UNEDITED

Part - 48

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"Real love is tough love"

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#...I'm in love with the shape of you
We push and pull like a magnet do
Although my heart is falling too...#

"I'm in love with your body" Arjun sang along as he roamed his hands over Kathryn's body as they did some dirty dance in Rishab's boxing ring.

"...Last night you were in my room
And now my bed sheets smell like you
Every day discovering something brand new...#

"Last night was fun" Kathryn wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the corner of his mouth. Arjun had sneaked out of his house and spend the night with Kathryn and came home before the dawn broke. 

"Well I'm in love with your body" he sang seductively near her ears.

Damn, I want to jump her now, here in my dad's boxing ring... because she is so alluring and sexy... and I'm so hot and bothered...but but but, I can't, why, because, my dad will kill me!

 #...Oh—I—oh—I—oh—I—oh—I...#

"I'm in love with your body" he sang with eyes full of carnal desire for her as he lifted her in his arms. She straddled him and started kissing him down his throat.

#...Oh—I—oh—I—oh—I—oh—I...#

"I'm in love with your body" he repeated only that particular line as he pressed his face on her cleavage, inhaling her sweet scent.

"Stop singing that line, Arjun" she warned him.

#...Oh—I—oh—I—oh—I—oh—I...#

"I'm in love with your body" he teased her as he set her down but held closer to his chest.

"Only my body?" Kathryn asked as they hopped around the ring like crazies.

#...Every day discovering something brand new..."

"Yes, baby" he mumbled, mindlessly.

"I'm in love with the shape of you" he sang loudly and bit her shoulder blade. You're a sexy bitch and all mine! He thought.

Asshole! I knew it! She got out of his hold and stepped away from him.

Come on be my baby come on

Come on be my baby come on

"Come on, baby, dance with me!"

Come on be my baby come on

Come on...

The song came to an abrupt halt as something crashed to the floor.

"Who the fuck..." Arjun turned around to find his father standing there with a murderous look.

"Why you broke my IPod, dad?"

"This is my boxing ring, not a dancing club!" Rishab roared. "I worship this place, dammit!" he spat his angry words at him. "And I won't tolerate any of your juvenile behavior in here! You get that?"

"Chill dad! We were so bored waiting for you so thought to threw shapes on the dancing floor, oops... sorry, boxing ring."

"I clearly instructed you guys to warm up before I come"

"We were just warming up but you came" and fucked everything, dad! he muttered.

"Sorry, uncle. This won't happen again." Kathryn apologized. He nodded and turned to his son expecting his apology but he didn't say.

"Fine!" Rishab said through gritted teeth. "Kathryn, Arjun, now you guys are thorough with the basics, right?"he had been training them for a week now. 

"Yep" they said at once.

"Well, then let me see you guys fight"

"What?" Arjun yelled. Kathryn clapped her hands like a child, clearly excited to fight with him.

Well, this is going to be fun! She thought biting her lower lip.

"Kathryn, you will attack him and he will defend you, okay?" Rishab ordered

"What? No!" Arjun shrieked as he took two steps away from her.

"You ready?" Rishab asked Kathryn ignoring him.

"Yes, uncle" she nodded enthusiastically. By now she had even worn her boxing gloves.

"Your gloves?" Rishab asked his son.

"No!"

"Cool! Fight without gloves!"

"I said no for fi..." Before he could complete his sentence Kathryn threw him a hard punch on his jaw.

Ouch! Even Rishab didn't expect that coming.

"Fuck!" He spit out blood which he drew in from the cut lip. "What was that for?" He asked, harshly yanking her braid.

"That was for saying you only love my body, you asshole!"

"When did I say that?" He asked pulling her braid further, painfully. He had forgotten about the song, already.

"Ahhh, let my hair go or I will knock your nuts!" She threatened.

"Leave her hair, Arjun and fight like a man!"

"I don't want to fight!"He left her braid and shoved her away from him. 

