Chapter 17

Batool Imran

@nav_bat

"You listen to Hindi songs?", Khushi asked Anjali surprised, who did not seem to be that type and looked like a die hard one of English music.

"Oh yeah! I love them. *pause* Do you?" Anjali asked back mildly excited as Khushi bobbed her head happily, her body dancing to the tunes of the beats of popular song 'Ainvayi Ainvayi' in the same sitting position she was. Anjali looked at her with merriment, as her shoulder kept coming up and down, her side moving to and fro, head doing some kind of rap movement. She exchanged looks with Aakash who was sitting next to them, looking at her with the same delight as hers.

"You love to dance don't you? *pause* (Khushi stops moving and looks embarrassed) Well, we don't mind you dancing, I love dancing too", Anjali told her, grinning at her as Khushi blushed slightly and shook her head in a 'No'.

"You wont be dancing alone, I will give you company, *pause* (Khushi is looking at Aakash hopefully) Don't ask him, he's a freaky dancer", Anjali said suppressing a giggle as Aakash looked at her grumpily, making deadening positions aimed at her through his hands.

"But erm, your leg" Khushi questioned back timidly, sending Aakash and her both roaring into immense laughter confusing her all the more.

"That is a faade, my genius brother (slapping Aakash on his back) devised, when I kept ranting about how boys kept hitting on me, leaving no peace for me", she said still laughing out loud, as Khushi looked at Aakash in hilarity, who modestly shook his head sending Khushi into fits of laughter.

"You two are so hilarious! *pause* (wondering) I wish I had siblings like you" Khushi remarked with a one sided smile, having Anjali and Aakash both smile at her widely, keeping their hands on both her shoulders each.

"You can change places with Chotte if you like, we don't mind at all. He's a nit wit after all" Aakash said receiving a glare from Anjali for back biting on their younger brother.

"Cool down Anji! She already knows about Chotte and his on and off's, don't you Khushi?", he asked smirking at her, as she nodded modestly, Anjali's smile coming back on her face, she getting up to her feet, and pulling Khushi up too, urging her to dance. Khushi was shaky in the beginning but went all gaga as ease and fun settled inside her, with Aakash now by her side too dancing with his sister and her. The threesome doing all kinds of awkward steps possible, imitating most of them from the music video, which they kept replaying over and over again, kicking each other, Khushi being the more graceful dancer moving her hips with such ease it startled the twins if she was a trained one or not.

Standing on the edge of the door of his room, Arnav saw their living room liven up into a dance floor with his two siblings and Khushi shaking their legs like mad yaks. The laughter was erupting like magma, the effect seeping in him too, smiling away enjoying the play like a silent spectator. But his silence did not go unnoticed by Khushi and Anjali who both exchanged looks in between quick steps and paced towards Arnav both tugging at either hands of his urging him to dance. He gave him his worst scowls, but none of it affected them as Aakash too got into business, pushing Arnav here and there by swinging his hips. It was like they had all gone mad, that Arnav tried to erm dance too, his hidden talent of being a really nice dancer hidden from his siblings and her. The three of them almost stopped dancing gasping in wonder holding each other for support, as he took over the supposed stage, and started getting into synch with the lyrics dancing away like a professional. Anjali had her mouths clasped, Aakash was holding on to Khushi's arm for support, but the stable award amongst the three was definitely for Khushi who had lend Aakash support on Anjali's shoulder and had moved in dancing with Arnav.

The song stopped playing, and for an instance nothing was affected but soon Arnav came back to his senses, flushing so badly, it looked like he was going to pee in his pants or something, and without even as much looking at anybody scurried off to his room, leaving Khushi stare at him madly, until the three of them looked at each other in hilarity and started laughing mad at him.

"Gupta, if you are done being Lady Gaga, then come on in, the clay mould is dry. *pause* AK Bhai and Di! You are not invited so stay out!" he growled from inside the room, shaking with terrible embarrassment, as the three outside still giggled a bit, with Khushi disappearing into the room not before giving a consoling to Anjali and Aakash.

