AEWU-10

10

Khushi's jaw dropped at Arnav's presence!

She looked at Deepa and then at him, and Dev chose the very moment to say," Khushi! You alright sweetheart?"

"Who is he?" Arnav's voice boomed in the small living room of the Marwahs'!

Khushi felt panic rise within her, like before at the proximity of Arnav! 

But then something slowly calmed her- a reaction and a realisation that told her, the man standing infront of her may be the love of her life, but he royally ignored her for years! She didn't exist for him so why fear!

She went stiff backed as he turned to Deepa and said," Deepu I am sorry! Were you worried for me?"

"The hell we were!" Came Arnav's reply before Deepa even could answer her!

Khushi turned to him and simply said...as if she was seeing him only then..."Hi ...er,...ARNAV!I don't see why you must be worried for me!"

Arnav was taken aback but quickly recovered and said," ...its past nine and Deepu was worried, now that, Akki is also travelling!"

"Thanks so much for your concern!"Khushi said so sternly that everyone present in the room knew...she was saying good night to him!

Arnav ignored the jibe and simply said," What are you so late?"

Khushi was already perturbed by his presence!She had a bad day on top of that! Owing to the bad evening she had earlier in the evening, she was in a yuk mood!All the things added up to her temper when she asked him," Whats it to you?What difference it makes to you whether I am late or early!"

Arnav narrowed his eyes at her insolence and growled,"It does! You are Akhils' sister and I am here so i would naturally assume its my responsibility!"

"Well! Let me tell you it is not! Khushi said thin faced!

Deepa barged in saying "Whoa guys! 

Whats wrong with you two! 

Just chill!

Khushi! 

Why are you being so rude to Arnie yaar!

He is just concerned!

"Concerned my foot!" 

Khushi muttered and saw Arnav's jaw tightening at her remark!

"Aaah! Khushi I will make a move! Be seeing you!" Dev smiled sweetly at her for which she reciprocated by a smile and a shy "Thank you so much Dev! I am sorry I had been a bother to you!

Hey no way you are a bother sweets!...ummmm... but Let me check out if you can be one sometime......the next time we meet..." He teased her deliberately!

Arnav who stood watching the exchnage was seized by some feeling of rising rage! How dare she talked so sweetly to a stranger and so sternly to him her senior at school and whom she knew all her life!

"Deepa I will see him to the gate... "Khushi made to move!

"Not required! He is perfectly capable of finding his way!" Arnav said sternly!

Khushi opened her mouth to say something, but thought the better off it and kept quiet as Deepa's hand on her wrist tightened to the extent of snapping it off her hand!

Dev looked at Arnav curiously and said," Have we met before?"

Arnav simply said," Nope! ...and we wont in future too I think! Good night Mehrothra!"

Dev looked oddly at Arnav and then wished Khushi and went away!

Khushi turned to go when Arnav asked her coldly," Why were you late?"

She whirred around in anger and said loudly," None of your business Wadera!"

Arnav's eyebrow's drew into a frown at that and Khushi realised the slip! She inadvertantly talked like Maya!

To cover it up, she simply said,"Thanks for your concern! Now! Good night Arnav!"

Deepa was scandalised by both Arnav's and Khushi's behaviour and both were acting out of their leagues! 

What was brewing! She wondered and then chided Khushi first saying," Khushi! Thats not the way you talk to Arnav! And You didn't tell us what kept you long! I was scared! Your brother left you to my care and ...yeah....I know"

Deepa raised her hand saying," I know you are grown up and  all that... but... well we are together and I ....er....me and Akhil are concerned for your safety as you go for evening classes!"

Khushi felt bad for her friend! She hugged Deepa and said,' I am sorry Deepu! Actually today the classes were cancelled and since we had a project presentation scheduled...we all me...Sachin and Ravi sat at the cafe..you know the Dinaz'z thats stark opposite the college?.... and were discussing!

A group of people came and they sort of...miss behaved with me... "Khushi said"...and when Sachin asked them to stop it, they started getting into an argument! So I asked them to leave and they dropped me at the station... I was buying a water bottle when they stalked me and thats when Dev happened by and he...er..a...stranger but well we got along well as he understood the situation and behaved as if he knew me...and dropped me just in case... they followed me... "She concluded her story!

"But... what took you so long?" Arnav prevailed!

Khushi felt like punching his nose off his face !

How dared he acted so proprieterally!

Deepa looked at Khushi making her obligated to answer! She grimaced and said, "woh... we just stopped by and had ...er...coffee as..."

"What?" Arnav was by her side and he turned her to him asking her," We were worried to death for you and you were having a coffee date with your new boy friend?"

Khushi lost her cool and yelled back," Who are you to put stops on me? I shall do what I want to"

" No you won't!" He said shaking her!

" Why do you have a copy right for dating?Mere mortals and out of class people like us can't get a partner?"Khushi's voice reverberated through the room and Deepa gasped out aloud "KHUSHI!"