"C'mere, let me see your face" Rishab wanted to check how badly his son was injured. 

"No, thanks! I am going home now!" he shouted and winced in pain. "And I will tell everything to mommy! She will avenge for me, daddy. And you..." He pointed his finger at Kathryn. "I hate you for punching me!" Saying that he jumped out of the ring and walked out, not before grabbing and throwing his backpack over his shoulder.

"He is such a kid!" Kathryn laughed.

"You shouldn't have punched him when he wasn't prepared. And you shouldn't have punched him that hard. He was bleeding badly." he admonished her. 

My wife is going to freak. 

"And I am sure he will have an ugly bruise." He sighed.

"I am sorry, uncle" Kathryn whispered meekly, feeling remorseful. 

"Remember, you are not learning kickboxing to harm anyone. You are learning to protect yourself from any harm."

"I know... I am really sorry"

"Forget it"  

--0--

"Hey, you are early?" Madhu asked her son when he walked into the house with his head cast down. He didn't want his mother to see his bruised face. 

"Where's your dad?" she asked when he didn't reply for her first question. 

"Hey, wait, I'm talking to you!" she discarded the magazine she was reading and walked over to him. He stood silently. 

"What's happened, baby?" Madhu asked placing her palm firmly on his cheek making him wince. 

"What the?" she lifted his chin up and gasped in shock. She gently trailed her fingers over his jaw line. 

"Did you pick a fight, Arjun?" she asked dubiously. Her boy had never picked a fight with anyone, not even in school. He was always an obedient, discipline and studious boy. They why would he now?  

"Arjun, talk to me! Who did this to you?" 

"Dad" that was all he said before racing to his room. 

"How dare he hurt my baby!" Madhu thought gritting his teeth. She quickly picked her phone and dialed his number. 

"Hello"

"Why did you hit my baby?" she barked. 

"What?"

"I'm talking about Arjun and his face if you haven't realized it yet."

"I didn't hit him. You know I never do that!"

"Then how he got such an ugly bruise on his face?" She shouted and heard her husband sigh from the other end. "What? Answer me!" 

He couldn't tell his wife it was not him but Kathryn who punched her precious baby because he knew she would go bat-shit crazy on Kathryn. 

Maybe his son knew that as well and that was why he got his dad in trouble, protecting his girl from his mommy's wrath. 

"I accidentally punched him while training..." 

 "Accidents do not happen when you are in control!" she wasn't buying his lie because this was the same man who trained her kickboxing and he had never lost control then. "Honestly, tell me, Rishab!"

"Madhu..."

"It was Kathryn who punched Arjun! Am I right?"

"No, baby! She is one weak kitten and she doesn't have enough power to knock your tall and strong boy!" he lied smoothly. "So trust me, it was me." He took the blame.

"Oh Rishab!"

"I told him to defend me while I attack him but he..." 

"Stupid boy! He could have at least dodged his head and avoided your punch!" 

"Exactly!" Rishab agreed. His son wasn't quick enough to escape from Kathryn's unexpected attack.  

"So is he going to drop out again?" Madhu asked rather hopefully. She couldn't see her boy in pain. 

"I wish so" Rishab said crossing his fingers. "Because kickboxing is not for Arjun" he declared and Madhu agreed. 

"Did you get any call from Veer?" Madhu asked worriedly.

"No, I didn't. But you don't worry, Madhu, he is fine there doing his duty." Rishab said instinctively.

"Okay" Please keep my baby safe there, dear lord.

--0--

"Bhabhi?" Arjun came to Inayat's room after washing his face and changing his cloths at his. "Can I come in?" he knocked the door. He didn't barge into her room, worried she might be praying or changing cloths. 

"Yes, Arjun, come in." she called out. He pushed the door open and stepped in to find his bhabhi working on her laptop. "You busy?" he asked. 

"No, I'm just done typing the summary of the manuscript I read at office, today..." she said as she shut down her laptop and looked up at him. "Why are you keeping that milk packet on your cheek?" she asked with a frown. 

