FF: And then she found me...THREAD 1 - Page 3

"I…" Khushi was completely and uncontrollably lost in his auburn eyes. She could feel his eyes searching in hers. He had never spoken to her like this before, not about their relationship. With Arnav everything was always just understood. This was the first time ever since they had been engaged that Arnav had mentioned it. Four months, it took the man four months to say out loud the bond that tied the two together. The union came as a great business deal; Khushi's older sister was already married to Akash, Arnav's younger brother. Khushi and Arnav's engagement further united two powerful industries as one force. This way there was no chance of an outsider staking any claim. But in the midst of making great business deals, a girl was left heartbroken. Khushi had met Lavanya on a few occasion and had become very fond her. But Arnav's Nani never approved of her modern ways and marriage was something Arnav had always refused her.

And now that he had agreed to marry Khushi she couldn't bear to imagine what Lavanya must think of her. She felt as though she was the other woman. Arnav didn't see any of this, he only saw the profit to be made. 'Now Mogambo could rule the world with ease' Khushi thought to herself, whilst reflecting back on the union.

"Khushi?" A hint of concern in his voice bought her back to the surface.

"Hail Mogambo." she uttered. Then quickly bit her lip. Arnav's expression went from concerned to confused.

"What the-Hail Mogambo? Where you even listening to a word I was saying or thinking about Mr India?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Have you seen it?" Khushi asked, surprised at him eveing knowing the film. "It's so good, don't you think? One of my childhood favourites." Khushi flashed a big child like smile. Arnav loosened his grip on her arms.

"You're strange, you know that don't you?"

"You don't let me forget. Oooh shoot am gunna be late!" She pushed Arnav away but he grabbed her back into his arms.

"I haven't finished what I was saying. You didn't let me finish last night either." He had wrapped his arms round her waist pulling her up so that her face was close to his. Khushi's heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. She was sure he could hear it. She grabbed his shirt in her fists in attempt to calm herself down. What had bought this change in him? She searched his face for some sign.

"Why do you keep bringing Lavanya into this? WHY? Whatever the problem is, it isn't her so stop making excuses and just spit it out. What's your problem? If I stay away from you complain to Di, when I try to spend time with you all you want to do is wind me up! What do you want from me dammit?" She never thought she would see this day when, Arnav Singh Raizada, would ask her what she wanted from him. But then she never imagined to be engaged to him. She couldn't think straight. Not whilst looking into those burning eyes. Not whilst she can smell his cologne and be wrapped in those strong arms. All she could think about was how unbearably handsome he was. Like Adonis in the flesh. Her eyes swelling from tears she didn't want to shed, from emotions she didn't understand.

"I…I…I really am getting late." She whimpered. Arnav loosened his grip as he saw tears forming in her hazel eyes. 'Well done Arnav you did it again. Make her cry then kick yourself about it until the next time you make her cry.' He thought. His eyes remained on hers. Khushi saw the anger in his eyes fade to an apology to concern. 'Why couldn't he bring to his lips what was in his heart' she thought to herself.

Khushi quickly drank a glass of milk whilst scoffing down a cupcake from last night.

"Yuck! Sugarless." She drank the last bit of her milk and started to prepare her bag for work.

" Its Sunday, aren't the schools closed?" Arnav asked whilst looking into the fridge as if he was waiting for something to appear or avoiding having to look at Khushi.

"We are holding a charity fair today so I have to go manage a stall."

Arnav's phone began to ring. As he spoke on the phone, she could feel his eyes on her whilst she ran from one end of the flat to another grabbing things she needed for the day and throwing it into her bag.

"Yes Aman, confirm the meeting for today I'll be there in exactly two hours." He cut the phone and started to gather his belongings.

"Office? On a Sunday? You should go home first, Di will be concerned. You haven't even called her, should I speak to her?"

"Thank you Gupta, if not for your sharp thinking I would have walked into my fashion house in the same clothes I was seen in yesterday for a very important meeting. Thank you."

"That's exactly my point, you never listen to anyone, but you should…" Khushi turned to face Arnav who was staring her dead in the eye.

"Oh, you were joking..." But he never joked. 'Just humourless sarcastic,caustic comments!' Khushi thought.

"I drop you off to school." He ushered her to the door. Neither of them spoke a single word. All the while Khushi kept thinking of how she would answer his question. What did she want from him? She knew he wouldn't let this matter rest for long. 'Do something Khushi, think!' She began biting her nails.

"Stop it." She heard him say. Arnav gently pulled her hand down from her mouth and held it in his. He led her to the car, never letting go of her hand. This was all new to Khushi. He had never behaved like this before. Khushi kept thinking about his tight embrace. She could still smell his cologne on her on her duppata. She could still feel the sensation of his hot breath on her lips. His shirt was creased on his chest from where she had grabbed it. She could feel herself blushing. 'What's happening to me?' She didn't want to be in the car alone with him. She didn't want to be close to him. She didn't want to think of him the way was doing so, she wanted to clear her head. She wanted fresh, Arnav free air.

"Khushi?" She had stopped as they reached the car. Arnav was still holding on to her hand.

"I think I should take a taxi. You need to go home and get to an important meeting." She gently pulled her hand from Arnav's and started to fiddle with her bag strap. He strode over to the car and opened the passenger door.

"Nothing is more important than your answer Khushi." He got into the driver's seat and switched on the engine. It had to be now or never Khushi thought to herself. He wasn't going to take no for answer and she had to get a burden off her chest.

