Next: 370 votes & 420 comments

The target ain't completed but posting as 'thankyou' to all the birthday wishes.

"Let's go out." Yug pokes my arm, I turn my head from the woman that has been getting on every last nerve of mine since last two days and focus eyes on the fucker next to me. "What?"

"Let's go out. Club?" He pouts, the twenty-one year old man pouts.

"Mood nahi hai." I brush him off and look back to where she stands with both the mother and Suhana. Since I walked out on her two days ago, she hasn't sent me one, even one message, leave calls. And she's coming here daily without fail. Day before yesterday, she left before I got home, I walk into the closet and find all my sneakers hurled upside down on the floor. Yesterday, she was with Dadu when I arrived. Later, she served everyone the snacks that she made but me.

And now, she's in the kitchen. She came to Yug and Sahil for a moment, she sat down between them talked some in hushed whispers and left, walking over my damn sneakers. I'm seconds away from pinching her in the thigh. She's throwing fit as if I'm the one who wronged her. I may have crossed my lines by saying some hurtful things, but she's in contact with her. The idiot brat!

She's the one who's been playing friends & friends with that little brat from the dumpster. And the audacity of that sister of mine, she can call her but not her own brother? I shall see a witch to handle these two.

"Mumma..." I yell making all heads turn to me.

"Haanji, Mumma ki jaan." Avni Maa coos making the smile on my face widen, I smirk at both Zia and Sahdev.

"I need lemon and chilli." I set down the laptop on the coffee table, and raise from the couch. We were meeting for a college project but Madam is busy gossiping while we three are doing her part of the project as well. "Lemon Chilli? Why?" My mother asks.

"I have a class scheduled to learn black magic." I lean against the kitchen counter, my eyes on the one who's busy just standing beside Avni Maa with her eyes set on the empty pan on the stove, the three woman chuckle looking between us.

I walk to stand behind her, Avni Maa moves to the other side of the kitchen. "Continue gazing, maybe the pan will serve you food on its own." I comment peeking over her shoulder in the same pan. She's waiting for it to heat up so she can put oil in it but I had to be petty.

"Jyada kainchi si zabaan chalai na, toh fry kar doongi." She tilts head sideways, glaring at me with furrowed brows. "Club jaa raha hoon main." I grumble to her before walking away. On my way out of the open kitchen, I tug Zia along.

"Club? We're going clubbing?" Yug's ears perk up and he jumps up from the couch. "Aye! if you go, you go with Falak or no one moves from here." My mother yells behind me, I wave her off.

"Who's going where without our Falku?" Samyak Paa walks in with my father and grandfather. They were out for his weekly check-ups. "Advik is going clubbing without her." Zia and Yug says together pointing finger at me, I look at them horrified. Sahil snorts from the couch.

"Why?" My father narrows eyes at me. I gulp the lump forming in my throat. "Actually, it's been so long you guys didn't go out. I want all s-- *clears throat* all five of you out of the house." Samyak Papa snaps fingers.

Yug and I move forward to help them settle down Dadu. He's getting weaker by the day and it breaks our heart to see him struggling to even breath properly these days. Watching grandparents slowly fading away from our lives has to be the most heart wrenching pain to ever exist! I wish there was way we could somehow hold on to our last grandparent.

"No fighting with your woman, okay Advu?" Dadu warns me, holding my hand before I can raise back to my height. I give him a slight nod.

He presses lips to my head. I meet her eyes, "let's go clubbing." I turn to my best friends, one looks ready to dash out of the door and Sahil shakes head but one look from Dadu makes him shut before he can even begin to deny.

When Sahil heads up to get ready, we all do too. Falak follows me in the bedroom. She started keeping clothes here after our families accepted our relationship. I'm walking to the washroom silently when she runs past me & slams the door shut in my face. "Falak!" I slap the door. I hear water running and huff out annoyed.

I am so getting back to her. With this thought, I head out of the room and to the guest room. I quicken up my movement. Finishing my business, I run back to my room. She opens the washroom door at the same time as I reach the walk in closet, I give her a lopsided grin and slam the door before she can cross the distance between the washroom and closet door.

"Advik... suno na yaar." She says in such whiny adorable tone, it makes me want to bite her cheeks. I control the urge and force myself to continue avoiding her. The determination lasts seconds and I'm marching to the door, beats later.

I let her in, banging the door shut behind her. She grins wickedly, walking to her side. She starts humming a song, searching for her outfit. Holding a red dress in front of her body, she meets my eyes. I shake head. She puts it back and starts looking for something else. I move towards her and take out the black leather skirt I got her. She pairs it with a black sequined top. Heading back to my side of the closet, I start getting ready in a plain white shirt and dark blue jeans.

