Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Arnav had never realized how just one word "yes" could be so exhilarating and send him into a state of unbelievable happiness . Not only had Khushi's 'yes' made him as excited as a young child, but he also felt a pure joy and a calm, that he had never felt before. He was looking forward to his date with Khushi with great anticipation. He just could not stop thinking about it. His mind was constantly planning every aspect of the date. He wanted it to be just "perfect"...just like Khushi.

He had not really mentioned the word 'date' to her, because he did not know how she would react to it. They had not spent enough time together yet, to be able to understand each other too well. However, he preferred not to think about that now. A few weeks ago, the moment he had set his eyes on her beautiful face, he had known...he had known, deep down in his heart, that she was the one. One may call it destiny, serendipity or coincidence...but the fates had surely worked in their favour and thrown them together on the first few occasions. However, he believed that there really could be no substitute for hard work. If he truly desired to convert his dream into reality, he would have to work very hard. So now, he started his day with a new enthusiasm. Arnav had started finishing his work and commitments with a renewed zeal and had set a faster pace at work. He wished to keep the upcoming Saturday completely free...only for Khushi.

Time seemed to be moving really slow this morning. Arnav kept glancing at his watch every fifteen minutes. After Khushi's response earlier, he had not yet replied to her. He wanted to speak to her instead of texting, but he did not want to sound too desperate. He decided to call her in the evening, after leaving from work. However as they say, "time moves too slowly for those who wait". That was exactly the reason why, Arnav was not able to concentrate on his work that day, and the reason for his distraction was in a similar state of distress.

Khushi sat at her workstation, wondering why Arnav had not responded to her text message in the morning. 'Even a smiley would have done', she fumed inwardly. Laad Governor!' She had been on edge since morning and had checked her phone every ten minutes to see if he had texted back. She felt a strange excitement and thrill, thinking of the possible places he would take her out to. Payal had made her realize that it was probably going to be grander than what Khushi was expecting, especially since it was Arnav Singh Raizada, whom she was going out with. She kept biting her nails nervously, trying to finish her work quickly and return home early. Payal was going to get her a couple of outfits to try on, from the collections at her workplace. She had managed to convince her lead designer, to loan her an outfit for a couple of days. Initially, Khushi had been completely against the idea, but Payal had finally managed to convince her.

As Khushi gathered her belongings to rush out of the office, her phone rang... 'Laad Governor calling'. Her heart skipped a beat, as she slowly picked up the call. Arnav had called her to ask if she would like to watch a movie, before they headed for dinner. She agreed immediately, and when he asked her to choose the movie she wanted to watch she excitedly screamed... "Chennai Express!" She heard the shock and disapproval in his voice, but SRK ki picture dekhne ke liye ASR ko manana hi padega. Finally, after a few minutes of pleading with him, Arnav had agreed to take her to watch the movie. The next moment, he again stunned her, when he said, "I know of this small multiplex that I can book for a private screening." Khushi wondered silently, 'What was the point of watching such a movie without a crazy crowd?' She mused to herself, that there were so many things that she would have to teach Arnav. She firmly told him to book only two tickets for them, and not waste money on an entire theatre, or else she would not go along.

Needless to say, Arnav had been shocked at Khushi's convincing arguments. She really would do well in marketing, he thought. He had not only agreed to watch a masala movie like Chennai Express, but had also given in to all her conditions. He smirked, what she did not know however, was that no one could beat ASR at negotiations. He was known to drive a hard bargain and offer deals that were hard to refuse. So he had smartly convinced her that he would decide the venue for dinner and would also pick her up for the movie in the evening. He also added that, this would be his treat and she should not bother to think of paying. He sweetened the offer by promising to let her treat him soon. He could very well imagine her blushing at the mere mention of their meeting up again. She really was adorable, and Arnav could not wait to spend some time with her again.

