Arjun answered at the third door bell, "I'm coming! Damn, chill out."

Sanam heard his answering through the door, but she still couldn't stop herself from knocking on the door. It had been two months since the week they had spent at the beach house.

Arjun opened the door to his penthouse to find a frantic Sanam. "I did it." She said before a word left his mouth to question what was wrong with her.

"Okay, did what?" He questioned as she had already walked around him to get in the penthouse.

"Is anyone here?" She asked instead.

"No, it's 6 in the morning, sweetheart. Who else is going to be here so early?" He pointed out to her.

She spun around to face him, and confessed, "I told my parents. They called and then we got into an argument when they tried to get me to go meet this guy who is... ugh, never mind. It doesn't matter who the guy is. The point is, we started arguing about it when I said I wouldn't go and they asked why, and I told them you proposed and I am thinking of saying yes."

"Well, I didn't propose." He teased her. When she glared at him, he laughed, "Okay, sorry. It was too good an opportunity to pass it up. Anyway, why are you freaking out? This is what you wanted. It's been what, around four months since we started this plan? I think it happened at the right time."

"I know, I know. That's not the problem. They were so mad when I told them. Dad said he was getting the next flight here, and when they get here, they are going to want to meet you and you are going to get that whole interrogation treatment and they are going to..."

He put his hands on her shoulders to pushed her back till they were by the couch and then forced her to sit, "Sweetheart, sit down and breathe." That was the last thing on her mind, but given that she had been speaking that under one breath, she knew she had to. She took a few deep breaths and then he continued, "You don't have to worry about me. I got this, okay? There is not one thing your parents are going to find in me that they can pick at to reject me."

"You don't know them, Arjun. What if they do?" She expressed her worry.

He knelt in front of her, keeping his hands atop of hers which rested on her lap, "Trust me, sweetheart, I am not letting some asshole and his family take away everything you have worked so hard for." She opened her mouth to object, and he didn't let her. "I promise, the only person you are going to marry is me."

All her objections silenced once he had said that. She could see it in his eyes that he meant it. Over the past two months, she had come to trust him more. His words again, pulled the strings of her heart that she had been fighting so hard.

"I mean..." He rectified when he realized what he'd said, "You know what I mean."

She breathed through her chest and nodded. "Yeah."

He too said things to her without realizing the true impact of it until it was said and done. Then, he'd try to brush it off, but it only rarely worked.

"So, I guess it's time I tell my parents too, and get a ring to make it believable officially." He commented, trying to joke. She didn't laugh like he had hoped but she did roll her eyes and rested back in the couch, slumping her shoulders.

"Now, would you like some coffee and probably a pair of pants, because it looks like you got straight out of bed and drove here?" At his comment, she looked down at herself to realize he was right.

She groaned, "Ugh, I must look like a mess right now."

He chuckled at her reaction, "Nah, you're still as cute as ever." Well... she wasn't always cute. The outfits he had seen her in sometimes screamed anything but cute, especially since she would wear shorts a lot more these days with spring season.

"I need coffee." She let his 'cute' comment slip by.

"And pants?" he asked, standing up.

She rolled her eyes and got up as well. She lifted her shirt to show him she had shorts on, but he didn't know that and he instantly shut his eyes. "San..." He didn't even get to finish saying her name as she burst off laughing.

"I'm wearing shorts, silly." She spoke while trying to sober up from his reaction. Though, she did appreciate that he was being decent and had shut his eyes.

He didn't know how true it was, so he only opened one of his eyes to peek through. She had rolled up the bottom of her shirt and tied it in the back using a hair tie. Seeing that she did indeed have shorts on, he exhaled and opened both his eyes.

When his eyes found her, he noticed she was still amused. "Whatever." He muttered, trying to stop a smile from forming on his lips as well. She was contagious to his moods. He couldn't help from smiling when she smiled and was around him. "I'm going back to bed. Feel free to make your own coffee."

He was embarrassed, and started to walk away to his room.

She simply followed him to his room, being carefree. In the past two months, she'd grown a lot comfortable around him. She didn't worry about him touching her or kissing her on the cheek, or wherever, because she'd noticed that he'd stopped since they returned from the beach house. Even if he hadn't, she believed that she would have been able to handle it and brush off his hugs atleast as friendly.

