OBLIVIOUS

Ranbir held the glass door of the boutique open for Prachi, while his other hand firmly grasped the bag that securely held the bridal lehenga.

"Are you sure Kanak will be able to carry it? I mean the lehenga probably weighs more than herself. Not to mention the jewelry that is gonna add up." He sounded genuinely worried for the girl.

Prachi giggled, "Relax Ranbir, she's going to handle it well. Also, all the weight might help to keep her from bouncing from one place to another. I will not be surprised if she dashed out of her room just to dance with the Barat.

"And what are you gonna wear?" Ranbir asked instead.

"You are only going to see it firsthand. No hinting." Prachi opened the door of the backseat so that he could place the bags there.

"But I want to match with you!" Ranbir whined as they settled in the front seats.

"Did you think I would not?" Prachi smirked, "I already color coordinated all of our outfits throughout the wedding."

Ranbir gaped at her, being outsmarted isn't something that happens to him daily.

"Take a picture, Baklu. It'll last longer." Prachi's smirk widened.

"Wow." Ranbir breathed, before crossing his arms across his chest "I'm offended."

"What? Why?" Prachi asked.

"You saw my outfit but didn't let me see yours." Ranbir sulked.

"Aww, I'm so sorry, baklu." Prachi pulled his cheek, "Tell me, what should I do to make it up to you?"

"Well," Ranbir raised an eyebrow, turning to look at her, "I have quite some ideas, that might leave you wanting some more." He winked.

Prachi turned red, "Shut up!"

"What? I was initiating having some ice cream!" He blinked innocently.

"Ice cream?" Prachi asked.

"Yes, what were you thinking?" Ranbir wiggled his eyebrows, that only caused Prachi to blush deeper. "Oh chickchiki, I didn't know your holy brain can conjure up such thoughts." He laughed.

Instead of the numerous threats from Prachi, Ranbir still had a wide grin on his face. And whenever Prachi looked at it, it left her cheeks pink. And that is why she currently avoided looking at his face as they sat in a restaurant in a mall. Ranbir was on her left while some more shopping bags rested on the spare chairs.

They had initially entered to just have lunch but then something or another kept catching their eye and now they both have a handful of shopping bags in their name. Prachi had, after throwing many tantrums, brought something for Ranbir who had only stepped back from paying when she had said that she wanted to gift him something with her own money.

And currently, they wait for their ice cream.

"Do you think there is something going on between Aryan and Shahana?" Prachi asked out of the blue.

"Elaborate 'something going on', please." Ranbir tilted his head to a side.

"I mean there is surely something fishy. They have been behaving oddly for the last few days. At first, it was just Aryan but now even Shahana is behaving strangely..." Prachi voiced her thoughts.

"She is?" Ranbir asked all too excited. 

'Finally Aryan will have someone of his own to bother and he will stop interrupting my time with Prachi.' He thought giddily.

"Hmm.." Prachi replied, not reacting to his excitement as the waiter dropped off their ice cream sundaes. But only Ranbir caught how he smiled at Prachi.

"Thank you," Prachi replied, gently pulling a cup towards herself and sliding the other to Ranbir who was busily glaring at the boy.

"Would you like to have anything else, ma'am?" He asked with a honey-laden voice, royally ignoring the draggers Ranbir threw his way.

"No, thank you." Prachi replied not looking up from her ice cream and then turned to Ranbir, causing the waiter to return with a slightly fallen spirit.

"So, what do you think?" Prachi asked, breaking Ranbir out of his sulking.

"About what?" He asked.

"Aryan and Shahana, of course. What do you think happened to them?" Prachi asked, taking a spoon of her chocolate sundae.

"Except for the fact that Aryan had been in love with Shahana for about less than a year and realized it three months ago. Also, that, going by what you are saying, Shahana also seemed to have caught some feelings towards him. I don't think there is something to be worried about." Ranbir smiled as if he hadn't just told his girlfriend that her cousin and childhood best friend is just a few steps away from being an official couple, that too when the said girlfriend doesn't have a hint about what's going on right before her eyes.

Yup, that ain't happening.

Or so Prachi thought when she burst out laughing at the bizarre idea.

"You really think that this much would be happening and I won't even notice?" Prachi said in-between her laughter. "Oh, you're so funny." She pulled his cheek.