Inside, Arnav was fiddling about making a paste of the plaster of Paris, adding in powder and then water making a paste without moulds appearing in it. He looked up as Khushi drank water from the cold water bottle she had brought in with her, looking at her in envy, wanting some for himself too, but it didn't really look like she would leave any for him. Not that he could drink anyway, his hands were drenched in white paste.

Khushi saw him looking at the bottle with a hopeless look, wanting some for him self, and feeling for him, she went out of the room much to his surprise returning with a glass of cold water and walked towards him where he was still busy with making the paste thick enough for it go good with the clay as the boulder wall for there model. She sat down next to him, and pressed the glass on his lips, him looking at her with wide eyes, but still opened his mouth and sipped in the water, choking slightly, with her then patting his back making him swallow his coughs. She kept the glass once he was done drinking looking a bit feisty, and dug both her hands in the bowl he had the paste formed, her hands colliding with his already covered ones

They looked at each other for a slight second, but then quickly looked away, satisfied with the consistency of the paste and started applying it on the now dried clay structure of the heart, Coating it carefully maintaining perfection, their skins kept touching in the process, some of the paste of ones hand rubbing off over the other forming thick particles of air to surround them. Once it was done, Khushi took her chance to get away from his heated gaze, and washed her hands in the washroom clean, him doing the same soon after, and she picked up the painted body parts which were by now dry bringing them over to where the hardboard was kept, positioning all the parts to make a complete human body. She called him for a final look, and he having approved they both began to glue all the pieces together, the body almost complete just waiting for the beating organ to be kept into place

After what was about a hour and a half, Khushi generously munching on the packet of chips Aakash had handed her over from the door, she sat on the bed, examining Arnav's book shelf, before he called out to her informing her of the dried structure. Losing no more time, and it was only near twilight that they got to work, painting the heart it being down looking like a real life beating heart. She slapped him on his back as a gesture of appreciation, him looking at her startled, and gave her a tight smile in response.

That done and the heart dried, Khushi after having him convinced enough to let Aakash and Anjali come inside, called the twins in gladly, as they placed the dried heart in the middle of the chest they had made slightly to the left, the moment of truth drawing closer. Arnav filled in the small fish tank they had taken to apply the pressure, with water, and attached it to the pulmonary vein pumping the thing up and down as the model got into action water running through all the tubes looking absolutely divine

"This is marvelous! Cheers for the two of you, and your partnership!", Anjali cried out in sheer excitement, as Khushi leapt on her in joy, and then hugged Aakash, moving in a rush towards Arnav but stopped midway realizing who he was, creating an uncomfortable situation. She hurriedly shoved passed him, shaking his hand and went outside the room with the twins leaving him to drool over what was supposed to happened seconds earlier for the second time now

It was getting late as they realized the time, Khushi bidding goodbye to all of them, out in the night, not before Arnav joined her shortly on Anjali and Aakash insistence who had literally shoved him out of the house, to go escort her back to her house.

Khushi looked at him, her expressions changing from surprise to a sheepish look, as he walked by her side quietly not keeping up much conversation.

"What are you doing here?", she asked him startled, as he dug his hand in his pockets looking down on the ground.

"Di and Bhai told me to drop you too your home safely", he said modestly, not looking up at her as they continued to walk in silence from the side of the road now, until the silence was disturbed by a shrill yelp from her

"What, what happened?", he asked concerned, holding her by her arm, who otherwise would have collapsed. His eyes went down to her largest of the toe in the right foot, the nail clinging away ruthlessly by a strand to her skin, a rush of blood dripping away furiously from it.

