Posted: 9 years ago

Summary: The tough transition of two friends who are in love with one another and slowly trying to change their relation from friends to lovers.

Note: Please bear with me with this story...it started off as 2 pages and I didn't think it was going to go any further than that...but transformed into something. I will mention this (though I don't have to as I have before) that any mistakes are partly are my own as I'm not familiar with certain things so if I made a mistake please excuse me. Much love and enjoy this story as I'm not going any further with it...enjoy!😛😳

This Wonderful, Beautiful, and Fantastic Creation is by Appy

I stared at her in amazement as she stretched out her arm and she leaned her head upward into the air, as she straightened her back, perfectly poised in position.

Her hair was pinned back into a bun while she was dressed in nothing but a black leotard, tights, and shoes and I watched as she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled it.

Soft music was playing from the small mp3 player that she had nearby and it was flowing out soft piano keys that were followed by a violin and she was slowly waving her head towards the flow of the music.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, and then she lifted her body, and began to twirl around on the heels of her feet in a slow circular movement; carefully balancing her weight on her toes, twirling, spinning, all the while maintaining her balance and grace, all coming out as delicate light movements.

She then landed down on the soles of her feet; running and leaping across the room and lifting herself back on the heels of her feet, squatting, heels, squat, until she turned into a spin almost as if she was lightless and her body was being lifted invisibly by some unknown source.

She continued to bounce around the room, in pure effortlessness, as if she didn't spend the past nine hours in teaching and dancing with her students and she never lost momentum.

It was magnetizing to watch her as the soft glow of the sun was shining through the front of the room and it only made her seem ethereally, almost outer worldly as a gentle smile and peace graced her face as she landed on her feet and then pressed forward once more on the heels of her toes and she slowly lifted her legs and was about to turn until she flinched and staggered almost falling down.

I was going to get up to help her but she extended her hand signaling for me to stop, knowing that I was ready to get up and help her.

She tried once again to raise her legs, this time meeting with more success, and she tried to slowly turn, balancing all of her weight on one toe but her foot wobbled and she came crashing down on the floor.

"Ahhh...!!!" she said and she grabbed for her knee and for her ankle.

I quickly went over to her and was going to scoop her up but she shook her head in denial even though her face was contorted in pain.

"It's okay.." she said while rubbing her knee and ankle that was propped on top of her other leg.

"I want to keep on trying." She said and she looked up at me and gave me a bright smile.

I stared at her and leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead that was already lined with perspiration from her exertion.

"Don't push yourself too much...take it easy." I said while staring at her with worry.

She smiled.

"Don't worry Anand, I'm fine...I want to try it again." She said and after rubbing her legs over and over again she finally dusted herself off and got back up and continued where the music was starting to strain even harder on the piano keys.

She continued to do small squat like movements for a while until she got back on her heels, her legs wobbling but she was biting her lips so she could maintain her weight.

She lifted her leg once again and she slowly began twirling her body around, maintaining her weight on one heel.

It was a success and she tried again with the other leg and she smiled and laughed when it worked without her leg giving out.

She continued to dance, twirl, and spin to the music until the sun finally set and only the light bulbs in the room where basking her in their glow.

She finally grew tired and she removed her mp3 from the small player and looked at me.

"Thanks." She said while giving me a smile.

I shook my head.

"Hurry and change" I said.

She nodded and she walked away towards the back of the dance studio.

Once she was done changing into her regular clothes of just a pair of jeans, tee shirt, jacket, and sneakers she met me outside as we closed up the door to her dance studio.

"Thanks for waiting for me today." She said with a smile.

I sighed.

"I finished early today there hasn't been any knew patients so far, there hasn't been any change in their behavior so we were able to leave like schedule." I said while I pushed back her hair that was covering her left eye

She placed her hand over mine and looked at me self-consciously.

"A strand of hair." I said while pulling her hand into mine.

She looked at me confused.

"Strand of hair was covering your eye, looked like you were irritated." I said.

She smiled and nodded but she looked at my hand in hers.

"Stop acting so confused sheesh... your knee and ankle, I know it must really hurt, you pushed yourself too far today." I said with a serious expression.

She looked at me with a guilty expression.

"I wanted to try." She started.

"I mean, I thought maybe...the kids were doing their little spins today and they were doing really good that it reminded me of the times when I used to dance and I just wanted to try again..." she said sadly.

I squeezed her hands in mine and used the other to ruffle up her hair and she chuckled.

"Stop it..." she said.

"I can't help it, you look so cute when you are pouting." I said honestly.

She stopped and she looked at me and a blush crept over her cheeks before she looked away.

"Aren't...aren't...aren't you too good with words now?" she said while blushing and looking away.

I looked at her confused.

"No, I was just stating facts...are you stopping by tonight for some drinks?" I asked.

She looked at me.

"Will it be okay?" she asked.

I smiled.

"It's no problem...this time I actually cleaned the apartment." I said the last part more as an after thought.

Three days ago when she stopped by she complained the complete mess that the apartment was in, so before I had to go work I quickly tried to clean up.

"Okay then, a couple of beers and I will go home." She said while staring at me.

I chuckled.

"Don't pass out like last time, you can't handle your alcohol." I said while staring at her.

She stuck out her bottom lip and shook her head in denial.

"I think you are confusing me with yourself, I can totally handle my liquor." She said with exaggeration.

I shook my head and instead flicked her head with my free hand.

"Hey?!" she said and she punched me in the arm.

I chuckled and instead flicked her again and we went back and forth, flicking and hitting each other until we reached my car and drove on towards my home.

*********************

"Good Evening, Mr. Shergill, Ms. Shrivastav." The guard said signaling to both of us.

He was an older gentleman but he still the same dark brown color of his hair, no hint of it turning white or gray, signaling a sign of his aging.

He had a thick beard and mustache and soft brown eyes that always seemed to be filled with humor and care.

"Good evening uncle ji, I hope your hip is not bothering you anymore? How is Auntie ji?" I asked.

He chuckled.

"The hip is fine dear and she is doing absolutely fine, she insists for you to come and visit again." He said while chuckling.

I smiled and nodded towards him.

"Of course, the last time I was so full I had a small pouch." I said while patting my belly and he smiled and burst out in another chuckle.

He shook his head.

"Okay, goodnight you two and be safe." He said and Anand pulled the car forward as the machine lifted the bar upward, allowing us to go through and head towards the apartment complex.

I was always amazed every time I come here when the suppose apartment complex, never looked like the typical cramped apartment complexes that I was used to with so much space, the buildings not being that tall but were really big and looked lavish and expensive.

I turned to Anand and watched as he looked at his rear view and side mirrors to make sure no one was on the road in front or back of him as there were a tendency of some children to still be outside playing at time.

I never really asked him how he was actually able to afford to live her.

I knew papa ji had, owned, and operated his own business and while Ashish followed suit in joining the family company after graduation and Ishaan was poised in joining as well, Anand...Anand chose otherwise.

He instead decided to go to medical school and become a doctor, more specifically in his terms to focus on psychology and become a psychiatrist.

He was halfway there as he was currently an intern and for some reason he was living on his own although his family was accepting in his deviated change in careers, although it did take a while in convincing papa ji.

I sighed.

Trying to ever fully understand what goes on in his head was near to completely impossible.

Since our families are really friends, Anand, Shraddha, and I practically grew up together at each other's hip for the past 17 years and we played, joked, and did almost everything together.

But things kind of rifted or rather drifted off in our relationship a little bit around the time he was having problems in convincing his father to let him apply to med school and at the same time I was accepted to a Ballet Academy back in the USA.

I was still in my musings until I heard the car engine switch off and Anand spoke up.

"Are you sleepy?" Anand said.

"Huh?" I said turning to him.

He shook his head.

"I thought you were sleeping, come on we are here." He said while nodding towards the building and I looked through the window and saw the carvings of 46757 indicating we were at his apartment or condo or house...or whatever he was willing in calling it.

Before I could open the door on my side of the car, he was already there opening the car door for me and reaching to help me out.

"It's okay...I can handle myself." I said while smiling.

He gave me a serious look and shook his head.

"Your knee and ankle hurts, you were limping, come on let me help." He insisted.

I sighed and placed my hand in his that he offered and it was not shocking that he was able to completely pull me out of the car and shut the door simultaneously.

He helped me climb the steps on up to his apartment and he brought out his keys and inserted it into the keyhole and turned but the door opened before he could do so.

I watched as his face scrunched up in confusion and turned hard and I could feel his whole body tense up completely.

"Stay behind me." He said with a tense voice.

I nodded and waited until he moved forward, opening the front door, and we slowly went inside, closing the door behind us as we moved towards the foyer area slowly while Anand kept an alert eye open and out.

We continued to walk and looked towards the living room area and Anand stopped suddenly and the tension in his body completely left.

I couldn't see why exactly as he was taller than me and I was behind him so I instead I peeked out from his back and saw a woman in question looking at her phone and looked up and saw Anand and her face perked up.

"Took you almost forever to finally come here. Sheesh!" she said in annoyance.

"Oh shut up, I didn't know you were going to come this late or as a matter-of-fact that you were coming today." Anand said in agitation but it didn't reach his voice and I felt a deep pang of jealousy rise in my heart but I tried to shake it off.

The woman in question was a lot different than me.

I was perfectly fine with a pair of baggy sweatpants, jeans, long shirts, jackets, and depending on the season shorts, yet this woman was completely different.

