Arshi SS: The Guardian Angel Pt 8 pg 63 14/02 - Page 25

Birds chirped. The rose-pink light of the dawn appeared across the sky. A drop of dew rolled down from the tree into the pool. Khushi's eyes fluttered and she opened her eyes. She tried to sit up straight and realized that she couldn't move. She looked to her side and saw Arnav, his eyes closed leaning against the recliner. Her eyes opened wide as she realized she had been sleeping, with her head on his chest; his one arm was around her shoulders. They were lying on the recliner, holding hands. She removed his hand from hers and tried to move away from him, when his eyes fluttered open. Their eyes met.

Khushi looked into his eyes; her heart was beating wildly. She couldn't find her voice. Her chest felt heavy and her lips separated to let in more air. Her eyes lowered and focused on his lips; he swallowed. She lowered her eyes and started to move away. But before she got up, Arnav quickly stood up and without saying a word, he walked away. She watched him walk into the room. Her shoulders fell and she closed her eyes. She looked up as she heard his voice.

"Thank you." Khushi looked up to see Arnav at the French door. His face reflected gratitude and pain.

Khushi smiled and nodded. "Are you alright?"

Arnav nodded. He paused for a moment as he thought of something else to say but he looked away and turned around to walk into the room. Khushi exhaled deeply; she couldn't figure out what to say or do. She stood up and walked quickly across the poolside into her room.

Arnav walked to the wardrobe and picked up a towel. A smile appeared on his face.

Khushi placed the bowl of curry on the table and sat down. She looked around; Hari Prakash was talking to Nani, Om Prakash had gone to the market. Jai Prakash was in the kitchen making mooli parathas. She had smiled at them when she walked into the kitchen in the morning. They had greeted her and had gone back to chatting about the neighbors' noisy dog. She had heaved a sigh of relief; no one had seen her and Arnav by the poolside.

Nani smiled and nodded at Hari Prakash. Her eyes met Khushi's a second later. She looked confused; Khushi shook her head and looked at Aarav. She watched Aarav tear off a piece of paratha, dip it in a bowl of sweet curd and put it in his mouth. She smiled, watching him lick the curd off his finger.

Suddenly Khushi felt a breeze; she looked towards the stairs and saw Arnav walk down the stairs. Nani followed Khushi's gaze and looked over her shoulder at Arnav. Khushi's eyes lingered more than they should have; Nani giggled and focused on the food in front of her. As he turned towards the dining room, Arnav's eyes briefly met Khushi's, before she looked away and stared at her plate.

Arnav pulled up a chair next to Aarav and sat down. Khushi, Nani and Aarav looked at him, shocked. They had never seen Arnav sit next to Aarav. Arnav took a plate and served himself some food. As he tore off a piece of paratha, he looked up at everyone, confused.

"What?" The others looked at each other and then at Arnav and shook their heads. They ate quietly. A few minutes later, Arnav got up from the table and picked up his coat from the chair. He turned to Nani and said, "Nani, I have a meeting in Agra today, so I won't be home until late. Please eat dinner, take your medicines on time and go to sleep. Don't wait up for me." Nani smiled and nodded. Arnav took a few steps to the living room. He stopped and turned around to look at Aarav.

"Chottu, Call of Duty Black Ops 2 is going to be released next week. I pulled some strings and I think I can get it tonight. What do you say, you and me, and some kick-ass modern warfare all day tomorrow?"

Khushi choked on her food and coughed, before she picked up a glass of water and emptied it. Nani's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Aarav. Aarav's mouth had opened wide as he stared at his uncle. He nodded quickly and closed his mouth. Arnav smiled and walked away.

As Arnav walked away, Aarav turned to Nani and smiled and said excitedly. "Nani, Papa talked to me and .. and he called me Chottu!" Nani smiled and nodded.

Aarav jumped up from his seat, ran to Khushi and hugged her. "You were right. Papa loves me, Didi. I will be a good boy from now on. Let me go run and get my books. We will study all day today and I will ace all my exams." He rambled on as he ran towards his room.