He'd tried to close the door, but she'd just pushed it open. She saw he had thrown himself on the bed, lying on his front and face hidden in a mass of pillows. She didn't get why anyone used so many pillows. One was enough for her. He had atleast six.

"You're going to suffocate yourself in sleep one day." She scolded walking in to lay down on the other side of the bed on her back keeping her feet on the floor.

"Good night, Sanam." He tried to make a point.

Ofcourse, she wasn't going to listen and allow him the peace to go back to bed. "It's good morning! Wake up. You know you have to go to the office in two hours anyway."

He let out a sigh and turned to lay on his back as well. "Why do I still tolerate you?"

She spread her arm to reach him and slap his chest, "Shut it, you love me."

"I'm starting to see how disadvantageous it is for me." He went on to add to the drama, trying to not let her response get to him. If only he could tell her how true it was... how he was falling for her. But, he knew he couldn't. She thought of him as a friend. She'd made it known long ago when she had first told him of her plans. Since then, everything he had learnt about her and her parents only told him how she did not want a relationship and it was going to take a lot more than three months to change that fact about her.

He couldn't tell her and risk everything.

She jumped up to sit in the center of the bed, legs tucked behind her, "Excuse me? Take that back!"

He let out a playful scoff, "Yeah, right. Now, why would I lie?" He started to get up, but she pushed him back with her hand on his chest, forcing his back to meet the bed once again.

"So it's true?" She asked, not understanding why it hurt her and why it made her angry. She knew he was joking at first, but then she wasn't so sure.

He looked at her confused. He had figured she knew when he was playing around to tease her. He'd done it many times on other things. He tried to get up again, but her hand or her force didn't budge.

"You are tolerating me..."

He didn't stop to think of his action before he wrapped his palm around her wrist and turned the tables on her. She silently gasped as she found herself lying on the bed with his upper half towering over her. He didn't touch her as he kept his weight off her, but his face was still close to her liking.

"Let's get one thing straight, sweetheart." He spoke in a low voice that almost felt dangerous to her. "I don't tolerate people," He bobbed his head to the side, "Unless it's Rashi, then yes, I tolerate her," She gulped down her fear and slapped his upper arm for joking at a moment like this. His chest rumbled as he let out a short laugh, "But other than her..."

"Yeah okay," She cut him short, realizing she had over reacted. "Now get off me." He raised his brow for she had just ordered him, given the position she was currently in. "Please?" She added, hoping it would make the case turn in her favor.

"I'm going to need a little more than 'please' after your overreaction on what you just accused me of." He tested her boundaries. It was rare he got her in this position... more like never.

"Arjun, come on, now's not the time for jokes." She said, using her tiny hands to push him back by his shoulders, but they barely had the impact she wanted. He didn't budge.

"You had your turn in the living room; it's my turn now." He referred to embarrassing him when he'd shut his eyes.

She stopped trying to push him back and deemed it best to just ask, "What do you want?"

He grinned knowing he had her, "I want you to say I am the best fiancé in the whole world and that you love me."

She rolled her eyes, "The problem is you're not my fiancé and I don't love you."

He held back a laugh, "I believe you told your parents I proposed and you said yes. Ergo, I am your fiancé and you love me."

"Sneaky little..." She muttered and trailed off when he put his hand on her mouth.

"I thought you had a thing against cursing." She bit his palm, making him instantly pull it back, "Ouch, damn woman."

She didn't let it stop her, "I did, but no one gets on my nerves the way you do. I swear, ever since I've met you, I must have thought a hundred times why I don't just curse you out already."

He pulled her cheek to irritate her further, "Aww, you're thinking of me and of changing yourself for me. How sweet!"

"Oh god." She murmured and pushed him back with all the strength she could manage. It did work since he was too busy laughing. But, he didn't let her stand up and leave. He meant to grab her hand, but grabbed her shirt instead, but it fulfilled the mission either way. She came falling back down.

"Nuh-uh." He scolded, "You're not leaving till you say those words."

"Or what?" She challenged, "It's not like you can back out of our deal. You gave it to me in writing, remember?"

He smirked, for that wasn't going to stop him. He had other means. He let his arm go around her to rest on her back, and tugged at her. Her elbow gave out which had been holding her weight. Her breath hitched finding her face barely a couple inches from his.

"Do you really want to know?" He challenged her right back, without explicitly saying it. She got his hint loud and clear when his eyes kept traveling between her lips and eyes.

