Ola Amigos!!🤗
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Here's the next chapter...
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A/N: I have taken some creative liberties about the geographical area and landscape, as I've never been to those places.
NOTE: I retain sole ownership of all these works of fiction, so please, my dear friends, do not alter or reproduce my work and claim it as your own.
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Chapter Five
Payal: (her eyes searching Khushi's face) What happened, Khushi? (concerned)
Khushi just couldn't find words, once she remembered what had happened in the morning class, from the eye lock to the moment between them. She mentally tried to shake it off.
Arnav noticed Khushi's discomfort. He was furious at Aakash and already planning to kill him.
Aakas: Don't worry! (putting his hand up to stop Payal from asking more questions) I'll tell you...Well, it goes like this..
Arnav wasting no more time hit Aakash in his shin.
Aakash: Lavanya was''' (as his shin stung in pain) Owww...(hissing and nursing his shin)
Payal: (jumping at his yelp) What happened?
Aakash: N-nothing...Well... (his eyes scrunched up and then glaring at Arnav, before turning to Payal again)
Arnav started coughing loudly. So to not make it obvious, he coughed like a patient suffering from congestion.
Khushi: (getting up at once, on seeing him cough and rushing to him with a bottle of water) Here! (holding him by his shoulder)
Arnav put his hand up to hold the bottle and suddenly felt something soft under his palm. He opened his eyes a bit to bring the mouth of the bottle to his mouth. Khushi automatically, brought it nearer with his hand on hers. She felt something strange in her stomach, but brushed it aside and tried to concentrate on the bottle.
His lips parted a bit, to let the water in.
Aakash: (already by Arnav's side and concerned) Wassup, bro? (placing a hand on his shoulder) You okay?
Payal: (concerned herself) Yeah, are you fine?
Arnav's ears couldn't register their voices as he had long tuned them out, except Khushi's. He could hear her clear concern in her honey sweet voice.
Khushi: Are you okay? (stooping down a bit)
He drank slowly and enjoyed the soft cushiony feel of her fingers beneath his palm. When he finished almost half the bottle, slowly the other two voices made their way through his ears.
Aakash: You okay now? (stooping down to Arnav's face) Hmm? (seeing Arnav nod his head positively) Kay, shall we continue? (straightening up)
Arnav groaned and cursed himself for saying yes to Aakash. He just wished to run away from here.
Just then, Khushi's phone started ringing.
Khushi: (straightening and fishing out her cell phone from her pocket) Uh! (looking at the caller id) I gotta go (mentally thanking god) It's ...it's urgent. (gesturing Payal to come)
Payal: (understanding) Yeah! We should get going! Well...nice meeting you two! Take care, Arnav! (nodding to Arnav, who nodded in response with a smile)
Aakash: See ya, tomorrow!! (waving his hand)
Payal felt somewhat impatient about the next day, but brushed it aside and just smiled a wide smile.
After nodding to Payal, his eyes caught Khushi's, with the same expression.
Khushi smiled and said a silent bye to both Aakash and Arnav, with a sweet smile, acknowledging them.
Arnav blinked and grinned at her, as he saw her smile widening too, as she looked at him.
Aakash: (noticing the unspoken conversation) Woohoo! (winking at Arnav)
Arnav: (turning with the same grinning expression, which then turned to a scowl) You! Ass!! What on Earth were you doing?? (trying to catch hold of Aakash)
Aakash: (smartly dodging Arnav's hands) What did I do? (pretending to be innocent, but failing a chuckle bubbled out of him; instantly jogging away and then, running)
Arnav: Come back here!! (following Aakash and increasing his pace)
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Payal: (turning to Khushi) Smiles, what's it? What happened?
Khushi: Nothing... much..(avoiding to meet her eyes and thankful so as she was driving)
Payal: 'Nothing'? Or something 'much'?...(tilting her head) You know, you're a bad liar, at least in front of me! You never hide anything from me, then, why this? (her tone slightly higher) Khushi, (seriously) spill the beans...out with it now!
