Chapter 4 No.4

"You are ten minutes late." Remarked Yuvraaj as he heard Anahita approaching him and glanced at his watch.

"Oh, shut up, you stopwatch." She snapped at him and stood in front of him. "I am ready."

Beginning from her heels, Yuvraaj raised his eyes slowly up to her body, taking in each and every detail. Her black slacks were tight on her shaped legs, and her white t-shirt was cute with small polka dots. Her crochet drape was useless in his opinion since it was thinly knitted and rested lazily on her shoulders. Her wavy hair provoked him to smile in appreciation but her deeply kohled eyes, and red hot lips sealed his mouth.

"Will you move?" She clicked her fingers in front of him and motioned him to step aside. He was blocking her way to the passenger seat. Yuvraaj sauntered to the driver's seat and Anahita had her strap on by the time he locked the door.

"What took you so long?" He asked her, and she rolled her eyes. "Stop being my mom. I hate when you question me like that."

Slanting his glare at her, he pressed his lips thin. His momentary admiration for her fled from the window. "Talk to me with respect, Anahita. I am your husband."

"We are not married yet." She reminded him, and he retorted. "On the papers. Otherwise... you know that we are together. Since birth."

"Child marriage is illegal." She gasped, cupping her cheeks dramatically. "Don't tell me you wanna go to prison."

"Smart, ha?" He poked her forehead with a grin. "Don't worry. We will be married, my dearest would be Mrs. Yuvraaj Prakash."

"Exactly." Anahita clicked her fingers with a fake smile. "Would be."

"And that will be." He said confidently. She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, ain't you too confident to marry me?"

"I don't see the line of guys after you so you should thank your stars that you are getting me without doing anything." He boasted and she huffed, turning to him. "Ain't we getting late? If you don't wanna drive, hand me the keys. I don't have an entire night to waste here."

"Showing off this not-so-impressive attitude will only add to your sufferings." He sang, starting up the car and she rested her head back on the headrest, muttering under her breath. "We will see."

"Of course, we have all our life to see each other." He joined her and accelerated.

The drive to the clothing store was short and silent. Yuvraaj had tuned in a radio frequency that played all her favorite songs on loop, giving her a peaceful ambiance to snooze in the comfort of her seat. Yuvraaj's taste for cars always gladdens her. This was the only thing she loved about him. The reason was she gotta enjoy the smooth and comfortable ride as he always came to pick and drop her off.

Always meant after ten years of 'on and off meetings. Yuvraaj came back from the states a month earlier than their engagement, and since then he was staying in Mumbai only. They met after so long but their equation was the same as before. Neither of them liked one another. Even the engagement was a rollercoaster ride of teasing, retorting, moping, and appeasing.

Nothing had changed.

Except for Anahita's relationship status.

When she had started dating Mukund a year back, she thought she succeeded in chucking Yuvraaj out of her life. She thought it was the end of the torture she had been subjected to since the beginning of her life. Her parents drilled it in her mind to take care of, and give importance to Yuvraaj's choices, his lifestyle, his moods, and his so-called needs.

But it felt like she was living in a daze. One disturbing jerk and she was thrown back into the cruel reality where Yuvraaj was still the master of her universe.

"You okay?" She opened her eyes and blinked in space. "Huh?"

"I asked if you are fine. You are awfully silent today." Yuvraaj said, making her realize that she was still in the car. She looked around and saw that they were in front of the showroom. Sitting up alert, she tried to unlock the door. "Oh, we are here. Let's go. Aai must be waiting for us."

Though suspicious, Yuvraaj said nothing and stepped out, followed by her. He nodded at the showroom, "You go inside. I will follow after handing the keys to the valet."

"Okay." Anahita didn't stop to hear anything else and scampered to the glass building. Her heart was thumping loud in her chest as if she was caught red-handed. She didn't know why but whenever she thought of revealing Mukund to Yuvraaj, she felt exceptionally terrified of him and it always made her change her mind. She didn't know how he would react. Surely she had seen him being angry, and it wasn't a nice show.

"Aai!" She leaped into the arms of the lady who waved at her after spotting her entering the showroom. Hugging her tightly, Anahita kissed her cheek. "I missed you. Where's baba?"

"He is taking a call." The lady replied, making a face. Anahita grinned. They were the second most important people in her life. Her parents are part-two AKA Yuvraaj's parents. She called them Aai and Baba, and similarly, Yuvraaj called her parents Aai and Baba. They both didn't know why but they couldn't even summon themselves to break this rule.

"There he comes!" Mrs. Prakash huffed, noticing her son walking toward them. She eyed Anahita with a mischievous look, "What took you guys so long?"

"You need to ask?" Anahita played along, and Mrs. Prakash smirked. "Romance?"

Anahita rolled her eyes. "Please! Romance? And that too with your terribly boring son? I don't have such a bad taste."

"Hey!" Mrs. Prakash playfully slapped her arm. "My son is a hero. He looks like Tom Cruise. Don't underestimate him."

