Chapter Fifty-Three
"I'll do what started all of this. Run away again."
Three years later.
à ANANYA Ã
"And what is my third favourite colour?"Â I asked him, digging my spoon into my Choco Lava Cake, and enjoying the last bite of it.
"Umm, Yellow." He just randomly made a guess.
"I never thought about it. Yellow has the potential to become my third favourite colour. Good work, soldier."
It was late night and Sahil wished to come to his cafe randomly, the same one where he proposed to me. I was half asleep when this man dragged me along him saying he craved to eat something sweet. And that he'll teach me how to make Choco Lava Cake.
He just craved to ruin my sleep.
And if you ask me why aren't we doing these acts in my house then I have the same question. Why did he have to drive fifteen kilometres in the middle of the night? Well, he is unpredictable.
However, being a very good girlfriend, I could not deny him and handled his tantrums and, therefore tagged along with him. If he handles all my tantrums then I should be equally reprocative, so here I am handling his cravings.
Well, congratulations, now I can believe that I have a boyfriend. I am out of that shock.
"I think I should start going to the gym again." He said and I passed him a questionable gaze.
"Why? What happened?"
"Nothing, I'm going to get fat if I do not start it now. What if you ditch me then?" He said jokingly.
"What if I take all your money and run away? What if I'm actually behind your money?" The excitement of making up this bullshit was very high.
"Take all my money but give me your heart in return." I rolled my eyes at this poetic remark of his.
"Oh my my, Such a Bollywood-ish line." I faked a reaction, intentionally and he just let out a laugh. He was busy making something from the tissue paper.
"And go to the gym only if you want to. I love you like this. And I will love you all gollu mollu too." He cringed at my words and just raised his eyes to look at me for a second or two to show his expression and then got engrossed again.
"I think the idea of joining the gym again seems better. I'd not want to become gollu mollu" I laughed at the expression he made while saying that
word.
"One day you'll also have a big round stomach like most of the uncles. Just imagine how you'd look" I teased him. He probably imagined it for a second and then whined.
"Nooooo. Stop." He further added, "You'd also become an Aunty then, the chugalkhor one." I gasped loudly at this.
[Snitcher one]
"How dare you call Mafia Queen Ananya that?" I said offensively.
"Hogi tu Mafia Queen apne ghar ki."Â Â Look at how effortlessly he roasted me.
[You might be the Mafia Queen of your house only.]
"Zyada mat ban, tumhare ghar ki bhi banne wali hu." I flipped my hair proudly as if I had done something award-winning.
[Oh, I'm going to be one of your houses too.]
One flirt is what it takes to make him cherry red.
"Humare ghar ki."
[Our house]
One word is what it takes to make me cherry red.
"Humare bache kaise honge?" I asked dreamily.
[How would our kids be?]
"Tere tarah nai hone chahiye bus." I kept staring with my jaw hung, while he was acting like he was totally into the tissue paper artwork. But the way his lips were pressed together trying to control his laugh, told me otherwise.
[They shouldn't be like you, that's it.]
"Main shaadi hi nahi kar rahi tumse."
[I'm not going to marry you.]
"Main toh tumse hi kar raha hu." He held my hand and slid something on my last finger. I glanced down to find a weird structured, tissue paper ring. I laughed looking at its weird shape.
[But I am.]
"Don't laugh. It broke in between so I had to do it the easy way out. They made it so easily in the reel yesterday but it's more difficult in real life." He complained like a small kid who couldn't do his craft activity.
"Okay. I appreciate the efforts." I gave him a flying kiss and he pretended to catch it at first and later threw it away.
"You're becoming meaner day by day," I remarked.
"Sangat ka asar"
[The impact of association.]
"Whatever. Back to the kid's topic. How many kids do you want?" I asked him. I was so curious to know about his thoughts on this topic.
"Six." I coughed out immediately and he threw his head back laughing wholeheartedly.
"Aadhi football team hui woh."
[That is half of the football team.]
"Usme kya hua?" He still kept on showing his teeth and laughing.
[What is the problem with that?]
"Shut up. We will have two kids and two cats and a rabbit."
