ArHi FF: Teenage Love- Imp A/N pg146 - Page 54

Originally posted by: dreambiggoforit

Its an amazing story!

When are you going to update? its the weekend!!!!!!!

Waiting eagerly

Originally posted by: kashforlifex

Wow. Okay, I JUST caught up with this FF. Now that I have holidays, I have nothing else to do but WOW! This is such a cute story! :) hahah Arnav and Khushi forever fighting :) and I love Anjali and Akaash! :) Keep it up! I'm definitely hooked to this one ;) Please do update soon! :D

Next day at school, they both entered the class, purposely trying to avoid each other, which did not go unnoticed by their friends Karan and Vivek simultaneously, who however did not really do much, thinking it would be better if they sort out their differences on their own accord.

Before the first period even started, Khushi walked over to Mayank, followed by Arnav who wanted to get there first, but deliberately wanted to keep the distance between the two of them, let her take the leaders post.

"Did you two get the supplies?" she smiled at a jolly Mayank who bobbed his head up and down, and getting up from his seat, took her by her hand, and dragged her all the way to the locker room, where in a disorderly manner all the supplies were piled up.

"Check them out. If you need anything else, I'll have dad bring it up later",Mayank proposed happy at his effort, as soon after quietly Arnav had followed them, which Khushi was apparently aware off.

"Raizada, will you please help me check the things out?",she asked him out politely, not bringing her gaze to face him, as he almost shaken by her request, moodily walked over to her, and looking into the paper where the list of supplies had been listed by her.

She realizing he was unable to see, quietly, passed it to him, and he gratefully took it, making up in his mind, that until the project was over he would have let this hand of collaboration extended by her prevail. Together they both checked everything on the list, at time their hands colliding with each others, holding eye locks but then quickly looking away, double checking still everything on their list. Mayank on the other hand leaned against his locker, seeing the show beside him, it had already struck him that something was fishy between them, apart from them being at logger heads, something else sparked between them too, which the two of them were busy denying. He smirked, and quickly washed it away as the two of them after having checked all the supplies nodded, and gave him the sign of approval.

"It's all there, Thankyou Mayank. If we need anything I'll let you know later",she brightly smiled at him, evidently happy with the developments, while Arnav just stood rigid, next to her, trying to put in a bit or two.

"Ahan Khushi",Mayank remarked, and the three of them walked back to the class, Arnav and Khushi, stealing glances at each other, but refusing to look at each other straight in the eye both wondering about what would happen later in the day, when they would be alone on their own making the entire project. They exhaled a breathe of relief, as they entered the class, evidently at rest that the teacher still hadn't arrived.

The entire day passed on like that, with little or no conversation between Arnav and Khushi taking place, both trying to keep them selves consumed with their other friends. It was only 5 minutes to the last period, which was luckily Biology, and they were sitting in groups, when Arnav's earlier thought came rushing back to him. Later in the evening he didn't know what would happen, but it was sure as hell that a lot of uneasy things were going to happen.

"Gupta, where do you live?" he asked directly, refusing to be polite or a bit of considerate in how he was addressing her.

"Maple Street, House No 46" she replied bluntly, still avoiding direct eye contact. She lives in the next street from my house? Army dad?. The sudden piece of information was a bit shocking for him. No wonder. He thought to himself, she had come so causally to his home, that too alone, and walked off in a rush too, not the least bit considerate of the time she was leaving.

"4:00 then?", he asked back, which was little of a question and more of informing her of when he would come. She looked at him with shocked eyes, displeased, and barely nodded, after looking away annoyed. What was he asking her anyway, when he had already decided everything?

She saw the tube light on the wall flick about, the colors it gave creating a brilliant effect and just then an idea snapped into her head. "Mayank, Mayank listen!", she said excitedly pulling at his hand and he looked her way giving her a surprised look and urged her to proceed. "Can your dad bring us those colored flexible glass tubes" she asked, completely pleased with the idea, and how it was going to work. If she could pull it all together, there was no doubts that there project would stand out.

"Oh erm, I'll call him up and tell him to bring it.", he answered back mystified, obviously stunned at her unexpected request. Excusing himself, he walked out of the classroom, making an excuse of going to the washroom and called his dad up to inform him of the things he needed. His dad spoke in the affirmative and told him that he'll bring it by when he comes to pick him up later.