She squirmed, "Arjun, let... let go." Her diction may have been an order, but her tone said otherwise. He could feel her hand on his chest shaking. He wanted to not care about it. He wanted to just relish that she was this close to him again after a long time.

Alas, he couldn't.

He listened. He retrieved his hand. He let her pull away.

She took a few seconds to just breathe as she fisted her palm to stop it from shaking. She didn't know why she was reacting as such, but being that close to him, on his bed, it had brought out feelings she hadn't known she had.

"I'm gonna..." She started to say when her phone rang. She cleared her throat before answering it, "Neha, hey..."

"Hey?" Neha screeched, "Do you know whose call I woke up to today? Your mom! What the heck was she going on about, Sanam? When did Arjun propose? Where are you? I'm at your apartment, and you aren't here!"

"I'm... uh, at Arjun's place. I..."

Sanam didn't get to answer as Neha gasped, "You what? Did you spend the night there? Sanam, since when had it been this serious?"

Sanam closed her eyes, Neha's words seeping in her head. She started to see how it looked like. Ofcourse, it worked in their favor, but she didn't like giving that impression to her best friend. She wanted to tell her the truth, "Neha, look, I'm sorry but I'm really not in the mood to talk right now after the argument I just had with my parents. I'll explain everything to you later, okay?"

Neha asked bringing calmness in her voice. "I'm sorry I went off on you. Are you okay?"

Sanam didn't lie about this. "I will be."

"If you need anything, let me know, yeah?"

"Thanks, Neha." Sanam expressed. She knew Neha meant well, for she was even standing outside her apartment right now, worried after her mom had called her best friend to check how true her story was. "And I'm sorry you had to find out like that."

"Ofcourse, silly. What are friends for? And don't worry, so long as I get all the details of the proposal, all is forgiven."

Sanam found herself smiling though a part of her was worried about what she would tell Neha. Neha could catch on to her lies, and she didn't know how well a story she could cook up about this nonexistent proposal.

She took in a deep breath ready to face the music. She got up from the bed and found Arjun looking at her intently. She couldn't tell what he was thinking about but she did remember the moment they'd shared before the phone call.

"Do you want to stay for breakfast?" He questioned beating her into saying something to run away. He had understood from the conversation that she was trying to look the part, but she was far from okay.

She looked surprised to him at his offer, and she was. She denied politely, "Thanks, but it's okay. You have to get ready for work. I'll go."

"Sanam, wait." He quickly followed her, "It's not that important of a meeting. Someone else can handle it."

"Really, Arjun." She stopped on reaching the living room to pick up her wallet, "You don't have to do that for me. Besides, I just really want to go home right now and listen to some music."

"Or you can talk to me." She again looked in his eyes surprised at his offer. "Sanam, you once told me you were there for me whenever I needed it. I agree I haven't been the most open to you still, but it extends to you as well. I'm here, and right now, I'd say you needed it."

She couldn't look away from his eyes. There was nothing but sincerity that she could spot in his tone and the depth of his eyes. He meant every single word, but that only tightened her chest. "Thank you, Arjun." She put her hand on his shoulder and took a step in his direction. She pressed a kiss on his cheek while his hand rested lightly on her back. She then kept her face next to his cheek before continued to speak in a soft voice, "Another time."

She then took a step away, turning to face the exit at the same time. She couldn't bear to see the worry in his eyes that she knew would be there. She opened the door and left without once glancing at him. If the thought of Arjun kissing her hadn't scared her, she might have considered staying. But, right now, she was vulnerable and she would rather not let that emotional intimacy lead to something physical. She had kept her heart guarded for years. It would take more to snap out of it.

~

That evening, Neha visited her again after Sanam had texted her to ask if she was free to talk. Neha had left her house right away. After all, she had been anxious the whole day. She had tried to talk to Arjun, but the texts and calls had gone unanswered. When she called Rahul to enquire about him, he had told her that he had been in and out of meetings. Thus, he must have not checked his phone yet.

Sanam opened the door to her apartment wearing a sweater and PJs with a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice-cream in one hand. As soon as Neha stepped in, she shivered, "Jesus, Sanam. It's flipping freezing in here!"

She went over to the air unit and turned up the temperature. Sanam, meanwhile, returned to her comfortable spot on the couch and wrapped the blanket over her legs. Neha followed, taking the other end of the blanket and slipping inside. She took the spoon from Sanam's hand and scooped for herself.

