Tere Liye | ✔

Chapter Twenty-Three - A Date To Remember

Sheetal sat in front of the mirror, dressed in her knee-length red dress while curling her hair. Her lips was adorned with a bright smile. And why not? After all, Arnav made a plan to take her out for dinner.

Her smile stretched to the widest length as she remembered Arnav's hesitancy while asking her out yesterday. She shook her head, grinning fondly. 

He was so sweet. 

Once done with her hair, she took her make-up kit and started applying it. She kept Arnav's preference for minimal make-up in mind, remembering the displeased looks he used to give girls in college who dressed like drag queens everyday. Not that there was anything wrong with drag queens, he would explain, but there should be a limit while they were at college. 

She chuckled at the memory, and rubbed her lips together, before staring at herself in the mirror with a proud smile. 

"Perfect!" 

She exclaimed and with a last look at herself, reached for her clutch and sauntered out of her room. Arriving downstairs, she smiled at a waiting Arnav until she noticed the glares his family were throwing at her. 

Her grin grew at their expense, almost turning into a smirk as she approached Arnav - her body moving seductively in his favorite color. 

"So, how do I look?" She asked as she opened her arms in front of Arnav, letting him a proper view of her dress. 

"Very pretty." He said, feigning an expression of appreciation. 

And you'll look perfect soon.

Dragging a smile on his face, he forwarded his hand. 

"Shall we?" He asked and inhaled sharply as she slid her palm into his, smiling shyly. 

"Of course." She said, still recovering from the heat his compliment sent through her and started moving by his side as he lead them both out towards the car, and away from the unwelcoming stares everyone were giving them. 

"Seems like my words no longer hold any importance for Chotte now. Yesterday he seemed so hurt as if I had wrongly accused him but today, he again went out with Sheetal! And then he says that I am wrong.." Anjali tried to speak but the words barely escaped her mouth as the tears streamed down her face. Shaking her head in distress, she stood up and simply walked to her room. 

Yesterday after watching the devastation on Arnav's face she had somewhere hoped that he will realize his mistakes and would prove her wrong - that he wasn't like their father. But looks like he did not only inherit Arvind Mallik's deceitful nature, but also his acting skills.

"Hamre khadan ke bahu betiyon pe toh jaise ek shrap sa lag gaya hai. (There seems to be a curse attached to the daughters of our family)" Devyani started, shaking her head in pity for the souls she was talking about. 

"Pehle hamri Ratna, phir Anjali bitiya aur ab...ab Khushi bitiya. Kya gunah kiya tha inn sab ne jo unhe unse dhokha milla jinse woh itna prem karat hai?! (First our Ratna, then Anjali bitiya and now...now Khushi bitiya! What was their fault that they were betrayed by the one whom they loved the most?!)" 

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"Arnav, this place is so beautiful, right?" Sheetal said in a trance, mesmerized by her surroundings. They were seated at a corner of the restaurant. It was splendid but yet there was a simplicity in it. There was a soft music playing in the background all along that created the most peaceful atmosphere. 

Arnav nodded, then realizing that she wasn't even looking at him, made no attempt to smile as he glanced at his watch, then in the direction the waiter went after taking their order.