amazing update
Being in a fix was what Khushi was currently facing at the moment, with herself being literally stuck in a labyrinth where no one else apart from her could help her overcome every obstacle. As soon as she entered the Raizada Mansion together with Garima and Rahul, she felt an uncomfortable atmosphere surrounding her, as if she wanted to break free as fast as possible. Despite the warmest welcome which was offered to them, with Arnav's family immediately connecting to Khushi's family, Khushi kept on looking around, her eyes searching for the reason of her worried nature.
There he was, leaning against the stairs, arms crossed, intently looking at her sit comfortably in the living room, her eyes moving in every direction, her twiddling with her dupatta out of nervousness, her unexpectedly strange silence which was so uncharacteristic of her usual bubbly self. Arnav soon approached them, which only added to Khushi's awkwardness which she tried to camouflage by faking a smile.
With Arnav's playful mood at its peak, throughout the conversation taking place between everyone, he kept on staring at Khushi, pretending to look at his watch and making a thumbs down gesture at her. When he felt the ideal time when everyone seemed busy, he strategically murmured to Khushi about a reminder for the challenge. And as if it was not enough, he secretly sent her messages to her mobile about the same.
"Stop it! I know" Khushi burst out telling naturally, while the whole living room stared at her.
"What happened?" everyone seemed to say in unison.
"Hmm" Khushi started to say realising her blunder, irritation getting the better of her when she noticed Arnav plaster a sly smile on his face "Nothing it's just a big, blood-sucking mosquito irritating me"
***
At dinner time, much to Khushi's bad luck, Arnav came to sit next to her, which did not appear unnoticed by Anjali who was smiling at the evolvement taking place, and who quickly patted Nani on the hand to draw her attention towards the same. The two ladies rejoiced how things were shaping up, and mentally noted to take things into their hands very soon.
"I hope that you don't mind that the mosquito is sitting next to you" Arnav murmured to Khushi.
"I was wrong. You are worse than a mosquito. You are a parasite" Khushi snorted.
"At least I know how to live up to a challenge unlike some people" Arnav replied while putting a morsel of food in his mouth. "And Khushi, I did not put chilli powder in your food like you did to mine"
Throughout the dinner, Khushi kept on looking at Arnav to make sure he was not up to any mischief. Never had she imagined that roles would have been reversed to such an extent. She was always the one to come up with all sorts of antics but now she had become passive, with Arnav taking over. But she also inwardly admitted that this Arnav was so much better than the Arnav that he knew at first.
When time for dessert had come, Khushi's eye posed on the bowl of kheer, and looked back at Arnav as if trying to stop him from taking it. But Arnav was extending his arms to take it.
"Does it have sugar? Arnav can't have this if it has sugar." Khushi suddenly let out as she saw Anjali passing the kheer bowl to Arnav, and even standing up to hold it with a view to preventing Arnav from having it.
Arnav affectionately glanced at her, loving her even more for her altruistic nature and her always present care towards him. Had he been alone with her, then he would not have refrained himself from holding her hand as an acknowledgement of her concern. Obviously, the over-attention that Khushi was showing only came as proof of Anjali's suspicions, who instantaneously got a well-needed confirmation.
"Khushiji, this bowl contains sugar-free kheer. Don't worry." Anjali tried to reassure a seemingly panicked Khushi.
"Oh" Khushi said, suddenly realising how everyone was looking at her and gaining her seat.
"Khushi bitiyaan will be the perfect wife" Nani said, causing Khushi to experience a choking fit as she looked at Arnav who also looked shocked at those words.
"Wife?" Khushi repeated.
"Yes the person whom you will marry will be very lucky to have you. Whoever he is, he will be blessed to have you. Such a cultured, tender, concerned girl" Nani smilingly said, while Khushi heaved a sigh of relief.
For some minutes, she had thought that they were actually talking to her as Arnav's potential wife and she laughed at her stupid reasoning. Which was not so stupid though since Nani really had Arnav in her mind when speaking. Arnav could not help himself from thinking that whatever his Nani had just said was indeed true: no one could be better than Khushi.
"But I won't get married" Khushi let out, earning her surprised looks from everyone surrounding her.
"Khushi, every girl has to get married" Garima intervened, cupping her face, to which Khushi stood up and moved right behind her Amma and Rahul.
"I will never leave you and Rahul. I won't be able to live without you both" Khushi expressed, hugging them both, making sure not to let any tear flow down.
"And what if you meet someone who is ready to bend to all your conditions? Will you marry him?" Arnav asked Khushi, with an honest and serious look all over his face.