"Start talking." She said but not in a demanding tone. Her whole demeanor was soft, since it wasn't all the time that Sanam was an emotional mess. Sanam could pull herself up within five to ten minutes. She didn't let things linger on to the whole day, and given it was evening already, it had been the whole day.

Sanam arched her brow. "You're not going to start yelling at me?"

Neha shook her head, shifting closer to put her arm around her and pull her to her side, "Ofcourse not, love. I'm just here to listen. So, get it off your chest."

"Mom called to ask me to see a guy they'd chosen..." Sanam then scoffed at her own choice of words and corrected it, "No, actually, she was pretty much letting me know seeing him was the only option. Seeing him was just a formality. They'd already planned it all. And that made me mad. I mean, I am their daughter, after all. Not some piece of furniture or car that you make a deal with someone and finalize everything, and then at the end show it off to the prospective buyer."

"Babe, that's a harsh analogy." Neha tried to ease her anger for her parents.

Sanam stuck to her words, "I know them, Neha."

"So, explain this. Did you say Arjun's name just because you were mad at them for doing that and wanted to make them realize, or is it true?"

Sanam hesitated on whether to tell her. She took safety measures, "Before I tell you, it has to stay between us, okay?"

"Ofcourse, Sanam. Whatever it is... I'm on your side. I just need to know what you tell your parents when they get here."

Sanam wondered why she ever doubted telling Neha, "You're too good to me."

Neha laughed, "I am. Now, what is it?"

"I knew what I was doing when I took Arjun's name."

Neha nodded, grasping the fact, "So you two really do like each other?"

"This is the part where you don't freak out." Sanam asked, and Neha nodded. "While you were still on your honeymoon, I ran into him a couple of times. I'd already met him at your marriage, you know that. Then remember I had that conferred in Manchester and you suggested I meet him? Well I did and by the end of that week... I asked him to marry me. As part of an arrangement."

"What?!" Neha did freak out.

Sanam kept her down on the couch before she would get up and start pacing, "Let me finish! I knew mom and dad would try something like this now that you were married. You know what I think of marriage and career and you know what he feels about commitment. I thought he'd have flipped on me too and tell me I was crazy. But he didn't put up much of a fight at all, surprisingly."

Neha cocked her head to the side, "Yeah, he has the nerve to listen." It made her momentarily wonder if Neha knew something she didn't. She didn't get to dwell over it as Neha asked, "Wait, is that what all that flirting over dinner and the beach house was? A show?"

"Well, the dinner was... the beach house, I don't think so. After the dinner, we went out on a date."

She gasped, "You what? How could you not have told me?"

Sanam made a face, "C'mon Neha. You would have made a big deal out of it. I didn't need that. I was anxious enough. I couldn't believe I was going to do this. But... it was comfortable the whole time. At the beach house, we really got to be friends, get to know each other... I think most of the time we spent talking was after everyone had already gone to bed. So, ofcourse, that couldn't have been for show."

"This is ridiculous, you know that?" Neha suddenly commented.

Sanam frowned, "What is?" Since Neha had been listening calmly, she had gotten the impression that she was starting to accept it.

"I mean, I always knew you and Arjun would be perfect when I first met him and Rahul during college years. But, I knew what you thought of relationships and he was fixing some things about himself too so I never introduced you two. And now look at you both! If I had not stopped to think of what you wanted and gone ahead with my selfish motives, we could have had that dream wedding where best friends get married at the same altar on the same day with brothers."

Sanam burst out laughing, at her best friend's crazy idea as well as her acceptance. The way she had been warned at the beach house, she had thought it would have required a bit some convincing.

"I'm glad you're not mad." Sanam expressed.

Neha hugged her and then commented after parting, "Mad? Babe, I couldn't be more thrilled. I've shipped you two for years now and you didn't even know each other back then. Heck, you two already have my blessing for what it matters. Just make it real instead of this arrangement you two have going on."

Sanam's expression turned grim at that. "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves."

Neha let out a sigh, knowing her best friend all too well.

~

authors note;

Yes, I'm updating this again. IDK, this story is addictive so I just have to. ^-^

I like how this chapter has a balance of Arjun-Sanam-Neha. I hope all of you have a best friend like Neha in your lives! I thought about deleting this entire chapter but for now, I'll keep it. Lemme know your thoughts!

Next chapter is LONG and filled with parents. Soooo gear up!