Broken Angel ArHi SS : Updated Chapter 8!!! - Page 4

Arnav resisted the urge to shout in frustration as Khushi yet again confirmed from that Chiku if she had written down his address and cell phone number right. This was the third time, so you see his frustration was justified as patience was not his virtue. But Khushi didn't want to take any chances of losing touch with her friend once again and you could judge how happy she was by her beaming face when she finally (finally!) made her way towards the car. Arnav scowled darkly when he saw that Chiku smiling at Khushi's back.

As soon as Khushi had gotten into the car and put her seatbelt on, he whisked the car away from the parking lot. Khushi, oblivious to Arnav's dark mood, began exclaiming her happiness on finding her long lost friend by chattering at top speed,

"Oh Arnav ji! I am so happy that we came here tonight and I found Chiku again. You know, me, Chiku and jiji used to play house all the time when we were little and I never let jiji be Chiku's wife. I used to get so angry whenever she suggested it."

Arnav's hands tightened on the steering wheel and he had the urge to drive the car at a break neck speed to blow off some steam but he was mindful of Khushi's phobia of fast cars.

"And this one time Chiku stool a daffodil from the neighbour's garden and gave it to me on Valentine's Day along with a card that he made himself. That day he asked me to be his best friend forever. God he was such a sweet boy. I am glad to see that he still the same and hasn't changed for the worst. Didn't you find Chiku sweet?"

She at last turned her face towards Arnav and saw his angry expression. She was confused when he opened his mouth, "Ha! Sweet and that Chiku guy?! Frankly I thought he was irresponsible, immature and completely childish. What kind of a person stops in the middle of his shift to talk to friends? And what the hell kind of a name is Chiku?! I should have known you will have these kind of friends." He said finishing his angry tirade by throwing a glare at Khushi.

She was feeling furious by the time Arnav stopped talking. How is it that he knows exactly what to say to ruin my mood whenever I am happy?

"What do you think of yourself? Who are you to talk about Chiku like that? You don't even know him! And you know what else? He has turned out to be a much better person that you could ever be!"

At hearing this, Arnav stopped the car with a screech. Khushi grabbed the dashboard to balance herself and turned her face to glare at him with all the anger she could muster. He glowered back at her, his hands tightening on the wheel further that his knuckles turned white. Without saying anything, he stalked out of the car to stand on the side of road, running his hands through his in frustration while trying to calm his annoyance.

Khushi stared wide eyed at Arnav's agitated form, and looked around at her surroundings. The car was parked at the side of a deserted road which had dense trees running on both sides of it. She couldn't hear the sound of another vehicle or person besides them and the eerie silence of the night was getting to her. With a gulp she got out of the car and went to him with tentative steps.

"Arnav ji? What happened? Why are you so angry?" At hearing her voice he turned around and grabbed her by her arms. Khushi was surprised at the action as well as the fire she was in his eyes.

"Do you really not know why I am so angry? Really?! Don't you know why I was worried sick when you were at the hospital or why I was angry tonight when instead of spending time with me you were talking to that Chiku? Why, every time he touched you I wanted to rip his hands off? Why I was wishing that I was the one you smiling at tonight instead of HIM?!"

Khushi was literally speechless. Her mind couldn't fathom what he was saying, she was too scared to hope. Arnav's eyes beseeched hers for any kind of understanding but she only stared at him in confusion. Finally losing his patience he pulled her even closer and said passionately,

"It's because I have feelings for you damn it! Feelings I have never had for anyone before. The reason I can't bare you talking and smiling at some other guy is because you're mine!" With that Arnav crushed his mouth against hers without giving her a chance to react.

She was frozen in shock, her lips completely still against Arnav's. His hands moved from her arms to her waist, encircling her in his embrace. Khushi felt her eyes closing on their own accord and she hesitantly starting moving her lips against his.

Arnav's heart skipped a beat when he felt Khushi responding to his kiss and her arms moving to his shoulders. He kissed her with a passion and urgency that left her breathless. He pulled her even closer, crushing her against his chest causing her to stand on her tiptoes. One of his hand moved up to her hair and he guided her head to deepen the kiss, seeking entrance to her mouth. Arnav thought he had died and gone straight to heaven when he had his first taste of her sweet mouth. He gently nibbled on her lower lip causing Khushi to moan and him to groan at the sound.

