Hello Sweethearts!!

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"I need my slippers!! How should I walk without them?"
Sejal shouted in the lift while Aryan locked both her wrist in his hold to stop her from creating a havoc.

The lift stopped at the ground floor and Aryan was thankful because they didn't have any other spectators besides them. Without a flicker of hesitation he lifted Sejal in his arms and she immediately ducked her hand around his neck to stop themselves from falling.

"Aryan! I can walk."
Sejal shouted.

"But you just said you couldn't."
Aryan said smiling.

"Why are you smiling?"
Sejal asked locking her hands more tightly scared that she may fall.

Aryan chuckled again making Sejal hide her face in his chest inhaling his scent. It was a mixture of cinnanom and masculinity with a hint of oakness.

Embarrassed with this situation Sejal kept her head hidden all the way until Aryan gently dropped her in his sexy Audi even buckling the seat belt for her so that she didn't get the time to run back.

It was almost forty five minutes with the drive being started and Sejal couldn't help but would keep glancing at the handsome creature sitting beside and occasionally trying to stir up a conversation or just turning the radio on and off but still Sejal didn't have an ounce of idea about where he was taking her.

"I am calling the police Dr Shetty."
Sejal announced to which Aryan simply chuckled because it was like that fiftieth time she said that and he didn't wanted to repeat the same answer to her that she isn't having her phone.

"Don't laugh."
Sejal said annoyed as Aryan parked the car in front of a clothing store.

It was Cantabil.

Out of all the days Aryan decided to be a gentleman today and opened the door for Sejal and she obviously refused to get down.

"I am not coming Aryan."
She said sternly.

"I didn't even ask you to come."

Aryan zoomed in and tried to lift her but Sejal was smart this time to fall for his trick.

"Come on don't be a baby Sejal."

Did he say Sejal?

This did work and now Sejal was again in his arms.

"You bastard! That was cheating."
Sejal hissed as Aryan stepped inside the store making all eyes turn to them.

Back to the routine Sejal hid her face in embarrassment and now she could even hear few people whispering 'disgusting' and other unwanted words.

The even brighter side was afew people were commenting 'so cute', 'beautiful', 'romantic' and what not.

Gosh! This was so unwantedly overwhelming.

Maybe a guilty pleasure.

Somebody called her name.
Oh! That somebody was nobody other than Aryan.

Sejal just nodded her head in response.

"Mam do you want ethnic or fusion."
A sweet voice asked her making her realize that all this attention was not affecting Aryan and he had already talked to the saleswoman.

"Put me down."

"Liza can you please take us inside."
Aryan said dismissing her plea.

"Sure sir."

Sejal could feel the ground moving as Aryan followed Liza inside and finally Aryan put her on the ground making her feet ache all of sudden.

"Liza show us ethnic."
Aryan said without waiting for Sejal to even decide.

"What if I want western?"
Sejal countered looking around and realising the designer store was quite bigger inside than the outer part and she couldn't even find anyone inside except themselves.

"These are the latest collection mam."
Liza said setting a stand properly for a better view.

This gave Aryan the chance to dodge away the question Sejal posed as he inspected the dresses closely.

It didn't even take Aryan two minutes and he selected a very modest dress for her. It was a sea green colour ankle length Maxi with flared hands and a blend of western with floral print. That was definitely eye catching. But Sejal didn't wanted to give him the credit of having such an amazing choice so she just put it aside.

Liza pulled out a baby pink coloured knee length frock from the fusion section.

Aryan stared at Sejal as she took another two frocks and went into the trial room. It was like Sejal decided to test his patience today itself taking all her time to put on a freaking frock.

And finally like the God had listened his Sejal emerged in a coral Blue frock reaching beneath the knees. And she was looking beautiful would be an understatement. She was looking sexy as hell and the sight was quite tempting with her long legs and toned hands it was picture perfect.

And Aryan could feel a part of his anatomy being aroused by only watching this sexy piece of homosapien.

Lust was overpowering his self-control. It took all his will power to stop staring at Sejal and form a decent word.

"You are looking great."
Liza spoke even before Aryan could form a decent compliment in his brain.

"Then pack this."
Sejal said inspecting the dress in the mirror again.

"Muñeca can you select something decent enough because I really don't wish half of the Kolkata staring at you like hungry predators."

Liza gave a small laugh.

"This is decent Dr Shetty. Look it's having sleeves and it's not even backless moreover it even covers the kness. And who are you to decide what looks decent on me or not..."

"You are looking Sexy."
Aryan blurted in haste to stop Sejal from continuing her feminine lecture.

"W-what?"

"Liza can you show us some shoes. And Muñeca can you please try this."
Aryan ordered with a please giving her the sea green dress.

"No."

"Please try it or else you don't want me to do it for you."
Aryan said with a wink.

That took Sejal aback.
Did he really mean it ?

"Trust me Muñeca I meant it."

Aryan loved the blush on the face of Sejal after his not so sensitive comment making a upper parabola on his lips.

Taking this as the cue for her to change into the sea green maxi Sejal crept inside the trial room again with the full load of embarrassment.

As she came out Sejal found Aryan waiting for her with a pair of matching sandals which were also green. They actually looked cute. But again he decided it without even asking her choice.

"Try it."
Aryan said making her sit on the plush chair as she tied the straps of the sandal she felt a metal clinging her neck and the price tag of the dress being stringed out.

She touched the locket which felt alien in her neck and traced the outline of the pendant. It was an infinity symbol with studded tiny dot diamonds.

Sejal stood and walked to the mirror as Aryan followed and stood behind her. Staring at the infinity pendant she murmured a wow not realising that Aryan had held her hands from both sides and leaned a bit in her hair who was now staring at her in the mirror.

His brown orbs were hypnotising as Sejal couldn't stop herself from staring at him. This seemed like a perfect position and either of them couldn't complain being uncomfortable.

"Happy Birthday Sejal."
Aryan spoke kissing her hair which send a shiver down her spine.

"Thank you."
Sejal turned to face Aryan and now his both hands were blocking her in a cage.

"You are looking gorgeous and I really want to kiss you now but we have things to do."
Aryan said as his accent became more huskier by the end.

"Why are you doing this to me?"
Sejal spoke in a small voice.

And like always without a reply Aryan left to pay the bill the question still hanging in the air.

Liza came in and pulled out the price tag from her sandals and asked Sejal to follow her leading to a small suite in make up room which obviously made Sejal shocked.

"This is for emergency purpose. Celebrities you know how it works." Liza explained the confusion Sejal was dwelling with.

It took half an hour to complete the routine of make up which Sejal didn't resist against and another fifteen minutes to do her hair. Seems like Liza was an expert in this and this is not the first time she is doing this. Maybe it's her regular duty.

The person in the mirror seemed to be a modelled version of Sejal with a little higher cheek bones and a lighter shade of red lipstick. Her hair was done into end curls adding the icing to the outfit.

"Thank you Liza."

"You are welcome mam."
Liza said giving the past touch of blush.

"Oh! My bad. You can call me Sejal."
Sejal said chuckling.

The knob to the room shuffled as Aryan zoomed into the view.

"Looking great Muñeca."
Aryan said and gave a small kiss on her forehead shocking Sejal.

This is the second time Aryan did this and for some undefined reasons she was getting to like it. Somebody can definitely question her sanity now.

Aryan pulled Sejal from the chair as she threw a bye to Liza hurriedly as Aryan seemed to be in a rush like he is going to miss a flight.

"Where are you taking me?"
Sejal asked once he had started driving again.

"It's a surprise."
Aryan said and blindfolded her against her protests.

"I really don't appreciate surprises."
Sejal countered her hands itching to remove the blindfold.

After few minutes the car came to a halt and again Aryan lifted her easily in his arms like it's his profession to lift people around which made Sejal laugh to her own self.

"Hello Shetty Sir. Sir is in the backyard." Sejal heard someone guide them.

A few steps and Sejal could hear the sounds of running water as a soothing breeze overwhelmed her welcome.

Aryan let her down and smiling he removed her blindfold waiting for Sejal to register the place well as she saw a garden with a waterfall decorated well making her like the surprise quite well until she turned around.

Her breath got hitched in the lungs and she could bet that the surprise isn't good.

She turned around to Aryan for an explanation but it seems that he didn't want to give any as he was back to his poker facade. The Aryan she knew has disappeared. That made her turn back.

"Happy birthday Sejal."

"Dad."
Sejal almost whispered stopping any traitor tears to spring open.

Shravan couldn't stop himself anymore and hugged her which Sejal couldn't reciprocate. It lasted a few seconds before he pulled back.

"How have you been?"

Silence. Sejal couldn't form a reply.

"Are you feeling cold?"

Silence.

"Do you hate me?"

This caught her attention.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I let it go. I know you didn't kill Mom."
Sejal said emphasizing the kill part.

Shravan took a moment because he wasn't expecting such a modest and cool reaction.

"Then why did you never come back?"
Shravan asked careful not to screw up this chance.

"Because you let me go Dad. You never came to meet me." Sejal said stopping herself from shouting not liking the audacity of her father about asking all these after nine years.

"I am sorry Sejal."
Sejal could see the pain behind the sorry which made it sound more genuine.

"You don't need to apologise. When Mom died you and me both were devasted. And you weren't mature enough to handle me alone not to forget that you managed to build RCSM. I respect your decision of leaving me with Uncle. Back then I hated you because somewhere deep down I thought you weren't there for Mom and you were actually not there for me."
Sejal stopped not wanting to say any bitter things which she may regret later.

"I don't know how to explain you."
Shravan said miserably.

Maybe the guilt in the eyes of her father whom Sejal craved for all these years to have beside to just share a meal along or to wish a good morning everyday she got up or to console her in the lowest points of life and every freaking reason made it very hard for Sejal to talk.

After nine years finally her father got the courage back to talk to her eye to eye. Why did it have to take nine hell of years?

"You don't need to explain. I know you paid uncle for all my necessities but I didn't need a bank I needed a father. I wanted you to be with me even if we didn't have the money to have a decent meal thrice a day. I don't hate you but I can't even love you."
Sejal tried not to break her voice because that would be the sign for how much she had missed having Shravan in her life.

"I know I screwed up. Please give me one chance to make things right."
Shravan pleaded.

"Who am I to give a chance? And even given a chance you can't change anything because you don't know how much I had gone through and I am not blaming you for anything because I know you also went through many things."
Sejal said walking to Aryan.

"Thanks for bringing me here Dr Shetty but I want to leave now."
Sejal said in an unbreakable tone.

"Wait. Take your bithday present then you can leave."
Shravan said zooming into the view with a slim package which felt like documents and by now Sejal could see his eyes were glassy.

She didn't wanted to be here another moment because Sejal know how much she will see her Dad in this guilty situation that much painful it will be for her and moreover she was in no mood to revive all her painful memories when she cried for her father to come back for her.

So she took the package and marched to the only possible exit she could see because she didn't knew the way as Aryan had blindfolded her. Within a minute Aryan was beside her guiding the way. She really wanted turn and see her father one last time before leaving but she couldn't gather that courage.

Settling in the car a tear slipped down her eye which made her turn to the window so that Aryan wouldn't watch her in such a fragile state.

"Please don't cry Sejal it hurts."
Aryan said squeezing her hand tightly.

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Hi.
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Love,
Sana Afreen.