Chapter 40

Khushi opened her eyes to the morning sunlight penetrating in full force from the open window, making her squint her eyes as she got up from bed and sat on it upright rubbing her eyes furiously to track down where was she exactly. She let her eyes wander about for a few minutes in the room, the familiarity of it striking her as she realized the blend of colors, which could not be found any where in Raizada's house, accept for the one and only- Arnav Singh Raizada's room. Opening her eyes to full extent for the first time she noticed that apart from herself there was someone else in the room, his back turned to her, leaning over the iron stand as far as she could make out in her hazy state.

Getting herself straightened up she got up from the bed, and silently walked towards him approaching his back, and kept her cold hand on his shoulder, eyeing him ironing her clothes much to her surprise. Arnav turned around in shock to see her standing right beside him, causing the iron in his hand to fall length long not on the iron stand but on his own fingers.

"Ouch!" he cried out, and in a swift movement removed the iron from his fingers, his fingers becoming smoldering hot due to the bimetal that had touched it. His skin it was crumbling away a gruesome burnt patch forming on it. Khushi snatched his hand from his own grip and held it in her hands examining the burn, and rushed of to get the first aid box from the cupboard.

"What in the world were you doing ironing my clothes? That too my uniform?" she grumbled as she brought the first aid box and fished out the ointment from it, applying it on his burn as his expression turned into one of pain.

"Gupta leave! Go get ready we don't have time for all this!" he pestered her, snatching his fingers away from her grip, as she continued to struggle to get it in, until he was actually forced to take drastic measure. Holding her by her shoulders with his wounded and unwounded hand, he applied his full force and turned her around pushing her all the way to the washroom, and gave a final push so that she had landed with a staggering force right on the floor, bare footed.

"You have five minutes to change and get ready. Everybodies waiting for you." He ordered her and went away back to the stand to iron the rest of her skirt, when she came and pushed him off from there, moving out of the room in an attempt to call someone else to do the job, but before she could do so, he held her wrist tightly under his grip and pulled her back to himself, with so much force that she was actually left trying to catch her breathe, her hand resting on his chest.

"What do you think you were doing? I have been hiding you since the last half an hour from everyone, and you here have the audacity to jump right into the arena?" he lashed at her, as she looked at him with wide eyes, his eyes flashing that hint of anger which they held almost all the time.

"Why have you been hiding me?" she asked surprised, as he let go of her wrist, her standing back on the ground, instead of his shoes where she was earlier standing on.

"Look around. This is my room. How do you think you will explain your presences in my room, in your pajamas?" he asked her snidely, as she immediately started going a red color, her sight lingering on to the wall clock above. As the lack of time registered her she cupped her mouth in her hands, her eyes dilating wide, making her look like a lost cartoon character.

"7:45? Danmmit!" She shouted and he actually had to keep his hand on her mouth to shut her up, ushering her into the washroom, to which this time she quickly compelled and went inside, while he hurriedly ironing her skirt, passed her uniform to her inside, disappearing out of the room to get her bag and all her dresser material.

"Chotte! Come on seriously? What is taking you so long! Call Khushi and come quick times running!" he heard Aakash shouting from the entrance thankfully, not being able to see him since the door was ajjarly open and quickly, he got hold of Khushi's things bringing it to his own room, where she was just pulling up her socks and was about to get her shoes in place.

"Thanks." She said appreciatevly, and quickly pulling her bangs into a puff secured the pins tightly so that it would not fall back, while all the while Arnav stood at the door of his room impatiently waiting for her, however deeply lost in her get to school dress up mood. There weren't many girls who used his room to dress up that too for school in fact there was no girl who ever did that, except her. She was becoming a larger than life exception day by day, he thought to himself.

"Choote! Khushi! Hurry up!" they heard Anjali shouting, as so due to the utter lack of time, Khushi stuffed the hair brush into her back pulling her long hair to the front on the right side, grabbing her bag on her shoulder as the two walked out of the room, frantically Arnav locking the door, stepping into the car to be greeted by a very frustrated Aakash and Anjali.

"You people were so quick. I appreciate your speed." Aakash grumbled from the front seat receiving a horrible look from Arnav who was too busy flustering over his burnt finegrs which had ointment applied to it, however the bandage was missing. Khushi looked at his fingers in worry, concern growing in her and inched in closer to him to whisper in his ears.

"Does it hurt too much?" she asked him worriedly as he craned his neck to look at her, not aware of how close her face was to his, bumping his nose into hers as she moved back a bit rubbing away her nose in order to avoid the traumatic series of sneeze that would follow right after.

