Love that lasts

Chapter 15

"I would drop that weapon of yours, if I were you" said a husky voice.

Chandni felt a shiver of panic but the thug didn't do much except to immobilise her and that voice suddenly sounded familiar. Chandni's newly acquired defence skills never got a chance to be put into practice as a new wave of sensations hit her. A smell and feel of someone she would recognise even in her sleep.

"Chandni, it's just me. Can you please lower your weapon of mass destruction?" Aryan chuckled in her ear from behind.

Chandni slowly released her breath that she didn't even realise she was holding back till then, as the tension in her whole body came down gradually.

She turned around to face him with her flushed face.

"Aryan! You freaked me out!! Why the hell were you sneaking here like a thief, that too in a hoodie like that? I thought it was the same ..."

"Hey I am sorry!! I didn't even realise how I was dressed. You thought I was that thug? I was working from home all day in these clothes and then I realised the prototype needs to be charged before the demo tomorrow, but I forgot the charging station in the workshop here. By the way I didn't sneak in! I have the after-hours swipe card and master keys to the office. So I just walked in, not realising that Madam Ninja, powered with the most destructive weapon, was waiting to hit me from behind. If I hadn't caught your reflection in the mirror over there, I would be screaming in agony by now." Aryan's voice sounded half amused and half worried.

"Madam Ninja indeed!" Chandni scoffed, as she threw the umbrella away.

"I must tell you that watching you with that umbrella was the funniest sight ever!!" Aryan began to laugh louder, now that Chandni's mood had somewhat lightened.

"Enough!! You would have shown your teeth in quite a different way if you had actually seen my defence skills." Chandni hissed, still mad at Aryan for pulling this stunt on her.

"Wow! I am super impressed! Did you actually learn martial arts or something?"

Chandni tried to read his face, her eyes scrunched up, still unsure whether he was mocking her or asking genuinely, as Aryan turned the lights on in the Lab.

Aryan's expression turned stony as he observed the sceptical look on Chandni's face.

"Chandu, I am asking you seriously! I remember how you were never keen on this stuff back then, how much ever I pushed you. Why are you so ready to doubt everything I say?"

"Am I not even allowed to feel angry if I am mocked? Why are you so ready to jump and flare up, the moment I question anything you say?" Chandni replied, equally furious.

Aryan raked fingers through his messy hair and released a heavy sigh, wondering why things always go so out of hand when he is with her.

"It's just been two years since I started my classes. Vikram Ji encouraged me to learn and I have become quite good at it now. I feel much braver now, even when I pray that I never have to use them anywhere." Chandni explained in a small voice, equally trying her best to bring the conversation back to normalcy.

"You are Braver than you believe

Stronger than you seem and

Smarter than you think ...My Chandu, Winnie the Pooh" Aryan chuckled softly, repeating the same lines he used to tease her with as a child, while they watched their favourite cartoon characters.

"My dear Dev Bharadwaj!! You wanted to be Christopher Robin and so you made me Winnie the Pooh, even when I never wanted to!!" Chandni pouted angrily, just like she did all those years ago, as an eight-year-old.

"Who else could it be? You were the only girl, so you had to be Winnie!" Aryan mocked back, momentarily lost in their happy memories.

"Who told you Winnie the Pooh was a girl? He was a boy just like Christopher Robin! Pooh was the dumbest, that's why you wanted me to be him. Miku was happy to be Tigger, jumping around all the time." Chandni too chuckled softly, as all the happy memories came flooding back, only to be crushed back to reality as she observed Aryan's saddened face at the mere mention of his brother, Miku.

Aryan turned around, his back to her, and busied himself to connect the prototype model to the charging station.

Chandni walked slowly towards him. She had to be brave now, just as she proclaimed to be.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked hesitantly.

Aryan didn't respond, as he continued to pretend to be busy, whilst he checked that all the latches were in place on the charging dock.

She slowly extended her hand and touched him lightly on his arm, as if urging him to stop the pretence.

Aryan froze, the moment she touched him. He closed his eyes and hissed "What do you want, Chandni?"

Chandni looked at Aryan in fear as well as anguish. She had to know, had to share his pain too if he only would let her.

"That girl...Rithika told me that you go to Allahabad every year around this time. Is that true? Is it for Miku? Are you still searching for him? You have to trust me when I say this. I always think and wonder where he is. How I wish I was there that day!!! What exactly happened to Uncle and Aunty? She was saying...."

"Ohhh! So you suddenly got interested in all this because some stupid gossip in the office had said something! What happened to all this curiosity and concern when I was yelling at top of my lungs that day, telling you exactly what happened? You didn't believe me then, why would you believe what I say now?" Aryan's roar reverberated in that tiny lab.

"You know exactly what happened that day and everything that led to that moment, and how I couldn't believe anything you said because of those circumstances. How long are you going to curse me for my behaviour that day? Am I the only guilty one? I was just Eighteen for goodness sake, my mind still fuzzy with all the headiness of love and blind faith in you, which got suddenly shattered in a few moments." Chandni choked, as she tried her best to control the tremor in her voice.

"You know what Chandni! Forget this conversation ever happened. You chose what to believe that day and you made your life. Within few months of breaking up with me, married the man you and your parents thought was the best, mothered his child...Not sure how Vikram Mathur came into all this, but you know what?? I just don't give a damn!!" Aryan burst out.

"I was happy with the way my life was, but you had to come and ruin that too and become my Boss. And that is the biggest pain in my life right now. But I can't do anything about it, as I am stuck here in this company with the great Madam CEO!" He mockingly folded his hands at her and bowed.

Chandni swallowed her tears back as she realised how futile it was to make Aryan understand her genuine concern and apathy. If only he had an inkling of what exactly happened that day and afterwards in her life!! But there was no point in digging the past all over again. Perhaps this was for the best. And from where Aryan stood, he was right in certain things as well... they were both stuck with each other, at least temporarily, whether they like it or not. The title Madam CEO irked her a lot, it was enough to hear from Vikram and not able to rebuff him but if Aryan too started to mock her, it was time to put a stop to it.

"Perhaps you are right!! Let's pretend today's conversation never happened. And yes we are stuck with each other, and while I am here as your boss, just let me make one thing clear! Don't you ever mock me again calling me Madam CEO!!" She warned him.

"Oh really! Why?" Aryan sneered.

"It's enough to hear Vikram call me that!" Chandni said furiously.

Aryan's anger suddenly changed into something else.

"He calls you Madam CEO does he? What other names has he given you?" The jealousy in his voice was overladen with anguish.

Chandni watched him silently with unblinking eyes, as she contemplated how to answer him, unsure whether she ought to rejoice in his jealousy or mourn her fate.

She chose instead, to take it back right up his alley.

"What does dear Rithika call you? What about that piggy tailed Archie on the 10th floor? Would you care to share some details with me?"

All the anguish on Aryan's face was replaced by anger and frustration.

"You, of all the people, have no right to question my personal life. What I do and whom I go with is none of your business." He growled.

"True, I apologise, but you should remember you have no right to ask me about my married life either." She replied back in mock anger.

Both kept staring at each other for a few moments, their eyes reflecting all the jealousy and fury they couldn't express openly.

*****

Author note:

Just in a matter of minutes Aryan called Chandni, Madam Ninja Winnie the Pooh and Madam CEO.. What other titles can you suggest for Aryan?

Once they let their guard down, they could easily converse about their past just like best friends isn't it?

Till Chandni mentioned about Miku, Aryan's younger brother? Who is Miku and what happened to him, you will find out in the next few chapters. Stay tuned.