Chapter 40

"Gosh!" Aakash laughed out loud as he moved out of the theater.. "i seriously don't remember when I saw a movie outside RM last..i guess it was back in the university. AWESOME!"

Paayal giggled.. "oh I hardly have been to the theater all my life. The few times, I have, it's been due to Khushi dragging me all the way to the location..but yes, this was fun"

"And where do we meet next?" Aakash looked teasingly at her..

"it's my turn, so yes, we meet at the library" Payal smiled back, as he sighed in disappointment...

"okay, but after that, if we are thrown out for breaking silence, don't blame me. Because I will talk to you, since I find those stuff in the shelves as interesting as the midnight discovery programme-"

"Oh you mean the one they show at 11:30 on the world's lost tribes?" she said with her eyes brightly sparkling...

Aakash looked dazed at her for a moment and then murmured... "scratch out that example..that expression is no where close to suggesting my relationship with classics..."

They strolled out to the car and Aakash spoke in a low tone as he started the car.. "smart, educated,occasionally fun loving, witty wife..who wouldn't want that?"

Payal turned her head to look at him.. "what?"

"the actress in the film" he added quickly.. "why, what did you think?" ..

"oh nothing" she spoke in haste as a blush crept up her cheeks..

Aakash looked out of the window, and smiled..

She couldn't remember when she had enjoyed herself so much last as she had on her date with Nihaal...and he would be back to his home in a few days..to his family, his life, his work...Nihaal, would leave...wow! Was that supposed to feel this bad? But she would remember and cherish each moment she had spent with him, the man who made her forget all these days she had even had an ugly past, the man, who just had to be merely present, to make her smile..and who was completely, totally mad! She laughed..yes, totally crazy! And oh, how could she forget? His way with women!

Anjali stood beside the poolside at night smiling, shaking her head occasionally and blushing at times as the reflection from the crystal clear water shone on her face...

Lost deep in thought, it took Arnav two clearings of the throat to snap his sister out of her reverie..

"Oh ..chotte!"

silence...

"what?"

Arnav smirked at her, still silent..looking through half opened eyes...he had been observing his sister since quite a while..

Anjali blushed scarlet and Arnav's smirk widened..

Flustered, she hit him hard on the chest..

"You better remember who's the elder one here!" she huffed..

"what'd I say?" Arnav asked innocently, keeping as straight a face as possible... "you are behaving as if I took his name"

Anjali widened her eyes... "How can you think that way about me and Nihaal!"

Caught. Mission successful Mr Arnav Singh Raizada.

"When did I say Nihaal?"

silence...

the cool October breeze blew into their faces..

"What was her bracelet doing by your pillow by the way?" Anjali turned to face him, in her usual backfiring fashion,trying to convert her beetroot color back to normal..

silence..

"nuthn' di..Khushi just leaves her things here and there. Must have left it behind. I don' know.."

"When did I say Khushi chotte?" Anjali smiled innocently " I meant mami. I saw her bracelet by your bedside" she said referring to the bracelet which had accidentally slipped from Mrs Raizada's wrist as she had bent for the air-kiss three days ago..

Arnav looked into her eyes as mischief danced in hers while she turned to go, then stopped and looked back...

"However ,no doubt the Khushi story must have been pretty interesting too" ..and saying that, she moved out..

Arnav combed his hand through his hair.. after all, Raizadas should never try to mess with Raizadas. Now he would have to hear of this for days to come. He had wondered when she said that, since he had kept Khushi's bracelet in his cupboard right after she had left..for returning..of course...(ahem..of course...)

Nihaal Gupta..he had met the guy at several business conferences abroad before and it had always made him wonder, how someone could actually make real friends in the kind of profession they were in...He was another crazy one like Khushi, but not Khushi. No, Khushi was her unique one piece self. But it was Di he was scared about..this man, would be back to the states within days, what if he didn't reciprocate his sister's feelings?What if again...okay, forget it...later..he'd think of it later...all he knew at present was, that he could hardly remember when he had seen his sister as he saw her these days, last. And if Nihaal Gupta was the reason behind it, he had to credit the man..

