ArHi FF : #Love Story 2013# Chapter3-Pg31 - Page 11

really nice , i am liking it..

thanks for p.m

loved it , thanks for p.m 😊

Originally posted by: Rainbow_petals

Oh wow , just read all updates..

really nice , i am liking it..

thanks for p.m

Thank you!

Originally posted by: TANVI_SEXY

awesome update..awww khushi has crush on akash..nice..waiting for the next update...continue soon..and thanks for the pm

Thank you so much!

Aakash found some errors in Khushi's work so he sent the files to her to check some things. Khushi sat down to figure out her mistakes before she could begin the new files he gave her. Khushi was kind of embarrassed, first day of work and already she had started to make mistakes. She was just going through the first file when Payal came in. 'Does anyone other than Aakash knock?' she wondered.

"Hi Khushi, sorry, couldn't talk to you earlier!" she said.

"Oh! no worries, you're still here?" Khushi asked.

"Yes, I had to make sure my lovely husband eats his food! He doesn't take care of himself at all!" she said.

"Well, he is a busy man'"

"Yes, but you have to eat as well! Anyway, have you eaten?"

"Yes, the food was delicious" Khushi said getting back to her file. Payal didn't catch her cue to leave, she took a seat and asked, "You like shopping Khushi?" "Yes, ofcourse, why?"

"We should surely go shopping together!" she said trying to get friendly with Khushi.

"Yes, sure." Khushi said not even looking at her.

Payal was a little disappointed but she was actually making an effort. "Tell me something about you, do you have any boyfriends?"

"Payal, look, I am kind of busy right now, I would love to talk but maybe some other time?" she requested, trying to be polite. "Work comes first, you know?" Khushi finished.

"No Khushi, family does," Payal said getting up and moving towards the door, "You will realize that very soon, you will have to." Payal said.

Khushi rolled her eyes and apparently Payal saw that. She left the room a little upset. Khushi hadn't realized that Payal was upset, she herself was upset, 'Oh God, what did Aakash see in her? I am amazed. He is such a great man, he is so intelligent and he marries a girl like Payal.' She thought as she smirked at Aakash.

Arnav who had just seen Payal leave Khushi's office really upset entered again without knocking.

"Hi Arnav, I was just about to call you, can you please tell me what's wrong with these prices?" Khushi asked relieved.

"I am sorry, but can you please tell me why Bhabhi was so upset when she left from here?" Arnav asked.

"She was upset? She seemed fine while she was talking to me!" Khushi said innocently.

"She looked really upset Khushi, did you, by any chance, say anything to her?" he asked.

"Nothing, she was just talking to me so I was answering and later told her that I was busy and maybe we could catch up later'" she said frankly.

Arnav remained silent. 'Bhabhi wouldn't be so upset with that one little thing, I have to find out what it's about, Khushi may have said something and maybe she got the wrong meaning. Something is wrong.' He thought leaving her office.

"Arnav!" Khushi said.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Can you please just help me here?" she requested.

"Yes sure, tell me?" he came in again.

"Aakash said to check the prices, but I don't see anything wrong with them. I did some research and according to that most companies sell their magazines at higher prices than this!" she said.

"Oh no, this is so high! No publisher would pay so much for this, let alone the ones we deal with!" he said.

"Why? They are economical."

"Everything doesn't work that way. Think about it this way. If you were the publishing agent, would you want to publish this at such high rate? This is way too high. You have to think from the other person's point of view Khushi. This is one of the biggest publishing agencies and they get so many offers. We need to make an offer that they cannot refuse. The lowest price in which we get substantial profit and they don't incur a loss either!" he said.

Khushi nodded.

"Thanks, so is 2340 per dozen enough?" she asked.

"Yes, that's good but what about 2200? Remember this is India" he said winking at her. Saying this he left the cabin.

'Wow, isn't that a little too low? Or am I thinking wrong? God, help me please!' she thought correcting the price.

