Chapter 18

Chapter -18

Her innocent question took him by surprise. He stood there totally clueless, trying to find the right word to say. But before he could, his heart almost came to a standstill as he saw her collapse.

*Flash Back*

Arnav walked around the cabin frustrated. His eyes scanning everywhere to find the one face for which he came to this party in the first place. Coming to a halt, he let out a huge sign in dismay and looked around thinking, "Where is she?" when someone behind him shouted 'Stop it' grabbing his attention. The second he heard the voice he knew who it belonged to before he even turned back.  "Khushi!", he whispered under his breath as he spun. There she was, standing right before him with her back facing him. He took a step forward but then stopped the second he saw her face and he immediately knew something was not right. He stood there for a second, trying to understand why she was looking so upset and watched as she bent a little, apologized to a man for shouting earlier and suddenly take off, at the speed of light.

An uneasy feeling settled inside him. Concerned, he looked at her moving figure and decided to follow her. He took a few steps towards her when he saw her bump into a waiter and to his surprise, gulp down 3 glasses of wine in one go. Before he could come out of his shock and make sense of what he just saw, she rushed towards the patio and disappeared into the dark night. It happened so fast that Arnav doubted if he saw it right. Unsure, he walked up to the waiter who was still very much baffled and looking in the direction Khushi left. He picked a glass from the tray to make sure it was indeed what he thought it was. Confused, looked in her direction, half sure that she didn't know what she drank just now and then again telling himself, he did not know her that well. "No, she doesn't look like someone who drinks", his subconscious told him. "Something is definitely wrong.", he thought as he walked in her direction. He came to a halt near the door when he saw a figure at the very corner of the patio but it was too dark to see her face clearly. Not knowing what to say he stood there, watching her in that silent night. Breaking the silence, she sighed heavily followed by a very muffled sob. He instantly knew she was crying. He couldn't hold on any longer. He just had to do something.

*End of Flashback *

As Arnav thought back on how he ended up here, he looked at her, while she laid unconscious on the grass. He never knew he had such good reflexes until he rushed at lightning speed to catch her as she collapsed. Luckily he got hold of her waist at the last moment, stopping her fall. He first thought of taking her into the cabin but some part of him told him she wouldn't want that. Remembering the horror on her face when she realized what she drank, he thought, "She sure wouldn't want anyone to know that." Sighing deeply, he lifted her into his hands and looked around till he found the perfect spot under a tree. He gently carried her there, laid her down on the grass while he sat next to her, and softly called her name, "Khushi."

There was no answer. He exhaled deeply and this time gave her shoulder a slight nudge as he called her.

No response...

Unable to think of anything he looked at her and before he knew it, he was lost in her. She was lying there totally drunk, passed out, right there, next to him and the irony is, he was feeling happy. For some unfathomable reason, he felt content. He just kept staring at her under the moonlight, taking in her elegant beauty as he recollected the moment he first saw her at the party. Now thinking back he realized how stunning she was looking in the pink chiffon saree bordered with silver beads and paired with an embellished silver blouse. Amused, he looked at her again as it dawned on him, he never saw her in a saree before. And that revelation brought a stupid smile on his face.

"Beautiful as ever.", he whispered in her ear as she rested next to him looking radiant under the moonlight. Arnav was totally mesmerized and lost in her that he forgot everything else. His eyes were frozen on her face as he slowly bent down towards her. He paused slightly before moving further down, closing in the slight gap between his lips and her cheeks when Khushi suddenly mumbled something, making him jump and pull back in a jerk. Shocked, he looked away from her as he cursed himself, "What the hell was I about to do?" His subconscious readily yelled back, "You were about to kiss her, idiot ... and that too when she is unconscious." Feeling very regretful for his actions, he slowly and hesitantly looked at her as if afraid of being caught. Finding her still unconscious, he heaved a sigh of relief and thought, "How can I do that? She is unconscious... Damn it! Why do I always lose myself around her? Also.." he paused as it suddenly hit him, " earlier, how did I sense that she was sad? Why did I bother to cheer her up? What the hell am I doing?"

Khushi murmured something again bringing his whole attention back to her and saving him from his own overworking brain. Trying hard to understand what she was saying he slowly called, "Khushi?"

No answer again. Feeling lost, this time he nudged her a bit harder as he called her name and her eyes flew open startling him. Gathering himself he was about to call out for her again but before he could she almost jumped and sat up. As he saw her look around confused, he thought a little worried, "Is she ok?" Her eyes finally stopped on him and stayed there for a minute. And both stayed still looking at each other. Then to Arnav's astonishment, she hurriedly crawled away from him and fidgeting her fingers, asked, "Who are you?"

"She certainly doesn't look like she is ok.", he confirmed his earlier thought.

"Khushi... You don't look well.", he said softly.

"I askeddd... who are youuu? You did not ... answerrr to my question", she slurred pointing her finger at him.

"She still looks very much drunk.", he thought and looked at her only to find her looking straight back at him waiting for his reply. Trying to sound as gentle as possible, he started, "I am .."

Khushi cut him short and squealed as she clapped her hands, "I know, I know... Youuu are my Princee.ee.e." Then, out of nowhere, she very quickly crawled back to him till her face was just inches from his while looking directly into his eyes.

