Posted:
He that is not jealous is not in love. ~ St. Augustine
What is love without a bit of jealousy? A hint of possessiveness, a dash of the green-eyed monster is what most romance stories thrive on. Jealousy however causes severe 'burns' sometimes. Will be exploring the limits of jealousy through this series of OS. The series will explore the extent, role, and the outcome of jealousy between Arnav and Khushi.
~~~~This is the first one in the Jealousy OS series.
OS: JEALOUSY 'BURNS'
Khushi stirred the batter in rapid circular motions. There was a streak of batter across her forehead mixed with droplets of sweat from working in the furnace-like kitchen.
"Oh for some air!" she exclaimed not stopping her windmill wrist movement.
A gust of air blew her hair away from her face right then.
Turning her head, she saw NK holding a handheld fan near her. The cool gusts of air from the fan spread a glad smile across her face.
"Thank you Nanheji" she said.
"No problem Khushiji' I'm always here for you" replied NK with his usual casual charm.
"What the!" announced the arrival of Arnav in the kitchen, cutting short Khushi's and NK's chitter-chatter.
"What, what the?" countered Khushi in her perky style.
"What are you two doing here?" asked Arnav, the tip of his nose going red on seeing the two hobnobbing together.
"Oh-oh, Nannav is getting angry hah, see, see Khushiji!" chattered NK teasingly.
Khushi, had by now started to wrap the batter in a clean cloth, but that didn't stop her from retorting, "We should be asking YOU that question Arnavji! What are 'you' doing here? Nanheji and I are busy with work, and you are interrupting us... so either help us, or go out!"
Sensing that the two were striking matchsticks at each other, NK jumped in... "Khushiji, can't you see? Arnav is just feeling a bit left out, you know... hai na, Nannav mere bhai??"
"It's nothing like that!" snapped Arnav. "You two are always up to some nonsense, and make a mess of things."
There was a moment of furious silence in the kitchen, with spats of hot oil crackling in the intense atmosphere as Khushi spiralled the batter into the kadai.
Arnav's fist clenched tightly, his lips pursed in a straight line as he watched NK look admiringly at Khushi's jalebi-making skill.
"Khushi!" he roared, making Khushi jump startled with his outburst, while drops of hot oil splattered on her bare left arm as the ladle she was holding jerked suddenly from the oil.
"Oh no... Khushiji!" exclaimed NK jumping off the kitchen counter and rushing toward her.
But Arnav was already beside Khushi in a heart-beats moment, holding her arm gently, and taking her toward the tap.
Khushi's eyes were clenched tightly in pain, her fist closed, and her lips biting down the jabs of pain pulsating through her.
Arnav held her arm under the tap and the cold water ran over her burn, cooling it, soothing it...
NK stood behind watching them in silence. A small smile played on his face as the adorable two stood there together.
"Does it hurt a lot?" asked Arnav brokenly...
Khushi only winced in reply as the pangs of burn shot through her...
"I didn't mean to..." he faltered as he saw Khushi twitch in pain once more.
Khushi only winced in reply as the pangs of burn shot through her...
"I didn't mean to..." he faltered as he saw Khushi twitch in pain once more.
"NK, get the ointment... NOW!" he roared again, his shout betraying his concern.
NK rushed out and returned soon with the ointment.
Arnav patted Khushi's arm dry; quickly unscrewed the tube, squeezed out a coin sized amount of the ointment, and then applied the ointment over Khushi's burn with soft careful touches.
His strong hand held hers firmly, not allowing it to jerk as he spread the ointment in slow, gentle circular motions. All Khushi could do was shut her eyes tight, grit her teeth and clutch the kitchen counter in pain.
His strong hand held hers firmly, not allowing it to jerk as he spread the ointment in slow, gentle circular motions. All Khushi could do was shut her eyes tight, grit her teeth and clutch the kitchen counter in pain.
She soon found her arm tingling and opened her eyes a wee bit to see Arnav blowing lightly over her burn. It sent waves of pleasure and pain shooting up her nerves. For the life of her she couldn't decide if it was more of pleasure or pain - whatever it was, it sent her heart thundering about, the familiar heavy dhak-dhak had started pounding through her heart.
Arnav slowly released his grip on her and looked into her eyes.
Tears of pain and hurt were streaking down her face.
He lifted his clean hand and slowly yet softly wiped her tears, even as guilt for her current condition paraded through him.
Khushi looked at him, divided between annoyance and love for this man before her. Arnav looked at her, divided between repentance and desire for this woman before him.
Tears of pain and hurt were streaking down her face.
He lifted his clean hand and slowly yet softly wiped her tears, even as guilt for her current condition paraded through him.
Khushi looked at him, divided between annoyance and love for this man before her. Arnav looked at her, divided between repentance and desire for this woman before him.
"Uh-uhrm..." NK cleared his throat, breaking into their private moment. "I don't want to alarm either of you, but I think the jalebis are getting over-fried", he piped.
Khushi and Arnav immediately broke away. Arnav's eyes still on Khushi, while Khushi moved to remove the jalebis.
There was an uncomfortable silence this time, and NK moved out slowly from there, leaving the two alone. They didn't even notice him go.
Arnav didn't know what to say, or what to do. He simply stood there, watching as his wife drained the oil from the jalebis, and kept them aside. He stood like a statue as she dipped them in syrup and placed them on a platter.
During all this time, Khushi didn't utter a single word. Her silence was killing him; he could never tolerate her silence as much as he claimed that her chatter annoyed him.
He wondered if he should say something, but right then, Khushi took a jalebi from the plate, turned toward him and approached him with slow steps.
She stopped just a foot's distance from him. He looked into her eyes, and she... she looked at his blazer pocket, not meeting his eyes.
