Chapter 1
[NOCOPY]
THANKING ARNAV
(For Supriya, my Titli)
Part 1
Khushi gulped as she looked at the entrance of RM, the door thrown wide open to welcome the Guptas and other guests for the mehendi ceremony of Payal.
'The Laad Governaar will be here, smirking at me, looking all superior after helping me out during the Teri Meri dance yesterday,' she thought scowling at the harmless chain of marigold flowers hanging along the door.
'If only Sarita had not slipped on a banana peel last evening and broken her leg!' Khushi thought with a grimace. 'But it had to happen. After all it was Khushi Kumari Gupta's plan of winning against Arnav Singh Raizada. How could Devi Maiyya make it easy for me?'
She watched the Raizada ladies greet the Guptas and welcome them in. Khushi looked nervously for the black-coated Rakshas on the stairs leading to his room and the vast expanse of the hall.
He was absent.
Khushi drew in a relieved breath. She attached herself to Buaji's pallu, feeling her heart encased in a green choli beat at a rapid pace.
"Khushiji, aayiye. Do you have the mehendi cones with you?" Anjali asked.
"Ji, Anjaliji." Khushi whispered, hoping that her voice wouldn't carry and attract the attention of one man.
"Is something wrong with your throat, Khushiji?" Anjali asked anxiously. "I will ask Hari Prakashji to make a kadda."
"No, no." Khushi smiled nervously. "I am fine."
Nani smiled at Buaji. "I have forbidden the boys from coming down to join us, Madhumatiji."
Khushi felt the weight on her chest lift.
"Acha he, Nandkisore. This is just for girls. What will the boys do with the mehendi cones?" Buaji chuckled.
Garima & Babuji joined her.
Mami smiled. "Hamre Arnav Bitwaa hajj no problem. Give him a laptops and his black tea. He will sits for hours. But NK & Akass Bitwaa..."
All smiled. Payal blushed thinking of her bespectacled lover and his eagerness to see her.
Khushi alone heaved a sigh of relief. At least she would be spared the sight of her nemesis. 'Devi Maiyya ki jai ho!' she chanted in her mind.
Soon an army of ladies poured in. All of them gathered around the bride and began selecting designs amongst laughter and jokes. Payal was one big blush, being the centre of everybody's attention and merciless teasing.
Akash and NK peeked at the ladies from above, trying to catch a glimpse of the happenings there.
"Akash, I want to see what is happening there." NK complained for the hundredth time, chomping on chips, the bag held open in his hands.
If Akash were a more violent man, he would have knocked NK down the steps.
He said, "Me too. But what can we do? Nani has given strict instructions that we are not to join the ladies." Akash leaned forward, almost falling over the banister in his desperation to see Payal.
As they watched with incredulous eyes, ASR walked casually past them down the stairs, leaving the two boys flabbergasted.
"Nannav! Where are you going?" NK asked. "Nani will scold you," he hissed.
ASR looked at their pale faces with unconcern, knowing that his reputation as India's biggest khadoos would stand him in good stead. "I am going to get a glass of water." He walked down, scanning the guests with his sharp gaze.
His eyes rested on the girl in blue-green lehenga, who was looking at the design being drawn on her palm, a small smile on her lips. She was looking gorgeous, the blue and green throwing the creaminess of her skin in to relief. 'How to get her alone?' he wondered. He noticed Nani look at him. He averted his eyes from Khushi and looked down at his phone.
The ladies looked at ASR. He was looking at the display of his phone as he walked by them.
"Chotey?" Nani called.
ASR looked at her, preoccupied.
"You came down for water?" she asked.
"Yes." ASR said, his eyes stealing to Khushi who raised a pale face to his.
All the ladies smiled at him. Unhindered, he walked to the kitchen.
NK looked at Akash.
"Akash, did you see that?"
"Yes, NK Bhai. We too can try that." an eager Akash said.
"Nani, we want water too," NK called, leaning over the banister. "I am very thirsty."
Akash nodded. "Me too, Dadi."
The ladies giggled.
Nani hid her smile with great difficulty. "I will send it with HP."
"Nani!" NK protested.
"Shall I comes up with a bucket of it? To pours over your heads, Hello Hi Bye Bye?" Mami asked.
NK & Akash looked at each other with wide eyes and then withdrew in to their rooms, giving up the fight.
"Arnav Bhaiyya!" poor HP gasped. "You wanted water? Hamein bula lete. I would have..."
"It is OK, HP," ASR said, blushing slightly. He sipped the water and made his way out of the kitchen and across the hall on slow feet.
Khushi panted, her eyes tracking the movement of his feet. 'Why was he ambling? Why couldn't he walk fast?' she asked herself.
"Khushiji, which letter of the alphabet do you want me to write on your palm?" the lady drawing the design asked.
Khushi flushed, cursing fate, taking care not to look in the direction of Arnavji who was walking by her.
""Write 'T' for Titliyaa," laughed Buaji. "Or 'S' for Sanka Devi. Or 'P' for Parmeswari."
Khushi scowled at Buaji. She stole a look at the smirk on Arnavji's face and made to clench her fingers in aggravation.
"Careful!" the mehendi lady warned her.
Khushi glared at the mehendi on her palms. "Please write 'K'," she whispered.
"A?" the lady asked loudly.
Khushi paled as all looked at her, especially one pair of twinkling eyes.
"K," Khushi said loudly.
ASR walked by, smirking.
Part 2: 99193205
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