"I hit that jagged rock" she said painfully, closing her eyes tightly to get rid of the pain that was searing through her entire leg now, making it almost unable to move now. Arnav looked at the stupid rock that was lying in the middle of nowhere on the road

"Can you walk?", he asked back worried, his sight stuck on from where her blood was coming out non stop. She nodded her head her face pale, the color drained out of it due to the pain that she felt, and she tried to take a step forward but couldn't without his help, being forced by physical circumstances, slid her hand around his waist clutching onto it as he kept his arm around her, helping her to walk. After a few steps or so, she just couldn't let go of the pain it becoming unbearable for her to bear, as tears trickled down her eyes, with every painful step that she took. Not being able to take in her pain, he bent down keeping his hand under her knees and one around her back lifting her up in his arms much to her surprise who looked in confusion into his eyes, which were looking straight ahead at the road

"At this rate, we would never be able to reach your home today", he said grimly, her hands winded tightly around his neck, she looking at his face in what was an emotion of affection, embarrassment, and another one which was fairly unknown to her. He kept his sight fixed ahead well aware of the fact that her eyes were on him, but he was trying his best to not maintain eye contact, which would only result in the worst for the two of them. They reached her house, after a 15 minute walk, and she retreated one of her hands from his neck ringing the door bell, which much to their relief was attended too on the very first ring.

Aparna Gupta looked in horror at her daughters bleeding feet, and her crouched form in the arms of the same boy she had as a guest yesterday, she quickly beckoned them in opening the door of Khushi's room for them, as Arnav in a greatly summarized form told her mother of how Khushi had landed up in the way she was. He placed her gently on her bed making her legs outstretched, with her still wincing in terrible pain. Mrs.Gupta hurried out of the room to get a glass of water for the two of them, while Arnav sat down next to her and then got up fetching the first aid box from the drawer she told him it was kept in.

"Now don't whine, shout, cry or howl", he instructed her firmly, slipping his hand underneath her foot as she looked at him with a mixed expression of annoyment and gratitude.

"I am doing nothing of that sort, Raizada", she said vexed, as he cleared away the blood from her largest toe her slightly flinching due to the pain it inflicted, and placed her hand on his shoulder gripping it tightly, as the pain of the wound seethed into her.

"Precautionary", he remarked slyly, as he continued to wipe the blood clean looking at her giving him a flustered look

"I am not a normal girl", she informed him, to let him know of her real worth, and have him considering her as the normal female.

"Absolutely Not, I was never under that vain impression. *pause* I always knew you were nuttier than the other girls." he smirked wickedly at her receiving a death glare from her.

Mending her foot, and bandaging it neatly, he tied a knot to it, and cleared away the mess of the first aid box depositing it back to its place as she looked at him with affection, stopping him before he exited out of her room.

"Arnav, I cant thank you enough", she said full of gratitude for him, as he took a sharp turn back to face her, not amazed at what she had said to him, but the way she addressing him. For the first time ever with his first name, Arnav.

"I know. *pause* Stick with my last name Gupta, I like it that way better between us.", he said before disappearing out of the room, bidding good bye to her flustered mom who hurried in, seeing Khushi smiling at the door, and went over to sit next to her daughter on the bed, examining the well covering bandage.

"The boy has done a good job with bandaging your toe." Aparna Gupta remarked, as Khushi still smiling nodded her head slightly, the smile fading away as memories clawed at her all over again.

"Ma, I am so sorry, for going without letting you know, but I just thought, you needed your time to sort yourself out, I didn't want to be a trouble, not that I haven't been much (in tears) I am really sorry for acting like that with him, but I just couldn't control my self, he's inflicted a lot of pain to us and I cant stand the sight of him anymore. I am sorry Ma" Khushi said sobbing, keeping her head on her mother's shoulder, weeping as she gave a justification for her earlier actions.

"Its alright dear, and I am glad you left me to my own. I needed that time without anyone around to clear up my head, and start off life back to how it was again." Mrs Gupta consoled her daughter keeping her hand on her head, as Khushi slowly gained her composure and looked into her mother eyes, with her moist ones.

"Are you sure Ma?" she asked as her mother gave her that motherly smile of hers and nodded at her bringing the girl to ease keeping her head back on her mother's shoulder.

"So did something change between you and that boy?" Mrs.Gupta asked Khushi who brought up a juvenile smile on her face.

"A lot has", she said fondly, revitalizing all her memories with that one boy who had the greatest effect on her that she could imagine, who she was just blindly trusting without any doubts, because somewhere she knew, he would never let her down.

