The sight infront of Agastya was absolutely enthralling. Janhavi was dressed in a black bodycon dress that had slits running till her calf. It hugged her slender frame accentuating her curves very well. Agastya had never seen her in such avatar till now, in person. She had paired her dress with white sneakers. Her hair were tied in a high bun and few strands of hair loosely fell off. The dark kohl deepened the shape of her almond cut eyes with naturally thick eyelashes.

Agastya was lost in her when Siya shrieked hugging her that brought Agastya back in reality. He had a smile that he wanted to hide but failed miserably.

"Why are you so late Jaanu di? I thought you were coming along with Naina chachi. Gosh! My heart sank when I didn't see you coming with her. Mujhe laga aap skip kar doge."

Janhavi smiled finding the birthday girl eagerly waiting for her. She just tugged her hand around her shoulder smiling at her

"I'm so sorry my darling. Ahh! it's a long story. I had some work and had conveyed to aai aunty already over phone that I will come little late. And then my car broke down in the middle. Chaos chaos and super chaos. But I had to come. How could I miss your birthday bash my baby girl. Gosh Siya! You are turning all of 18. Wow!"

She said sipping her tea that Sanaya had made. The content of finally be able to gulp something after such a hectic travel was clearly visible on her face. She hadn't missed noticing Agastya's expressions and that smile. She knew he was happy but she chose to ignore him for a while. Agastya was still dazed with her beauty, to be precise her sensual silhouette that was captured in his mind as he saw her entering. He had never before this, felt a desire kicking in for Janhavi bringing out gamut of not-so-subtle emotions. He felt little adventurous and found himself getting aroused. His mind was stuck between the love he had for Janhavi since always and the lust that was now kicking in finding her so feminine, delicate yet sensual; precisely tempting.

The night had grown dark and the entire family had now gathered. With Manasvi, Akshay and Vihaan's arrival, the mansion looked happier and chirpier. Vihaan had hugged Siya the tightest pecking her rosy cheeks gently as he declared how much he had missed her.

"Hey Prettiness! For you." Vihaan forwarded her a wrapped rectangular box. Looking super excited. She tore the wrapping with a big smile and found a keyring with her name carved in gold with a small crown over the 'A' in the end of her name. She was very excited as she almost jumped hugging him and he held her tightly.

"Yay! Thank you Vi! I love it. And that crown.. aww! How sweet of you"

"Anything for you, my prettiness! Well, it is just the beginning". Vihaan declared and Siya's eyes sparkled guessing it meant there would be more gifts for her. Everyone soon gathered as Manasvi and Akshay had freshened up. The drinks were ready at the bar in the backyard near the pool. The men were helping serve and mix some cocktails on demand. Few youngsters below the 'suitable age' had mocktails while Siya was given to try as she was turning 18. Vihaan shook a special cocktail with lemons, smoked oranges and mint and vodka and presented to her bowing down on his knees.

"For you, Your highness!" Siya smiled and bowed down in curtsey just as the royals would, giggling.

"Thanks! You charmer." As she took a sip, she almost puked as he had spiked her cocktail with chilly. Everyone laughed and soon Siya was running after Vihaan, hurling cusses at him. She threw a water bottle that he dodged and it landed in the pool. It was a regular thing with them and everyone knew how they both loved teasing, irritating, pulling legs and flirt with each other. But even after all this they would make up in the end with hugs. That was how Vi and Si were. Ragini chuckled commenting.

"In dono ka alag hi hai. Tere sath raha bhi naa jaye, tere bina jiya bhi naa jaye. Ye perfectly suit karta hai inpe. Abhi hum beech me padenge and in few minutes they will sort out. Dono ek ho jayenge making a fool of us. He he he."

Asmi agreed "They both are Tom and Jerry. Oh! Careful." Asmi screamed as there was a huge splash. Vihaan had pushed Siya in the pool and was laughing while she was angered. Taking a chance, Agastya pushed Vihaan and now everyone was laughing, even Siya as all the kids too had gathered at the periphery of the pool, clapping and laughing.

"Bhaiya! Thank you so much for taking revenge on my behalf. Mr. Vihaan! Revenge is best served cold. You shall see, ain't gonna let you escape so easily."

Siya warned as the place echoed with laughter. And just then Prashant and Aneesh came running and pushed all the kids in the pool and eventually, Prashant got disbalanced and fell too. The entire scene was so hilarious that the rest too jumped into the pool laughing out crazily. It looked like a complete family making merry in the pool, laughing and splashing water at each other. Rohan thanked Vihaan as because of his prank they all got a chance to relive their childhood again. Aneesh vividly remembered how they had done similar thing in their childhood. The memories had refreshed and the smiles refused to leave their happy faces.