"Don't fret over it too much. I am not on fire." He told her back raspily, but in fact the burn was actually pinching his fingers to no extent making an irritating feeling seep inside him. She made a face at him and shook her head, opening her bag up to find any thing she could bandage his hand with, but failed to retrieve anything from it. That was the moment when she remembered that she did have a first aid box in her locker, so deciding that they would have to go from the back door to get to the locker room before the corridor, she made up her mind to stop the car on the back door only.

Meanwhile Anjali had been closely looking at Arnav's fingers which were all brown and some color of red, communicating through her eyes with Aakash who arched his eyebrows at her to inquire about what had happened.

"How did you burn your fingers Chotte?" she asked him concerned as he made a vexed faced to himself, not fond of being pampered around for small wounds.

"Ironing" he replied shortly, not giving any more explanation but Anjali being Anjali coudnt help her self from investigating into the matter further on.

"You were fine when me and Aakash came out."

"I purposely put the iron on my fingers because I think they are usless and have no particular use for me. Happy now? Why do you need to be so inquisitive about everything? Cant you mind your own business?" he snapped back at her, and she made one horrible looking face at him, a more horrible one at Aakash who was grinning through the rear view mirror, and she turned her face from him looking outside the window, as Arnav still continued to fret over his fingers.

"Stop the car here. Me and Raizada will be going from her." Khushi told the driver who halted the car as both Anjali, Aakash and Arnav looked at Khushi in surprise.

"Since when are we going from here?" he asked her in a questioning tone, and she quickly explained how she had a first aid box in her locker and they could get Arnav's finger bandaged by it then.

"I told you to stop fretting about it. Don't you understand?" he told her curtly, but she wasn't listening as she jumped out of the car and holding his hand firmly into hers dragged him out of the car and into the backward cooridor, pulling him behind her until he just let free of his hand and continued to walk by her side trying to keep his calm. The walk to the locker room was always very interesting since it was filled with most happening news in the entire campus. Girl and boys making out, some studying which was kind of the rarest thing to find here, others hugging or kissing, while some rushed off towards the lockers to get their books half of them worried over their looks rushing towards the washrooms.

By the time they were by their locker most of the crowd thankfully from Khushi's side had faded away leaving only the two of them and a couple of others girls and boys behind who were actually using the dating point to the best of their benefits. Khushi shrugged a bit seeing them, and Arnav turned his eyes away already annoyed, while she opening her locker got the first aid box out and made him sit on a near by bench.

"I am still telling you its fine." He urged her to let him go, but she was determined to not do so and untied the roll of bandage tieing it around his fingers individually so that they had some sort of picking space left between them.

"And I am still telling you that it's not fine." She remarked back working her way towards the last of his fingers, and after that was securely done, she held his hand in hers looking contendly at her own work keeping his hand on his thigh, and walked away back to her locker, keeping the first aid box inside along with other unneeded books from her bag, making it a lot lighter than it was when she had left home.

"Class?" She questioned him as he nodded and got up from the bench, the two walking out her hair swaying away which in a failed attempt she kept pulling in front her bag securely supported by its two holders that were clutching on to her shoulders. She could see the random eyes of boys on her and it made her flinch as she saw that spark of jealousy cross his eyes making her wonder if there was anything drastic that this could result in. Before she could even process her thoughts correctly, she saw his fists clenched as a deep voice came to her ears.

"Hey gorgeous!" Someone from behind called out to her, as Khushi took a sharp turn making a narrowed expression and looking at the guy keenly with her eyes, after which a huge smile came to her face.

"Hey dork face!" she called, and noticing the horrid expressions she turned around, grinning cheeily to herself, while Arnav looked at her in amusement, walking right by her side, her hair pulled forward open, due to the lack of time back at home.

"You are good at this." He complimented her, and she turned her head to face his appreciative smile, giving him a broad goofy smile of her own.

"That's what you become staying with the Raizadas" she commented back and he looked at her with a queasy expressions demanding an explanation from her.

"You become arrogant and rude like Arnav Singh Raizada and become an expert at calling names like Anjali and Aakash Singh Raizada" she said with a broad grin, as they reached the girls washroom and she walked away from him, leaving him stupefied by her expression, turning around a bit after she was about to open the door, and winked at him before disappearing inside the washroom.

