Khushi sat in her room at night, staring wide eyed at the ceiling, praying for inspiration from her Devi Maiyya. She shook the bangles in her hand, the tinkling sound entertaining her for the hundredth time and a huge smile broke out on her face. She remembered her Lard Governor and her eyes glinted with absolute happiness. She was surprised at how he had gifted her the bangles. She had never thought he would be capable of displaying such emotions. Was he always like this or did she fail to notice this about him previously?
And then, an idea struck her mind and she started jumping around her room with ecstasy, startling her sister, Payal who was busy folding the clothes. Khushi had finally found something that she could gift him. Something that would be special and close to him, something that would be memorable for him. If she were to receive a gift from him, wasn't he supposed to receive one from her?
Khushi- "Jiji, I finally found the perfect gift." She blurted out, only to receive a confused look from her sister.
Payal- "Khushi, what gift are you talking about? And whom are you gifting it to?"
Khushi- "No, No.. Nothing Jiji. I'll be back in few minutes. Just keep the poster paints and a paintbrush ready." Saying she ran to the back door of the house into the backyard.
*****
Next morning, Khushi arrived early at the Raizada house. This time, Anjali opened the door and was surprised to see a huge plastic cover in Khushi's hands.
Anjali- "What is this in your hands, Khushiji? And why are you here so early in the morning? Did you have any urgent work here?"
Khushi- "It is urgent Anjaliji, but how can I tell you?" she thought to herself in her mind. "Is Arnavji at home?" she blurted out once again. What was happening to her nowadays! She couldn't even manage to come up with a single excuse.
But Anjali was too smart for her. She quickly understood that something was brewing in Khushi's mind and she mischievously smiled at Khushi.
Anjali- "Chote, isn't at home. He has gone to the gym but he will be back soon." She tried to put on an innocent face in front of Khushi. "So, is this for Chote? Let me see!" She tried to open the plastic cover to peep the contents inside, but Khushi quickly moved aside before she could peek in.
Khushi- "Nothing Anjali. It is nothing. Just something for the Raizada house." She tried to act nonchalant and quickly went inside the house, leaving behind a giggling Anjali at the door.
She entered into his room. Every time she had entered it before, she would have an apprehensive feeling. But today she somehow felt welcomed, as if the contents of the room invited her. It gave her a homely feeling. She stared around the room, once again to make sure he wasn't present. She placed the big plastic cover on the floor and slowly opened his French windows. She stepped into the poolside and took the plastic cover with her and carefully placed its contents beside the poolside amongst the plants.
She tried to adjust the direction of that object and moved it all around the poolside to find the perfect position so that it would look perfect amongst its surrounding. Finally, at having found its home, Khushi placed her hands on her hips with a victory smile on her face. That was, until she heard someone enter the room behind her.
He was here, wasn't he? Hey Devi Maiyya, what was she going to do now? He wasn't supposed to see her. She thought to herself. She had to hide before it was too late. She wanted it to be a surprise gift and that's why she hid behind the huge plants in the corner, the only place that struck her mind in emergency.
Arnav had returned a few minutes early from the Gym today. He wasn't feeling good. Lately, he couldn't concentrate much on any work. Only one thought continuously flooded his mind. Khushi. Today for instance, when he was handing over the weights to his trainer, he had accidently dropped it on the floor, barely missing his trainer's foot by inches. If it wasn't for him, the trainer would have snapped back at him. But he had only glared at him for a second and turned around lest he invite unwanted trouble from the Raizada.
He entered his room to find the French Windows open. He had closed them before, hadn't he? Maybe Hari Prakash had forgotten to close it after cleaning the poolside. He decided to go to the poolside and water his plants. As soon as he stepped outside, he was astonished at the sight before him.
There, in front of him, laid carefully was a pot. A white pot with beautiful and intricate designs painted on it. It wasn't a best piece of work, but somehow it looked perfect to him. On it, stood one of the most breath taking thing he had ever seen. A rose plant, not just any variety, but the Black Beauty Rose plant. It was a small shrub with only a single Rose standing tall, but nevertheless, Arnav stood still mesmerised at its beauty. A faint smile appeared on his face and he closed his eyes, only to the see the image of the most beautiful being in the world for him, his Khushi, smiling.
