*Aslesha*

"Ab bataao bhi kaha ja rahe hai?" I ask him again.

"You've asked me this question four times now and my answer remains the same. Pahochne pe pata chalega" Viraj says as he locks the house.

I changed into jeans and a rib knit white sweater because with Viraj you never know.

Dress is really unsafe. Kya pata kahi se ulta kuudne vagera lagaye aur logo ko mere innerwear ke darshan mil jaaye.

"Is it bungee jumping?" I ask.

"Unfortunately, no. Will you just shut up already?" He says as his phone starts ringing.

"Ready? Thank you so much. Will be there in an hour" he says and hangs up.

Now I'm really intrigued. Ready matlab kya? Tayyari karni pade aisi jagah hai? What has he arranged? Oh god!

Again his phone rings and I roll my eyes and walk towards his car. I lean on it and see that I've got messages from Pari, Neel and papa. I quickly reply to them that I'm fine and will call them once I'm free.

"Waha kyu khadi ho? Chalo we're getting late" he says getting on his bike.

The bike.

Harley Davidson Heritage Classic.

My mouth falls open and I see how Viraj is trying his best to hide his smirk and failing miserably. I walk, no no, I hop towards his bike and bite my lip to control my face splitting grin.

"So.. mai bhi baithu?" I ask like I'm about to get my favourite box of chocolate after waiting for it for years.

"Haa baba" he chuckles.

I squeal in excitement and get behind him. My smile falters when I realise how close I'm to him. I awkwardly place my hands on his shoulders and Viraj starts the bike.

"Paanch saalo me ye bhi bhul gayi ke how I like you to sit behind me" he says and takes my hands and wraps them around his waist.

I grin like an idiot as I make myself comfortable in that position and off we go.

Bike rides with Viraj. Ah I love them. And now that I'm sitting behind him, I realise how much I missed them.

He stops the bike and I see that we're at the restaurant Something Fishy again. Not that I'm complaining. I really like the food here.

When we enter inside, I see that guy again, I don't remember his name, who upon seeing us, drops the plate that he is cleaning.

"Hi Bittu. Kaisa hai tu?" Viraj smiles at him. Oh right. Bittu. I smile that Viraj remembers his name.

"Aapko mera naam ya-yaad hai? Wow! Aap baithiye mai abhi paani laata hu" he says and rushes away as we sit on the same place that we sat before.

There are some locals present in the restaurant, who upon seeing Viraj rush towards us. They click pictures with him and keep praising him.

Taarif pe taarif, taarif pe taarif!

"Aapko photos mil gaye, ab please mera dhyaan na ho toh chup chup ke photos mat nikaaliye. Aapko photo chahiye ho aur ek toh bass puch lijiye mujhse" he tells them kindly and they all nod, still in a daze like they've seen a miracle.

Bittu tells them to not disturb us and they go back to their places.

"Sorry about that" Viraj says taking a sip of water. "I guess you'll just have to get used to it".

I try not to focus on him suggesting that we may be going out more together. Or maybe uska vo matlab tha bhi nahi. Mai hi jyada soch rahi hu. I feel happy hearing it anyway.

"I'm really proud of you" I blurt out suddenly and he looks at me with a small smile.

"I don't know why people keep saying that you're arrogant and that you ill treat your fans. I think you're really nice towards them" I say honestly.

"Sometimes I am arrogant. But some people make me behave arrogantly. Aur media ko toh bass mauka chahiye" he shrugs.

I look down and start playing with the hem of my sweater. I can sense Viraj's gaze upon me the whole time. My cheeks feel hot under his scrutiny.

"Aslesha" he says and I look up at him.

"Ha?"

"Kaisi ho tum?"

"Ab thik hu" I say honestly.

I seriously feel better now that he's with me. Really with me. Now that he knows the truth.

"I really am sorry" he says and lowers his head.

"Hey. It's fine. Jo ho gaya ab usse change toh nahi kar sakte na" I say and place my hand on his. He looks up at me with his eyes sad and sorrowful.

"Ab tum itne ameer ho so maybe you should buy me stuff, fir nai tumhe maaf kar dungi" I say and the corners of his lips lift up a little.

"Maybe I will" he says.

He takes my hand and entwines our fingers and I look around to see if people are looking. Some of them are.

"Log dekh rahe hai Viraj" I say.

"I don't care" he says and places a kiss on my palm making tingles run through my whole body.

"Tum kaise ho?" I ask.

"Ab thik hu" he says the same thing and starts playing with my fingers. He draws patterns on them and plays with my bracelet and I know he's lost in his own world thinking deeply about something.

And I'm lost in him. He's so gorgeous.