Mayank went inside, and told an anxious Khushi of what his dad has just told him, her excitement now reaching no limits. Gosh, the girl actually has brains. Arnav thought to himself, after she had hurriedly briefed him on her idea. He knew she was right, not only was it creative, but perfect for a working model of a heart they had to make, the real touch, as well as ease and perfection would all come together.

Later in the day Khushi walked inside her house, greeted by her smiling mother, but her worries were taking the better of her to return the smile. The military driver of theirs walked in with the supplies, and kept it in her room with Khushi's direction, exiting after greeting a confused Aparna Gupta. Grumpily after his departure, Khushi sat on the olive green couch of their living room checking the wall clock, which said 3:30. Half an hour for him to come, she sighed. Aparna Gupta waited for her daughter to say something, to explain the awkward reaction she was giving, but Khushi seemed way too consumed up in her own thoughts to think of her mother staring at her blankly.

"Khushi, is there someone going to come today?" her mother asked, noting down the fact that how her gaze kept moving now and then to the wall clock above.

"Erm, yeah, actually Ma, a friend of mine is coming", Khushi said hesitantly, glad that her mother had asked her on her own, instead of her bringing up the news ahead.

"Project?", she asked smiling, obviously aware that she went down in low spirits only when she hadn't gotten the desired group, or the project at hand was very difficult to complete.

"Erm yeah, how do you know?", she asked wide eyed, impressed with her mothers skill's of knowing before hand on what was going about in her life. "Judging from the supplies dear *pause*, you don't like this friend whose coming over do you?" Aparna Gupta asked now seriously, wanting to know more of her glum reaction.

"No Ma I don't, he's the last person I would want to work with.", Khushi replied back moodily, displeased in all affairs, to having to work with him, though she secretly did consider a part of her being relived that it was at least someone she knew she was working with and not a complete stranger.

"Erm, what was his name now (thinking) Arnav..Singh..Raizada?" her mother said, almost sure that it was the same boy Khushi had told her earlier about, who apparently she was on hate terms with.

"Yeah Ma! Who else! I told you about him didn't I? It's such a pity that in the entire class the stupid Bio teacher had to land me up with working with him", she remarked, annoyed.

"Khushi dear, you have to learn to cooperate with everybody, and it's just really till the project ends. Besides, you don't know him all that well do you? Maybe he's just nice but in a habit of being hard or conservative.", Aparna Gupta said comfortingly, sitting next to Khushi and keeping a hand on her shoulder, to which Khushi looked up at her straight in her eye, slightly flinching with her words, "You wont stick with that opinion by the end of today, bet me.", Khushi told back her mother confidently, and got up from the couch, letting her know that she had to get ready, he'd be here by 4:oo. Her mother in turn nodded, and went of to the kitchen to prepare something for the guest who was to come.

***************************

Arnav, Anjali and Aakash entered their isolated house, like everyday, greeted by nothing but emptiness. Tired and puffed out with their respective hectic day at school, the threesome were lost in their memories of the time they had spend with meaningful people. While Aakash and Anjali lingered around the living room, a later while longer, Arnav directly went to his room, and shut his door tight, not before seeing the clock strike 3:30.

By the time it was 3:45, he was out fully dressed in his casuals, and looked in disgust at his elder siblings still stretching their bodies piled on the couches, as if they had been through a severe work out the whole day.

Seeing him taking fast paced steps towards the main door, Anjali opened her tired eyes in surprise, and almost immediately was on her feet, grabbing Arnav by the arm who was just about to disappear into thin air.

"Where are you going Chotte?", she asked him featuring mild annoyment, on the non responsive way he was looking at her.

"To make a project at Khushi's house", he replied directly, avoiding any kind of confusing rapid fire sessions by Anjali. Hearing the conversation behind him, Aakash gathering up all his will, sleepy eyed walked over to the two and stood next to Anjali his eyes flying open, at Arnav's well dressed form in front of him.

"At least have something to eat first", she said, surprised at the sudden rush he was in to get to her house as quick as possible.

"Where to?", Aakash broke in, poking Anjali who irritated looked at him and mumbled something like 'Khushi's house'.

"Omg Chotte, I can't believe it! You have been so fast? I though you two were at hate terms, dating so early?" Aakash remarked mischievously, a big grin playing on his face, as Arnav threw a flabbergasted look his way, and continued to stare dead in his eyes.