He felt his heart flutter faster as he thought about her. He ran his hand through his hair, feeling rather stupid for letting his mind go wild with thoughts about her. He turned around to call his Di and enquire about the Rose flower pot.
Khushi, all the while had been standing silently, holding her breath behind the plants. She hoped he couldn't see her. What would she tell him, if he asked about it? But she couldn't stop herself from seeing the pure ecstasy in his face at the sight of the plant. His faint smile made all her apprehension and panic totally disappear. Her heart beamed with pride for having given him such a wonderful gift. Atleast he seemed to like it, she thought to herself.
The plants were obstructing her view and hence, she bent forward, only to lose her balance and come crashing down on the plants beside her.
*Thud* was all he heard when he turned around to leave. Then he saw her fallen down on the ground with his plants on top and below her. One of his pot had cracked open, spilling the soil beneath her and soiling her salwar and body on one side. He leapt two big steps and came to her rescue.
Arnav- "Khushi! Are you alright? And what were you doing behind those plants at this hour over here?" He said with a concerned tone. He held her shoulders and helped her to sit straight and started removing the plants on top of her body. He grabbed her arm and started checking for any injuries. It looked like she was uninjured. He breathed a huge sigh of relief. He made her stand up so they could move aside from that messy place.
Khushi- "Arnavji, I'm m...m... S.. sorry." She stuttered with words barely coming out of her mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw the mess she had created. She wanted to surprise him with a gift but she had only destroyed so many plants in the process which he had nurtured with so much love and care. She really was a Sanka Devi, wasn't she? She only knew to mess up other's hard work. Buaji was so right about her.
Arnav- "Ssshhh.." He placed his finger on her lips unable to hear the pain in her voice. He cupped her face with both the hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. "Come with me!" He said with a comforting tone and led her inside his room into the bathroom. He turned on the wash basin tap and held Khushi's hands in his and started running water over it to cleanse the soil.
Khushi was too shocked to react at the way things had turned out to be. She only stared at the mirror in front of her, his reflection, the way he gently held her hand and started wiping away the mud with the wet tissues. That concern, that care was beyond comprehension. She remembered that day long ago, when he had glared at her angrily for breaking a single pot. But today, he didn't bother about so many plants that were destroyed. He only attended her.
Arnav- "Khushi, your salwar is a bit soiled by the mud on the side. Shall I ask, Di to bring you new pair of clothes?" He looked up at the mirror, only to find her silently staring at his reflection with awe in her eyes. He turned a bit to leave the room, but she held on to his hand signalling him to wait. He looked into her eyes, surprised at her touch.
Khushi â"No, I'll clean this up." She whispered in a low voice. She was unsure of what she was uttering. She was in a trance due to his affection and concern towards her.
Arnav knew she was too shocked to respond and hence, he decided that he would himself clean the mud on her clothes. Luckily, he hadn't watered his plants yet, and hence the soil was dry. So he could easily dust it out off her clothes. Wherever it was stuck hard on the clothes, he wiped it away with a dampened towel.
The mere touch of his hands on her sides, made her body squeal with delight. Arnav bent down to clean the mud on the outer sides of her salwar pant. His touch was becoming unbearable for her body. She crouched forward to the basin with her arms to support her body. He slowly stood up and turned her around and lifted her and made her sit on the huge wash basin slab. The cold marble surface wasn't helping her body throbbing with pleasure. He carefully removed her sandals to clean her feet and asked her to remove her bangles so that he could clean her wrist properly. She silently obliged to his orders. All the while, he continuously gazed into her eyes, to reassure her that he was right beside her and calm down her anxiety. After cleaning her up, he held her hand and led her out and asked her to rest on his bed. He brought a new dry towel and began wiping the small beads of water left behind on her hands and feet.
He sat beside her on the bed and tucked the strand of hair covering her cheek behind her ear. He took her hand in his and slowly started putting the bangles he had gifted her earlier back into their place, one by one, very gently lest he hurt her. He held her hand so close to his face, that she could feel his warm breath.
Khushi felt her breath hitch as he slipped the bangles, one by one into her hand. She closed her eyes as her heart went all Dhak- Dhak and swiftly pulled her hand towards her chest to pacify herself. But she had involuntarily pulled the hand he was holding, and hence found his hand together with hers on her heaving chest. The touch of his fingers made her lose all the self control of her body. She felt like she was drowning into a pool of eternal bliss.
