Akash had made up his mind that at any cost he would visit Payal at 12 midnight. Somehow he had convinced Arnav or rather Arnav couldn't see his tortured brother and thus decided to accompany him to Payal's house. NK was so excited at this idea that he too decided to go along with them. Arnav had no other choice rather take along his irritating cousin.
The three of them reached Gupta's at 11:45. Akash had wanted to surprise his sad and gloomy fianc and thus hadn't told her that he would be coming to meet her.
Akash-" Bhai, now how do I get into the house. If we go and ring the bell Buaji would see me and get really angry. What to do? I did not think about this before". He nervously paced outside the house.
Arnav-" Just give her a call Akash. Or rather you call Khushi's mobile and ask her to send Payal outside. Only Payal. That Khushi need not come outside". He had decided that he wouldn't see her face, atleast not this midnight.
NK-"But Akash that would be such a boring surprise. I think you should go in through the window and surprise her. I will accompany you if Arnav doesn't want to, as he rarely agrees to my ideas. This way I can see Khushi at midnight." Just the thought of her made him so excited and a huge smile spread across his face imagining her reaction seeing him.
This didn't go unnoticed by Arnav and glared back at NK, full of rage that if eyes could kill, he would have been dead right there.
Arnav-"Who said I don't agree to your ideas. You stay outside. Akash and I will go inside."He pulled Akash with him and went towards the window before NK could protest and left him completely flabbergasted.
Arnav didn't know why he agreed to such a stupid idea, but somehow his conscience could not allow NK to see Khushi at midnight. He was fully confused at his actions that he didn't realize that they had reached the window. Akash was such a coward that he couldn't even knock at the window. So Arnav went ahead and tapped the window thrice.
Inside the room the lights were off and Khushi and Payal were lying on the bed. They hadn't fallen asleep and both were lost in their own thoughts when suddenly they heard someone tapping their window.
Khushi-" Jiji, someone is outside our window. Come let's go and see. I hope it's not some thief."
Payal-" yeah Khushi. Even I heard someone outside. But what is the person doing outside the window. That too at this hour. I think we should wake Buaji." They switched on the lights.
Khushi-" No jiji, let's see for ourselves. I will take this vase in my hand . You go and slowly open the window. If it's the thief, I will bang this on his head". Saying this they went beside the window and slowly opened it only to reveal a completely nervous Akash and an equally flabbergasted Arnav seeing the vase in Khushi's hand.
Akash-"NO, don't hit me. It's me Akash. I've come to meet you."
Both the sisters were so shocked that they didn't know how to react. And without wasting any more time, Akash climbed inside the window pulling along with him a completely shocked Arnav.
Arnav was so lost seeing Khushi and her seeing him that for a minute the world stood still for them. They couldn't hear even the 1950's romantic conversation happening between their siblings beside them. She just stood there frozen with the vase in her hand. Her hair was open and messy due to lying on the bed. She didn't have any make up on, but still she looked so beautiful in her night dress. He had never seen her like this before, so pure and chaste, beauty radiating from her.
Khushi-"Aap yahan". She could barely hear her own voice. Hearing this he snapped back to reality.
Arnav-"Listen, don't u dare think that I came to meet you at midnight. It was just for my brother's sake. I could not see his pathetic condition." Saying this he turned around to leave through the window before she could utter anything.
But suddenly they heard a knock at their bedroom door.
Buaji-" Khushi, Payal are u still awake. I thought I heard someone talking."
Khushi-" Hey Devi maiyya, Buaji is outside the door and you both are inside. What do we do?." She looked everywhere around the room but couldn't find anypalce to hide such big sized men.
Akash as always panicked and before anyone could say anything, he pushed aside Arnav who was near the window and pulled Payal with him and decided to jump outside.
Akash-" I came here mustering every ounce of courage inside me and hence I won't let Buaji come between us tonight." They both escaped outside. But before Arnav could dash outside, they heard Buaji.
Buaji-" Well since you both seem to be awake, I'm coming inside as I have something to say to you both."
Khushi knew Arnav couldn't make it out on time. Hence she pulled him towards her and pushed him on the bed and covered him with her blanket from head to toe and she herself lay down on the bed beside him. She could clearly hear a muffled 'What the!' coming out from her Laad governor's mouth, but this was the only idea she could think of at that minute.
Buaji entered the room and came towards them.