"I am going for a project there.", Arnav said coldly, to which Aakash grinned all the more harder and prompted something that sounded like, 'Project dating Khushi'.

"Bhai, it's a heart model, and now if you two are done with your nonsense can I go? I am getting late.", he said in an icy tone and turned around not waiting for them to reply, who were still busy recovering from his intense mood swings. "You are not going to eat then right?", Anjali called out to him curtly, receiving an annoyed 'No' from him, before the door slammed shut, producing a reverberating sound.

"This boy is driving me nuts.", she mumbled to herself, much to Aakash's amusement who was standing close enough to her to listen to what she was grumbling about to herself.

"He doesn't need to, you already are nuts.", he called out to her cheekily, as the sound of her angry 'Shut up Aakash!' boomed all over the living room, sending Aakash into another fit of maddening laughter.

*******************************

Taking steady yet fast paced steps, Arnav walked the entire length of street, occasionally checking the number plates on the doors for No 46. Finally having found it on a silver metal plate carved inside it with bold black, hanging firmly on the shaded oak door. Unlike their own dome shaped roof, her's was a straight rectangular, an even more symmetrical chimney coming out of the eastern side of the red bricked slanting roof. He moved in examining the small garden which seemed to be a backyard, blossoming with beautiful species of flora, giving a very enchanting look to the house. For a while he stood at the door, and rung the bell, almost thrice, when he could feel steps inside the house being taken towards the door, as a familiar eye appeared at the eye hole looking at him, after which a lock clicked and the door opened bringing her in sight of him.

He didn't know if this was just co incidence or something else, but the perfect blend of coloring clothes they wore was a sight to look into. She was wearing a light blue sleeve-less body fitting t-shirt, with black flannel pants. Her hair seemed to be a sight, dripping wet, all her bangs now coming on her face. She looked at him dressed in a black and blue shirt, with streaks of white here and there along with blue denim jeans that complimented the shirt really well. Giving him a small smile, she beckoned him to come in, closing the door behind her, as he took the lead. The first thing she did was look at the clock, which was striking exactly 4:00 now, horrifying her of his punctuality.

Facing her, he turned to see her more carefully now noticing why her t-shirt appeared to drive his attention towards her. In spite of the colors being his favorites, the catchy one liner on it could send anyone in a fit of laughter. 'Only Vampires Can Love You Forever', it said grossly painted in black and white acrylics, being in perfect combination of the light blue surface area. A slight smile etched up his lips, as he quickly turned away not wanting her to see it, inwardly laughing at her odd choices. Anti-Vampires, Anti-Love, interesting.

"Khushi who is it?", Aparna Gupta called out from the kitchen, her hands dirty, busy bustling about the kitchen to prepare a tray of food for their guest.

"Raii..I mean Arnav", she said stammering, as he shot an annoyed look at her, having her addressing him by his last name even in front of her mother. Khushi quickly looked away from him, and now standing in front of him led him to her room, letting him inside first before she herself went in. He walked inside to a familiar combination of colors as in his room, painted entirely with a light shade of blue, the walled cupboards, marred with abstract lines of black which were at the eastern side of the room. The single bed, unlike his own had a flowery pattern of metal ivory too being painted black, the middle of each flower colored blue as its head rest. As he roamed his eyes around the room, taking in the familiarity it held, there was a bathroom, with glazed blue paper, and just by its side inches away a long extending book rack. His eyes seemed to have been caught up at the different genres and ultimate amount of books piled up in chronological order in it, admittedly larger than his own book collection.

"Got every thing in their, except for sparkling vampires and lovey dovey tales", she informed him, noticing the keen interest with which he was looking at her book shelf. She had to smile at it, proud for her own collection, because he apparently was not the only one who was instantly attracted to her book collection, almost every new comer was.

Hearing her voice, he snapped out of his reverie, and looked at her smiling at him, gave a quick nod, and proceeded inside the room noticing now the supplies piled up on the far corner next to what appeared to be a study table. Even if she wouldn't have told him he had already deciphered the absence of those genres from her shelf, of course the slogan on her T-shirt said it all.

She motioned him to sit on the bed which he did, and almost a second later he stood up with a start having felt the vibrating sensation of something moving beneath him. Arnav passed a bewildered look at a baffled Khushi, who quickly recovered, hitting her palm on the forehead, and went over to the place where he was sitting producing her cell phone out of the lined up sheets.

