*Viraj*

I can't believe Rudra talked me into this. I was supposed to be going tomorrow but he wants to meet me now. Right now. Urgent hai bola.

I take my Harley Davidson on the ferry and many people eye it in awe. I smile proudly.

I have a love for bikes. I have three in Mumbai. I want to remove my helmet but refrain from doing so. Sometimes being famous is a pain in the ass.

I reach near my street and slow down when my house comes into view, just beside Rudra's. I stare at it. Many changes are made by the new people who stay here but once I called it home. Many memories are attached to it. Good and bad. It was a good decision to sell it. The bad memories outnumber the good ones.

I stop the bike in front of Rudra's house and hand whistle. That's how I always called him during college and school days.

He comes rushing outside. "Bhai sorry lekin mujhe urgent jaana hai Pari ke ghar. Uske mom dad ko kuch discuss karna hai. Tu tab tak mere ghar ruk ja. Fir jaayenge vo resort ka final karne" he says.

"Abeyy pagal hai kya? Urgent urgent bol ke mujhe itne jaldi bulaya aur ab yaha rukaa raha hai idiot. Mai nahi ruk raha tere ghar" I say. I saw that he locked the door so uncle aunty are also not home obviously.

"Sorry bhai. Yaar tu moti ki bag laaya kya?" He asks.

Moti?

Oh.. Aslesha. He calls her moti. Pata nahi kyu.. she has lost a lot of weight.

"Ha"

"Tu ja ke usse de aa na. Tab tak mai aa jaaunga wapas" he says.

"Nahi nahi nahi nahi. No way" I say raising my hands up in surrender.

"Ja na yaar. Waise bike toh badi dhaasu hai teri. Ek number" he says and circles me to look at it.

"Topic mat change kar" I say with a poker face.

"Arre please ja na mujhe bahot kaam hai dekh mai late bhi ho raha hu" he says and I shake my head.

"Meri problem nahi hai ye" I reply.

"Bass ha Veer ab. Bahot ho gaya!" He shouts at me and my eyes widen. Rudra ko bahot rarely gussa aata hai aur jab aata hai tab bahot bura aata hai.

"Yaha mujhe itne kaam hai fir bhi koi co-operate karne ke liye ready hi nahi hai mere saath. Sab ka apna hi kuch matter chalu hai. Chup chap Aashi Ko ye bag deke aa" he yells and I nod quickly.

"Ab ja yaha mera muh kya dekh raha hai" he exclaims and I quickly start my bike and leave.

What the hell was that?

Bichara bahot pareshaan hai sab tayyari ko le kar. Mujhe apni pareshaani uspe nahi thopni chahiye.

I go on my way to her house. Does she still stay her? Without any difficulties I reach her place. Is it weird that I remember exactly where she lives ab tak?

No it's not! Mera dimaag kaafi achha hai.

Whatever.

Thunder rumbles above me as I park the bike near her scooter in the small shed. She still has this scooter. Absentmindedly my hand goes towards her goofy looking helmet, images of me buckling it up below her chin flashing in my mind. I shake my thoughts.

Don't go there!

I bring my hand towards her door bell but for some reason I'm not able to press it.

Just give it and leave idiot! Itna kya soch raha hai?

I take a deep breath and press it.

Ding dong.

I take deep breaths to calm down my nerves. I am Viraj Sachdev. Ye sab chirkut cheezo se farak nahi padna chahiye mujhe.

Ek minute.. what if her dad is home? Shit maine toh ye socha hi nahi. Damn what if he beats me up? Bhaag jaau kya?

Fucking hell! I wasn't the one who broke her heart. She cheated on me. The only person who needs to be beaten up is her.

Suddenly the door opens and my thoughts are broken.

Jesus fucking Christ.

My eyes widen when I take in her form. She is wearing my college jersey, mujhe barabar se yaad hai. Her eyes are swollen like she's been crying.

"Tum ro kyu rahi ho?" I ask before my mind registers what my mouth is doing.

Just give her the bag and leave! It's none of your business.

But my jersey. My jersey.

"Tum yaha kya kar rahe ho?" She asks with her eyes wide open.

"Tumne meri jersey kyu pehni hai?" I ask a little too sharply than intended and she gulps.

