~Part 10~
It was another long night for Arnav and Khushi. It had been a long day for the two of them and they were so tired that they were sure that the moment they changed and got into bed, they would be fast asleep. Sleep, however, wasn't an easy thing for the two at the moment.
Khushi was playing with her hair with several thoughts running through her head. "Jo shaam ko humaare kamre mei hua uske baad hum unki taraf dekhna bhi nahi chahte the. Phir woh phisal gaye toh khud unki taraf kuudne ki kya zarurat thi hume? Aur toh aur khud gir bhi jaate agar Anjali ji nahi hoti toh! Kya socha hoga unhone!"
Arnav was having similar thoughts "As if what happened in her room in the morning was bad enough, I went and tripped when I saw her. Well, she did reach out when I tripped. But, I don't need anyone to help me! Then why the hell did I have to feel happy when she did?!"
Khushi: Kya keh rahe the hum? Ki hum unke liye ruke the? Hum toh rukna hi nahi chahte the! Aur phir achcha mauka tha Arjun ji aur Anjali ji ke saamne ye kehne ka ki hume dhamki deke roka gaya tha. Lekin nahi! Hume toh bolna hi tha ki hum Arnav Sir ke liye ruke hai!"
Arnav: That bloody Arjun. How presumptuous is he to thank Khushi for postponing her trip to attend his event?! His event?! Like hell she came for his event. Why did I feel satisfied when she said she attended it for me? Well, she didn't say it, but she was about to and that's what's important. Er.. what?! Since when is any of that important?!
Khushi: Ye Arnav Sir toh humesha humse aise hi baat karte hai. Toh phir hume aaj itna bura kyu laga ki hume rona aa gaya? Isse buri baatei kahi hai unhone humse aur humne unka saamna kiya aur aaj? Aaj toh unhone itna kuch kahaa bhi nahi. Bas yahi pucha ki unke na khaane se hume kya farak padta hai. Humne itna sunaaya unko, aawaz bhi uthaayi, aur rone bhi lag gaye. Aur toh aur na jaane Lavanya ji aur Arjun ji ka naam kyu lekar aaye hum beech mei!"
Arnav: What had gotten into me? Shouting at Khushi in front of Di. And that too for what? She was having a normal conversation with Arjun. And I've been working with Arjun for so long - I know he talks to everyone like that. I know he tries to get the newer folks engaged in every event and tries to get to know them and make them feel comfortable. So, why was I so mad that I took it out on Khushi? If Di hadn't interrupted, I wonder what I would've done!
Khushi: Aur toh aur jaake gir bhi gaye aur phirse unhe uthaana pada hume. Woh sahi kehte hai, hume pakadna aur uthaana jaise ab roz ki baat ho gayi. Hum aise toh nahi the. Kya ho jata hai hume unke saamne?
Arnav: Well, she was being random too! After all of this when we were talking about dinner, why the hell did she bring up Arjun's and Lavanya's names into our conversation?! And why on earth did she start crying?! Even worse, since when do I feel bad about her tears?! Khud toh paagal hai hi, mujhe bhi paagal kar degi ye ladki!
Understandably, the two of them fell asleep very late that night as well. Arnav woke up to a knock on his door. He could hear his Di calling out.
"Haan Di aa raha hu" he went and opened the door and let her in. She was carrying a tray with coffee. "Di aap paagal ho gayi hai? Ye itne saare cups uthaake yahaa tak aane ki kya zarurat thi aapko?" He takes the tray from her and goes to put it on the table.
"Wahaa nahi Chote, baahar lagayiye na table par. Humne se socha ki tum dono aaj bhi late uthoge toh hum hi aake jagaa dete hai. Saath mei coffee bhi pee lenge."
"Khushi ka coffee aap mere kamre mei kyu lekar aayi hai?"
"Khushi ka? Hum toh Lavanya ke baare mei baat kar rahe the."
"Lavanya?"
"Haan. Lavanya Kashyap? Tumhaari girlfriend?" Anjali smirks.
Arnav rolls his eyes "Thanks Di mujhe yaad hai."
"Achcha? Aisa hume toh nahi lag raha ki tumhe yaad hai" she smiles.
"Di.." Arnav starts.
