Chapter 37
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A big big big Thank you to Amu (Amus5) for the links to the chapters of this story! You have made this task so much easier for me!🤗
Another Big shout out to all my readers for being so patient with the delay with chapter 30! Hopefully the length will make up for it.😊
Chapter 30: Relationship Labyrinth
When they got to Akash's bedroom, Arnav didn't even so much as knock. He turned the doorknob and threw the door open as he barged in.
"What the f*ck is wrong with you?!" He barked at Akash, who turned away from his window to face them, surprised and startled by the sudden entrance.
Khushi walked in and slammed the door shut behind her, fixing Akash with a disappointed glare. Relief was the most profound expression on Akash's face as he closed the distance and gave Arnav a brotherly hug which Arnav returned half-heartedly. Leaving him, Akash made an attempt to hug Khushi but was taken aback when she pushed him away with force.
"Don't try to distract us...Arnav asked you a question." Khushi shook her head, trying to rein her temper. "What the hell have you done, Akash?!"
Akash shrugged and let out small cynical laugh. "Ironic isn't it? You're both here to fix the relationship of the same woman who pushed you two apart."
"Stop it, Akash." Arnav snapped. "That is no reason for you to end the relationship...it makes no sense."
"It makes sense." Akash spoke seriously. It almost seemed as if he was trying to convince himself more than Arnav and Khushi. "She separated two people in love...surely she can't know what love is...if she doesn't know what it is...she can't possibly love me."
"Do you realize how pathetic you sound right now?" Khushi's tone was icy.
Akash stared at her disbelievingly for a second. "She knew how you felt about Bhai and yet she--"
"She did it to protect her!" Arnav raised his voice a notch higher. "You're forgetting that Di played an equal part! They thought they were trying to help their friend...their intentions were not wrong...there was no malice. It was just their protective intentions applied in the wrong way, Akash..."
"He's right." Khushi spoke gently, knowing in her heart that Arnav was right. "There are other ways to communicate other than emails but when I called, I never asked for him and he didn't call me...just like Arnav thought I'd be better off without him, Anjali and Payal also assumed that I'd be better off without him. If Rohan had broken Anjali's heart...would you not try to protect her from him? Would you not try to get him out of her life?"
Akash looked between the two of them. "But--"
"Oh for shit's sake, Akash...let it go! It was a mistake. And both Khushi and I know that at the end of the day, the joke is on us. It's because we created enough distance between us allowing others to step in and interfere. It all started with our lack of communication and utter stupidity on my part. And now you're repeating my mistakes." Arnav held Akash's shoulder to get his attention. "Take it from the man who was stupid enough to let his Khushi go...don't do this to Payal or to yourself. You will regret it all your life, Akash. Trust me; you don't want to be in that place..."
"I'm fine." Akash muttered, pushing off Arnav's hand and turned his back to them.
Khushi flared. She stalked up to him and forcefully whirled him around to face her. "I can see that you're fine. You're only a tad bit drunk...perhaps if you finish that stupid bottle on the table, you'll feel fantastic!" Sarcasm dripped viciously from her sentence.
In the next few seconds of silence that followed, Khushi tried to calm herself before she spoke. "Akash this is not necessary...you're putting yourself and Payal through pain that you two don't need to deal with. No man thinks clearly in the haze of anger or under the influence of alcohol. I know you're upset about what happened; we all were. Take your time to clear your head if you need to but this is ridiculous and childish! She loves you and you love her...it's that simple. Don't complicate it unnecessarily."
Khushi threw a glance at Arnav, trying to communicate something to him but she knew he didn't understand when he frowned in confusion. Khushi pressed her lips together, making a decision.
"Look...if it is any consolation to you...everything is fine between Arnav and me." Khushi sighed.
Arnav's eyes widened in surprise. They'd decided to not tell any of them until they spoke to NK. Akash was equally surprised and he looked between Arnav and Khushi repeatedly.