"Vo Mai.. actually.." she starts stuttering as her eyes move down but then stop on my hand.

Her expression changes in an instant and she folds her hands in front of her chest, trying to look tough and intimidating. She fails miserably because I'm literally towering above her.

"Mai kuch bhi pehnu. Tumhe kya karna hai?" She asks and I hear the pitter patter of rain behind me.

Baarish shuru. Perfect!

"What do you mean mujhe kya karna hai? Ye meri jersey hai" I say as it thunders again and the rain becomes heavy.

She suddenly pulls me inside the house and kicks the door close.

I jerk her hand away as my eyes linger on her legs. She's wearing pajama shorts but they have been completely covered by the length of my jersey which ends on her mid thighs.

Stop gawking at her legs!

"What the hell are you doing?" I glare at her and fix my eyes on her face. Down is dangerous.

"Paani ghar ke andar aa raha tha. Unlike you humare ghar pe dus naukar nahi hai saaf safaai karne ke liye. And again, unlike you mai ghar pe aaye mehmaan ko dhakke maar ke seedha bahar nahi nikaalti" she says.

My mouth falls open. Hamesha ki tarah iska muh bahot chalta hai. Har baat ka jawaab hai iske paas. It's a shame I can't shut her up like before.

I look away when I think about that.

"Tumne meri jersey kyu pehni hai?" I ask her again.

"Tum yaha kyu aaye ho?" She repeats.

Arrgghh... So frustrating.

I throw the bag at her and she stumbles back and catches it. "Majnu ko kyu nahi di tumne ye?" She asks as her voice becomes a little soft.

"Majnu busy hai" I say. "I mean Rudra. Rudra busy hai".

She nods and keeps the bag without checking the contents inside.

"Tumne meri jersey kyu pehni hai and why were you crying?" I ask emphasising each word.

"I was watching an emotional movie" she says answering my second question but not the first one. I walk inside without her permission to her living room.

"Hey! Ye tumhara ghar nahi hai jo bina puche andar tehel rahe ho" she exclaimed, stomping behind me.

"Bahot mehmaan nawazi ki baat kar rahi thi na tum. I'm thirsty. Paani ka tum puch nahi rahi toh khud hi pee leta hu" I say and stop in my tracks when I see what movie is playing on the TV.

"Ye hai emotional movie?" I ask pointing at the screen.

Hera pheri? We watched it together. Was she crying watching it because she remembered me and our time? This can't be. Why will she cry for me? But she's wearing my jersey..

All these thoughts are making me go crazy!

"Vo galti se channel change hua. Actually mai Kal Ho Na Ho dekh rahi thi" she says and turns off the TV.

Oh..

Aur mai yaha kuch bhi soch raha tha. She brings water in a glass and I drink it.

"Thanks" she says and I frown. "For bringing my bag" she clarifies and I nod.

"About that jersey.."

"Shut up already!" She yells.

"Kyu shut up? Meri jersey kaise pehen sakti ho tum?" I ask in bewilderment.

Ek toh uske paas ab tak meri jersey hai. Paanch saal purani. Aur hai toh hai, vo ab tak pehenti bhi hai..

"Tumhe wapas chahiye?"

"Nahi"

"Toh kyu itne pagal ho rahe ho?" She asks sitting on the couch and throwing her head back.

"Stop behaving like it's normal. It's a big deal ke tumne isse ab tak rakha hai aur pehen bhi rahi ho.. what does this mean?" I ask narrowing my eyes.

"It means I don't care" she says looking away.

"What?"

"Agar mujhe tumse farak padta toh tumse related chizo se ajeeb lagta. But I don't care about you so your things don't affect me" she says. "Unlike you" she says under her breath but I hear it.

"What do you mean unlike me? Mujhe bhi tumse koi fark nahi padta samjhi?" I say and stand in front of her.

She stands up and narrows her eyes.

"Tabhi tumne mujhe job pe nahi rakha. If you didn't care toh tumhe farak hi nahi padta mere hone na hone se. But oh boy, you still very much care, so you fired me. Very high professionalism ha" she says and starts clapping.

I hold both of her wrists and pin them behind her back angrily. We're practically hugging but I don't care. She gulps and tries to remove her hands but I tighten my hold. She can't even move because she is between me and the couch.