Twitching her lips, Khushi pulled in her car at their favourite place, Central Park. She got out of the car and stood, leaning her back against the door, sighing.
Payal: (getting out herself and coming around to stand beside Khushi) Khushi...What happened?...Look am really tired of this stupid question now!! (annoyed) Okay, fine, if you don't want to tell me, then it's fine, but don't just keep quiet!! (on hearing no response) Hmm... (suddenly her mind lighting up with an idea) Kay! (seeing a shocked Khushi at the unmistakable voice)
Yes, it was Mona's voice! Payal had the knack of mimicking people's voices and Mona's was the best!
Payal: (with a mock serious expression and in Mona's voice) I want salmon soup right now!! Otherwise, you're fired! (pretending to think) No, I won't fire you, because I'm very...APPEALING! (arching her back, so her chest was arched out like Mona's and a hand on her bosom, just like Mona would always keep) Hmm..? (raising her eyebrows) I'm VERY...(in a seductive fashion) APPEALING!!! (her voice dropping low)
Khushi just couldn't help but laugh hysterically at her best friend, acting out Mona - the Medusa!! It was damn comical, even if she used the dialogues! Whatever it was, Payal could lighten her mood anytime, anywhere.
Seeing Khushi laugh, Payal felt relieved. She hated to see Khushi in a sober mood. Although the girl had gone through so much from losing her father to almost her self-esteem, Khushi still kept a calm outlook and tried to smile and even laugh genuinely at times. Not that she was an introvert, but all this had made her keep things to herself and to her closest friends, that's all.
Payal was the one, to whom Khushi would let out her feelings. Khushi would somehow feel happy even at the worst moments of her life.
Payal: Hmm...(nodding approvingly) That's my girl!! (hugging Khushi) YOu okay?
Khushi: (hugging Payal back) Yeah!! See, Payal, it can never happen that I won't tell you anything (Payal smiled sweetly) Actually this morning, in class after I had briefed the class about my project, and right when I was stepping down the platform, I felt someone's leg near my shin and I lost my balance! I was about to fall, when I felt somebody hold me. I opened my eyes to see Arnav holding me... (as her lungs filled in with the cool air)
Payal: What?! (dumbfounded) That..that B****!!!! How crass of her!!! (nodding her head in disbelief) Are you alright?
Khushi: Of course I am, Payal! Did you see me limping?? No na! (tilting her head a bit)
Payal: I...(about to get up)
Khushi: (holding Payal's arm and pulling her back to sit down) Payal...Leave it!! She apologised that's enough! (looking away)
Payal: (with a disbelieving look) Smiles! She apologised NOT to YOU, BUT to Arnav!! (blinking to make sense)
Khushi: So what? (turning to Payal) Let it be! She apologised, that's what's enough!!! As it is what Aakash said was true, that Lavanya 'Kashyap' saying 'Sorry' is THE Breaking News!!! (her fingers indicating inverted commas)
Payal: (her anger breaking into a smile) *chuckle* You bet!! (shaking her head in disbelief) So what happened next?
Khushi: Well, I... I couldn't stop gazing into his eyes! (looking away to the grounds) I felt that they were speaking something...anything...(her eyebrows furrowing) They were a pair I had never seen before! (oblivious to Payal's teasing smile) I was surprised to see that Arnav was the person with those eyes...I mean, never thought that...such an egoistic person, may have such beaut-...(turning to Payal and realising her folly) I mean...uh...(gulping) such...k-kind eyes...(sighing on seeing Payal nod innocently)
Payal: Oye! (turning Khushi to face her) I heard all of it!!! All of it! So you like him?
Khushi: (getting up to go to her car) No!...(in a high pitched tone)...I don't know...(in low tone, as she sat in her car)
Payal: (opening the door and getting in) Oh!! But what about your secret admirer?? (batting her eyelashes) Won't he be upset, that you like Someone else?? (pouting like a child and with mock sadness)
Khushi: (blushing) Shut Up!! (starting her engine) See, I don't know if I like him, but I don't know, what happened to me...When I saw his eyes--
Payal: (sighing heavily ad cutting in) You felt yourself drown in them!! (plopping down on the seat again) You know, Smiles, you can write an English account on his very Eyes an describe it like in Mills'n Boons...(giggling) It looks as if you're Fida about his 'Eyes' and cannot stop gushing about them!! (batting her eyelashes again)
Khushi: Payal!! (warning her) I...felt good and easy when I looked into them... (smiling slightly) He's got kind eyes..