Now it was Arnav's turn to make saucers of his eyes. He was too stunned to say anything and on top of it, the proximity was unnerving him.

"Prince, Righttt? You did come just .. likeee babuji said. I thought it would neverrr happen, that you will never come. But youuu came.", she smiled widely as she spoke distorted.

As if the current proximity was not difficult enough for him to endure, she moved even closer, making it harder for him to even breathe.

"Why are you not saying anything?" She closely studied his face as she innocently continued, "You are handsome, so you must definitely be a Prince. Oh! I get it, you are shyyy?' She paused for a few seconds as she giggled and moved her hazel browns to look directly into his chocolate one's as she said, "No problem, I am shy too." while she batted her eyes naively. Finally succeeding in making him totally forget to breathe.  

Taking some time to gain his sanity and to breathe before suffocating himself, he tried to reason, "Khushi, I am not any Prince. I am..."

She conveniently interrupted him again and slurred, "You! not a Prince? Are you sure? Because I am sure you are my prince." She said stubbornly as she moved near to him and softly slipped her hand around his shoulder while squeezing it against her face.

Arnav sat there totally lost. ASR, who always had everything under control, who knew how to handle every situation, who has a solution to all the problems is totally clueless right now. And he happens to be like this only around this girl. "Why?", he self-questioned. Also, he had no idea what Khushi was talking about or who this Prince she keeps talking about is. But to his utter disbelief, what made no sense at all is his own thoughts. As in this whole chaos, all he could think about is, "Who is this Prince?" He was more worried about this Prince guy than her current condition or his situation or her blabbering. His predictions went haywire, "Is he her boyfriend? ... Does she like this Prince? ...Oh No! Maybe he is her fiance..." He panicked as this sudden realization dawned on him and his hand immediately landing on her left hand, grabbing and turning it around scared to find the one thing he didn't want to find - The Ring. Finding no ring on her ring finger, he let go of his breath which he didn't realize he was holding till then and felt a sudden sense of peace take over making his whole body relax. In an instant his heartfelt so heavy that he was almost scared of it suffocating him to death and in the next, it felt as light as a feather. Arnav was totally confused by his own actions and feelings. "What is happening to me?", he thought, frustrated.

Khushi briskly let go of Arnav's shoulder, pulling him out of his disturbing thoughts. Facing him again, she shouted, "I know youuu.. We met before. Where???" She cutely scratched a little above her forehead, making him forget everything else but her, again. "Yaaa... I remember. We met in ... Tirupatiiii. You were mean to me and didn't even apologize. Apologize to me, right now.", she demanded.

"What The?", he muttered, taken aback by the change in conversation.  

"What, what the? A Prince is supposed to be a gentleman and take care of his Princess, which is me. You are supposed to love me and cherish me forever. Learn something from Prince Adam and Prince Charming ", she ordered, sounding disappointed.

Now Arnav totally lost it. "Damn It! Khushi. What are you talking about? Who are these guys? I am telling you I am no.."

"Aahhh... You don't know them. How can someone not know them? There are Prince's in Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella? Do you not read? Now, don't tell me you don't know who Belle and Cinderella are?", she huffed as she folded her hands.

"What crap? Now enough! I am trying to tell you I am No Prince. There is no Prince in the real world. What you are talking about are books. Fictional books. They are not real.", he said annoyed but at the same time revealed to know there was no real Prince.

"You talk just like my Amma. She always said the same thing. There is no Prince in the real world. Don't read those books and believe them bla bla bla. But my Babuji always believed that me, his Princess will get a Prince just like other Princesses. He even promised to find one for me in case the Prince didn't come on his own. We both read those books every day. I miss him so much. My Amma too.", speaking she settled back on the ground as she looked to the stars, all dreamily.

Unable to explain, he dejectedly said, "I am really not a Prince, Khushi."

With an innocent pout placed on her lips and anticipation in her eyes, she asked, "You don't like me?"

"What? No!"

Sounding shattered, she said, "So.... you don't like me. Am I not beautiful? I am smart, in case you don't know. I am a topper in my college, just so you know.  Is it because I am drunk?..."

Arnav cut her in the middle and said, "No. I mean, you are getting it all wrong.", sighing.

"So, you do like me?", she asked,  her eyes growing bigger with anticipation.

Totally annoyed, he rolled his eyes as he said, "Of course, yes. I do like you but I am not a Prince." The moment those words freely flew out of his mouth he realized what he actually said. "Did I just say...?", he couldn't complete the entire sentence as he was too shocked and unsure to ask himself that question.  

But Khushi on the other side was in total glee. With a jerk, she got on her knees, and bending towards him said, "You do. Greaaat. I don't know why you are lying. But I am sure you are the Prince, My Prince. And I have a way to prove that to you. Will you do what I ask you to do?", she questioned with a spark in her eyes.

"What?", he asked while thinking, "What is she up to now?"

"Tell me, yes or no?", she questioned.

After a brief pause he asked, "If I do this, you should stop this Prince craziness and listen to me, ok?"

"Ok.", she answered in a blink.

"Tell me, what should I do?", he said giving in.

"It is really simple. Kiss Me..."

                                               **************

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- Hope