Chapter 3

A/N: Here comes the next chapter! :D

Happy Reading! :D

Ritika entered the house with the usual bounce in the step. Sharman was sitting in the hall, talking on the phone, when he saw Ritika. A smile involuntarily crept up his face before her eyes fell on him and she beamed.

Walking up to him in three strides, Ritika hugged him tightly, while he relinquished his hold on her. Try as he might, he could never remain angry on her. She was infectiously happy to be around.

The two of them broke up from their embrace and looked at each other. Before either of the two could say anything however, Ranveer entered the hall from the kitchen and smiled broadly looking at Ritika. Ritika, in turn, flashed him a dazzling smile and walked up to him and locked her arm in his and brought him up to Sharman.

Sharman's face darkened as Ritika was laughing at some unheard joke that Ranveer had cracked. Ranveer came up to him and smiled. He handed him a file that needed work on, spoke for 5 minutes and headed back to his study room.

Sharman and Ritika sat in the hall and Ritika popped up a conversation while Sharman nodded along. Several topics soon followed, with Ritika solely speaking and Sharman barely taking in a word. He was worried. He knew he was being stupid and was overreacting too much but he could not help it.

Maybe it was the fact that Ritika was that gift with only people with a golden spoon could deserve. He clearly never deserved her and now that he had her, he felt very insecure around her. As though she was a temporary gift.

Or maybe it was the fact that she and Ranveer had past history that made it all the more fishy.

"No." Sharman slapped himself in his head. "You can't go about forever doubting on her. You know well that she loves you. You can see the love in her eyes."

"But is that love for you?"

Sharman felt himself crumbling. He could not understand why his mind kept doubting Ritika so much. But he knew this had to stop. He knew that she was the one who broke off her marriage with Ranveer just so that he could finally marry Ishaani.

And doubting her, he knew he was doing the same mistake that Ranveer had been doing for so long. Sharman could see the love Ranveer had for Ishaani in his eyes every time he looked at her. He has stayed with Ranveer for 15 years to know that look. And now that things were resolved between Ishaani and Ranveer, he could see how they stayed around one another, using all sorts of sign language and stolen moments to share their love in.

A smile crept up his face at the thought of his sister's victorious trust. Trust. He knew he would have to trust Ritika the same way because no relationship could ever survive without trust. He looked at Ritika and smiled. She was still talking and was unaware of the fact that he was paying any attention to her. He looked at her and stared into her chocolate eyes, that were always so full of life.

Ritika finally looked at Sharman staring at her so intently and stopped speaking abruptly.

"Kya hua, mujhe aise kyun dekh rahe ho?"

"Kuch nahi, bas yun hi..." Ritika looked at him and smiled mischievously. But before Sharman could say anything, Ritika's phone beeped loudly.

She looked at her phone and a frown crossed her forehead. Sharman noticed it almost instantly.

"Kya baat hai Ritika? Everything alright?"

"Haan... nahi woh... pata nahi... woh... woh... Amba Aunty ka message tha. Pata nahi urgently room mein bulaya hai. Mujhe jaana hoga."

Ritika quickly got to her feet and rushed over the stairs before Sharman had a chance to grasp it all in.

"Yeh Amba kaki ko Ritika se kya kaam ho sakta hai?" Before he could ponder, however, Sharman saw Ranveer exit his study room from the upper floor and head towards the same direction Ritika went, his full attention on the phone.

Was there a chance that it was Ranveer who had messaged Ritika?

Sharman tried to decide hard as to what was to be believed. This doubt giving in faster than his new-found resolve, he quickly headed up the staircase, to finally take matters into his own hand.

Ishaani sat in the room playing with her pallu idly. It was a new sort of past time for her recently, ever since Ranveer had straightened out her pallu for her. She tried getting the feel of his hands on the pallu, but it wouldn't give her the same effect. Not even remotely close.

The door of the room opened and shut within a fraction of a second. Ishaani looked up to see Ranveer staring at her seductively, his eyes instantly on the pallu that she was playing with.

"Kitna time lagta hai Ranveer message karke? Pata hai kitna bore ho gayi thi main."

"Sorry baba par main kya karta. Laxmi mausi aadhe ghante se wahi ghum rahi thi."

