Aarchi knocked on Vihaan's cabin door unable to hold her excitement. Without looking up Vihaan muttered a small 'come-in' enough for her to hear.

"What's the plan for today?" Aarchi asked excitedly.

"Look at you being so happy about our rendezvous" He teased her, looking away from the X-rays he held against light.

"Shush fun police" She giggled as she took a step inside the room.

"Tell me the plan" She closed the door behind her and waited for him to explain their activity for the night.

"Surprise Surprise" 

"Come on don't be suss and tell me what we are doing" She walked to his side and looked at him pleadingly.

"Go home and put on some party wear, we are meeting my friends" He said turning his attention to her and placing the X-rays back on the table.

"We are meeting your friends?" She asked slowly.

"Uhuh, don't worry they are good people, you'll blend in well with us" He reassured her sensing the hesitance in her voice.

"But..."

"Trust me... So far you've had fun with me right? Trust me on this, you will enjoy" He pulled her hands in his and held them firmly.

"They won't mind having an unwanted company?" She asked looking down at the ground feeling awkward.

"They are more than excited to meet you than they are to see me. And in case you don't like them, you will have me all the time. Just hint me you aren't comfortable and we will leave immediately" He left her hand and placed a finger under her chin making her look at him.

"Promise?" She held out her pinky finger at him.

"Promise" He held her finger with his pinky finger and flicked her forehead making her scrunch her forehead and glared at him. She didn't waste a second and flicked his forehead back.

"Oww" He rubbed his forehead.

"Don't forget I grew up with 2 brothers, elder ones especially" She said rolling her eyes.

"Go get ready" He said still rubbing his forehead furiously.

"Okay, where are we meeting?" She said turning around to leave.

"I'll pick you up"

"Okieees" She said walking away from him happily.

______

"Mummaaaaa" Aarchi called for Kaira happilly as she skipped her way to her home. Kaira looked up from the T.V at her too happy daughter with a smile.

"What's up kid, you are happy?" She asked as Aarchi threw her sling bag on the sofa and plopped beside Kaira.

"Yup. Me and Vihaan are going out for a party with his friends" She replied with a smile.

"Isn't that guy sticking a lot on your side?" Rishav who just returned from a long day of work, walked towards Aarchi upon hearing Vihaan's name.

"Rish... they are just friends. You should be more pleased that your daughter is socializing and not talking to walls" Kaira chastised Rishav who rolled his eyes at her and looked at Aarchi questioningly.

"And where exactly are you two going?" Rishav asked placing a kiss on Aarchi's forehead.

"Pata nahi (Don't Know). He said he will pick me up" Aarchi smiled as she felt Rishav slip a toffee in her hands, pretending that Kaira didn't see the small exchange between the two.

"I'll go get ready, tell me when he comes" Aarchi stood up to walk to her room. Rishav looked at Kaira skeptically.

"I don't like those Malhotra boys I'm telling you. I'll prefer the younger one over this one if need be. Past one week this guy keeps taking my daughter away from me, she's not had a single dinner with me all because of this Malhotra boy. If this continues I'll need to talk to Veer on how to control his sons especially this snobbish one" Rishav said glaring at the sofa thinking about Vihaan's sweet smiles and how pleasantly Aarchi responds to his with her beautiful smiles.

"They are kids Rishav. He's helping her move on from that cheating bastard and its working well, don't you see it? You remember how bad it was earlier, don't you? My daughter kept crying because of that Surya fellow. My girl was half the size because of him" Kaira scooted closer to Rishav and held his hands.

"Moreover..." She looked around whether there was any staff or her daughter suddenly decided to walk down and held Rishav by his tie.

"I like the privacy we are getting" She pecked his lips and stood up to leave when Rishav pulled her onto his laps and held her tightly.

"Finish what you started dilbara" He nuzzled his nose in her neck making her laugh.

"After our daughter goes, I'll properly compensate you Rana ji" She wrung her arms around him neck and smiled mischievously.

"Ooff this 'Rana ji'. I so missed it" He kissed her collar bone making her shudder in pleasure.

"Stop! Stop mere chappan bhog stop. I'll devour you when our adult daughter isn't home, please" She held him by cupping his face asking him to stop.

"Just because of that" He loosened his hold on her, allowing her to move away from him. He laughed and walked to their room to freshen up.

____

"Hello uncle, wassup beautiful?" Vihaan entered the Ranawat palace as if he owned it. He greeted Rishav who was watching TV along with Kaira who was watching TV but also doing some work on the laptop.