Arnav was shocked at the sudden movement of her hand and the next thing he knew was that his hand was on her chest. He closed his eyes at feeling the warmth of her body. For the first time, he could actually feel the rhythm of her heart. He could feel what she was feeling. At that instant, he knew the feeling was mutual and that she reciprocated similar feelings.
After the sudden moment of realization that had dawned over the two of them, they simultaneously opened their eyes to find them boasting volumes of their mutual love. Arnav embarrassed at their position, quickly moved away his hand and turned his face to the other side unable to hide his defenceless heart from her. He had never felt this vulnerable before. Her love had completely pierced his soul. And then suddenly, all the puzzle pieces fit together and he had enlightenment.
Arnav-" It was you who brought the Rose plant, wasn't it?" He asked staring directly into her eyes.
She couldn't lie to him. So she nodded affirmatively with a faint smile on her face.
Khushi- "I found it in my backyard garden. I thought you would be the best person to look after it and nurture it. So did you like it?" She asked with an apprehensive feeling dreading rejection.
He did not reply nor did his expressions falter. He looked dead serious and she knew something was brewing up. Maybe it was rage. Maybe he was angry for destroying his plants. Maybe he did not like her gift. She quickly got up from the bed and went towards the French windows to take it back.
Khushi- "It's fine if you don't like it. I will take it back." She murmured with absolute disappointment in her voice. She was foolish to think that the mighty Arnav Singh Raizada would like any gift from a low middle class girl like her. She felt her heart break with rejection. She hurried towards the pot and bent down to lift it up. But she suddenly felt him hold her hand and found him bending behind her. She could feel his face beside her ear and turned her face towards him, only an inch separating the two of them. He slowly lifted her hand and placed it on top of the watering can lying beside them. Then, together they lifted the watering can and started watering the Rose Plant, symbolising the journey which they would undertake together, hand in hand. All this while, their eyes never left each other.
Khushi's earlier aching heart was now replaced with satisfaction of acceptance. And it was immediately evident as a huge smile spread on her face. Arnav couldn't stop himself from smiling back to her.
Together, they stood up, lost in each other's soul. Khushi turned around to leave, but only to be stopped by Arnav who held her wrist. He swiftly pulled her towards him, her back towards his chest. He once again, moved her hair behind her ear to gain complete access to her jawline and placed a soft kiss on it.
It wasn't hastened. He was in no hurry. He had to relish every moment of it. Khushi closed her eyes with absolute bliss as she felt her body tremble with pleasure.
He slowly moved away his lips towards her ear and whispered in a husky voice.
Arnav- "Happy Valentine's Day, Khushi!"
Khushi was blushing crimson and tried to free herself from his grip. This time, he let her go. Embarrassed, she ran towards his room only to stop beside the windows. No, she couldn't let go of this opportunity. She turned around to find him staring at her with a faint grin lingering his face. She ran back towards him, leaving him completely stunned. And then the unexpected happened.
She stood on her toes and held his neck and brought his face towards her to place a gentle, yet passionate and deep kiss on his cheek and said, "Same to you, Arnav...ji" before she ran out of the room grinning like a love struck fool.
Arnav stood there, completely stunned and smiled sheepishly at the unexpected kiss. He thought the she would hesitate once again. But now he knew that she had accepted him in her life.
He turned around to look at the Rose Plant,that stood proud for witnessing their innocent and unspoken love for each other, and symbolised the rebirth of their relationship. He knew he was ready to nurture this love and felt the last of his defences collapse in his heart, to let her into his life, into his heart. Yes, he was ready to finally accept it, his love for Khushi.
Was it lame? Then I'm sorry. But what can I do? I'm not talented enough like so many other writers in this forum. With my limited vocab and descriptive skills đ, I've tried my best to write it.
If you liked it even a teeny- weeny bit, Plz hit the like button! U can ofcourse criticize it to your hearts content.
And those Peeps who like to copy someone else's work, I would say feel free to do so. I would only be honoured if u thought that my work was worthy enough to be copiedđ
And as for the new trend of posting OS, FF's in blogs, Sorry peeps, but I don't know how to open a blog for myselfđ¤Şđ¤ (yeah! I'm backward in such techy stuff)
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