Part – 25

"You are not just my Friend; you are my Love! You are not just my Love; you are my Heart! You are not just my Heart; you are my Life! You are not just my Life; You are my Everything"

(Mithra's POV)

"Aw! My darling man is sleeping." I smile seeing my Karthik sleeping peacefully with a small smile curved on his lips. I rarely get the chance to admire his beauty while he's asleep because I generally sleep early & wake up late so unlike Karthik. He is an early riser and probably that keeps him active & energetic all day and I also suspect that's the secret of his fitness. But today he is still asleep, maybe jet lag.

I sit beside him on the bed & comb his hair gently with my fingers brushing the floppy hair off his forehead. Then I lean forward to place a tender kiss on his lips. As soon as my lips touch his skin he makes an appreciative sound and snuggles closer to me. I push myself little back to see whether he is up but he is not.

He still has his eyes closed but his smile deepened. I couldn't help but poke my index finger on his cute dimple. I hook both of my index fingers on either side of his dimpled cheek & start kissing his forehead, nose tip, lips & when I try to pull apart he captures my lips. He is awake! He is kissing me back. I feel his hands skimming to the side of my waist & he jerks me forward & I fall on top of his torso, minding not to squash my broken hand.

"Good morning, beautiful" I feel his kiss on top of my head. I lift my head up off his chest & look at his sleepy eyes.

"What were you doing when I was sleeping?" he asks, grinning.

"I think you should know already as you weren't sleeping."

"I was. Your kiss woke me up" he says as his hands gently squeeze the sides of my hip.

"Karthik, leave me" I wriggle but he grips me tight, holding me in place.

"Morning morning you start and then you ask me to leave you?" He teases but I can see raw passion dancing in his eyes & my cheeks start heating up.

"I thought you were asleep..." I tell looking away.

"Okay, let me pretend I am sleeping & you finish with what you started a moment back" He tells & closes his eyes.

"I didn't start anything. I just came to kiss you before I leave to college. I am done so going now. Bye" I tell & was about to stand up but he stops me by holding my uninjured hand.

"Hey, wait!"

"What?"

"How is your hand?" He asks in concern sitting up on the bed.

"It's fine." I smile in assurance.

"Sit here" he orders. I oblige. He steps out of the bed & kneels in front of me studying me closely. He holds my head between his hands & skates his hands down to my cheeks, my neck, my shoulders, my arms, finding for any sign of serious injury. Then his hands slip down to my thighs, my knees, my calves & finally his hands grip my ankles.

"You are perfectly fine right?" He asks still holding my feet. "You aren't hiding anything from me, are you?"

"Didn't you just check for yourself that I don't have any major injury? And to your second question, no, I am not hiding anything from and I won't do it ever"

"Yeah, okay" He says with a head nod. He gazes my bandaged hand & then with the tip of his finger he starts circling over the bandage.

"How many stitches?" He asks.

"Um... 12" I tell. He pressed his lips to a straight line to control his emotion. I know he loves me so much that my pain pains him more than it actually pains me.

"You know what, Karthik? With this accident one of my life time wishes got fulfilled" I say beaming at him. Karthik's eyes went wide obviously guessing what the wish which got fulfilled was.

"No! You didn't" He tells horrified.

"Yes. I did" I nod grinning.

"You are insane" He scolds me. Who will not scold? I always fantasized getting stitches on my skin & I always wanted to see it for myself bearing the pain so I told Dr. Raghav Mehra, my dad's close friend's son, not to give me anesthesia & knock me down but still he gave me a numbing dose just so I don't feel the pain but I stay conscious. It was a thrilling experience to watch my skin being stitched and I totally forgot about the horrible accident at that time.

"Still you love me" I tell grinning. He smiles & pecks on my cheek.

"I would love you more if you stop pulling such stupid stunts."

"I will try"

"Karthik, I forgot to tell you..."

"What?"

"The doctor who treated me was damn handsome." I tell dreamily. A moment later I realized what I just told. I grin sheepishly while Karthik glares at me murderously.

"You know nah... I am fond of doctors... I just go gaga when I see doctors, mainly when they are hot. How I wish you were a doctor?" I sigh dramatically

"That's one wish of yours I couldn't fulfill... As you know..."