When Khushi got back home, Payal was waiting to make her try on the outfits designed by her. Khushi could see the excitement in Payal's eyes and could feel the love and warmth swell up within, for her soul-sister and best friend. After having a quick dinner, the girls got down to the task of dressing up. As Khushi tried on a couple of outfits, she debated with Payal about them being too heavy, and how it did not make sense to wear them, for just a casual dinner. Payal had laughed and said, "Khush, you are going on a dinner date with 'THE' Arnav Singh Raizada. Haven't you seen the pictures of the kind of people he hangs out with? They possibly wear Gucci, Prada or Masaba. All you are getting to wear is a Payal Sharma original." Khushi quietly decided on a traditional Anarkali suit. This was the first time since the previous night, that the reality of going on a dinner date with Arnav, was actually seeping in. She wondered if it really was a date or just a casual dinner...a date? With ASR?

The next day, Arnav spoke to Khushi twice. The first time, he had just wanted an excuse to speak to her, to hear her sweet voice and her tinkling laughter. The sound of it was magical, and it had managed to captivate his heart. They spoke for a while, both wondering at the comfort and ease in their conversations. It seemed the most natural thing to happen. He had tried to pry a little and get her to tell him, her favourite cuisine, but she had smartly told him to decide himself. She really wanted to be surprised... she wanted to know more of what the world of Arnav was made of. The second call happened at night, and lasted for a longer time. They had chatted on some details of the Ashadaan project. He needed her help in making some decisions and wanted to know more about what the children in the orphanage needed. Khushi, being a teacher there, would be more connected with the children and would know them better than the Director himself. The topic of conversation then changed smoothly to their upcoming dinner, when he informed her that he would pick her up at four. They only kept the phone down, when Payal made a fuss about getting up early to go to work.

Finally the day of the date arrived, and to Khushi's dismay, Payal was not around to tell her if she looked good. She had just received a message from Arnav saying that he was waiting outside her house and she should rush, if she did not want to miss the movie. As Khushi walked out and locked the door behind her, she turned around to look at the most beautiful sight ever...Arnav Singh Raizada, in full glory, stood leaning against his striking red Ferrari. He wore a slick deep-grey blazer, with a crisp white shirt. The aviators on his chiseled face, added to his handsomeness. For a moment, her heart skipped a beat, and she could not tear away her gaze from him. She suddenly felt nervous and anxious, doubting if she looked good enough to walk beside him. The self-doubt creeping up, made her wonder if this date was really a good idea... if going out with Arnav Singh Raizada itself, was a good idea? While such questions and reservations assailed her, the man in question, turned and looked straight at her and pulled of his aviators. His eyes seemed to bore into her soul, making her go weak in the knees.

Arnav had been waiting for her anxiously, since the past ten minutes. Each minute had seemed like an eternity. He chuckled at the thought of behaving like the hero of a mushy, romantic chick-flick. As he glanced once again towards the door...his mind went completely numb, looking at the vision in front of him... Khushi, his angel. She looked gorgeous. Did she have any idea how beautiful she was? The black of her flowing dress, made a stunning contrast to her pale pink skin. Her long, lustrous hair was left loose, just the way he liked. She walked towards him with a grace that made his heart soar up to his throat... and he smiled at her. That was all he was capable of right then, as she had left him tongue-tied. He wanted to cancel all his plans of a public outing... No movie... No dinner. He did not want to share her with the rest of the world. He wanted to keep her to himself - to spend time alone with her- to know her, all of her. As she came and stood in front of him, he started noticing the small details on her beautiful face.

Her hazel eyes that had first drawn him to her, were lined with kohl, highlighting their beautiful shape perfectly. Her minimal make-up was a breath of fresh air, so different from all the models that he had to deal with every day. Her complexion did not need any fake accentuation. If Khushi had any reservations earlier about the way she looked, his open admiration had completely cleared her doubts. A soft blush had crept up her cheeks as he had stared at her for a while, without so much as blinking. They stood there, looking at each other, for a long moment. Neither wanted to speak and break the spell that seemed to have been woven around them. Arnav was the first one to break the silence, as he smirked and said... "I see that this is another of Payal's creations." As she nodded in agreement, he moved his eyes lazily over her and looked back into her eyes. "Its beauuutiful," he said, in the same teasing manner, which he had used at the party, a few days ago. If there was any possibility of Khushi turning redder in embarrassment, she did... tomato red.

The drive towards the theatre was a quiet one. Both stealing quick glances at each other... and sometimes, catching the other at it... They reached the theatre in fifteen minutes. Khushi realized that they had arrived at the PVR Rivoli in Connaught Place. She had been here many times with Akash and Payal, to watch movies. She looked up at Arnav, as he walked to her side of the car-door to open it. She got out of the car and was nervous seeing a lot of people staring at them. Of course, they would...considering that it was the debonair Arnav Singh Raizada who had just gotten out of an extremely expensive car. He made a quick call to someone, and soon they were ushered inside the theatre, through a private entrance. Khushi wondered if he had adamantly gone ahead to book the entire theatre for them. That would surely be a little awkward, and she started feeling nervous all over again. This man could really drive her up the wall with the number of conflicting emotions she felt for him.

The owner of this multiplex, was Arnav's friend. He had made some prior arrangements to make sure that things were arranged as per his likes. She did not want a private screening, right? Fine by him. However, there was no chance that he would let Khushi sit beside anyone else. He would of course, be sitting on one side... but what about the other? The thought had irked him a lot, and had led him to make some decisions. As Khushi and he entered the dark theatre, she was surprised to see that the advertisements had already begun. Without realizing what she was doing, she grabbed his hand and dragged him along, following the person leading them. As they took their seats in the centre of the second last row in the auditorium, she realized that she was still holding his hand. She let go of it quickly and looked around them. About four to five rows ahead of them were completely deserted. All the people seemed to be sitting in the front half of the theatre. She looked at him questioningly, and in response, he just smirked and shrugged. Laad Governor kahin ka, she thought.

Arnav could not help but smile, looking at her excited face. He was least bothered about the movie that had now begun. The flickering light from the screen cast a beautiful glow on her extremely expressive face. He watched her enjoy the movie thoroughly and her excitement was truly contagious. As popcorn was served to them, she grabbed it from his hands without so much as a glance at him. She munched on the popcorn, while enjoying the movie. Laughing, screaming, clapping and going all "awww" in her seat... He tried to look at the screen, when she started screaming in her seat. He saw the entire auditorium clap and hoot for Shah Rukh Khan. SRK was beating the goons and the huge uproar was for his action stunts. He could not believe that he was actually sitting through all this. If Sumer ever got to know of it, he would surely be subject to some unmerciful ribbing and teasing, for a long time to come.

His reverie was broken by a shrill whistle. He turned around to see Khushi... who seemed to be the one who had whistled. He gaped at her without blinking ... this 'chota packet' was a bundle of surprises. Unadulterated joy shone on her face, making him swallow and feel unfamiliar, tender emotions. He had the urge to lean in and kiss her soft, plump cheek. He had to control this strong desire, as it was too early in their fragile relationship... that is, if she would even call it a relationship in the first place. As the movie was about to end, Arnav nudged an engrossed Khushi and all she did was nudge him back at being disturbed. Arnav could not help chuckling. He instructed the security that they would leave the theatre only after the rest of the people had left. As they made their way to the parking lot, he heard the non-stop chatter of Khushi praising 'her Hero', SRK! He felt an insane jealousy rise up towards SRK, for whom he had not even cared about till a few hours ago. As they settled quickly into the car, he drove away from the theatre, finally sighing in relief.

"Why are you so quiet? Didn't you enjoy the movie?" Her question amused him and he glanced at her, for a few seconds, before looking back at the road. "How does it matter? I am just your chauffeur. I hope you are enjoying your time with Mr. Khan." She hadn't expected this kind of jibe from him. She could see the annoyance and envy, clearly reflected in his eyes. She giggled a little before replying back, "Oh yes... we did have a great time. But now that we have left Mr. Khan way behind, I was wondering if this chauffeur would be kind enough to take me out to dinner, because I am simply starving." He laughed at her comeback. She was beautiful and witty, innocent and sexy, simple and elegant... how would he ever stay angry with her. He smirked as he replied, "Sure Madam, we shall reach our destination in fifteen minutes." Both of them fell into a comfortable silence yet again, as the mean machine zoomed through the streets. Khushi stared outside the window, wondering where Arnav was taking her. Arnav was engulfed in the sweet fragrance of Khushi's citrusy perfume, and he was slowly getting used to this sensation. He wondered if she was still thinking about SRK, or had ASR made an impression yet?

