Chapter 9(part 1)
On Friday, I found myself standing on the main entrance of the society waiting for Singhania's car to pick me up for the airport.
The last 3 days had been hectic and thanks to the greater power up there, I didn't have a single encounter with Arjun. Sighing I felt nervousness rise as the thought of seeing him entered my mind. Even though it was his fault I had said way to much, stuff that shouldn't have been said was also uttered.
Taking deep breaths as I saw a car coming to stop right infrontof me. The watchman quickly came with my bag and set it in the carriage of the car with the help of drive as I slid in the backseat.
Playing with the ends of my scarf I sat nervously as we rode to the airport for private planes! Driving right upto to the runway, I saw Arjun standing at the foot of the jet, looking like he just stepped out of a magazine dressed in a white polo shirt and blue 3 quarters of blue jeans shorts paired with white vans.
"Hi, you are here" he greeted me with a smile as he raised the eyebrows. "Yes, I'm here" I replied lamely and smiled at him. I heard a deep chuckle before he shook his head. "Arohi, this is pilot Rasika, and her co-pilot jai." Arjun introduced me while I stepped forward and shook hands with them with warm smiles.
Turning around to face Arjun I asked him, "Where is Kruti?" "She just went in. You go ahead. I'll be right behind you" he nodded at me and I smiled and walked away with one last smile at the pilots.
I saw my luggage being loaded onto the jet as I walked in, I saw Kruti moving around the jet as soon as I entered.
"Hi" I spoke trying to grab her attention.
She finally stopped and looked at me "Hi" she replied frantically. "What's wrong?" I raised my eyebrows at her. "I hate flying. So I'm trying to walk it out" she was taking deep breaths as she spoke. I tried hard not to laugh but a giggle bubbled out as she frantically walked some more. I looked around the jet and was awe struck.
4 black leather seats facing each other and a desk to separate them. 4 other seats behind them. I could see 2 doors on either ends of the room, which I didn't know where they led to but I guessed one led to the flying cabinet.
Shaking my head, I smiled at Kruti and tapped her on the shoulder. "Sit" I ordered her and she did. Surprised at that I told her to take deep breaths while I shoved my head phones in her ears while setting my iPod in her lap. It was some calming music that I had learned worked wonders during panic.
2 minutes later I saw a visibly calm person sitting in the chair. Smiling to myself I spun around to look for Arjun when I collided into a hard wall. As far as I knew there was no wall there. Rubbing a sore spot on the head, form the crash. I looked up to see Arjun standing there with his arms crossed on his chest and a smirk playing on his face. "You got her to calm down" he looked at me while talking. "Yes. Calming music works wonders" I smiled and took a step back.
I saw the doors close and suddenly the Mic went off. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this Is Rasika the captain. welcome onboard, this flight to Maldives will last 3 hours and 2 minutes. I hope you have a safe flight. Please fasten your seat belts, Nadia will be with you once we have taken off. Enjoy your flight" and with the ding she went off. I and Arjun sat on either side of the chairs with kruti next to me, already asleep. I fastened the seat belt for her as we taxed of the runway.
15 minutes later, the captain announced we were free to move around and kruti was awake once again, relaxed this time.
"Oh, I feel great. I've never been able to be this relaxed in a flight unless I was drunk" she laughed. "I know. This helps a lot. It soubds like a stupid idea but it's soothing." I smiled at her knowingly.
"So, I'm gona go and take a nap. Can I take this with me?" he asked gesturing to the iPod and I merely nodded with a smile.
I hadn't talked with Arjun, every since after the crash and I could feel the awkwardness and tension in the air. Just as soon as Kruti went through one of the doors Nadia entered form the same door. "Hi, would you like something to eat or drink?" Nadia barely looked at me before turning to Arjun. I felt this weird feeling rise inside as I tried hard not to glare hole into her head when she flirted with Arjun.
I could see Arjun trying hard not to laugh at her attempts to flirt with him and that gave me a bit relief. Trying hard to understand these feelings I didn't notice that Nadia was now glaring at me and had asked me something. "Would you like wine or beer or juice?" her tone was icy cold. "White wine?" I almost questioned her and she snorted while walking away.
Just as the door closed, Arjun burst out laughing. "What?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "Well, you have no idea what happened there don't you?" he was still chuckling and I wanted to stamp my foot on his just to inflict pain somehow so the grin that spread so wide would disappear.
