"Bhai, I want some." Khushi extended her hand towards Aakash who was giving out the firecrackers, as he grinned at her pointing in a far away corner indicating to her where he had kept reserved boxes of firecrackers for his specially. Saying a quick thankyou, she made a run towards them, nearly tripping on her lehenga once or twice, but since the excitement had gotten the better of her, she did not bother about cursing it either.

Her eyes shone up in delight, seeing the box of firecrackers, as she bent down to pick them up, working her hands around to rip open the box which much to her utter disappointment woudnt budge in anyway that she tried to tear open.

"Here, give it to me." She heard Arnav tell her, as she turned around her lehenga getting the better of her this time, tripping right into what should have been his arms, instead it had turned into something much more awkward with her taking hold of his upper arm tightly and pulling him down to the ground with herself, having landed on his calf while he was sitting in some awkward position, where he was mid way between holding her and not holding her at all. Flustered and extremely bewildered as to what had happened, she inched away from him on whom she was practically sitting, cursing the lehenga and her clumsiness for good now. Nikhil, Vivek now Arnav. She didn't know how many more people she was going to fall on tonight.

Song: Piya Aaye Na

Teri khataa hai mere jiyaa
Un pe bharosa kyuun tune kiya

It's your mistake o my heart,
Why did you believe him..

"Sorry." She said, her palms resting on the lush green grass, scrambling away from him and helping herself get up, most conveniently since he had extended his hand and she knew their was no point in not taking it, she let him help her out to stand. On her feet again, she looked at Arnav for the first time now carefully, dressed in the grey and white sherwani, which for that matter she had seen him clad into for the first time. There was no denying that he looked amazing, hot, and sexy and well what not, or no wait, she shook her head slightly trying to get rid of her crushing thought about him. This was not done, she just couldn't afford to drool on so many guys, it just seemed so vague, well maybe everyone looked good today, not much of her fault, so she let the thought go.

He handed over the box to her now open, as saying a hardly audible thank you she turned around fleeing herself past his existence, the sound of his voice registering in her ears forcing her to stop.

"Hey Khushi. (Khushi turns around apprehensively) I wanted to talk to you, if it's not a problem" He said, for a good one minute stilling her with her words. It was maybe the first time she thought of it correctly, that he wasn't rowdy, he was speaking like a gentle men, like all the other guys did, she didn't know what was more good, him talking to her, or him talking to her like that. She decided to go with the latter, walking towards him, even though every inch of her didn't want to do that, she didn't know what was she doing, maybe this is what they called living in the moment.

Sab jhoothe jhoothe vaade the unke
Chal peechhe peechhe aayaa tu jin ke
Wo piyaa aaye naa
Piyaa aaye na wo piyaa aaye naa

All his promises were false,
following whom you came here..
That beloved didn't come..
Oh that beloved didn't come..

"I guess I have to say something to you too." She said breaking the silence between them, as a flicker of hope passed Arnav's eyes looking at her patiently for her to proceed further but she remained silent, who on the contrary was waiting for him to say something.

"You go first."

"No you."

"Ladies first. Stop arguing." He said impatiently scowling a bit now, her making a shrewd face shaking her head in disappointment to herself. So much for change.

"Everything's that has been happening since the last few days has made things really awkward between us. For which I apologize. I understand that it's my mistake, and we are mature people, even if teenagers, so you know I just wanted to tell you that everything's fine and we are cool." She said solemnly trying to press in a small smile out of her iced lips, every inch of her paining from inside, but she knew this was the right thing to do, a mature step she believed, she couldn't fill her life with anymore hatred, it was just too much for a sixteen year old teenager. It took all of her will power, the collective strong force that had built in her all these years was coming into play, as she held on to her tears examining his expressions changing dynamically.

When he said, that she was the only girl who could render him speechless, he was right. Because that is exactly what was happening to him right now. All of him ached right now, he knew what this meant very well, he had done it so many times now, how could he not know? She had blocked him. Pushed him away from herself, by declaring it on his face that everything was fine. By telling him that everything was okay, when nothing was okay. This is how it had all become, she was shielding herself from him, and there was nothing in this world that he could do about it right now, maybe not ever.

Ab sab hi un khwaabon ki tu dagar chhod de
Ab sab hi un khwaabon ko tu khud hi tod de
Woh piya aaye na

Now you leave the path of all those dreams,
Now break all those dreams yourself..
That beloved didn't come..

"Oh. Okay. I am glad to hear that." He managed in a small voice, all of his boldness everything just vanishing into thin air, her silently nodding at him, and giving a small fleeting smile, she started walking away from him, letting the tears flow, thankful for the darkness that masked this isolated place of the background. She looked up in the sky the firecrackers creating a magical sight for all, everyone cheering, her tears flowing more rapidly, as she sighed to herself, in what was nothing but shame, and grief. Some people never changed, he was what he had always been, the boy who wanted everything his way, she had given him way his, peace, and yet she knew in some way or the other she knew she had waged an internal war within himself by doing this.

