"Khushi, when is Chote coming back," Aryan asked behind his paper.
"Saturday unfortunately," she said with a pout, turning her attention to her father.
Aryan peeked up over his paper. "Seriously? I would've expected him to try to come sooner."
"Unfortunately he can't. Trying to expand the company is being more difficult than anything right now."
"That's understandable... the poor boy," he chuckled lightly before looking at Khushi. "And poor you."
Khushi blushed and looked down.
"Yes, poor Chote," Divya said, causing Khushi to look up at her. "But then again, the way these two bicker, there's one plus side."
While to Aryan it seemed like an innocent tease, Khushi knew the woman was trying to throw a dagger at her.
"Bickering only makes our love grow, don't you agree Papa," Khushi said daringly, turning to face Aryan.
"I absolutely, 100% agree," Aryan chuckled.
Khushi grinned. "I knew you would. After all you and Ma did bicker quite a lot, hmm," she teased playfully.
While it was playful, it was also meant to be a dagger thrown back at Divya.
I'm sure feeling quite brave of myself, Khushi thought. But oh well!
While Aryan sighed at the memories, Divya stared Khushi down, but Khushi totally ignored her.
"Bicker we did indeed," Aryan smiled humbly, thinking back to his younger days.
*~*
It was about 3 in the afternoon and Aryan was walking down the hall, goofing off with his friends. They had just finished class and were going to head to town to grab a bite, when a certain someone came into view, causing him to halt in his tracks, as well as his fellow comrades.
One of his friends hissed. "Isn't that her?"
Aryan gave him a glare and his friend straightened up.
"Yes, it's her," he simply replied, and looked back at the beauty that filled him up with life.
"Are you gonna go talk to her," another friend asked.
Without responding, Aryan made his way to the lovely lady dressed in a green selwar kameez.
She had her back faced towards him, completely unknown of the fact that he was just a matter of feet away from him. She only became aware when Aryan came around and stood in front of her.
Immediately at the sight of him, her face scrunched up. "You!"
Aryan grinned roguishly. "Hi."
The woman fumed and looked away.
"Don't look away; I love that pretty face of yours."
Her eyes snapped right back up to his.
"Ah, now don't do that, those pretty eyes of yours will fall out."
Her jaw dropped and she fumed. "Why you- I- you- ugh," and she stomped off.
Aryan chuckled and then he hollered out to her. "At least tell me your name jaaneman!"
The woman turned back to look at him with fierce eyes as she continued to walk away. Aryan winked and her jaw dropped once more before she shut it and turned back around. The moment she was gone, Aryan was rejoined by his friends.
"Wow boss, she's something else," one of his friends said.
"For sure," the other said.
Aryan grinned, crossing his arms and cocking his head to the side. "She's a firecracker alright... my firecracker, my Jaaneman."
*~*
"Papa?"
Aryan snapped out of his memories and looked at a confused Khushi.
He shook his head. "Nothing, just... reminiscing."
Khushi smiled sadly and held his hand, giving it a light squeeze.
Aryan did the same. "Well, off I go now; lots of work to do and a town to run."
Khushi and Divya nodded with a smile and Aryan stood up, and left. The moment he was out of earshot, Divya spoke.
"You truly must enjoy hurting Aryan like that, don't you," she smirked, crossing her arms.
Khushi looked back at her. "Wrong; I enjoy seeing the small smile that forms on Papa's face that only forms when he thinks of Ma. It's a sign of his love - the love he's only had for one person and will forever have for one person."
With that, Khushi left the room.
*~*
Aryan was seated at his desk, working on some documents to help keep the town park clean, when his eyes landed on a photo of his wife's. His desk at the office was covered with picture frames, many of them of his family, but a majority of them of his late wife.
For a while now, he would keep peeking at the photo, but he would try to focus on his work. However this time he couldn't, so he put his pen down and picked up the picture frame. In this picture, it was a portrait shot of her, back in their younger days. They had just gotten married which meant nothing but taking many pictures to keep the moment permanently memorable, which meant dozens and dozens of photos!
Aryan sighed. I miss you Jaaneman. I miss you a lot.