As Arnav pulled into the driveway of The Leela Palace, Khushi looked out of the window, awed at the extreme grandeur. The sun had set over the city, as lights dazzled around the beautiful structure in front of them. The car came to a halt in front of the grand entrance. Arnav walked over to her side to hold her hand and help her out. She could not help but look around. She had never been to the Leela Palace before. She had been to other five-star hotels in Delhi though, for some press conferences and work, but this place was grander than any of those. She saw the way people glanced at Arnav and her, as assistants ushered them inside. He seemed to be a regular here, as he waved at a few people. She could not help the nervousness that was now creeping up on her, making her fidget with her duppata.

That was exactly what Arnav noticed then... Khushi fidgeting with her dupatta, when he looked over at her. For the first time, since they entered, he realized the change in her body language. Even though she walked close to him, her eyes looked around at their surroundings. He felt like a jerk at overwhelming her by his lifestyle. He knew that she had been comfortable at the Cafe Coffee Day because it was more casual, whereas this place seemed to unnerve her. He did something that was probably the most natural thing to do...for them both. He gently pried her fidgeting hand away from her dupatta and held it in his warm comforting one. He marveled at how perfectly her hand fit into his. She looked up at him, and he just gave her a bright smile.

Khushi felt his dazzling smile warm her from within. She felt the comfort seeping in from his hand. She had actually been nervous looking at the people watching them walk in. She felt jealous of the admiring glances that the women had thrown at him and suddenly, she had not felt very confident. However, now that they were walking hand-in-hand, the never-say-die spirit of Khushi Kumari Gupta was back. She could not help but ask, "It seems like you come here often. Or is it that you are extremely popular around here?" If he was stunned by her question, he did not let it reflect on his face. As they were ushered inside the elevator, he smiled at her before replying, "Well, frankly...both. I do come here often for business meetings with foreign delegates. Also, my father is a stakeholder in this hotel, so that conveniently makes me popular amongst the crowd here." He casually shrugged at the last bit.

Arnav could see that Khushi had a lot of questions to ask him, so he interrupted her before she began. "Khushi, I am taking you to one of my favourite restaurants. It's called Le Cirque. But we won't actually be dining there." She looked at him questioningly, as he continued, "We are going to be dining in a different place. The food that will be served though, is from Le Cirque." She followed him mutely, as he led her to what she could see now, was the poolside of the hotel. The beauty of this place, just took her breath away.

An elegant table for two had been laid at one side of the pool. He quietly led her to it. He drew a chair for her and walked over to his side after she took her seat. Suddenly the loss of his warm hold on her hand, left her feeling bereft. Khushi was not really used to such chivalry either. She had always done things herself, as there was no one really to take care of her. No one had done such special things for her. She knew that he had arranged the dinner here, because she loved the ocean. She was overwhelmed by the thought behind his gesture. She was absolutely speechless, looking into the molten brown eyes of Arnav. The man who had brought her into a wonderland - a wonderland that seemed to amaze her with every passing minute. She tore her gaze away from him, and looked around the beautifully lit pool. The cool waters glittered and reflected shimmering ripples all around the poolside. This was a perfect setting for a romantic date and she could not stop the question that came out of her mouth, "Arnav, is this a date?"

Arnav could not look away from her face... his angel. She looked simply ethereal, sitting across him. He knew that he had completely fallen for her and that he would love to spend many more, such amazing moments with her. Never had he put in so much thought on taking a girl out on a date, because he had never before felt any girl worthy of special attention. But Khushi...she was different. She was everything he was not, yet they were similar. He had taken special care to organize a dinner by the poolside, only because she loved the ocean. He didn't know why, but her happiness had mattered to him. People might call him crazy... but, he was crazy indeed about this crazy girl who was asking him, if they were really on a date! He could not help but laugh at her naivet.

