entire moment in her mind — smiling, blushing, the kiss looping over and over again in her head. She couldn't help but call Sukhi.

Sukhi:

"Hello? What's up?"

Aarohi:

"I… I told Nirvay I love him too."

Sukhi: (screaming in excitement)

"Whatttttttt! OMG, Aarohi! I'm so happy for you! You're finally a couple now! I need to meet you. When can we meet?"

Aarohi:

"Saturday, I have office tomorrow."

Sukhi:

"Tell me everything! What did he say? What did he do? How did it happen?"

Aarohi: (trying to stay calm but shyly smiling)

"I'll tell you on Saturday. Promise."

Sukhi:

"What?! How do you expect me to sleep tonight? I'll go crazy imagining everything!"

Aarohi:

"I'll tell you everything, Sukhi. Wait till Saturday."

Sukhi:

"But how did you change your mind so suddenly?"

Aarohi:

"Some things just got clear in my heart."

Sukhi:

"(Teasing) Oh wait… Nirvay kissed you too, didn't he? Hello? Hello?"

Aarohi quickly cut the call.

Aarohi: (laughing to herself)

"If I let her continue, she'll never stop asking. How am I even going to sleep tonight?"

Meanwhile, Sukhi immediately called Ayush and told him everything.

---

Ayush's Call

Ayush: (calling Nirvay)

"When were you planning to tell me, huh?"

Nirvay: (driving home)

"Tell you what?"

Ayush:

"I'm happy for you, man. We'll meet on Saturday. We need to celebrate properly."

Nirvay:

"Yeah, let's meet."

---

Night

Both Aarohi and Nirvay tossed and turned on their beds, unable to sleep. Nirvay texted her.

Nirvay: "Are you asleep?"

Aarohi: "No. What happened?"

Nirvay immediately called her.

Aarohi:

"It's so late. Don't you have office tomorrow?"

Nirvay:

"Same question to you. You're awake too."

Aarohi:

"I was sleeping."

Nirvay:

"Yeah? That's why you replied in 0.2 seconds?"

Aarohi didn't reply.

Nirvay:

"I can't sleep. I'm missing you."

Aarohi:

"Go to sleep. We'll meet tomorrow."

Nirvay:

"You could have said… 'I miss you too and can't sleep either.'"

Aarohi: (smiling softly)

"Okay… I miss you too. I can't sleep either."

Nirvay:

"Should I come to your flat right now?"

Aarohi:

"It's 11:30 PM! Go to sleep. We'll meet tomorrow at the office."

Nirvay:

"Who's going to give me a kiss now?"

Aarohi:

"Muah! Good night."

Nirvay:

"Good night. I miss you. Why is this night so long?"

Aarohi:

"Just sleep. It'll pass. Bye."

Both cut the call but neither of them could sleep the whole night.

---

Next Morning – Office

Aarohi tried to cover her tired face with extra makeup. She reached the office and began working, but by 10 AM, Nirvay still hadn't arrived. She called him.

Aarohi:

"Hey, aren't you coming to the office?"

Nirvay:

"What time is it?"

Aarohi:

"Don't tell me you're still sleeping? It's already 10 AM!"

Nirvay:

"Oh no! I'm coming. Bye."

---

At the Office

Nirvay called her to his cabin.

Nirvay:

"Come to my cabin."

Aarohi:

"What's the work? Just tell me."

Nirvay:

"Just come."

When Aarohi entered, she asked:

Aarohi:

"Why didn't you say anything when you saw me outside of your cabin.

Nirvay:

"There are cameras everywhere outside. My cabin is the only place without cameras. I wanted to talk personally."

Aarohi:

"Okay, tell me."

Nirvay:

"Is this how you talk to your boyfriend?"

Aarohi: (smiling softly)

"Then tell me, how should I talk to you?"

Nirvay walked up behind her and hugged her from the back.

Aarohi:

"What are you doing?"

Nirvay:

"Just loving you. You're my girlfriend now. Let's go on a date this Sunday."

Aarohi:

"My brother is visiting on Sunday. I can't."

Nirvay:

"We have plans with Ayush tomorrow. I'll cancel."

Aarohi:

"No, I have to meet Sukhi tomorrow too. You go meet Ayush. We'll plan something next weekend."

Nirvay:

"Nope. You're coming with me on Wednesday and Thursday. Both days. Non-negotiable."

Aarohi:

"Thursday is your birthday, right?"

Nirvay:

"Glad you remember. Yes, and you're spending both days with me."

Aarohi:

"What will I tell everyone? We'll both be on leave. Office gossip will explode."

Nirvay:

"Tell them it's official work. No leaves."

Aarohi:

"Don't ruin work like this."

Nirvay:

"I've worked hard all these years. I've never taken time for myself. This is my gift — don't say no."

Aarohi:

"Okay, fine. But where are we going?"

Nirvay:

"I'll tell you. Just be ready Wednesday morning."

Aarohi:

"Fine, I'm leaving. Even though there are no cameras here, there are plenty outside."

Nirvay:

"I'll remove the ones outside. I'll remove all the cameras from this floor."

Aarohi:

"Focus on your work. Save your love drama for later. I know you won't do anything inappropriate — the cameras are for security."

She left his cabin smiling.

---

Evening – Dinner with Friends

Pooja, Shruti, and Dhruv invited Aarohi for dinner at a restaurant.

Dhruv:

"Why did you betray us?"

Aarohi:

"What?"

Pooja:

"He means, why didn't you tell us you already knew Nirvay sir?"

Shruti:

"Yeah, and who hugs someone like that in public unless there's history?"

Aarohi:

"We were in the same school, same class."

Dhruv:

"But sir studied in London, right?"

Pooja:

"Yeah, but his schooling was here."

Dhruv:

"Wait, were you two ex-lovers?"

Aarohi: (choking on water)

Shruti:

"Drink some water. Dhruv, stop interrogating her! She'll tell us if she's comfortable."

Pooja:

"Let's eat, Dhruv. We've missed you, Aarohi. That's why we wanted to meet."

They all started enjoying their dinner together, the teasing slowly fading into warm laughter.