Twist Of Fate Chapter8 Pg 118 27/07 NEW! - Page 10

Her daughter looks upto the man who is actually her father...that is pretty ironic...khushi scared to enter her daughter's room...

She is in touch with NK yet???interesting!!!wonder who the guest is!!!great start !!

"In Greek, 'nostalgia' literally means "the pain from an old wound." It's a twinge in your heart, far more powerful than memory alone. This device isn't a spaceship, it's a time machine. It goes backwards and forwards, it takes us to a place where we ache to go again."

~ Don Draper, Mad Men

---

Dehradun was an exceedingly beautiful town. The charcoal grey roads were intervened by expanses of lush green foliage. And when it rained, the town seemed to come alive. The sweet scent of the wet sand, the clean, cool air, refreshed the minds of many. But for some, it only brought back beautiful memories.

Nostalgia.

Aashna and Khushi were on their way to the airport, seated snugly in the old Santro. The car seemed to be moving at an irritatingly slow pace due to the traffic, as the rain lashed onto the glass windows. Khushi looked beside her, at Aashna who had earphones plugged into her ears, unaware of the memories that were knocking at her mother's mind.

His hands were firmly wrapped around her waist, uplifting her slightly, as her own body trembled against his chest. They didn't move an inch. He stood, there, his own heart pounding, almost at the same rate as hers, not bothering to remove his hands at all.

Khushi, took in the warmth of the hard form pressed against her, breathing in deeply, trying to absorb the fact that this man had just saved her from being knocked out by a speeding car.

The pounding rain brought her back to her sense, as she slowly, lifted her head up to look into his unnerving eyes. Pools of molten bistre, his eyes held an intoxicating intensity, the one you didn't want to look at, yet you just couldn't look away. The raindrops mercilessly fell onto her face, as she blinked furiously to shrug off the drops hindering her line of sight, as she crumpled the drenched silk of his shirt under her palm placed right over his hammering heart.

He looked at her parted lips, dewy pink, and now enticingly moist adorned by little drops of sweet water. He saw her shiver slightly, as raindrops from his own face, from his chin, his eyes, fell onto her cheeks, a mere inch below his own. His hands slowly travelled upwards from her waist, clutching her shoulders firmly. He was angry, furious, at himself and at her. Why? Because it had only been a few days that she had magically entered his life, and since then, he hadn't been able to go through one day without thinking about her, once. She affected him in ways he couldn't decipher. He had seen many beautiful women, but hers alone enthralled him to no bounds. He was angry, because she was after many long years, the first person, who had made him question his own actions. And so, he pushed her away from himself, abruptly. He didn't want to. But he did, anyways.

'Khushi Bhabhi, there is a huge traffic jam ahead of us, we might get a little late,' the driver's broken English, broke into Khushi's chain of thoughts, as she silently, wiped away the tears that still fell, every time, one such memory would creep up her mind. Khushi rolled down the window of the car, and craned her neck outwards, as the rain washed over her face, the drops sloping down the arch of her neck. And as she opened her eyes, looking out into the cadet grey sky with flecks of golden that was empty for all, but all she saw were a pair of molten brown staring at her.

Aashna nudged her mother with her elbow, bringing Khushi back to her senses, as she rolled up the window again.

---

The traffic showed no signs of moving, as the car treaded along the jam-packed road at a snail's pace. The driver's irritation got the better of him, as he switched on the ancient radio, causing an incessant chatter of the advertisements to blare out. Khushi closed her eyes, half-listening to the advertisements that kept her mind off him.

'Ma, how long have you known NK?' Aashna asked her mother suddenly, taking out the earplugs from her ears, all her attention focused on her half-asleep mother.

Talking about Nanheji, means that I might have to explain all about our family, Khushi thought fervently. So she chose the safest possible answer. 'I know him from back when your, Payal Maasi got married, Aashna.'

Aashna had asked her mother another question, but her voice got muffled by the Salman Khan number that flowed out of the radio from the front of the car. And she noticed, once again, her mother had drifted off to another world, one she didn't know of, one she would probably never know of.

---

And as soon as the first few lyrics of that song wafted into her ears, she felt a searing touch slowly sliding over the sides of her waist, dipping slightly into her navel. He might have heard the faint gasp from her lips, as Khushi's trembling hands glided over his own, still fighting to believe the fact that he had actually come up on the stage to help her complete her last dance.

The penetrating gaze of his eyes played havoc with her senses, as his hands moved all over her body. Sometimes, his callous, warm touch cascaded down the length of her slender arms. Sometimes, his hands were splayed all over her back, and the expanse of skin that was teasingly exposed by the emerald green chiffon of her saree. How she had managed to move her feet, and swung to the rustic rhythm of the song, she hadn't been able to know till date. Probably it was him, like it had always been, holding her, stable, never letting her fall.

She still remembered, very clearly, the silent joy, mischief in those eyes, as he had twirled her around the stage, before she was once again pressed onto his chest.

