Happy Reading…
Blue Moon Cafe ☕☕
“What do I do to wipe that smile off your face? ” an irked Roshni asked a smiling Pragya.
“Nothing, you can’t do anything to wipe this smile off my face because you are not the one who has put it on me, only the one who has put this smile on my face has the right to wipe it off, ” she replied cheekily.
“Does it have something to do with the lunch date you had with your boyfriend because you have been smiling ever since you got here, and that’s like, ” she looked at the watch on her wrist, “four hours, doesn’t your face he hurt already because of all the smiling? ”
“No it doesn’t, and for last time, he is not my boyfriend, ” she denied as her face turned the deepest shade of red remembering what happened in Abhi’s office.
“You can deny that but that blush you are trying to hide is not helping you the slightest, I don’t care whether he is your boyfriend or not, I am happy if you are, ” she said sincerely.
“Thanks, Roshni, ” Pragya replied as Roshni pulled her in for a hug if only Tanu and I were this close, Pragya sadly thought remembering her sister, they were never close speaking of Tanu no one know one knew where she had disappeared to all she said before leaving was she has got a wedding to attend, and just like that she left never to be seen again.
“What’s wrong? ” Roshni asked seeing the sad features that married Pragya’s face.
‘Nothing, I just remembered my sister. ”
“I don’t know what to tell you, I don’t have any siblings, but all I know is that you are the best sister one could ever ask for, don’t beat yourself up about someone who doesn’t see you for who you are, just live your life and be happy, now let’s get back to work before the tigress walks in, ” she whispered the last part.
“That’s your mother you are talking about. ”
“Yes, but she is scary, ” she shrugged.
“No she is not, ” Pragya argued, “she is nothing but sweet. ”
“Whatever you say, but let’s get back to work. ”
A few minutes later an awkward looking Abhi walked in holding a bouquet of calla lilies, he looked like he was talking to himself, giving himself a little pep talk to boost his confidence, at the same time he looked like he was fighting his inner thoughts.

Stop being a chicken Abhi, just walk towards her, say hi and give her the flowers, he told himself and took in a deep breath, but what if she doesn’t like them? His inner being asked, I messed up didn’t I? I should have bought her roses instead, but roses are so overrated and I bought her roses the last time, that’s why I bought her lilies today, I am thinking outside the box like Rachna told me, he argued with himself, well you should have stayed stuck in the box, what if she despises lilies, okay even if you wanted to do something different, you should have bought her something different, the little devil in his left ear whispered, if he had not entered the cafe yet, Abhi was sure he would have hit the road, what if she hated lilies? He had come so far and he didn’t want what they shared to be ruined just because of a bunch of lilies.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid, ” he muttered curses against himself.
“That’s what I have been trying to make you understand for months now, ” Roshni said breaking his train of profanities.
“Huh??? ”
“Whatever profanities you were saying against yourself and that you are stupid, I have been trying to make you understand that you are stupid for months, but you were still are too stupid to understand. ”
“Listen, Rosh, I am having this huge battle with myself and you are not helping me a single bit. ”
“Fine, what is it? I am sure you need my help, when do you never need my help. ”
Abhi knew she was right, in as much as he hated getting help from her, she was Pragya’s best friend so obviously, she knew more about Pragya than he would, yes he would easily ask Sid about her preferences, but that would be awkward for both him and Sid, so Roshni was the better option. Taking a deep breath, he glanced between Roshni and the flowers in his hands.
“Oh I see, ” Roshni said grinning like an idiot, Abhi was not so difficult to read, she knew that he was worried about the flowers.
“What do you see? ”
“Come closer, ” she called him, “bend down, I want to tell you a secret, ” she whispered glancing at Pragya who was oblivious to the happenings, “Pragya hates lilies, especially those type, ” Abhi quickly looked up at Roshni only to see her wearing nothing but an innocent look, “but we all know Pragya, she is such a sweet innocent soul she won’t say a thing about not liking them, she will just accept them you know, ” she continued feigning innocence and trying so hard to bite back a laugh as she saw a horrified look on Abhi’s face.
“But I heard her father say his daughter likes lilies, ” he said suddenly remembering Raj’s words not so long ago.
“I think he was talking about his other daughter, ” she shrugged, “he has two daughters remember? ”
“What do I do with these? I am such an idiot, I always ruin everything. ”
“I won’t argue with you, you have a point there, you are really an idiot, as for those, I suggest you throw them in the dustbin outside. ”
“Okay. ”
Just as he was about to leave, he heard an excited Pragya call after him, she was so busy giving orders to Resham she didn’t see him.
“Oh my god, are those for me, they are so beautiful I love them, ” getting the bouquet from his hands, she tiptoed to his level and gave him a kiss on his cheek.