Khushi pulled away first because of lack of air, arching her neck when he moved his fiery kiss to her jaw. He made kissed his way down, his journey getting hindered by her duppatta which he tried to remove impatiently. This brought Khushi out of her Arnav induced stupor and with a loud gasp she pulled away from him, her eyes wide and her hands moving up to cover her swollen and tingling lips.

Arnav stared back at her, breathing hard and cursing himself for his lack of control around her. He felt his heart constrict when he saw her eyes fill with tears. He walked over to her and grabbed her face in his hands, tenderly wiping the tears that had spilled on her cheeks. Khushi watched transfixed as he stared at with warmth in his eyes,

"What's wrong? Why are you crying? Please stop. I can't see you cry." At hearing his pleading tone, more stubborn tears escaped her eyes which she tried to control. Stupid stupid Khushi. Here he just confessed to you and you can't stop crying. Pagal.

"Woh'. I just don't know what to think. Humein kuch samajh nahin aa raha." (I don't understand anything) Arnav watched as she sniffed and tried to calm her breathing. He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs and spoke to her softly,

"You don't have to think anything. Just tell me do you feel something for me? Do you have feelings for me? I don't know what to name what I feel for you but I just know that these emotions are all new, something I have never felt before for any girl."

Khushi looked into his eyes which were filled with sincerity and some other emotion she couldn't name. She just knew that that emotion made her feel warm inside and she also knew that the feelings Arnav was talking about, were the same feelings she felt and had tried to fight. There was something special between them, some kind of connection. She had felt it since she met him the first time and gradually it had grown more potent to the point that it threatened to take over her entire being. It thrilled her and scared her at the same time. She was scared of going ahead, not knowing what to expect. He had confessed to her but had made no promises. She had to remember this was the same Arnav Singh Raizada who didn't believe in marriage, so could she risk her heart? Her heart screamed yes! Khushi had always done what she felt was right and this felt right. She wasn't about to change now.

"I have feelings for you too. I don't know what it is or how it happened." She said blushing and looking down, not looking in his eyes. Arnav felt his face stretch into a rare smile and he raised Khushi's face to look at him. She felt breathless at the emotions his eyes reflected, staring at him as if hypnotized. He leaned forward slowly, brushing his lips against her forehead gently. Then he proceeded to place tender butterfly kisses on her eyes, nose, cheeks and by the time he reached Khushi's lips, both of them were breathing erratically. But right then, Khushi's eccentric ringtone filled the eerie silence, effectually breaking their moment. She was flustered as she went to get the phone and answered it in a breathless voice,

"Hello"

"Khushi, kahan hai to? It is getting so late and Amma and Buaji are getting worried." Khushi had completely lost track of time and glanced at Arnav to see him walking towards her slowly. She gulped and answered,

"Woh jiji I lost track of time. I am sorry. Hum bas ghar pohunch hi rahe hain. Please Amma aur Buaji ko bata dejiye."(I am about to reach home. Please tell this to Amma and Buaji as well.)

"Acha theek hai. Jaldi kar. Bye." (Ok fine but hurry up. Bye.) With that Khushi closed the phone, glancing up to find Arnav standing so close to her that they were almost touching. With twinkling eyes, he leaned forward towards her, smirking when he saw her flush and stutter nervously,

"W - what are you doing? Aap'" Khushi jumped when she heard the sound of the car door opening. She turned to the side to see Arnav had opened the door for her and was looking at her with a smirk on his face. She looked down, annoyed at herself for letting him affect her this much and got in the car with a huff.

Arnav glanced at Khushi's pouting expression, suppressing a grin when she quickly turned her face the other way when she saw him looking. "So when did you get a new cell phone? As I remember I haven't seen you with one since your old one broke", he said in an effort to start a conversation but internally winced when he recalled how her cell phone had "broken".

It seemed that she was remembering the same as she gave him an icy glare,

"Yeah my old cell phone broke because somebody decided it would be a good idea to throw it on the floor." Arnav pursed his lips, responding in a tight voice,

"Look Khushi I don't think it would be a good idea bring up our pasts. I don't want to do that. Understood?" He kept looking at her with a raised eyebrow until she nodded her consent. Khushi could see that she had irritated him by bringing up sour memories, cursing her quick anger for ruining the atmosphere once again.

