Restless Dreams & Torn Seams: Ch 4 & Note pg 14 - Page 11

Aishh oh gosh I'm SO sorry for reading it this late 🤗 I've been really busy but now everything is back to normal. Gosh Aishuu this chapter was totally amazing. It was soo cute how Khushi slept with his shirt and he slept with her ripped sleeve awww and just loved Anjali she put them on the spot haha bless them they must have been very embarrassed. Ohhh Aishuu loving the banner its awesome and goes very well. Fantastic update sweetie and try and update soon 🤗

Anisha&Drishti - Thank you both SO much guys, you two are really sweet!

OMG...Anjali is awesome!

Thanks a lot Suvi and angelina! Thanks a ton :D

NOTE: Really sorry for not frequently updating guys. I have too much school work to update frequently, but I don't want to stop writing this. I'll update about once a two-three weeks, so I hope you guys will still read it. If you don't, that's competely okay..I understand 😳

Chapter 4: Something else

"Hello hi, bye bye!" Manorama exclaimed, fanning herself with her hands melodramatically. "Where are Anjali, Arnav, and Phati Sari? The pooja is about to begin and they haven't made an appearance yet!"

Nani sighed and chided her, "Manorama! Khushi is now the sister of your own son's wife. You will not refer to her as 'Phati Sari' again, alright?" She glanced around the room and realized that they indeed were missing. "Jay Prakash! Please go find Anjali, Khushi, and Arnav! Tell them to hurry."

"No need Nani!" Anjali smiled as she sauntered into the room in a bright pink sari. "Sorry we're late everyone; I was just in Arnav's room, helping him pick out what to wear this morning."

"Helping him pick out what to wear?" Manorama gasped in disbelief. "You mean to say that he actually decided not to wear his suit and boot and all that fancy stuff?"

Anjali giggled and nodded, "That's why we were late. He was ready to make a run for it before I stopped him and made him go back to his room and change into something different."

Nani gaped and asked, "What do you mean by different?"

Anjali shrugged mischeviously and motioned in the direction behind her, "Just wait and see."

All eyes shifted to the hallway leading to the main living room, waiting for Arnav's decorative form to pass through. Instead, a timid and embarrassed Khushi scuttled in. She stopped abruptly as everyone's eyes were on her, "Why is everyone staring at me? Is something on my face?"

"Nothing is on your face Kussi," Manorama rolled her eyes, making sure to pronounce Khushi's name a tad different from everyone else.

Khushi raised her eyebrows but proceeded towards where her parents were standing nonetheless. Everyone stopped paying attention to her and shifted their attention towards the hallway again, most likely waiting for Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada.

'I saw Anjali drag him back to his room for something. I wonder why he's taking so long?' Khushi thought curiously, shifting her head so that she had a main view of the hallway as well. Her questions were answered very soon as Arnav grumpily trudged through the hallway and into the main room in a long, attractive red and gold sherwani. Everyone in the room gasped.

Hearing about it was one thing ' actually seeing it was another!

"If everyone is going to stare at me like a bunch of infatuated fools, I'm gonna go change right now," Arnav muttered, glaring at his family that was annoying him immensely at the moment.

Anjali was the first to act, and she quickly turned away, "Nobody stare at him! Act like he's not here. Come on everyone, let's begin the pooja. It's getting late."

Arnav glared at his Di from the back. 'She's having way too much fun putting me on the spot these days.'

His mind drifted back to Khushi and he turned towards her, only to realize that she had been staring at him too. After noticing that he had caught her, she turned a crimson red and turned away.

--

Khushi was still red as she felt his gaze on her. She couldn't help but stare a few minutes ago. He had looked so different in the sherwani, almost good. Actually, really good. In fact, Khushi had noticed since the first day she saw him how handsome he was, but only now what she starting to feel intimidated by his perfection.

'What am I thinking? What would amma and bauji think? First I sleep with his shirt, and now I'm thinking that he looks really good today?' Khushi thought with apprehension, her mind again drifting to his shirt. She couldn't help but remember how warm and comforting it had felt in her hands. The thought helped her restless mind, though it was making her restless once again. 'He Devi Maiyya! What's wrong with me?'