"There is no ice cubes at home so I got this frozen milk packet...." 

"Why do you need that?" 

He didn't answer but just removed the milk packet off his cheek and showed her the ugly red bruises.

"Oh my Allah!" she cupped her mouth with her palms and looked at him wide eyes. "Who hit you?" 

"Kathryn" he grunted and sat on the bed.

"Why?" 

"Dad wanted Kathy and I to fight... but I wasn't ready when she gave me this unexpected blow." 

Inayat frowned, momentarily wondering why would her abu want them to fight but quickly remembered their kickboxing training. 

"Can you hold this for me, please?" Arjun asked as his hand was going numb holding the frozen milk packet. 

"Sure" she agreed. Arjun put his head on her lap, completely surprising her and let her hold the packet against his cheek. "Is it paining badly?" she asked softly running her fingers through his hair. He nodded. "I thought she was one fragile little girl but boy, I was wrong. She has bone strength, bhabhi. If she had given little more force to the punch then surely she would have broken my jaw." She nearly did! You should be very careful with her, Arjun!

"Arjun, you better don't do this" 

"Don't do what?" 

"Kickboxing. It's not the right sport for you, baby" 

"I know, bhabhi. It really is an insane sport but my dad... he takes so much interest in training it. He taught my mom, my bro and my sis and now they all are pro at it. He even tried his luck with me but I had put my foot down and refused to learn kickboxing at the age of sixteen." 

"Oh, then why now?"

"For Kathryn. I want to be around her all day, every day" he whispered. 

"You sound obsessed!" She shook her head disapproving his behavior.

"Hmm" he didn't deny her assessment.

Addicted... Maybe, addicted is the right word!

"Naira di hasn't come home yet?" he asked changing the topic. 

"Here, I have come!" Naira announced cheerfully as she barged into the room and jumped on to the bed.

"Someone seems happy" Inayat stated as she smiled at Naira.

"Yes, I am" she beamed.

"So I take you like him"

"Yes, Inayat. I like him..."

"Ammi and uncle will be happy to hear this" 

"I think they made the right choice for me" Naira whispered. "I knew they would and they didn't disappoint me at all and I said yes to marry him"

"Whoa! Don't you think it's too soon, Naira di? I mean you just met him, today and you already said yes to marriage" Arjun asked shocked by her speedy approach.

"Who is saying that? You kissed your girl when you first met her in Bali."

"I didn't kiss her. She did. She pounced on me like a predator and..." He paused taking a moment to relish his first ever kiss with his only lover. "...ruthlessly kissed me, taking me by complete and utter surprise. That moment was surreal and I..."

"Hey, stop! No flashback!"

"Why?" he whined. "Oh by the way, you didn't ask me about my injury?" He always loved to show off his injuries and gain everyone's sympathy and attention and get pampered by them.

"As long as you're alive and annoying, I don't care about your minor injuries. Besides, I could say with confidence it was your girlfriend's handiwork."

"That's rude, Naira di" Arjun pouted and hugged Inayat's waist tightly like a child seeking solace from his mommy. "Only you care for me, bhabhi. You are really sweet and I love you."

Inayat smiled at him as she petted his hair.

"So what's he like?" Inayat asked wanting to know more about the man who managed to impress on their very first meeting.

"He is cool. He is funny. He is handsome. He is friendly. He is..."

"...just like the great Arjun, in short!" Arjun said, grinning. 

"No! He is nothing like you."

"Why would you say that?"

"You are crazy but he is sensible." she said matter-of-factly

Arjun scoffed. "I'm not..." before he could finish his sentence, Inayat covered his mouth with her palm. "Stop interrupting her and let her talk, Arjun" she told before taking her hand off his mouth. "And I think you could shift your head on to the pillow." her lap was starting to ache. 

He pouted but quietly rolled on to the pillow. 

