Aur woh baat yeh hain ki -

"Abhi, I have started imagining you to be happy!"

"Happy

With

Me"

It's just that -

I have started loving you, Mr. Mantri.

And yet again, to my utter disappointment, he did not turn back. He abruptly walked and left.

For the next five days, neither did I try to contact him nor did he call me.

The days passed swiftly and finally it was Friday, 28th April - one day to go, for my birthday.

We already had vacations for our office, from 27th April and I had no plans for my birthday. Nevertheless, the other plans were fixed -

I was leaving for Indore, on 1st May, to go back to my family for 15 to 20 days, enjoying my summer holidays.

I sensed that Shreya was planning something for my birthday, but I myself informed her, a day before that -

Neither I have any plans for my birthday nor am I expecting something from you guys. So please don't plan anything.

I want to keep it very simple.

Hence, on 28th April - 11:45pm at night,

I was awake in my room, writing my diary -

Hey Diary,

I have made a decision.

I am going to drop this plan and simply move out of his life.

I am not sure, whether he is guilty or not, but I just know one thing -

Any more tears which he will shed, will automatically make me cry.

While I was writing, suddenly the lights went off. To add on to this, the invertor was not working as well. So, I was a little tensed.

I got up and yelled -"Shreya..."

All of a sudden, in the dark room, somebody opened the door of my room.

"Shreya...tu hain kya wahan?" I was anxious as I asked.

That person walked towards me and help my hand, whispering "Shhh" in my ears.

It was a male voice, but I couldn't make out - who he was. For sure, it wasn't Abhimanyu - but I was unable to recognize.

"Hey...kaun ho tum and where are you taking me?" I nervously asked, while he whispered in my mind,

"Get ready to receive the most beautiful surprise of your life."

"Kabira...is that you?" the person's voice was somewhat similar to Kabir's.

He did not answer, but I could sense that somebody had put blindfolds on my eyes, and they were taking me upstairs.

As soon as we climbed the stairs, I could hear people whispering - but I was unable to recognize them.

"Guys...koi kuch batayenga...kya chal raha hain?"

And suddenly, someone opened my blindfold -

"Happy Birthday Ayesha/Beta"

My parents - my mom and dad were standing right in front of me.

My happiness had no limits.

I actually shed tears of happiness as I hugged them happily.

I was meeting my parents after 6 to 7 long months and it was indeed special.

At the same time, I could recognize three of my other friends, standing on the beautifully decorated terrace of our apartment - Shreya, Kabir and Sara.

And there it was, the tempting 3 layered chocolate cake - kept right in the center of the terrace on a table.

I turned to the other side, as I moved towards the cake and suddenly when I turned, I found my MAN standing right in front of me.

At that instance, for once, I actually had this thought in my mind, to run towards him, give him a tight hug and kiss him.

But taking into consideration, the fact that there were parents and friends standing, I took a deep breath, and simply smiled at him, whereas my father continued -

"Baara baj gaye - Ayesha aajao beta" he asked me to come to the center. I held my parents' hands and cut the cake.

I fed both my parents, Shreya while Kabir and Sara put some cake on my face, and this made me laugh.

Finally, when it was time to give a piece of cake to my MAN - he simply walked towards me.

Now, I was sure that we could not hug or embrace each other, since my parents were standing.

Still, that attractive smile on his face - made me forget all our previous gloomy scenes.

"Ayesha...I want to say something" he whispered, but I could see that my mom stared at me, for once.

"Abhi...aas-pass mom-dad hain" I whispered again, trying to ignore my parents' sight.

"Ayesha...mujhe sirf itna hi kehna hain ki -

"I want to turn your imagination into reality."

"When was the last time, his romantic dialogues, did not make me blush?" - I spoke this, to my heart.

To all my readers, the reference to this line, are my previous words -

********************************

"Abhi, I have started imagining you to be happy!"

"Happy

With

Me"

*********************************

I blushed as I bent down, to cut a piece of cake for him, and when I was about to give him, he asked me open my mouth -

And put a piece of my favorite Kit-Kat delight inside my mouth.

On one hand, we tried to hold each other's hand from down, while my father stared at us, sensing if something was going wrong - while both of us were shy and we laughed.

It was a memorable midnight celebration.

The next day, in the morning - we decided to go for a Mumbai Darshan with my parents, since they were here.

I requested Kabira to accompany us and he agreed.

So, it was me, Shreya, Kabira and my mom-dad.

I had asked Abhimanyu, but he said that - due to that business deal, he would not be able to accompany us.