"Yeah, you suck in biology" I giggle.

"Ahaan!"

"You are still holding my feet" I remind him. he shrugs.

"You are not getting late to college?" he asks.

"Yeah, I am... but..."

"But what?"

"I am thinking whether I could take the day off & spend it with you..."

"No! No! Don't do that. Study comes first. You go to college & evening we can go out. Anyway I have office too"

"Why you work like a machine? Why don't you take few days rest before starting work again?" I ask pissed. He shrugs unconcerned.

"Karthik, I know you were burdened with responsibilities at a very young age & you forgot to live your life but at least now start enjoying your life a little. You have everything, big bungalow, fancy cars, 8 digit bank balance, and a beautiful girlfriend sitting in front you..." I add proudly. "...but still you work without a break. It's not good for your health." I scold him.

"It's for you, baby, for our secured future. I want to give you anything & everything your heart desires" he says with love shining in his eyes.

"Oh please, you are already stinking rich and you already have secured our next 3 generations so stop working like a maniac. Oh and if I want anything it will be only YOU because you are my anything and everything. You get that?" I didn't realize I am having tears streaming down my cheeks until Karthik kisses my eyes and suck my tears away.

"My baby is growing matured hun?" he asks with a loving smile on his face.

"No. I love being a baby & pampered by you" I stuck my tongue out teasingly and then I giggle like a school girl.

"I love you, baby and you please don' worry about me. I am big & ugly enough to look after myself" Karthik kisses my forehead.

"Kiss me again" I point to my lips. He kisses me softly and lovingly. He truly adores me. I can say that with the way he looks at me, with the way he caresses me and with the way he treats me with love and respect.

"I will go freshen up & come. Then I will kiss you & drop you off to college." he says standing up to his feet.

"Okay. Oh and evening you are taking me shopping" I order.

"Shopping? If I could recall what you said a moment ago it was very clear you wanted nothing but me!" he asks wiggling his brows up.

"Well, your baby Mithra wants only you but your girlfriend slash fiancé Mithra has lots of expectations on you so you better not disappoint her. Come on time to pick me up & don't forget to bring your credit cards" I order as always.

"Alright!" he mock salutes me. I roll my eyes.

__0__

(Karthik's POV)

"Yo! Dude" Sanjeev says the moment I pick his call up. "Wassup, man? Why weren't you picking my calls earlier?" he asks.

"Are you mad at me?" he asks when I remain silent.

"Yes I am fucking mad at you" I say, gritting my teeth.

"What, pray, have I done?" he asks.

"Why you didn't inform me about Mithra's accident?"

"Oh, so it's all about that little devil"

"Answer me" I demand.

"Chill dude! That little devil of yours wanted a new car so smashed her old one by dashing it on a tree. You know she is one Clever Crocodile so don't go ape-shit on me" he says & laughs.

"Sanjeev, stop it. I don't like you teasing or taunting Mithra & her accident is not something you make fun of" I warn him over the phone.

"Okay, I am sorry."

"So?"

"Dude? You want me to get killed in her hands huh?" he asks.

"What?"

"Then what? Your sweet little fiancé was already plotting my murder & if I had told you about her accident then your best friend won't be alive and talking to you right now" he says & acts as if fucking crying.

"Stop your f**king acting."

"Okay!" he laughs. "You know what? For the first time I saw Mithra acting her age and I was shocked, man. She worried that you will worry for her and take the next flight to India and come here leaving all your work so she didn't let anyone tell about her accident. She is starting to care for you and I am so happy..."

"She always cares for me. I never doubted on that." I tell him as matter of fact.

"Maybe" he says though not sure.

"Okay, Sanjeev, I will talk to you later. Gotta go & pick up Mithra from her college. We are going shopping afterwards"

"Shopping with her?" I know his eyes would have popped out in shock. "Okay, May your pure soul rest in peace"

I couldn't help but laugh before hanging up the phone.

__0__

I quickly put on my white shirt & pull a pair of blue jeans over my legs. I roll up the sleeves of my shirt & comb my hair with my fingers.

Well, I am ready to go to pick up Mithra from her college.

I walk down stairs to see my parents & Mithra's parents deep in discussion.

"Hello uncle, aunty" I greet them. They smile at me warmly.

