Surprise  (;

Enjoy reading  (:

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Abhay felt something was wrong the moment he entered the place.

The place was quiet. Unusually quiet.

Too quiet for a restaurant.

He thought he was at wrong place but soon the lights came out and he saw all his close friends coming out and wishing him happy birthday.

He was shocked.

Happily shocked.

He was happy that moment. For it was the first time someone did something like that for him.

His aunt once organised a party for him but it had all the investors and clients and so he said No to any party after that.

That was eight years ago.

But today he was seeing familiar faces, the aura here was inviting and he could feel excitement and happiness in the atmosphere.

He saw his best friend standing there along with Sanaa.

Rehan came forward and hugged him, followed by Sanaa and his other friends.

He was meeting others alongside with Sanaa and Rehan.

"Abhay, here take your mask. It's a masquerade and it will be good if you mingled with the party." Sanaa said and Abhay wore the mask.

"The idea of masquerade is awesome Shenu! I love it and all the arrangements. Thanks for doing this for me." Abhay said in a sincere voice and Sanaa's expression changed.

"I was glad to help ." She said and Abhay looked at her confused for she said she helped and not plan the party.

He looked at Rehan but even he didn't say anything.

He was about to ask something but was pulled in a big hug by a heavily pregnant Rabiya, Rehan's elder sister who loved him equally as well as was his partner in crime.

"Happy Birthday Abhay! May God give you all happiness and success." She said and Abhay hugged her back fondly.

She was followed by Armaan; her husband and their five year old son Arhan.

Both of them wished him and Abhay was holding Arhan in his hands.

Finally he met Rehan's mother  Rehmat Aunty who was like a mother figure to him.

He handed Arhan to Rehan and took Rehmat's blessings. She hugged him and for a second he felt like it was his mother hugging him. She had almost the same warmth and comfort as his mother.

"Happy Birthday son. Have a happy and healthy life ahead." Rehmat said and he ended the hug but didn't miss and the warmth and concern in her voice.

And Abhay needed it now more than ever. For even if he was in his birthday party full of friends; two important persons were missing.

His aunt.

And

His Fireball.

About his aunt he knew that he needs to give her time but his Fireball. Well he messed up badly with her.

He was missing her.

All his close friends were in the party...

Suddenly his eyes opened.

If everyone is here in the party then his Fireball must be here too.

He looked at Rehan and questioned him, "Everyone I know is here in the party?"

Rehan nodded, confused at the sudden excitement in his friend's voice.

"Thanks bro for planning this party. I needed it." Abhay said feeling happy for getting an opportunity to find his Fireball and make it upto her.

"Are you kidding me? This guys can't plan a formal party to save his life! I helped him to plan the party for Shenu, not that he acknowledged my efforts but still he can't plan a party, and definitely not a good one like this. It must be Shenu." Rabiya said munching her snacks and everyone laughed except for Abhay who was now looking Sanaa in a judgemental manner just like the day he discovered that she was not some ordinary doctor but a big neurosurgeon.

Sanaa recognised the look and excused herself from their table. Abhay followed her. Rehan noticed everything but didn't say a single word and continued talking with his family.

Rehan can't organise a party.

Sanaa was glad to help but didn't plan.

Pooja Aunty was out of equation too.

Rehan's family is surprised as well.

Then who was left?

Everyone present here is his close friend but not that close to throw a surprise party for him.

Besides these people were in his life since so many years and didn't plan anything like that earlier so what changed now?

Everyone here knew him from so many years, every one except.....

It can't be what I think it to be. She can't do this for me after I behaved with her in such a rough manner.

But who else other than her can do this much for him and also talk with Sanaa and Rehan?

Abhay thought and followed Sanaa to get answers.

***

"Shenu." She heard the voice of Abhay and smiled while looking at his face. He was confused.

"Yes Abhay." She asked still smiling.

"You are my friend right?" He asked cautiously.

"Do you doubt that?" She asked now amused at his tactics.

"Then answer me honestly."

"Depends on the question but I will try to. But remember Abhay I can't break my promise and tell something which my good friend have told me not to say." She said and now Abhay was getting surer.

"Don't worry I know my limits. Just answer my one question, there is someone else who planned this party along with you and Rehan?" He asked.

Sanaa smiled at his intelligence and answered truthfully, "Yes."

"Where can I find her?" Abhay asked impatiently.

"Find whom Abhay? I don't know whom you are talking about. I think you should go and meet all the people in all the corners and take their wishes. It will be good to meet all of them personally."

Sanaa said and left behind a stunned Abhay who was still trying to grasp the fact his Fireball organised such an amazing surprise for him.

There was no other person Sanaa could protect so loyally and also help.

His Fireball.

He now realised that she left earlier today and he thought that she was partying with her friends while in reality she was planning a party for him.

But why? Why she did so much for him when he was so harsh to her? Why didn't she behaved like typical girls and ditched him?

Who are you Vaishali and What are you doing to me? Why do I think about you always?

How can you make difficult things so easy for me? How can you make me change my opinions about relationships so easily? How can you want me to accept the truth I'm running from?

How can you make me forget each and every damn barrier around myself and just want to be with you, without any fear?

How can you make me like you so much, Vaishali?

How can you make me fall for you when I'm scared of commitments?!

***

Vaish saw him from the moment he entered the party. He met his Rehan and his family and many other people.

Many other girls too.

Seeing him hugging them so easily made her feel some burning sensation in her heart. She knew he was being a good friend but she can't help but feel jealous.

She was falling for Abhay Singh.