It was indeed an unforgettable day - right from morning 8am to evening 4pm.

We finally reached back to our flat at 4:30pm in the afternoon and Kabir left, dropping us back home.

Since my mom-dad had arrived, my mom started the packing preparations in the evening - as we were supposed to leave for Indore - on 1st May.

Finally at 5:30pm, I and Shreya sat in her room - a little exhausted, after the entire day-out. And suddenly, at 6pm, our doorbell rang.

We were a little curious to know, who it was - because all our celebrations were over and we had no more special plans for my birthday.

Shreya opened the door, as my Dad sat in the living room, when we saw Kabir entering -

"Guys...if possible jaldi chalo. Some of our office friends are waiting for you - Ayesha." Kabir exclaimed excitedly.

I was pretty sure that we had no plans in the evening, so I was a little confused, when I asked - "Lekin aaj toh...koi bhi nah...."

Before I completed my statement, Shreya herself continued -

"Oh haan. Mujhe Sara ka phone bhi aaya tha - shayad isi ke liye honga."

"Uncle, hum log jaaye - office ke friends ne, ek surprise treat plan ki hain." Shreya spoke to my Dad and he readily agreed.

In the next 5 minutes, Shreya, Kabir and I rushed downstairs and sat in Kabir's car, as I anxiously asked -

"Kahan pe jaa rahe hain, guys?"

"Surprise hain tere liye!" Kabir smirked.

I questioned them again, but since none of them answered, I stayed quiet.

Nevertheless, with the directions of the road, I could sense where we were going and finally after 20 minutes, we reached our destination, as Shreya exclaimed excitedly -

"Iss apartment ke 4th floor pe aapko jaana hain"

It was the home of my man - Mr. Mantri.

"Par aaj toh woh Delhi jaane wala tha na..." I asked.

"Madamji...humaara kaam tha, aapko drop karna,

Ab aage ki responsibility, unki aur aapki." Kabir exclaimed delightfully, as I got out of the car and rushed to the 4th floor - Abhi's home.

Aunty opened the door, and she wished me happy birthday as I touched her feet and she took me - to the beautiful balcony of their home.

It was decorated and beautiful, just the way - it was, during our previous meeting at the same location and I was excited.

I was just about to ask aunty about Abhi, before which - somebody covered my eyes from behind and whispered in my ears -

"Thakurji...."

"Happy Birthday!" the MAN himself.

He lifted his hands, as I could see the alluring Kit-Kat cake on the table. I cut the cake, gave the first piece to aunty and then to my MAN.

After 10 minutes, aunty said that she had some work inside, while I and Abhi, seated in the balcony on the same chairs and couch - where we had some unforgettable moments.

He was about to speak something, but I myself continued -

"Abhi...before we continue -

I just want to ask you one question?"

He nodded curiously.

"Uss din joh bhi hua, uske baad mein -

Kya tum ab bhi naraaz ho?

Because uss din se aaj tak, mujhe kuch theek nahi lag raha tha."

So, I want you to clear this one thing -

Kya tum ab bhi mujhse naraaz ho?"

He took a deep breath and then solemnly spoke -

"Ayesha...

Let's just forget the entire conversation, which we had that day and leave behind that topic forever."

Without speaking a single sentence, I simply nodded, agreeing to his point.

Later, I tried to lighten the mood of the moment, speaking -

"Not Bad Mr. Mantri"

"Office ke doston ki party...lying to my mom-dad...HAAN" I teased him.

"Ab kya karta - kal raat mein - tumne hi mujhe mana kar diya tha - kuch bolne se.

Toh I had no other option - but to plan this." He replied instantly.

"Oh please...as if tum bohat kuch bolne wale thee - mom-dad ke saamne" I again teased him.

"Haan obviously...main unke saamne sab sach bata deta." His instantly replies seemed to be interesting.

"Well, well, well"

"Aisa kya sach batane wale thee, tum?" I asked him.

He got up from the couch, moved forward, put his hand forward, giving me support to stand and holding my hand, imitated -

"Uncleji...aapki beti mujhe pasand karti hain!"

"Ayesha Thakur likes me!"

"Achaji..."

"Main tumhe pasand karti hoon!" I exaggerated each and every word.

"So, what about you?" I interrogated.

"I do not LIKE Ayesha Thakur" he replied.

Soye hue armaanon ko, tu jaga kar toh dekh.

Saare haq hain tujhe, bas jata ke toh dekh.

Bina tere, meri har khushi adhuri hain

Ek baar iss soch ko, apne dil mein, daba ke toh dekh.

TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER.