Chapter 15

15

"Kya Jiji," Khushi exclaimed over phone as she walked towards her little temporary cubicle, "And you are telling me now? How can I attend tonight? Today is the fashion show jiji. I have to be there… No, Jiji. I cannot come…Nehi, jiji! Ok .. I will try but I don't think I can make it..OK, bye, jiji."

Khushi finally managed to reach her cubicle at around 2 pm. The whole day she was running up & down and between AR & the fashion show venue. Her first event turned out to be biggest one of AR till date. Everyone was on their toes and Khushi, being Khushi, did not allow herself much rest. There was no room for mistake. There was no way she was going to make Arnavji disappointed.

Thought of Arnavji made her smile & blush a little for the umpteenth time in the day. Random moments came to her in flashes and her smile & blush deepened.

She rested her head along with her hands on the table and relaxed for some time. After a while, once she was settled a bit, she realized she was hungry like anything. She lifted up her head looking for her jhola and that was when a package wrapped up in brown paper lying on one corner of her desk came to her notice. She sat up and brought the package near her. A black gift box adorned elegantly with a sea-green ribbon appeared as she removed the brown paper. There was no card attached to it mentioning either whom it was for or who it was from.

"It is on my desk," Khushi inspected the box skeptically, "So it must be for me?"

Tentatively, she started opening the ribbon and then slowly she lifted up the lid. As she peeped inside, she knew in that instant this was indeed for her. And she also knew who must have dropped it on her desk.

"Laad governor," she murmured as she slowly took the sequined sea-green jhola out of the box. She stared at it for a long time and slowly, a smile crept up her lips. Her smile was accompanied by a sudden falter of breathing as her mind went back to the day before.

"And this .. is for the jhola I damaged .." Arnav whispered again before he placed a soft kiss on her right cheek too.

Khushi could feel the heat spreading across her face. It was as if she could feel those warm lips on her cheek again. Was it real? Did Arnav Singh Raizada really kiss her? And was she now really sitting on her desk with a gift from the Laad Governor?

 The journey this morning to office had been quite awkward. The eventful yesterday kept coming back to her all the way and she could neither talk nor look at him as he drove them to office. Arnavji on the other hand was passing her random glances making her only more uncomfortable. Why this man did not talk? Why did she have to talk always?

Yesterday must have been real. Khushi smiled again as she visioned him crouching under her bed. She stifled a giggle and kept herself busy reminiscing the happenings of yesterday. A perfect yesterday.

"Khushi! What is wrong with you! Are you even listening?"

Lavanya's voice harshly cut through Khushi's trance.

"Oh, La-ji! When did you come?"

"I have come a long time ago. You seemed lost somewhere. Everything alright?"

"Haan. Woh .. I was just thinking of someone .. I mean something. Forget it. How are you? Sorry I could not meet you. It is crazy busy here."

Lavanya acknowledged her apologetic face.

"No problem. I heard you were assigned to the fashion show since I was not here. ASR must have forgotten to tell me. So is everything ok?"

"Ji, La-ji. Bas .. saab thik thak ho jaye."

"Yeah. And then you come back to me on Monday. Alright?"

"Of course. Show will be over today. I will be all yours."

Khushi smiled ardently at Lavanya as her hands nervously roamed over the smooth fabric of the jhola. It did not escape Lavanya's eyes.

"What's that? Oh! You've got a gift?"

"Oh, haan."

Lavanya noticed the flush across her cheeks again. When she came to her desk, her face had the same tinge of red. Did Khushi have a boyfriend? Oh my God!

"Khushi, I know it is none of my business. But .. do you have a boyfriend?"

"Nehi! Woh .. my friend has sent it."

"Okayyy..."

Lavanya did not seem very convinced and she stared at her face skeptically for some time.

"Do you know where ASR is," she asked as if she remembered something.

"Nehi. Simaranji can tell, I think."

"No. She does not know. And I cannot seem to trace him. He is not picking up his phone."

Khushi suddenly remembered La-ji called Arnavaji last night. Even then she must have thought Arnavji was not picking up the phone. "Hai Devi Maiyan," she muttered, "I forgot to tell, Arnavji."

She looked at Lavanay's face and noticed she looked very tensed. It must be very important.

"Woh, La-ji," she cleared her throat, "You called Arnavji last night, naa? I am sorry but I forgot to tell him."

"How do you know," Lavanya replied, shock evident in her face.

"Woh, Arnavji lost his phone & I found it," Khushi replied trying not to stammer, "It was with me when you called. I gave him the phone back but forgot to tell him you had called."

"ASR lost his phone? My God! And I was thinking .. he was avoiding me .."

"Ji?"

Lavanya looked at Khushi and she could see the concern in her assistant's face. She could not take the pressure of last few days anymore. Her shoulders slumped and suddenly she pulled a chair and sat on it.

"This can be so difficult, Khushi. You know? Men. Relationship. When you don't know where all this is going."

What was La-ji talking about? Khushi suddenly had all her senses aware. And the sudden feeling of dejavu made her shiver.

"You won't understand, I think," Lavanya continued lost in her own world, "But it is really difficult when you like a guy and he seems to like you too. But you don't know where all this will lead to. And he does not say anything .."

"I understand, La-ji," Khushi murmured inaudibly. Did not she understand? Those intense stares, those stealth glances .. those moments of knee-melting intimacy .. and even this jhola in her hand. Did not all this mean something? But why she still craved for a confirmation? Something in words? Why his gestures were not enough? Why she needed more?

"I don't understand ASR. It was not like I asked him out. He did. But he seems so aloof at times. I really don't know what to make out of his strange behavior."

"ASR?"

Khushi's brains started instantly sending signals that her heart refused to decode. This could not be what she was thinking.

"No, Devi Maiya," Khushi did not realize when she started chanting mentally, "No."

Devi Maiya sighed.

"Khushi. I should have told you earlier. My assistant should know better, in case, she has to face anything."

"Ji .. kya Lavnyaji?"

"Well, ASR & I are going out for some time. If anyone asks, you don't know anything about it, ok?"

Khushi blinked. Going out? ASR & Lavanyaji? Going out meant .. Khushi lost grip over her thoughts as she went numb inside.

"Oh, No," Devi Maiya groaned.

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Arnav was trying to relax in his cabin as he came back from the last Agency Meeting. Tonight would be a milestone for AR. Reviewers from all across the world were coming and tonight would decide a lot about AR's expansion into the foreign market. However, right now, as he loosened his tie & massaged his neck, his business was the last thought that occupied his mind.

Did Khushi find the gift box? Did she open it? Did she like it?

Would she know it was for her? Would she know it was from him?

From the time he had ruined her bag, Arnav could not stop thinking how he kept only hurting her – in some form or other. Why really? What did she really do to deserve this? The first thought of gifting her a brand new bag came to him on his way back home last night from Laxminagar. As he put the day on rewind, his heart only went warmer. There was no point denying anymore.

He liked Khushi Kumari Gupta. A lot.

The absurdity of the thought of Khushi & him being together did cross his mind but he pushed it aside. After a long time, he was feeling human. His mind was at peace. His heart was warm. Why, at least for a day, could not he enjoy such bliss like a normal person?

As he reminisced his moments with her, the image of the ruined bag again came to him. On that moment, he decided he would get her a new one. It was not like he was gifting her anything, he convinced himself rationally.

He would just fix something he ruined.

Arnav decided to buy the bag himself. He could easily ask Simran to do it for him but he decided not to walk into any controversy for something so "silly". He picked Khushi up in the morning and the awkwardness from last evening came back to him. He became more uncomfortable as Khushi did not say a single word too.

Was that how they were going to be together from now on? Just because .. he kissed her? Who would call that a kiss anyway! He should show her someday what kisses really meant. "Shut up, Arnav," he mentally slapped himself not wanting to let his thoughts go more haywire. What was wrong with him?!

The first thing Arnav did reaching his cabin was to find out the exclusive brand stores that sold that particular type of bag Khushi used. After half an hour, he was standing in front of a selection of "her kind of bags" in a renowned Boutique. The bags had trendy cuts, humble colors & little embroidery to add to its sophistication. Beautiful pieces and none would please her.

The colors that were once humble & sophisticated to him, suddenly seemed very dull & boring. What was life without colors?

Arnav called for the manager and told her what he wanted. The manager was surprised that Arnav Singh Raizada was looking for something that they have scrapped seasons back. She wondered if his company was getting those back in fashion. All excited, she searched the inventory and found a couple of bags that would fit his need. Without second thought, Arnav picked the sea-green bag which was heavily embroidered with copper threads & glittering sequins. It was so her. And it was pretty much him too.

"Jhola," he thought as a slight smirk appeared on his face, "Isn't that what you call it, Khushi Kumari Gupta?" He picked a black gift box and a matching fine sea-green ribbon suiting his own taste and started for office, his heart beating a little faster than normal. He thought a lot on how to give it to her. He could not bring himself to settle for giving it to her personally. He wrapped up the gift box in a brown paper and decided to pay Aman a visit.

Before he entered Aman's cabin, he dropped the box at Khushi's desk. He was more than relieved that she was not there. "I can give you more than just a scar, Khushi," he murmured as an affectionate smile spread across his face before he walked away from her cubicle.

It has been 4 hours but his excitement has only heightened. He was feeling like a little boy eagerly waiting for his result to come out. Why was Khushi not calling? Or coming to his cabin?

"Why would she," Arnav frowned, "Oh Arnav! How would she know you kept it there? Right .. but she should know. Who else would give her a jhola? .. Even if she knew it was me, why did I think she would come running to me? .. Arghh .. why am I even bothering so much."

And with that thought Arnav left his cabin and again went to visit Aman. He did not see Khushi anywhere as he passed by her desk. After 10 minutes, he left Aman's cabin but Khushi was still nowhere. He slowed down his pace as he walked by her cubicle again and noticed the gift box sitting on the desk. Khushi must have seen it. The brown paper was not there. Also her old jhola was not there. Has she left? Did she not understand it was for her? F**k.

Arnav groaned in frustration and picked up the box. He found the brown paper on the desk too and wrapped it again.

"Khushi Kumari gupta," Arnav muttered as he stormed out of the room, "This one is for you. And I am giving it to you."

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Devi Maiya sighed as she watched Khushi walking down the streets of Delhi not feeling much of the sun burning her skin. She was going home. Yes. Her work for the day was over. The Fashion Show did not really need her physical presence. She has done her part and now she would go home.

She was walking as if there were nothing on this world but her. She was feeling nothing. Simply nothing.

What really was she supposed to feel knowing Arnavji & La-ji were seeing each other? And why really was she supposed to feel anything at all?

Her boss & her boss's boss were dating each other. What did that have anything to do with her?

It has been more than thirty minutes since Khushi was on the road and still she could not remember anything past her little chat with her boss. She kept walking towards Laxminagar as her conversation with Lavanya kept playing in her head in a loop.

"We have just been on a few dates. He said we would meet again once I am back. Please Khushi make sure no one knows."

Why would she tell anyone?

Khushi halted as she came to a crossroad. Their crossroad. Her steps faltered and she stood still to compose herself. Her eyes suddenly fell on the woman standing beside her waiting to cross the road. She was wearing a simple sari. A sea-green sari. A sea-green jhola.

Khushi suddenly clutched the sides of her repaired old jhola as memories came rushing to her.

A boss could always give his employee a lift in the morning. A boss could always latch her seatbelt. A boss could always say "sorry" with a kiss. A boss could always massage her feet when she hurt herself. A boss could always leave a new jhola on her desk.

All those meant nothing.

Khushi could feel the warm teardrops streaming down her cheek. She could not control. She did not want to control.

It was not his fault that he made her heartbeat go faster. It was not his fault that she built castle with him in her dream world. All these did not matter. Nothing mattered.

Arnav Singh Raizada was seeing a woman as gorgeous as Lavanyaji. He possibly could not have had anything special for anyone else – definitely not for someone like her.

What did he say? Middle class girl?

"I am very well-aware what middle-class girls like you are capable of. You can do anything to rope in a rich guy."

Did he really think she was trying to rope him and that too because he was rich?

Khushi's body started shaking as tears started coming out like a river flowing through a broken dam. She did not care she was in the middle of the road. She neither cared nor noticed that people were staring at her. All that mattered was her tormenting heart.

Who could she fool?

"Stupid fool. Could not you find anyone else?"

Khushi Kumari Gupta kept crying in the middle of the road silently admitting to herself of her first heart-break.