Aryan put the picture back and looked at the one beside it. It was the one Shalini's sister had taken the day Shalini had her presentation, the same picture Aryan had shown Khushi. With a sigh, Aryan held the picture frame to his heart and leaned back in his chair, shutting his eyes, as he went back down memory lane.
*~*
Aryan and his pals were once again goofing off as they walked across the campus. Aryan was walking backwards as he faced his friends while waking, when he bumped into a beautiful someone, who nearly went crashing down to the floor but was caught and brought into Aryan's arms. The woman's hair was in her face and she quickly moved it out of the way to see which fool wasn't watching where he was going and when she met his eyes, hers turned into wide disks.
"Good morning Jaaneman," Aryan grinned roguishly.
She gaped at him and forced herself free, standing up on her own. Aryan took note of her red selwar kameez and it was doing too many things to him, especially the scowl on her face.
"I see you're wearing makeup," Aryan noted. "Special day?"
She didn't say a word and fixed her dupatta.
"Special day it is."
She simply rolled her eyes and made sure that the papers she was gripping onto tightly were in good condition.
Aryan bent forward, meeting her at eye level, causing his 'Jaaneman' to widen her eyes at him while clutching her papers tightly to her.
"Don't you think its odd," he began, looking from her eyes to her lips, then back at her eyes, "that we keep bumping into each other like this repeatedly?"
"Odd," she questioned irritably. "I'd say you do it on purpose!"
"Hmm, that's quite a smart idea. I'll do just that."
She gaped at him then huffed off, stomping as she did.
Aryan couldn't help but to grin. It was just this that would make his days perfect.
"Jaaneman, I love you," he declared.
The woman froze and Aryan's friends' eyes shot up to him. All of them looked at him with wide eyes, especially her. Aryan simply grinned and his Jaaneman made a face and huffed away.
~
Later that day, Aryan was walking down the hall, having just finished a class. He was on his way to meet up with his friends, when he saw his Jaaneman walking from the opposite direction. However the second she spotted him, she quickly turned back around and went the other way. Aryan couldn't help himself but to grin and he quickly dashed towards her, startling her when he did.
"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Aryan grinned sheepishly.
She looked at him with an eyebrow raised.
Aryan tilted his head. "Well it can't be helped; you'd think I'd know your name after the number of times you've bumped into me, yet here I am clueless on the fact. I mean not that I'm entirely complaining since I do call you Jaaneman, and you do respond to it..."
Her eyes widened.
"... but I'd still like to know the name behind my Jaaneman."
"Well you won't," she huffed, and she tried to walk around him, but Aryan stopped her.
"Oh don't be like that Jaaneman, tell me your name."
"No," and she tried to escape once more, but Aryan stopped her. "Move!"
"Not until I know your name."
"I won't tell you my name!"
"Why not?"
"Why should I?"
"Because I deserve to know the name behind my Jaaneman."
"Stop calling me that!"
"I won't Jaaneman."
"That's not my name!"
"Then what is it?"
"It's Shalini-! Oops," and she smacked her hand over her mouth.
Aryan grinned roguishly. "Ah... Shalini."
The name rolled off his tongue, feeling velvet as he said it.
"I... I... ugh," Shalini groaned in frustration before stomping off.
Aryan couldn't help himself but to chuckle and then straightened. "Shalini," he called out.
She froze the instant he said her name.
Aryan crossed his arms and moved closer to her until he was about six inches away from her. "Every time so far, you've always bumped into me and have always walked away from me. But one day, you'll come running towards me, right into my arms."
Shalini's eyes widened and she turned back around and faced him. Aryan simply smiled at her as she continued to gaze at him.
"Never," she finally said.
Aryan looked down with a smile and then back up at her. Shalini gasped, seeing the confidence that had formed in his eyes.
Aryan began to step back. "We'll see," and he turned away, leaving a very confused Shalini behind.
*~*
Aryan couldn't help himself but to chuckle. My stubborn Jaaneman.
He picked up the photo and looked at it for a moment. He glanced at all of the other pictures of her, then back at the one in his hands.
"By some miracle, please come back Shalini, whatever it takes."
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