THE FATE (✔)

Chapter 30 - The Answer

"Hi, Radha! You're here? Why don't you meet me?" Archana exclaimed when she saw Radha talking to Priya.

"Do you want to meet Radha Di or Aman Bhai?" Priya taunts followed by Radha's chuckle.

"I didn't see you, Archana. By the way, my brother might be walking through your house looking for a way to the backyard," said Radha.

"Di, he already knows the way to the backyard," said Priya. "Just needs find out the way to Archana Di's room," she added.

"Shut up you guys," Archana interrupted with a look on her face that showed that she was a little annoyed. However, the shade of pink on her cheeks could never fool her sister and best friend.

There would be a New Year's Eve celebration held at Archana's house. Arvind, Lata, Nisha and Raj had been in Mumbai since last week. They invited some relatives and also close friends. The sparkling lights made the atmosphere warmer. The guests looked happy, chatting together and enjoying some dishes. Archana took a glass of orange juice and was about to take it somewhere, maybe meet her other friends or gather with her family and relatives. When she turned around, she was surprised. Aman stood in front of her with a slight bow until his face was level with Archana's.

"Hi," said Aman with a dimpled smile while moving his eyebrows.

"Gosh! You surprised me," replied Archana. Luckily the glass in her hand didn't hit or fall, not even spill the contents on their clothes.

Aman laughed softly. "Sorry. Thanks for the orange juice," he said, taking the glass from Archana's hand. The girl just stuttered without saying a word.

"Yeah, okay. You're welcome," Archana said as she turned her body back to take another glass of orange juice. She drank the contents of the glass little by little.

"Next time, don't forget to share with me okay."

Aman's words almost made Archana choke. "What?" she asked.

"I don't think I need to repeat myself," Aman replied. "Tho, you've solved my riddle, haven't you?" Aman returned the smile to his lips, remembering how he was confused when choosing flowers for Archana, and how quickly she solved the riddle. Intelligent! His admiration for an Archana Kapur was growing in fire.

"Your riddle?" Archana asked back. Her brows furrowed and her eyes stared at Aman. "Oh, flowers. Yes, I already know the answer."

"Then, what's your answer?"

"I thought you have knew my answer from the beginning. So, I don't need to tell you again, right?"

Both Archana's and Aman's smiles broke with their small laughs. Seconds later, Arvind and Lata came to both of them.

"Aman is already here too," said Arvind kindly. Aman bent down slightly to touch Arvind's feet, but the man held him back and replaced it with a hug.

"Archana, you never told me that you already had a boyfriend," said Lata. Archana and Aman were shocked. They glanced at each other and laughed softly.

"Mama, Aman is not my boyfriend," Archana interrupted. "Oh ya, Aman, this is Lata, my mother."

Aman put his hands together in front of his chest in greeting after knowing it was Archana's second mother. Lata replied with a smile. They chatted for a while, until Raj came up to them and invited them to the backyard, because the countdown to the new year was starting in fifteen minutes.

"Archana, Aman may not be your lover now, but no one knows tomorrow, not even a second after this," said Arvind jokingly.

"Dad," Archana replied with a little pout. Aman was just smiling and giggling.

"Don't make fun of your daughter. Come on, let's go to the backyard," Lata interrupted before she and Arvind left first, leaving Archana and Aman still standing there to finish the last few sips of their orange juices.

Two minutes away, Archana and Aman followed the people into the backyard. Slowly, Archana intertwined her fingers between Aman's. The two of them turned their heads at the same time because of that. A familiar smile, once again formed on their lips.

"In case, you are still wondering for my answer," she whispered.

Arriving in the backyard, they chose to stand at the very back, slightly away from the crowd of people. Aman wrapped his arm around Archana's waist, pulled her closer, and held her so that she wouldn't move away.

He whispered, "Thank you," while looking up at the clear dark sky without the clouds. Some of the twinkling stars above clearly couldn't hear Aman's whisper, but the star beside him could hear him very clearly.

Archana turned her face, looking at Aman's from his side. The fracture in his nose, jaw line, to his chin, seemed to be perfectly sculpted. Feeling eyes on him, Aman returned Archana's gaze while nodding his head, as if asking, "Why?"

Don't know what magic Archana has so that her eyes also have the power to draw Aman into it, into a light and serenity. Aman slowly leaned closer to her. His arms wrapped around her waist twisted her body and pulled her even closer.

"Aman," Archana whispered. Her heartbeat was so fast. Her hands gripped the collar of the white shirt that Aman was wearing. Her blood felt to ripple from the touch of Aman's breath against the skin of her cheek. Archana slowly drifted into the warmth between them and she slowly closed her eyes.

"Sshhh, nothing's going to happen right? Nothing's going to happen," said Aman when he managed to put his forehead to Archana's.

"The past is in the past, isn't it... Archana?" Archana nodded slowly while touching her nose to Aman's.

"Aman," whispered Archana while putting some distance between them. Her eyes stared deeply into his. She always found the same thing there. The first thing she saw in his eyes—herself in his life.

"Hmm?" Aman muttered under his breath. His gaze did not turn and would never turn away from the woman who stood before him.

"Thank you."

Hearing that, Aman shook his head. "Thank you for accepting me, Archana Kapur Singh."

Archana's heart beat faster after she heard Aman say her full name. He pulled her body closer again and hugged her tightly, till she could hear his heartbeat. The universe seemed to be the greatest supporter of the moment that happened between them. The fireworks exploded. The night sky was full of colorful fireworks. Loud voices of guests shouting for "happy new year" enliven the new year's party organized by Archana's family. Meanwhile, two people with the initials A, were still side by side, hugging each other, and looking up at the sky in the hope that there will only be a new page filled with serenity, happiness, and love that's no longer in doubt.