Index on Page 1:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After the Confession
Part 3:That Afternoon
When Khushi entered the room, Arnav had dozed off on his chaise. She closed the door carefully shut behind her. The afternoon sun was strong and bright, birds were still chiirping intermittently and the pool water calm, blue, without any ripples - just how she felt at this moment. For some unknown reason to Khushi, everything felt just perfect. She looked at Arnav, he was in deep sleep, his face had immense calm... something that she enever got to see while he was awake. She moved closer to him, something inside her heart just pulled her towards him. She extended her hand and touched his forehead - 'no fever', she whispered. "Then why is he asleep at this time? Laad Governer toh kabhi dopaher mein soate nahin hai... Well, he never naps.. Why now? Did he not sleep alright last night?" She got worried. She forgot that while thinking she had still left her hand on his face. She kept looking at his face...She murmumred, "Jab jaagte hai toh sirf daatate rehate hai, ab need mein kitne sookoon se lag rahe kai!..While awake, he always talks rough, now asleep- looks like he is at so much peace!" She moved forward, cupped his face in both her hands and whispered, "Aap aise kitne acche lagte hai! ...It is so nice to see you like this..." She felt a sudden urge to caress his face - - - just the thought shocked Khushi - 'How could I think like that? What's wrong with me? But then, why does it feel so right?'
Khushi's eyes full of affection now started to show a flicker of confusion... something made her still stay by Arnav... few moments later, she looked at his face again and she felt the same urge surface back in her heart! Khushi took a step back, still holding Arnav's face in her hands... "Isse se pehle ki aap jaag jaye ya bhir hum kuchh galat kar jaye..Before you wake up or before I do something wrong..." she left her sentence halfway and let go of Arnav's face... She pulled the curtains on the poolside glass door, so that Arnav will not be bothered by the strong sunshine outside. Then she came back and pulled out her notebook - she jotted down, "Laad Governer neend mein bade achhe lagate hai...bade hi masoom! ... Laad Governer looks nice while asleep... very innocent.." A smile spread on her beautiful face as she closed the notebook. She looked at Arnav's face once again...
Khushi's eyes spread wide - with shock - Arnav was staring at her - her heart jumped to her throat! Hey DeviMaiyya, when did he wake up? What did he hear? Khushi could not meet his eyes - she just wanted to disappear. She huriedly closed and tucked her notebook under the pillow. Then she turned around and started going towards the door. When she heard, "Khushiii!" Her feet stopped, she could not bring herself to turn around and look into Arnav's eyes. Her heart was racing and she held her breath not knowing what to expect...,"Jiii!".."Yes?" somehow she blurted out.
"Khushi, come here. " "W h y?" Khushi could not gather her thoughts and emotions...she was still holding her breath, still her back towards Arnav. "Khushi, come here. I am talking to you!" When she heard the routine phrase, she immediately turned around. "Ji?" "What?" Arnav was looking at her, somewhat puzzled..she came closer aware of his constant gaze. "Khushi, idhar dekho!.. Khushi, look at me! I am talking to you.." same words but he said those so softly that Khushi's eyes instantaneously focused on him. She looked at him with a question mark in her eyes trying to hide her own embarrassment. ".Khushi, kahi ja rahi ho? ..Are you going somewhere?" "Nahin toh..No, I am not!" "Toh bhir mere liye ek cup adarak ki chai banaogee? Mera sir dard kar raha hai!" "Then can you make me some ginger tea? I have this headache.."
Khushi immediately snapped back in her own mode. "You have a headache? Why don't you sleep some more? Or..why don't you take some medicine? ..You know what, I will make you ginger tea and then, may be I can give you a nice rub.." Arnav really enjoyed this feeling of being cared for by Khushi..A smile rushed to his lips but he controlled himself. He managed to say, "Just the tea will do..now leave me alone.."
Khushi gave him a curt look at his "Leave me alone.." and muttered under her breath.. "Hume bhi koi shauk nahin hai aap ke saath yehan baithne ka.. ja hi rahe thein!" " don't fancy sitting here with you either..I was on my way out anyway.." Arnav heard every word Khushi said, he let the smile light up his face ... "Crazy girl.." said to himself and closed his eyes...
"Suniye.., Arnav ji.." Arnav woke up at Khushi's voice.. he indeed had dozed off.. Khushi was back with his ginger tea. He sat up. Khushi handed him the tea cup... while he was sipping his tea, Khushi kept writing something in her notebook, unaware of Arnav's observant eyes..
After he finished his tea, he laid down again, closed his eyes and started rubbing his forhead. Suddenly his actions were interrupted...he opened his eyes...looked up.. Khushi had held his hand and was bent over him. He looked at her in surprise. She said in a gentle voice, " Bahot dard ho raha hai na...You are hurting a lot.. Let me apply some balm and give you a rub.." "No, Khushi..I will be alright!" "Dekhiye, hume karne dijiye! Listen, let me do it!" She said to him in an authoritative but soft voice. Arnav let go.. Khushi sat next to him...took some balm out of the jar..before she brought it close to his forhead she asked in mischievous voice, "Ab isse toh aap ko koi taqniki kharabi nahi hogi na..bus poochh rahe hai.." "Now tell me, this won't cause any technical problem with you, right? No, I am just asking.." Arnav gave her 'the look' that said "Acting smart, yea Khushi?" Then he just nodded "No".
Khushi started applying the balm gently to Arnav's forhead..he closed his eyes..he already had started feeling better at her gentle touch... Khushi looked at his face..again serene..with her fingers moving gently on his forehead, her gentle gaze caressing his face, her heart started beating faster... she became aware of her close proximity to Arnav..she started breathing heavier... her eyes glued to his face. She did not realize that Arnav had his eyes open and was looking at her... Khushi's lips started quivering... She wanted to move away from Arnav but found herself frozen. Just then Arnav placed his hand on hers on his forhead, carefully held it in his and said in his husky voice, "Kya hua Khushi?.. What's wrong?" His eyes deep, curious, gentle and slightly mischiveous... "Khushi wanted to look anywhere but in his eyes...however, she could not move. She found herself locked in Arnav's intense gaze, with him holding her hand gently...and she herself sitting right next to him... her heart was pounding so fast that she thought Arnav could hear it! She almost jumped at the thought and realized that he was still staring at her, looking carefully at her... She managed to say, "I...I..Woh hum..hum.." "Hum kya Khushi? Hum hi toh hai yehan.. Yes, Khushi! It is just us here.." A mischief spreading over his face and his eyes twinkling..As Khushi struggled to free her hand from Arnav's grip, Arnav brought her hand close to his heart and said, "Is anything wrong... Why are you so scared? You are perspiring.." "Kya hua Khushi? Tum dar rahi ho? Tumhe toh paseena aa raha hai.." Khushi lowered her eyes quickly but could not keep herself from getting drowned in his intense gaze again...she could not help blushing as Arnav's misvhievous eyes and smirk became stronger... Khushi kept blushing...wondering why she could not jump up and fight to free herself from Arnav's grip..she found herself unable to think... deep down in her heart somewhere it just felt right...
She closed her eyes and placed her other hand on her heart and started praying..."Devi Maiyya..Devi Maiyya.." with quivering lips...Arnav kept looking at the mesmerising beauty... For the first time he had realized the full impact of his proximity on Khushi...
Next:
After the Confession - Part 4:The Reveal
Edited by Lovely1 - 13 years ago
Cricket
Current Affairs
Udne Ki Aasha
265