It couldn't be! Arvind uncle had said that these two had parted ways at the airport. Bhai had gone off to Bangalore for a meeting and Khushi had flown to Mumbai to meet some friend who was visiting from Australia...
"We were going to wait until I cleared everything with NK before telling anyone but...Amma knows...Arvind uncle knows...Arnav and I were at the farmhouse the past few days and we've sorted everything out!" Khushi clutched at Akash's arms while he looked at her, testing the honesty in her words. "Please tell me you won't cancel this engagement. You've helped in bringing us together Akash, and I would hate to see you lose the woman you love over a stupid decision made in the heat of the moment. You two have been together for years...don't let all that go to waste. Don't do something you'll regret for the rest of your life."
"Your patience with my kids surprises me, Khushi."
All three heads in the room turned to face Arvind who stood in the doorway, livid. He stepped in slowly, glaring at Akash and then looking fondly at Khushi.
"First Arnav...then Anjali...and now Akash..." Arvind shook his head. "I'm beginning to question our upbringing in this family...from stupid games to manipulation to irresponsible decisions...How are you still putting up with them, Khushi?!"
Arnav lowered his head slightly, feeling the familiar shame creeping up again.
Akash averted his eyes, not being able to look his Chachu in the eye. This man had been more of a father figure in his life than his own father. He had helped in convincing his mother for Payal and Akash's alliance. He had been by their side every step of the way and now...he was disappointed. The knowledge that he had disappointed the man he had idolized clawed at Akash.
"I am done and fed up with the lot of you." Arvind addressed Akash. "You guys have turned relationships into a damned joke. That girl is sitting downstairs, shocked, hurt, and heartbroken!"
"Dad is right Akash..." Rohan walked into the room as well. "Look...I understand they've made mistakes but that doesn't mean that you call off the engagement! I'm just as upset with Anjali as you are with Payal...I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate if I left your Di over this."
Arvind saw a fleeting expression of uncertainty on Akash's face. Arnav pounced on the opportunity immediately. "They're both regretting and repenting, aren't they?"
Rohan looked at Akash and he could tell that together, the four of them had fazed him. He went on to make the gap wider. "Besides, if anyone has the right to punish them, it's Arnav and Khushi...and even they don't agree with you on this. Come on man...this is not done. She hasn't said a single word since you stormed out of the room...she hasn't stopped crying..."
Khushi took an instinctive step towards the exit, wanting to comfort her cousin but stopped to give one last word to Akash. "Akash?"
Akash pulled his unfocused eyes to Khushi. Arnav, Rohan, and Arvind followed Akash's gaze.
Khushi pulled her expression together, hoping that her face would convey the sincerity in her words. "You are one of my closest friends Akash...I respect you. Don't make me doubt my judgment. I've already had two of my friends disappoint me...please don't be the third!"
Without waiting for a response from either one of them, Khushi walked out of the room and headed back towards the living room. She settled her eyes on her cousin and her heart dropped seeing her. She looked devastated, shocked, and ashamed. Khushi pressed her lips together and walked towards them determined to put things right in their lives. Enough was enough.
As she approached, Anjali and Payal looked up at her, surprised that she was here. They stared up at Khushi as they stood, waves of regret washing over them steadily.
Khushi's brows knit together in a faint frown when Payal bit her trembling lip to keep from bursting into tears. That was all it took for Khushi to gather her in an embrace and Khushi's gesture was all it took to burst the dams which held back Payal's tears.
"I'm so sorry!" Payal sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm sorry! I never meant to hurt you! Please believe me."
"Shh..." Khushi hushed her, rocking her gently back and forth. "It'll all work out Payal...just give it time."
"No..." Payal sobbed harder. "I've messed up big time! I broke your trust...I lost a good friend...and now I've also lost the man I love."
"No you haven't." Khushi hugged her harder. "Give him time."
"Everybody hates me!" Payal choked on her words. "This is not what I wanted...ever! I just wanted to see you happy...I thought...I thought..."