But, Anjali interrupts "Achcha baba hum mazaak kar rahe the. Humaara matlab Khushi se hi tha. Humne unko utha diya hai aur kahaa hai ki jaldi se brush karke yahaa aajaye aur hum teeno saath mei coffee peeyenge."
"Di aap bhi na. Kya zarurat thi? Utha diya achcha hai, lekin tayyaar hoke abhi office jaana hai usko. Aur mujhe bhi actually."
"Isiliye toh jaldi uthaaya. Time dekhlo. Sirf 7 baje hai. 830 ke pehle toh nahi nikloge na tum log."
"Aapse behas karna bekar hai."
"Toh mat karo. Aake baitho humaare paas." She's already seated at the table at his balcony. Arnav joins her.
She says "Vaise Chote, Lavanya hai kahaa? Uss din aane ke baad woh ek bhi din ghar mei nahi dikhi?"
"Pata nahi Di kya ho raha hai. Woh Lisa se milne gayi thi na parso phir aayi hi nahi."
"Tumne call karke kyu nahi pucha Chote?"
"Di woh bachchi thodi hai. Kaam khatam ho jaaye toh aa jaayegi."
"Tum kar kya rahe ho Chote? Tum ek ladki ko apna girlfriend banaake sabse jhagda karke iss ghar mei laaye ho. Jis din aayi thi usi din woh kisi kaam se baahar gayi aur ab tak lautke nahi aayi hai. Aur tumhe koi fikar hi nahi hai."
"Di kal aapke saamne hi toh baat ki thi maine usse. Woh Lisa ke ghar par thi."
"Lekin kal raat ko woh na function mei aayi aur na ghar par. Tumne check kiya ki kuch hua toh nahi?"
"Di.."
"Chote humaari baat suno. Tum Nani se jhagda karke Lavanya ko iss ghar mei laaye the. Hum tumhaara saath sirf isliye de rahe the kyunki hume laga ki woh tumhaari pasand hai. Lekin hum dekh rahe hai ki tum uske baare mei sochte bhi nahi ho. Jab bhi tumne use phone kiya ya uske baare mei kuch kaha, woh humaare puuchne pe tha. Iss sabka kya matlab hai Chote? Naani ko galat saabit karne ke liye tum apne saath, unke saath aur iss pure ghar ke saath kya kar raho ho Chote?"
Arnav doesn't meet his sister's eyes "Di.. woh.."
"Jab tak Lavanya iss ghar mei hai, hum sab uske liye zimmedar hai. Do raat se woh ghar nahi aayi hai. Tumhe nahi lagta tumhe pata hona chahiye ki woh kahaa hai? Tumhaara dhyaan kahaa rehta hai Chote?"
Arnav closes his eyes to shut out the images of Khushi that propped up in his mind when she asked him that question. "Di mai usko abhi phone karta hu."
"Koi zarurat nahi hai. Humne phone kar liya unhe."
"Kya?"
"Haan. Humne office se unka number nikalvaya aur phone kar liya unko kal raat ko hi. Woh bataa rahi thi ki unhone tumhe kal subah bola tha ki unki tabeeyat kharaab hai. Shaam tak bhi woh dono theek nahi huyi toh ghar pe hi ruke thi. Abhi bhi woh dono Lisa ke ghar par hai. Humne unko keh diya hai ki tum unko jaake le aaoge aaj."
"Kya?! Di aap.."
"Bas Chote. Hum behas nahi karna chahte. Yahaa unko laane ke baad tumhe jo bolna hai bol sakte ho. Lekin jaake unko laana toh padega hi. Ek din se unki tabiyat kharaab hai aur tumne unko ek phone bhi nahi kiya."
"Di usne aapko ye toh bataaya ki uski tabiyat kharaab hai, ye bataaya ki kya hua hai? Kal maine aapko bataaya nahi. Jab maine phone kia toh woh neend mei thi. Bol rahi thi ki usko aur Lisa ko hangover hai. Hangover koi bimaari nahi hai. Bas thoda lime juice piyegi toh theek ho jaygei. Anyway, ye sab chodiye. Agar aapne usko bola hai ki mai jaunga, toh mai aaj use le aaunga ya driver ko bhej dunga pick karne."
"Chote tum.."
"Di it's a busy day at work. Arjun bhi honge office mei. Aur kaafi post-launch work hai. I'll make sure ki woh aaj ghar aajaye. Maine soch liya hai ki uske baad mujhe kya karna hai."
