ArHi FF: If I were you-link to Ch20 pg 145 - Page 46

ab update bhi kardo sarkar!

Awesome FF... Just started reading it but its mind-blowing... back to reading the rest of the updates...

Loved it! Thanks for the email. :)

I loved it absolutely. I am from cancer nanotechnology field, a researcher like khushi in this story. The way you described years of research was absolutely true, the pain, the feel was so true..I will be following...

A is in too deep...love K----letting Mr J who A was was priceless & then watching the show..;)
Why cardiologist???? Weak heart? Hope things are in control for K...
Anji googling K...Shyam in big trouble..

Can't wait to read more...

-Sona

interesting story...

plz pm me if u can

Apologies for the long delay. Life happened. I shall try to update more frequently from now on. Without further ado, here is...

Chapter 7: Nupur- When the bells toll!

"Akash has a girlfriend!" said Krish, "She's hot too!" he winked at Akash. Akash sighed in defeat. It was going to be a long night. The gang had come over to ostensibly watch cricket, but he was sure they had another reason in mind.

"Her name's Payal. Payal Gupta," announced Kabir to the room in general.

"She's sweet. Very pretty. I liked her," said Ana quietly.

"She's rich. She was carrying a Ferragamo handbag," said Lavanya drily.

"Akash! You never said a word to us. Who is she?" asked Anjali, pouting at her cousin.

"How long have you been seeing her?" asked Shyam curiously. "And why have you never mentioned it to any of us?" he asked.

"Is she Punjabi? Can she cook? What does she do? When can I meet her?" asked Mamiji, the questions spilling out fast. She elbowed Mamaji hard. "Say something! Your son has a girlfriend. Aren't you curious?" she asked out of the corner of her mouth. Mamaji said nothing, because he had nothing to say. He wanted his dinner. And he couldn't have it until this discussion was over. That bothered him. Akash's girlfriend he didn't really care about.

"So, Akash. When did this momentous event take place?" asked Arnav, cheekily.

"Er, what event Bhai?" asked Akash, uncomfortably.

"The first time Anklet met Sky. Or Ghungroo met Ambar. Or Jhaanjhar met Gagan. Or Nupur met Aasmaan. What exactly happened When Payal met Akash?" asked Arnav.

"Do I want to have what you're having?" asked Kabir outrageously.

"Judging by the size of her'" Krish winced as Ana pinched him. "I mean she looks like a nice girl," he finished lamely.

"OK Akash, spill the beans. We need deets. Now." Said Anjali, narrowing her eyes at him threateningly.

"There's nothing to tell Di. We met about 2 months ago. We've seen each other a few times. It's not that serious," said Akash not meeting anyone's eyes.

"What do you mean it's not serious?" asked Mamiji, staring at her son.

"He means he's just shag'" Krish gulped as Ana stamped his foot hard. "Nothing," he finished, throwing Ana a reproachful glare.

"Akash, is she from a good family? Are you seeing some bar girl or something? Just tell me. I can take it," said Mamiji, looking pained.

"Mom! She's a nice girl. I just don't know her very well. And I haven't met her family But she speaks very highly of them. They own some kind of business," Said Akash shaking his head at his Mother's reaction.

"Do you have a picture? I want to see what she looks like." Asked Anjali.

"Err'No," said Akash, flushing uncomfortably.

"Oh, someone get his phone. I bet he has tons of pictures of her on it," drawled Shyam.

Kabir held Akash down, while Krish fished his phone out of his pocket. Sure enough, there were several pictures of her on it. They passed the phone to Di who exclaimed at Payal's prettiness and passed it on to her husband, who barely glanced at it, having only recently come out of the doghouse with his wife for noticing Khushi Gupta's good looks. Shyam passed the phone onto Arnav who took one look at the smiling face staring back at him from Akash's Blackberry and spat his Tea out. Lavanya thumped him on the back until he stopped coughing. At which point he started laughing until tears streamed from his eyes.

"Bhai, What is it? Why are you laughing like that?" asked Akash worried.

"Because you're dating Chamundi's sister, that's why!" said Arnav, hitting the table with his hand as he exploded into another burst of laughter.

"What?" asked Akash, confused.

"Chamundi Devi. My Boss for the next 2 months. Also known as Khushi Gupta. That's her sister, Payal. I saw her when I went to Gupta Labs for the protest, the first time," said Arnav, still laughing.

For a moment there was a deathly silence at the dining table in the Raizada household. Followed by guffaws of laughter so loud that the neighbors came up to complain about the noise.

"You sure know how to pick 'em bro!" said Arnav, wiping his eyes. "Shitala's sister. I bet she's Baby Durgeshwari. Durgeshwari Junior. We can call her DJ for short. I like that. DJ bhabhi!" he quipped, bellowing with laughter.

"So, what's she like?" asked Anjali curiously. "Is she as uptight and bitchy as her sister? And where the heck did you meet her Akash?"

"Oh, Bhadrakali's not bitchy! Uptight, yes. Bitchy, no!" said Arnav easily. Another deathly silence followed this statement.

"What?" asked Arnav, picking up another chip from the large bowl in the middle of the table.

"I thwink Awnie has a leetle cwush on Khwushi-wushi!" said Kabir sweetly. There was another outburst of laughter at this. Akash laughed the hardest.

"So, Awnie! Does Khwushi-wushi have a cute tushy?" asked Krish slyly. Even Ana smiled and let this one pass. Teasing Arnav was an opportunity not to be passed up.

"What? I said she wasn't bitchy. I didn't say she was a hot piece of ass I'd like to slam up against the'" he trailed off when he saw his sister's and Aunt's shocked faces. "I mean, I don't think she's cute or anything!" he finished.