I turn my back to her when she collects the fabric of her t-shirt to take it off. We have dressed in the same room so many times and I always want to steal a glance but when she so trustfully starts to change, I end up looking away.

Promises, promises.

The day I can bring myself to go beyond the promise I made her back in tenth-grade, she won't be able to walk.

Shaking myself out of the lusty thoughts, I continue getting dressed. We both reach the vanity at the same time, she collects her hairs and bring them to one side. I glance at the untied strings on her back. I tug on them with a jerk, bringing her to my chest. Keeping my chin on her bare shoulder, I start grazing my nose on her skin while my fingers work on tying the strings.

"I'm not going to bail on her." She whispers, almost breathlessly. "I know." I continue teasing her, making sure my warm breath fans her skin. "But if anyone finds out na, Bugu, you will be accountable for the heartbreaks this will cause." I warn, pressing a feathery kiss on the nape of her neck and stepping back. She says nothing and starts getting ready.

Setting my hairs and spritzing some cologne, I am ready to head out when she stops me. I look at her in question, she raises up on her tip toes and makes dots on my face with the moisturiser before rubbing it in my skin. She places a kiss on the side of my throat before moving back. Six years of relationship we haven't had our first kiss yet. Because? I decided to be over the top and promised her that I won't touch her in any intimate way before our marriage.

"Don't wear the sky high heels, your toes will hurt." I gesture at the boots in the shoes section, "wear those."

"You either make me wear those or I put on the heels." She's turned such a brat after being friends with Ahaana-Suhana. I walk past her and get the boots. She sits down on the vanity chair, finishing up final touches and I put the boots on. Once we both are ready, we head out side by side. She sneaks her hand in mine, I draw her closer covering the distance between us.

"Falak." My mother calls out. "Ji Aunty." The smile vanishes from Mumma's face immediately.

"Ask her to stop calling me Aunty, main ye shaadi nahi hone dungi warna." Mumma threatens me as if it's my fault. I shrug raising hands in surrender. "Aap jaano, ye jaane." I step back when my mother comes close.

She forwards Falak's phone to her, "your mother called and I picked it up, firstly apologies for that; but it was continuously ringing so I thought it must be something urgent." Falak takes the cell phone.

"No worries, Aun--Mumma." She corrects herself on the right time and the 'mumma' makes my mother's face light up, she side hugs Falak. "Divya said your grandfather is staying the night at your uncle's, and your parents are going out for dinner. It's your choice if you want to stay the night." Mumma coos sweetly to her and pressing a kiss to her cheeks, she pulls away.

"I told her you're staying the night." My mother states walking back to the kitchen. Falak smiles at her before dropping her mother a message that she will stay the night here. Our parents decided to slowly introduce Mehrotra's to her grandfather and bring up the marriage topic after our graduation this year. I don't know where we stand at the moment after... she left.

We are still coming to terms with the sudden change in our life. Still coping up with her absence, yes we have accepted that she has started a new life but it isn't that easy. We are still hurting, her absence makes our clench in agony as it did the first time we found out she has left. We all are still miserable thirty-five days later but we have nothing other than to accept the situation.

The growing distance in my parents, my father, Samyak Papa and Dadu a constant reminder of what Dad let happen. A part of me wants to resent him but watching him in more pain than any of us, hurts my heart. Dad spends nights waiting for my mother but she's practically living in Sahdev house, she gives Dad no chance to come close to her. I don't think we'll be able to heal fully, or things will ever go back to being how it all was for a long while or maybe till she's back. But we are pushing forwards because that's the only thing we can do at the moment. For now, we can just survive.

"Chalein?" Sahil's voice bring me out of the trance, I blink my eyes a few time to focus eyes on my surroundings.  All four of them looking at my eyes that probably knows what or who I am thinking about, I avert my eyes; gulping my emotions down.

It takes us thirty-five minutes and Yug's half million bad jokes to reach the club. Suhana says that she's hungry so we first head to the food area and place our orders. After that we move to the drinks section and order. Yug takes Suhana & Falak to dance while Sahil and I stay back watching them let loose a little bit in more than a month.

We are sitting by the bar, sipping on our drinks when a girl approaches Sahil. He pays her no heed but she doesn't get the clue and keeps hand on his chest, coming to stand between both his and mine stool. I push back a little so she's not squeezed in between the stools, before deciding against watching my best friend getting flirted. I take the way to the washroom.