"Enough Payal..." Khushi pulled apart and held her by the shoulders. She glanced between a trembling Payal and a disheartened Anjali before speaking the words she had decided on a few minutes ago. "I forgive you two."
Anjali gasped while Payal looked at her wide eyed. It was evident to Khushi that it wasn't something they'd expected to hear. If she were being honest, a few hours ago, she didn't see herself saying these words either. But how long could she go denying that she missed her friends? That she loved them despite the fact that they'd meddled in her love life?
"Hear me out." Khushi warned gently. "I've had time to think everything through. In the heat of the moment, I was too caught up in the betrayal to see anything else. Deep down, I know that you two meant to guard me when you decided to shut Arnav out of my life and me out of his. Having said that...I want to forgive you because I want to move past this. I want my friends back...I want that comfort, that relationship back.
"I know that trusting you two will be difficult for me...and I hope you're not expecting that from me any time soon...but after all this sh*t, I want the six of us to be happy like we used to be." Khushi sighed. "I can't speak on Arnav's behalf but as far as I'm concerned...I forgive this...not because I agree with what you did--I don't--but because I need to do this for my peace of mind. If I'm going to get over all of this and move on, I need to let go."
Anjali's heart ached a little as she registered the words. The forgiveness wasn't because they'd earned it...it was because Khushi didn't want to burden herself with this grudge. Anjali couldn't argue that...she knew they no longer deserved her trust. The fact that she was speaking to them again, the fact that she was willing to move past it all was the biggest form of forgiveness they could expect at this point.
"You've got a big heart so you can forgive us...I can't even forgive myself..." Payal smiled sadly even as the tears continued to flow down her cheeks. "You know when Akash called off the engagement...I felt this pain...something I'd never felt before...and my next thought was of you. How can I forgive myself knowing that I put you through something like that if not worse? For years!"
"Your perspective changes on everything once you've had insight into the other person's experience." Khushi nodded, referring more to her and Arnav than Payal. The last few days had helped her see things from his side and she understood his reason--as foolish as they were--better than she ever had in the last few years. After Akash's little stunt, Payal knew what it was like to be heartbroken...her apology truly meant something more than mere words now.
Khushi sighed and gently squeezed Payal's shoulder. "I'm here with you. Akash will come around...just give him time."
"He is so angry." Anjali murmured in a small voice. "I'm used to seeing Arnav like that but Akash is...usually so calm."
"And his anger will cool down quickly. He's not as stubborn as Arnav, that's how I know he'll come around." Khushi smiled and gestured the girls to sit down again.
"Have you and Arnav talked?" Anjali interjected tentatively and regretted it the next moment when Khushi stiffened.
"Let's not talk about that Anjali." Khushi spoke in a tone that warranted no responses. Too many people knew already. She won't reveal anything to anyone else until she had a conversation with NK.
Anjali and Payal silently acknowledged that they were no longer privy to any details of Khushi's relationship or equation with Arnav. Perhaps it was better that way...at least they won't be able to meddle in the future.
The three ladies sat in awkward silence for a couple of minutes. It was only when Arnav, Rohan, and Arvind returned that they moved from their spots.
Somehow reading her mind and knowing her decision, Arnav didn't make any obvious attempt to communicate with Khushi lest he give away anything. He could see the worry in her eyes and he knew that it wasn't just from the fact that Akash had called off the engagement.
"He just needs a bit of time, Payal." Arvind smiled sympathetically at the saddened girl. "Why don't I take you and Khushi home?"
"Dad, I suggest that they stay here." Arnav intervened right away.
Khushi glared at him lightly in a slight warning to keep the faade up. He acknowledged her with an impassive glance and then turned his focus to his father again.
"If Payal goes home like this, Buaji and Aunty will get worried..." Arnav explained his reasons and turned to face Payal, for the first time not feeling anger upon seeing her. "Until everything is resolved, I think you and Khushi should stay here."
"He's right." Anjali placed a hand on Payal's shoulder. "Let's not stress out Buaji or aunty right now. In fact, they don't even have to find out if this gets resolved."