"Okay, I will tell everything in detail..." Naira scooted closer to Inayat and took a deep breath before starting "I was late by an hour but he didn't make me feel guilty or didn't show any sign of irritation. He was really cool and all smiling... Oh yaar... his smile..." she said, dreamily. "What is the term you use, Inayat, to express appreciation?"

"Masha' Allah" she whispered. 

"Yeah, Masha' Allah! He is outstandingly handsome, robust and masculine." she put her head in her arms. 

"Hiding your blush, Naira di?" 

"No! Not hiding my blush but my embarrassment. I really wanted to face-palm at the moment I set my eyes on him."

"Why?"

"Because he looked so lovely and fresh... and I was all tired and sweaty."

"Hey, wait! Is this what you wore this morning, Naira di?" he asked vaguely remembering seeing her in black and white saree. 

"No, I was wearing a saree but a kid at Dominos dropped his coke tin on me and stained my saree..."

"You guys went to Dominos? You could have got me something, right?" Arjun scolded his sister for coming home, empty hand. 

"He ate my left over. It was so sweet of him" Naira gushed. Inayat smiled feeling really happy for Naira.

Hey! hello! I asked you something? Why didn't you get me pizza? 

"So yeah, after the little boy stained my saree with coke, I decided to change it. Well, it was just an excuse. I really wanted to change into something nice and look good for him." she couldn't help but slightly blush. "Oh by the way, Yash chose these jeans and top for me. How's it?" she stood up and twirled in delight to show off her brand new clothes.  

"Nice" Inayat said with a genuine smile. 

"He has good taste" Arjun commented. 

"I thought so too and I told him so." she smiled, remembering how she talked freely with him without any reservation.  

"He was in blue and white only. He said he wanted me to match with him."

"Twinning huh?" Kathy and I should also do twinning, more often! 

"Yeah, something like that. Well, I think he likes me more in saree than in western outfit." 

"Then you should wear more saree to impress him" Arjun suggested. 

"Hmm, I will think about it." 

"What's there in that bag?" Arjun asked pointing to the bag sitting next to Naira. She didn't bother to go to her room and keep the bag there but straight away came to Inayat's room to gush about her first meeting with Mr. Arora. 

"Oh this..." she pulled out a couple of tops from the bag and showed to them. "He gifted me all these clothes, including the one I'm wearing now."

"Beautiful tops" Inayat said gently feeling the cloth material. 

"And I got him some shirts and T-shirts as return gift" 

"Wow wow! Lunch! Shopping! Gifting! This is what we call a perfect date" 

"Yeah, I really had a great time with him." she said, flipping to her back and looking up at the ceiling. "I really like him, Inayat." Naira muttered. 

"Thank goodness, you didn't jump into the conclusion that you already love him." Arjun said with an exaggerated sigh.

He believed in love at first sight because it had happened to him, he feel in love with Kathryn at first sight but that definitely wasn't his sister thing.

"Because you have never ever truly loved the guy who you have claimed to be in love with" he added, laughing.  

"Maybe, you are right, Arjun!" she conceded. "What I felt for Roe or Sab were mere attraction, nothing more or nothing less... but my bad, I had wrongly assumed it as love and complicated things."

"You don't know what is love at all, di..." he shook his head at his sister lack of knowledge in this sensitive matter. "If someone shows a tinge of care and kindness to you... you instantly fall for them but later you realize you don't love them and you back off!" he caught the nub of her problem. 

"I know. I know" Naira looked embarrassed because her little brother was getting it all right.  

"Every good human being shows care and kindness towards people but that's not love. Love is something beyond all that." He briefly paused to think and rightly articulate. 

"Love is giving. Love is accepting. 

Love is pain. Love is pleasure.

Love is fighting. Love is reconciling.

Love is never giving up on each other. Love is letting go..."

"You are confusing" Naira thought but she didn't say it out loud as she didn't want to break his flow of words because he seemed to be giving some message. 

"You do all that, giving, accepting, fighting and letting go... for the happiness of the one you love. So yeah, love is happiness. I conclude." 

Happiness? she tested the word. 