Silence prevailed at the dining table, but the most silent among all was Khushi who felt a strange sensation deep down. The way Arnav had formulated his question was so touching and realistic that she was overwhelmed by a mixture of feelings. The answer could be read in her eyes and Arnav could clearly read it.
"I have exams starting as from next week, so I don't want any more discussions on this topic." Khushi replied, trying to evade Arnav's question.
"Yeah when time comes, then we all will help to look for the best groom for our Khushi" Nani let out.
***
After dinner, Rahul had insisted to visit Arnav's room and Arnav soon took him alone to his room where they bonded even more. Some few minutes later, Garima asked Khushi to go and fetch Rahul since it was getting late.
"Amma, Rahul will come. No need for me to go" Khushi tried to explain, herself wary at the idea of going to Arnav's room. But her mission failed as her mother urged her to go.
Stopping at the threshold of Arnav's room, Khushi looked at both Rahul and Arnav and realised how adorable both looked together. The most striking part that she always observed whenever Rahul and Arnav were together was that Arnav himself became child-like, as if he was reliving his missed childhood with his new friend. A smile paved its way on her face as she remembered how Arnav had been so mean and arrogant when she had first met him, and how he had mellowed down. He seemed a totally different person, but Khushi concluded that it was just her who had failed to recognise that part of him. Anjali's words about Arnav flashed in her mind at that moment.
"Lavanya broke up with Chotte claiming he was too imbibed of himself, too selfish, too egocentric, and she failed to see what was within."
"He has created himself a hard image, hardly socialising and only inwardly suppressing any feeling. And I always thought that the day he would find love, she would bring out his inner self to the surface!"
Was it really love that had changed Arnav and her perception about him? Was it her who had succeeded to bring his inner self to the surface? Khushi was about to struggle to dig for an answer when her attention got drawn to the paper that Rahul was showing Arnav. She spontaneously walked towards them and kneeled down where they were and her eyes got teary at the sight of the drawing made by Rahul. With the drawing titled as 'My Perfect Family', Rahul was present in the middle, with Garima at his back, Khushi to his left and Arnav to his right.
"Momsy Buddy, you like it?" Rahul innocently asked.
"You bet. I love it my darling" Khushi replied.
Khushi's happiness had reached such a height that she immediately hugged Rahul as tightly as possible and left a kiss on his cheek. And she naturally approached to Arnav who was sitting next to Rahul on the floor and the one thing that she had been debating the whole day finally happened. She kissed him on the cheek, taking some mere seconds to finally realise what she had just done. Her eyes popped out and her hand flew to her mouth as she distanced herself from Arnav.
"Oops" Rahul amusingly let out, trying hard not to laugh at both Khushi's and Arnav's facial expressions. "Did you both see a ghost?"
"Hey Devi Maiyya! What did I do?" Khushi murmured as she hurriedly took Rahul by the hand and prompted him to leave the room.
"Rahul, you go. Khushi and I will come in a minute" Arnav said, as Rahul listened to him, with Khushi unable to stop him from leaving her alone.
"What was that?" Arnav pointed at his cheek, and walking tiny steps towards Khushi.
"What was what?" Khushi feigned ignorance as she walked backwards until her back faced the door, indicating no chance of exit.
"Don't pretend nothing happened" Arnav added. "Your cheeks are red"
"No, they aren't. Yours are" Khushi said.
"Nonsense! Mine can't be red'why did you do that?" Arnav asked.
"I just fulfilled the challenge. You see I never accept defeat." Khushi admitted, shrugging her shoulders.
"So it was for the challenge? Really?" Arnav questioned Khushi.
"Yes! Why would I otherwise?" Khushi said.
"Okay, I believe you. If it was for the challenge, why don't you also give this other cheek one also? Like I did, remember?" Arnav said, with his smirk making a general comeback.
"No, this is cheating. We never discussed about both cheeks. You are dragging it too far. I won. Simple." Khushi retorted, trying to leave his room.
"Okay this time you won, but it won't always be the case" Arnav teased Khushi.
"Who told you there will be many more times?" Khushi curiously asked.
"I know it. I just know it." Arnav said with confidence.
And Khushi left the room, clutching onto her dupatta which was covering her heart's region, beating fast like never before. When she reached the living room ready to go back home, her gaze turned towards Arnav who smiled back at her with a victorious, yet warm look on his face. Challenge or no challenge, both had won each other's heart and this was a certitude that they could no longer deny.
Chapter 16: Exams Time will be up during the weekend.
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