He stood there for a few more minutes, engulfing the darkness around him, and the lightening up in the sky, everything seeming so diametrically opposed it almost felt like this was all very unreal. It was amazing how life changed in seconds, he had been there to tell her that he respected her feelings and he wanted some time to figure out his feelings, so when he came to her next he was clear about everything, but right now, anything he said didn't seem worth it. She had already put up her barriers, and it would take a lifetime he knew that, to break them down, he was willing to do that, but how far would he go after that even he did not know.

Khushi, reached the main area where everyone was busy lightening up crackers, all lost in the merry of it, her silently lightening up her own box, tracing the open slits of it that she knew had Arnav written all over them. From the way they were opened, to the way they were left hanging she saw him everywhere in that box. Closing her eyes for a brief second, she bent down to light the cracker, inching away quickly from it, and followed its movement through her eyes, right up to the top, where they burst up into a star of red and orange turning into a shimmering white afterwards and disappearing out of sight., a small flicker of smile lightening up her. She felt a tear droplet flow past her lips, letting her taste its salinity, and she looked up at the sky, the twinkles of the firecracker she had lit up still there, as the smile faded into a grieved terror inside her, memories rushing into her mind.

Catching the lone tear that was rolling down her face on his finger tip, he showed it to her and captivating her attention thoroughly, she saw him eyeing the tear with care and placed it outwards pointing it towards the stars above which were shining bright. It was the direction, and his action that made her realize how beautiful it was, as he let out a gust of air from his mouth and blew the tear towards the stars, looking above at the stars with her following his sight, most magically the star he had blown the tear towards now shining brighter.

From the look on his face, she could tell he had achieved what he had wanted, and after all how could he not; he was Arnav Singh Raizada after all, her Arnav Singh Raizada. She moved one of her hand away from his neck and lifted up her fingers towards his still extended finger, and wound her finger around it catching his attention, being gifted with small graceful smile from him.

"Toota zyada zyada tara jab gira
When many stars broke and started to fell down

Zara zyada zyada maangu dil tera"
I started to wish little bit more and more for your heart

Bringing that union of intertwined fingers towards their main bodies, she kept it between where their hearts lay her lips constantly moving and singing out the song. She let them rest over there in a manner, that her finger was pointing towards his heart and his finger towards her heart. The smile from her face could not flinch or move, when she felt his face inch closer towards her and plant a small loving kiss on her forehead. His face went back to its original position, her eyes shining like pearls in utter delight, as going with the flow of the song the next part of the lyrics sank inside her.

Teri khataa hai mere jiyaa..

Har khataa kee hotee hai koi na koi sazaa
Gham likhe hon kismat mein to ban hee jaatee wajah

For every mistake there is a punishment..
If there are sorrows written in fate, some reason forms..
Now all the sorrows are wound up in tears,
Now all the tears have clung to the eyelids..
That beloved didn't come..

"Khushi are you okay?" She felt a warm hand resting on her shoulder, as she turned around this time taking conscious control of her lehenga, only to find Nikhil looking at her worriedly, his forehead creased with trouble.

"You are crying. What happened?" He said his voice laced with concern, running his eyes wild around her to see if she was burnt or hurt, but then the hurt and pain inside was not something his eye could detect, she was yet not that transparent.

"Do you want me to..do you want to talk?" He offered again, now troubled more with her silence as she looked down at her feet, as she saw the grass shaking silently and turned her head to the opposite direction only to see Arnav caving in to the main place, looking distraught, her eyes unintentionally lingering on him.

"Khushi?" He shook her now with both his hand, Khushi escaping out of her trance and looking at him queasily.

"Nothing. Nothing. I am fine. Promise me something? (Nikhil nods) Don't tell anybody, anybody what happened right now, not even Vivek. Okay? Please." She told him in a soft, broken, pleading tone, as he even though confused beyond limits, his eyes from the corner fixed on Arnav, who seemed to be looking at them now, but he quickly nodded, her giving him a small smile, and disappeared into the room, where people had started going back too.

She quietly took her seat where they all had been sitting before, her face devoid of any expression, Nikhil walking towards her, and sat down on the same table not keeping up much chatter, just observing her changing expressions in silence. It was almost half a hour later that the whole hall was bustling with guests again, everybody busy discussing business affairs, or households affairs, or people like Vivek discussing Vishaka affairs, or Anjali and Aakash setting up stuff they needed for the big plan. Vivek seemed edged about Khushi's untimely silence, and the way Nikhil was eyeing her oddly, and even though every part of him told him to further inquire he understood the fact that she was trying her best to get over the awkwardness of Arnav around, so pestering her right now was the last thing he wanted to do. For about more than fifteen the settlement of people remained the same, not forgetting to mention the shadowy Arnav lingering in the background giving her the creeps even though she had already decided that she was going to keep everything cool between them, but only she knew how hard it was to do that after everything that had happened.