"And a dog." He added and I narrowed my eyes.
"What nonsense? Never."
"Don't use my words." He replied.
"Those are our words now, Mr What Nonsense." I winked at him and he just rolled his eyes muttering something under his breath.
"And we will name our Rabbit, Khajur."
"Khajur, seriously chamatkar?" He repeated.
"Yes. Khajur Khurana." I was too happy with this name.
"What about the cats?" He asked me.
"Umm. Pumpkin and Soya."Â I replied with a bright smile on my face.
"I'm not letting you name our kid-"
"And the kids will be Jaadu and Tona." We both said in sync and I started laughing. He was in a state of shock after listening to my list of names.
"Jaadu Khurana and Tona Khurana." He showed me a thumbs up, wanting to end the conversation.
"I'm naming the kids, and the cats and the rabbit. You'll just give them second-hand embarrassment." I chuckled, biting my tongue still not able to stop laughing.
"Arey, Ananya ke bache honge, embarrassment toh rag rag mei hona chahiye."
[They are kids, Embarrassment should be in their veins.]
"Correct. Now if you're done, ma'am. Let's go to Marine Drive." He suggested and I jumped on my place.
"Yes, yes, yes. But let's dance here first. I'm in a mood to dance." I performed some weird ass step without music and he shook his head.
"You dance. I'm not going to"
"Gavar ho aap. You are dancing." I took out my phone from the pocket of my trousers and played a Bollywood party song. I kept the phone on the table and pulled Sahil with me to dance.
[You're an idiot.]
I was dancing my heart out while he just stood there looking at me. I scrunched my nose and made him dance forcefully. Soon he joined me and showcased some good steps while I just randomly waved my hands and legs doing anything because I am not a dance person. We did a couple of steps in which I tripped twice over his leg and once over my other leg.
He pulled me by my hands and quickly moving his hands to my waist pulled me closer. My hands automatically went towards the back of his neck playing with his hairs. We both waved to the soft romantic music it was playing while our eyes locked and a smiles on our faces.
I took the initiative and going on my toes, I placed my lips on his. His hold immediately tightened around my back and our bodies pressed against each other, while he reciprocated the kiss, brushing his nose against mine. After a few seconds, we broke the kiss because of the lack of breath, still in the same position.
He brushed his bearded cheek to mine and I tried to move away because of the irrigation. Noticing that, he once again repeated it only to get a light smack on his other cheek.
"Stop it." He pouted and looked at me with puppy eyes. He earned one more light slap on his right cheek because of this drama.
"Okay, now let's go," I said and he made a face.
"Mean."
"We have to go. Leave me." I tried to get out of his hold only to find it tightening in return.
"Mean."
"Okay, we are not going then."
"Mean."
"You will get beatings if you don't leave me now." I scolded and he just grinned.
"I am never leaving you." He squinted his eyes and hugged me, his face on the crook of my neck.
"Got it. Now let's go, Sahil." I said and he tightened his hold for a second and then left me.
This was his every time act before breaking the hug. Tightening his hold for a while and then breaking it.
"Let's go." He held my hand and we began to walk downstairs to our car. Before that, he had to shut the cafe.
After done with his work, we walked back towards the car parked at the side. "I'll drive tonight. You should get the opportunity to become a passenger prince too."
I pressed the button on the keys to unlock the car and then ran a few steps, opening the passenger door for him. "After you, sir." I bowed down and winked. He smiled and settled inside. I walked to the other side of the car and sat on the driver's seat.
After half an hour or so of jamming some songs, we reached Marine Lines. It was because of the night time, the traffic was so low and thereby we reached Andheri to Marine Lines this quickly. Or else Mumbai's traffic is one of a kind.
Sitting there peacefully, watching how the moon reflected on the sea glistening and shining brighter than before. The sound of the waves could be heard in the utter silence. Very few people were there around us as it was night.
From the past few years, the way Mumbai has become my home giving the cosy vibe is something I never appreciated. There is something here in this air, it just makes everything better.
All these life-related, deep, meaningful thoughts had to pop up because it's the effect of the sea under the sky.
"What are you thinking?" Sahil asked me and slipped his palm into mine holding it tightly. I looked at him, whose eyes were already fixed on me.