"What do you think Khushi?" He asked her, but immediately noticed her body stiffen. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable. "Okay, okay! You don't need to answer that. Let me make it clear, that it is absolutely a date on my part. However, if you want to call it a casual, friendly dinner, I have no issues at all." He saw her relax into her seat, as she nodded at him. Tints of red spread across her cheeks, making him want to kiss her. Thankfully, the waiter brought in the menu-cards, diverting his wayward thoughts to more mundane matters... like food. He asked, "You do like Italian food, don't you? If not, then we can order from another restaurant in this hotel." She refused, saying, "This is fine, Arnav. I do love pastas. Actually, according to AR, I make the best pasta in the world." She smiled back proudly at him, and suddenly the initials 'AR' rang a bell in his mind. He quickly asked who AR was, before his mind started conjuring images of Khushi lovingly feeding pasta to some random, faceless guy. "Oh! You haven't met AR, right? Well, Payal and AR are my best buddies. AR... I mean Akash Roy, he owns a small export company."

Arnav did not like the comfort and ease with which she spoke about Akash. Khushi had somehow sensed, what was going through his mind. The way his face had hardened, the way his shoulders had become stiff, and the way he clutched at the menu-card, was enough to shout out the obvious. If it was some other time, she would have played along, but not today. She did not want to spoil a day that had been perfect so far and so she said mirthfully, "AR is just a friend, Arnav... I don't agree with the statement that 'Ek ladka aur ek ladki kabhi dost nahin ho sakte'." They both burst out laughing at that, their laughter echoing across the beautiful and serene waters of the pool.

They placed their orders and got into a comfortable conversation. He told her all about his time at Harvard and how he had managed to study, as well as have fun. She listened with rapt attention, getting to know this man, whom the whole world admired. As the food was served, they spoke about their likes and dislikes. They realized that they were actually poles apart in many things. She loved Bollywood masala movies, whereas he loved Hollywood action thrillers. She loved Indian food, while he loved Italian. She believed in her Devi Maiyya, whereas he was an atheist. As they kept gorging on the food, the conversation flowed smoothly. They found common ground however, in their love for old Hindi songs and the colour blue'.

As dessert was finally served, Khushi dug into her plate of Tiramisu and mumbled, "Hmmm... this is so delicious. I like it... but nothing beats the Jalebi's of Chandi Chowk." Arnav's head snapped up from his dessert plate, "You love those Dariba jalebis? Really? I can never have enough of them. I make sure I send HP, our Man Friday at home, to buy them every week. Those jalebis are my weakness. I could forgive my biggest enemy, if he got me those jalebis." Khushi gaped at him with her mouth half-open. Did Arnav Singh Raizada just say he loved jalebis? That too, the ones from Chandni Chowk? She had been surprised many times today. This...this was something else however- totally unexpected. She had gotten to see the real Arnav, the one who was unknown to the rest of the world. "Arnav, when we were at the coffee shop, you had ordered for black coffee. Considering that, I had never imagined you would have a sweet tooth." Arnav smirked and responded to her question, "Khushi, I just got addicted to black coffee, while I was at Harvard. Now that I work for really long hours every day, it gives me an adrenaline rush. But I really love sweets."

As Arnav settled the check, Khushi asked if they could spend some more time by the poolside. She looked at the serene water, thinking of the conversations they had had, since they'd met. Today, she had felt a little closer to the real Arnav. He was perfect. A true gentleman, any woman's dream and yet, here he was, with a simple girl like her. She could not stop herself from asking him, what was on her mind. Actually she was surprised at herself, for not hesitating to ask him about anything at all.

"Arnav, do you take girls out for dinner dates very often? I see so many pictures of you with various girls at many parties. It is difficult to not believe it, you know." Arnav was slightly hurt at her question, but he knew he had to clear her doubts, one at a time. If he really had to get close to her heart, he would have to make her realize that the differences between them, did not matter to him. So he replied truthfully, "Khushi, you do know how the gossip section in newspaper works, right?" After seeing her nod in agreement, he continued, "I will not deny that I have had a few relationships in the past. However, most of them happened, while I was studying abroad. With mom and Nani around here, I could never think of casually dating a girl. They would make sure that it would lead to a wedding... and I cannot risk that, you see." He winked at a visibly shocked Khushi. As laughter bubbled within her, she admired how easily, he had made her feel comfortable yet again. How was she going to keep herself from falling for this man?