Buaji-" I thought you would be asleep but you are awake and I even heard someone talking but I can clearly see Payal asleep."
Khushi-" Arrey Buaji, I was talking to myself. You yourself know how this Sankadevi can be at times. BTW why are u here at this hour".
Buaji-" Titiliya, since this is the first time you are celebrating New year with me, I thought I will give you my love and blessings at the beginning of the year so that you can have a great year ahead."
Saying this she came and bent forward to kiss Khushi's forehead and blessed her.
Khushi-" Thanks a lot Buaji for this. I hope even you have a good year ahead". She sat upright on her bed and hugged her Buaji. She glanced the clock on the wall. It was 11: 59. Suddenly she remembered the laad governor who was beside her pretending to be Payal, and clearly remembered his challenge of not seeing her during midnight. She thought that atleast he had covered himself with the blanket and could not see her. She was actually grinning at his misery when suddenly she noticed Buaji get up and move towards his side of the bed.
Buaji-" I know that my Payaliya is deep asleep but I can surely give her a Good night kiss." She bent down to open the blanket from the face, when suddenly Khushi felt Arnav's hand squeezing hers with panic.
Arnav thought to himself about the situation he was caught in. He had never imagined to start his new year like this, let alone being kissed on his forehead by Buaji. He knew that this was going to be the worst year ahead for him, when he suddenly felt Khushi hugging him tightly.
Khushi in panic-" Buaji don't disturb my Jiji. She is in deep sleep after such a long time. And if you lift the blanket from her face she will feel cold and get up. See, that's why I'm hugging her to make her feel warm. This time only I should get a hug and kiss from you. Since she is getting married soon she is going to get loads of love from you people, so no hugs and kisses from you today." She held on tightly to him to prevent Buaji from getting any closer to him.
Buaji-" Hai re Nandkisor, Move aside Sankadevi, when did you become so selfish?".
Khushi-"Selfish and me, No No." and without realising what she was going to do, she bent and kissed a completely blanket covered Arnav's face.
Khushi-" See, where am I being selfish. I passed on your love to Jiji, See".
At that minute she heard firecrackers and people shouting Happy new year outside.
Khushi-" It's new year already Buaji. Happy new year. Now you should go and wish Amma Babuji. I am feeling really sleepy. Now go! go!".
Buaji-" You wait and see how much I'll Hug and kiss Payaliya in the morning. Now she is asleep and hence cannot say anything in this matter. But tomorrow when I tell her what you told me just now, she is gonna beat you black and blue."
Khushi-" we will see about that tomorrow. Now please go, I'm feeling sleepy." All this while she was tightly hugging Arnav lest Buaji attack him with her hugs. He was holding her hand still squeezing it.
Buaji turned around to leave but remembered something and turned back and bent forward and before Khushi could react, she placed both her hands on their heads.
Buaji-" May god bless you both with loads of happiness and love in this year ahead. May you be there for each other's joy and sorrow and may this bond never break between you both and let your love for each other double and triple this year and for the years to come. Be together always."She turned around, left the room and closed the door behind her.
Arnav and Khushi were left completely speechless. He removed the blanket covering his face and looked into those eyes that were just two inches away from his. He could not decide which was more shocking. He being kissed by khushi at 12:00 even though the blanket was covering his face or the fact that Buaji had unknowingly blessed them together with each other's company for the coming year ahead.
Khushi-" Hey devi mayya, thank god she left. I'm really tired of this drama." She put down her head over his chest and after a minute of lying down beside him still hugging him, relieving herself from all the tension of the past twenty minutes, it dawned to her what was she doing. She quickly became embarrassed, got up from the bed and went towards the window to search for her sister and Jiju outside.
Khushi-" I wonder where they are. I hope they had a good time outside". She tried to change the subject matter still blushing at the fact that she had laid beside her laad governor on his chest, hugging him.
Arnav lay there on the bed, deeply pondering. His heart leapt with pleasure thinking of the past ten minutes he had spent with Khushi. This Khushi had made sure that she would appear before him at midnight. That was so typical of her. But he no more felt any anger against her. Somewhere deep inside he was glad that she was with him and that he had such a good start to the new year and a smile crept on his face. That million dollar smile.
I know its not that great, u can throw all the tomatoes, onions, carrots and cucumbers u want at me. But please throw good ones so that I can use it for salads😆
Comments please!!!!😊
Anupamaa
