Arhi FF 'Sandcastle' Th 1. Reposted all the parts - Page 51

Khushi loving arnav since 6 months :o

Lovely update! !

Chapter 7

It had become a habit for him, to watch her offering her prayers to Sun God. He had not realized how much he enjoyed watching her from her behind, and then tease her about the same. He had not realized it until he heard his inner voice wondering why she had not come as she did. That, in the most natural way, irritated Arnav S Raizada, as he ran his hand in his hair while walking back to the room.

After a quick shower, he collected the files from the study table and arranged them in the laptop bag. His eyes darted around the place as he locked the door, wondering for reasons as why a certain crazy girl missed her prayers. He was reluctant for a while but accepted it after a lot of thought that he did like to see the scene of her, in her half-sari and wet hair, in the early morning rays. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his thirty years of life.

As he climbed downstairs, his eyes searched for her in the foyer, wanting to have a small glimpse. He enjoyed speaking with her as much he hated to admit it. She had something in her that attracted him towards her in a special way. It was not lust, he could say it without second thoughts. He did not feel for her in any sort of romantic way. He just enjoyed her company as much he enjoyed his nephew's. He entered the house to find the family in the dining area, involved in a serious conversation with no traces of her."Good morning," he wished them with a smile, "I am sorry, I hope I did not disturb you."He arranged the strap of laptop bag securely on his shoulder, "actually, I am late and need to rush to the office."

"Breakfast will be ready within five minutes," the elder woman smiled, making her way towards the kitchen.

"No aunty," Arnav said hurriedly, "that's okay, I am leaving anyways. I just want to inform you before leaving."

With his final goodbye, he made his way towards his car that had reached a while ago. As he climbed behind the wheel, after throwing the bag carelessly on the backseat, his mobile beeped, indicating a new mail. Groaning with few curses if it was from his boss or from his team, he reluctantly fished his mobile out, calming himself with a deep breath, along with few curses for himself as he was letting himself addict to her morning prayers.

From: Khushi Yalavarti (mailto:mystic.musings@gmail.com)

Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 at 8:36 AM

To: Arnav S Raizada (mailto:Arch.Raizada@aliendesigners.com)

Cc:

Subject: Leaving...?

Are you leaving without a goodbye, Suriya?

His eyes widened at the way she demanded him and he searched for her, looking at the foyer. With a small chuckle, he punched his reply.

From: Arnav S Raizada (mailto:Arch.Raizada@aliendesigners.com)

Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 at 8:38 AM

To: Khushi Yalavarti (mailto:mystic.musings@gmail.com)

Cc:

Subject: Re: Leaving...?

I hear you demanding, Madam. Can I use the same tone with you for failing in entertaining me with your prayers for me this morning? And making me lose the track on time?

From: Khushi Yalavarti (mailto:mystic.musings@gmail.com)

Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 at 8:41 AM

To: Arnav S Raizada (mailto:Arch.Raizada@aliendesigners.com)

Cc:

Subject: Re: Leaving...?

I detect sarcasm, Mr. I need a favor from you. Stop by at the Supermarket two lanes down, on your way to work.

PS: I am not your entertainer and I definitely don't offer my prayers to a psycho and a serial killer.

Shaking his head, he turned on the ignition and drove towards the Supermarket. It took him three minutes to reach there and he saw her standing there, waiting for him impatiently. He halted beside her and before he could speak a word, she hopped it. "Drive," she ordered while fastening her seatbelt and as an obedient student, he drove off, wondering what was going on in that crazy mind of hers.

"What's going on?" He asked her at the signal, wanting to understand what was going on with him and with her and watched her smiling at him widely.

"As I said," she said as she leaned on the seat with her knees resting against the dashboard, her hands arranging her kurta on her knees properly, "today, I am interested in watching your work." She turned to him then, "as what exactly you Architect's do in the site, you know."

Arnav could hear his eyes rolling at her gentle comeback. "Why did you not join me at home itself?" He questioned her with narrowed eyes, "why did you ask me to pick you up away from your house?"

"You are so boring," Khushi commented, "these things thrills us youngsters, Arnav. To hide things from parents while roaming around the city. Oh sorry," she said, irritating him further, "I forgot that you are no more a youngster. But still, you should have remembered doing such things. Like drinking with friends and lying to parents about it and stuff."

"On the contrary," he disagreed with her yet again, "I used to do things that make me happy and when asked, I used to share my day's events with my parents when we gathered."

"Still boring," she said with a shook and increased the volume of the radio, clearly indicating that she was in no mood to continue with the conversation.

"You are crazy, Khushi." He commented with a chuckle. "I never met someone like you in my whole life. Now, tell me. What do you do exactly?"