"When it gets resolved." Khushi corrected. She wouldn't leave from here until she made Akash see sense.
"You don't mind staying with me?" Payal looked at Khushi hopefully.
"I told you Payal. I'm here with you." Khushi wrapped her arm around Payal in an obvious gesture of support.
Anjali, Rohan, Arvind and Arnav looked at them feeling remorse, gratitude, pride, and admiration, respectively.
"I'll call aunty and let them know that you two are staying here for a small reunion sort of thing today. For now, come have something to eat..." Anjali began leading Payal towards the dining room but stopped upon the obvious resistance from Payal. "You haven't even had water since this afternoon, Payal..."
"Let's all have dinner, shall we?" Arvind suggested. "After all of your stupid decisions, I don't want a single word against this right now. I have a doctor here to back me up about the importance of your meals if anyone dares to say no."
Khushi smiled, instantly joining Arvind in the attempt to lighten the atmosphere a little bit.
As they sat around the table and tried to get required amount of food in their systems, Khushi noted that Arnav deliberately sat further from her at the table and tried to speak strictly as necessary. On a typical day, his behavior might have irritated her but tonight she could not be more grateful for his sensibility. She knew he wasn't too happy with the situation from the way he kept giving her sad, resigned smiles whenever she caught him looking her way.
Their future was teetering on someone else's reaction to all of this. The idea was bound to make him uneasy. She had embraced that uneasiness because either way, no matter what path she chose, one of them would end up hurt. Perhaps she should have waited to even tell Arnav...Perhaps NK should have been the first to find out. Not only was it unfair to him to find out after others but it was also unfair to Arnav because she couldn't truly, completely openly express her feelings for him for they were tainted with guilt.
As she dwelled on these thoughts everyone began retiring to their respective rooms soon after dinner, giving Payal some privacy to deal with the upheaval this event had caused. Anjali and Khushi sat with her in her guest room and consoled her until she drifted to sleep. Leaving her somewhat at peace in her slumber, Anjali and Khushi left the room quietly.
No later had they stepped out than Anjali threw her arms around and Khushi and sobbed softly.
"I'm so glad you're here!" Anjali sniffled. "I'm sorry once again for what I did..."
Khushi pulled away gently and smiled at Anjali. "Arnav needs this apology from you more than I do, don't you think? You're his sister...I'm sure that Payal's involvement hasn't remotely upset him as much as yours."
"I know..." Anjali nodded slowly. "I can't even look him in the eye...I've hurt my own brother. Goes to show you that I'm a terrible sister...how could I have not seen the signs? Even Akash figured it out before I did..."
"Akash is smarter and more observant than he's given credit for." Khushi smiled fondly and then frowned. "Except at this moment when he's being a jackass."
"Have you spoken to Arnav?" Anjali approached tentatively.
"I don't want to talk about that right now Anjali." Khushi politely closed the topic.
On cue, Khushi's phone rang. She looked at the screen momentarily and flicked her eyes to her friend only to see Anjali's face fall at what she saw on the screen.
"I'll leave you to it." Anjali smiled tightly. "Good night."
"Good night." Khushi responded to Anjali and took a deep breath, glancing down at her phone again before she answered it. "Hi NK."
"H---Khus---how---hello?"
Khushi frowned in confusion, not able to make sense of his jumbled words. "NK? I can't hear you..."
Just as he began speak again, the call got disconnected. She looked down at her phone to see it drained of battery power.
"What the--" Khushi grumbled. She could have sworn she had charged her phone today.
"I believe that's my line." Arnav's voice startled her out of her skin.
She whirled around to face him and found him leaning against the wall next to the corridor that led down the wing that housed her guest room, Arvind uncle and Arnav's study Arnav's room and the attached poolside area.
"I thought you were asleep." Khushi raised an eyebrow.
"I wanted to talk to you for a bit...got a minute?" He straightened up and looked at her intently.