"Tommy what?" Anahita faked a gasp and stopped as Yuvraaj reached for them. "What are you guys doing here? Haven't you started yet?" His eyes moved from his mother to Anahita.

"How can we start shopping without a barbie doll?" Anahita joked and Mrs. Prakash buzzed into laughter. Giving her a quelling glance, Yuvraaj moved past her, and she followed him, giggling with his mother.

"Don't call him Barbie doll, Anu. He is going to be your husband." Mrs. Prakash told her worryingly, but Anahita scoffed. "Even after that, your son will always be the Barbie Doll. Do you know what he did today? He said that I am colorblind because I chose red and yellow. And he also asked me to get a designer. Now, tell me how am I wrong in calling him Barbie Doll?"

She pouted, complaining about Yuvraaj to his mother. Mrs. Prakash felt sorry for her and squeezed her palm in reassurance. "Don't worry. I will talk to him."

"Beat him a little too, please."

"Do you really want this?" Mrs. Prakash wiggled her eyebrows and Anahita bit her lip. "I know you can't do that. Don't put it in my mouth."

"Hey, will you guys hurry up? I have to drop her back home, and I have an important meeting today." Yuvraaj's yell cut short their secret chatting. They rushed over to where he stood and grabbed trolleys. Mrs. Prakash helped Anahita in choosing dresses, whereas Yuvraaj decided to do his own shopping. Mr. Prakash was still busy with his call so Mrs. Prakash went to give him a rap on his knuckles. Anahita peeked inside Yuvraaj's trail box to find a collection of classy clothes.

Proper colors! Renowned brands! In vague trends!

Everything. His clothes had it all. When she looked at hers, she found anything and everything in her box which could cover her up. It was one of the many qualities he had. He loved to shop, and enjoyed collecting branded varieties. Since childhood, he always picked his things tastefully and after several trials. For her, anything would do. It just had to be comfortable.

"Try this." Mrs. Prakash threw an offwhite saree at her, and she groaned, bunching the soft chiffon in her fists. "Aai, I am not getting married tomorrow. Let's wrap it up. I am tired."

She was exhausted from emptying the drawers filled with handpicked apparel, and trying on the designer's top collection. Besides, Mukund chose that exact moment to nudge her with his infinite calls. She was going to bang her head on the wall.

"But we have a lot to buy, and we have just a couple of days left." Mrs. Prakash panicked, looking at the dresses. Anahita heaved a sigh and held her palms, smiling brightly. "Pick whatever you like. I trust you. You know my taste, and I know you want me to look best."

"But it's your wedding."

"I know. Are you planning to leave Baba at this age? God, you wanna marry!" She infused humor and Mrs. Prakash laughed, coming to slap her back. "Shut up. Okay, I will choose the best ones and send them home."

"Cool."

"Pack these ones. Yuvraaj will drop you." Mr. Prakash fondled her head and she grinned. "Thank you, Baba. See you soon."

"See you soon too, Anu." He patted her back, and Yuvraaj cleared his throat. "If the reunion has ended, shall we?"

"He's a spoilsport," Anahita complained to his parents and they laughed as they nudged her to follow him. Yuvraaj took her bags, threw them in the backseat, and asked her to get inside the car. She was so tired that she didn't push him when he leaned over her to fasten her seatbelt. She didn't know when they reached home.

When he stopped the car, she rubbed her forehead and twisted her neck to look outside. "Have we reached?"

"Not yet. We are nearby. Why do you keep snoozing in my car?" He questioned back and she yawned, stretching her arms. "Okay, why did you stop the car?"

"I thought... would you like to have a cup of coffee?" He asked unsurely and she raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you asking me out?"

"What if I am?"

"The answer is no." She smirked and batted her eyelids. "Drop me back home."

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why the answer is no?" He finished his question, cocking his head to the side to glance at her thoughtfully. "Don't you want me to care for you?"

"You care for me?" She blurted, taking a double stand. Whoa! Was she still sleeping?

"Of course I do." He accepted, and she didn't know what to say.

"Okay, thanks. It's... kinda hard to accept it, but... okay." She rubbed the nape of her neck, genuinely smiling at him. He grinned back at her. "So, do you want the coffee now?"

"Why are you so adamant on this?"

Yuvraaj scoffed in disbelief. "I am only being a gentleman."

"Yeah, why be something you are not? Tell me." She snapped her fingers at him, leaning forward to read his eyes. "Be out with it, Yuvraaj!"

He cast a confused glance at her. "What do you mean?"

"You know very well." She maintained and he faked a gasp, flinching back in disgust. "What are you up to, Anahita?"

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, cut the crap. We both know who is the only nasty person between us. And that's you. So tell me what are you trying to do? Why do you suddenly offer me a coffee?"

"Jesus. You are really a nutcase." He shook his head, opening his side of the door. "People change, Anahita. Wait here. I will be back in a minute. Don't step out." He said and zoomed off to cross the road.

Anahita stayed back, gawking at him dumbstruck. People change! Really? Did it mean he has changed? Was he not the same bully anymore? Could she trust him and tell him about Mukund without fearing his reaction? Has she mistaken him for a bad person?