She barely took even half an hour to correct them now that Arnav had explained it to her. She went over to Aakash's cabin.

"Done?" he asked with a smile as usual.

"Yes, just check these prices!" she said taking a seat.

Aakash was quick and he did it really fast. Khushi sat there trying to comprehend his expressions but failed.

"Fantastic, these are perfect, how did you get these prices?" he asked.

"Actually, I had to take help from Arnav, he helped me out." She said honestly.

"That fool doesn't give up his own projects and is going around helping you!" Aakash said pissed. "You know he just gave me 3 files and said he was going to head home, said it was urgent!" he said, "We all know what his urgent is!"

"Oh! He told me Payal was upset or something, probably that!" Khushi said.

"What? She was alright when she left my office!" Aakash wondered. "I'll give her a call."

"Aakash, I am kind of tired too, can I head home also?" Khushi asked guiltily.

"It's your first day, cut yourself some slack! Go enjoy." Aakash said dialing Payal's number.

Khushi left the office with a lot of guilt. 'Payal was alright when she left from Aakash's and she was upset when she left from my office. That clearly means she felt bad about something I said. But what? I was so nice to her' God knows what she wants! I didn't even say anything, did I? Did she feel bad that I asked her to come later? Should I apologize? But what if it isn't because of me?' Khushi had made up her mind. She wouldn't apologize directly, it would look stupid if she wasn't upset because of her.

She went home exhausted and hungry.

*Khushi's Point Of View*

I came home completely exhausted. I had worked a lot and kind of learnt a lot too. India was so different from UK. It was so much easier there. Here people just get pissed with anything you say. She still hadn't been able to get Payal out of her mind. She recollected everything she had said to her but nothing; nothing she said could make her so upset.

I could no longer think about it. I was hungry, starving actually.

"Mom! What's for dinner?" I asked.

"Palak paneer beta!" she said.

"Mom, you know dad shouldn't eat all this fattening food. It's so bad for his health!" I scolded.

"Relax beta, it's okay, little paneer is not bad."

"It is mom, anyway I am so hungry can I get an omelet?"

"But I made this for you, you used to love this so much!" Yashodha said.

"Uff mom, I can't have all this stuff, I can't put on weight!" I complained.

I was so exhausted and mom had to argue about what I eat now?

"Little bit?" she still insisted.

"Okay mom, just heat the food I'll be right down'" I gave in only to see that sweet smile on my mother's face.

How could someone be so happy making food for someone or feeding them? Mothers are so weird. I ran upstairs and changed quickly. Mom like always had set my cupboard and put everything in place, just the way I liked it. She knows in a week it will all be messed up and she'll have to clean it again but she does it anyway.

I freshened up and went downstairs. Mom was waiting by the table. Even dad was there. It felt good being back home. Eating with family again but god knows why I couldn't just get Payal out of my mind.

"Mom, what is up with Payal?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Mom asked like I just said something absurd.

"She came into my cabin today, I didn't say anything rude but she left really upset!"

"Maybe what wasn't rude to you was rude for her." Mom said.

"But I didn't say anything to offend her, I wanted to, but I didn't."

"Look, Payal is a very innocent girl, she may come off as tough but that is just because she cares a lot. She isn't like you Khushi, she puts family over everything!"

"She made that clear," I said under my voice but I think mom heard me.

"Look, just speak to her, maybe she just wants to know you better. She must be feeling weird because she barely knows you and everyone else in the family does!" Dad said.

Why was everyone suddenly taking her side?

"Okay, I'll speak to her." I said.

________________________

Meanwhile at the Raizada's:

Payal distracted herself as she prepped for dinner. It was 7 and anytime they would be home. She was still upset. 'Khushi doesn't like me' She is very different. I understood by the way she spoke to me. Maybe she is always like that and I am over thinking all of it or maybe she just doesn't like me. But why? I was only trying to be friends and make an effort. Was it too clingy?' she questioned herself.

