Chapter 21
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OS 2: Finding Khushi
Section 1
"Now where will you run, Khushi?", he asked.
"Run?", Khushi tried to draw lots and lots of air into her lungs. She would need it by the time this ended. "Why should I run? And that too from you?"
Even in the dim light, she could see that hated eyebrow make its ascent.
"If I have to run from you, you should mean something to me. But you don't. So why should I run?" She tried to be calm & reasonable.
She could see red colour spread across his cheeks as his anger mounted.
"So I don't mean anything to you?", he bit out.
"No. Did you forget what you told me on Diwali night? That I don't mean anything to you. That you want me out of your life. That...", Khushi was all about reminding him about his harsh words and cowardly actions.
"Khushi!", he broke in.
"Ji?" She waited for him to find words, but they were not forthcoming.
So she continued. "What was it you said earlier? That I am trying to make you jealous? Why should I try to make you jealous?" She was curious.
Arnav jumped in with both feet.
"Flirting with NK, laughing at his lame jokes...", he fumed.
Khushi smiled. "Mr. Raizada, I am sorry to say this, but somebody must. You are not the centre of this universe you know. Everything does not happen to make you angry or to hurt you."
Arnav stared at her in the dim light, his chest hurting.
Her nose pin glinted and her jewels glittered.
"I am not your girl friend or your wife that I have to take your permission before I talk to another man or laugh at his jokes. Or worry that you might be hurt by my actions. I am free of you."
Arnav took a step forward, his hands raised to haul her close to him.
"And wonder of wonders, you are a free man too! Isn't that nice, Mr. Raizada? That is what you always wanted, isn't it?"
Arnav halted, his hands still raised.
"That poor fool, Lavanyaji, who dreamt of a future with you is in London now, leading her own life. And I, the bigger idiot who came here to make her fit into your family, am leading my life in Laxmi Nagar without disturbing you in any way. You are free of both of us. You should be bursting crackers and holding a party!", Khushi smiled at him, her eyes glittering with some emotion that he couldn't name.
"After all, you don't believe in love. You don't believe in marriage. And now there is no one pestering you to believe in either. You have successfully freed yourself of every bondage!"
Arnav swallowed past the lump in his throat.
"It is my misfortune that I will have to see you a few times every year.", Khushi said. "But I suppose it is no use lamenting about it."
Arnav stared at her. Khushi stared back at him, struggling not to let him know that her legs were trembling and her heart thundering.
"It must be time for the sagai.", Khushi finally whispered as she turned to leave the store.
She was leaving him. He couldn't let that happen.
She reached the door to feel her dupatta being pulled from behind.
She panicked for a moment, hid it from her face thanking the darkness, and turned to face him.
He was holding the end of her dupatta.
She tried to free it from his hold with a flick of her wrist, but failed.
"Chodiye hamein.", she whispered.
"No.", he said, pulling her dupatta. She fell into his open arms, flush against him.
He held her tight, his arms around her.
Khushi wriggled & writhed, trying to free herself, but his hold only tightened.
"What are you doing?", she finally asked, her heart in her throat, her breath a thing of the past.
"Don't you know?", he asked softly.
He bent to kiss her cheek, savouring the sweet-smelling soft skin with his hard lips...
Khushi trembled, and frantic to escape his insidious touch, struggled to move away.
But he held her without much effort, his strong, muscular arms subduing her easily. His fingers played over the silky skin of her waist, exploring dangerous areas with eager digits, making her catch her breath and struggle with a desire she had little previous acquaintance with.
He cupped her face in his hands, and looked down at her face that revealed her fascination for him and her craving for his touch, even in the dim light. Her laboured breathing and heaving chest were proof of how much his touch moved her.
"Now will you say that there is nothing between us, Khushi?", he asked, his husky whisper sending all her nerves dancing.
Khushi looked at him with wide eyes. What had she gotten herself into? Again?
She pushed him away, her panic lending her enough strength to thrust him away. He fell back against a rack.
The next thing both of them knew was a shower of white powder over them. A small bin with atta had overturned and blessed both of them.
They stood looking at each other, atta rising around them like a halo, the dim light giving the scene a dream-like appearance...
Khushi burst out laughing. She couldn't control her mirth.
Arnav watched her in silence, his lips quirking.
"Amanji should see you now! The great Arnav Singh Raizada! Covered in Atta!", she giggled.
Arnav smiled. "You are no better, Khushi Kumari Gupta!"
Khushi leaned against the wall, trying to get her breath back.
"Arnav Bhaiyya! Arnav Bhaiyya!", HP called, peeking into the kitchen to see if his master was there. "It is time for the sagai. Where are you?"
The smiles vanished. They looked at each other, urgency evident in their eyes.
Khushi quickly peeked in to the kitchen. It was unoccupied. She shook herself and her lehenga, sending a cloud of atta flying, and then darted out of the store into the kitchen to grab a couple of kitchen towels. She ran back into the dark store on swift feet.
She handed him a couple of the towels, and started to dust herself with the ones left.
Thankfully, the atta had not fallen on their heads. They shook themselves like wet dogs to loose the powder.
Finally, they emerged into the kitchen. They looked at each other.
Arnav 's dark coat had a white patch on the chest region. Khushi quickly wiped it off with her towel.
"You look OK now. Aap jaayiye. I will follow. Otherwise Mamiji & the others...", Khushi's voice trailed off.
"Khushi, tum theek ho?", he asked, concern lacing his voice.
"As fine as I can be after bathing in atta.", Khushi had to smile.
Arnav saw a discolouration on her neck. Dropping his towels on the platform, he cleaned her neck with his fingers.
Khushi's breath hitched.
He looked into her eyes as he wiped the atta off. Khushi looked away, unable to meet his eyes. The atta vanished, but his fingers still lingered on the silky curve of her neck.
"Do you really want to be free of me, Khushi?", he asked softly.
Part 10:Section 2:78434751 Part 11: Section 2:78640154
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