For all he knew, he gave her his 'What the' reaction, as she apologetically gave him a embarrassed smile, excused herself, and attended the call, while he patting the sheets for anymore gadgets, convinced sat back on the bed.

"Khushi?", the voice on the other side of the phone said, to which Khushi replied in the affirmative, confused at the unknown number that the screen had projected when she had received the call.

"This is Anjali speaking. Arnav's sister.", Anjali said in a calm voice, giving Khushi her time to process the information, as she could just imagine her surprise for getting a phone call from her.

"Yes?", Khushi replied back, after about 5-6 seconds, wondering busily why his sister would want to call her.

"Sorry to disturb, but actually Chotte was in a hurry to get to your place, so he went without having food, so erm if you could..", Anjali was struggling for words to convey her message, which however odd was vital to be conveyed. Without food she knew he would go intensely grumpy, causing problems for the poor girl he was with.

"Erm'sure..dont worry,", Khushi said in a confused manner, processing this new piece of information in her head.

"Thank you so much Khushi, I hope Chotte doesn't be a jackass with you.", Anjali said light heartedly, to which Khushi gave a small smile to herself, and bidding goodbye to Anjali disconnected the call.

Inside Arnav sat their roaming his eyes still around the room, more appropriately, having them stuck to the bookshelf, making a mental checklist of all the books he had, and all those that he had to read now. Khushi could feel her own stomach grumbling as she entered the room, seeing him still interested in the bookshelf.

"We can start the project by 4:30, I haven't had food.", she told him, to which he non chalant looked at her, and shook his head, prompting on something like 'untimely delay'.

"Come along. I know you haven't had food either." She said looking him straight in the eye, as his pupils dilated, and then immediately constricted, his expression turning hard and distant.

"I am not hungry.", he told her stubbornly, to which she being herself, firmly walked towards him and grabbed his hand, and dragged him out of the room with herself, placing him on the dining table chair

"Sit here, I'll bring the food." she stated, and immediately walked away giving him no time to react, as she went inside the kitchen where Aparna Gupta, was putting the finals things on the tray.

"Khushi, take this tray to the room, if you need anything else get it from here.", Aparna Gupta said, handing over the tray to Khushi.

"But Maa, I have him seated at the dining table, and then we can eat together, I don't want you eating alone.", she said in a matter fact of tone, to which her mother looked at her gravely and shook her head, "No Khushi, he's your friend, go take him to your room, I wont be eating alone, I have to go to a friends house right now, I will be having lunch there.", Khushi still unconvinced stood adamant, but Mrs Gupta shoved her out of the kitchen and out in the living room where Arnav was sitting, looking around the living room.

"Maa says we can eat inside my room, come on." She said still holding the tray in her hands pushing the door open, as he shaking his head annoyed, followed her inside the room. Once inside she pulled the small side table, right next to the bed, and directed Arnav to sit back on the bed, taking her place next to him and serving him the delicious blue berry tarts and freshly baked shepherd pie. She poured some orange juice from the glass for both of them, and having done sat next to him, feeding on the exotic food before her.

As they were busy eating, the door creaked and stood Mrs.Gupta on the door watching them too eating hungrily. Khushi raised her eyes away from the food, and kept her fork and spoon down walking towards where here mother stood, while Arnav almost having finished his fill, kept the fork-spoon down and stood fixed on his place.

"Hello..I mean Namaste Aunty", he said joining two of his hands together, as Aparna Gupta greeted him back, in the same identical manner.

"Khushi I am going over to my friends, keep the dishes in the sink, if you need anything else it's in the kitchen. Have a good time guys.", she said giving a huge smile to both of them, as she kissed Khushi on the cheek, waved to Arnav, and exited out of the room, followed by Khushi, who escorted her to the main door, securing in the locks and walking back into the room, where Arnav was clearing up the dirty dishes.

"Leave them there, I will pick them up.", she told him, taking quick steps and gathered all the empty dishes, taking it back to the kitchen and placing them one on the top of the other neatly in the sink. Having done that, she made her way back to the room, seeing Arnav putting the table back to where he had seen her pick it up from. She had stopped seeing him do this, and smiled to herself, impressed with him all over again, he wasn't as rude as she thought he is.

Done that, he noticed her standing on the door smiling at him lost deep in thought, and waved his hand in front of her to get her attention. "Gupta, come back to reality, you can escape into Disney land after wards", he said cheekily, as she snapped out of her day thoughts to look at him, giving him an annoyed look, and walked in towards the corner of the room, opening a secretive store room, and looked inside it in baffled.

"Where is the ladder?", she mused to herself, making a disappointed look to herself, as Arnav walked stood next to her, waiting for her to explain her self.

"Are we going to start working, or did you call me here for eating and strolling?", he said curtly, being shot a irritating look from her. "The ladder is gone." She said still deep in thought, leaving a confused him staring into blank space.

"The supplies are right here, why do you need it?"

"The books. The Biology books, are up there.", she told him, pointing towards the top shelf of the built in cupboards.

Not waiting for him to respond, she picked up her phone from the side table where she had last left it, and punched in her moms number, asking her of the ladders whereabouts, clicking it off with an even more disgusted face. "Danm the neighbors! They took the ladder, what are we supposed to do now?" she shouted out aloud, bringing an instant look of deep disgrace over Arnav's face.

"You should be the one figuring that out.", he told her coldly, to which she still with a worried expression glanced at him, "You are not helping", she remarked, diverting her attention back to the top shelf.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute (she snapped her fingers, a smile all over face now) I cant alone reach that even standing on the chair, you cant either, but if we do it together, we might get to it." She said happily, jumping about as he continued to look confused, not drawing any logic out of her bizzard talk.

"You mind explaining me, what was all that nonsense?", he said with a note of exasperation evident in his voice.

"You pick me up, I'll open the door and drop the books on the bed, how's that?" she skipped about in her spot glad, ignoring all the sarcasm or rudeness he was putting in into his 'no good' words.

"Did you leave me with another option?", he stated in vexation, and walked towards her, as she shaking her head, positioned herself right underneath the layers of shelf, him standing behind her. He moved in closer and kept his hand on both her sides grasping them tightly, as tingling sensations rushed in both their veins. He pressed his body to the back of hers, sensing the way she was lightly shivering but chose to subside it for the time being. Taking in a deep breathe, he hoisted her up towards the shelf, as she stretched her arms to the fullest, still not letting go of the awkwardness that had seeped into her because of his touch on her.

"Higher", she said in a tone near to a whisper glad to have found her voice in a situation like this. He took in another supply of oxygen from the air, and pushed her body further, till it was now level with the top shelf.

From above, she looked at him gone all red with the pressure, and gave a thumbs up, quickly turning away as he with a maddened expression looked at her. Opening the door of the cupboard, she searched in through the piles of book, as he groaned dieing to relieve his arms of the pressure. Having found one of them, she threw it down at the bed, it only missing his head from a merry two centimeters.

He almost choked with the fear of being hit with heavy encyclopedias again, and pressed his fingers into her thigh even more, barking his head mad at her. "Gupta! What the hell! Were you destined to throw books at my head all the time?"

"Destiny or no destiny, it's always fun to have books falling on your head", she laughed out, as he hit his head on her back, making her escape in another fit of laughter.

"Your heads doing no harm to my sturdy back Raizada", she told him between fits of laughter, and scrambled her head back inside the cupboard, taking out more books, their edges continuously hitting Arnav on the side of his head as continued to throw it on the far end of the bed.

"Gupta, it's not funny alright, stop aiming those books blindfolded at me.", he now told in an inflamed voice, as she grinned madly to herself, and threw another book his way.

"Dare you do that again, and I will throw you down. *pause*, how long is this going to take anyway, are you planning to throw the whole shelf down?", telling her madly as he batted his eyes to get red of the beads of sweat trickling down his forehead and on his eyes, blurring his vision a bit.

"Just two more", she said in an impudent way, burying her head in the cupboard once more, and throwing another book down, it this time unintentionally hitting Arnav's head again.

"That's the last straw", he shouted from underneath, and loosed his grip on her thigh, withdrawing his hands, as she losing important support, fell back to the ground with a thud, holding his t-shirt, to stabilize herself, his knees giving in to the sudden weight, and both fell head on the bed behind them, her immediately spinning to have her chest collide with his, successfully avoiding the harmful clash of her head colliding in with his chin.