Khushi smiled, watching him. Her smile disappeared as she felt Nani's hand on hers.

Nani smiled and said softly, "Thank you. I don't know what you said to Chotte, but whatever it was. Thank you! I can't believe he actually called Aarav Chottu." She paused, as her eyes filled with tears. "Arnav used to call him Chottu while playing with him when he was a baby. I used to continue calling Aarav by that name even after that incident, but then Chotte would get so angry and walk off. So even I stopped. But now.." A tear rolled down. She looked at Khushi and said again, "Thank you, bitiya. I have hope that this family will be happy once again."

Arnav leaned against his chair and closed his eyes. Her smile.. her eyes .. her touch. Why did I tell her everything? How could I? Things I had never told anyone, pain I had never disclosed to anyone, pain I had never acknowledged. What was it about her that made me want to just open my heart to her? He leaned back against his chair and exhaled deeply.

Flashback.

Arnav pulled away from the hug and looked away. Khushi looked down; she saw heaving chest; she closed her eyes, aware of the loud beating of her chest, unable to look at Arnav. She opened her eyes and slowly lifted her face and saw that Arnav was looking at the pool. She stood up and started to leave, when she froze in her tracks. She turned around and saw that Arnav had grabbed her hand. He swallowed and said, almost in a whisper.

"Don't leave." He looked at her, his eyes filled with tears, as he added. "Please."

Khushi nodded and sat down on the recliner next to him. He released her hand and smiled. "So tell me, how is Aarav doing? Tell me everything I need to know about my son."

Khushi smiled. She sat down next to Arnav. Arnav listened to her ramble on, about Aarav.

Arnav's eyes flew open when he heard the phone ring. He reached and picked up the phone.

"Yes..?" .. "Ok. Fine. I'm going home then. Aman, don't call me unless there's something urgent." .. "Hmm.. ok. Send it home when it arrives."

"20.. 21.. 22.."

Khushi ran down the corridor hearing Aarav count. They were playing hide-and-seek. It had been Aarav's idea. They had decided if he won, then Aarav would not have to take lessons tonight and instead watch a movie with Khushi.

Khushi looked around. Where will I hide? A smile appeared on her face when she saw the closed door to Arnav's room. Aarav wouldn't dare come to Arnav's room. Or would he? She slowly opened the door and stepped inside. The familiar musky smell greeted her. She closed her eyes as she remembered last night when he had embraced her.

Her eyes flew open. She gulped and looked around. Aarav..where will I hide? Her eyes flew straight to the wardrobe. She walked to the wardrobe, just when she heard a scream. "50. I am coming, Didi."

Khushi raised her eyebrows and looked around. She saw the closed bathroom door. She walked towards it.

Arnav had turned on the shower, after applying soap to his face and body. As the water fell on his face washing away the soap, he heard the door close. He turned around and his eyes met Khushi's.

Khushi had just closed the door, when she heard the shower run. She turned around and her eyes met Arnav's. She was about to scream and Arnav opened his mouth to say something, when suddenly a voice interrupted them.

"Papa, are you home? Did you see Khushi didi?"

They looked at the closed door and then at each other. Arnav smirked and took a few steps towards Khushi. Khushi swallowed and grabbed her salwar, fighting the temptation to let her eyes wander over his soap-covered naked body. She focussed on his face, scared she might see something she shouldn't. As Arnav walked towards her, she felt her heart beat wildly; she thought she would faint from the rapid breathing. Arnav stopped right next to her, put his hand on the wall behind her and leaned close. Her eyes shut, as she felt soapy water fall on her churidaar.

His voice made her eyes fly open. "Chottu, I just got home. The meeting was canceled. I came home and straight in here. Now why would your Didi come in here?" Arnav was looking at her, a naughty twinkle in his eyes, a teasing smirk on his lips. He stood in front of her, draping a towel around himself. Khushi looked over her shoulder and realized she had been standing in front of the towel hanger, leaning against the towel.