It had been years that Agastya had seen Janhavi laughing this way. It warmed his heart as her happy tears now were mixed with chlorine water of the pool making her eyes redder yet alluring. But the curve on her face told a story Agastya was dying to read; Happiness and laughter from the heart. He was lost in her when her eyes met his. The emotions she saw in his eyes made a debut that night. Her smile mellowed but the happiness hadn't dimmed. She broke the eye contact but Agastya still had his eyes on her. Soon, everyone got out drying themselves except Agastya. He stood at the periphery of the pool stretching his hands and resting his handsome face over it.

Janhavi turned back and saw how hot and handsome he looked in his wet look. She sighed silently, cursing her heart to again relay in those almost forbidden lanes of love, that she had for him. They all had gathered at the table to satisfy their hunger. Just when the things had started to settle down a little between Janhavi and Agastya, a loud noise caught the attention. It was Janhavi's phone that she had kept somewhere in the haste near the bar but couldn't find it. Aarna found it behind the tissue box.

"Jaanu di! Arjun bhaiya's call." She said passing the phone to her reading the caller's name. How could it not have drawn a special attention; Agastya. Listening that name, his face had a subtle frown that he hid carefully. Janhavi had excused herself to take the call and Agastya found her smiling. That smile reached her eyes and ended at the far ends of her lips that had stretched happily. Her giggles were heard and now the fire of jealousy and disappointment was lit.

Agastya repeated the name that he had heard for the first time. "Oh! The guy is Arjun." Although he looked away normally chatting with Vi and others but his entire attention was on her standing few meters away, apparently talking to some Arjun, who looked like the most important person in her life bringing in eye-to-eye smile and those sweet giggles. Agastya was disheartened knowing another random guy held a special place in Janhavi's life; his Jaanu's life. His heart wasn't ready to accept it and he cursed himself. He knew what all had happened in these seven years was resulting in this. He muttered

"What you sow, so you reap! Looking at me only she gets sad. Abhi to her giggles aren't dying down. And look at that face, glowing and basking in L!" He stopped the minute he could have uttered the word he felt for her since always.

"Aarna! See what I have brought especially for you!" Janhavi chided opening a big hot pot.

"Aww! Pineapple sheera? Oh! How I was craving for it. Yum yum let me hog on it." Aarna almost snatched digging in a big spoon and relishing it stuffed in her mouth. She had stuffed so much that she couldn't even chew. Janhavi's pineapple sheera was Aarna's favorite that she had tasted once. Janhavi always added caramelized pineapple rings on the top that elevated the dish completely. Vihaan took a whiff as he exclaimed in his British accent

"What's this sheera thingy?"

Janhavi fed him a spoonful chuckling at his question.

"Manu aunty don't you make this sheera thingy at home for our dear Vihaan? He he he...It's something in between a cake and pudding made with Semolina and pineapple. It's also called halwa." Janhavi explained as he thoroughly enjoyed the delicacy and spoke in between his chews

"Oh! Say halwa..mom makes it for Diwali sometimes. Right mom?"

Agastya dreamt of Janhavi feeding him with her own hands and waited but it didn't happen. Disappointed with his unrealistic dreams, he helped himself with a spoonful and practically moaned eating away the sweet with the caramelized pineapple. One morsel didn't bring satiety and he dug another spoon almost snatching the box from Aarna.

"Bhaiya! You're such a hogger. Jaanu di made this for me especially." She whined while Agastya just mocked her with a smile. He again moaned making Janhavi gasp. "Agastya! What noises are you making? Shi...haww.. they aren't souning good for the place and people you are among."

"Umm! I loved it sweetest..." He stopped and rephrased.

"I loved these sweetest pineapples on the top. Umm! So damn yummy Janhavi. I didn't know you cook so well."

The 'sweetest-heart' moniker was subtly replaced that nobody could catch but Janhavi did. Since she had arrived, Agastya kept to minimal verbal interactions and called her by her official name, neither Jaanu nor sweetest heart. She had been noticing how Agastya had been avoiding the moniker since quite a few days and now was extremely annoyed. The night had fallen and almost everyone had retired to sleep after the customary birthday cake cutting. The young brigade had brought a cake specially to smudge Siya's face and successfully could execute their plan.

Siya was in the living room scrolling her phone when Vihaan came and gifted her another wrapped present. It was a personalized pen in gold crystals with a capital 'S' embossed on it and looked very exquisite. Siya smiled and thanked hugging him. As she loosened her hold, Vihaan was very near her face as he whispered "Happy birthday prettiness! May all your wishes come true today and forever."