Her head was buried in the crook of his neck, refusing to look up, as her hair brushed all over him, blurring his sight, his hands tightly winded around her waist, holding her to himself like a lost toy of his. For a few minutes they lie like that, trying to catch their breathe, and finally having done, she lifted her head of his shoulder, and stared at the disheveled him, who with much difficulty opened his eyes, just to see her observing his well formed chiseled face. Shifting her weight on top of him, she rolled over to the other side of the bed, trying to get over the awkwardness the situation had to offer.

"Clumsy idiot", he muttered to himself, well audible enough for her to listen, as he got up from the bed, straightening him self, still trying to catch his breathe, as she made faces on his back, scorning to herself, and got up from the bed, straightening her clothes.

"You are no better knobby knees", she fired back at him, and gathered the books that lay tattered on the bed, and collected them, keeping them on the ground with all the other supplies.

"We could do the backdrop, tags and handouts today, and the practical working model at your home tomorrow" she said moodily, as he trying not to make any eye contact with her, silently nodded and sat next to her, as they divided the work in between them, and sat next to each other, making themselves comfortable working on the task assigned. They continued to work hard, color pencils here and there, passing paints and other acrylics to each other, pencils of varied tones, charcoal or sometimes of drawing HB, 2B pencils, shifting pages of the book for the correct diagram, scissors cutting in on pieces of white and colored paper, and the two shifting positions each other, taking momentarily peeks at each others works.

It was almost working of continuous 3 hours, when Khushi looked at her Winnie the Pooh clock showing 6:50. Pushing all her things aside, she got up from where she sat, jumping over a very indulgent Arnav who was busy drawing in the diagram of the human heart. It's commendable; she had to accept that, the diagram seemed spot on, and miraculously 3-D.

"Noodles or Ice-Cream?", she asked him politely standing over his head, he for a split second looked up at her leaning close to him, and then went back to concentrate on his drawing. "Nothing", he replied back.

"Noodles or Ice-Cream?", she repeated again impatiently, receiving the same disgraceful answer from him.

"You can shove aside, that 'I am not hungry' crap for heavens sake!", she said in a high pitched irritated tone, causing him to now look at her raising his eyebrows at her. He then shook his head violently, tagging her as insane, and muttered something that sounded like 'Ice-cream'.

Hearing that, she said something under her breathe, that was mean tot be a horrid remark directed at him, and trotted out of the room, returning back with two medium sized buckets of chocolate chip ice cream. He made a face seeing the flavor being chocolate as she handed it over to him, that look of his not going unnoticed by her.

"You don't like Chocolate?" she asked him practically amused, at the sheepish expression he was making it as she kept thrusting the bucket into his hand. Shyly, he shook his head, making her smile all the more on his cute antics, and took the bucket from his hand kept hers on the side table, and went outside to bring another flavor. Soon after she returned carrying a coffee and caramel, melting as she saw the huge smile that had drawn on his face seeing her bringing that. Though it was quickly removed, she now knew, that well he was definitely good looking, and looked absolutely adorable smiling. Interesting observation, she congratulated herself.

Taking it from her hand, he kept his pencils down and started digging his tea spoon inside the ice cream, unaware that she was watching him a peaceful smile playing on her lips. Checking the watch again she looked at in shock, 6:58, it was time for Super Natural to air. Putting her bucket of ice cream down on the side table, she dragged her violet beam bags in front of the LCD screen that was pitched on the wall in between the built in cupboards and her bed. Seeing him keeping his ice cream half eaten away, she dragged another beam bag this one black, next to her own violet one, for him, thinking that he deserved the rest as much as she did.

She switched on the screen, changing the channel to CW network, and sat on the couch hoping that he would come sit on his own, but rather she saw him back engrossed in work. Annoyed at his intense workaholic attitude, she went over to him, picked up his bucket kept it on the side table, snatched the pencil out of his hand kept it on the side, and grasped his rough hand into her own, pulling him up in his confused state, and dragged him along with her self towards the couch.

"There is no need to be such a workaholic Raizada, come, sit, Super Natural is on air", she said with a hint of vexation and excitement both filling in her tone.

"Just to remind you, I came here to work, not to eat pies, ice creams and watch Super Natural", he told her coldly looking at her directly in the eye, as she slightly flinched at his hard tone.

"True, but we need rest. We have been working continuous for non-stop three hours, and then we are almost done with the work too", she told him helplessly, occasionally glancing at the screen with Dean and Sam standing in Bobby's house discussing something about tricksters.

