Chapter 3

Gazal..

@Gazal..

[NOCOPY]

Banner credit : Marsh🤗

Pictures choice : Mrinu di🤗

SS : Bookstore

~Dil yeh bekraar kyun hai~

Chapter 2 :

Sunlight penetrated through the windows of Khushi's room. As sun rays touched the eyes of sleeping beauty, she slowly opened her eyes to welcome the new day. She got up, stretched herself and did her daily morning bed prayers. She checked her cell, and as usual didn't find any message. She was about to keep her cell back on the table, when she remembered about Arnav. A smile crept on her lips.

She opened the message that he had sent her last evening...smiled even more and thought of messaging him..

Good Morning Arnav! Have a nice day ahead! And, yeah, I won't be rude like I was with you! :-)

She pressed the send button and went to the washroom to freshen up. When she came out, she found her cell...flashing every now n then...telling her about new message. She went...in fact, almost ran towards the table and picked it up to see whose message it was. Her freshly brushed teeth, showed off itself as she saw the name...it was Arnav.

Good morning Rival!😆 I mean Khushi. Well, thank God you made resolution not to scream on that poor guy...'coz I may be able to control & tolerate you but he..poor guy would leave work in just few minutes!😆

Khushi felt embarrassed, thinking about her rude behaviour she showed towards him the previous day. She then called him..

"Hi Khushi!", he said instantly, as if he knew, that she would call.

"Hi! Umm...I am really sorry for what I did yesterday. I was shouting at you all the time and you...you just didn't say anything to me.", Khushi apologised...while going towards the kitchen, biting her lips in the process.

"Hey! I don't mind. My intentions were not to make u feel guilty...I was joking around...to make u smile.", he pacified her.

"Oh! You are so sweet!", she remarked.

"Not sweet as u, my rival..( Khushi blushed at this remark)..so, what are u having for breakfast?", he asked.

"Nothing just my favourite orange juice and toast.", she replied...while putting bread in the toaster.

"OMG! That's my favourite too!😳 ", he said.

He then continued.. " Okay rival! I have to put down the call..I have some important meeting today...so.."

"Han! Its absolutely fine! Erm...if you don't mind..what about having a coffee or dinner...if u don't mind...", she stammered.

"Oh! I am really sorry! I am really busy today so..I..", he too stammered.

"Ohk! Its absolutely fine! Afterall, works comes first! Um..okay then, meet you soon! Bye and take care.", she replied.

"Sorry and bye! You too take care!", and he hung up. Khushi glanced back at her phone, smiled and then, took out toast from the toaster and went towards the table to have it.

It was 10 am by the time she reached the bookstore. As usual she was setting up books, helping customers. It was lunch time when store was closed for a mean while. Khushi sat down with Sharma uncle to have the lunch. Everyday she used to have lunch with except sometimes when she has important works.

While eating the only thought that occupied her mind was Arnav. She didn't know anything about him. So, casually she asked Uncle..

"Um...He didn't came today?"

"Who he?", uncle asked while chewing his roti.

"He...um...ya...Arn..Arnav..", she said, pretending that she wasn't thinking about him.😆

"Hmm...just one day and you are already missing him.", he teased.

"No..I was just...", she stammered.

"I know what you mean Beta. I was just pulling your leg. Well, he told me, he has some meeting today...so, he will talk to me on phone, once he is free.", uncle replied.

"Busy? You are such an important part of his life and he is ignoring you just for a mere meeting...huh! He must be a pampered child.", Khushi pretended to taunt Arnav.

Uncle at once stopped eating and in serious tone told her..

"He is an orphan."

Khushi was shocked to hear that.

"Yeah Khushi! He is orphan. You know me for last 5yrs...but I know him since he was 10. He had ran from his guardian...who were very cruel to this poor soul. He stood there ( uncle pointed outside ) near that street light...shivering in cold. I bought him in asked his name...but he was so scared that day so, I made him stay with me. Next day, he had already woke up before me. I was really tensed when I didn't saw him sleeping beside me...but when I came out here..I noticed how focussed he was while reading a book here." Khushi was listening very carefully...a lump was formed in her throat thinking about his situation.

Uncle continued..." I sat beside him and he told me that he love to study. That moment I promised to make him a big man. I invested all my money on his education. When he grew up and was capable of earning, he left my place..you know why?"

Khushi nodded.

"Because he thought he was a liability to me. I tried to stop him...but he didn't listen to me. Since 16, he was secretly giving tuitions to small kids to earn some money..so that he could lighten my burden. Every time I went to school to pay his fees, teacher used to say that Arnav has received scholarship so, school is paying for him...but the thing was, teacher supported Arnav in his lies so as that I am not tensed about him."

Khushi had tears when she heard all this.

"He never calls me dad...that's because he feels that he is not that deserving to get me. He rarely visit me...make certain excuses...'coz he know, that I, anyhow will try to get him back here n he won't be able to deny me...He always provided me with all the luxuries..gave me all the happiness...but never stay here. When, my health was deteriorating, he wanted to come here n stay but that was when I met you angel. I told him about you n was satisfied to be there...So, Beta, this is what Arnav is!", he concluded.

Khushi wiped her tears and smiled that she was lucky to have a friend like Arnav. Lunch time was over and Khushi got back to work...thoughts of Arnav was never leaving her mind.

As the sun set, Khushi was arranging the books back. Suddenly, some one shouted in her ears..

"RIVAL!"

Khushi was startled. She looked back and found Arnav standing just behind her...smiling altogether.

"You took hell out of me!", Khushi said in shock...and hit the book hard on his chest.

"OUCH"

He continued, " Do it fasstt"

"Why? Do u have to catch a train or a flight?", she asked in annoyance.

"Did you forget about the dinner?", he asked in an innocent tone.

"But you said...wait a minute! What are u doing here? You told me that you are busy today!", she remembered.

"Don't you like surprises?", he asked, while raising his eye brows.

"Of course I do! But, I am not wearing a good dress and...", Arnav interrupted her.

"So? I am also looking worked out. Come now! Lets go! I am really very hungry!", saying this he pulled her hands and called out to uncle " Uncle I am borrowing Khushi tonite!😆"

"Borrow her with pleasure Arnie!", Uncle gave him permission.

Khushi somehow grabbed her purse and went outside with him. He opened the car door for him, but she closed it and said -

"Lets walk"

"Okaiie"

They were walking together, like two committed lovers😳...shy. On their way, they saw a mother-son duo. Arnav stopped to see that scene. He smiled a bit..as if he was the child who was being pampered by her mom. Khushi too smiled and was enjoying the beautiful scene...when Arnav spoke in a heavy voice...

"Everyone is not lucky as him!", Khushi's smile faded in a second and she looked back at Arnav, whose eyes were filled with tears now...which he tried to his behind his smile. Feeling that he won't be able to hold back the tears he walked ahead. Khushi remembered what all Sharma uncle told her.

Quiet absent mindedly, she held his hands to stop him. She then, stood infront of him. She stood on her toes, encircled her hands around his neck...bought her face near to his eyes and tried to suck the tears that filled his eyes. It was like a passionate kiss. Arnav too, unconsciously, held her waist, feeling that pleasure of her kiss near his eyes.

It was love, probably!

No Precap!😳

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dedicated to Mrinu di!❤️

Gazal..2013-01-31 13:57:24