Part 16 : Seizing Opportunities
" Goodbye Arnav " she stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek.
Khushi ran inside the gate only to crash straight into Anjali and a plate full of ladoos went flying into the air. But thankfully it didn't crash on their heads but fell a little away.
Anjali looked all around taking in the explosion site of 60 ladoos splattered on the floor and smacked her head.
Some strong ones were still in a single piece but the unlucky ones were broken and perished.
" Shit Khushi. What the hell have you done ? I had to give this...Wait a second. Why are you here ? You never informed me . Are you crying ? " Anjali lifted her chin and wiped a small trickle of tear.
" No I am not crying. I wanted to talk to you. Your Chachaji won't have a problem if I stay here, will he ? " Khushi asked wiping the vestiges of tears with her fingers.
" Ofcourse not. Come inside" Anjali led Khushi inside the house.
And the poor ladoos lay forgotten on the floor.
Khushi went straight to the guest room where Anjali was putting up whereas Anjali went to inform everyone about her arrival.
It gave Khushi the much needed 30 minutes for herself.
Anjali informed her Chachaji about the unexpected guest, and he was more than happy to oblige. Khushi had come to their house a couple of times before and the family was really fond of her.
Khushi splashed cold water on her face to remove the stains of tears . She stood facing the mirror with a towel clutched in one hand.
Khushi Kumari Gupta get a grip.
For God's sake you are Khushi not Meenakumari, so stop acting like one.
It is nobody's fault, you can't blame him.
Did I do the right thing by asking him to cut all contact ?
Her reverie was broken by the loud thud of the room's door closing.
And she knew that she better be ready for Anjali Malhotra Inquisition.
Khushi came out of the bathroom to face her worried looking friend and an involuntarily smile made its way across her face.
She had been blessed with one hell of an investigator best friend and she knew that.
" Khush tell me jaan what happened ? " Anjali asked lovingly and was beside her in quick strides.
The weak smile turned into a full fledged grin hearing the worry laced voice.
'Such a sadistic' Devi Maiyya rolled her eyes.
Though she loved her two children and wanted them to be together but they were just 22 and could definitely spend some time away without any serious implications on the ' Love Universe'.
Love Universe will have to wait for some time to get its new couple.
" Don't 'jaan' me. I just got a little emotional. Though I knew that he was not in love with me but... I don't know what I was expecting. It was usual, I confessed, he refused and that's it " Khushi said and threw the towel on the bed.
" That's it ? "
" Ya that's it. He says that he likes me but is not sure whether it is infatuation or love or mere likeness. He says that we are both just 22 and we have our whole life ahead and the usual crap. I guess I am unlucky in love" she smiled weakly and applied moisturiser around her fluffy red eyes.
Cry cry baby cry. Cry more !!
Even though she had cried in the most lady like manner possible but all the blood seemed to have been pumped into her eyes as they were stained in red.
" You are not unlucky he is such a fool. Stupid. Idiot. Dork. Jerk..."
" Wow...what a change. I am impressed, from innocent Arnav Bhaiyya he became stupid, idiot and what not " she replied as her eyes danced a mocking dance.
" Khushi do you want to talk it out ? You know..." Anjali gestured with her hands
" No I will talk tomorrow. Just want to sleep"
" Food ?"
" I am not hungry. Your Arnav Bhaiyya fed me well. He is a jerk but not a miser "
" Icecream won't hurt ? "
" Ofcourse it won't "
" Please make yourself comfortable. Butterscotch icecream coming right away "
Anjali said excitedly and dashed down the stairs towards the refrigerator.
Khushi sat on the bed, legs stretched out and a pillow in hand. The events of the night played out in her mind as she closed her eyes.
Arnav Singh Raizada I love you
You go your way, I go my way and then let life play out
I don't want both of us to f*ck up things just because of some infatuation.
How did you come to know that you love me ?
Shhh... Calm down. You know I don't want that. I just don't want you to go in a shell because of all this ..
I cannot blame him.
He was clear from the starting. Hell ! Even I was clear in the starting.
Do I regret proposing ?
No I don't .
I would have been damned had I let him go without telling him.
It's better we don't keep in touch.
It will do nothing expect hurting me.
Yes this right, absolutely right I can't pretend to be just friends with him.
It my way or the highway.
Take it or leave it
Khushi punched the pillow with her new found determination.
She didn't regret doing what she did and she was no glass doll to be crushed and defeated just because a particular male species thought that her feelings were just infatuation.
This being the second time did help a bit.