She was wearing a short yellow dress that barely stopped on her thigh, black heels, and her hair was piled onto one of shoulders as she was covered in thick makeup.

She smiled and folded her hands together before she looked away from Anand and noticed I was peeking from behind him and I tensed before I walked out.

Anand followed her line of direction and smiled.

"Hey babes, who is this?" the woman said motioning towards me and for a moment it looked as if she was sizing me up and down.

He wrapped his hands around me and I looked at him and he smiled as he looked down and I looked at her but her expression never changed from curiosity.

"This is Kritika, she was the one I was telling you about." He said.

Her features relaxed and a peaceful smile played on her face making her look even more beautiful than before.

She chuckled and she walked over and she extended out her hand where her nails was a bright red and freshly polished.

"It's nice to meet you Kritika, Anand talked a lot about you and I'm glad I was able to meet you. I am Jaspreet or you can call me Jas." She said with a smile.

She seemed nice and I nodded and I shook her hand.

"You can call me Kittu." I said.

She smiled even more and Anand spoke up.

"Why did you come this time around? Did your mentor do something again?" he asked with a serious expression.

She lost her smile and looked at Anand seriously, making it obvious that they were heading into a serious conversation.

"Umm...Anand I'm going to get some beer from the fridge, Jaspreet do you want anything?" I asked.

She never removed her glance from Anand as she answered.

"Same-o...just beer will be fine and please just call me Jas." She said.

The two maintain eye lock with one another and I began to feel uncomfortable so I walked away, slowly balancing my weight on my left leg that was okay and not the right one.

*******************

I watched as Kittu walked away or rather limped away and every time she tensed or flinched, I reacted as if I was the one in pain.

She continued to limp her way towards the kitchen almost bumping into the couch, the table, and into the coffee table before she disappeared from sight and looked back at Jaspreet.

"You never answered my question." I said staring at her.

She stared at me and instead she wrapped her arms around my neck and she smiled.

"Why do I have to always answer your questions? Instead of worrying about all of that uselessness, we could be having more fun instead." She said while smiling even more at me.

I sighed and quickly removed her hands from my neck and stared at her.

"Not now Jas, Kittu's here, why are you here suddenly?" I asked with a serious expression.

She sighed and she looked at me seriously.

"I'm not here suddenly, I was transferred this past week to work at another hospital." She said with a serious expression.

"Why" I said while scrunching up my eyebrow.

She looked away and instead I lifted up her chin for her to look at me.

"What happened?" I said in a serious tone of voice.

She ran her hands through her hair and she sighed.

"You were right, is that better? You told me to stop and I didn't listen and it blew up in my face." She said.

I shook my head.

"Jas.." I started but she raised her hand.

"Not you too babes, okay I got admonished by the entire staff in the hospital as it is. Of course who would play lightly for sleeping with my superior, more or less someone who was married.
But it wasn't there business to dig their nose into everything." She said while shaking her head.

"Once the news broke out, the wife came hammering down and of course the bas***d left me to rot outside and due to pressure I was relocated back here in Delhi so I had no other choice." She said.

I shook my head.

"But it's your fault." She said.

I arched up my eyebrow in confusion.

"How is it?" I asked confused.

"Since you came back here...you refused to even kiss me like you used to." She said while wrapping her hands around my neck and this time she tried to lean herself closer towards me.

I stared back at her and shook my head.

"Its not my fault, I told you we weren't having anything serious when we first started going out..I told you honestly how I felt so..." I trailed off.

She smiled and laughed.

"But babes, I know you did but I miss you." She said softly.

I shook my head.

"I said no Jas, friends, we promised that after we left med school." I said seriously.

"We didn't promise that...you just stated that yourself." She said while pouting.

I laughed and I unraveled her hands from around my neck.

"We promised Jas, I already told you the reason why." I said.

She sighed and she smiled.

"Okay, how about just one kiss?" she said while pouting.

I shook my head and instead flicked her forehead and she cried out in pain.

"Hey!" she said in annoyance.

"Pretend that were my lips, see I gave you a kiss so be happy." I said while smiling.

She sighed and she flipped her hair and shrugged.

"Whateves. I'm tired and I'm crashing here." She said as she walked away and just in the nick of time Kittu came out caring a full case of beer with a small plate of sandwiches.

I quickly walked over to help her place everything on the coffee table and helped her sit down on the couch and I could feel Jas's gaze as she watched us with a careful eye.

"You didn't have to do all of that." I said.

She shook her head and instead offered each of us a beer; Jas taking it from her and quickly snatching a sandwich and plopping it into her mouth.

"Thanks Kittu." I said with a smile and looked at Jas and she scrunched up her eyebrow in confusion and she registered what I was saying.

"Thank you Kittu for the beer and sandwiches." She said.

Kittu turned to her and smiled.

"No problem at all, it didn't take much time, I thought it would be better to be eating something instead of just eating on an empty stomach." She said.

"Thanks Kittu." I said and ruffled up her hair and she smiled and I sat in the loveseat while Kittu and Jas sat on the couch.

"So Kittu what do you do?" Jas said after a few minutes of eating two more sandwiches and slugging down three cans of beer.

Kittu was on her second can and she peered up from taking a sip to look at Jas.

"Huh?" she said.

"Jas?" I said looking at her but she waved her hand in the air.

"It's a harmless question." She said and she directed her careful gaze towards Kittu.

Kittu placed her drink down over a coaster and faced Jas.

"I am a dance instructor, more so for children between the ages of 6-14 years of age and at time I hold classes for older adults during special occasions." Kittu said.

Jas arched her eyebrow but before she could answer her next question, Kittu jumped in.

"What do you do? Are you a model?" she asked with a serious face.

Jas looked at her confused and then busted out in laughter and she almost dropped the can of beer she was holding.

"Drop it, you clean it." I said to her as I continued to take a sip of my drink.

She shot me an annoyed look but she was smiling as she gazed back at Kittu.

"Model? Why would you think that?" she asked, completely amused due to the flattery.

"You looked like one...so I thought..." Kittu trailed on.

Jas continued to laugh and shook her head but she gulped down some of her beer before she answered Kittu.

"I did some modeling as a favor for a couple of friends but I'm not interested in all of that. Just being a model is not the most interesting or should I say most challenging subject or occupation." She said.

"What do you do then?" Kittu said.

Jas smiled.

 "I'm an intern just like Anand over there." She said while turning her direction towards me and gave a bold stare as she winked and turned back towards Kittu.

Sadly, it didn't go unnotced by Kittu as she tensed up and looked between the two of us and I ran my hand through my hair.

"Um...how...how exactly...how exactly do you two know one another?" Kittu asked.

"She is a friend that I met in college." I said while taking a sip of my beer and I tensed up immediately looking at Jas, waiting to see how she would respond.

"Anand...well I met him in college and we have been the best of friends, isn't that right babes?" she said while sending a look towards me.

I shook my head and looked at Kittu who nodded and awkwardly picked up her can of beer and brought it towards her lips.

"Friends..." she said before she took a sip of her beer.

********************

(A Month Later...)

"Kittu!" a loud voice said.

I ran my hand through my hair and wasn't shocked to find my mother walking towards the living room to join me and complain like she usually did.

"Hi mom." I said while stretching my neck and slowly rotating myshoulder.

"You won't believe what Shraddha did again today? She is impossible, I don't know how on Earth..." she rumbled on and on.

I shook my head and placed my hands on her shoulder.

"Calm down mom." I said while smiling I walked her over to the living room, had her sit down on the couch while I quickly made some tea for the both of us.

Before she could drink it she immediately began to launch her complaints.

She took a good 30 minutes to complain about how Shraddha was too busy focusing in on her business and not helping with the housework, not deciding on settling down and having a child, and other problems like usual.

I sighed.

"Anyway, never mind that foolish girl, I regret agreeing with that brute of a chief in allowing them to marry but doesn't mean I will waste my mood with that girl." Mom said.

I shook my head and picked up my teacup to take a sip of it before I finally decided to respond towards her.

"He is a colonel, remember mom?" I said while raising my eyebrow and all she did was raise her hand in the air.

"Chief, colonel, captain, general, does it matter? Whatever title you give him, he will continue to brag about it no matter what...I tell you your father can be friends with him for all he likes..." She sighed.

"It's only because of Amrit that I even bother with him." She said while moving closer towards me on the couch as she stared at me in concern.

"Anyway,  how are you dear how was your class?" she asked.

I smiled.

"It was okay I finished early so Anand came and visit..." I started and my mother face immediately scrunched up in disapproval.

"Did you go to his apartment?" she asked hesitantly.

I nodded confused.

"Yeah, like usual." I said and I continued to wring out the kinks in my neck.

"Kritika...I told you already.." my mother started.

"Hmm?" I asked while turning towards her.

"Kritika, I told you before to stop visiting Anand's apartment alone, at night." My mother said with disapproval.

At that I dropped my hand and placed my tea back on its saucer, a little more roughly then I intended but I was highly annoyed.

"And I told you mom that he is my friend and we have been friends for almost all of my life and I'm not changing that." I said.

"That's not the issue. I didn't care if you are friends, it's the matter of you visiting him alone at his apartment. Don't you know what would happen if any of our friends, family, or neighbors see you going there? Do you know what they will say, do you know how they will talk? Especially that woman, she was coughing up a storm when they heard we were letting you go to that school...she would definitely be wagging her tongues that we have children with nothing but loose morals and values." She said.

