"Why didn't you tell me you are coming?" Khushi asked Nehal as they entered the house. Nehal has been her friend since childhood. For the past 3 years he has been living in US as they have shifted their life there. Khushi has always enjoyed his company and today she was meeting her best friend after a long time which made her really happy.
"I wanted to surprise you." He said. He did surprise her. She smiled at him. Khushi wondered whether his parents came. They are very good family friends. Just then she saw both his parents sitting in the living room. She went on to hug them. They have always been very close to her.
"How are you?" His mom, Simran asked. Khushi felt so nice to be with them again. It's going to be really fun. She thought. They talked for a long time and then her dad asked them to stay in their house. At first they refused but when her dad pleaded then they couldn't deny. Khushi noticed that her mother was quite silent so she went to her.
"What happened?" She asked, studying her mother closely. Sneha smiled at her.
"Nothing. I was just worried about you."
"Oh mumma. I am fine. Really." Khushi hugged her.
Anjali saw her brother going upstairs. She called him but he didn't hear her. "Now what's wrong with him?" She followed him to his room.
"Chote. How was your trip?" She asked him. He looked at her and smiled widely.
"It was perfect!" He said and then he hugged his sister. "Oh Di." He muttered. And she knew something was bothering him. But she decided not to ask him as she knows her Chote very well. He isn't a person who is going to tell about his feelings.
"Hey." Nehal's voice startled Khushi. He chuckled and sat on her bed. "Tomorrow we are going to some special place." He said snatching the pillow she was holding.
"Well, I guess that's not possible because..." She tried to get back the pillow but she failed. "Because I have to go to office tomorrow." She said making a face. Nehal threw the pillow on her.
"Come on yaar! Your friend has come after such a long time and you are interested in going to your office? Call your boss, what's his name.." He thinks for a second. "Yeah. Arnav. Call Arnav and tell him you won't be able to go to office tomorrow."
"Nehal! I have just joined!" Khushi said getting up.
"But he only told he is your friend too!" He said grinning widely.
"Yeah he did. But I can't take that for granted you see." Khushi went near the dressing table and started combing her hair. Nehal just lie on the bed watching her. And then he got an idea. He picked Khushi's phone and searched for Arnav's number. Khushi's eyes fell on him and she stopped combing her hair.
"Nehal.. What are you doing?" She asked. He winked at her and she realized he is calling Arnav. "Nehal! Give me the phone!" She went to him but he climbed up on the bed and he put the phone on speaker. He was too tall for Khushi to reach his hands.
"Hi Khushi." She gulped when she heard Arnav's voice on the phone.
"Arnav! Can you please let Khushi stay with me tomorrow? She is refusing because she has to go to your office." He said. Khushi climbed down from the bed and glared at him. "Here, talk to Khushi." Nehal gave the phone to Khushi.
"A..A..Arnav.. I .." Khushi stammered.
"Was that Nehal on the phone?" He asked curiously.
"Yeah. Yeah that was him. Arnav. I am sorry on behalf of him. I really don't want an off day." She said.
"No no. It's okay Khushi. It's okay if you go with your friend." He said. Khushi was feeling so embarrassed because of Nehal. She glared at Nehal and he looked other side.
"Khushi.. I said na. It's okay." Arnav spoke again as she kept silent.
"Okay. Thank you." She said unwillingly. She actually wanted to go to work.
"Who was it?" Anjali asked her brother. He took a towel and started heading towards the bathroom.
"Khushi." He answered.
"Oh. Why did she call."
"She said she won't be able to come to work tomorrow due to some personal reasons." With that he entered the bathroom.
"Nehal! What is wrong with you!" Khushi shouted. Nehal stood there like a child and lowered his gaze.
"I am sorry. I thought you too wanted to spend time with me." Of course she does! Khushi felt bad for talking to him like that. She went to him.
"Of course I want to spend time with you. You are my best friend." She tried to touch his hand but he backed away.
"Seriously?" She asked, crossing her arms. He didn't answer. "Fine then, I will go to work tomorrow." And just when she starts to go, he catches her hand and made her stop.
"Not so fast." He winked at her. He pulled her towards him.
"Nehal, what are you doing?" Khushi asked trying to get away from his hold.
"Why? You can't resist my touch?" He asked teasingly.
"Your touch? Oh please!" She giggled.
"Then?" He asked close to her ear.
Khushi stepped on his foot and he released her. "What the..! Khushi!" He chased her but she was too fast to get to the living room where their parents were sitting. Everyone looked at Khushi who was puffing. Nehal came running after her but he stopped when he saw both their parents staring at them.
"How long will it take for you two to grow up?" Simran giggled. Everone joined the laugh except Khushi who was glaring at Nehal. He raised his eyebrow and she hit him. What? He mouthed at her.
"Let everyone go and I will tell you then." She whispered gritting her teeth.
"Oh hello! I have no interest in those kind of things okay! I was just trying to irritate you. Don't get any wrong signals." Khushi gaped and pinched his hand. "AAAHHH" He screamed.