Payal: (smiling knowingly) Oye hoye!!! Smiles...(teasing)
Khushi: (turning to Payal) Now what? (closing her eyes briefly) why are you smiling like that??
Payal: You like him!!! (squealing in delight and just then, cutting Khushi in again) Don't...(her finger pointing at Khushi) deny it!!! Don't!!!!
Khushi: Payal, I don't know... (shaking her head in a 'no', while pulling up besdie Payal's house)
Payal: (laughing) Yeah, we'll see!! (getting out of the car, sticking her tongue out)
Khushi: Yeah, Yeah!! We WILL see!! (grinning)
Payal: Bye!! See ya!! (giving her flying kiss)
Khushi: See ya too!! (waving her hand as she pulled out)
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Khushi's home
Khushi opened the door thinking that Mona Medusa, would be sleeping on the couch snoring. No one?..thought Khushi. How can that be possible?
Khushi: Hello?...(stepping up softly on the wooden flooring) Mona?...(tilting her head sideways) Tanya?...(raising her eyebrows) Tanvi?...(looking around) Mona??
Mona: (coming out of the bedroom, all dressed up) Why are you shouting? What is it? (irritatingly)
Khushi: Oh! Sorry! I was just checking...(hunching her shoulders and then back) I thought...(her hands hitting her side pockets) nobody was there... (frowning a bit)
Mona: Well, in 20 minutes, nobody except you'll be there in here... (pouting out deliberately and pointing at Khushi with her freshly French-manicured nails)
Khushi: (furrowing her eyebrows) What do you mean?
Mona: Oh! Well, Me and Tani and Tanu are going out to La Paris...the mall...(with a puff of pride) We;ll be back by tomorrow...evening, I suppose... (haughtily and then, back to rummaging through her handbag) No where is that damn lipstick...(twitching her lips)
Khushi: (surprised) You'll be in the mall the whole night?? (raising her eyebrows in amusement; while jumping mentally at the thought of being alone at least for one night)
Mona: I didn't say that! (disgustinged) Well, we'll be...I mean...I'll be staying back at my friend Rose's house, while the girls...Umm...(furrowing her eyebrows as she strained to remember)
Khushi mentally prayed that the 2 devils would go out for the night.
Mona: (remembering and her face lighting up with a smile) Yes, they'll be staying at Lavanya's house...that's what they said. (going back to looking for her lipstick)
Khushi: Oh! (mentally excited, while trying to keep a calm look outside) Okay! (slightly smiling) Uh... (deeply breathing) Enjoy! (with a smile)
Mona: Thank you!!! (extra softly, faking a sweet smile, but then, turning into a scowl again) Where the HELL IS.MY.LIPSTICK?!?! (growling out loud making Khushi jump out of her skin)
Now what's with her? thought Khushi, amused at this silly lady, looking for something that she already had in her hand! Looks like the fever of checking your eyes has set in, moving forward and taking the lipstick from her hand and then, holding it out in front, with a smug like look.
Mona: (snatching it away from Khushi's hands and before turning) Oh, yes...Kay, you could call any of your 'friends' if you want to...Hmm... You know...You'll be alone...so...
Khushi: (raising her eyebrows in utter surprise) Oh... (unsure) Thank you!
Mona: (waving her hand) Oh, don't be so happy dear! You can call them if you want help in cleaning the house...
Khushi: (knowing what was coming) Oh...Well, I'll see if I want to... (mentally abusing Mona with the harshest words ever used in History)
Mona: Hmm...(before turning around to dab on more compact on her already pan-caked face and head out the door)
After Mona was gone, Khushi just plopped herself on the sofa.