Colored Ink finished? Now when did that happen? Khushi, almost trying to fit her head within the printer sighed in exasperation. Now how on Earth would cement pile come out?

Finally , the solution which was devised was that, she had to cello tape at several places, the old googled image of Arnav Singh Raizada, which had been in continuous use for dart purposes not long ago..(the holes being, mainly on the head..the '100' target)

But for some reason, all the holes were now cellotaped and hanging it on the wall, she stood before the picture..

okay,..Take one.

"Arnav..i need to tell you something. I am leaving for...I am leaving...haha..how are you?"

urgh...

Take two.

"Arnav I think I love you"

Oh yes, and then watch him ROFL! Cut that.

Take three.

"Arnav. I am leaving for five years, so we need to breakup. I mean I need to breakup. I mean we both have to breakup but I am doing it first. I mean that's because you said I need to do it first. I mean-"

waaaooow Khushi. That is going to have him completely understand your point. Urrghh!

Arnav was thinking of Khushi's craziness when his cell flashed..

Khushi calling..

"yes?"

"oh..hi Arnav..um..how are you?"

not again!

"Khushi! This is the third time you are asking me the same question. And for the third time, I am fine! Do I need to send you test reports now?"

"no..ok, Arnav, I need to tell you something"

"I am listening"

"I told you I am leaving for the States right?"

"yeah..what about it?"

"Arnav it's for 5-"

beep.

Battery dead. Shoot! He frowned at his cell..

What was she talking about anyway? 5? 5 what? She was going for 5 weeks? No way! Height of un-professional behavior! Next, she would say 5 months! This girl needed knocking in some sense into her..five weeks! The limit.. he fumed..

After that incident Khushi didn't call him the next day. His calls were duly ignored. It had taken a hell lot of self-convincing, fretting and pondering for Khushi to have made the last call. It would take a lot more to do it again. Her fear being, not his reaction, but the lack thereof. What if he just wished her 'happy journey' this time around too?After three attempts he was mad enough to return the ignoring treatment.

Nihaal, due to decreasing pressure at work, as his departure came closer , had ,had an 'outing' with Anjali yet again. He had dropped her back home, and had been forced to stay over for dinner, and was busy chatting away on the living room sofa with Anjali when Arnav returned from work...

He came and stood behind Nihaal who was seated on the sofa, rolling up his shirt sleeves as he handed his coat to one of the staff to take up to his room...

"How's it going bro?" Nihaal gave him a pleasant smile..

Arnav nodded in acknowledgement as he pursed his lips and said "cool" and sat on the sofa beside his sister...

Nihaal turned to face her.. "ya, so I was saying, that since Lattu is going to be with me next 5 years at least, it's as well I give her some training in advanced level stuff during the duration..as it is, girl's going to have tough time there initially you know, what with all the-"

Arnav had stopped listening at '5 years' itself...as his hand froze midway in the air with the tea cup he had just picked up from the tray...okay, he must be really needing rest, did he just hear 5 years or some sort of that rubbish?

" 'Scuse me?" he cut Nihaal in between, as he looked sharply at the man who was jovially discussing plans with his sister...

Nihaal stopped and looked at him, confused...

"yes?"

"i am sorry but I guess I just heard you say 5 years or sumthn' ?"

Nihaal nodded and shrugged his shoulders in an 'obviously' gesture, as he said.. "i did say that bro! Lattu told you didn't she? She's shifting to the states with me for 5 years at the least, she'll be staying at her aunt's, that is my mother's house...we are leaving in 2 weeks, or less, depends, I myself suggested that she leave a bit early, she's to be on job after 2 weeks 3 days, and it's not like she's going to adjust the very first day right? So I guess I'll show her around a bit and-"

Anjali all the while had her gaze fixed sharp on her brother, and she knew that expression only too well by now...

Arnav did not so much as blink as he stared straight at Nihaal, taking in each word, as his face gradually darkened till his look almost started scaring her...