"Calm your horses down Malhotra" Rishav said darkly making Vihaan chuckle and Kaira nudge him. Rishav looked at Kaira complainingly.

"Is Ari ready?" Vihaan asked taking a seat on the sofa.

"AARCHI!!! That's her name... Repeat after me, Aa-rr-chi,Aarchi, not your Ar-Vari" Rishav said angrily.

"ARI!" Vihaan teased the old man and repeatedly called Aarchi by her pet name to annoy him.

"Aayi baba aayi, no need to chant my name" Aarchi descended the stairs looking like an angel in her white one-shoulder, high-low dress. Vihaan's gaze remained stuck on her as she rushed down the stairs complaining about how she got annoyed hearing him call her repeatedly.

"How do I look papa?" Aarchi asked smiling widely seeing Rishav. She twirled to show him her outfit.

"Looking like the princess you are" Rishav said matching her enthusiasm. She held her dress with both hands and bowed down gracefully as Vihaan stared at her with an open mouth.

"Chale?" She asked Vihaan who couldn't reply. Kaira smirked while Rishav saw all green. Kaira immediately noticed it and held Rishav back.

"She deserves it" She stopped him with a smile and pulled him down on the sofa.

"You look ethereal... like an angel who just walked down from heaven. You look amazing Ari, I have no words to describe how beautiful you look. White is your colour. It makes you look like a dove, innocent and pure" Vihaan said nonchalantly. Aarchi's breath hitched hearing him and a shy smile made its way on her lips as her cheeks filled with pink hue of her blush.

"Thank you" She pushed her hair behind her shoulder feeling shy at having so much attention on her.

"He's flirting with her Kayu" Rishav looked at her shocked at seeing Vihaan's bravery of flirting with his daughter in front of him.

"He's just complimenting her, stop behaving like an orthodox father you aren't" Kaira scolded him not giving a chance to say one more word. Rishav glared at Vihaan and plotted of 100 different ways on how to murder him and get away with it.

"You look good too" Aarchi replied looking up at him. Vihaan nodded his head still not able to take his gaze off her.

"Let's go?" She asked. He extended his arm to her which she effortlessly took and turned around to bid farewell to her parents.

"Stop!" Rishav stopped Vihaan, asked Aarchi to start walking ahead.

"I want my daughter back the same way she's leaving. If you so much as do something inappropriate, start finding ways to leave this planet on your own because if I find you, you'll regret being born here. Clear?" Rishav murmured the warning pretending as if the men were just having a casual chat. Kaira shook her head knowing very well what was going on. Vihaan looked at Aarchi's back and then at Rishav and smiled widely.

"I'll return her safe and sound. She'll be safe and I promise you that. Man-to-man" Vihaan assured him to which Rishav just nodded allowing Vihaan to leave.

Vihaan followed Aarchi out and handed her the car keys and asked her to drive. She sat on the driver side and asked him for directions as he guided her.

Vihaan tried removing the plastic from his car radio but Aarchi swatted his hands from it.

"Don't!" She said pointedly.

"You are such goals" He said smiling widely looking out of the car.

"What?" She asked looking his side.

"Nothing" He shrugged his shoulders.

"Ohkyay.By the way, aren't you getting too comfortable with being a passenger always, normally gentleman are supposed to never let a woman drive and here its always the opposite, I'm the one driving you around everywhere" She said teasing him.

"That's for those who don't trust their woman's driving skills, I trust yours and I believe I need to relax at times"

"You're such a baby at times who needs constant pampering" She laughed loufly.

"I have a feeling we'll need to find you a babysitter more than a fake date"

"Ha ha very funny" He replied sarcastically.

"What were you and papa talking about?" She asked curiously.

"Just men talks" He waved it off not wanting to burden her brain with useless information.

"Fine don't tell. Anyways how far has your date thing reached?" She asked looking at him.

"Yeah, there's a girl with whom I'm in talks with but let's see if she survives or not" He replied.

"Don't judge people so fast, what if she is actually THE ONE. Give her a chance to prove herself and isn't she supposed to be here today instead of me? You are so bad at this man!!!" Aarchi gave him a disappointed look.

"I don't want to date anyone if you are forgetting that. I just need an arm candy who will smile for the cameras and keep over-excited aunties at bay. Ohh god its so stressful at times" He leaned onto the window shaking his head.

"Who's your date though?" He asked wondering who she would show up with.

"Of course my best friend Arush, who else?" She said shrugging her shoulders.