Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Khushi Kumari Gupta was a positive person. Time and again, she had exhibited this trait of hers and it was one of the major reasons why her family had been able to come out the terrible situation with just a few minor scars. This attitude of hers took a toll on her sometimes but she would somehow find a way to cheer herself up and that's exactly what she found when she saw Arnav's cell phone lying on the dining table.

She had seen enough of him to know that his phone was his life. God knows how he survived when he didn't have one! ?Well I'll just have to find out won't I??

She grinned mischievously and snatched it up quickly but not before a pair of molten brown eyes caught her in the act.

"Khushi, give me my phone."

"No way. It's unhealthy to have such a dependent relationship with a gadget."

"What the-? Khushi, it's not funny. I want it back now!"

"Nuh uh!"

With that she stuck out her tongue and ran away.

Arnav was immediately reminded of their younger days. A smirk formed on his face and he threw away the tie he was preparing to put around his neck. Office could wait. ?Heck! He had a Khushi Kumari Gupta to catch!

...

Khushi ran up the stairs but slowed down when she didn't hear anyone following her. She felt a little disappointed because she had thought Arnav had loosened up enough to participate in this little game with her. She sighed and was about to turn around when a low voice startled her.

"What's the matter Khushi? Giving up so easily?"

Her eyes brightened up and she turned around to meet his challenging brown ones. She bit back a wide grin and spoke, trying her best to hide her obvious glee.

"In your dreams Arnav."

She dashed off once more, this time with Arnav hot on her heels. It was much more difficult to get away from him now than it was back when they were kids. For starters, they had both been the same size and back then, he had been a pretty fussy eater, making him a slightly slower runner. But ten years, nutritious food, and some pretty vigorous exercise later, he clearly had the upper hand over her. She decided to changer her tactics and ran into the first room she saw, hoping that furniture would provide sufficient obstacles to slow him down.

Arnav was thoroughly enjoying himself. He hadn't run like this in ages and boy did it feel good! He was pleasantly surprised to see that he was now much fitter and faster than Khushi. But he was enjoying the chase too much to actually increase his speed and catch her. He could see that she was tiring and wondered what she would do to compensate her drop in speed.

Khushi was shocked to run into Arnav's room. Great! He knew this place by heart. Instead of hindering him, it would probably put him in a more advantageous positon than before. She heard him approaching and quickly moved to the side of the bed which was farther away from the door.

Arnav walked in and saw Khushi standing on the right side of the bed, panting and pretty much cornered. He smirked and started moving towards her.

Khushi saw him walking towards her and started thinking of all the possible things she could do to escape. Just as he was about to reach her side, she jumped onto the bed and ran across, while he stared at her incredulously.

Arnav watched as she raced across to the other end of the bed. Did she honestly think she could get away like that? ?He started to move towards the other side and she promptly retraced her steps back to her original place. This continued for sometime as Arnav moved towards Khushi and she got up on the bed and raced over to the other side.

Khushi was quite enjoying herself but suddenly she caught the irritated look in Arnav's eyes. Realising that he was getting tired of mindlessly going around in circles, she jumped off the bed and made a dash towards the open door.

Arnav caught the slight change in her movement and instinctively lunged forward to grab her. He consequently lost balance, sending both of them tumbling on to the bed.

Khushi struggled to get up as Arnav's hands continued to hold her waist tightly. She wriggled and squirmed, trying with all her might to get out of his grip.

Arnav on the other hand had made a startling discovery. While she struggled in his arms, he realised that she had quite amazing curves. In fact, her waist was really tiny and broadened out into slender hips. He gulped as slowly but surely, a clear idea of her figure formed in his mind.

So mind boggling was this new found fact that his grip around her slackened and she sprung up and gave him a triumphant look before wiggling the phone in front of him and running out of the door.

Arnav stared at the door dazedly for a while before getting up and following her out. He needed his phone back and the fact that he had just had the epiphany that his best friend was a full grown woman was not going to stop him!

"Khushi! Phone. Now!"

He heard a muffled no coming from the next room and he marched in, determined to claim what was his.

...

"Khushi didi, here is your pomegranate juice."

Hari Prakash walked in to Khushi's room only to have her crash into him and send the jug in his hands flying in the air. The juice flew out of the jug and landed inside the open cupboard, staining all the clothes a rich, deep, maroon.

Arnav watched as Khushi collided with Hari Prakash and the juice in his hands spilled all over her clothes.

Khushi shrieked in agony as she saw the colour seep into every article of clothing she owned. Running like a woman possessed, she began sifting through everything, hoping against hope that all of the garments weren't ruined.

But it was too late.

Anjali and Payal ran in after hearing her cry and pried her away from her clothes. She was clutching onto the shabby kurtas and refusing to let Hari Prakash gather and discard it.

"Khushi... Khushi, calm down. We'll get you new clothes. Till then you can wear something of mine or Anjali di's."