"Yeh hamara phone nahin hai. Humein jab bhi kahin akele bahar jaana hota hai to hum Babu ji ka use kar lete hain take Amma aur Buaji pareshan na hoon. Aur waise bhi theek hai na, ek phone kafi hai. Bill bhi nahin aata zyaada aur ek se zyaada phone mehenga bhi ho jata na." (This is not my phone. Whenever I go out alone, I use my Babu ji's phone so that my Amma and Buaji don't get worried. Besides, one cell phone is more than enough. We can't afford to have more than one)

Arnav felt a strange sensation at hearing her words. He couldn't recognize the feeling but it was an unpleasant experience. With a start, he realized that he was feeling guilty, something he couldn't recall feeling for a long time. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and was about to say something when Khushi suddenly exclaimed,

"Stop! Gadi rookiye!", (Stop the car) Arnav pressed the break on instinct and turned to her in surprise and anger.

"Khushi, have you gone mad! Who shouts like that when someone is driving?! What if there was a car behind us and we had an accident?", he yelled at her. Khushi unknowingly placed her hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Uffo! Aap bhi na! You can't drop me in front of my house." Khushi said immediately berating herself for blurting out the truth, knowing she will have to explain to him that she had lied at home and she did not want to have that conversation.

"Why? I always drop you in front of your house", he replied with a confused frown. She diverted her eyes to her lap, fidgeting with her duppatta as she clarified in disjointed sentences, "Woh' the thing is ummm' actually'-

"Khushi spit it out!" She jumped at his shout, blurting out the truth.

"I lied-at-the house-that I-have-was-going-to-visit-Sarita." He stared at her for a moment, his mind processing what she had said. The minute he understood, a wicked smirk spread upon his face turning Khushi's cheeks red. He smirked wider at seeing her blush and leaned towards her.

"So you lied to them, telling them that you were going with a friend. Why?" he asked when he was only a couple of inches away from her, his eyes locked with her honey browned ones. Her heart was beating an irregular rhythm against her chest and her mind had lost the ability to speak the minute his warm breath washed over her.

"I ' I don't k-know." She managed to stutter out. She watched transfixed as Arnav raised his hand to softly cup her jaw, her eyes falling shut on their own accord when he traced his thumb on her trembling lower lip. She opened her eyes to find his own darkened with desire. He slowly traced his hand down her neck and back up, cupping her face with both of his hands now.

Arnav had only meant to tease her, enjoy the affect he had on her but he had forgotten the power she had on him. He had forgotten that all of his years of practised self-control went out the window when it came to Khushi. He brought his face closer to hers, watching as her eyes closed once again. Just when their lips touched, blaring lights and a loud horn caused them to jump apart.

"Damn it!" Arnav cursed loudly, running an agitated hand through his hair and giving a deathly glare to the passing car. Khushi couldn't help but giggle at the obviously frustrated Arnav, her giggles turning into loud laughter when she saw him giving her an angry frown. He found his irritation slowly melting away as he saw her carefree laughter, noting how beautiful she looked with her eyes shining like mirth and her head thrown back.

She calmed down, looking his way to find him staring at her unabashedly. Her remaining giggles died as a tingling feeling started all over her body due tohis powerful gaze. She swallowed to wet her suddenly parched throat and lowered her eyes when she noticed the time.

"Hai Devi Maiyya!!"

"What the-"

"Look at the time. Hai Devi Maiyya I have to go!" With that Khushi gathered her bag and climbed out of the car before Arnav knew what was happening. He quickly got out and ran after her, calling her name.

"Khushi!" She stopped at his shout, turning around to find him coming after her. She watched as he came to stand close to her, "You think I was going to let you leave without saying a proper goodbye?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and a devious glint in his eyes.

She was struggling to think of something to say when his right arm came around her waist and he pulled her flush towards his body. Her hands automatically grabbed his shirt to balance herself, her heart thundering inside her chest in a disjointed rhythm as she stared at him wide-eyed. Arnav slowly brought his face closer to her all the while keeping his eyes locked with hers. Khushi closed her eyes, expecting him to kiss her but the moment his lips were an inch from hers, he diverted his mouth, instead brushing his lips on her cheek.

"Bye." At his whisper her eyes opened to find him looking at her with one of his rare smiles on his face. She found her lips automatically turning up to mimic his expression as she shyly whispered her own good bye. Giving him one last look, Khushi turned around to make her way to her house, her heart still beating at a furious speed.

Later, Khushi was lying on her bed, trying in vain to fall asleep but sleep just wouldn't come. Instead, all the magical moments she had experienced tonight danced in front of her eyes like a delightful flashback. She smiled to herself thinking; when I woke up this morning I couldn't for the life of me imagine that this would be one of the most beautiful days of my life.