And then he had made a promise, a silent, unspoken one, when he had allowed her to close her eyes, as he had, reveling in the warmth, the security, the calm, they could only get in each other's arms. It was a promise of the future, of happiness, unknown to all evils.

'Ma, are you listening?' Aashna jerked her mother's arms again, trying to get her back to the present. Khushi, turned away from her daughter's worried face, just for a moment, blinking furiously, to remove any signs of the glistening moistness, she was sure clouded her eyes at that very moment.

'Haan Aashna, what were you asking?' Khushi patiently answered Aashna's rambling questions about NK with all the honesty and sincerity she could manage. The only reason that she had allowed NK to meet Aashna, or stay with them was the fact that he never asked questions, and didn't expect answers. He knew everything, right from the start, except the reason to why she had suddenly moved to Dehradun from Delhi. NK had seen Khushi suffer silently, and his otherwise joyful eyes had asked her a million questions, none which she had answered, ever.

But, he was good for Aashna. They fooled around together, made ridiculous jokes that would make Khushi laugh, nonetheless. He had helped her with her projects, assignments and did anything that she had asked of him.

Long back, someone in Khushi's life had hinted that NK loved Khushi. And probably she knew it, deep inside. But that could never change a thing. She could never feel anything close to love for any other man in her life once again. And henceforth she looked forward to seeing NK again. Because of the bundle of joy he brought with himself every time he walked into a room, because he never expected anything of her in return.

---

'Ma?' Aashna prodded her mother, as Khushi turned from the window to face her.

'Ma, your face was red, after Teri Meri ended on the radio, were you blushing?' Aashna asked, and Khushi almost let out a burst of giggles, at her daughter's never-ending absurd questions, as she simply shrugged, telling her, that this question too would have to go unanswered like the many others she had posed over the years.

But, she remembered that day when she had foolishly kissed him and he had so mercilessly cornered her near the door, asking exactly the same question.

'Aah, we are here, 'Aashna, shouted, opening her side of the door as Khushi, scrambled out from her side, telling the driver to wait, till they returned.

---

A dense fog seemed to have descended over the confines of the Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun, giving it an ethereal aura of its own. The sunlight filtered through the huge glass windows, as Aashna and Khushi entered the waiting lounge.

'NK,' Aashna ran towards the leather jacket clad man, as Khushi herself saw him through the crowds of tourists.

'Khushiji, how have you been?' NK enquired jovially, as Khushi, smiled the sunniest of smiles, convincing him, that she had never been better.

'Arre, you won't believe who I met on the plane yesterday night. After so many years…' NK continued, as Khushi noticed a twinge of apprehension lurk in his eyes, but Aashna interrupted, as always.

'Where is he? Our guest?'

'He was here, seconds ago.' NK turned around, searching for him.

'Aah, there he is,' NK pointed to the small coffee counter, as Khushi tilted her head to get a better view of the tall man, clad scrupulously in steel grey, as he turned, walking towards them.

Khushi couldn't see his face clearly, due to the mist, so she asked NK hurriedly. 'Who is he?'

NK needn't answer her question, as the man slowly came into view.

A chilling breeze flew washed over her face, as her eyes found his. An excruciating ache, seeped into her veins, as she crumpled the mauve of her cotton kurta. Her knees buckled, as she watched his hands tightly clutch the paper cup, as the coffee threatened to fall onto the floor.

Khushi's feet moved back of their own accord, and she turned back, completely. Her hand flew to her face, covering her lips, scared that he might hear the sobs that would escape at any given moment.

---

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon's completing one year, that has been one hell of a ride for us.

To one year, of Barun & Sanaya's magic on the screen. One year of intoxicating Arnav & Khushi, who have made us cry, laugh, go dhak-dhak, almost every time they come on out screens.

And to all the unforgettable characters of Shyam, who made us cringe effortlessly with his nose twitching, Manorama, who made us laugh with her Hello-Hi-Bye-Byes, and all the other characters, the makers, who have given us this wonderful show.

Happy Birthday IPKKND and here's hoping to see to many more years of this brilliant show:)

Cheers!

---

i would love to see you put that in with Arshi in it...

loved the beginning...

thnx for the pm

do cont soon

Haha...i AM late...oops...sorry!!!😲

Obviously i loved this chapter...Nostalgic indeed...😊

The evening when he saved her!!who can forget that!!!and i am absolutely in love with the way you have describes her from his eyes and him from her eyes...Just one word...beautiful...!!!

Its weird how i have always loved the bond between NK and Khushi...NK is the sweetest and the most understanding guy ever...he goes by the rule...no complaints no demands...and i love him for that...:)

Teri meri...sighs and blushes😳need i say more??

Its arnav isn't it??it has to be!!!there is just so much suspense about their past that i cant wait to read about it unfolding!!!

You have chosen the perfect day for their meeting and the flashbacks...the anniversay...!!brilliant timing!!!😛

Omg I need more!