I rolled my eyes at that.

"Let them talk, they will about anything that matters." I said I wasn't feeling the same way inside.

"That's not possible. You are unmarried and it wouldn't be good to have such things said in having our reputation being put into question. Plus its still taking a while for people to stop talking about what happened last time." My mother said uneasily.

"If you weren't too foolish and just concentrated...that wouldn't have happened..." my mother whispered but I overheard what she said and I stiffened and in order to avoid saying anything I got up.

"Kittu? What's wrong?" she asked while picking up her cup and bringing it towards her lips.

"I'm going to my room, its been a long day. I'm sorry I was so foolish and didn't concentrate and you had to deal with the rumors from the neighbors and society." I said coldly.

"Kittu..." she started and sighed, lowering her cup down to the saucer.

"Kittu, I'm sorry but it's the truth. Do you know how much backlash I received? The neighbors said I was praising you so much when you got accepted into that ballet school, saying that you were going to tour such beautiful and expensive places but in less than a year you came back home? Do you know what they said?" she said.

"Oh Kamini, you were praising so much but it seems like she couldn't even handle it? Are you sure Kamini that she was accepted into a dance school and wasn't doing something else? This is the nonsense I had to listen to. IF they catch wind of you visiting him, that will be too much shame." My mother said while shaking her hand.

"They will say I have a very cheap household. One girl decides to do whatever the heck she wants, while the other is busy visitng men at night...that is why she couldn't stand even a year in America. Hmph who knows if she was doing the same thing and it caught up to her-" My mother started again but I interrupted her.

"STOP!" I said while raising my hand.

I felt sick and my stomach fell down to the bottom.

"I'm stating the truth, beti." She said with a confused expression.

"Everything is as what I say...please whatever you do; don't bring anymore shame towards your father and me." She said.

I sighed knowing whatever I say wouldn't get through to her.

"I'm tired, I'm going to my room until dinner is ready." I said while turning around and heading upstairs towards my room, bypassing Kunal's and Shraddha's room that were closed, unusual during this time of day.

I slipped into my room, closing the door, locking it not wanting to be disturbed.

I switched on the light in my room and stared at the  two shelves that were by my desk and computer, that were littered with nothing but trophies, ribbons, and metals from competitions, contests, and events.

I edged towards the shelf and smiled.

I have been dancing since I learned how to walk, but didn't really get into ballet until around the age of five.

From my mom's words, I was a complete natural but I really couldn't  remember so much from around that time.

I saw some photos in a frame, really just three.

I knew there were some more photographs that my mother loved showing to guests when she wanted to brag, but I only kept these three because of how much sentimental it was towards me.

The first one was when I was eight and I won my first competition, coming out 2nd place but it felt amazing at the time, another one with one of my friends that was a dancer, while the last one...

I picked up the third photo in its frame and I placed my hand over it and smiled.

I was beaming in an atrocious pink tutu and matching bow that my mother thought would be so freaking adorable.

It was bedazzled and sparkled completely out and I couldn't be glad enough when I finally took hold in picking my own outfits.

I was  raising the 1st place trophy high with help with the boy on the right he was in black tux and was staring at me, with a soft expression but was not smiling.

It was Anand, and at the time I was 11, he was 12 and he helped me with that win as I wanted to have classical music but the CD I was going to use at the time, got "misplaced".

In reality, another competitor broke it in an attempt to deflect me from winning the competition but it didn't matter as Anand was really, really good at the piano,

"I'll...I'll help you." He said staring at me.

I turned to him confused.

"You? How?" I asked confused.

"Bhai has been taking piano lessons. He's so good that the teacher thinks he might be a protg." Shraddha piped in.

She was nine years old, two years younger than me and three years younger than Anand and she still was taller than me at her age, which was at times unsettling when people always thought I was younger than her.

Anand turned an angry look towards her and snapped.

"Shut up." He said.

Shraddha stuck out her tongue.

"But its true. But that's unlike you bhai, you always look so bored when playing the piano, you even try to skip practice but this is the first time you are offering to play." Shraddha said while shaking her eyebrows.

He turned to Shraddha.

"Sheesh shut up already, why are you always poking your nose in everything." He said with an irritated look.

I took his hand and he looked at me confused.

"Thanks for doing this for me. Thanks Anand." I said while smiling at him.

He paused, slowly a blush spreading over his cheeks as his light brown eyes finally couldn't meet my gaze.

"It's...it's...it's no...no...no...problem." he said while blushing.

But I squeezed his hand even more and he looked at me puzzled and I smiled, feeling a blush creep over my cheeks as I said my next statement.

"I always wanted to dance while you played the piano." I said while looking down but snuck a quick look at him and he was blushing just as much.

"I...wanted to...to." he said as well.

"Ooohhh...Anand and Kittu sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love then comes marriage then comes a baby in a baby carro-" Shraddha started singing until Anand went to pinch her and in no time she bursted into tears, causing Anand to receive a firm scolding from papa.

I smiled even more at the memory and I placed the photo back onto the shelf and stared at it.

During that time, no matter how hard ballet became, I had so much fun knowing that Anand was always playing the piano and I could dance to the music he played.

It felt so much fun, I felt happier, less pressure and it was always such a thrill and it was always so exciting to learn more and more.

But when Anand went off to college and I was accepted into an exclusive dance academy in the United States, things turned out differently.

The excitement I felt when I was dancing here, couldn't be compared to when I was there.

Everything was so serious, competitive, and at times it felt so soulless.

It felt as if everyone was dancing to better, to improve, to gain recognition, fame, and importantly to become the absolute best.

The pressure was so much for me, practicing day in-day out and still be considered to be below average.

I was literally lacking sleep, losing weight from not eating at times deliberate starvation, and I was completely felt lost almost as if I was going to break down.

I didn't want to give up, but the reality that I couldn't compete on an international level made me doubt and question my ability and the reality on how I was actually accepted into this school.

So when I had that accident that completely tore my left knee and ankle muscles, I felt strangely at peace.

Knowing that I wouldn't have to dance ever again even made me at peace.

When I came back home and Anand was here, his shock, disappointment was what brought me back to reality.

It was all thanks to him that I tried to reuse my legs, tried to start with the basics, and started dancing again and more importantly try to have others to dance.

I heard a knock on the door and I was going to ignore it but thought it over again as it might be my father.

I walked over to the door, unlocking it, then opening to reveal a friendly face.

It was Shraddha who was wearing a calm, friendly smile on her face and she lifted her hand that contained a box.

"Its some sweets, specifically some gulab jamun's and jalebis. I had a sweet tooth so stopped by to get some and wanted to share it with you." She said while smiling.

I nodded for her to enter and she walked in and she plopped herself on the bed, wasting no time to curl her legs under her dress, plopped one of the boxes open and began digging in.

I smiled and left the door slightly ajar before I joined her on the bed and digged into the opened box.

"Just came home?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Long day...I have three clients and one of them is horribly disastrous. It seems no matter what arrangements I plan for her she hates it. Plus her mother is even worse. They want this color for the flowers, no this color, they say the dress won't match the jewelry...blah blah blah..." she said while shaking her head.

I smiled.

Shraddha decided to take charge and become a wedding planner. At 24, she finally decided to open up her own business. Two years later she was meeting with moderate success.

"Sorry about that...how was your day?" she asked while turning towards me and plopping a jalebi into her mouth.

"It was okay, the children are improving really well, I'm trying to think a of a new routine I can teach them and possibly if I could somehow set them up for an event. Something very lighthearted and fun, nothing too serious." I said while smiling.

"Anand?" she asked.

I paused at that and sighed.

"Anand seems more than preoccupied these days."  I said with agitation.

Ever since I met the girl Jaspreet or Jas, it seemed the time that I spent with Anand always included a plus one. Everywhere, she was there.

Times when we went to the movies, we went to a cricket game, to the mall, or even to simply chill at his apartment, she WAS ALWAYS FREAKING THERE!!!!!

The one place she didn't get her hands on was my dance studio, seeming as though Anand somehow was able to deter her every time he was able to get off from the hospital.

Shraddha let out a breath and heaved a deep sigh.

"It means that thing came back." Shraddha said with annoyance.

I turned to her confused.

"Thing?" I said confused.

She took another jalebi, plopped it into her mouth, and took another before answering.

"You said bhai is preoccupied? Then it's most likely because of that thing...Jaspreet or Jas she called herself." Shraddha said in annoyance.

"Every time that thing comes in the picture Anand is always preoccupied." She said.

"So you know Jas...but that makes sense he says they were college friends and it looked like they went to med school together." I said.

"That thing wasn't his friend, those two had some weird relationship but I would say they were friends with benefits." Shraddha said.

I turned sharply to Shraddha, almost twisting my neck.

"They were friends with benefits...don't you mean dating?" I said looking at her with horror.

She tipped her head to the side.

"Of course he said they were dating but I don't think he could really do that with anyone else when he liked you." She said.

I zoned out by the time she said they were friends with benefits, so I didn't catch the last statement.

They were friends with benefits?

The Anand I knew wasn't remotely interested in girls.

He only surrounded himself with either Shraddha or myself during school, having people always tagging us as a couple but for him to have changed during college to casually start sleeping with a girl...

That's why she always seemed as if she knew more about him then I did.

She knew a lot more than I would ever know about him...

"Kittu?" Shraddha said and she snapped her fingers in front of me.

