Chapter 15

Please ignore the mistakes. Didn't proof read

"Khushi" Garima's voice traveled to her voice and she immediately sat up straight on the bed.

"We are going to Shantivan tomorrow. Nani has invited us on a dinner."

"Wha? I mean..."

"I know what you want to say, even the Raizadas do. Nani has asked you to come for her and not for anyone else"

Khushi pondered over her mother's words. Nani has been so kind and understanding during her days at Shantivan. She had always offered her shoulder to her when she was perturbed and then, she probably would've a glimpse of him too. Who knows tomorrow is the day when the most awaited thing might happen. She should give it a chance

"I'll come." She smiled as she approved to the plan and Garima patted her cheek.

**~~~**

Arnav could hardly wait for the Guptas to arrive. He had done so much and he wanted to execute it all in front of Khushi. He could bet his buttons that when she'd return, his love wouldn't remain unrequited.

"Namaste Nani ji"

Her voice itself, filled Arnav's heart with happiness. He stood on his toes to just to have a sight her and there she was, dressed in his favorite color, her hair down just the like the way he loved with the smile which made his day.

However his happiness was ephermeral as Khushi simply whispered a "hello" and completely ignored him as she walked away to greet the other members.

However, Arnav wasn't being depressed so soon, the night had just begun, it had a long way to go and the destination was exactly what he had planned.

He kept her in his vision and a smile crept on his face when Khushi screamed in delight as she saw La appearing in front of her and she cried her name in euphoria. Both the girls hugged each other and La who was facing him, shrugged her brow and Arnav laughed, earning suspicious glares from NK.

"Nanav"

They broke the hug and Khushi immediately turned to see him.

And when they saw each other, they were lost. Though it had been just two days since they met and confessed his love, it seems it had been ages since they last met.

Khushi wanted to break the eye lock but she simply couldn't. But then, her determination which was quite on height now days, forced her to lower her sight and thus she turned back to talk to La.

Suddenly, everyone was out of sight and all this happened so instantaneously that neither Khushi nor Arnav understood how that happened. It was if, the family members present there and then vanished into nowhere.

Khushi turned to see Arnav with blazing eyes but when his face mirrored her own confusion, she was taken aback.

"Where did they go?" He asked her.

"I have no idea. It was as if... a"

"as if they vanished"

Khushi nodded and then her heart beat began to race. Despite of the fact that he was standing right there, her hand moved to her heart and clutched it. A small smirk appeared on Arnav's face.

"Are you alright?" He asked and walked towards her.

She was clueless as to why her heart had gone so erratic and then his proceeding steps weren't helping.

"Ye..y...ye.."

"I think you're trying to say yes" Arnav said as he stood some millimeters in front of her.

Her cheeks had turn crimson red and her face depicted the same quizzical look which always appeared when he teased her, the look which he relished.

"What is happening to me" She thought.

"I think you should have a sit" He said and thought

"You'd need it today Khushi"

The devilish spark that now his eyes held, made it impossible for Khushi to stand there for a minute more and thus she ran away.

"Are you done teasing that poor soul?" La appeared from behind the pillar and startled Arnav.

"What the La, where did you vanish?"

"Vanished? Seriously? We simply left when you were busy drowning in her orbs" La said, a dreamy look on her face.

"Shut up. Come on, I need to execute my plan as well"

"Do you really think this is going to work?"

"Of course."

"I don't think so. You just took mere hours to think of it. Are you sure it's not a desultory idea?"

"La I don't need days to think of something"

"Yeah yeah! I am in no mood to hear your "I am so cool" blabs"

La waved her hand and walked away, forcing Arnav to consider the drastic change in La's persona. But then, he had important things to focus on.

**~~~**

Arnav watched Khushi, as she skype chat with her sister and laughed with her. He couldn't believe it takes a "sorry" to placate her jiji while he was about to do so much to do the same. He wondered what had lead to such a dissonance between the two sisters but then Payal must've said something to Khushi, who laughed so hard that Arnav looked at her with awe. How could someone look so damn beautiful despite any of the emotions her face adorned? Why hadn't he considered her beauty before? Arguably things must have been different than now.

"ASR, what is going in your mind?" La asked, causing Khushi to take of her headphones and look at her. He did not know how she heard that La had addressed him but probably "Dil ko dil se rah hai?"

Arnav smiled. La must have noticed that dreamy, romantic and wistful look on his face that she decided to pull his leg. Viewing his sister from his peripheral view, he found her smirking and he knew this was their plan to bring Khushi's attention to him.

"Nothing La... just some personal stuff" He was not, at any cost, letting his surreptitious thoughts being publicized, because that would definitely embitter Khushi and that was the last thing he wanted.

"Bu"

"La, come here. We need to discuss something" He grabbed her elbow and dragged her with him.

**~~~**

Even though, she should be relieved that Arnav had now stopped hovering over head, on the contrary, she felt way perturbed. Since the last few weeks, she was used of his un-petering attention and now when wasn't paying any heed to her, it actually affected her. Previously, when her heart had gone berserk, Arnav had tried to tease her but there was something different to it. It was reserved flirting, unlike his usual open flirting.

Had he gone over her?

Probably yes.

He was nowhere in sight and neither was La. He had taken her with him. Were they back? La had always loved him and she had left him for her. Now that she had told Arnav to end this up, maybe Arnav and La had come back.

The thought itself dragged Khushi's mood to mire. She excused everyone and walked towards the poolside, telling HP to tell Arnav regarding that. Secretly wishing that he'll come up to her.

**~~~**

"Di remember to get Payal and Akaash on Skype"

"Yeah, I told them"

"La are the lightings arranged?"

"Yup"

"HP is the stage set?"