I turn to my mom & ask her the matter.

"We are leaving now to Pune..."

"Oh why?" I ask before letting her complete.

"You know Sharma uncle right? Her daughter is getting married so we are going to attend the wedding. We will return home by tomorrow evening" mom informs

"Oh!"

"Karthik, I know there is no need to say but still take care of Mithra... And haan... she will forget to take her meds so you please remind her" Manohar uncle instructs me.

"Mithra is not going with you?" I ask them.

"She has her exams coming up in this week so she said she can't come."

"Oh okay. You don't worry uncle I will take care of Mithra" I assure him.

"Here." He hands me their house key. "If she wants to stay there give her the house keys or else she can stay here with you, we have no objection. Just make sure she doesn't get into any trouble." He says for which I chuckle. He has so much confidence on his daughter.

"I have kept food for you both in refrigerator, heat up & eat, okay?" Mom tells me.

"Okay. Take care"

"You too & stay in your limits." My mom warns me though she is grinning like a child waiting in queue for candy.

"I thought you wanted to see your grandchild soon"

"Shut up" My mom chides me. I see from the corner of my eyes Padmini aunty turning pink. Oh no! Did I say it too loud for her to hear? Don't worry aunty I won't do anything to your daughter, at least not until Mithra and I get official married.

"Mom, this is not the first time Mithra is staying alone with me" I remind her. We lived together for a year under one roof after our forced marriage. Oh and not only that right from our childhood, whenever her parents go out they leave Mithra to me to babysit her so it's nothing new for them to warn me to stay in my limits.

"But things have obviously changed now" she says. Is she warning me to stay in limit or encouraging me to do something naughty with her soon to be daughter in law? She is giving me mixed signals and I am confused now.

But yeah, she is right. Definitely things have changed between Mithra and I, now. We are not just friends but lovers. You could say desperate lovers, so in the heat of the moment we might do something wild.

"And Karthik, pool area is strictly forbidden to go"

"Mom, this is gross. Keep some faith on your son" I scold her, feeling so embarrassed that she caught us romancing in the swimming pool the other day.

"Radha & I trust you implicitly, Karthik... but it's my daughter we both are worried about... You know she is crazy" Padmini aunty says.

Ouch! My poor baby! I feel for her but I can't argue with them that Mithra is not crazy because I know she is.

"Chalo! It's getting late." My dad shouts, impatiently standing near the car.

"Patil, drive slowly" I instruct the driver. He nods.

"Bye!" I wave at them & once their car zoomed out of my sight, I rush to my car to go pick up Mithra.

--0--

I lean my back on my car as I wait for Mithra, outside her college gate. My cell phone pings & I check it. It's Mithra's message.

*Wer r u? *

*Outside ur colg * I text back

*Oh! Mr. Bald is putting blade so I will be late *

*Lol. I will wait *

*hmm... I don't know how long it will take. U go home, I will come on my own. *

*Then wat abt shopping? *

*tmrw!* she replies. I frown reading her text.

*I have work * I reply. I can't take one more day off from work.

Then I wait for her reply but she doesn't text me back.

What happened? Did she get pissed on me for mentioning work again?

For another two minutes I waited for her message contemplating whether to text her back or not.

"Karthik!" I hear Mithra's voice so I look up to see her running towards.

"I love you so much" she shrieks & throws her uninjured arm around my neck & hugs me.

"Oh what an open display of affection" I tease her but hug her back.

"Oh!" She looks around & grins like an idiot at the passersby.

"You said you will take time?" I ask as I lead her to the passenger side & open the door for her.

She waits for me to get settled on the drive seat & start the car before she answers.

"Thank you so much for helping me, Karthik" she grins widely. I don't get for what she is thanking me.

"What?" I ask looking straight at the road ahead.

"Mr. Bald caught me when I was texting you & the next moment I was thrown out of the class & I came running to you." She says giggling.

"I am sorry... I shouldn't have disturbed you..."

"Oh please, I was the one who text you first..."

"But still..."

"You know what Karthik? I would have blood in my ears if I had stayed a minute longer hearing his stupid boring lecture." She says horrified & throws her head back on her seat & starts laughing. She is too dramatic & funny.

"Where to now?" I ask her when she stops laughing.