She was broken out of thoughts with a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw her mother giving her a stern glance. "Khushi, there is still an explanation you owe us."

Gulping, she quickly stammered, "I swear amma! Nothing bad happened! My dress tore on one of the doors yesterday and that Arnav Singh Raizada lent me his shirt to wear until I found something to change in." She saw the expression her mother's face change to a much softer one and breathed a sigh of relief. She was lucky that her parents were so soft hearted. One honest statement could change their hearts to mush. Khushi added quickly, "That's really all there is to the story."

Her father, who was right next to them, gently chided her. "You should have been more careful with your dress. I understand that you did what you did in panic, but we would have expected you to call your sister or Anjali for help instead of accepting his offer. You did return it, right?"

Khushi blushed and looked at the floor, "I did. I returned it this morning, and I know that I shouldn't have done that. I hope you both can just forget this ' it's embarrassing to talk about."

Her parents nodded in agreement and the whole thing was sorted out, just like that.

The pooja did not take long and finished in about an hour. Anjali ran off to set the table for breakfast for the whole family while Khushi was given the duty of passing out the prasad to everyone. She herself had taught Nani how to make these special laddoos, and she felt rather special as the families commented on how delicious they were. Khushi blushed at the tenth compliment she had received before reaching for another one and giving it to the person standing nearest to her, which just happened to be Arnav.

"I can't eat sweets. You should know that," he stated simply, not making eye contact.

Khushi suddenly felt guilt settle in the pit of her stomach. She loved sweets much too much to give them up. How could someone live without them? Besides that, she remembered the insult she had threw at him the day before about him having diabetes.

'How could I have been so insensitive?' she thought with remorse, suddenly feeling tears prick her eyes.

'That's the meanest thing I've ever said to anyone.'

"You should eat the prasad though," Khushi offered, mentally deciding to apologize later, "It's not good to stay for the whole pooja but leave without the prasad. Devi Maiyya would be so hurt!"

Arnav just shrugged and walked away, leaving Khushi feeling very offended.

--

After an awkward breakfast with just the Raizada and Gupta family, Khushi and her parents decided to start packing their belongings to leave for Lucknow the next day.

'I don't want to leave at all. I can't go back home without Jiji,' Khushi thought, feeling rather depressed. She had become used to the thought that her sister would not be at home with her anymore, right by her side. She felt tears forming in her eyes for the second time that day. It wasn't just her sister. There was something else about leaving that was nagging her. 'Just like two years ago, we're leaving abruptly. I feel like there are still some loose ends that need to be taken care of. But what?'

An image of Arnav immediately passed through her mind, but she quickly shook it off. 'He can't be a loose end. He wasn't even a beginning!'

Before she could comfort her confused self further, Payal rushed into the room. "Khushi, you all are leaving me already? It's only been a few days since the wedding!"

Forcing a smile, Khushi nodded. "I know Jiji, but it won't look good if we stay here too long. I don't want to leave you either, but amma and bauji are insistent on leaving tomorrow."

"But why go back to Lucknow? Bua is here, and now I'm here. Can't you all just move here?" Payal persisted, looking disheartened herself. "Khushi, I'm scared. I love my husband, but the thought that you all are leaving me so suddenly is driving me crazy with fear! How will I get used to it?"

Sighing, Khushi placed a hand on her Jiji's cheeks and tried to comfort her. "Even I'm not married Jiji, so I don't really know what to tell you. I know that you'll get used to living here though, and that you will come to love them so much that you will forget about us."

Payal merely wept, embracing Khushi tightly and suddenly overcome with homesickness. Khushi patted her Jiji on the back in a comforting manner, though she was very upset herself. It wasn't just that she was leaving her sister. She felt like she was leaving her sister and something else as well.

Nice update :) add me to the pm list plz :)

continue soon it was awesome...

Oooh, I just read all the parts now and loved it!! Awesome story!