10. Morning After

"You know there was this time when we went to papa's friend's house. His sons asked me and Divi what we'd like to watch. You should have seen their faces when we said Aadalat. Those poor boys thought that we'll pick DDLJ or MPK but then there was us. After that day, we all became such good friends. I'll take you one day to meet them. We all would have a lot of fun" The night went on and on with them telling each other the stories of their childhood that they didn't realize when the slept on the sofa itself.

NEXT MORNING

Aryaman was sleeping on the sofa comfortably in an uncomfortable position while Maitri was on the opposite side sleeping on her right-hand side, leg dangling down the sofa and hugging the sofa pillow tightly. Both of them were curled into fetal position that kept them warm.

Maitri woke up due to continuous beeping of the phone indicating a phone call.  Groggily she moved her hand randomly on the carpet to find something lean like a phone.

"Hello" She held it to her ear still sleeping. When the ringtone didn't stop she opened her eyes annoyed and looked at the object in her hand.

"Remote" She looked at it with hatred and threw it away before searching for the phone. She took the phone from the table and swiped towards the green area rubbing her eyes to clear her version.

"Aryuuuu" The loud sound from the phone immediately opened her eyes making her watch the phone with wide eyes.

"Maitri" She heard the whispers. Running a hand over her face she smiled at them.

"He's sleeping. I can wake him up if its urgent" She said trying ease the commotion on the other side of phone.

"Oh no no beta its okay" She heard her boss Rishav say smiling.

"You and Aryu were getting cosy shosy??" Aviraj asked taking the phone from Rishav's hand. Aarchi entered the screen and supported Aviraj in giving Maitri teasing looks.

"I know my bhaiyu looks damn hot but guys atleast wait till the marriage then do whatever you want" Aarchi said clapping her hand with Aviraj as they laughed at Maitri who resembled a tomato.

"There's nothing like that. We both were sleeping in the sitting room so hence I have his phone" Maitri explained trying hard to not roll her eyes at their weird imaginations.

"Hayeee, you guys couldn't control to reach the bedroom that you started in the living room only.  Your son never listens to me" Ruhanika said looking into the screen at Maitri and then at Rishav who made a disgusting face at her.

"Am glad he doesn't listen to you shithead" Rishav said pushing Ruhanika out of the frame. Maitri who was holding the phone looked at them in shock. It was quite a surprise for her to see her boss who she had always seen so uptight and dominating to be fighting like a child. Ruhanika pushed Rishav out of the frame and took the phone from Aviraj.

"Did he ask for your consent? Did you enjoy? Was he good in bed?" Ruhanika was asking when Saaransh and Vikram joined in and shot their questions at her. She was confused at seeing so many new faces at once and them asking her questions she had no answers to. She was thinking of an answer when the phone from her hand was taken away.

"Nothing happened between the two of us last night. We slept like two good children on their sides" Aryaman who had woken up due to the commotion couldn't hear his siblings and cousins teasing the hell out of his newly made girlfriend and decided to intervene.

"Naughty boy, say the truth I won't tell bua" Saaransh took the phone away from Ruhanika and walked away from her as the younger generation followed him.

"Watch it for yourself" Aryaman switched the camera side and showed the sofas where they had slept.

"Happy?" He asked returning the camera side.

"You're boring" All the younger generation members sighed in disapproval together.

"Whatever, why did you call?" He rolled his eyes and came straight to the point. Maitri sat beside him to look at the people from his side of the family.

"Too remind you that you didn't inform us whether you reached safely or you got lost in Newyork" Aviraj replied sassily making Maitri who was sitting beside him snicker. He glared at her making her sit upright avoiding to look at him.

"We were tired when we reached. It slipped from our minds to call you" Aryaman said standing up to stretch.

"Its okay. All ready for today?" Kaira asked concerned.

"Yeah,don't worry, you and dad relax, I'll manage things here" Aryaman said relaxing his mother but sending Maitri in tension. He talked for a few more minutes with his family before he gave her the phone saying that they wanted to greet her bye.

Once the phone was over she called her parents and informed them that they had reached safely and forgot since they were tired. Till then Aryaman took a quick shower and returned hurriedly to greet her parents. Handing him the phone she went for a bath.

"Maitri how long, we need to reach before the press or else we won't be able to reach office on time. Am not in the mood to answer the media right now" Aryaman who was dressed in his black suit with crisp white shirt and polished shoes screamed for her picking the papers from the table and stapling them together.

"Aa rahi hoon baba. You're such an impatient child. Ek toh yeh saree bhi kab se bigad rahi hai. (Am coming dear. And then this saree, keeps getting spoiled)" She said holding the pleats of her saree in her hand, shaking them straight so the pleats fall in place.

"This woman" Aryaman looked at her and a smile formed on his face seeing the angel infront of him. Seeing her struggle with the pleats he placed the papers away and walked over to her and bent down.

She immediately took a step back and the sudden intrusion of him in her personal space.

"What are you doing on your knees?" She asked shocked.

"I don't have a ring so am definitely not proposing you" He rolled his eyes at her insane question. Without saying much he gathered the pleats in his hand and ran his hand along each one so they remained straight and crisp.

"Check now, they might be better than when you were complaining" He stood up dusting his hands asking her to look at her pleats.

