Differences Between Us :: Arshi FF [COMPLETED] - Page 10

They sat in the living room, whispering as Lavanya was at the dining table to apply her favourite violet nail polish, and that was not very far away.

"So? Payal ab kaisi hai?" (So? How's Payal now?)

"Better."

"Aur tu?" (And you?)

"Humein kya hua hai?" Khushi squared her shoulders grimly.

"Tu... ajeeb si lag rahi hai... badli badli si..." (You seem... strange... changed sort of...)

Khushi frowned at her best friend immediately. "Matlab?" (What do you mean?)

"I don't know... You're not yourself today..." Shivanee got the 'please-elaborate' look from the girl and gave a snort of laughter. "What? Don't look at me like that! Ami shotti bolchi... Are you in love Khushi?" (... I'm telling the truth...)

Arnav Singh Raizada's face flashed in front of her eyes, blinding her for a second.

She remembered how his arms had felt around her. How he had pulled her against his tall hard frame. How he had looked at her. How he had talked to her. How he had made a measly effort to be nicer. How he had waited for her to get inside the house safely before driving away.

What?

She certainly was not falling for that man was she? Forget about feelings, he did not even have a polite electron inside that huge body of his, noting that an electron is the smallest particle till date. She had never thought she would one day meet someone so ruthless.

"No," came the cold reply before she dived into her novel again.

"Pride and Prejudice, huh?" Shivanee smiled. "Tujhe Darcy jaisa hi koyi jeevan saathi milna chaahiye. Tu khadoos, tera pati bhi khadoos-" (... You need a life partner like Darcy. You're sulky, your hubby will be sulky-)

"Aur humaara poora ka poora khaandaan khadoos!" Khushi finished and the two girls burst in fits of giggles. (And our whole family will be sulky!)

Personally, Khushi loved Mr Darcy. She had lost count of the number of times she had read this book just for the hero's sake. He had started out a fool, but then, he had realised Elizabeth was truly beautiful and she had a heart of gold. And when she had rejected his proposal, he had done everything possible to clear all misunderstandings between them to win her heart.

But she didn't think Arnav Singh Raizada would ever take the pains of doing something like that. She wondered if he could even love!

No, hold on! Was she just comparing Raizada with Darcy? Was she losing it?

The phone rang shrilly and Gopi hurried to pick it up.

"Maalkin! Aap ka phone hai!" (Mistress! Phonecall for you!)

Garima, who had been watching her favourite serial came in the living room spitting fire.

"Moorkh! Keh nahin sakte the main baahar gayi thi?" she hissed at the poor baffled man. (Fool! Couldn't you say I was out?)

When she had finished, Khushi noticed she had paled considerably. She frowned and thought of asking her mother what the matter was but Garima had already disappeared.

"Yeh teri amma ko kya hua hai?" (What happened to your mother?)

Khushi shrugged. "Pata nahin." (Dunno.)

Shivanee shook her head with a smile. "Chal, voh sab chhod! Hum baahar ghoomne chalet hain, okay?" (Okay, leave all that. We'll go out and roam about, okay?)

***

It was surprising that Garima had let the girls go out at this time and La had seized the opportunity and tagged along too. But Khushi could not get it out of her head that something was wrong. Her mother seemed too troubled.

"Hey, Chamkili!" La interrupted the brew in her mind.

"Humein Chamkili mat bulaao!" Khushi replied through gritted teeth. (Don't call me Chamkili!)

Lavanya chuckled. "Pata hai? Ek naya ladka pados mein aaya hai. Sunil kaka ke ghar ke doosre maale ko bhaare pe liya hai!" (You know? There's a new boy who has come in the neighbourhood. He is renting the second floor at Sunil uncle's place!)

Khushi and Shivanee sighed. What would it take to cure Lavanya of this malady she seemed to have when it came to boys?

"Purva keh rahi thi voh bohot handsome hai. You know, muscled and all... Uska naam..." (Purva was saying he's really handsome. [...] His name...)

"Shut up, La!" the two other girls said un unison. La blushed and twisted a lock of hair around her finger. They were just going to buy some gol gappe when Lavanya squealed.

"Oh! Voh yahaan aa raha hai!" (He's coming right here!)

Khushi looked up with a scowl to see a handsome man smiling directly at her. He was striding across the street towards the three of them, dressed in a slim-fit yellow T-shirt and tight jeans. When she realised his eyes were really fixed on her, her scowl vanished and was immediately replaced by a crimson blush.

"Hi," His voice was husky but warm and Khushi's heart practically leapt out. "I'm new here so... Aap mujhe bata sakti hain ke Chandu ki dukaan kahaan par hogi?" (Can you tell me where I will find Chandu's shop?)

Khushi's mouth opened but nothing came out. She was too amazed and the man's stare was unsettling her.

"Vahaan!" La pointed the direction, hopping excitedly on the balls of her feet. (Over there.)

He turned to her with a flirty smirk. "Thanks, miss..."

"Lavanya," she beamed back. "Yeh meri behen hai, aur yeh humaari dost," she went on gesturing towards the girls. (This is my sister, and this is our friend.)

The stranger grinned at both of them suggestively.

"My name's Shivanee," Shivanee offered as she nudged Khushi out of her daze.

Khushi closed her mouth and stared at the man blankly. He raised a brow at her baffled expression.

"Aapka naam... nahin hai kya?" (Your name... or you don't have one?)

She gulped and shook her head. Instinctively she stuck her hand out, "Khushi... Khushi Kumaari Gupta," she stammered.

He chuckled and took her hand to shake it, firmly but gently. "Shyaam... Shyaam Manohar Jha."

Then, he disappeared down the road in the direction La had pointed. Khushi's eyes closed tight and she clamped her hands on her mouth before turning to Shivanee.

"Did I just act like a fool?" she whispered.

"Actually," Shivanee bit back a smile. "Yes."

***

Khushi glared at her father to catch his attention. When she finally had, she glanced at her mother to prompt him. He raised his brows then remembered.

"Ermm... Garima? Kuchh hua hai kya?" (Did something happen?)

"Huh? Kya?" (Huh? What?)

Shashi rolled his eyes. "Kuchh hua hai? Aaj tum badi khoyi khoyi si lag rahi ho?" (Did something happen? You seem very lost today?)

Garima sat down beside her husband dramatically sighing and he glanced at his favourite daughter who appeared to be stifling her laughter.

"Ab aapse kya chhupaana, Shashiji?" the mother began in a miserable, glum tone. She looked at him in the eyes solemnly and murmured. "Koyi aa raha hai." (What to hide from you now, Shashiji? Someone is coming.)

Shashi rubbed his brow as if utterly exhausted suddenly. "Tumhaara matlab hai koyi aura a raha hai? Akaash Dogra ke alaava?" (You mean someone else is coming? Other than Akaash Dogra?)