Khushi: Pfff...(looking around) What does she mean by cleaning the house? (getting up and having a look around the whole house)...(raising her hands) Nothing there to clean the house...Okay...I think she wanted me to be busy and reclean this house the B-- (instantly shutting her mouth with her hand and bewildered at herself)
Shaking her head, she headed straight to her room, which was in the attic. Her room was very small, but had all the necessities, her favourite bed, a computer with internet connection, study shelf with books, a cupboard for her clothes and a fan and a huge window fro ventilation.
It looked as if she could spend the rest of her life with just these necessities and nothing. She reached out for her favourite old guitar, that her father had gifted her on her 7th Birthday. Her father was passionate about music as he was about food. He was a control freak and firm believer in Karma.
"Food for stomach and Music for the Soul."
She had kept it safe and was taking lessons online. She would sit for hours, just composing music, if she had to. She loved the sound of strings strumming along with her fingers. This piece of instrument reminded her very much of her dad and always made her feel secure and safe and a knowing feeling that he still is close to her heart.
In fact, she had many reminders of her father, that she treasured in a box, stored under her bed. She pulled out the box, and sat cross-legged with her back to the bed. As she opened it, she felt a warm breeze breathe in through the windows, which cooled out. Autumn...
This was the most surprising season for her, all leaves would be shed, for the birth of new ones in Spring. The sweet rustling sound of leaves in the ground were music to her ears,as the memories of her and her father walking the woods and collecting uniquely shaped, dry leaves for her scrap book, came flooding in.
There was that scrap book, tucked in by the side, beside the cute showpiece of a castle in water. She took in her hands, gazing at the small entrance, beautifully carved on that palace-shaped rock. That was the start of her dreams filled with her Prince Charming, as promised by her dad, who would come just in time to take her away from this world. There was her father's baseball glove, with which he would pitch the ball during their baseball days. She smiled faintly, thinking about it.
Suddenly, her eyes fell on the last piece of her father's reminder, tucked down there beneath all other stuff. Her eyes moistened as she remembered that this was the first book she ever had, a book that had favourite fairytale story - Cinderella.
Yes that was her favourite. It's ironic that her life was just like that of Cinderella, the poor girl, covered in Cinders, ill-treated by her step-mother and step-sisters, and who had lost her father.
This thought never struck her, as she was far busy keeping up her self-esteem and working hard to achieve her dream of going and studying in the most famous and prestigious University of Cambridge.
Just as a tear flowed down her cheek, her phone beeped up on receiving a message. She immediately fished it out of her pocket, wiping her cheek.
To: Smiles
From: Payal Pumpkin
Humaari Jaaneman! Jigar jahaan! [My Darling! My Heart!]
Kya kar rahi ho? Akeli ho ya kho gayi apne 'uske' saath apne jahaan?? Hmm? ;) [What're you doing? Are you alone or lost in your world with 'him' ??]
A small smile spread on her face, washing the pain that had just been spilled out from her heart. Sniffing and making up her mind to call Payal.
To: Payal Pumpkin
From: Smiles
Hum toh bas abhi apne room mein aaye!! Aap bataaiye! Aap kya kar rahi hain, chashmish?? [I just came into my room!! You tell! What're you doing, Chashmish??]
To: Smiles
From: Payal Pumpkin
Bhai hum toh bore ho rahein hain! Bahut bore! [Well, am getting bored! Very much bored!]
Seriously, Smiles!!! It's frustrating! Tomorrow's weekend and we've got nothing to do! Aha, an idea! Why don't you come here for the night? We'll have a sleepover!
To: Payal Pumpkin
From: Smiles
Hey that's great! Umm..but there's a problem! I can't leave the house. Nobody's home...1 Second, Why don't you come over?
To: Smiles
From: Payal Pumpkin
Now you're talking, my gal!! Clear the way, 'coz Payal the Great is on her way! Woohoo!! :D ;D
To: Payal Pumpkin
From: Smiles
See you soon!! :D
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Comments Please!!
Annie😳
Edited by AnnieKittWatt - 13 years ago
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
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