"So did you have a boyfriend?" He asks suddenly.

"Wow. Ye baat tumhe itni der se khaaye ja rahi thi?" I ask raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just making conversation" he shrugs.

"Achha?"

"It doesn't matter. I just want to know".

"I went on a date a few times. Pari zabardasti used to make me go. Sometimes on a double date with her and Rudra. But it never went into a second date or anything. So no boyfriend".

"Toh paanch saal tak ek bhi boyfriend nahi" he asks in complete shock like he didn't expect this and I shake my head.

"I feel like slapping myself. Mujhe bass bura lagte ja raha hai har minute. Tum yaha single thi aur mai waha.. ugh!" he pouts.

I stay quiet and he looks at me expectantly.

"Agar tumhe lag raha hai ke iss baat pe bhi mai bolungi ke it's fine Viraj I have no problem that you were with so many girls toh you're wrong. Itni saari ladkiyo ko date kar ke tumne galti kar di beta" I smirk.

"I won't mind if you punish me" he says.

"Maybe I will" I say and just then our food arrives.

We eat talking about our families and idhar udhar ki baate. He's not changed at all. Sab badi badi baate change ho gayi hai, but vo chhoti chhoti baate waisi hi hai.

He still loves coffee and travelling. Still hates fake people. Has started hating parties now which is something unexpected.

After having food, I insist on paying the bill but he doesn't let me. When I start becoming whiney he says that vo mere salary me se kaat dega. I had forgotten that he's my boss for now. I know he won't but I decide to shut up and let him.

"Ab toh bataao kaha ja rahe hai" I ask again hoping that he'll answer. He doesn't.

When I see his bike I poke him on the arm and smile sheepishly. I know he's thinking the same thing.

"Diwali hai kya? Mai nahi chalane de raha tumhe meri bike" he says and I make a face.

I get on his bike and rest my cheek on his back. He knows the way anyway. Kaha le ja raha hai god knows. Jo hoga dekha jaayega.

Finally he stops the bike at a huge clearing. Just a few trees here and there but other than that it's just plain grass.

"Is she ready?" Viraj asks and I come out of my daze. I see that same man from before who we met when he showed us the bow rider.

Ye kaha se aaye achanak?

"Ready to fly sir. Hello Miss Mathur" he says smiling at me.

"Hi" I reply still confused as to what is going on.

Flying? Flying?

Viraj takes my hand and starts walking and I bite the insides of my cheeks to not start screaming like a teenage girl who just got a hug from her favourite celebrity.

He is a celebrity so it's the same thing I guess.

"No way" I say as my mouth falls open and touches the ground. "Oh my god" I mutter under my breath and look at Viraj.

"Ready to fly?" He asks nervously like he's not quite sure about my reaction.

"Viraj this is amazing" I say looking at the hot air balloon in front of us. There's another lady inside who I guess is gonna fly the balloon and she's doing some checks.

I jump in Viraj's arms and hug him tightly showing him how much I love his surprise. How much it means to me that he took the effort to arrange all of this in a short notice.

"Thank you so much" I say and Viraj squeezes me a little more. "The pleasure is all mine" he says.

I break the hug and we start walking towards the balloon. Just when I'm about to ask Viraj if there's a door or anything, he lifts me up and places me inside. And then he hops in himself.

"Hello Mr. Viraj. It's nice to meet you" the lady says.

"It's nice to meet you too Daisy. This is my girlfriend Aslesha" he says and I literally choke on thin air after hearing it.

Instead I just clear my throat and shake Daisy's extended hand.

Daisy increases the flame and we slowly start floating. I grip on to the edge of the basket, or whatever it's called, and look as the trees become smaller and smaller and more of the landscape comes into view.

I turn to look at Viraj who is already looking at me. He quickly averts his eyes when I catch him.

"This is beautiful" I say and after a few more minutes Daisy completely turns off the flame and it's just the wind that is holding us right now.

It all becomes silent.

I turn to look at Viraj and he looks so so handsome. I always find him handsome waise toh.

He's wearing a brown leather jacket over a white plain t-shirt and jeans. I sneakily click a few pictures of him and then the view below.

He comes behind me and wraps his hands around my waist. I smile to myself as he rests his chin on my shoulder. We stay like that for a while and I've never felt this calm and peaceful since forever.

"So girlfriend huh?" I ask.

"You are my girlfriend!" He states.

"No I'm not. Kal tak you hated me and aaj achanak I'm your girlfriend?"

"You. Are. My. Girlfriend" he says again and I roll my eyes but can't wipe out the smile from my face.