"Nothing," I said and placed my head on his shoulder.
Suddenly I realised the things which happened in the past years and recalled a few of the happiest moments of my life. And most of them were with him. Because of him.
From being a mere stranger I tried to fool, to becoming the person I am the best version of myself with. Sometimes even the worst.
"What if you never met me that day?" I mumbled.
"Umm...I can't imagine what would have happened. I'm happy that I did." He replied.
"Obviously. Even I am. But what if we never met each other? How would our lives be?"
"Now it's difficult to imagine a life without you in it. You are a very important part of my life. Hell with a very important part. You are my life." A small smile appeared on my face.
"Same. It's like, you know. You complete me. Like in every sense. You just complete me." My gaze was still focused on the sky counting the numerous amounts of stars messed up here and there.
Everybody loves the moon, but only a few can love the stars which are just ordinary.
"Without you, I was doing good and happy. But after meeting you, I started enjoying, living. You gave me the love, I think I never got from anyone. You became the home I never had." I glanced at Sahil whose gaze was focused on a big star, which seemed like a planet. His rare-coloured orbs were shining so brightly under moonlight.
I love this man. So fucking much.
"I want to marry you," I said without letting any second thoughts cross my mind.
"What nonsense?" He asked in a slow voice, turning his head towards me and gulping.
"Will you marry me, Sahil?" I licked my dry lips because of the nervousness. I felt goosebumps all over my body and a shiver across my spine.
I just know after the heartbreak he faced, he would think a million times before doing this.
"I'm ready to jump from here if you say No. Be quick." He shook his head.
"Why would you even think of that? Yes. Of course, yes. Hell, yes!" I had the largest fucking grin on my face right now.
"But Ma'am, What if you run away again?" He asked jokingly and I bit my lip breaking into a chuckle.
"I will not. Mai puri guarantee deti hu."
[I'm giving you my word.]
I removed the paper ring he made for me from my finger and he looked at me curiously.
"I have only this. Please manage. The proposal is very spontaneous and low budget." I apologised in advance and his grin just widened.
"I don't mind." I carefully slipped the ring on his tiny finger but it got stuck half the way. I scrunched my nose and looked at him apologetically.
"I loveeeeeee you so much!" I screamed with excitement and standing up, I squealed in my place. I am so happy.
"I love you more, my chamatkar." I was about to burst like a bubble. This feeling was so good.
I was so lost in my world of happiness and missed the people around me looking and staring at me. But do I care? No.
"That's my future wife, guys," Sahil shouted pointing towards me, equally as excited as me.
I sat down again and kept staring at my future husband.
Ohmygod.
"I love this life," I said.
"You will also love being my wife." Even this lame statement felt like Wow at this moment.
"I love nineteen-year-old Ananya who decided to run away. We met because of her." I said.
"I love my mom who forced me to meet you that day." He added.
"I love the way I fought with the receptionist."
"I love chamatkar baba."
"I love that guy hit my scooter."
"Excuse me?" Sahil interrupted and I laughed. "Then I love that daughter of Aunty who wanted me to marry her daughter."
"Too lame and not funny," I remarked.
"You have to deal with these lame and not funny things for the rest of your life." He replied.
"Oh shit, Can I not back out now?" I joked.
"No, you're stuck with me forever just like this tiny weird paper ring stuck on my finger." He looked at the ring with adoration and pointed towards it.
"Nevermind. I'll do what started all of this. Run away again."
Now as I gazed at the beautiful night sky, instead of appearing scattered, I found the Stars Aligned.
- T H EÂ Â Â E N D -
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I hate ending this book. The way I Iove this book along with all of its flaws and mistakes is incredible because honestly this one is the closest to my heart. Ananya being a character I could totally relate with and Sahil being the fictional man I created whom I love with all my heart, soul and body. I'm never getting over both of them easily. Thanks to you guys who made this more special and who kept loving them so much. It took me almost a year to complete this book ð¥¹â¤ï¸
Also did I make the chapter worth the wait? Forgive me If I failed to do so.
Now we'll meet at the epilogue ð¤ð»