Khushi looked up with tear filled eyes and shook her head violently.

"Don't be silly Khushi. How can you wear all this? It's spoilt. I'll give you a nice suit to wear. Relax."

"NO! I-I'll look like a joker if I wear anything else!!"

With that she ran out of the room, leaving behind a guilty and bewildered Arnav.

...

"Khushi, it's my birthday today. You have to wear something nice!"

"Oh alright Payal. I will. But I don't have anything but jeans and t-shirts."

"That's ok Khushi. I have a really pretty dress which doesn't fit me anymore. You can wear that."

"Thank you so much Anjali di!!"

Khushi looked at herself in the mirror. She was dressed in a light pink dress with puffed sleeves and pretty red flowers forming a band around her waist. Her hair had grown in the past two months and Anjali insisted that she left it open instead of tying it up in her signature ponytail-cum-bun. Her feet were in a pair of red ballerina flats. The hemline of her dress just about reached below her knees, showing off her milky white legs and slim ankles. She walked out into the garden, wondering what everyone would have to say about her new look.

...

Arnav wondered what was taking his friend so long. Birthday parties were becoming more unbearable by the day. All the girls would wear frilly clothes and make the most almighty fuss about whether they were looking like their favorite pop idol or not. Gosh! Why couldn't they just get a life?

Suddenly he heard the chatter stop and looked towards where everyone was looking. There, standing near the stairs, was Khushi, wearing a pink dress and looking around with a shy look on her face. A frown formed on his face as she slowly came towards him.

"What do you think Arnav?

He was the first person she had spoken to and she desperately wanted her best friend's opinion.

"You look like a joker."

Khushi's face fell as she stared at the unreadable expression on his face. Almost immediately, every boy in the party burst out laughing, pointing at Khushi and making fun of her dress and new look. The girls were a little hesitant but they too joined in soon, glad that the popular and tom boyish Khushi Kumari Gupta was finally being brought back down to earth.

Khushi felt tears form in her eyes and she ran back into the house, a flustered Malini and a confused Satvik following her.

Asha gazed at the indifferent look on her son's face but didn't miss the hint of betrayal in the molten brown pools which were his eyes.

...

Arnav felt like kicking himself. Khushi had spent the entire day locked up in her room, refusing to come out until her clothes were returned to her. It had finally taken a somber Satvik to calm her down and around eight o'clock in the evening, he informed Anjali that she would have dinner in her room and something else that Arnav didn't catch.

He paced about in his room, sleep eluding him once again. A lot of things made sense to him now. The reason why Khushi cringed at the suggestion of feminine clothes for her, why she wore such loose and ill-fitting kurtas, why she kept her hair in a tight bun behind her head and why it had taken him so long to realise that she was indeed a girl.

His bitter words all those years back had affected her in way he had not thought possible. He hadn't meant it in that way at all. He had been caught completely off guard on seeing her in that dress and an immediate rush of anger and betrayal had made him blurt that out. She was his best friend! How could she wear something like other girls wore? She was different, wasn't she? But no. She had to go and try to be like one of them...

He really regretted it now though. He had completely forgotten about the incident but her agonising exclamation that morning that jolted his memory and guilt had been eating away at him ever since.

He decided to go up to the terrace and try and calm down his mind. What he saw there made him forget everything around him.

...

Satvik had spoken to Khushi for a good half hour before she finally agreed to have some food and change out of her dirty clothes. She agreed to change into something else but refused vehemently when he suggested she wear something of Anjali's. Memories of Payal's eighth birthday were still fresh in her mind and she would not wear something belonging to her again.

After dinner, she wore something of Payal's and went up to the terrace, knowing that no one went there and there was very little chance of anyone seeing her.

...

Arnav couldn't believe his eyes. Khushi was sitting on the stone table, hugging her knees to herself and completely unaware of everything around her. She was wearing a green patiala and a faded white t-shirt which was definitely not her size as it clung to her a little too snugly and revealed quite a bit of her tiny waist. Her hair was open and was flying in the wind, giving her a somewhat ethereal feel.

Khushi suddenly felt a pair of intense eyes on her and jerked her head towards the door. She saw Arnav standing there, dressed in tracks and a loose sweat shirt, staring at her with a look she had never seen in his eyes before.

She suddenly became aware of how exposed she was and quickly jumped off the table, winding up her hair into a bun and clipping it into place. She kept tugging at her top as she tried to leave the terrace.

Arnav saw her trying to run away and impulsively reached out for the clip in her hair. He unclasped it and watched as it cascaded down her back, reminding him of waterfalls at midnight - serene and soothing.

Khushi gasped in surprise as she felt her hair opening. All sense of self preservation was lost as she looked at him accusingly. Just what was he trying to do?!

"Leave it open. It looks nicer this way."

...

How was it people? Good enough? Please do like and comment! And thanks sooo much for all the appreciation on my previous update 🤗

Chapter Eight