"Mehrotra!" I hear his voice right behind me as I push the door open, I halt and turn to look at him. "I wasn't flirting." He says as soon as he stops in front of me.

"I know." I give him a smile. "And if you were, it's not wrong,' I look away from his eyes, "it's not wrong because you're single and have all the rights to--"

"Main ek baar ishq kar chuka hoon, wapas karne ki himmat nahi karunga." He chuckles, humourlessly, his pained expression makes me want to help him out anyhow like he always does for me. But I cannot.

I clear my throat, my hand on his shoulder, "I don't want that for you, Sahil. You deserve to move forward. We don't know when or if she will return."

"She has to, for the both of us, she has to." He gulps down and heaves a long breath, "for your sanity, I promise, there won't be anyone in my life for whom you will have to walk out to make place. It's either that little shit or no one else." Patting my shoulder, he leaves. I look at him walk back to the bar and order himself another drink.

After calming the rage down on my idiot sister, I walk back to him. He hands me the drink he was sipping on, gesturing at the floor. I down the entire thing in one gulp since it was only half peg, my eyes follow to what he's pointing at. My girlfriend dancing with Yug and Suhana but the arsehole behind her trying to take advantage of the crowd by touching her waist, grinding against her.

They say jealousy stems from insecurity, mine stems from care. The urge to protect her from every harm. I slam the glass down and slide down the bar stool, Sahil follows me as I start walking to her. She notices me and motions to come closer with her eyes. When I reach her she garlands hands around my neck, I look over her head to the man and before he can see it coming, clutch his collar. My other hand wraps around her waist as she continues moving carefreely. He looks at me wide eyed, I jerk him away from her at the same time Sahil tugs him off the dance floor.

I watch him pull the creep to the washroom and lean down to her ear, "let's head home? I'm exhausted." She caresses my cheek with her knuckles.

"I'll bring the car, meet me outside with these two, okay baby?" She nods in positive and allows me to step away from her. I take the path to the washroom and find Sahil threatening him.

I grab the man with his collar and get in his face, the first punch lands on his jawline, below his earlobe. "You don't touch my woman, or any woman for that matter without her permission, you fucking asshole!" I snarl landing another punch on the same spot. Sahil tries to pull me off him.

After another punch, he manages to yank me behind himself and get in the creep's face. "Get lost!" Sahil shoves him away, holding me back with other hand.

"Calm the fuck down." He pats my chest, I take in deep breath, unclenching and clenching my jaw a few times. He checks up on my fist. We both leave once I'm calm.

I wait for Yug, Zia and Falak while Sahil takes the keys from the valet and sits in the car. When they come, we all settle down in the car, heading back home. We drop Yug home and then reach our society. Sahil takes sleeping Suhana in arms and heads in the building. Falak and I join him in the elevator. Falak follows Sahil in Sahdev house to help Suhana. I take a water bottle from the refrigerator to the bedroom and change out of my clothes waiting for her to come.

She arrives when I'm in the bed. Standing in front of me, she gives me her back. I move my torso up, reaching for the strings and loosening them. She walks in the closet and comes out a minute later in my t-shirt. After our parents found out about us, she has stayed the night a few times and all those were spent in this bedroom. Be it by sneaking after the girls slept or her coming in the room with all eyes of my family on her, with full rights.

When she finally joins me in bed and gets comfortable under the duvet with her chin on my chest, the bloody phone rings; I huff out a tired sigh. She answers the phone, putting it on my speaker on my chest near her face. I peek in the screen, wanting to see who is calling her at this hour--'Princess Mehrotra'. Offuckingcourse!

"Falkuuu!" My sister shrieks, making my ears buzz. I have been hearing her voice daily when she speaks to our parents and grandfather, but this might be the first time I hear that shrilling sound of her. 

"I miss you." She quietly murmurs and my girlfriend goes all 'aww' on her.

"I miss you so much, Aahu!" Falak replies sweetly, her index finger toying with my features; trailing on my lip, teasing my nose or grazing neck. I kiss her finger when it stops on my lips.

"Whatcha doing?" Ahaana asks from the other side. "Just getting ready for bed." Falak replies moving hairs away from my head.

"Achaa! I just called to ask you about Dadu, it was his weekly check-up na today, what did the doctor say?" Ahaana's tone goes soft and sad, I breathe out lowly. The little shit can't live without us but her bull-headedness, it will be the death of all of us.

"He is fine. The breathing problem and body weakness issues are still as it is, but he's okay. He had some solid food today and also went for a walk." Falak informs her of every tiny detail and it tells me my sister is getting all the family details through her. Such brats!