Radha on the dance floor
Radha likes to party
Radha likes to move that sexy Radha body

Panghat pe aake saiyyaan, marode baiyyaan
And everybody blames it on Radha
Chhede hai hamka daiyya, bairi Kanhaiyya
And everybody blames it on Radha
Hoga woh lakhon dil ka chor
Hamka to laage bore
Hua hai aisa baavla jo kehta jaaye

My beloved comes to the well, twists my wrist,
(and everybody blames it on Radha)
He troubles me, that Krishna my enemy,
(and everybody blames it on Radha)
He might be a thief of a thousand hearts,
but I think he's a bore,
what a mad he is that he keeps on saying-

Suddenly the light seem to dim, and in a while the entire hall blared with music from the famous song Radha, sending viral waves of booze throughout the crowd. Vivek and Khushi exchanged glances with each other, Nikhil feeling awkward in between them, but looked at the two of them, and after much convincing, as oodles of teenagers began to pile up on the stage testing their dancing skills, the three joined the crowd much to Khsuhi's uneasiness but once she had gotten the grove of it, maybe even she herself couldn't stop her self from dancing.

Song: Radha

O Radha teri chunri
O Radha tera Chhalla
O Radha teri natkhat nazariya
O Radha tera jhumka
O Radha tera thumka
O peechhe peechhe saari nagariya

O Radha your scarf,
O Radha your ring,
O Radha your naughty sight..
O Radha your ear-rings,
O Radha your jerky dance steps,
The entire town's behind you..

Khushi knew she was dancing, to her hearts content right now, where ever her eyes passed she saw people laughing, sharing the happiness, just being easy, not letting those unlimited grief's in their lives spoil that moment, but somewhere she just knew she wasn't doing the same, and maybe, neither was he. Her eyes ran past the crowd, through the rays of colors around her, finding her gray, finding his gray and when she did, her heart skipped a beat like it did every time she saw him, but this time it was different, it skipped a beat because he was walking towards her, carrying that lop sided smile on his face, and even though she tried to move for the better, she stood their stationary, waiting for him to make her move.

In her heart, in her mind, something deep within told her this was not true, she was dreaming, but the more in love part of her told her that this was happening, and that her life was okay, her life could she be good enough. He was there, Arnav, inches away from grasping her wrist, and when he did, the breathe out of her was knocked out momentarily, as her hand lay ideally on his chest, the other one gripping his bluky reflexive shoulders, her eyes darting from one end of her molten bronze to the other end however she looked away almost too quickly, her anger and frustration getting the better of her.

"Hey Radha Radha kaahe itna guroor bhala" He whispered in his low, husky voice into her ear, stunning her, but she looked away to the other side, his lips drifting just past her ear, something she might have just mistaken for a kiss. Her eyes met his, and instead of drowning in their depth, she cut of her sight, struggling herself free from his grip, but the more she did that, the more she wanted him to hold her tight, so tight that he wouldn't let go of her ever.

"Choro Bhi Nakhrein Yeh Kaise Ada" He removed one of hands from her petite waist, bringing it forward to her chin, moving it up so she was directly looking at him without being fidgety his sexy voice doing complete justice to the lyrics. She narrowed her eyes at him in anger, sighing disapprovingly, and roughly removed his hand away from her chin continuing to look away but now complete lost in him. Much to her utter disappointment he let go of her waist, drawing himself away from her, her entire face turning into an expression that went just downhill, his next move taking her by surprise again. Moving behind her he slid his hand smoothly across her bare waist, resting his chin on her shoulder, while his other arm hanged freely, on her other shoulder as turned her around, mouthing the next set of lyrics into her ear, simultaneously as she was recovering from the shock of this action he winked at the girls around making her gasp in disbelief.

"Tu Ne Kya Socha Aik Tu Hein Mashhoor Yahan?

Lakhun Hain Gopiyan Bhi Hum Pein Fida"

She craned her neck around to face him looking at him sheepishly, as he turned her in clockwise motion to stand before him yet again, holding her wrist, and drawing her away from himself only to majestically occupy the dance floor with the essence of his love.

He spinned her around, the lemonish green hues of colors of her lehenga twirling about in the dimly lit floor they were dancing on, illuminating such radiance from within her, the sight of the onlookers almost fell short of grasping the full extent of the magic they were creating. She continued to spin, as her wrist twisted with his gentle grip on her, her curled hair all over the place, the sound of his voice making her insides die with craving.

"Ho saari hi duniya ye maani hai" He said in his soft, yet husky voice, the whole tune sounding hypnotizing to her as the twirling stopped and she found her self being pulled closer to him. Closer. Much more closer, until she was directly in his arms, his hands on her naked waist, her hand wound around his neck, the embroidery on his sherwani scratching the soft creamy skin of her hand.

"Shuru hum se teri kahaani hai" Her ears registered the sound of the next set of lyrics spoken by him, her eyes being raised up from where they were previously lowered over his chest as she looked up, to meet his eyes, the twinkle in them not fading, the molten bronze eyes digging their way into her soul, and suddenly she felt lost, at a loss of movement and words, but as quickly as the feeling had come, it had been replaced by delusion and horror, as her world turned blurry for a moment, and the next minute she knew, it was not a pair of molten bronze eyes she was staring in but deep dark brown ones.

nav_bat2013-06-09 11:01:51