She got into the car and slammed the door shut. She sat facing away from Arnav. All the frustration from the previous night, all the months of tension and arguments and pain hit her with full force.

"Khushi what is it that you are looking for from this relationship?" He sounded sincere, as though he was willing to make an effort in this false relationship. Khushi continued to stare out of the passenger window.

"Kushi! How many times do I have to tell you to look at me when I am talking to you." He barked at her accelerating the speed of the car.

"And when will you understand that if I refuse to look at you when you are talking to me, it's because I don't want to hear what you have to say!" Khushi could feel the words about to pour out of her mouth and as much as she tried to remain silent, the tsunami that was building up over the past four months finally hit Arnav, in his car.

"I told jiji this wouldn't work. I told her that I am more than happy to give her my half of the shares in the company. I don't understand business, quiet frankly it scares me and I prefer to stay away. But the irony! My own life has become nothing but a business deal. I am a bloody joke. You have made a joke of me and my life Arnav Singh Raizada." Khushi could feel heat coming off her body. She didn't know to what extent her anger may increase, but at the time she felt like she would burst into flames or set the car on fire.

"What the-" Just as Arnav was about to talk when Khushi turned to face him. She hadn't realised how close he had bought his face to hers but she didn't stop.

"One minute, I've not finished." She said in a voice as stern as his.

"Everything has to be according to your clock, on your time. Now that it suits you fit, that you can see that you can't get out of this sham of a relationship you think it's ok to act like my fianc.? To ask me what I want from this relationship, and expect me to answer. You think you can just stop by whenever you want because you put a ring on one of my fingers? Last night is the last night I let you in my apartment! Buaji has told you before that this is not acceptable in our household. And now that she has decided to go Lucknow for a few months you think you can prance around like you own the place! Who the hell do you think you are? During Payal jiji's wedding you argued with me all the time over everything. And how could you forget about my employment at AR regardless of how short it was?" Tears started spilling on to her flushed red cheeks as she continued to vent.

"And during the wedding, on the last day, when I was giving away my most beloved sister to your family, you told me that you hated me that you never wanted to see my face again. Then, two months later you propose and I am expected to say yes!" Arnav sat in silence controlling his own anger at khushi's words. 'She was expected to say yes, was she given no choice?' He thought.

"All my dreams of the perfect marriage all shattered in a single moment. Everything I had ever planned since I was a little girl, how I would meet him, what he would be like, falling in love, our big day, it all just went down the drain. How can I ever be happy with a man who hates the sight of my face? How can I accept a man who left the woman who loved him more than anything for girl he barely knows? How can I be with a man who doesn't even believe in marriage? Bauji aur Naniji have asked you time and time again to set a date but you never can seem to find the time to answer them. There is always a meeting or conference or a file to be read. So the answer to your question is that I don't need anything from you. Your question is too little too late. You have caused too much damage in my life for you to start building foundations now. So please stop acting like you care or that we can play happy families. You Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada have failed."

The car screeched to a halt. They had reached Khushi's school. Khushi was trying to compose herself before she left the car. All the while new thoughts began to invade her mind. How would her family deal with the shock of the engagement being broken off? No doubt after hearing all this he would want the ring back. She stepped out of the car where he was already waiting. He walked over to her until she was backed against the car door. He put his hands on either side of her shoulders so she couldn't escape.

"Finished?" He asked through his teeth.

"Finished." Khushi retorted, her eyes still blazing with rage.

"Kushi Kumari Gupta, without moving or speaking I want you to listen to what I am about to say. Arnav Singh Raizada never fails. The word does simply not exist in my dictionary, understand?" His voice was low. His stare was constant. Khushi found him more terrifying like this than when he was shouting. She blinked at him to let him know she understood.

"I am not acting like your fiance. I am your fiance. I am going to make this work even if it kills me. So you can try all you want to push me away, threaten me with buaji, blackmail about Di or tell on me to Shashi uncle. The fact of the matter is I will be there the next day and the day after that. Because that's what marriage is about, for better or for worse, remember?" Khushi's thoughts flashed back to a conversation she once had with Lavanya. She was convincing her to propose to Arnav.

"And as for stopping by your place, I do that because I find that I am able to find some peace there. I feel like I can get away from being the corporate monster and have a chance at a normal life. I don't have to worry about my responsibilities at home, I can be just Arnav." Khushi didn't know how to feel. She didn't know whether to be joyful at the thought of him being able to finally confide in her or to hate him for making it hard for her to break away from him.

"It's true I use to stay away form even after the engagement. I did it because I thought it's what you had wanted. Because I thought it was best for us. I only started to visit you when you told Di that I don't give you the time of day. So this is me, giving you the time of day that I have to give." His anger was in control but his eyes were giving away his story.

"Hi Khushi!…is everything ok?" A small but large middle aged woman was looking at Khushi and Arnav with some concern. 'Oh no, Shruthi Seth! She will announce our tiff to the whole world. What to do?' Ms Seth was an English teacher at Khushi's school. She was also known as 'Page 3' as she had gossip on anyone you could think of. The last thing Khushi wanted was for her to spread the news that the 'ASR' was having a domestic with his fiance in the parking lot of a school. Khushi saw Arnav looking at Miss Seth with disapproval. Before he could say anything to her to make matters worse Khushi wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Arnavji, I'll miss you too." Khushi felt Arnav freeze as she caught him off guard and pulled him closer.