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Regarding The Title

Plastered Sentiments- I am not the decider of my own work and how it turns out to be, since I write with the flow, but I do know for sure while I was re reading the whole thing, that there was a lot of play of emotions in this chapter. I did my best to summarize it (but couldn't obviously, no wonder by English Language teacher feels like killing me.:P). So this chapter has been named what it was been named because of the way the characters are going about in the story. It starts with Shyam, who feels something for Anjali but wants to cover it up thinking of it as useless, not that he had to blame much, he's got more on his plate then normal teenagers. Secondly, Aakash who tries his best to conceal his awe towards Payal but is unable too from his sister who finally hits the bulls eye with her cross questioning. I don't think anyone's dumb enough to not consider Arnav and Khushi in this caption, who go aptly with it, Arnav more, concealing his affection, with her just trying to be normal, even though she knows what they had between them is way beyond 'normal'. And then last but not the least, we have Khushi's mother who had coated her sorrow with thick material so that to eradicate her daughters guilt. Plus, going on to the literal meaning, them covering the heart with plaster of Paris, is what in real life we call the WALL. It is that wall that keeps us going, and when you give someone a place in your heart, its like letting them go through that wall, and that's what Khushi and Arnav are yet not ready for but on the path of discovering. Though, I can safely comment that Khushi has made holes in her wall already for Arnav to pass.

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Events In The Chapter

By God! This was one eventful chapter, I mean my word count according to Microsoft for this chapter was 8,840 words! Can you actually imagine, and just to think I still wanted to add some of Vivek and a diary entry from Khushi in it too, but due to the already over exceeded normal word limit I couldn't. Guess that has to wait for some other time.*sigh* But anyways, a lot has been happening in this particular chapter, finally an inside scope into Shyam's personal life (Don't kill me for this, but he is a positive character in this, you will have to chuck out pervertwa Shyam's image from your mind while reading about this Shyam).

A greater insight into Payal-Aakash relationship, and now almost all the leads know about it, it will be interesting to know how it develops, before the much hinted dance, in Chapter 10 (keep guessing the occasion people and the song.:P )

Arnav and Khushi were on a roll right here, and this chapter as much as it was their's was also of Aakash and Anjali's. The fun factor wound't be there if the two siblings weren't added! Their conversation show the usual banter between siblings, a younger one who seems cut off from them, the ones of the same age usually on logger heads but at the same time understanding each other a lot better than any other person would.

Anybody gets a project to make a heart model, read this chapter it will give you a lot of help I assure you of that.;) I got an A+ with the same method.:P

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Precap

"Oh it's a bit odd, they hardly know much of you, and they got so friendly with you all of a sudden, you sure they are not up to something?", he asked in an unnerving tone, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"They are genuinely nice. Not everybody goes to their home, for a project, and besides, (she thought twice and then lowered her voice), can you keep a secret, its not mine it is AK Bhai's." she said oddly, still wondering if she doing the right thing telling Vivek about Aakash secret crush on her cousin, pondering over a little more until he kept waiting and then decided with it, moving in closer to him, keeping her hand on his ear.

"I think AK Bhai likes Payal Jiji (Vivek looking at her confused) My cousin that I told you about na" she whispered into his ear, as he smiled at her and asked if she was doing anything to help them in the regard, but she shook her head telling him of Arnav's advice.

"Maybe he is right. You should keep out of it, fill them in if they need it, they just might not be needing your help", he told her sensibly as a distant look coming on his face again him staring up at the ceiling of their classroom aimlessly.

"I wanted to tell you something Khushi.", he said finally blushing away furiously with her looking at him oddly.

"Don't make me wait, I am listening"

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P.S: So yeah I am finally back with an update, and man this so long, it should be enough of a fill for you people, though I do know it only makes you more greedier.:P But anyways, I wont be blabbaring much now, and just a request leave back your comments behind (comprehensive, mind it!), do hit the like button to appreciate, I try to reply to as many comments as I can, but sometimes if I cannot do not be disheartened since I am still reading all of them.:D

Love,

Batool😳😳

Chapter 9: Uncalled For