~Part 15~
Khushi spent the rest of the day avoiding Arnav. Considering he hadn't gone out of his way to cross her way, she was sure that he was doing the same. However, she finished her work earnestly and was happy that she was finally getting to do something meaningful in her job. Her job? Not for long, she thought. Somehow, she didn't want to think about that yet. She needed to go and give her compiled work to Arnav, but wasn't sure how to face him yet. He had looked busy enough throughout the day. He probably doesn't even remember what happened, she thought.
She went up to his cabin and knocked.
"Come in, Khushi" called Arnav.
She stopped outside the door and said "Aapko kaise pata ki hum hai?"
"Arre tum hi toh kehti rehti ho ki mai bhagwan hu. Toh obviously mujhe pata hoga na. Ab aao andar aur files mujhe do."
Khushi shrugged and walked in, glad to be able to be around him without being awkward. She handed the files over to him and started explaining how she has compiled them. Once they were done, he called over the peon to dispatch everything.
Khushi was about to leave his cabin when he called out "Ghar chale?"
She turned around to look at him, unsure why she felt a warmth in her heart when he said those words.
She just kept looking at him while replying "Haan. Ghar chalte hai"
Arnav held her eyes and walked towards her. This time, she was so lost in staring at him that she even forgot to step back when he walked close to her. He stopped in front of her, waved his hand in front of her face and said "Mera matlab hai ki aaj chale?"
Khushi was shaken out of the moment. She suddenly realized that she was staring at him, so she stammered "Ji.. Er.. Toh chale?"
"Nahi thodi der aur rukte hai. Chaho toh baithke tum mujhe khoor sakti ho" smirked Arnav. Khushi blushed and turned to walk in front of him. As Arnav followed her, he wondered why he liked it when she blushed around him.
She had been considering different ways of asking him about Lavanya in the car, but it turned out he was busy on all sorts of calls until they were home.
They were just driving into the gate when he hung up and said "Kal 830 baje niklenge."
"Aap kahe toh aaj raat ko 830 baje hi nikal jaate hai" muttered Khushi.
"Kya?"
"Vaise office jaane ki kya zaroorat hai? Kaam toh aap gaadi mei hi kar lete hai" she continued.
Arnav brought the car to a halt and turned to look at her "Ab kya ho gaya tumhe?"
"Devi Maiyya ka shukar hai ki kuch hua nahi. Kyunki agar ho bhi jaata toh aapko apne phone se fursat mile toh pata chalta na?" she said before stomping out of the car.
Arnav was sure that she was slowly turning mental. He shook his head and followed her inside the house.
Anjali was in the living room and she beamed looking at Khushi "Arre aap aa gayi Khushi?" she said and Khushi smiled at her. Arnav wondered when the last time was when she was so ecstatic to see him come back from work.
"Vaise mai bhi aa gaya Di" he said.
Anjali smirked and said "Achcha? Hume toh dhyaan hi nahi aaya! Vaise hum tumhe thodi der mei phone karke bolne waali thi ki agar tumhe der ho jayegi toh Khushi ko ghar bhej do."
"Kyu? Aapko usse kya kaam hai?"
"Woh hum tumhe kyu bataaye? Kyu Khushi?"
"Ji bilkul" smiled Khushi relieved that they finally decided to talk to her and not just about her. "Vaise bhi Arnav Sir toh din mei paanch baar bolte hai ki unhe humaari kisi baat mei koi dilchaspi nahi hai."
"Kehta hu kyunki nahi hai" retorted Arnav.
"Haan woh hume pehli baar mei hi samajh aaya. Hum aapki tarah nahi hai jo baar baar bolne par bhi ek baat nahi samajhte" said Khushi.
"Kya matlab hai.." started Arnav, but Anjali came between them and said "Thoda break le lai? Uske baad vaapas jhagad lena dono."
"Humesha Di ke pallu ke peeche hi chupti raho" sneered Arnav.
"Haan kyunki humaara pallu toh zyaada aapke paas rehta hai na?" said Khushi before she realized what she was saying.
Arnav looked a bit amused when he saw her blush again. Anjali raised her eyebrow at the two of them. Arnav shrugged and went towards his room saying "Di mai change karke aata hu"
As he passed Khushi, he said softly "Kaho toh tumhaara dupatta bhi le jau?" and looked at her, contented to see the crimson color deepening on her cheeks. He smirked and walked off.
Anjali looked at Khushi and said "Kya hua? Phir se pareshaan kar raha hai kya?"
"Arre nahi Anjali ji woh toh bas.." she trailed off trying to look normal.
"Achcha Khushi" started Anjali "Hum soch rahe the ki aaj ka khaana hum dono milke banaayenge. Kya khyaal hai?"