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He moved out of the room, bidding his house mates goodbye, pulling his luggage behind and descending the stairs of the army resident quarter, seating himself in the military car that was waiting for him to take him to the airport. It was going to be a long journey he thought to himself. Seattle Washington was miles apart from California itself, let alone Stanford it was going to be an eternity by the time he got back home. It was always long, but this time it just seemed longer now that the prospect of what was lieing for him in Stanford.

Arjun Raizada, had still not planned what was going to happen when he did come face to face with Aparna, nor did he have any idea of her reaction, or the condition she was in. Anita had told him few hours earlier that she was going to be discharged today and was lot more stronger and healthy than she had been since the last two days, which for a split second made him feel relived for unknown reasons. He didn't know why it still mattered to him about how she was, what she was, anything at all, he just coudnt understand after all these years he was still letting her influence his life. Maybe, that's what they call it, Friendship, Maybe that is why she was my best friend, and nobody else was.

Stepping out of the car, wheeling his luggage behind him, he thanked the driver and bid him goodbye, entering the Seattle airport and went through the custom checks finally having all the formalities done, sat in the resting area of the airport, his head laying back on the head rest, eyes dropping low due to the tired restless days he had been spending ever since the news of the emergence of his best friend had been broken to him.

The boarding pass was yet to come, but he already knew that when it did, he would be in a not so ready condition to make the longest journey of his life back home, back home to the family he missed, back home to the memories he had wanted to forget, but never could succeed too. It was time a part of his life came or went once and for all.

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Arnav kept staring at the closed washroom door in front of him, moving his hand around his hair, his cheeks going just slightly red but gaze fixed on that door in front of him. He hadn't in his reverie realized when a girl had come out of the door, and seeing him standing there staring at what she supposed was her, a cute pink blush crept up on her face, as she returned back giving a shy smile to him, blinking her eyes, which was apparently successful in bringing him back to the real world. By the time he knew the kind of understanding the girl had become victim too, she was walking away from him in slow flimsy steps turning back time and again, getting out of his lost mode completely after she had given full evidence that the pink blush on her cheek was for him.

"What The" he muttered to himself in absolute annoyance at not only the girls odd reaction but his own maniac like staring. Being with Khushi he was assuredly loosing it, he told himself, and with sturdy steps walked away to the classroom meeting Karan over there. Soon after Khushi had also returned, her hair neatly tied up in a high pony tail, and walked directly towards Vivek, giving a small smile to Arnav and Karan as she passed.

"So you slept?" he asked her as she took her place on the seat next to him, keeping her bag under her table, and after she was done, she raised an eyebrow at him to which he smiled at her cheekily.

"Ofcourse I did. Why?"

"Well, yesterday you were talking some shit about Peeta and Katniss, so I thought probably you could do with some good sleep." He remarked back, receiving a hard punch on his shoulder from her, as a merry second later she made a serious kind of dazed expression and looked into Arnav's direction who was deep into studying something, looking back at Vivek seeing him waiting for her to say something.

"Okay so tell me. What happened between the two of you?" He asked her, as the blush on her face furiously vanished replaced with a quizzical look on her face yet again.

"Nothing."

"When are you ever going to get this in your head that you are my star struck bestie, so theirs no need to act like the bun with mustard, you already have ketchup all over you"Vivek said with a straight face, and waited for her to process her thoughts, but before she could even start telling him what had happened, the Physics Sir had entered the class. Giving him an apologetic look, she faced the teacher, fishing out her notebook from her bag to take on the lecture notes while he besides her did the same. The class had ended and the next one had started almost immediately leaving no space for Khushi to tell Vivek about last nights events.

"Important Annoucement for all students. Gather in the assembly area. Message from Principal Arora" The students in the whole Stanford campus looked up to see the microphones placed everywhere booming with the voice of the managing assistant of the campus. Like in normal circumstances, everybody exchanged frenzied looks with eachother, big question marks pasted all over their faces, as the continuing class was dismissed, and students from all floors flocked out chatting about the possible things the announcement could be about.

The conversation about the previous night seemed to be a bit forgotten with the hype that had surrounded the whole school, as Khushi and Vivek found themselves discussing possibilities of what the announcement would be about. Much unknown to them, were Arnav and Karan walking right behind them, pondering over the same thought while as they began to climb down the staircase they saw Anjali with Shyam and Aakash with Payal joining in, each of them giving broad smiles to eachother.

"The announcement could be about exams" Anjali voiced out, mainly talking to Shyam who nodded at her in agreement, as Aakash from behind tapped her shoulders causing her to turn her head to face him while her feet still carried her forward.