"Besides, weren't we discussing Akash and Payal. Did you know you were dating Kalika Devi's sister Akash?" asked Arnav curiously.

"Of course not Bhai. We met at a club a few months ago. She told me she has an older sister who's a bit of a control freak. But I didn't know it was Khushi Gupta she was talking about. She told me she worked in Marketing for a Biotech company. I didn't know the details," said Akash. "Do you want me to break up with her Bhai?" he asked directly.

"What? Me? It's got nothing to do with me who you date. I hardly care," said Arnav quickly.

"Well, I think you shouldn't see her anymore Akash. Her sister almost put your brother in Jail," said Mamiji huffily.

"Well, I did cause her to lose millions of dollars," said Arnav easily. "She had provocation."

"OhmiGod! Awnie's in love with Khwushi-wushi!" exclaimed Kabir.

"Oh shut up! I don't like her. I am leaving now. I have a 10,000 word report to write for Chamundi Devi before tomorrow morning." Said Arnav, rising from the table. "Date whom you like Akash. But if I were you, I'd tell her you're my cousin. She'd probably prefer to know," said Arnav.

"Owww! Did Khwushi-wushi make Awnie do her homework?" asked Krish. "You should offer to carry her books tomorrow Awnie. Girls like that!"

"Eff Off Kabir. You too Krish! Why are always in my home eating and drinking for free anyway?" asked Arnav.

"Because we love you Awnie! It's OK, we're going now," said Kabir. The entire gang rose to leave. "We just dropped by to give Akash a hard time. How were we to know that you guys had a ek ke saath ek muft offer running in the Raizada household?"

The gang trooped off, except for Lavanya who annoyed Arnav by offering to help him write the report. It took him 20 minutes to get rid of her. He was just beginning to get started when Akash came in.

"Bhai, you sure you're OK with this? Me dating Payal?" asked Akash seriously.

"Of course Akash. But please tell her the truth. She would want to know," said Arnav. "By the way, how serious is this?" he asked.

"Meh. Not very. I like her and she's pretty. But I am just getting to know her. She's a little clingy. Is the other sister clingy?" he asked curiously.

"What, Khushi? Oh, no. She's the opposite of clingy. She's the anti-superglue, if that exists! Very independent. Feisty little thing." Said Arnav, eyes softening slightly as he spoke of Khushi.

"Damn Bhai! You really do like her," said Akash.

"What? Of course I don't Akash. Don't be silly," said Arnav.

Well, you said her name with an inflection. It's very telling," grinned Akash.

"What? What rubbish. I didn't say her name with an inflection. Look, go away and let me work. Let me tell you, one of us dating a Gupta hellion is more than enough. Two of them would be disaster."

Since Akash was of the private opinion that even one Gupta sister was likely one too many, he decided to keep his mouth shut.

Shyam, Anjali and Jaypee sat around the table talking after dinner. Jaypee had dropped in for a drink in the night as he usually did. Shyam filled him in on Akash's exploits. Jaypee's face brightened when he heard the news. "So, if Akash who in my opinion, no offense Anjali, is a bit of a sad sack can get Payal Gupta to date him, I definitely have a shot with Khushi, right?" he asked.

"Yes, but sad sack Akash actually asked Payal out. You, on the other hand, have done nothing but blush like an idiot when we speak of Khushi Gupta," said Shyam sternly. "Put your money where your mouth is and ask her out Jaypee!"

"Are there no other women in the world apart from the Gupta sisters?" asked Anjali petulantly. "Why do all the men I know want to date them?"

"It seems to me the Raizadas and the Guptas are like the Montagues and the Capulets. We have a running feud, but we can't keep our hands off each other, either!" said Shyam laughingly.

"Thank God I'm not a Montague. I think I have a good chance with this particular Capulet," smiled Jaypee. "It is the East and Khushi is the Sun!" he quipped.

"Stop quoting Shakespeare to me and my wife, and go say it to her!" said Shyam crushingly.

"Yes Jaypee, ask her out if you really like her!" said Anjali grudgingly. "But remember, if you marry her, I won't have her over for dinner or anything. We couldn't be good friends anymore. She almost sent my Chotey to jail!"

"Darling Anjali, I value your friendship more than any Khushi Gupta, even though she is quite lovely. Just for you, I am going to try and forget all about her. It will be hard, but I shall do it!" said Jaypee valiantly.

"Oh Jaypee! You're such a sweetheart!" said Anjali, hugging Jaypee, while Shyam mouthed a "Chicken!" to him behind her back.

And so it happened, that on that night, Jaypee relinquished any claims to Khushi Gupta's affections. He never had a realistic chance anyway and he knew it. This seemed a graceful way to bow out. Akash sent Payal a text asking her to dinner tomorrow night at The Yellow Dandelion restaurant. Payal was ecstatic, since he was usually quite stingy and his idea of dinner ran to Vada Pav at the street corner. She spent the night planning her outfit down to the color of her nail paint. Arnav burnt the midnight oil writing up his report. He fell asleep at his desk at 3am, and woke only when his Di bought him a cup of chai in the early hours of the morning. Mamiji fell asleep planning her Son's high society wedding with Payal Gupta. Mamaji just slept. As for Khushi Gupta. She slept like a baby, and woke feeling uncharacteristically happy. She had no idea why. But Devi Maiyya did. She always knows.

Read and review people.

Cheers!

Maxine

*lines in bold are a play on when Harry Met Sally.

Chapter 8

res *edited*

Ahaa. . . See I am stalking? I am here so early without a pm or mail! hahahaha. . .Ow! Arnie baby is indeed falling for Khushi wushi? Awww I am blushing! Amazing update!