Khushi looked excited too "Haan bilkul! Vaise dono kyu? Aap kahe toh aaj raat ka khaana hum akele bana de? Ek dum Lucknowi andaaz mei!"
"Wahi toh hum keh rahe the. Lekin aapki madad karne mei hume bahut mazaa ayega. Saath mei hi banaayenge! Aap jaake change karke fresh hoke aayiye. Phir aaraam se shuru karte hai. Vaise bhi kal Sunday hai."
"Kya? Kal Sunday hai?"
"Haan kyu?"
"Nahi woh Arnav Sir bol rahe the ki kal 830 nikalna hai!"
"Woh bhool gaya hoga. Chote bhi na!"
"Kuch bhoole nahi honge. Pakka humse Sunday ko bhi kaam karvayenge!"
"Hum aisa hone hi nahi denge! Chahe aapka dupatta Chote ke paas kyu na ho, lekin aap humaare pallu ke peeche toh chup hi sakti hai na" said Anjali grinning at Khushi.
Khushi looked down and muttered "Ji .. er.. ji hum change karke aate hai" she said and hurried away leaving Anjali smiling to herself.
As Khushi approached her room, she saw that Arnav had left the door of his room open. She had to keep reminding herself to not look into this room. She wondered why he left the door open. Should she close it? Like it's any of her business, she thought. But, still. He never keeps her door open. Oh, now she knows all about him, right?
"Itna mat socho, andar chali hi jao" said Arnav from just behind her. She almost jumped an inch and turned sharply into his chest.
"Oww" he yelped rubbing his chest and grabbing her arm to prevent her from toppling over "tum paagal ho kya? Kya kar rahi thi?"
"Hum kya kar rahe the?! Aap kyu humaare peeche se aaye?!"
"Kya" said Arnav still rubbing his chest "Oh I'm so sorry ki mai apne hi kamre ke saamne tha! Tum kya kar rahi thi yaha?! Mujhe jitna khoorti ho woh kaafi nahi hai jo mere kamre ko bhi nahi chod rahi ho?"
"Woh hum.." started Khushi and noticed that he was still rubbing his chest, so she untangled her hand from his and placed it on his chest right under his hand which was rubbing there. She was looking concerned and said "Kya hua abhi duk raha hai?"
He looked into her eyes which looked concerned and he felt a warmth spreading inside him knowing the concern was for him. She lifted her eyes to his since she didn't hear a response only to find him looking at her intensely. Instantly, she felt that pull that she always feels from his eyes. She couldn't tear away her eyes from him. She felt the faint thud of his heart under her hand and her own heart thumped faster. She was aware of her hand between his hand and his chest. He knew she could feel his heartbeat on her hand.
His eyes flicked down to her lips and he saw them quiver after a second. He looked back into her eyes where the concern was now replaced by a faint curiosity. He looked down at her lips again and was too captivated to look back up. He felt the lips coming closer to him and realized it was him leaning down towards her face.
Khushi forgot to breathe when she saw Arnav looking at her lips and then bending towards her. Her eyes widened and her lips quivered. Her hand on his chest balled into a fist grabbing some of his shirt in the motion. His hands too tightened around hers as the space between them kept decreasing steadily.
Someone cleared their throat rather loudly a couple of times. Khushi and Arnav realized that at the same time and their eyes flicked towards each others' lips and back to each others eyes' before turning to look in the direction of the noise.
They saw Anjali standing there with a raised eyebrow and a rather evident smirk.
"Vaise Chote aap Khushi ka haath chod sakte hai, woh phir bhi aapse duur nahi jaayengi kyunki unhone toh aapka shirt pakadke rakha hai na" grinned Anjali.
Arnav and Khushi looked at each others' hands and positions and sprang apart. Khushi started fixing her dupatta which had fallen to one shoulder while Arnav fixed his shirt which had crumpled in Khushi's hand.
"Hume pata tha ki aap logo ko akele chodenge toh aap log kuch toh karenge hai" said Anjali and their heads snapped up to look at her "Humaara matlab hai ki jhagda karenge" she said smirking "Isiliye hum khud aa gaye Khushi ko neeche leke jaane ke liye"
She looked at Khushi and said "Lagta hai aap abhi tak apne kamre mei gayi hi nahi. Jaldi se fresh hoke aajaayiye neeche"
"Ji" said Khushi and rushed into her room.
Anjali saw Arnav watching Khushi go in and said "Tum bhi jaake change karlo Chote"
He said "Haan Di" and went inside her room.
Anjali had a huge grin playing her lips on her way down.
~End of Part 15~
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Bindi
193