"Where are you going? Come sit back and here, I am not sitting with him" he told her harshly pointing towards Samrat, who seemed ready to pee in his pants just by the angry way Arnav was staring at him.

"Well, you deserve that. If you can't entertain me, and keep taking sides for people against me, then just keep up with him. Neither of us were doing any good to eachother as it is." She told him back raspily, giving way for Samrat to move in who Arnav reluctantly let sit on Khushi's seat, while Khushi in front took her seat, ready for a gala time with Mayank. The more he looked at her having fun with Mayank the more he started going green with jealousy, not jealous of her but of Mayank for some unknown reason that even he wasn't aware of.

"God Khushi, you are such a player I swear. My counters almost empty and I have already taken a number of loans from the bank" Mayank commented, impressed with her banking and profit making skills, and she gave a lop sided smile to him, handing him back his Mac because apparently she had won. She turned around, giggling seeing Arnav miserably coping up with Samrat falling on his shoulder over and over again.

"Raizada, will you pass me my bag please?" she asked him politely yet he could see the technical way she was taunting and narrowed his eyes, looking at her with a highly irritated expression.

"I am not giving you anything. Just come back to your seat right now. I can't tolerate him another minute." Arnav complained to her passing a horrid look at Samrat who had his head falling on his shoulder yet again.

"I am not coming back dude, so forget it. You were boring me to death, with Mayank I am have a great time, so you enjoy your boredom with Samrat, I have no plans of returning." Khushi told him in a sarcastic mood, and he in turn looked at her icily, when she turned around asking Mayank if he had something to eat. Busy munching her food, with Arnav literally kicking her seat from the back now, she felt little concerned fr any ridiculous activity he was putting up. Mayank who was secretly looking at Arnav and observing his indignace smiled to himself, remembering the scene from the project when he had seen the two staring glances at eachother.

"Khushi can I tell you something? One of my observations I suppose" Mayank asked her, once she was done eating in a low pitch voice in fear that Arnav would hear, since he could sense that Arnav was very interested in the talk between him and Khushi. Khushi nodded suspiciously, judging by his tone she could tell he was going to tell her something about her.

Tu humsafar hai, phir kya fikar hai
Jeene ki wajah hi yehi marna issi ke liye

(You are my soul mate, then what worry do I have

This is the reason to live, the reason for which I shall die)

"I think Arnav likes you." He said as Khushi inched back hearing his words, and looked back at a highly annoyed Arnav who by his expression had not really heard anything. Khushi searched Mayank's eyes to see if this was some prank or anything but as far as she was could tell he was speaking the truth, or so he thoughts, because he was waiting for her reaction patiently.

"He doesn't. He never can." Khushi replied back in a low voice, yet a voice that held little confidence, she was forced to think, to rethink, doubting her own words, and for a last time she looked back at Arnav still looking at her hopefully, that she would come, and in that single moment she knew she wanted to go back.

"Why not? He's human after all, and well don't take me wrong, but you are very desirable." Mayank countered her back truthfully and she stared at him with an odd expression, but quickly removed it thinking he didn't really like it.

"I know Raizada. He cant fall for me. I don't know, that atleast what I would like to belive, that he cant." She replied back lost in her thoughts, while Mayan examined her face for answers, and he knew she was just denying the obvious fact, they were both in a state of complete denial.

"Gupta. Please come back." He said finally, now in no more mood to cooperate and in a giffy she was up, helping a very drowsy Samrat off her seat and back to his own seat, smiling broadly at Mayank despite her eventual queasiness. She sat on her seat, not at all present in the actual world, until it was a tap on her shoulder from Arnav that brought her back to the bus world.

"Problem?" he asked her, in a non chalant manner however it was clear by the way he was asking that he was genuinely very concerned about her. She shook her head, half smiling, and closed the window, opening up her hair which most probably had dried now, but since she had forgotten to open them before, she was scared that lies might start to breed inside her hair. Resting her head, against the window, she looked at Arnav half engrossed in his book, half from time to time looking at her, to see if she was even alright.

"You sure you are fine? You certainly look groggy." He asked her once again, and like before she put up a small smile and shook her head, letting him know that she was completely fine. As he eyes moved around to the other students, she amazingly discovered that only a couple of students in the front and the both of them were awake. The rest of the bus even the chaperones were all sleeping. Khushi got up a bit to look at Mayank who too had drifted off to sleep, and even Purab and his giggly partner were happy snoring.

"Everybody is gone to sleep. Even Ms.Anita." she informed Arnav who just nodded at her, discarding his Iphone back to his bag now, and looking at her, feeling a bit drowsy herself.

"You aren't sleepy?"

"I am. Just that this window is too uncomfortable for me. Plus that cold water did have effect on my senses, my head seems to explode from within." She told him in a complaining mood, having him ponder over the conditions and something that he could do to make her more comfortable.

"Well, if you can sleep on my shoulder if you want to. Look around that's what everyone's doing." He suggested, and for a moment her pupils were popping out of her sockets, but upon getting a better vision of every body else, she noticed that indeed he was right, everybody was sleeping on their partners shoulder, it was hilarious that some people were sleeping on the shoulders of people, who they hadn't even talked to in their entire life.

"People. People and their activities. (pointing her finger towards a girl and a boy) Look at them, they haven't even met eachother before, and they seem to be sleeping as if they know eachother for ages." She giggled, and he put up a small smile too shaking her head, amazed by her craziness, and turned around back to look in front, her taking his advice now and adjusting her head on his shoulder, which surprisingly enough she realized was new to her. She had done this before.

"Thankyou." She whispered, keeping her hand on his thigh, him who was feeling very sleepy himself, resting his head on her head, his eyes on the verge of closing.

"Ssshh. Go to sleep now, and let me sleep too." He told her drowsily, before registering himself to the very inviting sleep of his.

Kehte hain,Khuda ne iss jahaan mein
Sabhi ke liye kisi na kisi ko hai banaaya,Har kisi ke liye

(It is said, that in this world

God has made someone, for everyone of us)

**************************************************

Regarding The Title:

Connections- This is purely because the song for this update was 'Raabta' which means 'Connection' in English. Also because you can see very clearly how one thinks links to the other and without this linage this entire story would be just complete. Arjun-Aparna linkage, the four friends (parents) linkage, Arnav-Khushi linkage, the Raizada's linkage, Aakash-Anjali-Khushi linkage, the friendly linkage between Vivek-Khushi. To summarize this update was all about connections hence named it this.

**************************************************

Events In The Chapter

A much awaited chapter wasn't it? I know, marne ki zarorrat nahin hain, the parent history is still not resolved and I intend to do in the nest few chapters. This chapter was vital in terms of the story because of the way its bringing everything to fall in place.

Even though this update had a lot going on, I am already for rants and complains, so please leave them behind in your comments.

***************************************************

nav_bat2012-12-16 09:18:34