Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

3.16 | Yes or No

Edited on August 10th, 2020

| . . . C H A P T E R . . . 3.16 - Y E S - O R - N O . . . |

Today was New Year's Eve. I had been sprawled on the couch reading magazines, watching TV, having an easy day given no one was home. Anjali, Lavanya and Arnav had taken the kids to the fair. They asked me to come along but I insisted on staying home and get some much needed downtime

Martha had gone home to celebrate the Holidays with her family - Arnav had told me how he'll give her the time off whenever he'll visit. Even though there is a caretaker for the nights so Martha can go home and isn't spending all her time at the center, Arnav liked to give her the entire two weeks off. I understood that. Martha already did so much for the shelter. I doubt she took a single day off unless it was absolutely necessary.

At night, Arnav called me to tell me to get ready as we were going out for dinner. I somewhere knew this would happen. The two people at home who cooked were Anjali and Lavanya, and given both were out, there wasn't going to be any dinner ready for them when they returned.

Lavanya snatched the phone from Arnav, "And Khushi, don't just put on your normal jeans and a boring shirt. It's New Years' Eve. Wear a nice dress. Get something from my or Anjali di's bag."

I frowned, "Do I have to?"

"Yes." She snapped in a scolding tone, "You have 20 minutes before we pick you up."

I sighed, got up from the comfy couch, and made way to one of the guest rooms I'd occupied. I stood in front of my bag for barely five seconds before I left for Lavanya's room. As she said, use her bag. I obviously didn't have anything in mines that she would approve of.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

I stumbled over the stairs as I hesitantly forwarded my foot. The stairs were wobbly. "Just one more." Arnav said in my ear, as he guided my shoulders forward.

"I swear if I stumble one more time, I am going to remove this blindfold." I informed in an irritated voice. I was already an impatient person. He knew that! I wasn't understanding this. We were supposed to go for dinner. But, as soon as I had gotten in the car, Aarav had jumped up from the back seat and tied a cloth over my eyes. I asked the kid what this childishness was, but he had scolded me that wanting to give a surprise wasn't childish.

It's crazy, if you ask me.

I heard waves crashing. Sea salt. Sniffing narrowed down my assumptions. "Did you bring me to the beach? Arnav, that's not a surprise place!"

"Hush." He commanded the whisper in my ear. The low voice sent a shiver down my spine, snapping my mouth shut. An alarm on my phone went off. What? I hadn't put any reminders on my phone for anything. "Go ahead. Check it."

My breath caught, realizing this was the reminder he had set on my phone.

With trembling hands and goosebumps all over my skin from the anticipation, I pulled the blindfold down to hang around my neck. I blinked the darkness away to adjust to the dull brightness from the setting sun.

The event was saved under the name of 'Yes or No?'

Narrowing my eyes in confusion, I murmured. "What?" I turned to look for Arnav, but had to glance down after doing a 180.

He was on one knee holding a red velvet ring box in his hand. His other hand popped it open.

I gasped, realizing what was happening. We were at the beach by the Princes Pier. Where he first touched my soul and the place where I might as well have fallen for him - if I hadn't been stubborn back then and had allowed myself to accept that the night I told him about my past changed things between us.