"I made these special non-sweet jalebis for you" she said, breaking her long held silence, and holding out the jalebi to him.
Arnav was taken aback.
He felt so wretched - for shouting at her, for being mean to her, for causing her to get burned, for inflicting pain on her...
He was dumbstruck.
She was making jalebis for him, and he had... the very thought fired him up against himself. He could be such a jerk sometimes, he thought to himself, tightening his jaws and clenching his hands.
He felt so wretched - for shouting at her, for being mean to her, for causing her to get burned, for inflicting pain on her...
He was dumbstruck.
She was making jalebis for him, and he had... the very thought fired him up against himself. He could be such a jerk sometimes, he thought to himself, tightening his jaws and clenching his hands.
He looked away, ashamed to see the reflection of his anger stamped as a burn mark on her fair arm.
Khushi slowly lifted her eyes and saw him regretting his action.
He didn't need to say anything. She understood every unsaid word, action and gesture of his.
He didn't need to say anything. She understood every unsaid word, action and gesture of his.
She knew he didn't mean to be angry, it was just a bit of jealousy that prompted him; he didn't like it when other men paid her attention. He was possessive about her, that was true, but it was amusing when he was like that.
Seeing the funny side of this, a small light girlish grin broke across her face.
Seeing the funny side of this, a small light girlish grin broke across her face.
She stepped nearer to him, coming very close to him.
Her finger tips touched the left side of his face, and moved his face to meet hers.
Her finger tips touched the left side of his face, and moved his face to meet hers.
He looked at her with guilt written all over.
He saw to his surprise that she had an amused smile lighting her beautiful face.
Before he could express his wonder aloud, she had placed the jalebi near his lips, waiting for him to bite it.
He saw to his surprise that she had an amused smile lighting her beautiful face.
Before he could express his wonder aloud, she had placed the jalebi near his lips, waiting for him to bite it.
"You don't need to say sorry Arnavji" she said, looking lovingly at him, her forgiving eyes seeing clearly through his guilt, and regret.
This was too much for Arnav... He always found it mildly surprising and extremely touching that Khushi could understand the minutest bits of his silence.
He held her hand and shifted the jalebi away. "No Khushi, what I did and said was not right'" he started...
He held her hand and shifted the jalebi away. "No Khushi, what I did and said was not right'" he started...
"Arnavji!" said Khushi sternly, "sometimes you talk too much!"
"What the!" exclaimed Arnav, astounded at what she had just said.
Taking hold of this opportunity, Khushi pushed the whole jalebi into his open mouth.
Taking hold of this opportunity, Khushi pushed the whole jalebi into his open mouth.
"There, that should shut you up!" she said with a mischievious twinkle in her eyes and a cunning yet cute grin on her face.
Arnav bit and gulped down the sugar-free jalebi as fast and as gracefully as he could.
As Khushi giggled away at his plight, he wrapped his arm around her petite waist, pulled her into him and placed an absorbing kiss on her lips.
His kiss was soft, conveying his apology of hurting her.
His slow kiss was accepted by her lips, she kissed him back gently, forgivingly.
Arnav felt his heart lighten of the burden of guilt; Khushi's ability to forgive people so easily always left him in wonderment of her. She lived up to her name in every word and action. And she lived it up mostly for others.
His slow kiss was accepted by her lips, she kissed him back gently, forgivingly.
Arnav felt his heart lighten of the burden of guilt; Khushi's ability to forgive people so easily always left him in wonderment of her. She lived up to her name in every word and action. And she lived it up mostly for others.
Thinking thus, he parted from her unhurriedly, so that the effect of their kiss lingered.
They broke apart a bit, their noses and foreheads met, and they remained like that for some moments before Arnav leaned in again and kissed her passionately this time, desire for her sprinting through his veins, surging through his kiss and making Khushi's dhak-dhak dance a fast tango in her heart.
Khushi could feel her head spin around dizzily with his fiery kiss. She could feel herself melting with the sizzling heat between them.
Khushi could feel her head spin around dizzily with his fiery kiss. She could feel herself melting with the sizzling heat between them.
Arnav finished the kiss with little, teasing ones, and then drew away from her. Opening his eyes, he could see that his kiss had left her breathless.
If that wasn't enough, she had a vacant, dazed expression on her face that left a pretty hue of bright red blush across her cheeks.
If that wasn't enough, she had a vacant, dazed expression on her face that left a pretty hue of bright red blush across her cheeks.
Smirking his thud-worthy smirk, he used her own line against her, "There... that shut you up!" he remarked cheekily and grinned naughtily at her.
Lost in each other's eyes, they drew closer for another kiss...
..
..
..
..
"Chotte!" ... Anjali's voice jangled through the romantic air...
---
Thanks for reading, and yes, do fee free to 'Like', 'Comment' and give your 'feedback'. Apna hi post samjho đ
Was too lazy to put a 'twist' in the end like I usually do! I think most of you who have read my previous works would have been happy reading a straightforward one from me this time around! đ
But don't get too happy, I'm planning to write a 'twisty' OS in the near future! đ
Will update the next part of the Jealousy series soon.
As there is a deluge of requests for PM's on the future updates, I request you to please add me as a Buddy if you would like me to PM you the next OS's. Thank you for your love and response!!!âď¸
LINKS TO MY OS's
OS: My Best Friends' Wedding
OS: You Need To Know I
OS: You Need To Know II
LINK TO MY SS
SS: You're Mine... Forever ! (Joint Venture - Nia & Iritz)
The above OS's will 'twist' and test your mind, so make sure you read them for a mind-boggling experience đ
Lovez,
Nia đ
P.S: Like, Comment and Feedback! đđź
Arjun
41