"Ok, Papa. Let me go find her." came Aarav's excited voice from outside the door.

Khushi gulped and started to move towards the door but Arnav put his hand on the wall next to her, freezing her. "Why are you in here?" He asked, in a low, husky voice. "Khushi", he added. Her heart skipped a beat, hearing her name, in that voice.

Khushi shook her head and started to say something, but she couldn't find her voice.

"Did you enjoy the show?" Khushi stared at him. Her face turned a dark crimson, seeing the wide grin on his face. Khushi started to say something again, but simply shook her head.

"You didn't enjoy it? I can try again." Arnav chuckled and put his hand on his towel. Khushi startled and put her hand on his hand on the towel.

"I.. " She stammered.

"Yes.. you..?" He asked, moving closer to her. She moved her hand away, but he grabbed it immediately.

"I was hiding .. hiding from Aarav.." She finally found her voice.

"In my bathroom?" His teasing voice made her want to crack open the tiles on the bathroom floor and slip right in.

"I.. I need to go." She said, looking at her hand that was in his.

"Why..?"

She looked up and her eyes met his. Something in her tightened as she looked into his deep brown eyes. She was being drawn towards him. She stepped closer; she could feel his breath quicken. His smirk disappeared. She leaned closer, and saw him catch his breath. He touched her face and she shuddered and closed her eyes.

Suddenly there was a scream. "Didi.." Khushi's eyes flew open. She took one quick look at Arnav and ran to the door and into the room.

She ran down the corridor and down the stairs and saw Aarav sprawled on the floor of the living room, his face in pain.

"Chottu, what's wrong?"

Aarav's eyes flew open and a wide grin appeared on his face, as he grabbed her arm. "Caught you. I win."

Khushi's eyes opened wide and she made an annoyed face. "That's cheating."

"Chottu..?" Khushi looked over her shoulder to see Arnav behind her. He was wearing a bath robe but still covered in soap. "Are you alright?"

Aarav sat up straight, and pouted his lips. "I fell down, Papa. But I am fine now, now that Didi is with me." Aarav's eyes opened wide and then he burst into laughter. "Papa, you are covered in soap!"

Arnav chuckled and was about to say something, when Aarav interrupted him and exclaimed, "And Didi, so are you."

Khushi's eyes opened wide, as she realized there was soap on her dress. She could feel her cheeks heating up, so she quickly said, "Chottu, fine. You won. I will go change and we can watch the movie." She helped Aarav get up.

"What movie are you watching?"

"Wall-e.". Aarav said excited. He paused and asked a second later, "Do you want to watch with us, Papa?" Khushi swallowed and hoped that he would say no.

Arnav smirked and nodded. He added, "You guys start the movie. I will join you after my shower."

"Yay", Aarav cheered. Khushi lifted her eyes slowly and looked at Arnav. Their eyes met for a second, before Khushi looked away. A smile appeared on her face as she walked Aarav to his room.

Khushi and Aarav were sitting on Aarav's bed watching the movie. Aarav was munching popcorn, while Khushi was leaning back on her hands that were resting on the bed. Suddenly Khushi felt a hand on her hand. Khushi opened her eyes wide and turned around. She saw Arnav, sitting next to Aarav, watching the movie with a naughty smirk on his face. Khushi swallowed, as she looked down at her hand, which was covered by Arnav's. She looked at Aarav, who was deeply engrossed in the movie. Khushi tried to move her hand, but Arnav grabbed it quickly.

"Papa", Aarav suddenly screamed. "You came at the right time!" He went on to describe what was happening in the movie. Arnav nodded, smiling, but his eyes wandered to Khushi once in a while. Khushi blushed, her eyes focused at the monitor, well-aware of Arnav's eyes on her. Their hands remained intertwined during the rest of the night, until the movie ended ..