"Kya?"
"Mujhe.."
Khushi calls out from the door "Anjali ji? Arnav Sir?"
Anjali replies "Haan Khushi. Andar aa jayiye na hum yahi hai."
Khushi walks towards the table. Anjali smiles at her and gestures her to sit next down and she does.
Anjali was about to say something when Arnav speaks up "Aaj 9 baje office pahunchna hai. Post-launch formalities kaafi hai jinpe tumhe kaam karna hai."
"Ji hum pahunch jayenge"
Anjali says "Pahunch jayenge matlab? Chote bhi toh office he jaa rahe hai. Saath mei nikal lena."
Khushi remembers the last time and says "Nahi Anjali ji, Sir ko achcha nahi lagta ki hum unki gaadi mei jaaye."
Arnav looks up "Ab tum bataugi ki mujhe kya achcha lagta hai? Aur vaise kal aur parso jab bhi tum ghar se nikli meri gaadi mei nikli ya kisi beilgaadi mei?!"
"Chote!" Anjali frowns at him "Subah subah shuru ho gaye aap dono! Kuch behas karne ki zarurat nahi hai. Kitne baje nikloge tum?"
Arnav says "saade aath baje"
"Toh bas Khushi aap 8 baje tak neeche aajaayiye. Naashta khaake dono saath mei nikal jaayiyega."
Khushi nods "Ji"
"Coffee thandi ho rahi hai. Jhagde se fursat mile toh pee lijiye. Hum jaake khaana lagva dete hai." She sees Khushi getting up too, so says "Khushi apni coffee toh khatam kijiye. Hum itni mehnat se banaake yahaa tak laye the aap dono ke liye."
Khushi smiles and sits down again. Anjali leaves and says "8 baje neeche milenge dono ko."
In her hurry to get out of his room, Khushi takes a huge gulp of the hot coffee and burns her mouth. She swallows it quickly and yelps and starts coughing and fanning her mouth.
Arnav rushes to her side, sits next to her on the couch and starts patting her head saying "Kya hua?"
At his proximity and the feel of his hand on her head, she forgets that she burnt her mouth and stops breathing altogether. She just stares at him and swallows. "Ji.. woh.."
Arnav to forgets to pat and just has his hand on her head. He lets his hand trail down her hair and rests it on the couch, but doesn't get up. She shivers lightly when she feels his hand move on her hair.
She just looks at him and says "Ji .. woh humaara muh thoda jal gaya tha. Coffee garam thi na"
Arnav was looking at her mouth and sees her lips quivering. Involuntarily, he lifts his fingers to touch them and suddenly comes to his senses and gets up shaking his head lightly.
"Tumhaara dhyaan kaha hai? Coffee toh garam hi hogi naa. Aur ek hi ghoont mei ek litre kyu peene ki koshish kar rahi ho? Mere paas dusra cup hai, tumse nahi jheenunga. Vaise bhi, tumhe mere glass se peene mei jaise interest hai na, mujhe aisa koi interest nahi hai."
Khushi blushes remembering how she drank from his glass of water. "Woh humne galti se pee li thi."
"Whatever. Itna hi darr lag raha hai toh apna cup lekar apne room mei jaa sakti ho tum."
Khushi looked up defiantly and picked up her cup and sat back "Hume kyu dar lagega? Maana ki subah subah kaafi daravni shakal hai aapki, par koi baat nahi."
"Kya!" Arnav glared at her. "Achcha toh bas subah subah daravni shakal hai? Aur shaam ko daraavna nahi dikhta? Raat ke beech mei toh mai kaafi achcha dikhta honga kyunki tum toh raat ke 2 baje khud mere kamre mei aajaati ho na?"
Khushi refuses to meet his eyes. She quickly finishes the coffee and gets up.
"Humaara ho gaya. Hum tayyaar hone jaa rahe hai" Khushi starts walking.
"Mujhe kyu bataa rahi ho? Invitation hai kya?"
She blushes crimson, but turns around at the door and says "Ji nahi, bataa rahi hu taaki pata naa hone ka bahaana karke aap aake humaara darvaaza phirse na khole" and she steps out and closes the door.
It was Arnav's turn to look stumped.
~End of Part 10~
Edited by Janet.Das - 14 years ago
Cricket
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