"I have been struggling to find happiness in my life, Arjun..." she said meekly. Inayat held her hand understanding her feelings. 

"I'm know. I am sorry. We are sorry, Naira di. We couldn't help you." Arjun whispered, caressing her cheek tenderly. 

"No, no, it's not about you people. I'm happy with my family. I'm happy with my work. But... I feel I miss something vital."

"Maybe, your Yash is the missing vital piece. Maybe he is the key to your happiness. Maybe he is your one true love."

"Maybe..." She whispered "...but I don't want to think about love this soon..." She was scared to believe it was love. "... But I have to agree I feel this strange connection with him..." 

"Well, let's put this 'strange connection' in test"

"What do you mean?"

"You close your eyes and think about him" Arjun commanded.

"Why?"

"If he is also thinking about then you will surely get a sign from him"

"What nonsense?"

"Just try it, di"

"Okay" she closed her eyes and thought about Yash's dazzling smile.

Her lips curved up as she got a vision of him laughing and playing, merrily with her... And a baby.

A baby?

Our baby?

She flickered her eyes open as she blushed.

Oh Naira! You are not even married to him yet but already you are imagining about a baby... His baby, Our baby! Aww...

Suddenly, her phone placed on the bed, buzzed.

"It's a message from him, I believe. And it's your sign that he is thinking about you now!" Arjun said as he had a huge grin plastered on his face. "Check it" he pushed the phone to her.

Naira and Inayat gave him a strange look.

Is he mad?

"Check it, di" he insisted.

She took her phone and hastily drew her pattern N to unlock it and opened the only unread message in her inbox.

"Please tell me you have reached home safely, Naira! I will worry until you do!" She read out Yash's message in utter disbelief.

Safely?

Worry?

Why would he worry?

Oh right! He knows about my car accident from dad... So he worries...

He cares for me!

She smiled remembering how he gestured her to put on the seat-belts.

He is sweet!

Inayat gaped at Arjun in shock. Is he a magician? She wondered. How did he know it was Yash's message?

"Yes!" Arjun fist pumped in the air. "I got it, right! And you guys indeed have some strange connection." He declared.

Finally, my sister has found her soulmate! Yippeee!

"Arjun, it's pure coincidence." She said as she quickly typed him a reply "I reached home 'safely' so you can stop worrying now, Yash!"

"No! It is not! If you don't have any sort of connection, you guys won't be thinking about each other at the same time!"

"Do you and Kathryn have this kind of weird connection?"

"Yes! Of course!"

"Then you close your eyes and think about her and let's see whether she calls you or messages you now" Naira wasn't a fool to believe everything her brother bluffed. She wanted some solid proof.

"Okay cool" Arjun accepted the challenge and threw his phone to his sister. He took a deep breath before closing his eyes and thinking about her.

He imagined Kathryn and him dancing...

He was spinning her round and round and round the boxing ring...

I am in love with your body!

Only my body?

Yes, baby!

Shit! Shit! Shit! That song!

Oh Kathy!

I love you, baby. I love you as a whole... Not just your body!

Suddenly her hand slipped out of his grasp and she swirled away from him...

Kathy, don't go...

She heard him...

So she stopped...

She was seething...

But she came back to him...

And she punched him on his face!

"Whoa!" He opened his eyes and cupped his jaw. Now he realized why she had punched him!

"What's wrong?" Inayat asked in concern.

He shook his head as he exhaled.

His phone pinged.

"Arjun!" Naira shrieked seeing the notification. "You got a whatsapp message from Kathryn"

Inayat couldn't believe what was happening around her. She felt dizzy.

"See, I told you!" He winked at his sister.

My connection with my girl is skin deep, Naira di!

"Read her text" he gave permission.

"Bebe is your jaw aching? If yes, come to me, now! I will kiss you better" Naira read out loud and gasped.