“You love them? ” he asked in disbelief, thinking she was saying this because she didn’t want to hurt his feelings, “listen Pragya, its okay if you don’t love them, you don’t have to lie to make me feel better, ” he said as Roshni laughed silently at how he was making a fool out of himself, “just give them to me, I will throw them in the dustbin, you don’t have to pretend to like them, ” he added as she tried to grab the bouquet from Pragya’s hands, who slapped his hand away, “ouch, why did you do that? ”
“And who told you are don’t like them, these are my favourite flowers, ” she said with an angry pout.
“But… I… She… ” Abhi stammered.
“Who? Roshni, ” she glared at Roshni who was now drowning in laughter.
“Did you see his face? Oh my god, that was hilarious, okay now excuse me, I will leave you two to talk now, ” she said and left.
“I am sorry about that, whatever Roshni did. ” Pragya apologised.
“Its okay, I am already used to it, ” he shrugged, “in fact I get worried if she doesn’t do anything to make me look like a stupid fool, ” he admitted.
“So where is Sid? Did you come alone? ” she asked changing the subject.
“Um… Well… Sid… ” he stammered remembering how he asked Sid to stay behind saying he will drive her home, now telling her that became a challenge.
“Come with me, ” Pragya pulled him to the closest chair and made him sit, “do you need some water? ” she asked.
“No, no, I am okay? ”
“You really don’t need to be nervous around me, do I scare you? ”
“Yes… I mean no… I mean both, oh crap, ” Pragya simply giggled at his reply.
“So how do I scare you, I know I don’t look scary, ” she teased as she playfully poked his shoulder.
“It’s nothing like that, I just don’t want to mess things up, especially with you, you are very special to me, ” he confessed, and because I love you, he wanted to add, but he knew that this wasn’t the right place to say those words and he feared that his timing would be wrong.
Pragya’s features softened when she heard his words, “you have nothing to be afraid of, I am sure you won’t mess things up, ” she tried to convince him as she cupped his face.
“You sure about that? You think I won’t mess things up with my messed up awkward nature? ”
“I know you won’t, and it’s not messed up, I actually find it very cute and attractive, ” Pragya quickly covered her mouth with her palms when she realised what she just said.
“So you find me attractive? ” he asked in a teasing tone.
“Not you, I find your awkward nature attractive, ” she teased back as silence prevailed, a very awkward silence, “where is Sid? ” she asked breaking the silence.
“He is stuck with work, I will be driving you home today if you don’t mind, your father also approves. ”
“Okay, let me just get my bag and we can leave. ”
Pragya said a quick bye to Roshni and Resham and left with Abhi who insisted on carrying her bag saying it was not right for him to leave her to carry something when he is around and his hands are not full.
The drive to the Khurana mansion was filled with nothing but silence, except from the few voices which could be heard in the background and Pragya humming to a song which was playing on radio, it was not the awkward uncomfortable type of silence, well at least not for Pragya, Abhi, on the other hand, was a whole different case, ever since he met Pragya foolishness and stupidity had become his best friend, he perfectly managed to make himself look like a fool in front of her, she had some form of power over him, she had the ability to do things to him that no other person could do, she made him feel different things all at once, it was with her that he managed to be his true self, she made him comfortable and uncomfortable all at the same time.
“Thanks for driving me home, ” Pragya said snapping him out of his thoughts.
“What time did we get here? How did we get here? ” he asked himself, but unfortunately for him, Pragya heard him.
“We got here just now and you drove us here, ” she replied pointing at the steering wheel which he was holding tightly if that was a person, the poor fellow would have probably met his maker.
“I wasn’t supposed to say that loud, ” he muttered.
“I know and the other things you were saying throughout the drive here, ” Abhi’s eyes widened in surprise, he did not know he was thinking out loud, “listen Karan, ” she said as she placed one hand in his and the other on his cheek, “you don’t need to worry about anything, you are good man and I like you the way you are, so don’t worry on messing things up because if you do, we will clean up the mess together, after all that’s what couples do, ” she said with an encouraging smile.
“Couple? We are a couple? ” he asked blinking a couple of times.
“Of course we are, I don’t go around just kissing anyone, ” she said as she shyly tucked a strand of her hair while tried so hard to hide the blush that made its way to her cheek, which she failed miserably, “so yes we are officially a couple. ” she said and pulled him for a hug.
“Thank you, for accepting me for who I am, ” he said as he broke the hug.
“You make me happy, you are unique, you are an amazing person and I don’t want you to change for me or for anyone else, I like you just the way you are, ” she told him, “and never fear messing up, because whenever you mess up… ”
“We will clean up the mess together because that’s what couples do, ” he completed her sentence.
“Exactly, ” she grinned at him, giving him a quick kiss, she rushed back in her house, but not before waving him goodbye.
To Be Continued.
Thank You For Reading.
These was hard, was it boring? Please be honest.
This part was really difficult to write, I didn’t know how to start or how to finish.
Sorry if I bored you, just know it was unintentional.
Give your ratings from 1 to 10.
Catch you soon.
