Chapter 1: Everlasting Bliss
"Abhira! Abhira, come on get up!", Armaan shook her gently. Abhira was cuddled in her blanket, her face partially obscured by the pillow, her arms spread widely. Her cherry chapsticked lips were curved into a pout as she sighed dreamily in her sleep. Armaan sighed as he gazed at her. There was no way this aafat ki dukaan is going to wake up easily. Abhira was grumpier than usual in the morning and an angry Abhira usually ruined his all day. He was sorely tempted to fling icy cold water on her face, but the fear of her retribution stopped him. 'She looks like a baby fairy when she sleeps, all chubby cheeks and dimples' he thought unable to stop himself from lightly fingering her cheeks. Her buttery soft skin beckoned him, and he idly curled his right index finger around a tendril. 'I wish we can stay in bed all day', the traitorous thought erupted in his mind. Abhira moaned, planting her cheek into his left hand, unconsciously imprinting her lips to his racing palm.
"La la la la" buzzed out of Abhira's iPhone as the alarm blared to wake the sleeping beauty up. Armaan shook his thoughts, he has been having more of these dangerous ones recently as he shook Abhira up again. "Come on Abhira! Get up, otherwise dragonsaa will not let you go to office today! We have to make food!" He switched on the sound system and decided to play some upbeat music so that Abhira remains cheerful. "Yes, yes I am waking up" as Jiya re played in the background. Abhira rubbed her sleep-encrusted eyes and lightly shoved Armaan away, he had developed an annoying tendency to hover like a buzzing fly while she got ready. After a quick 15-min shower and blow-dry, she was unsurprised to see Armaan had ironed her work outfit and polished her heels. Over the short time period, both had decided to divide their chores effectively to save time-Armaan would wake up earlier and get ready and help her while she who was always running late, would race to the kitchen. Armaan predictably followed her to the kitchen while she selected a uplifting song on her iPhone.
Abhira quickly put masala tea for boiling on the stove and cooked a light breakfast of oats and chillas while Armaan cleared the counter and ensured everything was clean. He helped her put the steaming cups and saucer on the ornate tray and bring out the food. And there stood in all undisputed regal glory, the great Dragonsaa who perpetually tried to make her life difficult as possible. She had mellowed down as Rohit had returned a few days ago and now she exclaimed- "Good, breakfast is ready. We will throw a grand party now that Rohit is back. Let's do a theme party and invite all the important people in town". Abhira lightly scoffed, Poddars do love to party all the time. But truthfully Abhira liked parties. She was always a people person, that's why she loved hanging out in the resort with the guests even though customer service was NOT one of her main strengths. Poddar parties also always had delicious food and she loved dancing at the parties too. Abhira was no longer so scared of Dragonsaa anymore- she had gotten used to her taunts and attitude. Plus Dragonsaa behaved her best at parties unless Abhira messed up too much. "Armaan and Abhira, can plan the party, after all Abhira used to help manage a resort" Dragonsaa ordered. Abhira knew why she was saying all this-Abhira had saved Ruhi's ass when she had committed a colossal mistake in Vidya-Madhav's wedding anniversary. Dragonsaa also wanted Abhira to work like Cinderella like Armaan always did. But Abhira was no shirking Cinderella and she was not going to let Armaan be one anymore. "We would love to Daadisaa, but Rohit-Ruhi should also get a chance, after all you got Rohit married earlier so he should be more mature right? If Armaan and I keep doing everything, then how will they learn?" Armaan opened his mouth to protest, but Abhira painfully dug her elbow in his rib. "Ruhi-Rohit will of course do the best job, Ruhi is so talented and graceful and Rohit brings joy to every event!" Daadisaa bristled unsurprisingly.
Abhira looked at Rohit who looked decidedly uncheerful and felt a pang of guilt but then shook it away. She hated pity and hated people who were always in self-pity mode. Something was going on with Rohit and probably his marriage with Ruhi but unless he grew a pair and spit it out, nothing was going to work out. She had told this to Armaan who had determinedly looked away as if hiding something. Abhira did have an unsatiable curiosity and she would have pestered Armaan but lately she was growing tired of his secrets. Had she not told him everything about her? She was an open book for him to devour practically! Abhira knew that Armaan was Vidya's stepson and his bio mom was persona-non-grata and that had given Armaan inevitable traumatic issues but still he held everything so close to his heart. Abhira couldn't hold anything close to her heart ever. She cried openly, screamed, hit and lashed. If she was upset, Armaan was the first one to know. 'Why couldn't she be the same for him?', she thought frustratingly. 'He must have told all his secrets to the chit-wali-girl of course', an annoyed voice whispered in her brain. Abhira suppressed it as she usually did, but with more difficulty than usual. Her relationship with Armaan was ever turning- they were bounded by plain threads of compromise, but slowly other colors were creeping in. Now they were friends, but she still didn't know about the mysterious girl who held his heart. Abhira who used to live in the vivid colors of pink, blue and yellow now felt blood red and dull grey entering her life. Her mumma had always said that life is full of surprises and ever changing but her life had been so still and placid in Mussoorie before, that she never took her seriously. She didn't know what she was feeling, but she did know that things were escalating between her and Armaan. She quickly gulped her breakfast and cleared her mind before cheerfully waving the toli of cousins bye. She had to go to college first and then office. Armaan, she saw was waiting at the doorway for her and she knew he wanted to drop her, no matter how much she had told him to let her be. Deciding to give in, she nods at him and startles when she notices his eyes light up. She unconsciously ducks her head, baby pink flooding cheeks as she notices his jaunty gait. Her stomach whooshes and she feels a flutter, she clutches at and wonders: " Am I still hungry? But I ate 5 chillas!"
Precap for Chapter 2: "Arjun! What are you doing here?!" Abhira sputtered in the wood-paneled mock court room.
"Armaan..I have to tell you something. "
"I thought you had promised me to never come to my college!"
"Promises are meant to be broken Abhira! It was not a bloody oath, and I should have never promised you that!", thundered Armaan.
"Who are you Ruhi? I don't know you at all."
Edited by Tani16 - 4 months ago
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