Chapter 40

Pearl_Oyster

@Pearl_Oyster

Part 40

"Get a shirt. I am waiting in the hall" She said turning her back towards him and hurrying out while Arnav stood there, wondering if he is yet dreaming, or she was here.

But the smell which lingered in the room told him she was here.

Grabbing a shirt from the cupboard, he headed downwards. His mind racing to know, why was she here.

~~***~~

"I am sorry" Khushi said embarrassingly, not looking at him.

"No No, I am sorry. I shouldn't be sleeping without a shirt" Arnav said, in a flustered tone which brought a smile on her face, too small to be noticed by someone but big enough for Arnav to catch and cherish.

"So?" He said, clearing his throat and trying to initiate a conversation.

The two syllable word sent Khushi's brain in overdrive. How should she start? Before coming here, previous night, she had stood before the mirror and practised a long speech. But now when he sat before her, all practiced stuff stopped existing in her brain. She was totally blank.

"Arnav...I.." She started, her hand fidgeting with the corner of her dupatta.

"Yeah?" He said, sensing her discomfort and wondering what could be the reason of it.

"I want to say, so..som..something" She stammered.

"I am listening" He said, with an assuring smile.

"I..want to..say.. I..Good morning"

"What?" Arnav said, his face laden with surprise.

"Yeah, That's it. I wanted to say Good morning" She said, giving a broad, teeth-flashing smile which gave way to her nervousness to reach him.

"Good morning to you too" He wished back, giving her a sceptic look.

"Where is Anjali and others?" She asked, making an attempt to digress from topic and eventually feeling stupid for asking that.

"Khushi, Anjali is not at home, and we don't have any other person in our house" He replied, patiently.

"Of course, of course. I was just playing around, you know" She said, laughing but stopped when realised he wasn't; letting an awkward silence fall in the room.

"Walk?" Arnav suggested, when he couldn't tolerate the silence any more .

"Sure" Khushi nodded and both of them left their respective places, walking together to the poolside area.

~~***~~

"It is so nice to be here, it feels so.."

"freshening" Arnav completed for her.

"Yeah" She smiled.

"We can talk here" He said, looking forward, to the glistening water of the pool, which seemed golden, as yellow, bright rays hit its surface.

"How do you know that I want.." Khushi exclaimed, surprised that how easily he can see through her.

"How can I not know? It's all over your face, in your eyes" He said, turning sharply to her, catching her gaze.

"Say everything you want to, Khushi. I am here, only for you, to hear you" He said, taking her hand in his, which was so far resting on her sides, strictly avoiding any touch.

"Come let's sit" He brought her to the solitary bench lying in the area.

"Arnav I" She started as they accommodated themselves on the bench, sitting in a sort of arrangement so that they can face each other.

"Don't take me wrong, Arnav, but erm.. Can we be friends?" She asked, looking straight into his eyes while her heart thudded violently against her ribs.

She was scared of his reaction. What would he think of her? Would he be ecstatic? Or will he be indifferent? After numerous attempts of him, she was offering him a friendship, just friendship.

She waited for him to react, to say something but she was surprised when he said nothing but nodded his head.

"I.." She started but stopped in between when she noticed a smile forming on the corner of his lips.

"Khushi, you don't have to ask that. We are friends. The only thing which we need now is the same camaraderie you share with Abhay"

And then we can move on together, to the next level of our relationship' He continued mentally.

Hearing the word camaraderie', Khushi felt her spirits falling down a bit. She wanted more than a friendship. She wanted her love back. But of course they needed time. To walk over their past and develop new bonds of trust, love.

"Thank You, Arnav" She said, acknowledging him with a smile.

"This is celebration time" Arnav said, in an amusing manner.

"Why?"

"You have thanked me twice since you arrived here. After ages, I am getting a thank you from you, with no additional hinge of sarcasm and anger with it. So, we need to celebrate" Arnav said, with his usual teasing smirk.

"Seems like Abhay has infected you badly. That's why you are talking nonsense" She rejoindered.

"Whatever, so where shall we go?" Arnav asked.

"Are you serious?" Khushi asked sceptically.

"Like never before" Arnav said, looking straight in her eyes and Khushi could see the determination in them.

"Coffee at Royale's?" Arnav suggested.

"No" Khushi replied.

"Dinner at my place" She said, laughing as she noticed the fading glint in his eyes.

"Great..!" Arnav replied with soaring enthusiasm.

"Anjali is invited too. Don't come without her. Otherwise I don't think Abhay will be too welcoming to you" Khushi said and Arnav nodded.