"How is everyone else? How is Bhaiyu?" My sister asks after a long pause, sniffing softly. Hearing her call me 'bhaiyu' after such long time brings tears to my eyes. Falak brushes the wetness from the corners of my eyes, I hold her hand and press my lips to the back of it.

"Parents are okay, busy with their daily routines. Your Bhaiyu started training under Samyak & Rudra Uncle. Yug is busy getting scolded left, right and centre from his father daily because he continues making messes in work. Suhana started college this week like you already are aware of. My father and I are fighting my grandfather tooth and nail to let me work. I will probably start going to the office with Dad from this Monday." Falak give her info on all of us and I can just look at her with narrowed eyes while she smiles making me shake head in disbelief.

My girlfriend continues when Ahaana doesn't speak for a moment but we hear her breathing from the other end, "he decided to study la--"

Ahaana cuts her off, "acha okay, bhabhi. I will call you tomorrow. Bui is calling me." The call disconnects. We both share a look before she takes a deep breath, curling her lower lip out.

"Itni ziddi hai na ye ladki." I mutter taking the phone from my chest and keeping it on the nightstand. Falak slides up, nuzzling her face in my throat.

"Bhaiyu jaise apne." My girlfriend whispers teasing my neck with her tongue. I give her a look making her chuckle a little.

"When will we kiss, baby?" She asks me the one question she always does since our relationship became official.

"On our wedding day." I give her the same answer, reaching to turn the room lights off.

She pushes her leg between my legs, her knee almost rubbing over my part. Sliding my hand under the duvet, I move her knee away, she brings it back to the same spot.

"Falak." I warn her in the darkness of room, she takes mouthful of my skin and sucks on it. I gulp down the evoking lust in my body, blood rushing down to that one specific part. She holds my hand under the duvet, inter lacing our fingers.

"I love you." She whispers kissing my chin with each word, "you promised to not touch me, I didn't." With that she places her lips on mine, I try to pull back but she grabs my jaw with other hand; deepening the kiss.

Of course, a man can only fight this much. The promise I made her when we were fifteen ringing in my ear but the feel of her lips against mine makes me loose the battle with my sanity and I set myself free in her.

When I feel the urgency in her, I cage her arms. If this is happening, it's going to happen on my terms. We're going to live in this. I waited six fucking year for this, it won't end in a jiffy. I won't allow that. Turning us around, I force my weight over her. She widens her legs, letting me in between them. Her hands move to my hairs, as our lips stroke together.

The saying coming true as I inhale her taste, her scent and swallow her breaths with each passing second, 'the longer the wait, the sweeter the taste'

As the kiss deepens, I feel the warmness of my body turning in hot lava. It feels as if I'm standing in a flower garden and watching them blossom with each ray of sunshine. Her lips moves in sync with mine as the first drop of rain slides down your face to neck and loosing itself in the clothes on your chest. But leaving that wetness lingering as the fabric moves with each gush of wind.

I steal her breath, I steal her breath with every touch of my tongue on her lips and then by fighting her tongue. I steal the warmness of her body, leaving her to crave for my warmth only.

"Ad--" She gasps heavily, I pull back a second, her watery eyes meets mine. She inhales a long breath and before she can, exhale, I clash our lips again.

She grinds her pelvis against my abdomen, I adjust my position while kissing the breath out of her lungs and let her feel what she's doing to me. How she's becoming my undoing with each stroke of her lips against mine. I inhale her gasps and sighs. When she tries to bite my tongue, I manage to make her moan and part her mouth wide enough to thrust my tongue, she mewls making me chuckle at her attempts to somehow stop my teasing torture on her.

When she's entirely breathless and almost thrashing under me, I finally pull away. We both take in loud gulps of breath. "Were you trying to kill me?" She swats at my chest, I kiss the tip of her nose; joining our foreheads together.

"I was engraving myself in you." I say making her cheeks flush. She loops her hands around my neck. "You are already deeply rooted in me. In each breath I inhale, in each blink of my eyes." I peck her lips at her words.

"I love you so much, Bugu." I whisper over her lips, she breathes, "I love you more than my heartbeats, Advik. Tum na jaan mein baste ho meri!"

Right there, I fall in love more than it's possible. This girl stole my heart in sixth grade and she's continuously stealing beats of it, eight years later.

She steals my heart by loving me when I'm not good enough for even myself. She steals my heart when she loves my family like her own. She takes my breath away by only existing. And she will continue stealing my heart each second that I live.