Khushi stared at him as she remembered the way he looked six months ago. He was still the same yet, there was more maturity in the air around him. He had been joking around his friends back then. Now, he was doing the same with her and her family. Nothing had changed but everything had changed for sure. She never thought she would meet him or talk to him, least, spending time with him. "I do nothing," she confessed after a pause, smiling at him as his eyes narrowed at her. "I am not interested in having a degree, Arnav. I work for a private company."

"And what is that?" Arnav challenged her as they waited for the signal to turn green. He stared at her for a long second before asking, "are you hiding something from me, Khushi? Because if you are, then you are doing a bad job."

"How can you say that I am hiding something from you?" She retorted as she looked away, not wanting to watch him, afraid that he would read her thoughts.

"When a girl wanted to hide something from her family," he stated with a friendly smile, "and decided to roam around the city, who also happens to have her unusual silence as her company..." he stared in her eyes as he said, "it only meant she is in deep thoughts and that she is looking for a genuine advice."

"Ah," she shook her head. "You are impressive," she teased him but sighed. "You are right. I need an advice regarding something."

He tapped on the wheel while she was lost in her thoughts. He remembered the similar situation few years ago, with the only difference being his sister in Khushi's position. He had fair idea of what her problem was, but waited for her to continue. What surprised him further was the way she approached him in this matter, owing that they were not even friends to share problems. True that they fought in the initial days and then last night had been very wonderful as they had a civil conversation. And he enjoyed her company as much he guessed she enjoyed his.

His thoughts went back to his sister. He was shocked that day, to know his baby had grown up so much that she selected her groom on her own. The first reaction was he held Aman's collar and warned him for playing with Anjali. Accepted that Aman was his boss and a friend from long time, and Arnav had great respect and admiration for the man. But, that did not change the fact that Aman was a player. A big time player.

Another shock for him was that his parents were cool with the whole thing. They had their consent five minutes after Anjali and Aman's confession and it took him a month to accept their relationship. And now, after years of their married life, Arnav never regretted for accepting them. He was glad they led a happy life.

"Have you ever been in love?"

Arnav looked at her at the sudden question and chuckled. Of course he was right in guessing her problem. Love. He thought for a minute to gather appropriate words and then said. "I liked some girls before, and dated some of them. I never thought about it, Khushi."

"Did you ever have a thought like this? Like, yes, she is the one I want to spend the rest of my life' sorts?"

He shook his head. "No," he said softly, studying her.

Khushi rolled her eyes. "Okay, when did your last relationship last?" She asked with her fingers fiddling her bag.

"Six months ago," he said, as he parked the car in the lot, "and it lasted for three whole weeks."

"Six months ago?" She asked, looking at him as she remembered the Goa trip and the way she saw him for the first time, and their small interactions. "Why?" She heard herself asking him further, "why did it last, Arnav? Didn't you like her?"

Arnav sighed with a smile, his eyes fixed on the wheel for a while as he whispered, "no, Sheetal was good. But I found another girl and..." he shook his head, shaking his thoughts away, "well, I left Sheetal for her, I guess."

"Who is she?" Khushi asked in a low tone, overwhelmed with the thought that he might remember her, after all.

Arnav paused, wondering how the topic had changed towards his love life and surprised he was sharing his story with her. "I don't know," he confessed at last, staring at her, "I don't know who she is or where the hell is she. I don't know anything about her."

"You don't know?" She whispered back, as her hope increased by his little confession. "Where did you meet her?"

"Goa," he said with a smile. "I never saw her, Khushi." He chuckled at her expression, "now, before you ask anything, yes, this might sound too cheesy. But the truth is, I never saw her. There was this competition over there and we were supposed to send cards for others. You know, everyone was handed a chit with a number on it. We had to select a card and write down our message along with the chit number and hand it back to the authorities and the cards were exchanged by that number of opposite gender. That was fun game, actually, and we happened to select same card. Thus started our friendship. We continued sending cards in that way for next few days and never bothered to meet her, though she said that she knew who I was. Bang, one fine day, she was gone."

Turning away, she smiled to herself as he got off the car. With a straight face, she got off, and followed him to his working area. Thank you, God! she sent a silent prayer in her heart with her eyes staring upwards at sky, and give me strength to tell Arnav that it was me who exchanged those cards.

Whoa! I never expected to be the first person! I now understand why people get excited when they get to comment first! :)

As always, this is an interesting update.

Call me hopeless, but I was expecting Arnav to have some sort of romantic feelings towards Khushi. Yes, yes, I know this is not an Indian drama, but I guess I am spoiled by the show, eh?

I see that Arnav likes Khushi's company though. It is a start! For someone like Arnav, who has never fallen in love, he would not realize his feelings even if love comes and smacks his face. And that Goa meet? Was a surprise! I am just glad that Khushi was not stalking Arnav, I can't even put it behind her, she's that crazy! I am sure Khushi has been very vague telling about herself because she does not Arnav to realize that it is the same girl he talked to. I wish her the best, and I hope Arnav will take this new revelation pretty sincerely.