"You're playing a dangerous game here" I say.

She doesn't reply anything but neither does she lower her eyes. Those deep brown eyes like the colour of perfect coffee. Once I had loved. Once I had found everything I was searching for in them. Once.

"You wanna work for me? Fine. Work for me. I'll make sure you regret it" I say and slowly leave her wrists but don't move away. Neither does she.

"Viraj" she says breathlessly and I don't know how but the distance between our faces starts reducing. It's like my body is completely on its own not asking for my permission as it leans towards her.

What is it about her? Even after all these years, I can't control the pull, the way she draws me towards her. She closes her eyes as our faces are about to cover the last inch of distance.

Suddenly the image of her and Neel leaning towards each other to kiss flashes in my inner eye.

I quickly step back and she blinks.

What the hell was I doing? I turn my hands into fists painfully. I'm not going to place my heart in her hands again so that again she can break it mercilessly.

No way.

"Viraj ruko" she says when I start leaving the house. I stop but don't turn back to look at her.

Maybe it's my jerseys that's making me feel this kinda shit. Or maybe it's the way she's looking. Without a hint of makeup and a messy bun. Maybe it's her long legs.

It's definitely the legs.

"Baarish bahot zor se ho rahi hai. Tab tak ruk jaao" she whispers and I look outside the window. It's seriously raining heavily.

No I shouldn't.

"We won't talk. Tum TV ya kuch bhi dekh lo, I'll do my work" she says and I sigh.

I can handle that I guess. Besides I have nowhere else to go. Aur waise bhi now that I've hired her as a chef and also the upcoming wedding, she'll be around me all the fucking time.

Finally I turn and she goes inside as I look around her living room. Most of it is just as I remember. Just some pictures and home decor added.

I wonder where her dad is? Is he okay? He was a wonderful man. I hope he's well.

I sit on the couch and close my eyes. I feel tired. Neend toh mujhe rarely aati hai but why am I feeling sleepy now? I sigh. The answer is so obvious. It's her smell that is flooding my entire being.

Strawberries.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

*Aslesha*

Mujhme itni himmat aayi kaha se? The things I said to him.. wow. Uski jersey pehen ke mai baithi hu aur chilla bhi mai rahi hu usse.

I'm just frustrated with all this shit. Viraj is engaged. Papa is not here. I'm unemployed. Actually no.. vo problem toh solve ho gayi.

You wanna work for me? Fine. Work for me. I'll make sure you regret it.

He'll make sure I regret it. Of course. I know he'll make me work bloody hard so that I leave the job. Boy he's so wrong.. I'll show him.

And what the hell was that.

We almost kissed each other. Almost. Desperate fucking hormones. He is engaged! Mentally ye baat pata hai lekin physically nahi.

It's just looks ke liye attraction.

I mean he looked gorgeous today. Long sleeved maroon t-shirt and jeans. Messed up bed hair which looks on point. How can messy hair look on point?

Or maybe it's just his scent. The same Viraj-ish scent.. hmm yahi hoga.

Who am I kidding? I'm still crazy for that asshole.

I walk outside the living room and see that he's still asleep. He is clutching the cushion with his face buried inside it. He's half sitting, half lying down.

It's been an hour. I've changed my clothes and now I'm wearing my t-shirt.

It's still raining so I decide to make onion pakoras. Baarish ke time ye nahi khaye toh kya faayda.

I am deep frying the pakoras when I hear the scrape of a chair behind me.

I turn to see Viraj sitting on the chair with his face resting on his palm. He's still half in sleep, his eyelids are half closed.

I silently continue the work at hand and keep the dish in front of him with the pudine ki chatni.

"Mujhe nahi khana" he says, his voice deep from his sleep.

I shrug and pull the plate towards me and start eating. I hear his stomach growl in hunger.

Hehehe..

"Fuck it" he says pulling the plate towards him and puts two whole pakoras in his mouth together.

"Hahh aahhh gayam ai" he says opening his mouth and fanning it. I slap my forehead.

Some things never change.

He chews it quickly and closes his eyes. Is that a hint of a smile I see on his face? Naa.. smile kyu karega?