"Home"

"No shopping?"

"Mr. Workaholic, promise me that you will take me shopping, this Sunday"

"Why not now?"

"I don't think I can do shopping now. I am tired" she says & gently rubs her bandaged hand.

"Is it paining?" I ask.

"A little." She says smiling but I know she is making it light for me.

"Shall we see the doctor, baby?"

"No, Karthik. I am fine. It just... I somehow managed to write my notes with this broken hand & now it's paining mildly. Once I go home & take my meds I will be okay"

"Hmm..." I agree though I really want to check her with the doctor.

"I have your house key. Our parents have gone to Pune & they will return only by tomorrow evening so you can stay either at my place or yours."

"Oh right. Mom mentioned about going to someone's wedding in Pune but I forgot."

"My mom has cooked food for us. If you wish we can go home and have that or we can dine out."

"Hmm... Karthik..." She hesitates.

"What?"

"I am thinking why not we go to our apartment & spend the night together?" she suggests and I find the idea appealing. I miss our apartment.

"But... Your meds are at your home"

"Nothing will happen to me if I skip my medicines for one time"

"Your hand is already aching so you will need your pain killers"

"Just tell me you will take me to our apartment or not?"

"Okay but before that we can go to your house, take your meds, then go to mine to have an early dinner & then I will take you to our apartment. Sounds good?"

"Yep! You are my darling" she pinches my cheek & pops some imaginary thing in her mouth.

I shake my head & ruffle her hair.

__0__

"Karthik? Will we stay in this apartment after our marriage?" Mithra asks me. We took Mithra's meds & had our dinner at my house & now we are in our apartment.

"I don't know. What you want? Stay with my parents so that you will be close to your parents as well or live separately in this apartment, just the two of us or you want me to buy a new house for a new start? Choice is yours!" I really don't give a shit about anything. All I want is to be with my Mithra, all my life.

"I am confused, Karthik" she says & sits on my lap. "I want us to live with our parents but at the same time I want us to live alone like before. New house for new start idea also sounds interesting..." she wonders. I gently tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Shall we give deeper thought on this matter another time when you are not confused?" I ask with a chuckle.

"Sure" she says & kisses my lips.

"You look tired." I say.

"No. I am not. Let's watch some movie" she insists and obviously I agreed.

We cuddle on the couch as we start watching a horror movie.

"Karthik, I am hungry, shall we order something to eat?" she asks leaning up off my shoulder.

"Sure, baby. Is Pizza okay for you?" I ask.

She nods, smiling. "And Choco Lava cake too" she adds. I quickly make our orders & resume watching the movie.

"I will go open the door" Mithra quickly runs hearing the door bell before I could stop her. It must be the pizza deliver.

"Mithra, wait. I will pay" I grab my wallet from the couch & follow her

"Your order, beautiful" I hear the pizza guy's voice. When I come straight to the view, I find the pizza guy lustfully eyeing my Mithra from top to toe but she is blissfully ignorant of his intention and fucking chats with him as if he's her best buddy.

I stand behind Mithra, bristling anger and give that asshole a back off stare. He gets the cue & quickly steps back.

I take the pizza boxes from Mithra as she struggled to hold it with one hand. Then I thrust the cash in his hand before shutting the door right on his face & walking back to the living room with Mithra tagging behind me.

"You were quite rude to him" she states.

"Yes, I was."

"Why?"

"He was flirting with you & you were giggling like an immature teenage girl"

"No, we were just talking"

"Talking? His eyes were all over your body. He is such a perverted pig & you are a fucking fool"

"You are a control freak!" she retorts.

"Yes, I am" I say crossing my hands over my chest as I lean back on the wall, glaring at her. "If you behave like a typical over possessive and controlling husband then... then I will divorce" she says keeping her hand on her hip.

I am not sure whether she is teasing or being serious but it stings hearing her say she will divorce me.

"Now, come on, I was just joking so wipe off that poker face" she says. So she was joking but I didn't find any humor at all.

"No! No! I am just thinking why we need a divorce when we are already divorced. Just call off the second marriage we are planning to do & walk away from me if you don't like the way I am. I have learned to live without you" I know I sound bit harsh but I couldn't help. I'm so wounded and pissed.