"Do you have a life other than exams and books Anji? (boys nearby stared at him) Not about her being your life lamesters! (he snapped at them, as they looked away, Anjali eyeing him in a shrewed manner) It's the end of November, going on, must be about the yearly field trip" he said smartly, making a congradulatory expression to himself, gaining the attention of Khushi who was now all ears to this new prospect.

"Field trip? You have field trips here?" she asked Aakash in a skippy tone, thrilled by the idea of it. Aakash was about to answer her question when Karan who was now besides her with Vivek having drifted away towards Vishaka,

"Yeah. Every year. Last time it was a beach and the year before it waa farm, will that one was rotten, but generally they are super amazing" Karan told her as Khushi listened in awe, Arnav who was on the step behind them taking little or no part at all in the conversation;well since he never really went to field trips.

"So all of you attend it each year?"

"Yeah everybody except Arnav. He doesn't like field trips." Karan told her, as she took a step back making some space next to Arnav who ridiculously looked at her actions. Everybody moved on down the stairs landing in the main corridor, and took their path towards the assembly area Khushi lacking behind to walk with Arnav who seemed in no mood to pursue anymore conversation.

"It's silly not to go on field trips Raizada. Are you going to stick with your policy this year too?" she asked him in a disappointed voice as he craned his sideways to study her face taking a few seconds to respond to her question but immediately nodded yes.

"Hmph" she said, crossing her arms around her chest and made a rude face at him, not looking once again back at him to see his reaction. They were almost on the end of the length of the huge corridor when Khushi heard some girls taking Arnav's name repeatedly and turned her head to look at them for a brief moment, turning it in front again realizing that the girls had stopped talking when they thought she was looking at them. Arnav besides her heard his name being called out too, and from the corner of his eye saw the same girl who he had met outside the washroom earlier, letting out a small groan. Stupid thing,he grumbled to himself busily, annoyed at how indulged Khushi's ears were in listening to the conversation.

"Gupta, stop eaves dropping on some ones else's talk" he told her, for a split second gaining her attention when she deliberately popped her eyes out, and kept her finger on her lips, singaling him to Shut up. He muttered a 'What The' under his breathe and left her to her own maddening tasks a while later as he had expected she was grinning like a maniac at him, poking her elbow continuously in his sides.

"Stop it Gupta! Idjit" he told her in between clenched teeth, making her laugh uncontrollably her eyes showing that mischief in them, which he knew was one of the very distinctive traits about her.

"That girl actually thinks that you were staring at her, poor thing doesn't you were staring at my retreating back when it went inside the washroom" she giggled away aimlessly, having him hold her arm tightly, to face him a stunned and completely flabbergasted expression playing on his face.

"Excuse me? Who told you I was looking at you?" he questioned her eyes narrowing them down intentionally to make him present like a FBI officer getting out answers from an accused prisoner.

"Nobody did, nobody has to. I already know you are mine." She said full of mischief pulling his cheeks cutely,not realizing the depth of what she had said and paced away from him before he would hit her or something, leaving him behind surrounded by girls looking at him a bit shocked, and at Khushi with absolute venom and swearing looks of jealousy. Arnav taking the chance moved away from them, and went towards Karan who was having some light hearted discussion with Khushi, besides them Aakash and Anjali as always indulged in their senseless bickering.

"Admit Gupta in the mental asylum. She has lost it completely" Arnav crept up behind them, a feiry expression on his face, shoulders up steady, his tie hanging loosely around his neck.

"If I go, I am taking you with me" she snapped back at him, as Arnav raised his finger at her, and she did the same raising hers making it collide it with his finger, both looking at each other daringly. It was a heavy effort from Karan that took the two crazed teens away from each other, Karan turning Khushi around by her shoulders, and folding Arnav's fingers, as the two of them sneered at each other, with poor Karan shaking his head in indignance.

"Good morning Students. You are all gathered here to be informed about two new things. Number 1, the mid year exam time table has been made and they shall be starting from the second week of December. Timetables shall be distributing as as soon as possible." the Principal Mr. Hashmani told everyone, loud groans from students echoeing all over the assembly hall hearing about the depressing news of exams.

"Take that! Me and my life, you said?" Anjali told Aakash with a sign of victory on her face, poking her elbow into his sides, as he stomped on her shoes hard, having her holding on to Shyam trying to ease out the pain in her feet, all that time giving death glares to Aakash.