"Tum ab meri personal chef ho. Great. Pizza banaao" he says clearing the plate.

My mouth falls open. Look at the bloody mood swings.

"Tumhari personal chef tumhare ghar. Ye mera ghar hai" I glare at him.

He glares back but then nods. "Fair enough. Chalo mere ghar" he says.

"What?"

"What what? Are you dumb?" He asks and gets up.

"You're dumb" I reply.

"Coffee kaha rakhi hai?" He asks and I stand up and sigh. "Mai banaati hu, baitho tum" I say.

"Meri coffee mai khud banata hu. Kaha rakhi hai?" He asks and I point towards a shelf.

He starts making coffee and I sit there twiddling my thumbs.

Hum dono itne ajeeb kaise hai? One moment we are on each other's throats and the next it's normal.

But we're not kids now. Friends toh reh nahi sakte, civil rehna padega. Humare best friends ki shaadi hai. Ye toh bass shuruwaat hai. Aage aur bhi time spend karna hai ek dusre ke saath.

We have a history together but that can't come in the way of Paro and Majnu's happiness.

"We should stay civil for the sake of Pari and Rudra" I say suddenly and he freezes for a moment.

"Hmm" he says.

Seriously? Hmm?

He pours the coffee into a mug and starts drinking it. I notice that he didn't make one for me. Khadoos.

"Fine. Civil it is then. Let's hope it doesn't turn into a civil war" he says and I roll my eyes.

He's deep in thoughts looking out the window. I stare at his back. Peeche se insaan kaise achha dikh sakta hai? Mai toh aage se bhi mushkil se achhi dikhti hu.

"Stop staring" he says still looking out and my eyes widen and I look away.

"I'm not staring at you. Stop flattering yourself" I say as heat rises in my cheeks.

How the hell does he always know?

"Pack your bags" he says suddenly turning around.

"What?"

"Your what what is seriously irritating me. Bags pack karo. You'll obviously be staying at my place. Roz subah shaam up down karogi kya? And mujhe kabhi bhi khana lagta hai so I need you to be available 24/7" he says casually and I blink a few times.

So I'm moving in his house. Not permanently but fir bhi. So he was actually serious about hiring me. My life is literally a rollercoaster now. Kab kya ho raha hai kuch samajh hi nahi raha.

I nod and pack my bags. Are we going now? Like right now?

I change into skinny black jeans and a coral coloured t-shirt and take my backpack. Toothbrush vagera le liya aur tablets bhi. Kabhi kabhi headache ke liye leni padti hai.

I look outside the window and it has stopped raining and the clouds have cleared. The sun is about to set.

"Rudra tu bahot maar khane wala hai sahi me" I hear Viraj speaking on the phone and he gives Rudra some colourful bad words which I wouldn't like to mention.

"Chale?" I ask.

He looks at me from head to toe and nods.

I step outside and squeal.

"Harley Davidson Heritage Classic! Seriously Viraj?" I say in awe.

This bike is THE bike. Harley Davidson after all.

I see a proud smirk on his face from the corner of my eye but I'm not bothered to look at him right now. This beauty is in front of me. Nothing else matters.

I remember how he let me ride his bike. Royal Enfield Himalayan. He won't even let me touch this one now.

He sits on his bike and he automatically becomes hundred times sexier. I mean now he has muscles and height and that stubble sprinkled on his jaw so he's hot. But all of that on that bike is fucking fire.

I excitedly walk towards his bike.

"Oye? Kaha? Apni scooty pe baitho. Do you think I'm gonna take you on my bike?" He asks as his smirk widens.

I feel like slapping it off his face. Bastard!

"Ha mai apne hi scooter pe baith rahi hu samjhe" I shout at him and sit on my scooty.

"Last ferry miss mat kar dena. I want you at my place in an hour. Hope your Barbie doll gets you on time" he says and speeds away.

Barbie doll? It's baby doll you asshole!

I wear my helmet and huff. He wants to behave like a jerk? Good for him. Because nothing is gonna break me now and I'm not backing away.

Dangerous game he said.. I'll show him how it's played.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

These two are fire! Fire and ice actually. This chapter took a lot of time to write because it's literally a rollercoaster. I enjoyed writing it though. I hope you'll enjoy reading it too.. ily :)