Nihaal, on his end too, could sense trouble...and he paused...

Arnav, whose knuckles had whitened due to the deathly grip with which he was holding the wooden arm of the sofa , while his other hand held the cup with such a force, that the crockery makers might as well have shot an advertisement on the durability of their product then and there, slowly drew a sharp breath as he got up, placed the cup on the tray and started walking towards the main door...

"chotte!" Anjali panicked as she got up in haste.. "w..won't you have dinner? It's 9! where are you going?"

Arnav, still not turning back delivered his response..

"you guys finish with dinner..I've got some important work to do"

"chotte-"

Anjali was cut in between as the main door shut with such a loud bang that the tea cup on the table, nearly trembled at the impact...

Moments later, as they stood next to the door, the loud screech of an SUV could be heard as the gates to the premises of the Raizada Mansion were flung open...

As the sound of the car subsided, Anjali turned to Nihaal..

"why do I have a sixth sense which says that car just made it's way to your house?"

Nihaal sighed as he said.. "if his parting looks are anything to go by, it's not sixth sense, but common sense..."

he then ran his hand through his hair as he grumbled.. "oh Lattu..why??!!"

"Are you sure she told him about it?" Anjali fiddled with her wrist watch in anxiety..

"She positively told me about having told him is what I know! This shouldn't have come out to him the way it did Anjali..." he murmured...

Anjali turned swiftly to him and said..

"Nihaal! Did you see his face when he left? I know that look! And believe me, it's nowhere close to goody-goody stuff..i guess we should go behind him, and just help calm matters, and tell them-"

"NOTHING" Nihaal interrupted.. "we will say absolutely nothing. Look, it's high time they just sort things out you know, she is leaving the country in 2 weeks or even less and they still have no freaking idea about what they wish to do with their engagement! Angry or not, crazy or not, they just have to sort it between themselves ..there are lines which siblings should draw at certain points...and I guess we should leave them alone right now.."

Anjali slowly nodded..still not very sure..

"That said" Nihaal turned.. "what are the Raizada's serving to me in the name of dinner? I DEMAND an octopus.."

"EWW!! Gross Nihaal shut up!!"

"what? Octopus is damn tasty you know? Sprinkle some sugar on top and-"

"Nihaal!"

"the more raw the better-"

"NIHAAL SHUT UP OR I PUKE!!"

Khushi was busy with her pasta making when there was a ring on the front door.

And within a second, another. Followed by a third.

Khushi widened her eyes as she placed the ladel on the kitchen rack, and unfastening her apron, hurried to the door.

"COMING! COMING!UFF!"

Maa and jiji were not to return from Nikita's wedding till tomorrow afternoon, that left bhai, and what on Earth did bhai think he was doing??

The rings instantly stopped on her shouting, which surprised her all the more. Ideally, bhai would have rung twice or thrice more after her request...

Dusting away a hanging pasta from her hair( for when Khushi Kumari Gupta cooked, the entire kitchen ate, walls, floor, everything) She clicked the door open ...and froze.

Uh-oh...

Would shutting the door back be a good idea?

.. Waaoo..humans can possibly look like that?

If you have been good all your life, will God give you a one time opportunity to evaporate?Let's try- 1-2-3 evaporate Khushi!..Evaporate!! Ok, didn't work. So much for being good all your life...

Melt? How would melt be? Melt and flow out of the room?

A tiny mouse scurried past her out of the door.

And for the first time in her life, Khushi desperately wished she was a mouse. Black, white, any variety.

But fortunately or unfortunately, she wasn't.

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Ladies, do you wish to throw your expensive heels at me? In which case, though I am not that particular about brands, I wouldn't mind some good ones.

On a more serious note, I have full idea that it's a very mean cliff-hanger but I am not going anywhere, right?

It's a long time after which I have written a chapter of this length, but kindly ignore for two reasons(though it's a pretty decent length still)-

The update has come fast.

You wouldn't have remembered anything else anyway, after one look at the end.