"Ji bhaiyaa."

"Good"

"Bhaiya"

"What"

"Khushi ji asked me to tell you that she was sitting at the poolside."

"Okay"

When Hp was out of sight, Arnav at once stepped to take a flight to his room.

"Where are you going?" Asked La

"Like you don't know"

"Don't tell me you are guy to poolside. Come on ASR, give her a break."

"Wha? She actually conveyed the message through Hp didn't she?"

"Yes and that's because she didn't want to trigger your anger when you found her in your room without your consent" Anjali added.

"Am I so harsh?"

"Oh don't ask me" La sighed and Anjali nodded.

**~~~**

Khushi had no idea why she so immediately summoned to the living room. Her curiosity was ephermeral because the moment she entered the room, it was pitch dark and Khushi almost instantly knew that a surprise or some confession was awaiting her. Her heart raced but yet, she managed to compose herself and led Anjali accompany her to a seat.

"This is exclusively for the lady, who had never quite thought twice to snap at me, to make me realize what a heartless monster I was, who forced me to do something that would please her, placates her and appease her well-deserved anger. Khushi trust me when I say this; You don't know what you mean to me"

Khushi's heart had commenced to go wild and the butterflies had begun to rule in her stomach. The veins too started their tasks of dilating and bringing that crimson red color that first appeared at her neck and eventually extending to her cheek. And all these internal changes weren't helping her a bit.

"I know you love him, but I am new to it. So kindly forgive me if things go wrong"

His voice had again echoed in the hall and Khushi shifted uncomfortably on her seat. What did he mean, what was going to happen?

Probably the Raizadas were in no mood to bring her internal chaos to rest, as Hp presented her a dish loaded with probably the most hideous looking jalebis she had ever saw and Khushi knew that instant, who's hand had made this masterpiece.

She took the jalebi and bit it. The moment she did it, the curtains went off and there stood Arnav, up on the stairs, looking disheveled, waiting for something to begun.

And what he must be waiting for, was definitely music.

"Hum ko maloom hai

Ishq masoom hai

Dil se hojati hain ghalityan

Sub se ishq mehroom hai"

The music changed and Arnav smiled at her.

"Rub she had ilteja

Maaf karde mujhe

Main to teri ibadat karun

Keh rahi sonreye

Na khabar hai tujhe

Tujh se kitni muhabbat karun?"

Arnav raised his brow and Khushi immediately comprehended the situation. This was an exclusive Salman Khan medley.

The curtains dropped once again and the next time they raised, "Mujh se shadi karo gi" played in the background, while Arnav danced the EXCLUSIVE SALMAN KHAN STEPS. Khushi rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming. But no she wasn't.

The music came to an end and everyone broke into applause. However, the fun wasn't ending here. There was more to it.

"I know I have hurt you immense time in past, but trust me Khushi, I never ever meant to do it. You were able to tarnish down all the curtain which kept me veiled from the world. I honestly have no idea, when I fell in love with you but I know what a wonderful and sapid feeling it is. I promise Khushi, I would never ever hurt you, you know why? Because I simply can't bear to dance again in front of my family."

A tear escaped her eye as she was awe-struck by his honesty. He didn't end with "because I can't bear to see a tear in your eyes" but said what really was true. He had managed to wipe those tears away in past but he never danced.

"Di has always been pestering me for years to wear Kurta pajama but I've always refused her, but if you would say, I would simply fill my wardrobe with them. Your words will be my order and I swear I'll always abide by them"

And then, he knelt in front of her.

"We may argue everytime we open our mouth but Khushi that's the part when we love each other the most. You said it's of no use because in the end, we'll always hurt each other, trust me, it won't matter because absence makes the hearts go fonder. I have never ever felt such desire before Khushi and if you don't take my hand, I'd rather go back to the place, I had so whole-heartedly came from. Please will you marry me?"

The person who had always taunted her, screamed at her, made her feel disparaged whenever he opened his mouth was now uttering things, Khushi hadn't dreamt in her wildest dreams. He had gone through all the limits, murdered his ASR persona just to placate her. There was no point of being hard because he was too gentle, too loving, too perfect.

"Khushi ji?" Anjali sat next to her and Khushi faced towards her.

"I know my brother is a big mess. He has this big crack in his head but trust me with you and I, we'll fill that crack. See if you don't say yes, he'll be that rude ASR again and then have some pity on us and office staff. Khushi ji, if he ever hurts you, just come to me and I'll knock some sense in him but please Khushi ji."

What happened next made Khushi burst into tears.

Both Anjali and Akaash said together

"Please be our brother ki dulhan"

"Will you marry me Khushi?"

"What do you think I am an idiot?" Khushi asked, as she wiped her face and Arnav saw all his hopes draining into the gutter.

"Umm... no.." He merely whispered

"that I'll refuse to a proposal like this."

"WHAT?" Arnav's eye shot up.

"Of course I'll marry you" and with these words, she plunged into his arms, not giving a damn to the people present there, landing herself into those arms which had begun this tale.

**********

And this how the this story comes to it's end.

Thank you so much everyone for appreciating me so much, for discussing the chapters and putting forward your reviews. This was my first ever experience at IF and it was because of you genial people that I relished it so much.

The update is earlier than expected because I needed time to think of a good, proper and a coherent epilogue so that may demand a little bit of waiting.

I would really like to thank "Kiran" aka "Pearl_Oyster" who pestered me to commence my writings on IF and helped me get readers. Her first "res" and than that extra long comment used to appreciate me so very much. Thank you so much Kiran.

I hope you enjoyed this short story, that was how I wanted things to go in IPK. The CVs must have written things in a proper way but still...

So enough from my side.

Please like and drop a comment. 😳