"So, see you later? At 9?" Khushi said.

"No"

"At 8:59" This time Arnav laughed, seeing the look on her face.

"Whatever" Khushi rolled her eyes.

"Bye then?" She said.

"Yeah, Bye" Arnav said and before she can guess it, he bridged the little distance and hugged her, his hands landing on her waist and then sliding up to reach her back.

Khushi's breath was hitched with that little gesture from him and he smiled.

"Bye, Khushi. I hope I would be able to survive through your food" He whispered in her ears and she shivered a little.

"Of course you will. Because if you already die, how would I do this to you?" Khushi said, whispering back.

"Do what?" Arnav whispered again.

"This" She said as she stomped on his foot hard and he quickly pulled back from the hug, wincing in pain.

"What was this for?" He asked, staring her.

"Oh, just like that. This is my way of celebrating. Today I have thanked you twice, so celebration was needed" She replied, with a sly smile.

"What the..?" He swore and Khushi left, laughing loudly.

~~***~~

Khushi stepped in her flat and found it lying in total mess. She threw a searching look in the entire flat and found no one. On a second look, she noticed Abhay lying on the sofa, sleeping, with a bowl of half-filled popcorn placed on his chest.

"Welcome Anjali" She purposely said aloud and as her voice reached the sleeping man, he woke up with a start, making the bowl stumble down to the floor, adding to the already mess present in the room.

"Anjali? Where is Anjali?" He asked in his sleepy voice, sending wolf-looks everywhere.

"When the hell are you going to grow up, Abhay? You are a man with a lady. Or did you bewitch Anjali to love you? I can't understand how can someone fall in love with an unorganised jerk like you? What have you done to this place? Looks like a hurricane just went through the room" Khushi continued her screaming, as she made her way to the couch, avoiding the things lying down on the floor.

"No no, the hurricane didn't pass through the room. The hurricane just entered in the room" Abhay said, grinning.

"Let Anjali marry you and come here. I am sure she'll make a hurricane out of you" Khushi said, slapping his arm as she reached him.

"That day is most welcome" He said, dreamily and this time Khushi smacked his head.

"Stop day-dreaming. Arnav and Anjali are coming to our place, for dinner. And if they witness this especially Arnav, he'll declare you not-qualified-enough' for his sister"

"Really?" Abhay asked.

"Yeah, Arnav loves neatness. He is an organized person" Khushi replied, proudly.

"Really?" Abhay repeated, in a notorious tone.

"Yeah" Khushi answered again.

"So finally I am the 'bad-guy' and Arnav is the good one? Great of you Khushi Gupta. I knew this would happen. You would abandon me once that organized Raizada gets on the right track. Oh god, the dooms day is here" Abhay said, falling back into the couch.

"Stop your melodrama, Abhay and help me with cleaning the room. And then we'll go to market. Pantry needs to be refilled. Then I'll start preparing the dinner and you can help me" Khushi explained the day's activities and Abhay nodded after every full stop.

The dinner party seemed promising.

~~***~~

"Bhai, am I looking good?" Anjali whirled in Arnav's room and asked, turning 360 degrees before him.

He was standing before the mirror, buttoning his three-piece, his head tilted as he was busy in his own thoughts.

Anjali's voice pulled him back to surroundings and he smiled genially.

"You look angelic" He said, making her blush.

"Thanks Bhai. Actually Abhay gifted this" She replied.

"Okay. It's beautiful" He said and went back to setting his hair.

"Bhai, you are wearing this?" Anjali said, making 'eww' face.

"Yeah" Arnav replied, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"we are not going to your formal dinner parties. This a family party, at Abhay's place" She retorted.

'Family' Arnav mentally repeated. It sounded so good.

"Change this" Anjali said, pouting.

"But Anjali, we'll get late" Arnav said.

"Whatever. I don't care. Just go and change. I am sure Khushi would love to see you in things other than your predictable three-piece attires" Anjali said, leading him towards the wardrobe.

"But I don't have casuals in my wardrobe"

"I know, but open it" She insisted.

"Okay" Arnav said, finally giving up and slid open the door of the wardrobe.

"See, I told you I don't have casuals" Arnav said, triumphantly.

"Really?" Anjali said, taking out a packet from the wardrobe, placed under a stack of towels.

"Now open this and change"

"When did you..?" he started.

"Bhai, go and change, we are getting late", Anjali cut in he left towards the washroom.

"This is going to be fun" Anjali said as she texted Abhay about Stage 1 accomplished'. 😉

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Pearl_Oyster2013-11-18 05:25:01