"Naira di, please type 'Yes, baby! Please, baby' as reply for me"

"Okay" Naira sweetly smiled at her brother and typed 'NO THANKS!' and added a series of angry emojis and hit send. "Done"

"Thank you" Arjun took his phone from her hand and put it in his pants pocket.

"Now your turn, bhabhi"

"What?"

"Let's test how strong your connection is with Veer bro!"

"Please, no" she pleaded.

"Why?"

"It's been a week since Veer called me." She was dying to talk with her husband. She had lot to share with him like about her new job, her new friends, Naira's alliance with Yash, Kathryn's party night and so on but above all she wanted to know he was fine there.

"There is unrest in Kashmir..." she said, inwardly shivering. "So I won't get any call or message from him, not until the dust has settled down there."

"I know. I saw in news channel" Naira said rubbing Inayat's forearm.

What the fuck are they talking about? Arjun looked pale and scared.

"I hope my Veer is safe and sound." She said with trembling lips as she struggled to keep her tears in bay.

"Hey, Inayat" Naira embraced her. "He will be safe. God willing."

"I know" Thank you Allah for protecting my husband and please keep showing your mercy on him. She sent a silent prayer.

"Please don't cry." Naira said and wiped a tear drop rolled down her cheek.

"Then why can't he call me once and let me know he's okay?" She asked as her tears free flowed.

"He will. He will soon. You stop crying, please."

"Bhabhi..." Arjun roughly pulled Inayat out of his sister arms "...why do you always pretend in front of us?" He accused her. "Why can't you be honest with us?"

"No, Arjun, I don't..."

"Yes, you do pretend as if everything is normal and you are happy when you are clearly not!" He scolded her. "You were worried sick all this while but you didn't show it in your face."

Inayat hung her head down feeling sorry.

"Bhabhi... Please don't do this. Share your worries with us."

I am sharing now...

"Yes, Inayat. You have a loving family now and you can share things with us."

"I know. I am sorry" she weakly smiled. "I will be fine once I hear a word from Veer" she propped her legs and placed her head on it.

She closed her eyes and softly whispered his name.

Veer!

Call me once, please!

And put me out of this misery!

Naira brushed her tears away and patted her head, affectionately. Only this girl could genuinely feel happy for others though she was crying within. She thought.

Are you ready to start a life with me, Inayaa? She remembered Veer's hesitant question, that was the proper talk they had, lastly.

- Yes, Veer.

I want to have a family with you, Inayaa. He openly expressed his wish to her but then she couldn't give him a positive reply but now she would if that meant he would come back to her.

- Please, come to me. We will have babies as you wished, Veer.

- Please come soon to me.

"I think she is sleeping" Naira whispered to Arjun.

"Oh, well, let her sleep till it's time for dinner." Arjun said and stood out of the bed.

Naira helped Inayat to slid on the bed and adjusted her pillow.

Arjun covered her petite body with a duvet and adjusted the AC temperature noticing her shiver.

"I love you, Veer. Please, call me." Inayat mumbled in her sleep.

"Aww... Even in her sleep she is worring and wanted to talk to her husband" Naira pitied.

"Thinking about Veer bro when she's awake,
Dreaming about Veer bro when she's asleep,
Worrying about Veer bro,
And Praying for Veer bro, are all she does all day, every day.
Her life revolves around Veer bro though he is not around her. I really feel sorry for her, Naira di"

"Veer is lucky, Arjun. He got sweet Inayat and her unconditional love for the life time" Naira said with a teary smile.

"True"

Naira and Arjun looked Inayat once before switching off the lights and walking out of her room.

Veer. Please, kiss me.

You sure, Inayaa?

Please.

I want to make love to you, Inayaa.

Please, love me.

I want to have a baby.

Okay. We will have as many babies as you want, Veer.

I want a son who will remind you of me and will protect you even if I am not there with you.

"Don't say like that please. I can't live without you."

I love you, Inayaa!

I love you, Veer! 

She was in deep sleep and dreaming about him when her phone started ringing.

The screen showed VEER CALLING!

...to be continued!

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