Arnav was not having an easy time of it, either. The ambience around them, Khushi's beauty and even more, her inner attractiveness, were getting to him. She did not see herself as clearly as he saw her. Her beauty was in her simplicity and he was drawn to her like a magnet. He was slowly losing control, but there was no chance that he would ruin such a perfect date, by doing something stupid. So he asked Khushi, if he could drop her home now, and she readily agreed. As they walked out of the lobby, Khushi gave the grand, elegant hotel, one last glance. Arnav had made her feel like a princess today. She could not help but feel upset like Cinderella, who would soon have to get back to her asli duniya. As they got into the car, which sped through the almost empty streets of Delhi, he switched on some music.

Lag ja gale ke phir
Ye hasin raat ho na ho
Shayad phir is janam mein
Mulakat ho na ho
Lag jaa gale se ...

As the song drifted through the car, he felt like he was home. The citrusy fragrance, the retro music and her presence were all that mattered to him. And what a perfect choice, this song was, of living and savoring the moment, before it passed. They drove in perfect silence, as the song swept through the car, their hearts soaring on magical wings, perhaps taking them to uncharted territories, that both of them had yet to fully explore.

Hum ko mili hai aaj
Ye ghadiya naseeb se
Je bhar ke dekh leejiye
Hamako kareeb se
Phir apke naseeb mein
Ye raat ho na ho
Phir is janaam mein
Mulakaat ho na ho

Lag ja gale ke phir
Ye hasin raat ho na ho...

He stole glances at the Khushi's calm, beautiful face and was caught doing it, a couple of times too. She just smiled at him, as a soft blush spread across her cheeks, yet again. He gripped the steering wheel tight, controlling his urge to hold her hand in his own. As the car stopped in front of her house, she got out herself, before he could reach her side. They stood for a few moments, just staring at each other. Neither wanted to let go of the most beautiful moments of their lives. He looked into the hazel eyes, that mirrored her soul, and he made up his mind.

He whispered softly, so that only she could hear it "Khushi, just because this is a date... it needs to end with a goodnight kiss" and without thinking of the consequences, he leaned forward to kiss her soft cheek. It was a quick peck, but it left both of them stunned. He saw a visible shiver run down her body. He himself could not help the increased pace of his heartbeats. He was amazed at the power that a small peck held. He realized one thing, in these few minutes, that the chemistry they shared was rare, and he could give up everything in this world, to attain it.

She could still feel the warmth, where he had kissed her cheek. It seared her skin, she felt as if it was on fire. She raised her hand to touch the place. She realized that she had turned red with embarrassment, and all she could do was give him a quick smile, uttered some gibberish that was supposed to sound like a "Goodbye", before running into the house. He smiled at her receding form, as he got into the car to head home. Both of them missed seeing, a dark shadow - that of Akash Roy looking after both of them dejectedly.

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Hey guys, I am extremely sorry for not being able to respond to any of your comments. But work has been very hectic and I really wanted to update on time. This one is really long by my standards... goes above 5300 words. Phew! I hope you have enjoyed the update and the date was worth the wait. Also thought of doing a new banner for PAB as we have crossed ten chapters.

P.S.: LOL!! I read the first few comments... and I just want to say that Akash is not a negative guy!! This is a fun-filled story... So sit back and enjoy!! 😉

Thank you to all who like and comment on this story...Your love and encouragement is all that I need. pixiegirl, Barun_Gf, Nidsubh007, psarada, kondhili, deeswarna, IronButterfly, AnupamaJY, TwilightStar_JP, jahnvi.luvs.ASR, A_BA, kbtr, kooldewdrop... your comments make me really happy... they make me smile, laugh and inspire me to keep writing. So a heartfelt thank you! 🤗

I am sorry Vandy and C for making your lives miserable! 🤪

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