"Bhabhii!" Arnav called out.

"I am in the kitchen!" Payal screamed.

Arnav came inside the kitchen and read Payal's expression perfectly. She was indeed upset.

"What's up?" Arnav asked. "Dinner? Smells so good!"

"Thanks, and this is Gobi ki sabzi, tumhare bhaiya ki favourite!" she said.

"Bhabhi you always do this, what about meri favourite dishes?" he said trying to change her mood.

Payal laughed.

"You eat everything fatty!" she said, "better start working out!"

"I have to. I just can't get up early!" he said.

"I'll wake you up from tomorrow!"

"Thanks Bhabhi, you are the best!" he said.

"Oh! I totally forgot, come with me!" he said

"Where? I have to make dinner'"

"No, first come." Arnav pulled Payal outside. She gave up and shut the gas.

They went out and saw Aakash eating from a packet.

"Bhai! I got that for Bhabhi!" Arnav said getting really pissed.

"It's so good!" Aakash said smiling.

"Aakash?" Payal said in disbelief. She looked at the time again. 7:00 pm

"Yeah?" he said in his reply. He grinned as he knew why Payal was so shocked.

"You are at home? At 7?" Payal asked in awe.

"We are going out tonight!" he said.

"Business party?" Arnav asked.

"No, just me and you!" Aakash said.

"And me!" Arnav said, "You can't leave me! And give me this!" he snatched the packet from Aakash's hand. "Bhabhi, this is for you, Bhel puri!" he said.

"Wait! We can't go today." She said taking the packet, "And thanks Chhote!" she said pulling Arnav's cheek.

"Not chhote Bhabhi, it's embarrassing!" he said.

"That's why I say it!" Payal winked. Arnav frowned.

"Listen, hello? Why can't we go out?" Aakash asked

"I already made gobi for you!"

"No problem! Let's eat some gobi and then go out!"

"Yes!" Arnav interrupted.

"NO!" Aakash said, "Only me and Payal. It's a date." He said winking at Payal.

"Ooo, why am I getting so pampered today?" she asked looking at both the men.

"Just felt like thanking the most beautiful woman in our life for being there!" Arnav said winking.

"Oye!" Aakash said pushing Arnav aside, "She's my wife!"

All three laughed. Arnav was successful. He had just completely changed his bhabhi's mood. Although, he knew that it was actually Aakash who had done the job.

_________________________

Once the food was ordered and the two were alone Aakash finally asked, "What happened today? Did Khushi say something?"

"What? Why would you say that?" Payal asked.

"She told me you were very upset today."

"What? She noticed?" Payal asked. 'Maybe she isn't as insensitive as I thought she was.'

"yes, so come on tell me!"

"Oh! So that's why I was being pampered'" she realized.

"No Payal, I realized it had been long since we went out so that's why."

"Look, nothing really happened. I was just a little upset because I don't think Khushi is too fond of me. She just said some stuff." Payal didn't want to create any problems between Khushi and anyone.

"What?"

"Nothing, I guess I was just over reacting, you know how I am!" she said smiling.

"You won't tell me?" he asked.

"I am telling you Aakash, nothing. If there would be anything I would obviously tell you!"

Payal's phone rang. She looked at the caller. It was an unknown number.

"Hi Payal!" Khushi said, "Are you busy?"

"Who is this?" she asked.

"Oh, sorry, this is Khushi!"

"Hi Khushi, tell me?"

"I was' wondering whether you would like to go shopping with me on Saturday?" she asked.

"Sure, I would love to!" Payal smiled.

"Cool, then it's decided. So are you at home?"

"No, out with Aakash." She said.

"Oh, I am sorry to interrupt, see you later!" she said formally.

Payal was finally relaxed. She was indeed over reacting. 'Khushi was a nice person and she was just tensed and nervous because it was her first day.' She thought.

"Still think she doesn't like you?" Aakash asked.

Payal shook her head.

_______________________