The Mafia's Collateral

Part 55

Arohi's P.O.V.

I stood and looked at a mesmerised Mafia. Suddenly, someone cleared their throat breaking our eyelocks. Mafia diverted his eyes to a smirking and amused Uncle Zeeshan and Dad. "Are you two alright?" Dad asked Mafia and Avinash. They looked at each other awkwardly and was dumbfounded. I giggled and sat down with Ananya. They two sat down together opposite us. "You didn't answer the question. Are you two alright?" Dad asked again. "Yes Uncle," Mafia said. He lowered his eyes and looked in every direction but mine. Perhaps he doesn't want to repeat his mistake. All the rest of the kids came and sat with us. "Arohi, please tell us a story. One like what you told us that night? The one with the little boy and the butterfly," a girl requested. "The one about Deep and Arohi?" Another asked. I looked at everyone with my eyes wide opened as they looked at me silently. "Listen, I didn't tell them anything of the sort. I only narrated a story about a small boy and a butterfly. They came to the conclusion by themselves that I am the butterfly and Deep is the boy," I said defending myself. "What was the story about?" Mafia asked. "About a rude little boy..." a kid said but before he could complete, I stopped him saying, "Let's play a game!" I looked at Mafia who looked at me sternly. "Before that, do you have anything to say?" He asked. I looked at him nervously and remained silent. I shook my head. "Are you sure?" He asked. "What game shall we play?" I asked ignoring him. "I have an idea!" Mafia said. "Yes," Uncle Zeeshan said. "One minute," he said and got up. He brought back a flower and said, "We will pass this flower around in circles. Someone will play music on my phone and whenever the music stops, whoever has the flower, they will have to do something which someone else challenges them to do."

He looked at me directly at the ending of his explanation. "Sounds like fun," Dad said. "Who wants to play the music?" He asked. A caretaker said that she would do it and took the phone. She played a song and the flower began moving around. Everyone kept passing it to the person to their left and the music stopped when Avinash had the flower in his hand. Everyone clapped. Avinash nervously said, "I am not going to do anything!" "Oh come on Avinash! Please!" I said. He kept saying no until Doll, who was sitting next to him held onto his sleeve and said, "You have to!" He looked at her and smiled. Pulling her cheeks, he said, "Ok! But only because you said so! What do I have to do?" "You have to say something very romantic to me," Doll demanded. Aww! She's so cute! Avinash got up and went down on one knee in front of Doll. Holding her hand, he said, "My life without you was useless, colourless. I was only breathing to live. When you came, you fill it with colours. Showed me the importance of living and made me breathe for someone. That someone is you. I love you." He kissed her hand and she said, "I love you too." I looked at Ananya who had tears in her eyes after what he said. "Wasn't that short and sweet?" I asked her. She smiled sadly and wiped away her tears nodding. "You're emotional?" I asked. She smiled in between her tears. Looking at Avinash, I said, "Wow Avinash! You managed to make a fan here. Ananya got tears!" He looked at her and frowned. Ananya punched me playfully on my arm and gave me a fake smile. She wiped away her tears as Dad said, "But really Avinash. I didn't know that you were so romantic." He smiled modestly. The music started back and the flower came around. It stopped in Dad's hand and he frowned. "What will I have to do?"

He asked. "Uncle you have to tell us your most special moment in your life," Mafia said. This is going to be interesting. "When I saw my daughters' faces for the first time," he said smiling at us. Seems like everyone wants to get emotional tonight. The game continued and it landed in Mafia's hand. Now this is going to be fun! I smirked. "Can you sing a song?" I asked. He looked at me taken aback at my request. I smirked. He remained silent. "Hey! Don't underestimate him! He's a great singer," Avinash said. "Then why is he scared?" I asked leaning forward. I looked around at the children and said laughing at him, "Look at him! He is scared!" All the kids started to laugh with me. Now he will know what it feels like to be laughed at. He looked at me with the corners of his lips forming an smile. "Oh dilwalo..." he started and I dashed my head to him surprised. "Dil mera, sunn ne ko beqaraar hai..." he continued looking at me with a smirk, "Kaho na pyaar hai. Kaho na pyaar hai, kaho na pyaar hai...." he stared at me and I knew that he was singing it for me. Everyone began snapping their fingers to the tune as he sang along. I was dumbfounded as he smirked and directly stared at me singing, "Kaho na pyaar hai. Chahat se...hum tum hai...chahat se sansad hai....kaho na pyaar hai, kaho na pyaar hai." He winked at me as he finished the song, "Kaho na pyaar hai, kaho na pyaar hai." As he was finished, everyone stood up and applauded him but he remained seated and looked at me smirking. Again, I have made myself feel embarrassed in front of everyone. But he was really good. I didn't know that he was such a versatile singer. "Wow Deep! Fantastic! I never in my wildest dreams imagined that you can sing so well," Dad said extremely impressed. "Really!" Ananya agreed smiling. "Shall we resume the game?" I asked with a hang down face.