IPKKND FF: JALEBI by Jalebi Jane Thread 1: EPISODE 001-042 - Page 18

Originally posted by: JalebiJane

mansi0606 wrote:

Mr.Raizada going all out to make Ms Gupta believe he's falling for her. He was so clinical telling her he likes her and throwing words like pyaar and all. Who wouldn't have laughed hearing it from ASR. Khushi is right in being wary.

Once in a while I write a scene that I wish I could see Mr Sobti and Ms Irani perform---and this is certainly one :-)

Originally posted by: JalebiJane

Pari025 wrote:

Brilliant as always. I can only imagine Khushi's bafflement over Arnav's very out of character behaviour. Hilarious. I feel writing tragedy is easier than writing comedy. You are being excellent at writing subtle comedy. I haven't read a better romcom than this in the recent past.

<font color="#cc0000">Thank you, Pari. I sometimes think I ought to write something serious and literary, but my pen refuses to move that way. I guess this is my comfort zone :-)</font>

JALEBI by Jalebi Jane (EPISODE 009)

"SATISFIED?" ARNAV ASKED once he had led Khushi back, by that same unyielding grip, into his office. "Or will you now attribute my destroying the contract to some ulterior motive?"

His mocking tone was not lost on her. And she experienced some chagrin at his having read her thoughts. None of us wish to be that transparent, Sisters.

She shook his hand off and replied, "Your motive is obvious. Now you can get rid of me immediately and not wait until next Tuesday."

"You are not listening, Miss Gupta. To dismiss you is counter to my wish. My only motive is to be near you," he said, taking a step towards her.

Khushi, of course, stepped back, but her hip met the edge of his desk blocking retreat. Though he was not a large man, his nearness oppressed her physically and---and psychologically. She felt again that flutter at her deepest core. But she was determined not to show any fear.

She swallowed, and echoing his language spoke, "you are not listening, Mr Raizada. I know you are insincere. I don't have to know your reasons to recognize that you're playing some game. Perhaps you think I'll be flattered by your regard. This---this---" here she stumbled a bit because he had, while she spoke, moved even closer. She pressed away from him, which brought her almost onto the desk, and continued, "---this is some attempt to play me for a fool."

"Fair enough," he shrugged, "if any woman has a right to be suspicious of me, it is you. But my actions, not my words, will be your proof."

And as he said this, he leaned slightly towards her. Not in a threatening way, but it brought his face so near that her eyes fell from his. His own gaze never wavered. The scent of his cologne filled her. And disturbed her. She slid her hips onto the desk as an attempt to create more distance from him. And now one could consider her half-seated on the desk.

"A---Actions?" she repeated. And to her shame, her voice came out as a sorry croak.

"Don't be alarmed," he said, in a soft voice. "I am only speaking of the mild actions of a sincere suitor."

She snapped back, resenting his assurance, "I'm not alarmed."

"Then why do you tremble?"

He was absolutely correct. She did tremble. And in his mentioning it, a visible shiver ran through her. His eyebrows drew upward slightly and she hated that he had noticed.

She had to get away!

But it was as though their thoughts were conjoined, because just as she placed her hands flat on the desk to help her lift away, his hands came down on top of hers. Their warmth covered hers. And their strength held her captive.

Khushi gasped, more at the contact with his heat than at the audacity of his touch. Her mouth parted. His eyes dropped to her lips and then---then by some cruel force of nature, she leaned towards him and touched his mouth with hers.

Oh, it was a very-very light touch, Sisters. Such an inconsequential meeting of lips that it could easily be believed that it had not happened at all, for Arnav pulled away almost in that same instant.

But it had happened. Her body told her it had.

And for a moment, time did suspend---as it does in novels---and then---then Arnav touched her mouth with his. This time the touch had some slight pressure behind it. As though he might be requesting a proper kiss.

But worse---Khushi knew that just before that second touch, she had tilted her face towards him. Invited it, one could say. She had initiated the first and had been complicit in the second. And this knowledge hit her so strongly, it caused her to break contact before it became anything more. For we cannot call either of those two meetings-of-mouths a kiss, Sisters. [We must coin a new word for it. When we have time, we'll think of something between a brush and a graze.]

His hands lifted from hers as though they understood that she wanted release. And Khushi pushed off the desk and took a flying leap towards the door---!

But she was caught short. Held back. Her dupatta dug into her throat.

Whirling back to see how he prevented her---to demand release! to scream her head off if must do!---she saw that it wasn't his doing. One of her infernal pom-poms was caught on his wristwatch.

Oh, Devi Maiyya, have mercy on me now or you and I are through forever!

Arnav's eyes followed the trail of her dupatta to his wrist. And as though he could sense that she was near screaming, his fingers nimbly worked it free before she could gather voice.

The dupatta dropped away from him within five seconds.

Khushi bolted from the room.

She sprinted down the stairs and did not stop until she reached her desk. She leaned across it to grab her satchel and was heading for the main exit when Pari tried to stop her.

"Khushi! Where? What---?"

"I'll phone you---!" Khushi called out, not even sparing a look back at her bewildered friend. And she was nearly out the door when just as she went through, something---whatever that something was which always made her sense when Arnav's attention was on her---made her glance up at his office.

He was there at the window watching her.

She ought not to have looked back, Sisters, for it confirmed everything.

For even at this distance she could read his eyes. Arnav Singh Raizada was astounded by what she had just done. And on most days, Khushi would have counted that as a definitive victory. But not today. Because she knew she had just tried to kiss her boss.

Twice.