"Almost done, not DONE", he fired back at her, though now mentally making up his mind to agree with her next protest, as much as he denied he needed the rest, and she was right, what he was for here was almost done, they could always continue after a bit of rest.

"If that is what irks you, then alright, I'll do all the remaining work. Is that fine? But for now we need to rest, I don't want a no anymore", she said icly, not waiting for him to respond, and shoved him on the black beam bag, as he gave her an uneasy glare, but soon recovered and shifted his focus to the screen in front, her handing over his bucket of ice cream to him, and taking her own sat next to him on her violet one, her elbows curved towards him so that now their arms were rubbing with each other.

They had let go of the awkwardness, and for the moment were living into it, forgetting all the glitches they had against each other, anything that they felt, all lay far behind, as they laughed together, watching Sam and Dean in action trying to catch with the Tricksters pranks that were being played on them. She was high fiving him like he was long lost friend of hers, and for a minute he felt odd but it went away as soon as she started commenting on the two Winchesters, slapping him on his shoulder, and in no time a friendly discussion had triggered between them, in between the talks they knowing bits and bits of each other.

'Super Natural' had ended, and 'Desperate Housewives' was on air, but none of the two felt the need of leaving the beam bags and retreating back to work. They continued to watch together with increasing action, as the shadow women gave in an insight to the lives of the four housewives, struggling through life to join it together.

It had almost been fifteen minutes that it had aired, that Arnav felt something heavy on his shoulder and a hand clutching on to his arm. He craned his neck side ways to look at her delightful, white face resting peacefully on his shoulder, her hair that had been earlier tied into a bun falling apart, and brushing against the naked skin of his neck tickling him. Her right hand was intertwined into his left one, making a contrasting, wheatish-white series of circle. Her eyes were closed, breathing uniform, making it clear to him that she had drowsed off to sleep. For minutes he had not the will to look away from her angelic face, and kept scrutinizing her well formed features, fighting back the urge in him to caress her cheeks or touch them.

His eyes went to the wall clock, above which said 8:15. OMG! He remarked to himself, in their fun and rest time, they had become completely oblivious to the time, no wonder she had dozed off to sleep after a tiring day of non stop working. Carefully freeing himself from her grip, as to not disturb her, he removed the bucket of ice cream on her lap and kept it on the side table along with his own, freeing the spoon she was holding in her fingers of the hand that was earlier intertwined into his own.

Standing up, giving her a last look, he straightened her up having her head lay at the head rest, and then firmly picked her up in his arms, gazing at her delicate form softly. Shaking his head as to realizing his own actions, he bend towards the bed, and slowly placed her on that, covering her with the blanket, and moving the hair aside from her face which were threatening to mar its perfection. Done that he couldn't resist but stare a little longer at her, before looking back at the messy condition of the room, and not wanting to disturb her, quietly cleared up the mess, keeping them all as he had found them when he had first entered into the room. Precisely remembering the position of the things she had taken out from chests and drawers, he kept them their, and finding a sticky note pad on her study table, wrote a quick note to her, stuck it at the edge of it, and made his way out of the room, not before once again looking at her lost in her slumber.

Closing the door behind him, he stepped into the living room, went over to where he thought was the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and deposited the two half eaten ice cream buckets back in there. Done that, and realizing it was getting late, Arnav walked out of the house shutting the main door tightly behind him, and went off to his way back home.

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Anjali sat on her bed, reading the book she was reading earlier in the library remembering all the moments she had earlier with Shyam.

"What?",she lifted her gaze away from the book and turned around to face a handsome, boy of wheatish complexion, looking at her in a most non chalant manner, however not really saying anything out of common etiquettes.

"What is it? Why are you hovering around me like a bee?",she asked back annoyed, because of his untimely silence, and of course, the blank look on his face that did not seem to offer much.

"Well, its my seat you were sitting on.",the boy answered back causally, looking at her out of disinterest, more interested in the place that she had occupied.

"So? You left it, so I took it.", she told him back straightly, surprised at his calm but at the same time firm attitude towards his seat.

"You might have not noticed, but I did leave my things behind, which you pretty conveniently shoved away to the extreme side of the table", he stated back at her in a matter of fact tone, forcing her to look at the table which obviously true to his words, was marked by his things, in an orderly manner, which she in her haste of finding a place had failed to notice.