She nodded slowly and he moved forward instantly. Grabbing her hand, he led her down the corridor, past her temporary room and into his study. Seeing the glass tank on his desk, Khushi gasped.
"Oh God! I'd forgotten we left it in the trunk." Khushi looked at Arnav.
"What?"
"The snake!"
"Oh..." As he led her towards the door that led into the poolside area, Arnav glanced at the case and back at her. "HP brought him in right away...the prakash brothers are quite efficient Khushi..."
"Oh...did you say you want to talk to me?" Khushi got down to the point as soon as they came to a stop by the pool.
Arnav nodded slowly as he scanned her face. Almost hesitantly, he brushed her bangs out of her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Arnav's concerned gaze lingered over her thoughtful expression.
Khushi nodded out of a habitual response to the question. No. Not really okay. I've been better...
"Akash will come around..." Arnav reassured. "I won't let him make the same mistake I made."
Arnav reached out and took her hand in his, squeezing gently to emphasize his promise. "It will work out...with him...with NK...with us...with everything."
Khushi smiled at him weakly, not being able to agree with him as strongly as she'd like. She wasn't even sure if he was reassuring her or himself.
"I'm surprised you told Akash, though..." Arnav raised an eyebrow questioningly.
Khushi shrugged. "Considering the issue that made him call off the engagement, I thought it would help to tell him that we had resolved our differences."
"So it's true then?"
Akash's voice startled them momentarily and both Arnav and Khushi turned to look at him as he stepped out of the shadows of the plants by the French doors.
"Akash?" Arnav frowned, somewhat confused to see his cousin spying on them.
"I'm sorry...I followed you two here when you pulled Khushi into the corridor. I had to see for myself that she wasn't lying to me earlier." Akash glanced at them sheepishly, shuffling his feet slightly.
"Lying about what?" Khushi mirrored Arnav's frown.
"About everything being okay between you and Bhai..." Akash sighed. "Don't even deny it, Khushi. It's something you would do...you would say something like that if it meant everything getting fixed between me and Payal."
Khushi's jaw dropped slightly in indignation and she turned to look at Arnav for help. Seeing the small smirk on his face, she couldn't help but elbow him in the rib.
"Ow!" Arnav grabbed her arms lest she hit him again. "What? He's right. It is something you would do..."
"Whatever..." Khushi rolled her eyes and turned to face Akash. "I wasn't lying. We are really keeping it all on the down-low until I talk to NK...I told you the truth because I want you to stop being stupid."
"Point taken." Akash smiled genuinely at her. "But for now, I want to take a minute to say how happy I am for both of you...and I know you're still waiting to talk to NK but I can bet my life that NK will not have any issues..."
"Do you know something that I don't?" Khushi questioned his confidence.
Akash shrugged. "Just a gut feeling. Anyway, I'll leave you two to continue your conversation..."
Just as Akash turned around to leave, Khushi called out to him, halting him in his tracks.
"Akash...Please tell me you've changed your decision." Her voice was hopeful, nervous, and stern all at the same time.
He didn't turn around to face her, lest she see the wide grin on his face. "I'll think about it."
_____
The next morning, breakfast was an affair of the name only. Their various food items were cold and barely touched on their plates. No particular conversation had lasted more than a few seconds. The usual uproar, laughter, and banter that filled the confines of this small dining room now were suffocating with the uncharacteristic quietness. Anjali and Rohan communicated silently as they sat next to each other. Arvind and Arnav seemed to be having a conversation through eye contact. Khushi murmured soothing words to Payal and tried to feed her a little bit.
"Good Morning everyone." Akash joined the table, seemingly unaffected by the events of yesterday.
All heads turned to look at him offering a variety of expressions ranging from anger to hurt to annoyance. Very smoothly, he pulled out the chair next to Payal and took his seat while the others continued to watch.
"Why is everyone so quiet?" Akash looked around and ignored the way Arnav and Khushi's eyebrows shot up simultaneously. His eyes settled on Arvind's appalled expression. "Oh right...that."