I turned to her.

"Huh?"

Shraddha sighed and shook her head.

"I knew you weren't listening to me." She sighed.

"Don't overreact. Anand...was never serious with that thing and she knew it." Shraddha said.

I turned to her.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean they broke it off before their senior year." Shraddha said and she resumed eating.

"But...but...but they are still friends...and she still flirts with him as if its nothing. She keeps following him everywhere as well." I said.

"That's the thing with parasites, once you swat it, it keeps coming back." She said.

I chuckled a little but I was still unsettled, more so jealous at their relationship or rather previous relationship.

"Why don't you like her?" I asked.

She looked at me squarely in the face before she answered.

"Because she was trying to take a place that didn't belong to her. I told you once before when I met you that I will only entrust Anand to you, no one else." She said while staring at me with a serious expression.

I remembered but never took it seriously.

At the time I was nine, Shraddha was seven and it been less than a good five months since we formally met and our families was visiting and slowly becoming friends.

"But you said that when you were kids...it wasn't serious..." I started.

"But I meant it. Anand...I was worried for him but it seemed as if when he met you, he opened up. Really opened up and was able to slowly express himself and act like his true self. That is why even then I entrusted him to you." She said.

I shook my head.

"Still...just because you entrust him to me doesn't mean it will all work out like that. Two people has to decide to come together because they want to, not because someone inputs that they should." I said seriously.

Shraddha turned to me and placed her hand that wasn't messy against my cheek and stared at me in my eyes and she dropped it to dig into eating once again.

"You two are both just so hopeless at times, but that's not completely true is it?" she said while staring at me.

I blushed at that and lowered my eyes.

"It...it...it makes no difference how I feel...Anand sees me as just...as just a childhood friend." I said.

She smiled and raised her eyebrow.

"I don't think that's how he sees you...Anand was never forthcoming with strangers, more or less friends." Shraddha said.

"But he is nice with Jas." I said which caused her to roll her eyes.

"That thing is somehow a different story." She said in irritation.

There was more to the story as to why Shraddha didn't like Jas. The irritation in her eyes seemed to parallel disgust.

I smiled despite myself.

"So what is the real story with you and Jas?" I said intently.

She looked at me for a second before she turned away and plopped something into her mouth.

She sighed.

"Sorry you caught on." She said.

I smiled.

"I get that you have always been a little bit enthusiastic in pairing up your brother and I, but I don't think it involves us in this case." I said while smiling.

She smiled and then her smile turned into something darker and dangerous, almost predatory, and I was even afraid to really know the whole truth.

"That little thing decided that it wasn't enough that she had to have Anand but it seemed that she was trying to flirt with Kunal at the same time. Of course, with your idiot of a brother he liked to flirt but she always took it a step too far." She said while raising her hand and began making mock crushing and squeezing motions with her hand until it was a complete fist.

"But I thought you said you hated bhaiyaa's guts?" I said confused.

To be honest I was always confused about Shraddha's relation with my brother while growing up and was even more surprise to find out, when I came back, that they were dating more or less engaged.

She was always annoyed with him around and if not that she would always pick , tease, and taunt him until those two started back and forth.

She sighed.

"I didn't hate his guts, I really loved teasing him." She said while smiling.

 "Loved teasing him, or did you love him all along." I said while wagging my eyebrows and smiling at her and she looked at me before she looked away.

"Not nece...necessarily." She stuttered and a blush spread through her face and I laughed.

"Its not true! Its just...just that I always liked him it was just more fun to be mean to him. At least with him, he always responded to my taunts unlike you or bhai." She said while puffing and pouting.

I smiled and chuckled.

"What about you...you never told bhai that you love him." She said with a smile.

I stared at her and I felt a blush crept over my own face.

"Sh..shut up!" I said and I picked up a couple of sweets and before she start again on her taunts I slammed a couple of jalebis into her mouth, keeping it shit so she wouldn't be able to respond.

"Eat, eat, eat, it might actually sweeten you up a bit." I said with a mock annoyed expression.

"Kwwitwu." Shraddha mouthed from her mouth that was filled to the brim.

**************************

Edited by najialuv88 - 9 years ago
Posted: 9 years ago

(Two weeks later...)

"Okay...1...2...3...1...2...3...up, up, up and then." I said while walking around the children.

They were busily working for a new routine for a small performance that I somehow in some way possible was able to put together a week after the Diwali festival.

Almost two hours later I finshed the lesson as the children were really improving and plus I wanted them to go home early since the festival was around the corner.

"Bye, bye!" the children slowly said as their parents came and picked them up for class.

"Thank you so much letting them out early, it was becoming such a handful preparing for everything and I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to pick her up on time." One of the parents said.

I smiled and nodded when she thanked me and picked up her daughter before the left the studio.

"Kittu." A voice said.

I turned to my assistant and she was already hefting up her own daughter and purse.

"Myrah...thanks for coming in today." I said smiling.

She shook her head and flashed a smile.

"No problem at all, be safe going home." I said to her.

She nodded and her daughter smiled as well before the left the shop.

I stretched out my hands in exhaudation and was going to head to the back as the children finally was gone until I heard the door opening and I heard a voice.

"Wow, it really is a dance studio..." a voice said.

I stopped in my position where I was at the piano, slowly turning towards the voice, and my heart dropped straight to the ground.

Anand was entering the shop in his labcoat and scrubs with Jaspreet next to him who was dressed in heels and a red dress.

"Wow...really cool." Jas said as she looked around and Anand turned his attention towards me; our eyes meeting and I felt my heart slowly picked up its beat but a quick glance at the person next to him, I turned around and closed the piano, hard, causing Jas to jump and turn around towards my direction.

"Oooh...it's just the piano...hi Kittu." Jas said while smiling.

She put her hands around Anand who quickly pushed it away, which left me a little bit satisified.

She pouted and turned to Anand.

"Why are you so mean?" she said but she left her hands on her side and put her attention back towards me.

"When you told me that you own a studio, I'm going to be honest with you I wasn't expecting much but it seems impressive...what type of dance do you teach?" she asked.

I forced a smile on my face, feeling like I repeated myself so many times that I wonder if she ever actually listened to me.

"I teach ballet." I said.

She nodded her head and turned back to me.

"Are you any good at it?" she asked.

This time there was something different in her voice, almost if she was challenging me but I was imagining it? Before I could question Anand spoke up instead.

"She is more than good; Kittu is one of the best dancers I have ever seen. I can only say she is the only one I know that dance with her heart in her eyes and in her movements." He said with a soft smile.

All the anger I had that was slowly building up, completely vanished at the glance of that boyish smile, the crease in his cheeks, and the glint of admiration in his eyes had me turn away and I could feel my cheeks becoming warm.

Stupid Kittu, stop thinking weird things.

But I couldn't stop my smile so instead try to clear my throat before I asked a question.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" I asked towards Jas.

She blinked and smiled.

"Anand said he was leaving and I thought we could chill at his apartment, but he said he had somewhere else to go so insisted on following." She said.

I looked at him confused.

"But I thought you were staying home right now? Shraddha told me that you were when she visited a day ago." I said confused.

He nodded.

"I am, for the festival at the moment." He said with a soft smile.

"Auntie ji's insistence?" I said while lifting my eyebrow.

He gave a small smile before he used his left hand to rub the back of his neck.

"Sort of, mama said she would be upset and completely angry with me if I didn't at least spend this time with the family." He said.

I smiled and shooked my head.

"Hope you know that the rest of the celebrations will be at our house this year. Full time access with Shraddha." I said while smiling and instead of him making a morose expression it was Jas instead.

It was for a moment but she quickly covered it in a smile.

"Anyway, Kittu I hope you don't mind but this year I will be spending Diwali with you guys." She said with a smile.

Oh wow, who would have known.

I gave a forced smile and it took everything in me to muster up the big fat lie I was about to say.

"Oh really, that's so much fun. We are going to have fun with you being here." I said.

She smiled.

"I know, I can't wait, its been a long time since I spent time around family and friends for this so I'm going to have fun plus you are going to be there and its going to be even more worthwhile." She said while turning towards Anand.

 I looked at Anand and he smiled but sighed.

(Three days later...)

I was busy helping Shraddha with the rangoli designs; she was busy spreading the darker colors on the design and I was helping her with the lighter colors and she was amazingly, and was surprisingly doing it with precise concentration and precision.

The whole house was abuzzed with activity as everyone was trying to help prepare for the guests that were coming in.

"RAMDEEN!!!! RAMDEEN!!!" my mom's voice could be heard throughout the house while my father was trying to calm her down.

"No calm down...where is this idiot, I told him that I wanted their lights to be decorated around the freaking pool area but all I see when I go there is nothing but a big pile of cords. I could have tripped over them or even worse." She said in annoyance.

"Kamini, calm down...yelling and screaming won't help, there are so many people around, do you think that he will hear you." Papa said while laughing.

I smiled.

"Hey pay attention; you are going to mess up if you don't pay attention." She said.

I looked up at her who was busy sprinkling a thin line of blue color along the pattern line.

I mumbled and continued my part and in less than an hour we were done and I had some powder on my jeans and hands.

I lifted myself up and Shraddha almost screeched.

"Be careful!" she said.

I jumped back alarm and looked at her in a puzzled expression and lifted my hands upward in confusion.

She shook her head and she directed her hands towards the rangoli we finished.

"We finally finished and you almost messed it up...remember we had to redo the last one that you messed up?" she said.

I rolled my eyes.

"And we had to start from scratch from the other one that you fell on but I wasn't going completely bats*** crazy like you are right now." I said in annoyance.

Shraddha sighed and she dusted off her hands.

"Sorry Kittu, just stressed as of late and I'm taking it out on you...sorry...forgive me?" she said with a soft smile.

"Hey...hey...what's going on here!" a deep voice said.

I looked up and saw Kunal coming down the corridor from the backyard area and straight towards us.

Shraddha's smile spread even more when she heard the voice to and she turned around and self consciously pulled her hair behind her hair.

"I was thinking of you." She said.

My brother smiled and dragged her into an embrace.

I tried to look away, embarrassed at their shared moment.

"Really? This is a rare moment that you confess how you are feeling." He said.

"Why were you thinking of me?" he asked .

She smiled and it turned into a frown.

"Because I haven't been able to find you anywhere but as soon as the work gets done you pop out of the woodworks." She said and she broke free from his hold her.

"Kittu, I'm going to wash up, see you later." She said before she walked away and Kunal looked at me and I shrugged helplessly.

"Sorry she has been tense lately, just be careful around her." I said and he nodded before he formed a smile.

"Shraddha...sweetheart...I'm sorry let's discuss this while you are changing." He said.

"You can stay outside...I don't need to you "discussing" anything while I'm changing." she said.

They both disappeared among the group of workers that were carrying something towards the backyard area.

I sighed and shook my head.

"Kittu!" a voice suddenly called out.

I turned around to see my mother, who somehow lost my father in her defiant war path.

"What are you doing here? Hurry up and get dressed." She said.

"I am mom, I was going to help light some of the lamps and place it here before I do so." I said.

She shook her head.

"Okay...okay, hurry up..." She said and she quickly walked away and in less than a second I heard her yelling at another servant.

"Make sure all the furniture are clear from the area...sheesh where is he...Ramdeen!" she yelled again.

I sighed and got to work before she came back and accused me of lazing around.

**************************

It was already the evening by the time we arrived at Auntie's place.

The place was aglowed with streams of lights, white and blue streamers that painted the entranceway for the guests to come in that were already spread thoughout the room.

 "Wow...it's really beautiful. I didn't think it would be this impressive." Jas said.

She was next to me and she was dressed in a dark blue and yellow lehenga choli, with her stomach exposed, showcasing her belly ring, with her dupatta hanging on the side of her left arm.

Her hair was piled into a mass of curls on her right shoulder while ornamented her body with heavy swells of jewelry that caused each movement she made to jingle or clink or clank some type of jewlry that she had on her body.

"Are you sure its okay that you are with your family during this time?" I said to her and she shook her head causing her earrings to fly about with the movement.

"Its okay, my parents don't go all out for these type of things...they just invite all their friends and business partners and they just talk and talk and talk over and over...its maddening." She said while sighing.

I smirked and looked at Jas seriously.

"Don't do anything stupid here." I said.

She turned to me confused.

"What...what are you talking about? When do I ever act stupid...I'm a completely composed person." She said with a hmph.

I sighed.

"Seriously Jaspreet, I don't mind your craziness but we aren't in college and this is not my home. My parents, auntie, uncle, and many of our relatives are here...I won't do anything else that will bring any more problems to my family. I have caused enough as it is." I said with a serious ecpression.

She looked up at me and stared at my eyes and she sighed.

"I'm not? All I'm going to do is eat and talk, promise?" she said.

I smiled.

"Be yourself, just only 5% of your usual self." I said.

She chuckled and she placed her hand in mine.

"Then shall you follow and watch me for the rest of the evening?" she said while winking.

I shook my hand from hers and gave her a tart smile.

"Don't worry Ashish and Ishaan will keep you company." I said and before she could say anything, my brother flanked her side as I walked forward to greet auntie and uncle ji who were busy talking to mama and papa.

I folded my hands together in greeting and uncle ji noticed me first and gave me a bright smile.

"Anand." He said.

Auntie noticed and looked at me for a moment before she gave me a smile.

"Happy Diwali, auntie, Happy Diwali uncle." I said while smiling.

"You too the same." Uncle said.

"How is everything going at the hospital?" he asked.

I smiled.

"Its going really well, I'm not going to say its easy but I'm enjoying what I'm doing and I'm learning things everyday." I said.

He smiled and noticed I was looking around.

"Shraddha is still upstairs, her, Kunal, and Kittu hasn't come down yet." He said in confusion.

I smiled.

"I will bring them down." I said.

"Thank you." Uncle said but when I looked at Kamini a weird look crossed her expression.

"You're talking about your sister I hope?" she said with a smile.

"Yes."

Not really...but it looked as the answer I gave her seemed to suffice.

I wasn't sure as to why Kittu slowly stopped visiting my apartment, but due to auntie's reaction it was starting to make sense as to why.

I excused myself before I headed away from the living room and foyer area that was filled with a thick crowd of people eating, drinking, and talking.

I headed up the stairs, carefully gripping the staircase to maintain my balance.

I made it to the 2nd level of the house looking to the left, knowing the third door led inside towards Kittu's room yet instead I turned to the right to head towards Kunal's and Shraddha's room which suddenly opened with both of them living their room, hand-in-hand.

"Don't think you won." She said.

He smiled and winked.

"I would rather say we reached a compromise then?" he said.

She smiled and shook her head until she made contact with me.

"Bhai?" she said.

The smile she had lowered into a smirk and I gave her one right back, but I diverted my attention towards Kunal and he nodded towards my direction and he released Shraddha's hand and walked over towards me and we both slapped each other's hands in greeting while Kunal smiled.

"Jija ji, what's going on it's been a long time." He said with a smile.

I gave him one right back.

"Sorry, don't live at home anymore and most of my time is spent at the hospital and I'm not able to do much nowadays." I said with an apologetic smile.

She lifted her eyebrow.

"Really?" she said in disbelief.

I nodded.

She walked towards Kunal and she put her hand in his and he turned towards her and soon the smile turned into something else and I became uncomfortable, but Shraddha continued to talk.

"But it seems that you and Kittu have had more than enough time to still catch and meet up but you can't take that same consideration with your sister?" she said in disbelief.

"I actually like hanging with Kittu." I said with a smirk and Shraddha rolled her eyes.

"You like a whole lot more than just "hanging" with her." She said and usually she will begin to tease me like usually do, yet instead she turned to her husband, ignoring me.

"Come on honey I think mama and papa are here since this idiot is now here. I wonder how Ashish and Ishaan are doing? " Shraddha said.

Kunal smiled and shook his head.

"I thought I would like to hear that from you, but now...I think its better if you stay away from endearments." Kunal said.

I smiled and before a war broke out between the two, I slipped myself out of the area to find Kittu.

**************************

"Darn it..." I said.

I tried again and it just passed through my fingers.

I sighed and tried again and finally the match caught on fire.

"Ah-ha!" I said in excitement and at my accomplishment.

I carefully placed the lit match towards the wick and it caught the flame and I carefully placed it down.

I continued to do so, repeatedly for almost all the ones that were lined up by the side of the pool.

I leaned my head towards the side, taking the time to examine my work, smiling in accomplishment and in pride at my work until I heard footsteps.

I looked behind me and saw Anand stepping down from the small two steps that stepped off from the room to the pool area.

I didn't want to stare but it was impossible NOT to especially when he looked so freaking handsome and sexy in is outfit.

He was wearing a white and maroon kurta with a white churidar bottom. His kurta seemed to only hug the muscles on his arms and chest.

His hair was freshly cut, styled, and only a loose strand seemed to stand unattended on his forehead.

I continued to stare at him, staring at his eyes that seemed to become even brighter, sharper under the glare of the flames and lights that surrounded the room.

I lowered my gaze towards his nose that I would secretly play with every time he was passed out when he was drunk, and his lips that were covered with the evidence of a five o'clock shadow and stubble but it only made he seem so much sexier.

"Kittu." He said.

It sounded so rough yet at the same time so soft and gentle that I felt myself shiver internally.

I looked away from him, feeling as if my cheeks were incredibly hot, and instead decided trying to get up but as soon as I did pain lanced through my leg.

I was crouching down for too long.

Before I knew it, I felt rough hands against my lower back and arm.

I looked up and saw Anand staring at me with concern and I could feel myself blushing all over.

"You shouldn't have been crouching like that, your injury." He said while shaking his head.

Once he helped me up and I stepped back, remembering what Shraddha told me.

"I had no choice, I had to light the diyas around here, they forgot to do it...so I did." I said while backing away from him.

Silence insued for a couple of seconds, making the entire situation completely awkward, so I looked up and stared at him with a blank expression.

"I'm going to go, it seems like everything is starting." I said and was going to walk away until I felt his hand on mine.

I turned to him confused.

"You have been acting weird." He said softly.

I looked at him.

"What do you mean?" I said seriously.

"You have been ignoring, avoiding, and most times you avoid looking at me. Did I do something wrong?" he asked confused.

I shook my head and broke his hold on my hand.

"I'm fine. Just give me some time and I will get back to normal." I said and was going to turn around and leave until he grabbed my hand, this time turning me around to face him.

I scrunched up my face in confusion and jerked my hand out of his.

"What's wrong with you?" I said in annoyance and he looked at me further confused.

"Its...its just that you have been acting weird, even just now...what did I do?" he asked earnestly.

I looked at him and he was literally at a lost and I took a deep breath, feeling like I was really overacting.

"They broke it off when they were in their senior year. Its was never dating..."

I remember Shraddha's words.

I sighed, knowing it was ridiculous acting like this.

I never really kept most stuff from him but it seemed like he did as well.

But it was all during the time I was away and seriously, there were stuff I never fully told him as to how I injured my leg.

I sighed, realizing I was really overreacting.

"I'm...I'm sorry. Its just  that since Jaspreet has come back I feel like our time that we used to spend together has been diminished to the point it always feel as if I'm a third wheel, plus she pops everywhere, she digs her nose in everything. Its not that I don't like her, its just that...that...she is always hanging on you...plus finding from Shraddha that you two...you two..." I felt myself blushing before I could continue.

"That you two...had an open relationship...so I...so I...okay...okay I got a little jealous." I said feeling my face become even warmer.

I heard laughter and looked up to see Anand laughing as he stared at me and I was feeling my irritation starting to come back again.

"That's not funny." I said while punching his arm and he caught my hand as I tried to connect towards him again.

"I'm not laughing at you, its just your expression." He sighed and he settled down with a serious expression.

"I met Jas in college and at first we were friends. But then I heard around the time that you left and joined some academy and that most likely that you might not come back..." He said and he looked down and then looked back at me.

"At the time, I thought I wasn't..." I said.

He nodded.

"So around the time I met Jas, it was more so for selfish reasons that I started sleeping with her and I tried to honestly tell her my feelings. I told her how I felt, that I loved her as a friend but it would never, ever go any further than that. But... Shraddha told me that you sent a letter saying that you were serious in settling in America..."

I remembered at the time...

I was battling with myself in just coming home or staying but I didn't want to disappoint my family so I just pretended as everything was okay.

I never knew he knew...

At the time he was off in college so...

"Plus I thought at the time, that you only saw me as just a friend, so I didn't think you would really care. But more importantly I never mentioned it to you because...I didn't want you to think any less of me." He said while smirking.

I smiled at that but at the same time my heart panged once again at the term friend.

"I wouldn't think less of you...it was your private life and its okay if there is certain things I don't know." I said with a smile but the pain became even more pronounced and spread throughout my heart.

Anand looked at me and for some reason it seemed as if he was annoyed.

"That's not it, I want you to know...I don't want...I don't like keeping secrets from you." He said.

I smiled and shook my head.

"Come on, we have known each other for 17 years, there is no way I could keep a secret from you...it's just...Jas can be a handful and at times a little much...but she isn't all bad. She has a share fair of problems but I was able to trust her compared to most people." He said with a smile.

That was true, aside from me and some members from his family, namely just Shraddha, he would never really opened up to many people.

Sure he had friends, lots of them, but he would only maintain this false air of coolness, respectful, intellectual student that was basically the all-around perfect student.

"I didn't think she would come back so soon and..." he said while running his hands through his hair and I picked his hand away from his hair and lowered it and he stared at me.

"Stop worrying about it. It's okay." I said with another smile but it felt as if my hair was breaking as I tried to push out the words.

I felt better that Jas...that he wasn't in love with her...but maybe more so...we were back where we were: as friends.

"Come on; let's go I hear music it's like everyone started before us." I said and I tried to turn around but this time he placed his arms around me, having me showcased in the warmth of his embrace.

My heart, lurched out of its steady rhythm, causing the sudden swell of blood to surge towards my cheeks and other parts of my body; my breathing felt harder to push out from my lungs, and I could feel other areas in my body start to stir in attention.

"Anand, you didn't have to hug me, I understand and its okay...we are friends again so don't..." I tried to say but he only pressed me only closer towards his body and I could feel the warmth wafting from his chest.

I didn't know what to do so instead I just left myself standing there in his arms, taking sniffs at his smell that was a mixture of his natural earthy aroma and something more sensual that I couldn't identify.

"Friends...Friends...friends...is what you always say. Is what we both always say to one another." He said softly.

"But we are friends." I said softly.

"No...no...we are not." He said.

I was confused and I felt him loosen his grip and I looked at him in his eyes as he stared at me and vice versa.

Something in his eyes had my heart stop completely and I was hopefully thinking it was what  I wanted but it couldn't be.

"Anand...we have...we have been gone for too long someone...someone would notice." I felt myself become even more flustered.

"I don't care." He said softly and before I could say anything his hand carefully cupped my chin, lifting my head upward to stare at him.

I felt my senses all at end and was waiting with bated breath for his next move.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you for not telling you my past relationship with Jas." He said softly.

"Anand I told you it's okay..." I tried to start

"It's not okay...it's not okay." He said.

*************************

I continued to stroke my hand underneath her chin, watching as her brown eyes never left mine as she stared at each movement I made.

I stared at her lips that were coated in bright red lipstick, that only made me stare at them evern longer, wanting to kiss them.

She was completely beautiful and was dressed simply, but was still stunning.

She was dressed in a simple pink and blue lehenga that showed pieces of her skin from her navel, her back, and waist but her dupatta shielded most of it which was disappointing for me.

Her hair was pulled into a simple bun, with her eyes coated in eyeshadow, and eyeliner while a mangtikka rested on her forehead, glinting from its position.

I lifted my hand from her chin and instead grazed the strand of hair that fell loose as I continued to stare at her and she met my gaze right back.

I couldn't help but lower my gaze back to her lips and whether it was involuntarily or not she opened her lips and the last strands of control I had, snapped, and I gripped her chin again before I stared at her.

I leaned down closer to her lips.

"I don't see you as a friend, Kritika." I said softly.

She stared at me and I could feel the emotions that were welling up inside me, matching the same image that was in her eyes.

"I don't see you as a friend, Kritika, I have never saw you as a friend." I said before I leaned down and placed my lips against hers.

Once our lips made contact, I felt my heart finally rear its head to life.

I waited, seeing if she really didn't accept me only as a friend but she moved against my lips and I felt her hands place itself over my shoulder and I picked up the past.

I teased my lips against hers and soon I got fed up and groaned as I smashed my lips against her even more as I slide mine against hers.

I continued and soon, I used my teeth to softly nick her lips, playfully pulling her lips in between my teeth, be careful to not squeeze too tight to draw blood.

I stared at her and her brown eyes clouded over almost as if they were a dark black pools.

I released her lips between my teeth and she whimpered.

I smiled.

"Once again Kritika, I don't see you as a friend." I said seriously once again before I retrieved her lips with my own once again and nip, nick, licked, and playfully nibbled on her lips until I could feel her nails digging into my arm.

I felt her tongue make an intrusion into my mouth and she used her tongue to lick against mine and any reign of control that I was trying to use over the situation was snapping and breaking after each gentle slide, lick, and entanglement of her tongue against mine.

I couldn't take it once she continued to tease my tongue that I wrapped my arm around her waist, slowly and carefully breaking our kiss and she looked at me with a crazed expression.

I smiled at her and lowered myself towards her ear.

"You're starting to wobble; your ankle and knee probably still hurting; I'm going to support you against the wall." I said and she nodded and she rested her head towards my chest as I carefully placed her back against the wall.

I stared at her and she lifted her head and stared at me.

I continued to just stare at her and I lifted my hand to cup her cheek and she leaned further into the palm of my hand.

"I never...never...saw you as a friend one day of my life." She said softly that I almost didn't hear her.

She turned her gaze towards me and a smile graced her features.

"I love you Anand, I have always loved you." She said and a small tear started to stream down from her left eye and I quickly wiped it away.

I stared at her as I leaned topwards her lips again.

"I love you too, Kittu." I said and I kissed her forehead.

"I love your smile." I said and kissed one of her eyelids.

"Your nose." I said while smiling and kissed her other eyelid.

"Your strength, and determination." I said and kissed her nose.

"I love your dancing, I love when it seems you wear everything you have to offer right on your face." I said and kissed her cheek.

"I love your laugh." Her other cheek.

"Your energy." Then her lips, a little longer than the others and she practically groaned when I broke up our lips from one another.

"Your craziness." And I kissed towards her chin.

She chuckled and smiled.

"Okay...okay...okay...I get it." She said while lifting up her head from my hand.

I smiled and I leaned myself against her, anchoring my arm around either side of her head.

"I will ask you later to see how much you get but I will really like to continue where we left off." I said and leaned forward to place another kiss against her lips and she met me right back with no hesitation.

************************

"No...no...not...not there." I said and I tried hard not to moan but I was lost.

He was pressing kisses on my stomach, having removed my dupatta where it was laying on the floor and my torso was bare and he continued to rub, lick, nick, and kiss to the point where I wasn't embarrass and just reeling towards every contact towards every touch.

He lifted himself up and smiled towards me before I felt him reach behind my back and felt him slowly pull on the strings that was holding my blouse together.

I felt my heart beating mercifully against my ribcage.

I felt when he finally achieved his goal as the strings fell down against my lower back.

He stared at me as he slowly unraveled my blouse and he stopped.

"Do you want to stop?" Anand said,

I looked at him confused.

"Stop?"

He wanted to stop? F****** stop now!!!

I shook my head.

"No!" I said intently and he smiled and chuckled.

He leaned down towards the column of my neck, leaving a trail of his saliva all the while kissing, biting, licking, and nicking along the column of my neck as he unraveled my blouse and I could feel the brush of cool air against my chest.

"Amazing..." he uttered and I closed my eyes as I felt his lips against the top swell of my breast.

He made light butterfly kisses against them and he continued to spread them out among both of them until the pressure increased and soon he was licking and nicking the skin underneath.

He continued and I could feel my senses starting to spiral out of control as my breathing felt like pinpricks against my chest as I tried to exhale.

He continued and I felt myself become even more mindless against the sensation as pleasure seemed to have completely taken over my body.

I twisted my head back and forth in desperation intrying to taste the pleasure he was giving me and at the same time to take a break from everything that he was causing me.

He continued and soon I felt myself close to something but I wasn't exactly sure what I was closed to.

Soon I felt his hand slide against my nipple and my stomach completely hallowed out as my mind went blank.

Soon his hands replaced his mouth.

"Oh my God!" I said aand twisted even more as he applied his mouth firmly around my breast and the lapse of control I had was slipping as he continued to lick, suck, nick, and continued to play with my breast as whatever I was searching for had me on pins and needles...

So close...so close...so close...so close...

My mind chanted until he released my breast and I was so close in slapping him...so close until I felt something cool blow against where he formerly had his mouth at.

He continued and my mind was tipping over and sure as my senses until he directly licked my nipple again and I felt my head arch as I felt myself finally go over the edge as I moaned, long, and relieved as the edge I was on finally collapsed and nothing but ectasy, happiness, and stars filled my vision.

 I continued to moan until he placed his lips over mine, causing my exposed chest to scratch against his kurta and the sensation of the cloth was spiraling me even further into a second bliss filled haze.

It took me a good minute or so to gain my senses before I looked at Anand who was smirking but his eyes were so soft and gentle as he stared at me.

There was heat still mixed in his eyes but there gentleness was so prominent compared to the others.

I continued to stare at him as I tried to normalize my breating.

"If someone caught us...you would be dead." I said to finally dispel the silence.

He smiled and chuckled softly.

"I know." He said but he soon helped me with my blouse, lifting it upward until it fully covered my chest, retying my dori, picking up my dupatta from the floor, dusting it off and gently placing it where it was covering my chest and stomach.

"Do I have lipstick on me?" he asked.

I nodded and he quickly went inside the house while I fixed my hair as it was most likely messed up so instead of redoing it all over again, I released the pins, and bows from my hair to have it whip out of its hold into a mass of curls that stopped at my lower arm, so I carefully piled it to one side.

He came back and whatever traces of my lipstick that was on him was gone.

"Do my lipstick look okay?" I asked and he nodded.

"We have to go down now, it seems almost 20 minutes have passed...people will start talking if we both are not seen...we have to go." I said seriously.

He nodded and he stretched his hand towards mine and I shook my head.

"It would be suspicious." I said while blushing.

"I have to, you look more beautiful with your hair down."

********************

"Well, well, well it's nice to see you again." A husky voice said.

I tensed up and I turned around, drink in hand and wasn't shocked when I met a familiar face, a face that I was trying my damnedest to avoid.

"I would say I don't share in that same emotion." I said with a mock smile and it turned into a frown.

Instead she chuckled, flipping part of her hair back.

"Shraddha...come on, let's move on, we are adults now, let bygones be bygones." She said with a smile and with her hand extended.

"Too bad that I haven't down much growing up and I really doubt that you have done the same." I said and took a sip of my drink

She smiled and chuckled.

"Still as cold as ever." She said and she looked around.

"While you seemed to be as lose as ever." I said.

She chuckled again.

"Oooh...Shraddha...let it go..." She said while smiling.

"I'm sorry if I have a hard time in letting go of the fact that you were flirting with my boyfriend whose currently my husband by the way. I see what you do with single men and won't be that shocked if you did the same with married men." I said with a smile.

She lost her smile for a moment and stared at me and then cracked into a smile and folded her hands together.

"I think I figured out what your problem is Shraddha." She said.

I arched my eyebrow at her.

"What will that be?" I looked at her with amusement.

"You are just threatened by me. You are more so awkward, insecure, and have bountiful of vulnerabilities that you hide behind that poisonous tongue of yours. You..."

I raised my hand upward to stop her there.

"Even if that's the case, will not change how much I really dislike you nor change your basic nature. So being preachy is not what I want to hear." I said with a straight look.

She smirked.

"It's amazing that you have anyone more so that you somehow convinced Kunal that you are any different." She said.

"I didn't convince him of anything...if that's what you need to have a guy come to you, then I feel a little ounce of pity for you." I said.

"I don't need your pity." She said.

"But I'm unusually giving it you, so take it..." I said with a smile.

She took a deep breath and I took another sip of my drink.

"Just...just do you know where Anand went?" she asked.

I smiled.
"I have no clue...oh...speak of the devil there he is..." I said.

I saw him emerge into the room with surprise, surprise Kittu on his arm.

I smiled but scrunched my eyebrow in confusion at both of their expressions...

Don't tell me...

 I smiled and looked at Jas who also noticed the two and it wasn't something she liked as she had a frown on her face.

"But it seems like he is pre-occupied for the moment, so I guess you might have to wait for your turn dear." I said and gave her a wink before I went to meet them.

********************

I placed my hand over my ear as she launched the firecracker and the rocket quickly shot in the air.

"Come on...that is nothing use this." Kunal said.

He placed a bigger rocket firecracker on the ground, lit the fuse, and we watched as thing stood in its same place.

"You say that but your thing is not wor..."

Shraddha was cut off as the thing lurched straight into the air causing the rocket to shoot out and join the mingle of other firecrackers that were being launched into the air by other friends and family.

"Wow..." I said and gave a quick clap towards my brother.

"So you were right..." Shraddha said impressed.

I smiled and before I could say anything he quickly placed a pair of sparklers in my hand and before I could protest, he disappeared when a bunch of kids ushered him a long for him to  help them in their fireworks.

"You know...your brother is WAY into this then he should be for someone his age."Shraddha said while snatching one of the sparklers from my hand.

"You should already know...that is how bhaiyaa is, he is a child deep, deep, deep down inside. OR...more so, he really love enjoying himself, living in the moment." I said while staring at Shraddha.

She broke into a smile and nodded.

I smiled and I began playing with my sparkler, twirling it in a circular motion, zig-zag, and into a figure eight motion until I heard Shraddha clearing her throat.

"I have a question I want to ask." She said.

"That's not like you to ask for permission for a question, you always just ask without any problems." I said while smiling.

She laughed.

"True, but...I might be wrong about this...but I'm rarely wrong." She said.

I smiled and shook my head.

"Just ask." I said.

She paused for a moment and she was staring at something and I looked at her direction and noticed she was looking at Anand and Jas, where Jas was looking at Anand in an angry expression.

"Did...did...something happen with you and bhai?" she said while looking at me.

I turned to her and she was looking at me with an earnest expression.

I knew Shraddha as long as Anand and she was my best friend who completely covered my a** so many times while growing up and vice versa.

"Yeah..." I said while faintly smiling.

"Ah-ha...that would make sense...you guys have...been different and for some reason avoiding one another." She said.

"So you think you know everything...you are having way too much fun with this." I said while rolling my eyes but still smiling.

She smiled.

"Not really...already knew it was going to happen was waiting for the when." She said with a knowing expression.

"Ughh..." I said and shook my head.

"So you think you know everything huh?" I said while staring at her.

"I don't think. I do know everything and based on any inclination from their expressions it seems that Anand is breaking it down to Ms. Parasite. Don't look like she is too happy with it either." She said and I looked back at her line of direction when Jas shook her head and walked away from Anand.

I smiled despite myself.

"Seems like Ms. Parasite won't be around here less and less...meaning our life will go back to normal." She said.

I shook my head and felt guilty for smiling earlier but it would be so much better if we could have less and less doses of Jas around for once.

********************

(Three weeks later...)

He was staring at me and I felt myself blush even more.

"This is embarrassing." I said.

He chuckled.

"Its not a big deal Kittu, just relax." He said with a husky voice.

"But...but...but this is my first time doing something like this..." I said while blushing.

"It's not my first time...so just take a deep breath and we will take it slow. I'll lead." He said while giving me a wink.

I was standing in front of him, wrapped in his embrace as he was staring down at me with a smirk on his face.

I was dressed in a pair of leotards and a skirt while he was dressed in nothing but a shirt and jeans and we were both barefoot.

It was awkward at first, but...but...but we decided to start this whole dating thing...but it didn't feel any different from our normal activities from before.

We always went to the movies, hung out, drink beer, and everything else.

"But this...you didn't have to do this." I said while smiling.

"I insisted this is important...you are doing this for my mother and father...so I want to help any way possible." He said.

I smiled.

"They deserve something like this for their wedding anniversary and even more...I wanted to plan something that was really special and that they will really remember and appreciate. What more so seeing their son dancing for the first time in front of them." I said while smiling.

We were in his apartment to help prepare a small dance for his mother and father 20th wedding anniversary that was going to be a small celebration among family and close friends.

He chuckled.

"Okay...okay I'm ready." He said with a serious expression.

I smiled and released myself from his embrace and quickly pressed play on my mp3 player and soon a slow Spanish song started to play.

I quickly placed my hands in his and vice versa and we pulled out hands apart, slowly separating ourselves from one another as we stared at one another in the eye, our legs crossing against one another in a systematic pattern.

He then flipped me around and my back landed squarely against my chest and hewrapped his hands around my chest and we slowly flowed to the steps of the song all the while my heart started to beat and pump rapidly as the closeness, his scent, our body being pressed against one another.

He then turned me around and we continued to stare at one another and I slipped my hand on his shoulder blade, stepped back, he stepped forward, back, forward, all the while maintaining a steady gaze as he slowly dipped me backwards, my body prone midair and my chest in direct line with his face but I didn't have time to react as he picked me back up and I promptly lifted my leg up towards his upper thigh, arms wrapped around his shoulder.

The music, the beat, started to speed up and Anand had his hand pressed tightly against my back other hand against my leg that was on him.

I slowly let my leg slowly slide down his leg and all the while staring at him and he was staring at me this time heat was flared straight into his eyes.

I felt his arm pushed my body closer towards him and I wrapped my hands even tighter around him and I could feel every line of his body.

He then gripped my hand in his, twirled me outward from his body and unfurled me back and wrapped his hands around my waist and effortlessly picked me up off the floor as he twirled me around the floor all the while still staring at one another.

The atmosphere was charged and it felt so tangible the heat, the desire, the pent up emotions that were already building up between us as I continued to stare into his brown eyes.

He slowly lowered me down to the floor, making sure I lowered down along his body.

By the time I landed on my feet, the song was already long done and over but we were far gone to ever even realize it.

Our breaths were becoming jagged, rushed, mingling against one another.

"It was really great..." he said softly.

"Auntie and uncle will really love it." I said while smiling.

"I hope they will." He said while searching my gaze.

I couldn't take the tension any longer and the mindless chatter was only building up my hunger.

I leaned myself upward, pressing myself even closer towards his chest and body to squelch the space that still existed between us.

I leaned upward and his head lowered, closer to mine and our lips met and we were both struggling to end up on top and take control but I wrapped my hands closer on his shoulders, pressing myself even closer around him as I tried to get more of his taste and he wrapped his hands further around my waist and we continued to kiss until I felt him place his hands underneath my legs.

I broke the kiss and looked at him with a confused expression and we stared at one another, more so I was staring at his lips and he was staring at mine.

"Stop here...now...or more..." he said with a questioning look.

I stared at him and my heart was not listening to me as it was pumping a mile a second, rushing all the blood to stimulate other parts of my body.

I smiled and leaned my head into his shoulder and smiled while blushing silently.

"I think...I think...no I want more." I said while blushing and without further notice he hefted me out of the living room towards the staircase that led towards upstairs, towards his room.

*******************

 

Edited by najialuv88 - 9 years ago
Posted: 9 years ago
!@@#$%&(*)(()&^&%$#@#+)_)(__)**&&%%$#@##@#@ ma first reaction update soon
RES😆
UNRES

Superb...it was really sweet and different👏👏👏

Shranal married and Anki lovers...felt like I was watching real meribhabhi

Loved that dance descriptions they were all so and so beautiful😃

Jas actually I forgot about her character u made me remember her after long...anand and kunal huh we can't blame her they both are too dangerous to handle😆

Yup shraddha- kittu convo was too good u reversed our nanad and bhabhi...

Anki scenes wow no words... All I could do was blushing...last one more than blushing😳😆

But jumoke all this that too before marriage...u should not fill such images in my innocent mind but plz don't stop doing this I love when anki / shranal engage in these practices😉

Love you dear...lots of kisses...really precious gift for me muaahhh🤗🤗🤗


Edited by -treesa- - 9 years ago
Posted: 9 years ago
Originally posted by -treesa-


!@@#$%&(*)(()&^&%$#@#+)_)(__)**&&%%$#@##@#@ ma first reaction update soon
RES😆
LOL😆
So sorry dear...I'm trying my fingers are typing as fast as they can...but this...will take a while as its a little surprise for Anki fans...😛😛
Posted: 9 years ago
Res!😆😆😆

Unres

Wow...What a different try Jumoke!!👏👏
Absolutely brilliant!!!⭐️

Loved Shraddha-Kittu's scenes wr top class!!⭐️⭐️

ShraNal married!!<3

Very beautiful story...thoroughly enjoyed it!!😃

Thanks so much!!🤗🤗🤗🤗
Edited by -Red-Rose- - 9 years ago
Posted: 9 years ago
Originally posted by -treesa-


!@@#$%&(*)(()&^&%$#@#+)_)(__)**&&%%$#@##@#@ ma first reaction update soon
RES😆
UNRES

Superb...it was really sweet and different👏👏👏

Shranal married and Anki lovers...felt like I was watching real meribhabhi

Loved that dance descriptions they were all so and so beautiful😃

Jas actually I forgot about her character u made me remember her after long...anand and kunal huh we can't blame her they both are too dangerous to handle😆

Yup shraddha- kittu convo was too good u reversed our nanad and bhabhi...

Anki scenes wow no words... All I could do was blushing...last one more than blushing😳😆

But jumoke all this that too before marriage...u should not fill such images in my innocent mind but plz don't stop doing this I love when anki / shranal engage in these practices😉

Love you dear...lots of kisses...really precious gift for me muaahhh🤗🤗🤗



Thanks dear...😛😆
For real...then yay😃 Tried my best😛
Yay on the dance descriptions because i have no clue about one or the other so i tried my best.
Yep can anyone really blame her? Anand and Kunal are just droolworthyand I wish they did more with her character, it was nice she wasn't that much of a threat but they could have done more with her character but whatever..😆😆
Yep love writing about Kittu and Shraddha...always so fun writing about it
Yep all that before marriage☺️☺️☺️ Hehe...😆
Ur right i don't want to fill such images in ur innocent mind...but i will continue because its hilarious and so cute to write about
Love you too dear and more hugs and kisses from my side and it was no problem at all
🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

Posted: 9 years ago
Najiaaa all i can say is that you had me at hello 😳😳
what a brilliant one shot,, start to finish and i can tell you i loved the length of it so i could feel the whole passion with all earnestness.. same way you wrote it...

i loved their chemistry and the entire built up.. i cant thank you for exploring this side of anki chemistry which the show and cv's could never explore... they always left me wanting for more and you gave me the MORE and all of it...

IT IS BRILLIANT...

loved how the story traverses from one scene to another... 

loved the fact that shraddha was kittu's bhabhi and not vice a versa...

loved that anand n kittu got to romance and not be married to begin with...

loved that you kept all nuances intact...

i could picture Jas / Madhura totally as this Jas as the show kept this side also unexplored.. their history and you nailed it...

kamini was the same 😡

Kunal his childish and cuteness intact😃😃

loved all of it.. you make me relive.. cant wait for vipul n esha to hit teh screens soon and hopefully together... you have left me satisfied but still wanting fpr more😆

loved it... love you... higs and kisssesss coming your way🤗🤗🤗



Posted: 9 years ago
Originally posted by Saanjh5


Najiaaa all i can say is that you had me at hello 😳😳
what a brilliant one shot,, start to finish and i can tell you i loved the length of it so i could feel the whole passion with all earnestness.. same way you wrote it...

i loved their chemistry and the entire built up.. i cant thank you for exploring this side of anki chemistry which the show and cv's could never explore... they always left me wanting for more and you gave me the MORE and all of it...

IT IS BRILLIANT...

loved how the story traverses from one scene to another... 

loved the fact that shraddha was kittu's bhabhi and not vice a versa...

loved that anand n kittu got to romance and not be married to begin with...

loved that you kept all nuances intact...

i could picture Jas / Madhura totally as this Jas as the show kept this side also unexplored.. their history and you nailed it...

kamini was the same 😡

Kunal his childish and cuteness intact😃😃

loved all of it.. you make me relive.. cant wait for vipul n esha to hit teh screens soon and hopefully together... you have left me satisfied but still wanting fpr more😆

loved it... love you... higs and kisssesss coming your way🤗🤗🤗



LOL🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The length...hehe...I was thinking simple but the story took a life of its own so...yeah...😆😆
I wished for once maybe we could have had more individual growth in all the couples in stagnant times but it didn;t work out but that doesn't mean i can't write about it😳😛
I actually really love Shraddha in here...I didn't even know i made her this funny😕😕
Yeah, they kept their history unexplored...i remember they mentioned that he might have liked her but i think Zor talked him out of it or something...im not sure...if it was mentioned it was an afterthought and not fully fleshed out.
I will try to write more when im feeling better and have time so don't worry dear and awww...u make me smile with ur comments...ur so cute...lol😉😆😆
Thanks dear and hugs and kisses right back🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗



Posted: 9 years ago
Originally posted by -Red-Rose-


Res!😆😆😆

Unres

Wow...What a different try Jumoke!!👏👏
Absolutely brilliant!!!⭐️

Loved Shraddha-Kittu's scenes wr top class!!⭐️⭐️

ShraNal married!!<3

Very beautiful story...thoroughly enjoyed it!!😃

Thanks so much!!🤗

Thanks dear and yep, yep nothing but different, strange, or further-est from the ordinary with me😆😆
Shraddha's Kunal scenes...point blank, Shraddha was just hilarious in this for me...she was just freaking hilarious and i didn't even know🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yep Shranal married always, completely, absolutely...just being together if necessary
Thanks dear and im glad you enjoyed it and ur welcome dear and muah muah muah muah dear❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

Related Topics

No Related topics found

Topic Info

5 Participants 13 Replies 2864Views

Topic started by NaijaLuv88

Last replied by NaijaLuv88

loader
loader
up-open TOP