"What happened?" Everyone looked at them.
"Nothing. Nothing. It was just a mosquito."
"Don't you dare call me a mosquito!" Khushi said. And everyone started laughing.
"Oops!" Nehal chuckled.
"Where is Arnav?" Rohit asked Anjali at the dining table.
"He will be joining us in a moment." She said serving him the food. Rohit was an orphan. Even though he is a very rich person, he let Anjali stay with her brother as he doesn't want her to feel alone when he goes to his office. He loves Arnav as much as Arnav loves him. They have a special bond which Anjali very much adored.
"There he comes." Rohit said as he saw Arnav coming. Arnav wore a grey coloured tee. His hair was still a little wet from the shower.
Arnav came and greeted them. Then he sat on his chair and took the newspaper. Anjali served him too and then she sat with them.
"Arnav, how's work?" Rohit asked taking a sip from his cup.
"It's going well Jeeju.. What about your work?" He asked putting down the newspaper.
They continued talking and when they noticed Anjali staring at them both, they stopped.
"What?" Rohit asked pretending he doesn't know what bothered her. He can be very good at acting.
"Will you two stop talking about work? Always work work work!" Anjali mimicked their tone.
"Oh! So now we should start talking about the saas bahu dramas you watch?" Arnav said winking at his Jeeju.
"Stop it you two!" Anjali glared at her husband and he stopped laughing. "Talking about you, Arnav. When are you planning to bring me a sister-in-law to pamper?" She asked cutely. She has always dreamt of having her sister-in-law by her. But Arnav is too busy with his work that he never thinks about it.
"Di! It's not like I go to a shop and say Hey! Have you got wives to sell?' and get you a sister-in-law that way." Rohit bursts out laughing and Anjali hit him. "Di. I'm not ready for marriage yet. And I need some time to think about it."
"Time! You are 27, Arnav! When will you marry? At 40s? Let me know so I can find a granny for you!" Anjali shot back. She was getting really irritated by his behavior.
"Di. People who are destined to meet will meet anyways. So why worry about it so much?" Arnav said confidentially.
"Does Nehal know about this?" Sneha asked her husband, Sahil who was reading newspaper. Sneha was feeling uneasy as she has kept it hidden from Khushi. Sahil and Nehal's parents have fixed Khushi's marriage with Nehal. Sahil put down his newspaper and looked at Sneha.
"Sneha. Don't think about it too much. They both are matured and it's the right time for this." Sahil said hoping she would calm down.
"Exactly! They are matured and they have the right to choose their own partner." Sneha still wasn't ready for it. Khushi has never talked to her about Nehal in that way. She has always took him as a friend and Sneha was very well aware of that.
"Khushi is my daughter too. And I love her more than anything else. I know her and I am very sure she likes Nehal. She knows I wouldn't make any decision which will hurt her." Sahil has always loved Khushi a lot. Even though she is their adopted daughter, he has never differentiated between her and Tia. They found Khushi at a park where she was left alone on a bench. They reported to police but no one came for her. They adopted her when she was just 3 months and never let her know about it. Her arrival brought bundles of happiness to their life therefore they named her Khushi.
"What if she doesn't like Nehal?" Sneha asked.
"Then this topic is closed." He gave an assuring smile and she knew he was right. He is never going to do anything which will hurt his daughter.
"So when are we going to talk to her?"
"Tomorrow."
Khushi entered Tia's bedroom and saw her lying on the bed. "Hey.." Khushi went and sat
beside her.
"Why are you so moody today?" Khushi asked stroking her hair. Khushi loved her a lot. After all
she was her only sister.
"Di! There is this stupid boy who keeps irritating me every time in the school!" Tia complained.
"Then complain about him to your teacher." Khushi suggested. Tia got up and looked at her.
"But I kinda like him." Khushi couldn't hold back the chuckle. Tia was thirteen, eight years younger than
her. "And you are laughing!" Tia fell back on the bed again. Khushi stopped laughing.
"Maybe he likes you too." Khushi found a way to cheer her up. Tia looked up at her with one eye closed.
"Yeah. Maybe he liked you. I have heard that we irritate the people who we love." Khushi then gave her an example of tom and jerry. Tia got up again.
"Yeah! You are right! Oh Di, you are the best!" She hugged her sister tightly. Khushi couldn't believe Tia was having a crush on someone. Khushi never had a crush. She was the bookworm in the class. She never had time for all that stuff. She realized how boring her school life was.
Khushi waited for Tia to sleep and when she did, Khushi put on the blanket on her and gave her a forehead kiss. Nehal was looking at her from her door.
"Oh God! How will I be able to tell her? Nehal! You can do this! You just have to say I love you' to her and that's it!" Nehal said to himself.
It took a lot of time to write this chapter as it has been a long time since I have written for this FF. If you think there is a mistake then please do point it out. :)
Thanks for your likes and wonderful comments for my works :) It means a lot to me.
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