OS : NewYear Series Missed Opportunities

"WHAT CRAP" snorted Arnav.

"But Bhai I really want to meet Payal at midnight" whined Akash.

"Oh gimme a break Akash. Don't tell me you believe in all this crap."

"Nanav it's not crap. It's true"

Arnav quelled NK with just a look.

"Anyway I am not your bloody chauffer nor ur nanny. If you really want to meet your girl be MAN enough to do it boldly rather than creeping around her house like a bloody thief.".

"But bhai I want someone to keep a lookout while I meet Payal. I mean I don't want to end up being beaten with a belan by that hysterical bua of hers". He shuddered slightly when he thought of Bua going NandKishore, NandKishore every 15 seconds.

"Oh Akash forget Killjoy Nanav. I will be your lookout."

Akash thanked him with his eyes & hurried out of the room with NK bouncing merrily after him.

Arnav heaved a sigh of relief. He dint want to see her & mislead her again by his actions. He dint want to let on that he was actually dying to see her at midnight. However a small part of his mind felt heavy with the thought that he wouldn't see her at midnight & enjoy watching her reactions. Her high pitch "AAP", then those eyes popping out & that triumphant smirk.

Arnav came down the next day to find a disconsolate NK & Akash trying to cheer him up.

"Oh come on NK forget it. Maybe Kushi was a little nervous on hearing your voice suddenly at midnight."

"But Akash she clearly refused to see me at midnight. This means she doesn't feel anything for me."

Arnav's heart did a happy jig inside his ribcage. WOW So Kushi refused to see NK at midnight. So she definitely dint seem to have any feelings for this cartoon. He looked at the glum face of NK & felt a pang of guilt for mocking him. At least he made Kushi laugh & be happy unlike him who always made her cry or feel humiliated.

Anjali was pulling Akash's leg about his midnight tryst with Payal & Arnav was listening to it indulgently. Anjali looked up & smiled sunnily.

"Arrey Kushi Happy Newyear."

"Happy Newyear to you as well Di." She was searching the room for someone while religiously ignoring her LAAD GOVERNOR. Finally she found the face she was seeking & yelled "Nanheji."

NK just grunted & looking at his gloomy face Kushi felt another pang of guilt. She had got the shock of her life when she had heard NK's voice outside her room window. For a mad second she thought it was someone else & her pulse had got racing at dangerous speed before his words brought her down crashing to earth. Of course HE dint come. After all he was the mighty ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA she had thought bitterly. Failure had left a bitter taste in her mouth & she had taken it out on poor, hapless NK. She had rudely told him to GET LOST saying she was not interested in seeing him or anyone else. But of course that was a blatant lie. She had been dying to meet HIM. That guy who was now lounging on the sofa with a laptop not bothering to even look at her. Why did she even bother. Why did she care. Hadn't he already told her in clear terms that she meant nothing to him. She remembered his FARAK NAHI PADTA dialogue & she was appalled to realize a lump in her throat. She was on the verge of tears & she made a mighty effort to pull herself together. She looked at NK with sympathy. She knew the pain of rejection.

Arnav was puzzled. She had not spoken & had been silent for more than 5 minutes & 37 seconds which was a miracle. He stole a glance & was shocked to see pain & hurt flit across her face. It was short-lived but he had seen it & he was not sure why she was looking so glum. He saw her look at NK & was stunned. Was she actually regretting not having seen NK. Jealousy gnawed him from inside.

Anjali saw that both Kushi & NK were looking glum. So she decided to cheer them up.

"Oh NK don't feel bad. Seeing a person at midnight means you will spend the rest of your life together. But that doesn't mean you actually WANT to spend your life with that person. What if that person is not the right person for you or if you don't like that person. So my theory is that forget about seeing but THINKING about a person during the arrival of NY means that you actually WANT to spend the rest of your life with that person. Doing something & wanting to do something are two different things."

Arnav was shocked. He had actually been thinking of HER at that minute. HELL. He had been fantasizing about her, her lips & that missed kiss on Diwali night the whole time.

Kushi was jolted. She had been thinking about HIM at that minute. Devi Maiyya. She had actually been dreaming about him & being in his arms the whole time.

She stole a glance at him & was flabbergasted to find him looking stealthily at her. Both of them caught each other's eyes & looked away immediately flustered.

The crowd broke up. NK left muttering something about wanting a change of scenery. Anjali & Akash drifted out each caught in their own thoughts.

Not wanting to be caged in with a grumpy lion in its den, Kushi was trying to make her way out when she collided with something solid. She grabbed at it & looked up into those intense, chocolate eyes.

She broke out of his grasp but as usual he held her wrist though not very tightly.

"Are you ok?"

"Aap se matlab. Apko kya farak padta hai"

"Farak padta hai DAMMIT. That's why...'"

"That's why what. That's why you ignore me, insult me & make me cry."

"No That's why I broke my engagement with Lavanya & that's why I keep worrying about you & that's why I keep bumping into you & that's why..."

He broke apart & turned. He dint want to continue lest she get a glimpse into his mind, his heart, his soul & his hopeless longings.

She went around so that she was facing him.

"Mujhe bi farak padta hai Arnavji. That's why I refused to see Nanheji. When will you understand Arnavji?"

Arnav looked up at her slowly.

"Well if you believe in what Di said then we are on safe ground. We thought of the person that we wanted to spend the rest of our life. Now next year at midnight we will see each... oops I mean that person. It's a deal."

"To hell with you & your deals Mr Raizada."

He laughed at her exasperated expression. Watching him laugh softened her & she whispered "I agree to the deal Arnavji."

She smiled at him & left quickly before he could say something.

Made my Heart melt!

that is so true.. u hit the mark there.. properly described... awesome