The awaited night comes after following all the rituals. Khushi convinced Arnav to follow them in the wedding and he did all of them for her with a smile starting from the shagun till their circumambulating around the fire; even wearing a sherwani in the rituals, even visiting the mandir, he did that for her; his love. He prepared everything for the wedding perfectly as she wanted and gifted her a green and pink saari and his mother's bangles. He brought payals for her too, which their tickling attract the ears of the listeners towards them. He didn't forget anything. She felt bad as she couldn't do anything special for him. "You've accepted me as your life partner. What could I have asked more?" once he told her.
* * * * *
After Akaash's and Payal's engagement, Arnav and Khushi didn't see each other until the Mehndi. He was moving in the Raizaada's mansion freely as he declared, "Since I don't believe in all of this, I won't lock myself inside the room in my own house for anyone's sake." He stared at her whenever he passed in front of her. It confused her a lot and she couldn't focus in anything, but couldn't stop glancing at him and feeling his gaze.
Then they met at the haldi ceremony. Khushi was pretty as usual and his attraction developed to admiration, and the admiration to love with every meeting.
At the sangeet, he surprised her and the two families by dancing with her. They danced on 'Teri Meri' song. She couldn't tolerate his touch through the dance; her heartbeats increased in an alarming tone, she could feel butterflies in her stomach as he touched it. Her skin was burning under his hands. The dance movement were slow giving their feelings time to grow more and more for each other. He was too close to her therefore her knees were so weak. Suddenly she felt herself giving up to him and she drawn in her emotions as she allowed them to pull her. She gave herself to him and followed his lead. He touched her bare waist, bare back, hands, arms, shoulders and her face; his touch left goose bumps in everywhere he touched.
After the scandalous dance, he followed her to the dressing room. She was thinkng of the dance. "Hey DM! What have you done, Sanka Devi? Couldn't you think? All is that Laad Governor's fault; if he didn't dance with me,'" then his presence cut the series of her thoughts.
"What'what was that?" she wanted to scold him, so she gathered her strength to ask him in accusing tone.
"What was right," he answered simply. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open at his answer.
"And'what are you doing here?"
"What I'm supposed to do!"
"What?" She was confused. They shared eye contact and silence ruled the room.
He cut the silence, "Khushi," he called her. "You've entered my life, brought happiness to it, changed me and broken my pride,'"
"Are you accusing me? Regretting that? What are you trying to say?" She couldn't get all of this at once. His manners' change was bewildering her. Confusion and nervousness are what she could feel the most.
"No I'm not. At all. I'm happy with this change," then he trailed off before saying, "I love you, Khushi."
She was numb; she was unable to react to his words, which kept echoing in her mind. Her breaths became uneven. She thought and thought; she thought of each moment they meet, each eye contact they shared, each emotion his presence gave, each night she thought and dreamt of him. 'Is this love?' she asked herself.
Jo pehle hua na
Ab hone laga hai
Dil humko jaga kar
Kyun sone laga hai
Yeh ishq hai
Ya kuch aur hai
Ya bas khaali khaali shor hei
Isko main kya kaho?
Tu hi bata.
She stood in her place for a good ten minutes whie he was observing her and studying her expressions.
'And today, why didn't I stop him? He's a strange Why did I allow my emotions to '' me? Wait! Which emotions?!'
"Did I say something wrong?" he cut her thoughts again, but this time after realization.
She ran to him, hugged him and hit his chest. "Do you call it something wrong?" then she cried. "I just never realized it! Never recognized it! And now when you made me realize it, you're saying it's wrong. You are wrong! Stupid Laad Governor!" she hugged him tight. He chocked, hugged her back and rubbed her back.
Jo mere Dil ke paas hai
Nayi jaado nayi ehsaas hai
Isko main kya karon?
Tu hi bata
Iss pyaar ko kya naam doon?
Iss pyaar ko kya naam doon?
Her mother wanted to ask her many questions, but her father stopped her. Anjali teased Arnav at home when they were alone in his room. He hugged his Di, "I love her and love you Di. You both are the most important in my life.
When anjali left him alone, he lied on the recliner and dialled her number.
"Hello," he said. She recognised his voice though it was their first call. Her heartbeats were thudding loudly in her chest.
"Hello," she calmed herself down and went outside; All were asleep and she didn't want to wake them up.
"Didn't you sleep yet?"
"I'm not sleepy."
"Thinking of the dance?" she wished that he hadn't ask this question. She would lie if she said no, so she didn't reply. The onlt thing which occupied her mind was their dance and his killing gaze.
When he knew he won't get any answer, he spoke, "When I saw you dancing on that song Ms. Hawa Hawaai, I couldn't resist and found myself on the stage with you for the second dance... How are the preperations going on?"
"Good." There was a silence which lasted for some minutes. He wanted to say something, but he was hesitant. Then he decided to speak.
"Khushi, after tomorrow is the wedding and I want to be the first one to see you after you got ready, promise me?"
She was astonished of his request, "But! What? How? Why?!"
"I'll come to drop you. It's your problem to manage the rest."
She gasped before talking, "But, Arnav ji."
"Can't you do this little thing for me?"
"Little!" she exclaimed.
"I want to be the first one to see the beauty." she blushed; her cheeks turned red at his words.
"And, what will I get in return?"
"You'll know later after the wedding ceremony."
"Arnav ji!" she pleaded him.
"I won't tell you. Wait and watch!" he understood her tone.
She gave up, " Acha theek hai, I'll try."
"By the way, they were red!" he smirked and she was confused.
"Huh.." What does he talk about? she didn't understand.
"After the dance, your cheeks and nose were red; you were blushing," he paused, "and you're now." he teased her, but he was right.
"That makes you more beautiful." he admired her in a husky voice.
"I'll see you tomorrow, right?"
"I won't go out," she answered stubbornly to irritate him.
"So, I have to use some excuse to come."
"It's your problem to manage this!" she was mimicring him. She giggled and he smiled.
"Good night," he wished her.
"Good night."
* * * * *
They were alone before in his room, but now the situation is different, because the night is different; the night of love, the night of union, the night of promise.
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile
Tum Se Tum Tak
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Vasudha
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