The cover made by Shiri is winning entry for Graphics category as well as this is a runner-up entry overall for Mixed Bag Of Celebrations Contest 
Graphicer: ExoticDisaster|| Writer: m4manju|| Theme: Navratri
*****
He combed his perfectly styled hair for the umpteenth time. Then reached for his favorite Dolce & Gabbana, a warm and sensual fragrance with notes of amber, and spices, perfect for evening wear. Splashing a bit on his wrists, he checked his reflection once more.
“Bhai, aren’t you a little too suave for these Dandiya night parties? Especially that overgrown beard of yours, it’s giving you Baba ji look!” Aakash exclaimed.
Arnav threw a sharp glare at his younger brother.
“It’s called experimenting with looks!“ he said, not hiding his confidence.
“And this experimentation is for one girl, I presume?”
“Which girl?” a hint of crimson was creeping into his cheeks now.
“The same one who you meet only during Navratri. Aren’t you going there just to meet her?”
“Kuch bhi! Why would I go there for Khushi?” Arnav tried to keep his tone casual but failed.
“I never took her name, bhai.” Aakash’s smirk was enough to shut him down.
Khushi was really a mystery, appearing in Arnav’s life only during Navratri. They danced together in the vibrant Dandiya circles, smiled at each other, chatted a little and at the end, she slipped away before he asked her out. This had been the pattern for three years now. So far, he only knew her name. But beyond that, she was an enigma.
“Bhai, kahi wo bhoot-voot toh nahi hai na? Like that movie- Stree?”
Hearing Aakash’s wild thoughts, Arnav nearly choked on his breath.
“What the-! What rubbish Aakash! She isn’t a ghost or any supernatural being, ok?” Arnav said with conviction. There was no way she had any bizarre backstory.
Aakash nodded in agreement but picked another train of thought, “You’re right, ghosts can’t come near divinity. So, if she were a ghost she wouldn’t be at Navratri, right?”
“Shut up, Aakash!” His condescending tone finally did it and Aakash surrendered his hands in the air, in acceptance.
Although Arnav made Aakash shut his mouth, he himself wasn’t able to stop his thoughts. Dandiya was never really his thing. He had been averse to any form of dancing. But three years ago, he got invited to the event organized by the cultural minister of Delhi and he relented. He was just starting up his fashion house so attending an event by a minister meant making connections. The rest, as they say, was history!
He clearly remembered Navratri from 3 years ago. Because he met a mysterious, gorgeous woman that evening. A beautiful girl dancing in abandon, gracing every next person partnering with her with a radiant smile as the circle kept moving in opposite directions, switching partners. The next thing he knew, he took the dandiya sticks from his shocked brother and marched towards the circle. Somehow, managing to protect himself as well as others from knocking on their heads with the dandiya, Arnav waited patiently until that girl came in front of him. Although once she came in front of him and smiled, he was rendered speechless. He couldn’t say a word and by the time he came to his senses, she was nowhere to be seen.
Similar story repeated the next year.
It was only last year that he managed to hold on to his speech and ask her a question. She told her name but then steered the conversation to her favorite sweet – jalebis. He didn’t get a chance to ask anything else before his mystery girl vanished in thin air again!
He then tried to search for her on social media. But he was shocked once more as there was no trace of a girl named khushi matching the face of the one he had met.
And thus, he was impatiently waiting for Navratri this year so he could ensure he got to the bottom of this mystery named Khushi.
He entered the party hall with nervous feet and wandering eyes. She was not there yet. He went ahead and met the party host, Mr. Gupta, who started talking with him enthusiastically as always. Arnav had earned to be in his good books over the years, attending this event year after year, bringing charm to the party!
It was then that Arnav’s eyes found her dancing in the circle, and he started excusing himself from his conversation. However, Mr. Gupta won’t let him go easily.
By the time Arnav managed to withdraw politely and go towards the Dandiya playing group, she slipped away again.
Frustrated, he circled the hall, hoping to catch another glimpse, but she was nowhere to be found. Now this was the limit! His heart sank, realizing he missed her yet again. There was no motivation to stay there any longer. Perhaps there won’t be next year either. Because he will not come here anymore. Enough of this hide n seek!
Very disappointed with another failed attempt to catch Khushi, Arnav proceeded towards the parking lot to his car.
He kicked an empty cola can on the ground, taking out his irritation on it. The empty metal object hit his own car’s tire.
And then he heard a gasp. It was from his near vicinity.
Frowning, he looked up to see who it was.
To his shock and surprise, there stood the girl of his dreams leaning against his car. Her face shining in moonlight. He blinked his eyes, was he hallucinating this?
He quickly recovered from his stupor and before he lost her again, he ran to her and caught her hand in a tight hold.
“I finally found you! You are not going anywhere until you talk to me, do you get it?” he ordered, panting and breathless.
“In case you didn’t notice, I have myself come here and was waiting for you. So, don’t worry, not planning on leaving.” She grinned.
That was when he realized how intense his grip must have felt, and he quickly released her hand. “Sorry. I just wanted to ensure that you were not leaving like every year.” He said, not meeting her eyes.
She giggled in a melodious tone. “Not your fault. I managed to keep myself an elusive persona all these years quite well, didn’t I?”
He frowned and nodded.
She extended her hand with a smile, “Let me properly introduce myself then. Hi. I am Khushi Gupta. Daughter of Shashi Gupta, cultural minister of Delhi and the host of these parties every year.”
“What the- you are Shashi sir’s daughter?” he was visibly shocked.
“The one and only.”
“Then why did you hide your identity and attend these parties like an undercover spy? And why did Sir never introduce you as a part of his family? I have met his wife.”
Her face fell and her smile dropped which made Arnav wonder if he said anything he shouldn’t have.
“My parents separated when I was 9. Mom is his ex-wife.” She said making him instantly catch the hint of her sadness.
“My mom got my custody and took me to Paris. She always said Papa didn’t want anything to do with us after he remarried, so I shouldn’t meet him. But I missed him a lot. So, once I turned 18 and didn’t need her permission anymore, I started visiting India without telling her. I really wanted to see Papa once, but I never found the courage to actually talk to him. So, this event became my only chance to be close to him, where I could mingle with the crowd, and he wouldn’t really recognize me.”
“Oh.” He managed to say, absorbing her story.
“Yeah. But this year I want to know if he even remembers me. And for that I need your help. I have seen you interact with Papa every year. You seem to be closer to him. So, will you help me?”
“How exactly?” he asked, although glad that they could get to spend more time due to this reason.
“Simple actually. All you have to do is, come with me inside and introduce me to him as your friend. I will manage the rest.”
Arnav thought for a moment and agreed with her.
They went back to the party hall and found Mr. Gupta. The conversation with her dad went quite well. Shashi didn’t recognize her, but Khushi and Arnav didn’t miss the look of yearning in his eyes when Khushi told her name. He even mentioned that his daughter is also named Khushi who lives abroad. That was enough to give a ray of hope to khushi.
They exited the hall with matching smiles.
And when Arnav asked, Khushi didn’t deny his offer to drop her to her hotel.
“So, when will I see you next?” Arnav asked as he parked his car in the parking area of the 5-star hotel she had stayed at.
“The same time, same place. Next year, Navratri?” she replied tongue in cheek making him gasp in shock and then burst out in laughter.
With both knowing each other's identities well, there won't be a yearlong wait now!
. Khushi is an enigma, and I was waiting right along with Arnav to unravel her secret. Finding out the truth was melancholic... but it ended on a happy note and that's all we really need 
. A well written OS on the whole and glad that you guys won for this 
Shiri, the cover is so pretty
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