"Perfect" She smiled widely seeing that her saree came out the way she liked it, tight and crisp.

"Incase you ever feel that you don't want to handle the company anymore, open a saree showroom, I'll pick the sarees for auction and you make the ladies wear it, we will grow rich in just a month" She said running her hand over the saree while the other hand pulled her hair behind and tucked them behind her ear. Aryaman who was ready to leave stopped hearing her words. Walking back to her he cornered her towards the door frame.

"Umm...what are you doing?" She took a step back feeling flustered.

"Answer me one thing honestly" He placed one hand on the door frame and bent down to be face to face with her. She looked at him encouragingly.

"Have you had a boyfriend before?"

"Does it matter?" She placed her hand on his chest to push him off at the absurd question.

"It doesn't"

"Then why the question?" She stopped pushing and looked at him questioningly.

"I need to know whether the innocence is real or not" Aryaman knew that he had no right to ask or say anything to her and yet his inner insecurities resurfaced and made him take wrong decisions.

"Am sorry?" She was extremely confused.

"Will you remain faithful to me for all the time you remain connected to me?" He held her hand that lied right on top of his heart. Maitri felt as if he was hurting from within and probably there was a lot more than she thought she knew.

"Is there something I need to know Maan?" Her heartbeat raised franctically as if knowing that something wrong was going to happen.

"It is a moment from the past. I'll try that it won't affect our present or the future" He said alot of things in a few words.

"Before I answer your question, answer mine" He nodded his head and looked at her encouragingly.

"If today, right in this moment, a girl who matches everything that you want in your partner walks in, who will you pick? Mind you, she is everything you've asked for, she's practically the woman from your dreams.

You say you want after you spent 24 hours with me, what if that changed? I understand your insecurities because I have the same ones too. I'll come out clear to you, I don't believe in love at first sight, that's all bullshit, doesn't apply in real world but...but that doesn't mean I don't believe in love.

I do wish for a good future where am with my husband, 2-3 kids are playing around with us, in the backdrop there's some beach and the whole family is making a sandcastle. Its too bollywoodish but this is who I am. I know am shallow when it comes to innuendoes referring to kinky or sexy stuff but now that's your problem on how you deal with it if you want this thing to go on" She fisted the lapels of the suit and pulled him closer to her and stood on her tip toes.

"You are everything opposite of what I'd expected of my partner but frankly speaking those 24 hours and the few hours I spent with you before that made me realise that a partner doesn't need to be perfect, they need to be compatible, like the way ying is compatible to its yang. I am a firm believer of facts and by the logic, you are totally opposite of me and by physics laws, we are the one made for each other. I have my doubts and am not sure whether one day I'll rise above them or not but with you am sure that I'll not drown in them.

I can't be a extremely possessive male hero everyone reads in the books but I can be a little territorial of what's mine. I believe in giving freedom to both the sides of the coin to feel free to choose the one they like. I can't be the man you read in the novels but I can be the man that's written in our scriptures Maitri.

I'll treat you as my queen not because you will have the title but because you'll be the queen of my heart. I felt a connection with you in those 24 hours which I've never experienced with anyone else. I want us to give this relation a try. Let's take time before we get married, let's explore each other? Maitri...I wish for a similar future as you, playing probably basketball with my daughter and teaching my son that he needs to beat up any guy that comes near his sister because she's precious and men aren't good, boys are worst. I want to hold my wife's hand when I return at night after a shit day at work. I want her to smile at me as if I mean the world to her just as she does to me. Now will you answer my question?" With his free hand he cupped her cheek and joined his forehead to hers.

She pushed him away creating space between them.

"I promise to remain faithful to you as long as your remain faithful to me. Each promise you give to me is the same promise I make to you" She said smiling knowing that he wasn't wrong that they were opposites but yet they somehow felt completed and comfortable in each other's presence.

"Perfect. Thanks for answering" He said running his hand over his coat blushing slightly.

"Maan" Maitri slipped out of his embrace and took the papers from the table.

"Yeah?" He looked at her confused as he wore his shoes.

"Can I ask you something?" She swinged her body right and left like a schoolgirl with 2 pigtails.

"Ask" He took his laptop bag and her purse before guiding her towards the door.

"Will you propose to me like SRK when you ask me to marry you?" She asked looking at the floor burning hot in shyness. Redness crept through her neck to her cheeks and ears.

"Eww no. That's just too out of standards for me. Just imagine how bad I'll look opening my hands like him. Uggh no. I'd rather just make you wear the ring" He said locking the door.

"Dude then you better start looking for someone else because there's no way am saying yes to you when you say no to my SRK" She crossed her hands at her chest and glared at him.

"You think you are Kajol? Badi aayi SRK" He teased her as they walked to the elevator.

"Nope ji. I think myself as Juhi Chawla. Cute, fun bubbly and charming but you are definetely ASR" He looked at her confused at who ASR now was.

"You don't know ASR?" She gave him a shocked look.

"Today, as soon as we return, I'll introduce you to my ASR. He was the first one who came up with grumpy x sunshine trope... God definetly took his time when making him. The smirk he does, uff...haaye mein marjawan. He gives Klaus but Elijah but Stephan but Damon vibes. Who was your favourite from TVD?" Aryaman hit his head on the lift wall realising that she was back to being a chatterbox.