"Oh erm, I am sorry, I didn't know",she stammered, embarrassed at her rude behavior, as well as her ignorant attitude, and promptly collecting her things, turned to stand from her seat, but he hesitantly kept his finger on her shoulder, urging her to sit down.

"No, there is no need to get up, I was just standing here to fetch my things for my next class",he said conveniently, collecting his things and stuffing them inside his bag.

He was so sweet, she complimented him mentally, lost deep in thought of figuring out other ways, through which she could see more of him. They hardly shared any classes, and from the little she knew about him he seemed to be very moderate in his approach, shy and reserved, and certainly took her to be something really big, not worthy of being talked to of someone his standard. She had to eradicate that uneasiness from him, he was nice guy, she liked him and was looking forward to see more of him in future, well at least he was different and not like all those boys who tried hitting on her but always failed.

Outside her brother who was lazing away on the couch, it being a weekend for the next two days, was thinking about the same thing, but apparently with a different person. Well, Chotte is gone to Khushi's house today, and if it's a project maybe she'll come here too, I can probably catch up on her and get to know more of Payal then, he mused to himself over the prospect thinking it was the most perfect way without arousing any suspension and also remarkably shoving of the idea of asking Anjali's help. No. He sighed to himself, Anji would be of no help, not without having asked him a trillion questions regarding his intentions, and then, he growled to himself, she had even back bited on him, that too to Payal, no it was a bad idea going to her. Bad Idea.

As he was lost deep in his thoughts the door bell rang, and lazily, he sprung up from the couch, stretching his arms wide like an eagle with wings, and opened the door to a tired and dazed Arnav.

"Chotte, you took your time coming back home didn't you?", Aakash asked him back grinning, waiting for the 'Shut up Bhai' barking of his, but nothing of the sort came as Arnav walked over to his room quietly ignoring Aakash.

"Had fun?", Aakash tried again, to get in any inny winny bits of his brothers visit, this time 99% sure that he was in for a verbal bashing by his brother, but Arnav just turned back, and slightly smiled at him nodding, and then turned back around, walking to his room closing the door behind, leaving a baffled Aakash blinking his eyes, and pinching his arm to let differentiate between reality and dreams.

"Anji! Something's happened to Chotte!", he said bursting open the door of Anjali's room, and rushing over to her bed, as she gave him an annoyed look, a worried look all over his face.

"What?", Anjali asked him back exasperated, as he without replying grabbed her hand and dragged him to Arnav's room, creaking it open, as a sight of perfect surprise met their eyes, both their jaws dropping open hanging as low as the lock they were leaning on to.

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Regarding The Title

Acknowledged Presence- The title of this chapter took me a long time to be decided, but I finally agreed on the simplicity of these two words, and joined them together as the title of this Chapter. Basically, the logic behind this is very simple, in this Chapter you actually saw Arnav and Khushi being consciously aware of each others presence, knowing for sure that the other one did through covered up antics cared about them. You saw how Khushi kept insisting him to take rest, and how he even though resisted her at first, had obliged with her wishes, and did not be as rigid as he usually is. In the last though, you saw how he made it a point to reduce her burden, cleared up the mess, tucked her safely to bed, without taking advantage of the fact that the two of them were alone at home. The literal meaning of Acknowledge as per the Oxford Dictionary is, 'to admit' or 'to recognize formally'. You saw both of them taking note of each other's plus points and appreciating it to themselves, instead of trying to cover it up with some stupid reason. And for the first time now they were actually being good to each other, and enjoying each other's company. 'Presence' on the other hand has been implied to be 'the immediate vicinity of a person', so they can feel each other the touch of each other, does things to them, they have started to accept this as a fact and showed it openly that each other's presence does affect them.

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Events In The Chapter

I am hoping that a large population of this FF, will be loving this Chapter a lot. This is what laid the basic foundations of their chapters, from this point and further there is no returning back to square one, no turning back and revising all the past grievances, today they have discovered new horizons of each other's personality and will soon also realize later that together, they make a really good team. First team project together, and they have already stretched in the hand of compromising, not only for marks but for effective performance. Do you not consider that as a important development?

The Anjali-Aakash scene is not fillers, they hold their own significance, as with ArHi I am trying my best to concentrate on the two other love stories on hand, so its important to know at least, that how the presence of someone is effecting their thought processes.

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Originally posted by: nav_bat

COMING SOON