He glanced towards Payal and found her clutching the edge of the table with her left hand as if her life depended on it. He looked at the hand which was supposed to be adorned with a diamond solitaire in two weeks' time. Except, there were change of plans.
He pushed his chair back a bit and turned to face Payal. "Payal...I hope you won't make a big deal out of this..."
Immediately, an uproar of protest started at the table at his statement. Everyone, except Payal and Akash, spoke at once, giving him the same lectures as they'd done yesterday. He decided that trying to say anything to grab their attention was fruitless so he pushed back his chair and stood up, glared at them all for a moment and then did the unexpected.
Immediately, everyone shut up and watched with dropped jaws as he lowered himself on one knee in front of Payal, holding up a simple diamond ring.
"I know I got carried away in the heat of the moment and I'm sorry that I put you through hell yesterday...and right now, I'm sitting here with this ring, hoping that you'll forgive me for that and take me back...will you excuse my stupidity from yesterday? Will you accept to punish me for it for the rest of our lives and marry me sometime in the near future?" Akash smiled sheepishly at her.
Payal was sobbing softly, overwhelmed by the relief the moment had brought with it. He had changed his mind about calling off the engagement, he had apologized, and he had surprised her with this proposal! How was she to keep up with all these sudden turns in events?!
As if out of her own control, her left hand extended towards him, albeit shakily, and grinning widely, he slipped the ring on her third finger. Payal and Akash heard the sighs of relief around the table and felt the tension evaporate into thin air before the cheers began.
Payal glanced down at the shimmering ring as his words reverberated in her mind. A particular detail stood out to her...he indeed had put her through hell yesterday.
Fuelled by the thought, Payal frowned. Tearing her gaze away from the ring, she watched him with her tear-blurred eyes for a couple of seconds before smacking his arm loudly.
"Ow!" Akash exclaimed and rubbed his arm.
She showered a few more slaps at his arms and chest. "Don't you ever, ever do that to me again! Next time I will kill you..."
"I'm sorry..." Akash smiled at her and she shoved at his chest again.
"To hell with your sorry." Payal slapped his arm again. "You can't do that to me again, do you understand?"
"I'm sorry!" Akash exclaimed, grabbing her hands at the wrist before she hit him again. He looked down at her tear-stained face, guilt simmering in his heart. "I'm so so sorry."
He pulled her into an embrace, uncaring of the audience they had at the moment.
"You can't promise to spend the rest of your life with me and then leave me when I make a mistake...You can yell at me all you want but don't threaten to break our relationship..." Payal mumbled against his chest.
Akash hugged her tighter. Despite his stubborn decision, despite his anger and irritation with her, he couldn't deny that the mere few hours without her had been purgatory.
"It seems like I've reached at the right time!"
Arnav stiffened at the voice immediately and from the corner of his eyes, he saw Khushi turn with a jerk to face the new addition to the group.
"NK?" She whispered, shocked or surprised, pleased or displeased...it was difficult to say.
"The one and only." He grinned widely as he approached the table, making a beeline for Khushi.
On a social instinct, Khushi stood up just in time for him to engulf her in a comfortable hug. Arnav resolutely stared at the glass in front of her while Arvind and Akash's eyes flickered to him nervously.
"I've missed you..." NK smiled at her as he pulled away.
Khushi blinked. Something was different here. Perhaps in the way he had hugged her...perhaps in his words...or was it the way he looked at her?
"I didn't know you were coming back today..." she questioned gently.
"You weren't supposed to know." NK shrugged. "I wanted to surprise you but I got surprised instead...Good job Akash! Congratulations Payal..."
Akash and Payal murmured their thank you's politely. NK greeted everyone cheerfully, including Arnav who tried his best to respond without any hard feelings.
"You don't look too happy to see me." NK teased Khushi as he settled in the chair next to her.
"No!" Khushi exclaimed, conscious at once. "It's not that...I'm just...surprised." Khushi smiled.
