And We Fell In Love

Chapter 2

Arjun's POV"Sir, there is a courier for you." My assistant Julie said, with just her head peeping inside the cabin whereas the rest of herself hidden behind the door. As she received a positive nod, she walked in and kept a rectangular box on the table, the small smile that she gave me would have been encouraging today, yet it didn't... at least not today.

As my gaze wandered around the small cabin of mine, it finally rested on the box that my secretary had dropped off for me. The rectangular box was quite beautiful, with golden frills and silver outing on it, it did look as if an invitation for something lavish, but nothing that I guessed would have been as beautiful and amazing as the actual thing was.

The box was filled with numerous chocolates and as if a mystery box, it had a small rectangular shining cardboard with fine italics on it.

The Grewals & Singh's

Invite you to the engagement of our sweethearts

Abha and Vihan

Do come and brighten our smiles with your blissful presence

& bless them with happiness and prosperity

on 5 Nov,2015 Saturday from 7:00 pm to 10pm.

A smile automatically approached my lips thinking about the day when Vihan had proposed Abha, her face was priceless. I don't know how but the moment I was back to my senses I saw that I had the landline of my office in my hand and I was off calling Vihan.

I shook my head in disapproval, kept the phone back in its place and walked towards the big window of my office from where we could say a warm hello to the great Los Angelos.

It had been eleven years now that this place had been my home. Yet these huge buildings, the big bridges, the fine cars and sophisticated people around me, didn't give me the feeling what India gave me.

The cold weather had only got me to freeze all the feelings, my memories were becoming as faded as the fog that would cover the windows, yet somewhere in the corner of my heart there would always be this warm feeling who would call out to me, to acknowledge it... but the reluctance to feel the emptiness would only take my steps back.

"Can I come in Son?" I turned around to meet none other than my dad Rajveer Singh. The day when we had shifted back from India here, it wasn't just us family members, but as well the various people working at our company, its location... in short our whole company had as well relocated.

I cleared my throat and said, "come on dad you don't need any permission you know that!"

"Well when my son achieves more than what I had achieved at that age it does matter. So congratulations you bagged the Indian project as well." My dad said it with pride in his eyes which was evident in his voice as well.

"Thanks, dad, " I said and sat on the couch kept at a side of my cabin.

My parents were always sweet, it wasn't rare that I and my parents had any kind of contact, they said... "We would like to know each and every moment of your life; we don't want to miss anything anymore."

And through these years, even we don't know how but my parents became my friends, some that I had missed to my dear life.

"We need to go there son, Ram and that stupid Grewal has specially called me and asked me to bring you as well, you can't run from the past never in your life "Dad said all of a sudden, he paused to earn some response and when I said nothing he continued...

"Face your past, your fears and conquer them. So think about it, we are leaving by evening and you will have to come, your friend c*m bro is waiting for you and needs you remember that!"

I gave him a nod and then he went away, I turned to my table and picked up the frame which held the gems of my life - my friends.

Never in my dreams had I thought that I would have to think this much to decide if I should really meet them or not, it was weird and disturbing, things had changed so much that now I wondered if I would ever be welcomed the same way that I had been back then. It made me seem silly, but the fear of being treated the way I treated them ate me from inside.

*****

When I went home, I saw a complete hassle over there, my mom Kavya Singh and Bhabhi Purvi Singh along with my sister were running here and there, the excitement completely evident in their eyes.

All these years all of them had gone to India but only to Punjab at our native place, I never had the guts to go there, maybe Punjab was never the home for me; I had always adored Mumbai, especially the rains.

They are like heavens if a person wants to relax then he/ she must always sit on their balcony while it's raining with hot adrak ki chai(ginger tea) and pyaz ke pakode (snacks made of onions).

I still remember, how, Whenever we would be at Arohi's or Vihans place while it would be raining Arohi would always make that and mind you, they taste the best.

"Bhai AAP ab aa rahe ho na? jaldi jaao and packing Kar lo we are going to India " (brother you are coming right? come on! Go quickly and finish your packing … we are going to India.) My sister Purvi squealed in excitement. I shook my head and went to my room to pack my bags.

Thinking, again and again, what would I say to everyone will they all recognize me, most of all will Arohi recognize me?

With this thought, I boarded my plane. Yet with a happy feeling that within some hours I would be in that same country which gave me the best as well as the worst people in my life.

Arohi's POV

"Congratulations interns you all have done a great job, now take some rest and then monitor the patient for the next 24 hours and if there is any kind of emergency please let me know or else you can also contact Dr Gupta she has the complete report about this case, and she will be handling it for the next few days, so any doubts?" I asked the Interns whom I have been assigned for the month.

The day even if was as tiring as hell, just the fact that it was a Friday, that meant just a day before my best friends engagement ceremony it only made me more and more excited. The whole week as predicted didn't have any problem and right now I would have been at her home chilling out with my friends, if not for one of my patient whose condition had gotten worse all of a sudden.

"No Ma'am we are good " one my interns said I gave them a nod and then excused myself and went to the general ward for the last check up on my rest of the patients before my holiday.

After about an hour when I reached my cabin I was welcomed by beautiful words thrown at me by my sweet three besties Nitya , Rhea and Misha screaming at me "what the hell you moron you said you will be home within five hours, it’s been freaking 10 hours now what are you still doing here ??" they said in chorus as if they had already planned what they were going to say.

I let out a loud sigh and said" I just did an angioplasty of a 50 years old gentlemen handled an almost broken family, then checked all the children who are suffering from heart problems at a very small age what'd you guys expect that I would be able to complete my work within five hours.|"

When I looked at them they had shocked and yet a sympathetic look. I gave them a small smile and said "Come on now drama queens we need to go or else that b***h would kill me."

We all started laughing, the fact that we could somehow still predict our behavior made me feel happy. I picked up my bag and walked towards the lion's den which was none other than the Grewal mansion.

If my exhaustion wasn't enough to kill me, somehow I had a feeling my friend would be enough to cause me to die tonight.