There was no denial to this statement now. She was feeling a conflicting range of emotions and didn't knew what to do. Whether to feel guilty about it or sad because clearly she didn't mean as much to him as he meant to her.

She took a mocktail to distract herself but heard a voice.

"May I have the honour of buying this drink for you?" She heard and immediately remembered that these were the exact same words of Mr. Stranger that night.

"So what's a lonely lady doing here at the bar? I am surprised your boyfriend left you all alone!"Again same words.

But the voice, it was different.

She finally turned to look into a pair of charcoal black eyes behind the mask but immediately recognised the person.

"Can we please talk outside?" She finally decided to talk to him in a civilised manner without going all high and mighty on him.

He nodded and they walked out.

***

"So are you ready to listen to me today, Vaishali?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm ready to talk to you today, Arjun." She replied in a calm manner.

She didn't want to fight with him today.  For once she was tired and secondly she was not in the mood to play a game of hide and seek anymore.

"So we are on the first name basis, now?" Arjun asked in an amused voice and Vaish sighed.

"Listen Arjun, I'm not in mood of teasings nor am I here to see that smirk on your face. I'm here to talk to you like a civilised person, so do me a favour and come to the point." Vaish said in a serious tone and Arjun looked in her eyes as if trying to find the reason because of which a fierce lady like her was being so calm today.

Was it the silence of her defeat?

Or

Was it the silence before storm?

He didn't know. But he was very interested in finding out.

"Ok Vaishali. No unnecessary jokes from my part. So what is it you want to ask?" He said.

"What do you want to say?" She asked and he looked at her surprised for she was letting him speak freely for the first time.

"I'm saying the same thing from the first day. It's you who is not believing  me." He said and like always Vaish didn't make a face but just looked ahead of them in the night sky.

"I can't trust a Stranger who came out of nowhere. You can't blame me for that." She said.

"But you can get married to him." He retorted and Vaish was speechless for a second.

Arjun could feel her getting stilled and he didn't like that.

Hell!

He never want to hurt her. That's not his intention.

"Look I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so rude and..."

"It's ok. You are kind of right. It was highly irresponsible of me to get into a drunken marriage and not remember anything about it but I don't know how it happened. I don't remember a single thing. I know one thing that there was something about him which made me accept his offer to enjoy the night with him." She explained.

"You are still talking in third person. You still don't believe me." Arjun said in a slightly lower tone.

"I can't lie about how I feel. I still don't believe you." She said and he looked at her for a second who was busy looking the sky.

The silence between them was tense before he cut it by saying, "Then get to know me. Talk to me, be my friend. We can take it slow." He said and Vaish finally faced him.

"Look Arjun, as much as I want to, I can't. I can't give you the false hope that something will be possible between us anytime. I'm looking forward to meet Mr. Stranger only to end this all mess and find a way out. I'm not willing to try." She said the words and Arjun just closed his eyes.

"May I ask why?"

"My heart belongs to someone else." She replied.

"Abhay?" He asked but she was silent.

"Is he having the same feelings for you?" Again she was silent.

"I'll take this as a No. Then why aren't you ready to give someone else a chance?" He asked in a slightly irritated manner.

"I'm sorry but I can't. Please don't force me too." She said in an apologetic manner then added in a stong voice,"If you are Mr. Stranger as you are claiming to be, then give me a solid proof about it. After that I will take the necessary measures to end... whatever happened that night. I won't ask you details about the night, it doesn't matter. Just give me the proof so we can find a way out."

Arjun thought about her words for a while and thought about it.

"Ok Vaishali. I will try and find proofs about that night in Vegas and then we will see how it goes but till then we can atleast be friends. I don't want to be the bad guy anymore who is the cause of your stress." He said in a sincere tone.

Vaish looked at him for a second before asking," Only friend, with no expectations?"

"I will try my best to do that." He answered and Vaish smiled before saying, "ok."

He smiled back at her genuinely. He looked up to see a shadow at some distance behind her and immediately hugged her.

Vaish became conscious at once but then brushed it off as some friendly gesture.

Arjun purposefully said his next words loud enough. "Thanks a lot Vaish, for giving me a chance, for giving us a chance. I won't disappoint you."

Vaish thought of it as related to their earlier conversation and said, "It's all in the past. Lets forget that and start afresh."

He saw the shadow going back and smiled at her.

"Now don't you think we should go inside. Many people will be searching you in the party which is organised by you!" He said.

"How do you know that? And now that I think how do you came inside the party? I didn't invite you and you sure aren't Abhay's friend!" She looked at him fiercely.

"Calm down my lady! I'm officially invited to the party. Infact the party won't be possible if not for me." He said and Vaish looked at him confused.

"I'm the owner of the event managing company which organised this party and also the hotel where you are partying is owned by my family." He said and Vaish's jaw dropped to the floor.

She  realised he was Arjun Shekhawat, the successor of Shekhawati Heritage, one of the most respected name in the Hotel management Industries.

***

Soooo, Arjun isn't just someone but a man with a powerful background  (;

Does this changes anyone's opinions about him ?

How was Arjun Vaish's conversation in this chapter?

And whose shadow it was ?

You guys noticed one thing.... Vaish is ready to give up on Mr. Stranger! She doesn't care about that night at all! That's how strong her feelings for Abhay are!

Will Abhay ever realise it or will it be too late for now Arjun is also here (;

Let's wait and watch! Next chapter is about Vaish and Abhay and the talk between them... Excited???

Anyways from now ownwards I will be updating on Friday as Sunday is funday (;

Till then keep on voting and commenting  (: