It Started With a Friend Request (17 page)

Aleesha covered herself with a blanket but her tears didn’t allow her to sleep. Kritika checked the time again. It was 11.45 pm and all the lights were switched off. Kritika called up Akash and gave him the go-ahead to enter their room. Aleesha could hear her whispering on the phone and she pulled the pillow over her head and covered her ears tightly with it.

Akash was inside the room the very next second. I followed him and latched the door. Aleesha saw us from under the blanket and couldn’t control her temper. She picked up her bedsheet and threw it on Akash. It just fell short of landing on Akash’s head. She started shouting on the top of her voice. We thought we would be caught, as someone would knock the door hearing Aleesha screaming so loudly. Kritika held her mouth shut and Akash took out red roses from his backpack. There were twelve roses in all tied into a bunch
with a satin ribbon. He moved forward and offered the flowers to her. She was still angry at him and that was evident from the way she turned her face away wiping away tears from her face.

‘What do you want now? You must have brought these for her, but seeing me, you are offering them to me?’ Aleesha screamed.

I moved closer to Aleesha, held her by her arm, and made her sit down explaining everything to her. Akash was still standing while I convinced her and made her understand every minute detail of the incident. Akash had said I love you to Kritika for all the help she was offering for making the day special for Aleesha and him. They had no bad intentions whatsoever. They held each other’s hand only for a fraction of a second, and that too because Akash was grateful for Kritika’s help. It was only bad timing that Aleesha bumped into them at the same minute.

‘Are you serious?’ she asked me.

‘Yes dear. Why should I lie to you? Trust me. It was just because he had planned something special for you today as you both complete six months of your relationship. At least smile now. It’s not their fault. You simply misconstrued what had happened,’ I said patting her back to make her smile.

Akash felt relieved when he saw Aleesha smile. He went down on his knees and presented the rose bouquet to her.

‘I love you Minnie,’ Akash said with a big smile.

Aleesha wiped away her tears and tried to smile when she said, ‘I love you too.’

Akash got up and hugged her tightly after which Aleesha melted in his arms. She started crying like a kid and apologized for doubting his intentions and not trusting him. Akash kissed her earlobes and gave her a warm kiss on her forehead. Aleesha pulled her ears to apologize.

‘You look cute when you cry and smile at the same time. I love you. Can you guess why I gave you twelve roses?’ Akash questioned.

‘Why Mickey?’

‘Twelve roses are for our six months of togetherness. We completed six months happily and thus six roses…’ Akash was about to continue but Aleesha interrupted.

‘Then why twelve?’

‘My jaan, six roses for making the last six months beautiful and six in advance because I believe we will complete a year in love too. Thus twelve roses complete the both of us,’ Akash smiled.

They both hugged. The next moment their lips met, and their tongues explored each other’s mouth. They were so lost in their kiss that they forgot that Kritika and I were standing right next to them. In the meanwhile, Kritika and I brought out the cake Akash had got along with him and kept it on the table.

‘Guys, here is it. It’s your time, let’s celebrate it today,’ Kritika said while I lit the candles.

‘Wow. It’s lovely. Akash, you are such a darling. You brought a Minnie and Mickey Mouse cake. So cute! Let me click a picture, ’ Aleesha said taking a picture with her mobile phone and immediately uploaded it on her BBM.

‘Make a wish and then blow off the candles in one go,’ I instructed.

They looked at each other and then closed their eyes in order to make a wish. I believe that a silent wish should be made before blowing out the candles. If all the candles are put off in one breath, the wish will come true. They made a secret wish and then excitedly blew out all the candles in one go. While they were feeding each other small bits of the cake, it seemed the smoke from the candles carried their wishes and prayers to the almighty.

Real entertainment came in after cutting the two-tier cake. Aleesha decided to shove her piece of cake onto Akash’s face.

‘Ah!’

Kritika and I turned around to see Akash’s face covered in chocolate and whipped cream. I waited to see Akash’s reaction. He stood there with cake dripping down his T-shirt and Aleesha laughing uncontrollably. She took another piece of cake and swung it at Akash but he ducked and it hit Kritika instead.

‘Oh gosh! I am so sorry,’ Aleesha said.

Kritika immediately picked up a huge chunk and threw it on Aleesha but she ducked too and it came straight on my face. I grabbed the biggest piece I could get hold of and shoved it on Aleesha. She couldn’t move and it her on her shoulders and face.

Aleesha stood atop a table and clearing her throat shouted, ‘Cake Fight!’

At that moment, everyone started throwing cake pieces on each other. I went towards the stereo player and inserted
a music CD to make the mood even more lively when I saw a piece zooming towards me. I ducked and it hit the wall this time. Everywhere Aleesha turned, she was hit with the cake. Her long hair was covered with white and pink cream, and chocolate.

‘Stop throwing at me now,’ she requested but Akash hit her on the chest and the cream went down her top.

‘Aah! I AM SERIOUS,’ she shouted wiping the cake sliding down under her top.

Kritika was approaching the cake fight differently. Every time the cake came her way, she caught it with her hand and ate it.

‘This is crazy! We were supposed to be celebrating our six months anniversary and not wasting such a yummy ice-cream cake. I am putting an end to this,’ Aleesha shouted peeping from under the bed.

‘Stop this madness right now,’ she continued but she was attacked with cake again. ‘Ahhh!’ She hid under the bed again, wiping the cake off her top.

Eventually the music stopped and everything came to a halt. However, I wondered how the girls would clean up the mess. It was going to be a tough task for them.

Akash went closer to Aleesha and hugged her as we were about to leave. He licked the cream off her face with his tongue and ate it.

‘You know what tastes better than the cake on your face?’ Akash questioned.

‘What?’

‘Your lips.’ He pulled her towards him and kissed her passionately.

After cleaning up, we slowly moved out of the room under Kritika’s guidance. As we sat in the car, Akash messaged Aleesha about another surprise.

Minnie, I hope you enjoyed my little surprise. I just wanted to shock you and make you feel special. I do care for you and will be there for you always. Never ever think that I will cheat on you or go out with someone else. You get hyper easily and overreact. Please stop assuming things and don’t jump to conclusions without knowing the actual facts. It could harm our relationship in the future. Don’t react to things so easily my jaan. I love you a lot and I am all yours. There is one more surprise waiting for you. I have kept a bag under your bed which has a gift for you. Tomorrow neither of us are going to office and college. I have taken a leave. We are going to spend time together recollecting the memories of our last six months. Once you see the gift I have kept in the bag, do message me. I am waiting.

Aleesha took out the bag kept hidden under her bed and removed a note and a gift-wrapped box from it.

The note said: Do wear it tomorrow. You will look no less than a princess in this.

She opened the bag to see a rich white chikan work Anarkali salwar kameez. The maroon churidar looked lovely while the white dupatta was in net with a ravishing red velvet border. She was on cloud nine and couldn’t resist trying it. She immediately changed into her new outfit and looked in the mirror and blushed. She told Kritika to click some snaps of her on her BlackBerry and send it to Akash
immediately. Aleesha was extremely happy and retired to bed with a smile on her face. Just before dozing off, she messaged him:

Can’t wait for tomorrow. I love you. Thank you for the amazing gift. I love it. I will come wearing it tomorrow just for you. I am really lucky to have someone like you in my life. Good night. Drive safe and give me a missed call when you reach home. Don’t forget it, else I will kill you. I get worried when you don’t. Love you.

Akash and Aleesha were not a couple in love, they loved each other and thus they were a couple. Together they had submerged themselves in the ocean of love. For a woman, the proof of love is that she is willing to be destroyed by the one whom she loves. And Aleesha was no different. Though she sometimes lost her temper and would take rash decisions which hurt her emotionally, she still loved Akash. It was not a love story to be remembered for ages like Romeo and Juliet’s, but was full of insecurities and possessiveness, and yet it was special in its own way.

January 7

Aleesha took the late pass from the warden since she was going to spend the evening with Akash. She called up Tamanna to inform her that she was going out with friends since she had told the warden that she was going to stay with her local guardian Tamanna.

‘So where are you going?’ Tamanna enquired on the phone.

‘It’s just a late evening party. My friends say its a surprise so I have no idea about the venue,’ Aleesha replied.

‘Oh! College friends?’

‘Yes, also my boyfriend. Remember the guy I had told you about when we were in the disc? The one who was hitting on me? The same guy. We are dating now,’ Aleesha blushed.

‘Hmm,’ Tamanna replied casually, like her love life did not matter to her. She hung up the phone to attend to some urgent matter.

Aleesha wore the dress Akash had gifted her. She looked fabulous in the white and red Anarkali. She had worn red stilettos with silver work on it and Kashmiri silver jhumke with small red stones at the centre that added to her beauty.

Akash and Aleesha had decided to meet at Mahalaxmi station. Aleesha boarded a local from Churchgate station. Her attire caught everyone’s attention and all the other passengers kept looking at her. She reached the venue within 15 minutes and Akash was waiting for her outside the station on the bridge.

When Akash saw her coming towards him, he was floored by her beauty. She looked more beautiful than what he had imagined. She came near him and gave him a warm hug. He gazed at her carefully from head to toe.

‘You ooze sex appeal in whatever you wear. You look so pretty, my love. You should wear Indian outfits,’ Akash said still looking at her in wonder.

‘It’s you and your love which makes me feel beautiful. I have never felt this special before. And only you can handle
me in my worst behaviour. Love you so much.’ She knew her looks worked in her favour and had the power to floor Akash anytime she wanted. She knew she could be sensuous yet elegant at the same time.

Akash was dressed in black and dark red shaded silk Pathani. It looked trendy and at the same time made him feel masculine. He had worn the outfit with traditional pathani jootis.

‘You look no less than a Nawaab today. Just look at you! Killer! Your cute dimples make you so tempting that I so want to eat you right now. I hate the fact that you can seduce me so easily,’ she teased him as they moved towards Haji Ali.