She blinks her eyes twice in disbelief hearing my outburst.

"Karthik, I am sorry... I didn't mean it..." she rushes to my side and rubs my chest with her palm to cal me down.

"You won't call off our marriage right? You won't leave me right?" she panics & hugs me hard. She is trembling for head to toe and I feel that as her body is flushed against mine. "Please tell me you won't leave. Please, karthik" she asks shaking my arms. "No, actually I won't leave you. You are mine. I can't afford to lose the best thing that has ever happened to me, once again. You got that, Karthik?" she asks as she cries hysterically.

"Mithra..." I try to gently release from hugging me tight.

"Mithra, watch your hand" I know she is pressing herself to me & holding me tight as if her life depends on it, ignoring her injured hand.

"Mithra..." I forcefully pull her away from me so that I can see her. I skirt my thumb over her lips to stop it from trembling.

"Stop crying" I order.

"Promise me you will marry me?" she asks thrusting her palm up for me to hold and promise.

"No! I won't promise." I shake my head. She stares at me blinking her tears away.

"If you trust me don't ask to promise" I say & head straight to my room. I know Mithra will trail behind me to my room so I didn't shut the door.

"Pizza is getting cold" Mithra says sitting beside me on the bed & placing the pizza box on top of my stomach. I take it & place it on the bed. I turn to my side, placing my head on my palm balancing with my elbow as I stare at her in disbelief. How can she cry one minute & act so cool the next minute?

She is eating her pizza ravenously not even bothering for me to join her.

"What you are looking at? Eat!" Her audacity is driving me insane.

I sit up & take a slice of pizza & start eating. I know she won't take no for an answer. She will pester me till I eat the pizza.

"Hot chilli pepper" I mutter and softly chuckle.

"Did you just call me that?" She asks raising her eye brow.

"No. Jalapeno" I pluck out the jalapeno from the pizza & show it to her.

"I love it" I tell her & slowly place it between my lips & nibble it. She eyes me biting her lower lip.

"Eat" I command. She resumes eating her over cheesed pizza like a small child dripping the cheese on her dress & splotching it on the side of her mouth.

I wipe the cheese off her mouth with my finger & put the same cheesy finger in my mouth and lick it.

"What was that?" She asks.

"Cheesy-Cheesy thing" I wink at her making her blush.

"You want chocolate cake?" She asks.

"Nope!" Mithra has a sweet tooth. She can eat sweets and chocolates all day.

I notice her struggling to open the lid of the cake cup so I help her.

"Okay. I have decided!" she says, tasting a spoon of her cake.

"What?" I ask. I am clueless of what she is talking about.

"We are gonna name our daughter Lava"

"Daughter?"

"In future, when we have a daughter we will name her Lava"

"What? No way! I don't want my daughter to erupt like a volcano"

"Nah... Not that lava... This Choco Lava. It's so sweet & delicious" she offers me a spoon. I agree it tastes good but it surely is not gonna be my baby girl's name.

"Pizza & Lava gonna be our kids name" she declares.

Yuck!

"I don't like the names"

"Then how about Adam & Eve?" She asks enthusiastically.

"What? No!"

Only Mithra can come up with stupid names.

"Why?"

"Will you stop blabbering?" I don't like any of her suggestions.

"Hmm... how about Jim Jam?" she asks. This girl is out of her mind.

"Isn't Jim Jam a biscuit name?" I ask her shocked. She wants to name our kids after a biscuit? Gah!

"So what? I love Jim Jam biscuits" She says, offended.

"Shut up & eat, Mithra"

"You are grumpy today" she pouts.

"Me? Well, you are too annoying today" I say twisting my mouth showing my irritation but she smiles sweetly.

"Karthik, how many kids you want?"

Why she is so desperate to get pregnant?

"First you grow up, baby, then we can think about having kids" I kiss her cheek lovingly.

"I am a baby only to your eyes... but to others I am a beautifully grown up twenty one years old woman."

"Okay, big lady, babies will happen when the right time comes" I tell and kiss her forehead. "Now that you are done with eating could you kindly vacate my room? I want to sleep & so do you."

"Nope!"

God! Sometimes my baby brat can be hard to handle.

"Why?"

"I am gonna sleep with you."