"I missed this dimple" he says and kisses it. Once. Twice. And then continuously keeps kissing it.

"Hey" I say giggling and trying to push him away but he just holds me tighter.

"I really missed you. I tried not to but ek bhi raat aisi gayi nahi hogi jab maine tumhare baare me socha nahi hoga. Days were easy because there was always something happening. But the nights were so bloody long and difficult" he says and kisses my hair.

I turn around to look at him and place my hand on his cheek. "I missed you too Viraj. Tum har jagah ho ke bhi nahi the. TV, newspaper, brands. I stopped watching cricket. Sometimes I watched the highlights at 4am when I just couldn't sleep. Bahot aggressive ho tum field me" I say and he smiles.

"Bina helmet mat khela karo. Two years back I remember with the match versus West Indies, tumhare aankh ke just upar lag gayi thi ball" I say and touch the skin above his eyes where I know it had hit him and he closes his eyes.

His eye was fully swollen and bleeding but he still had played. He's a great cricketer. India adores him.

I slide my fingertips down his whole face. "I missed you" I say.

"I love you" he says still with his eyes closed and I drop my hand taking a sharp intake of breath.

He slowly opens his eyes and mine fill with tears.

"I love you Aslesha. What I did was wrong but I really really loved you isliye toh mai Gaya. Because I was so hurt and shattered. But you have to know that I love you. Maybe I never stopped. Mujhe tumhare saath rehna chahiye tha jab tum hospital me thi aur mai khud ko kabhi maaf nahi kar paaunga ke you had to endure all that pain alone while waiting for me. I just.. just love you. And I'm sorry. Sorry for-"

"I love you"

"-being a stupid assho WHAT"

"I love you Viraj. I really really do. Hamesha se karte aayi hu. Hamesha karte rahungi" I say and his mouth falls open.

"Really?" He whispers. I nod.

"Sach me? Seriously?" He asks again as a smile starts slowly growing on his face.

"Yes I do. I love you" I say and he hugs me so so tightly that it becomes hard to breathe. I don't care really. Because I hug him the same way.

He breaks the hug and leans down to kiss me but I quickly put my hand on his lips to stop him. His face becomes like I just denied him his own birthday cake.

"Aslesha!"

"Viraj! We're not alone here" I say and look at Daisy who the whole while was looking the other side, thankfully. But that doesn't mean we'll start kissing each other when she's just a few steps away from us.

A blush creeps onto my cheeks when I realise that she must've heard everything.

"I don't care" he says and leans down again but I turn my face away so his lips land on my cheeks.

He groans in frustration. "I can't believe mujhe tum paanch saal rukaa ke finally I love you boli aur ab kiss bhi nahi karne de rahi" he says folding his hands in front of his chest.

I try not to drool at his muscles which become well defined by his action.

"Tum paanch saal ke liye gayab ho gaye the mai nahi. And this is not the first time I've told you I loved you" I say and his mouth falls open again.

It looks like he's going to faint. I love doing this. Torturing him. I feel so powerful.

"When else did you say it?" He practically screams on my face.

"I won't tell you. That's your punishment. Chahiye thi na tumhe? Lo ab" I say and smirk as his face turns stormy.

Bwahahahahaha...

"And I won't even let you kiss me for a few days. Paanch saal matlab paanch din. For five days you won't kiss me" I say and he gives me a deadly glare.

I just grin and blow him a kiss and start looking out again. This is fun. It's good to be evil. And it's so so good to finally be the one in control.

"Paanch ghante" he says suddenly and stands beside me. I frown.

He leans ahead, so close that his lips are brushing my earlobe. "Paanch ghante ke andar you'll be begging me to kiss you" he says and moves away leaving me all flustered and needy for more.

This is a day I'll never ever forget. Confessing our love while we're floating in the sky. What else can a girl ask for? It's a dream come true.

But the fact that Viraj ab bhi mujhse pyaar karta hai is the main thing. Agar ye baat vo mujhe shamshan ghat me batata toh bhi I'd find it romantic. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us. We still have to talk a lot of things through, but we'll do it. Together.

While going down we get to see the sunset and the sky looks like it has been painted by a graffiti artist. The colours of saffron, lavender and gold, all melted into one.

I look at Viraj at the same time he looks at me. He too is bedazzled by the view. There is love and warmth and passion in his eyes and I'm sure my eyes mirror his. I step beside him and place my head on his shoulder as he hugs me sideways.

"I love you paglu".

"I love you too dummy".

~•~•~•~•~•~•

*Sighs blissfully* I love them so much ahh.. the wait is over guys! Get ready for the playful and lovey dovey VirEsha. Do vote and comment.. ily :)