"You promise not to hurt me?" he questioned lamely trying to be cute. "What did you do?" I stressed on every word I spoke and he physically winced. "Well, I might, or might not have told her you were my girlfriend" I was about to shout when a large hand settled on my mouth. "Hear me out first, she was icily flirting with me and I wasn't liking it so I saw you zoned out and used that to my advantage. I didn't think she would be rude to you. She is not the air hostess who generally accompanies me. It's usually Aaliya who dose but she was sick today and..." he was ranting till we heard the door open and a person clear throat to make us aware of the presence.
I tried to look over Arjun shoulder and realized it was Nadia with the drinks. She slammed the tray as hard as she could do it without being rude or breaking them, she did and said "Your drinks, sir, Madame" she stressed on the last word and you could practically hear the cruelty dripping off the tone and with that she was out of there.
I looked at Arjun who was looking at me and burst out laughing, a minute later he joined in. I could feel him vibrate and that's when I realized how close we were. Arjun was on his knees near my seat and I was leaning forward. Clearing my throat I leaned backwards and Arjun smiled awkwardly at me before getting up and sitting back.
"Wine?" he passed me mine as he gulped his scotch. "So, we tend to get in awkward situations whenever we meet?" he said after a few minutes of silence. "Well, yeah! I guess" I said, I mean what was I supposed to reply to that.
Laughter bubbled out of me as I thought of all the incidents that happened in the past week. All we had done was fight, called truce, apologized and then fight again. Falling into a full blown laughter I felt tears escape my eyes as Arjun looked at me curiously.
"What's so funny?" a smirk on his face that made him look so handsome that I could probably stare at him all day. I slapped myself mentally for these wayward thoughts and spoke. "I was just thinking about the past week and now we fight, apologize and fight again and remembering those petty fights I couldn't help but laugh" I saw a smile spread on his face as I spoke.
"Yeah, I thought about it too and somehow around you I turn into this teenage boy who throws tantrums and lame." he said and winced as he realized what he just said. "Yeah, I feel like that too, just a girl not boy" I laughed as I saw him visibly relax.
"So what do you say? We try to be cordial with each other? I mean we do have 3 months or so to spend together" I chewed on my lips as I shared my thought with him. "Yes sure. I was about to say that. You know, it actually isn't fun going home in sour mood, feeling like a jerk because I spoilt your mood or fought with you" he agreed with me finishing of the last gulp of his scotch. "Absolutely. Feeling like Shit because we fought on something so stupid" I nodded and sipped my wine.
We drank our alcohol and looked at each other after every few seconds and smiled. Yeah, things were back to awkward again. Getting tired of the silence, I spoke. "So, we aren't staying at the hotel we decide first. They wouldn't give me and upgrade. So I wanted to change the accommodation so I just told them I was coming the next day and they said they didn't have room available for the next day. I booked us into Conrad Maldives. And got my Hilton honor points to get an upgrade to the 2nd best room there" I smiled widely. I hadn't wanted to stay at Six sense but Kruti was keen on that resort for her wedding first till I showed her Conrad. Now she desperately wanted Conrad to be her wedding destination.
"Okay, so this place offers us full resort foe the wedding?" he countered. I admired him for this, he was still here, helping her sister out, not freeking out, like other guys would do, if they had too choose between a light pink and a darker pink.
"Well, they can't do that, cause its booked 1 year in advance but, they are will to provide 100 room, that will roughly accommodate 200-250 people and that's enough according to the lists I got form you mother and Raj's mother." I explained him. "Okay, then. So we need to make the travel arrangements form Male to Conrad?" he questioned. "No, it's all arranged" I assured him.
"Arohi, thank you for doing this even though I have been a jerk to you since the beginning." he flinched a bit before he looked at me. "It's okay. I'm accustomed to deal with these situations. Working with the type of clientele I do, you have to brace yourself for worse" I chuckled making him smile.
"You know, I saw you at the bar on 25th, I asked you for a drink and you completely denied flat out, that's why something stirring in me when we first met at the dinner. I've never been rejected you know" he further said.
"So, I'm the reason you acted like an ass with me all this time?" I stared at him wide eye. "Well, only the first time. Later on it was mostly unintentional." he nodded at me.
I couldn't decide how to react to this, I felt like laughing. I had just won over mighty Singhania. I was drunk and I have turned him down. I felt like I could be on the top of the world, all his insults till date didn't mean anything anymore.
So, I laughed and he laughed with me.
Maybe, I was wrong again! Maybe I shouldn't think he is a nice guy, but I genuinely felt this time, he was a nice person and I hope and prayed he was because it would make my life hella easier!
I'll update second part after comments 😉
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