The main reason for her to come to Chanakyapuri instead of going back to the hostel was that she was fully aware of the fact that she would cry oceans and drown herself in self pity there.
Anjali Malhotra was a true friend. She would even rescue her from Marina Trench if the need arised.
The above mentioned true friend came just then with butterscotch icecream in two plates.
" Here is your order Maam" she put one plate in Khushi's lap and pulled out a chair to sit in front of her.
" So what happened exactly ? " she prodded.
" You won't leave it, will you ?" Khushi smiled weakly drawing circles with the spoon in her ice cream plate.
Anjali nodded her head in negative with a foolish smile plastered on her face.
Khushi spent the next one hour retelecasting the meeting , eating and listening to Anjali's profuse curses directed Arnav .
Though the icecream finished after some time but the supply was refurbished with chips and biscuits.
" God ! I forgot to call Mom." Khushi frowned and dialled her mother right away.
Anjali had gone down to keep away the ice cream plates.
Though it was 11:30 in the night but Garima Gupta was more of an owl than a lark.
" Hello Beta. What did you bring? "
" From where ? " Khushi asked flippantly chewing the last potato chip.
Retelecasting did have its desired effect and she was feeling much better now.
" You went shopping with Anjali and Payal , right ? "
" Ohh...Ofcourse. Ofcourse I went shopping " Khushi remembered the excuse she had made when she was on bike with Arnav. " Nothing much. Just random stuff. You were saying something about Dad ? " she asked trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
Dammit Khushi atleast remember what bloody lies you tell.
" Your Dad called. He wants you to join him."
" Join him. As in what ? " she sat back straight and kept the pillow aside.
"Khushi don't overreact and listen to me carefully before coming to any conclusion. He wants you to join his company. After all you know that ..."
" Yes yes yes. I know that I have 50% of shares in his company and I'm the heiress of Xenflox Media Network. My share is worth around $30 million. And I also know that my father is a bloody ..."
" KHUSHI !! " Garima shouted on the phone.
Khushi could be damn difficult if she chose to be.
She hated her father to the core and it was one topic she always chose to be difficult.
Garima Gupta had a calm and composed demeanour rivalling that of English aristocracy and her daughter put it to profuse testing.
Khushi's hot - headed and practical sarcastic attitude was courtesy her father's genes whereas the loving and understanding side was from her mother's DNA.
Keep calm and go on.
Garima Gupta took a deep breath and went on to explain her daughter what the situation had in store for her.
***********************************
Arnav gave the keys of the bike to his friend and headed back to his hostel room.
How had it gone so downhill. He had gone out to celebrate his success. Everything was fine until she went on her Bloody Mission Proposal.
Well forget it.
He was not at fault.
He was clear of any charge or accusation.
He had not made any false promises.
If she chose to cut all contact he could hardly help the fact.
He reached his room and opened it in one hard push, making the hinges make a creeping sound.
The usually book ridden Aakash had suddenly replaced his playlist of books for playlist of songs and array of assignments for array of vodka bottles.
This being the time of placements, with every day witnessing somebody getting a job letter, gulping down generous amounts of bubbly needed no other excuse.
Arnav never knew that his bespectacled friend could be such a big drunkard.
Two bottles lay orphaned down the bed a clear sign of party leftovers which had taken place in his absence.
He had earphones plugged to his ears while his track pants clad legs were supported carelessly on the wall.
Arnav didn't disturb his lost in songs friend and went out of the room barely after taking two steps inside.
After roaming aimlessly for 20 minutes and doing the much needed retrospection about the whole Parikrama fiasco, Arnav had sufficiently gotten rid of the guilt vestiges he was experiencing.
AFTER 2 MONTHS :
Indira Gandhi International Airport , New Delhi
Good morning passengers. Regular boarding for flight 89B to New York has commenced. Please keep your boarding passes and identification ready. Thank You.
Arnav hugged Aakash and the two friends bid adieu.
Aakash had opted for placement at a software MNC in its Gurgaon branch as he wanted to remain close to his family.
After 2 hours a plane took off from Delhi with Arnav and 150 other passengers aboard.
New opportunities and country waited for him to make his dreams become real and he would leave not even a single stone unturned to do just that.
Sorry for not updating earlier and the not so happening part.
But it was the much needed closure for ACT - 1 Delhi for Arnav - Khushi tale.
The next part is going to be all normal and happy because I am fed up of writing breakup aftermath.
New characters will be introduced, so get ready to meet Arnav and Khushi in the new setting !!
Edited by harsha.. - 12 years ago
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