"I don't think that's a good idea"

I don't want her sleeping close to me. I might lose my control especially after she instilled the thought of babies.

"Why?" she frowns.

"Um... I have given my word to my mom that I will stay in my limits"

"Oh please, I have no intention to rape you"

I take that as an insult.

"I doubt you"

She seems so ready to pounce on me. I should be very careful.

"Oh-huh! Please, don't act like a pussy. And I know you are not new to intimacy."

"What?" I am shocked by her words.

"Sanjeev told you were a player back in college so stop acting like a saint now." she sounds angry.

"That bloody rascal!" I hiss. How dare he can say I was a player in college to Mithra when I clearly wasn't? "He lied to you. I was not a player, believe me, Mithra"

"Oh please. Didn't you tell your first time was good when we all played truth or dare? So I know you have done everything" she sounds so upset now.

"What the f**k!"

"100 Rupees" she asks grinning. "You even used already once when you scolded me 'Fucking fool' so you have to pay 200"

"Gah!" I groan in frustration. "Okay I will pay you later"

"Alright. Now, tell me how many girls you have had sex with. I want to know"

"No one"

"Don't lie. You told it yourself that your first time sex was good so tell was that your only time or..."

"That was a lie"

"Oh! Was it bad?" No doubt she is stupid.

I am hearing telling the entire thing was a lie but she is thinging I said the first time sex was good when it was actually bad. Only Mithra can interpret a statement in the most wrong way.

"God! I never had sex with anyone not even with my god damn wife."

"Really?" she asks too surprised.

"Don't you know?" I ask her back.

"I know nothing happened between us but with other girls? Sanjeev told me you are a sex predator?"

What else that sick bastard told about me to Mithra?

"That idiot loves to defame me"

Before Mithra I swear I am gonna kill him.

"So that was a lie?"

"Not exactly"

"What do you mean?"

"I always had starters but never gone further to taste main course or dessert" I tell honestly. I have kissed quite a number of girls and I have done few things more than kissing but never had sex.

"Huh?" she asks confused.

"It means I have flirted & dated quite a number of girls...And have kissed them in all possible way but trust me nothing more than that"

"Have you kissed Nisha while you two were dating?" she asks, her eyes burning with jealousy. Why Nisha in particular? She is a good friend to me now.

"Yes, we have kissed each other a few times" I tell her honestly.

"How many times?"

"I don't keep counts, Mithra" I say, pissed as I rake my fingers through my hair.

"You liked kissing her?"

"At that time, I liked it but now it doesn't mean anything to me."

"Why you are brutally honest?" she asks sadly.

"Because I don't want to hide anything from you, baby"

"So you are a virgin?" she asks suddenly beaming with joy.

"You want me to spell it out loud?"

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"That was my little secret." I tell her.

"Oh! But why you maintained it a secret?"

"I worried it will affect my 'bad boy' image if it comes out to the open." I shrug.

"You know what? I always wanted a virgin husband" she tells me, blushing.

"Well, you are gonna get one soon"

"Yes"

"Mithra..."

"What?"

"This secret should not go out of these 4 walls" I warn her.

"Hmm... okay"

"Promise me?"

"No, I won't promise. If you trust me don't ask for a promise" she throws my own words back at me making me laugh out loud.

"Will you let me sleep with you now?" she asks losing her patience.

"Okay!" Arguing with her is waste of time and effort. I shuffle over & pull the duvet back, inviting her to join me. She lies beside me & gently wraps her hand over my torso.

"Karthik, I am sorry for what I said outside. I didn't mean it. I'm really sorry for hurting your feelings" 

"It's okay, baby and I am sorry for making you cry." I tell and kiss her hair. 

"Karthik, what you see there?" she points her hand to the ceiling changing the topic. 

I smile knowing what she is referring to. 

Our laser gun night!

"Ceiling" I feign innocence.

"On that?"

"Fan is hanging" I continue teasing.

"No! Not that! Don't you see 'stars, moon, solar system, flowers, Dora, Mickey &..."

"And what?" I ask softly. She puts an arm around me & draws herself close to me. Then I hear her softly say "I love you" near my ear.

I bestow a gentle kiss on her forehead & whisper back "I love you too, baby"

... To be continued!!!

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