He almost would have kissed Siya but she pulled herself away. Vihaan winked with a smile.

"Well! That's how we wish big girls." Hearing this Siya got annoyed as she questioned him "What do you mean by GIRLS?"

"Precisely my previous two girl-friends!" Vihaan answered casually.

"Who? If I may know?" Siya threw attitude that he couldn't do away with. Scratching his nape, he revealed finally "Raya and Angelina!"

"What the fuck? But you've said they were your friends." Siya quipped now visually looking irritated.

"Yeah! Coz they were friends only when I had told you. Umm! We dated later but those relationships were short-lived. And by the time I could have told you, I had broken up, both the times."

Siya too took it casually listening to the details "Yeah! Whatever... cool. But I am not your girl friend to be wished THAT WAY."

"But you could be if you give a thought to getting into college in the UK. What say prettiness?" He winked with a soft chuckle. Siya mock smiled at him and wished him for the night flipping her hair.

"We'll see! Good night for now and thanks for the gifts."

On the other hand, Agastya was on the sun lounger near the pool looking at the stars. His mind was jumbled with the thoughts of Arjun and Janhavi, precisely as a couple. He found it hard to gulp that someone else could make his Jaanu smile wholeheartedly. The pineapple sheera's mouthfeel brought a smile. While he was engrossed in his thoughts, he didn't realize that someone was watching him. It was Janhavi and she cleared her throat.

"Hey Janhavi! Didn't sleep? Sab thik hai?" Agastya asked looking at her standing near with her hands on her waist that alarmed him.

"Well! Tum bataoge ye to, if all is well?" She spoke with authority.

Agastya was confused "What do you mean?"

"Office nahi hai ye then why so formal? Ye back and forth behavior kya hai? She asked curtly looking at him.

"No, kaha formal? I am not formal at all." He spoke in his defense although he knew she had caught it.

"Bored with something you haven't done before? Start hi nahi karna tha itna formal rahna tha to. Ho gaya sweetest heart ka natak khatam? Pak gaye kuch dino me? I have noticed, so you better speak up now."

She drew the conversation straight to the point without beating around the bush. She smirked with annoyance to mock him being exasperated with his behavior.

"I don't feel the right to call you by those names anymore. You probably have someone special to call you that way. I don't wanna look like a creep in your life. I hope that explains." Agastya answered precisely throwing the volley of his thoughts that caught Janhavi off guard and further irritated her.

"Tumhari problem ye hai that you keep judging people and situations. Conversation is clearly your weak point. Work on it and next time you better ask than assume on your own. Gotcha?" Her voice was terse with the irk.

Her saying so compelled Agastya to think that he had goofed up and he insisted her to be clear. "I don't know what you're saying!" He asked looking confused making Janhavi sigh.

"That's also your problem that you don't even know what's the problem. So let me put it out very clearly on the accusation or your perception. Koi special someone nahi hai to call me any of such names. Two people can be very good friends too."

Agastya argued to be clearer for himself "But I saw you a few times before and even over the call now this late at night. And your smile."

Janhavi was irked but loved that he was disappointed assuming things on his own and hence the moniker that she loved to be addressed with, was not used. However, she kept her poker face and curbed her happy smile.

"Agastya! Arjun is my very very good, rather the closest friend I've had for the past 6-7years. He had called to check if I have reached safely. He was concerned about my safety with the increased crime we keep reading and hearing about. Wo special hai lekin dost hai. Bahut special dost, usse zyada kuch nahi. He is not that kind of typical someone special you had assumed. He is my bestest buddy."

Janhavi left clearing her stance as she muttered softly with a smile.

"Gadha kahi ka... wo bhi ek no ka! Agastya tum usme bhi number 1 nikle. Numero uno... idiot!"

Agastya felt apologetic to have judged her too soon but was finally ecstatic to find out that there was no one special and Arjun was just a friend not boyfriend. He had a broad happiest grin as he closed his eyes and breathed a sigh closing his eyes. And the only one he saw even with the closed eyes was Janhavi; his Jaanu.

"Aww! Usne notice kiya that I had stopped calling her sweetest heart. Gosh! Kitna dhamki jaise baat kar ke gayi. So typical Jaanu who used to say don't talk to Riya. He he he he. I love this! Even with the closed eyes there is no one except you that I see. Ahh! what a relief baby."

He chuckled as he again moaned licking his lips "Umm! Pineapple sheera is going to be my fav, baby! I would love to eat.."

Probably, with the happiness he indulged in a double entendre chuckling and smiling away on his own. But Janhavi had seen him mumbling something, smiling and chuckling as he rested his head on both his arms; oh-so-sinewy arms. The burning fire could be felt on both ends.

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