Arnav was already annoyed with her rude behaviour! He had always thought of her as a very simple and sweet girl! And what Deepa told about her projected her as a responsible and absolutely grounded individual! Then how come she was acting funny! He smiled at that! That only meant ...

"What Deepa? What does he think of himself?" He...Khsuhi was still talking...

"Came to invite you for his engagement thats all!"Deepa stalled her before she said anything that would put her into trouble!

"What?" Khushi said coming out of her stupour!

"Yeah!" Deepa tried in vain to wink at her!

"Oh! So let him call Bhai! Why me suddenly!" She spat!

"Coz you complained last time!Thays why!" Arnav had a tongue in cheek answer!

"Oh! Did I now? Thats bad isn't it! And anyways why whould Arnav Sayan Wadera the great invite  me and what for?" She sneered!

"Khushi!" Deepa was about to stall her when Arnav asked," Deepu can you get some thing to drink for me like coffee? I will talk to Khushi in the mean time!

Deepa did not know how to react! She knew Arnav from childhood and he was perfectly safe to leave Khushi with, inspite of everything but she did not want them to squabble! Especially in the mode Khushi was in!

"Arnav! Just leave it yaar ...I,..." She hesitated!

"Deepa...Don't you trust me?She is safe with me yaar!" He asked so earnestly that she just said "Ok! But behave!" She said to both of them as if they are school kids and went into the kitchen!

Arnav caught Khushi's hand and dragged her outside and Khushi was so shocked by his gesture that by the time she recovered they were out in the corridor and he maneouvered her into the service area by the lift lobby and asked," Whats your problem!"

Khushi who was feeling drugged by his nearness... had no option but to shout at him to mask her feelings!

"No tell me whats yours?"

Arnav was taken aback! But he said neverthless..." Problem? Me? No! I think you have some misconception about me! Tell me and I am willing to clear that!" He said in a low voice that sent shivers down her spine!

"W...what are you saying? Why should I bother!Why should I care!" She said appearing to be very nonchallant! That should do it!

He held her by her upper arms and shook her asking," What is it? Why do I feel you have something...I dunno how to say..."

She stared mutely at him! It was not everyday, the love of your life stood before you and asked you a question the answer for which was written all over you and your life!

Frustration bubbled from inside her like a volcano as she tried to wriggle free saying,"Nothing! There is nothing! You came to invite me for your engagement and let me know where and when and then you may leave!"

Arnav seethed in rage! 

"Oh yeah? Good The little sister of Akki..."

"I am me! Khushi Marwah! Not just the little sister of Akhil! I am myself! I am what I am! I am the same girl who you never bothered to even notice till today and god knows why now you want to traumatise me with your unwanted attention!She hissed!

"Where did you both go?" He asked suddenly!

"What?" She just did not egt him initially!

"Where did you and that Mehrothra guy go?" Arnav asked her slowly moving forward..she moved back in reflex saying," Why.... should I tell you..."

"Where... did he take you to his apartment or something?" He asked with narrowed eyes!

"Why should I tell you?" She asked... 

"Is that a yes?"Arnav demanded!

"Did I ever ask you where you and Lavanya go?" She spat back!

"Answer me!" He hissed moving further in!

She never saw Arnav up so close! Apart from that one time when he kissed in the gardens and then she was too preoccupied wiyth the fear of blowing her cover! Up so close, he looked very foreboding and with a mesmerising tilt to his lips!His eyes were in a deep shade of brown and she just was lost in the stiff set of his jaw when he breathed out her name "Khushi ...."

"...hmmm?" She asked...

"Why don't you let go?"He asked suddenly!

She looked up into his eyes and knew it was a mistake as his eyes seared through her heart...

with a question that she did not quite place!

"This Dev... where did he..." Arnav again started on his inquisition!

Khushi felt miserable! Of all the things! He was only trying to find out where she went! Aaarrrrrggghhhhhh! She remembered all those times when he brought his girls over to their joint! Bitterness won over rationality!

"If I did? Whats it with you?" She asked...

"No!" He said so softly that she almost thought she was imagining it...

"I shall do what I please!" She said!

Suddenly he turned her so that her face was illuminated by the light and asked,"Why do you loathe me so much Khuhsi?"

Loathe him? He was absolutely adorable But he was not for her! That made her even more angry!

"Why do I tell you?" She pushed at his chest and he held both her hands and she saw his face change a shade...

"Coz... " He was saying something when...

"Arnav...Khushi?" Deepa's voice made him... suddenly push her further into the lobby into the dark and close her mouth with his hand,as she wanted to holler to Deepa...

After Deepa left he simply said "...didn't want to scare her as Khushi wriggled out saying," What do you want?"

"Simple!"Come to my engagement party!"Arnav said.

"No!"Khsuhi refused point blank!

"Why?" He demanded.

'I dont want to" She said firmly!

"WHY" He yelled at her!

"May be I dont want to! We mortals have an organ called heart! And we do what we want!... not what thats convenient and profitable which what you business class do! And also we choose our friends not based on their visibility on page 3! But.... "Khushi stopped midway as he looped his arm round her waist and asked,' But what?"

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