Ishaani rolled her eyes at him and sprang up from the bed. She walked up to Ranveer before she hugged him, while gently tracing kisses up his neck.

"Kya baat hai Ishaani, aaj bade romantic mood mein ho tum. Waapas se kadha toh nahi pee liya na tumne?"

"Aaj tumhein kiss karne ka bada mann kar raha hai. Upar se aaj tumne white pehna hua hai, aur tum toh jaante ho ki tum mujhe white mein kitne sexy lagte ho." Ishaani winked at him while she put her arms around his neck now. Ranveer, in turn, caught her by her waist and pinned her to the wall.

"Aaj toh tumse kiss main lekar hi rahunga."

Sharman had his ears pinned to the door. Sadly, the door was paned, so he couldn't see who was inside the room, but she was sure it was Ranveer's voice. He scanned up the corridor but he could see Ritika nowhere.

There was only one probability. She was the one in the room. He could hear something being spoken about a kiss but he could not hear the girl's voice clearly, except for the fact that he could distinguish that the one speaking is a girl.

That was it. If this was Ritika, he would make sure he got his answers today.

"Devarsh, Prateek, this is a fab plan!" Ritika beamed with joy as the surprise plan of Sharman's birthday finally came to an end of discussion.

"Bhabhi, ab jab hum log hai hi itne awesome, toh plan toh awesome hona hi hai na." Ritika fondly ruffled Prateek's head while speaking hurriedly.

"Chalo chalo, abhi hum sab ko apne apne kaamon mein lag jaana chahiye aur mujhe tumhaare bhaiya ke paas jaana chahiye warna usko shak ho jayega ki koi na koi khichdi pak rahi hai.

All the cousins scampered away from the room one by one, heading in different directions, while Ritika left from the side she came from. As she walked a bit further she noticed someone standing outside what must have been Ranveer's room. Until she came closer and noticed that it was Sharman.

The door was already very slightly ajar. One would not manage to see from it but he knew that the door would open with ease, without any noise being made. Sharman swung the door wide open and he felt his cheeks turn red.

Ranveer and Ishaani were stuck in an intense eye lock, with Ishaani being pinned to the wall and Ranveer holding on to her like there was no tomorrow. Ishaani's arms were around his neck and their lips were barely apart.

"Arre Sharman tum yahan kya..."

Sharman yelped in fright, so did Ishaani and Ranveer. Both of them stood as far apart from each other as they could, while Sharman looked shocked to see Ritika beside him. Ritika now had an embarrassed look on her face after realizing what exactly had she interrupted.

"I'm so sorry guys, mujhe nahi pata tha ki tum dono..."

Ishaani looked everywhere except at the couple, while Ranveer looked indignant.

"Iss ghar mein privacy naam ki koi cheez hi nahi hai!" Ranveer pouted childishly, while Ritika looked flabbergasted and apologetic.

"I'm so sorry Ranveer... woh main hall mein jaa rahi thi aur tabhi maine Sharman ko dekha... toh main Sharman se puchne aa gayi ke woh kya kar raha tha yahan pe."

Sharman, who had recovered from the ugly shock, looked at Ritika half-amused, half-ashamed. He really had to get a grip over himself and heed his sister's advice.

"Who main.. tumhein dhundne aa raha tha tabhi main... woh... ahem..." Sharman cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Dekha... seekho inse kuch. Tumhein toh romance ka 'r' bhi apply nahi karna aata.." Ritika slapped his shoulder playfully and walked away from their, winking at him just before she disappeared towards the staircase.

Sharman looked at Ishaani and Ranveer and muttered a weak 'sorry' before he quickly walked away.

Ishaani looked at Ranveer and sat beside him, while he looked at her irritated.

"Ek kiss hi toh maangta hoon main. Aisa toh kaunsa gunah ho gaya abh mujhse."

Ishaani chuckled at him while she kissed him on his cheek.

"Tumhaare meeting ka time ho gaya hai. Yeh hum phir kabhi kar lenge." Ranveer looked at her with sad puppy eyes before he left the room.

As Ishaani sat down in her room, she could only thank her stars for the numerous escapes they had had.

It certainly could have been worse this time.

It could have been Kailash.

There is the third chap. :D I know this was more Sharman and Ritika in this but I wanted to try something new. :P Constructive criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for any typos.

Until we meet next! ;)