"It is the truth Prachi, and it's not like you are the most attentive person in these matters, it took you months to get to know my feelings even when I wore my heart at sleeves." Ranbir retorted.

Prachi snorted, "Yeah right, the next thing you'll say is that the waiter serving us is harboring a crush on me!" She rolled her eyes as she pushed back her empty sundae back.

'That was quick.' Ranbir raised an eyebrow at her empty glass cup and his still half-full one.

"It is the truth Prachi, Aryan confessed it himself to me." Ranbir raised his spoon to stop Prachi from saying whatever she opened her mouth to speak, "And yes the waiter do have caught a fling for you."

"You're delusional." Came the reply, as she spooked a spoonful of vanilla-flavored ice cream from his cup.

"And you are oblivious," Ranbir stated, deciding to keep his plans of beating the waiter on hold till his naive chickchiki gets it.

"So you are saying that Shahana is harboring her first love and she didn't tell me about it?" Prachi took another spoonful.

"What is there to tell when she doesn't know it herself yet, but as you are saying, she'll realize it soon and in that, you might as well help as she did to you," Ranbir said and Prachi shook her head.

"There's nothing like that." Prachi said and Ranbir just shrugged in response.

"You want more?" He gestured to the ice cream and Prachi shook her head, muttering 'might be cravings' as she did so, making Ranbir nod as if understanding all that she's been doing.

"Let's call for the bill then." Prachi straightened in her chair, looking to call the waiter. 

And just as Ranbir have thought, she didn't have to look for long before the waiter was standing before him. Way too close for any customer to be acceptable.

"Here's your bill ma'am." The waiter gave a bright smile.

"I'll pay." Ranbir said, getting his wallet out of his pocket.

"It's okay, you finish your ice cream I'll pay." Prachi said.

"Arey, how come you'll pay when I'm here?" Ranbir countered.

"I'll pay na." Prachi insisted.

"Ma'am, may I say something if you don't mind?" The waiter asked politely.

"Why will we mind? Please go on." Prachi responded equally politely and Ranbir didn't know if to be in awe of her innocence or be worried about it.

"We have many a customer who fights over paying the bill and then end in splitting it. It is a good way of keeping the friendship healthy." the waiter sported a proud look.

"Well," Ranbir finally gave in to the urge of interfering, "It will be very unhealthy for my gentleman etiquettes if my girlfriend here," He held Prachi's hand and stroked it with his thumb, "Had to pay when her boyfriend, is sitting right here." He all but slammed his card on the table.

The waiter looked at the card, to Ranbir, to Prachi, and to their intervened hands, to again to Prachi, gauging her response or maybe waiting for her to contradict. When she seemed totally alright with the claims Ranbir made, he dejectedly took the card and walked back.

"So much for harboring a crush on me." Prachi rolled her eyes, and stood up, picking up a small shopping bag.

"Only one?" Ranbir asked looking at the other bags.

"Oh, I worked out that your gentleman etiquettes might get bruised if your four times fiancee picked up the bags when you are right there." Prachi mocked, making Ranbir smiled amusedly. 'Here come the mood swings' he muttered under his breath.

"Take my card back please." Ranbir lifted his full hands and gave puppy eyes to Prachi, causing her to roll her eyes.

"Take some chocolates if you want to." Ranbir added as they headed to the cash counter.

Taking his request into account, Prachi grabbed some chocolate bars saying how 'Aryan will be offended if she didn't share with him' and took back the card, placing it in her own purse considering how awkward it will be if she fished out his wallet from his pocket.

"Ma'am," She turned back, stopping in her way.

Ranbir muttered, "Call me if you need." He wouldn't have left her if it weren't necessary to show her just how unknown to surroundings she is.

She turned to look at the waiter jogging towards her, "I know girls like the bad-boy types, if his gentleman behavior gets too much, here." He thrust a ball into her hand and quickly retreated back inside.

Opening the small ball, her eyes widened as she took in the number written on the paper, followed by his name and a 'Call Me.'

"Am I really oblivious?" She muttered before following Ranbir to get some answers.

A/N:- Hello Turkish delights, Here is the other part of the last chapter. It is totally filled with nothing but Pranbir. Again, how much Pranbir is too much Pranbir?

Please make sure o shower your love in the form of votes and comments. Inline comments are super lovely to receive.

Lots of Love,

Simran