As the conversations resumed again, Khushi became quiet, her mind ardently planning and rehearsing how she would break the news to NK. The sooner, the better...but he looked so happy right now...kind of excited and nervous even! She glanced at Arnav who was looking right at her, speculating her expression. She gave him a tight, almost apologetic smile and his lips lifted momentarily in a quick glimpse of a smile before he turned away.
She could feel many other pairs of eyes on her through the few minutes that NK took to converse with everyone but she refused to acknowledge any of them at the moment.
"As much as I love your company, everyone...I hope you'll pardon me if I steal Khushi away for a bit..." NK stood up and moved to stand behind Khushi's chair, holding her shoulders in a silent gesture to join him. When everyone murmured their half-hearted approvals, Khushi stood up, not daring to look at Arnav, afraid of what expression she might find on his face.
She knew that perhaps pain and anger would be the prominent expression the moment NK reached out and took her hand in his.
At the table, everyone looked at Arnav to assess his reaction. His hawk-like eyes had zeroed in on their enclosed hands and a jealous streak ran through him.
Pfft. His conscience snorted. And you so eloquently said that you would let her go with him if that's what she chose. You're a fool Raizada. You know you won't be able to see her with him...or anyone else. What the hell were you thinking?
"Excuse me." He grumbled and left the table abruptly, pulling out his blackberry--the device the unlocked the doors to his escapade that was work.
While the four friends whispered urgently within them about this new situation, Arvind suppressed a groan. Why was it that when one of his children's were seemingly content, a storm began to brew in another's?
On the other hand, NK quietly led Khushi outside into the backyard. Her heart thudded nervously in her chest. This was it. This was the perfect moment to tell him.
She felt that he wanted to say something too. It was written in the anxious glances he kept throwing at her, the way his hand held hers gently...as if pleading with her. Pleading for what?
As they came to a stand under the sweet shade of the frangipani tree in the far corner of the yard, Khushi threw a glance over her shoulder. For a reason she couldn't fathom, she was a tad bit disappointed to realize that Arnav hadn't followed them out.
"Khushi...I..." NK began and then paused again, frowning to himself as he rearranged his words in his mind.
"What's the matter NK?" Her voice sounded much steadier than she felt.
"I don't know where or how to start this...I've never had to say something like this to anyone before..." he ran a hand through his hair and glanced at her sheepishly.
Khushi's breath hitched in her throat. Suddenly, she didn't like the direction in which this conversation seemed to be heading. Nip it in the bud! Her conscience snarled at her.
"NK, listen..."
"No Khushi. If I don't get this out now, I won't be able to do it later..." NK took a deep breath and began again. "When I left for this trip...I was...guilty. I know you know everyone here and they're all your friends but...A part of me didn't want to leave you here..."
Khushi frowned. "You mentioned that when you left..."
"Yes but now...in retrospect...I guess I'm sort of glad that I left." He paused for a long moment again before looking at her. "Being away from you has made me realize that you're...you...you're important to me, you know that, don't you?" He looked at her intently, scrutinizing her expressions.
Khushi's breath hitched in her throat. What she wouldn't give to pause the time right now and stop him from saying the words she was sure he would utter any moment...complicating this whole situation further.
"Even before we got engaged...you were my friend. One of the closest people to me on this planet by far." NK smiled gently. "You have some level of trust invested in me...and I don't know if what I'm about to say will change that. I hope it doesn't because I don't want to lose you..."
Khushi clenched her jaw and blinked, willing the tears to stay put for now even as they burned at the back of her eyes.
"You need to know that I...I've..." NK sighed and fidgeted, seemingly frustrated with himself. "Oh, F**k this!"
Without any preamble, he closed the two step distance between them, cupped her face, and pressed his lips to hers urgently before she could even so much as blink.
That morning, under the soft morning sun, engulfed by the sweet aroma of the frangipanis, they shared their second kiss, unaware of the tormented eyes that watched them from one of the three windows behind them.
That's all for today, lovelies! Love ya!
**Katie Doesn't Run, She Freakin' Teleports to her Hiding Spot!**
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