An awkward silence settled between the three as they were all trying to fathom what just happened. Nk, who's mouth was still wide open; blinked a couple of times to snap out of his shocking discovery, but he failed miserably. Khushi quickly pushed Arnav away and hid her face away from NK's gaze. Unable to stand in this awkward situation any longer, Arnav spoke.
'NK um, what are you doing here?'
NK snapped his mouth shut, and answered, 'uh well.. I was just.. I don't know really. I was going to ask you what happened, but I didn't expect... well.. you know..' Frustrated, Arnav rubbed his face with his palms and sighed. 'I said I will call you NK. You didn't have to barge in.'
'Wait, what are you guys even talking about?', Khushi asked suddenly curious at what her best friend, and professor were going on about.
Arnav sighed, 'NK you better leave. I need to speak with her now before we both end up getting killed. At least if I die you can live on to tell the story.' Khushi glared at Arnav's statement and looked at NK, who was slightly smiling.
'Alright see you guys later... hopefully,' and NK left the classroom.
Khushi turned to Arnav, 'okay you better start speaking before I actually do commit murder, and end up in jail. So tell me, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON? First you kiss me like there is no tomorrow, which is by the way SO WRONG. YOU'RE MY PROFESSOR.'
Arnav smirked, 'excuse me? If I can remember correctly, you didn't even try to stop me! And oh please, you are like 20, and I am 24. There is not much of a huge age difference. And also you're graduating day after tomorrow so this is not that much of a big deal. In fact technically I am not your professor anymore since you're done this class.'
'THAT IS NOT THE POINT, AND WAIT, I did try to stop you! I told you to, but you said NO. So what do you expect me to do?' Arnav chuckled, 'oh please Khushi I have known you for a long time. If you really hated it you would have punched me in the face, which you didn't.'
Khushi clenched her fists, 'YOU- wait, what do you mean you have known me for a long time... You came to this university only this year. That's not a long time.'
Arnav sat down on his desk, 'Khushi you can't remember at all..?'
'Remember what?,' Khushi asked confused.
'How about you sit down and I will tell you,' Arnav said pointing at the front chair.
'No, I am not some kind of five year old child! Just tell me,' Khushi exclaimed annoyed. Arnav shook his head smiling at her mental state of mind. 'Why do you always have deny everything I say?' Arnav asked her still smiling. Her eyes narrowed, 'BECAUSE you always deny whatever I say! All second semester you have been doing that to me!' He shrugged, 'what can I say, you're adorable when you are mad. Even right now you are.'
'I cannot believe you're my professor!'
'I am not anymore', came his cheeky reply.
Khushi huffed and crossed her arms across her chest, 'just tell me what the hell is going on.'
'Fine, well alright. First of all tell me what high school you went to.'
Khushi looked at him weirdly, but answered anyways, 'Archbishop O'Neil High School. Why?'
'Okay good,' Arnav said, and mumbled again, 'at least you remember that part.'
Hearing that Khushi glared more, 'well what does my high school have to do with anything?'
'Okay so when you came to grade 9 did you have any issues with Math?'
She was shocked, 'yeah... I did. How did you know that?'
He leaned a bit forward towards her, 'and didn't your teacher, Miss. Zane instruct you to get a tutor...' Khushi's eyes widened with surprise. How in the world did he know all that... Something wasn't cutting it, and Khushi was confused even more. 'How in the world do you know all that?', Khushi asked him. He stood up from his desk and walked a bit more closer towards her. 'Do you remember who that tutor was Khushi?,' he leaned in and whispered to her, warm peppermint breath washing her entire face, once again. She gulped, 'yeah he was a grade 12 guy.. I think his name was.. god I can't remember... was it.. wait,' she said holding up her finger. 'AH HA! YEAH HIS NAME WAS ARNA-', she stopped midway, her jaw slowly dropping.
Glad that it finally dawned on her, Arnav leaned away and sat back on the desk. 'Finally, I was beginning to think you were having short term memory loss. Yes Khushi Kumari Gupta, that tutor was indeed me. We used to get together every Friday's during lunch time, at the library.'
'Wow,' Khushi whispered, 'yeah I do remember.. I cannot believe.. oh my god this is insane! I didn't think it was you... I mean there could be many Arnav's out there..'
He smiled, 'anyways I remember I would come to teach you maths, and you would always jabber away in to the afternoon. Sometimes you would talk so much that we would be stuck in the library for hours. You seriously loved talking, but honestly... I always looked forward to our little meetings. It was the only time I felt some sort of peace.'
Khushi's eyes softened at his words, 'why?,' He smiled and looked far away in to the distance, 'you were so young, yet there was some kind of maturity in you. You were honestly one of my best friends, in fact I think I opened up to you about my high school problems, than to anyone else. Every day I remember how I used to come and complain to you about my annoying girl friend Jamie... and you always, always gave me the greatest advise. In fact you always knew how to cheer me up... I remember the day when I find out Jamie was cheating on me...'
'Arnav! You are so late today!,' Khushi exclaimed, pouting her lips in annoyance. He ignored her and sat down on the floor next to her. Observing him very carefully Khushi realized that something was wrong with him today. She gently poked him, 'hey Arnav... are you okay man?' He gave her a dry reply, 'yeah whatever, I am fine.' Catching on to his lie she tilted his head to face her. 'You know Arnav , you can tell me anything right? Haven't you been doing that all this time? So what's the difference today?'
Angrily Arnav pushed away her tiny hands, 'LOOK KHUSHI YOU'RE ONLY 13 You won't understand! So let it be!' Hurt by his rude reply Khushi moved away from, and looked other way, trying her best not to cry. He was never mean to her, ever.
Realizing his stupidity, Arnav closed his eyes in frustration. He couldn't believe he would lash out on a kid, especially Khushi, the only girl who was always there for him. 'Khushi...,' he reached out to take her little hands, but she shrugged him away. He sighed, 'Khushi please, I am so sorry. I didn't meant to get angry at you. It's just, I am so hurt today... Can you please look at me? I want to tell you everything. Please? Please be there for me today? I need you today Khushi.'
Hearing his pleads melted Khushi's heart so she slowly turned to face him. Their eyes met, and she gave him a small smile. He smiled back and pulled her a bit close so that he could narrate to her what happened. 'Okay so tell me Arnav what happened?', Khushi asked sitting at the corner on the floor, closely to him so that would not speak loud for anybody else to hear. Arnav closed his eyes and reopened them,' yesterday I saw Jamie kissing Lance.' Khushi immediately gasped, 'what? Oh my god! But isn't Lance your best friend?!'
'Not anymore he isn't,' Arnav said grudgingly. 'Can I be honest with you Arnav?,'Khushi asked innocently, gaining his attention fully. 'Yes of course Khushi go ahead. Tell me,' he encouraged her. She leaned against the wall and sighed. 'Well... I always knew Jamie would cheat on you; she seemed like the type. I mean why would someone always suspect another person if they are not guilty themselves? Didn't she always think you were sleeping around with other girls? But in reality it was her. She was guilty for her own actions so she would take it out on you. I am sorry that you had to find out this way, but if you didn't you would still be blind. At least now you can find a girl that would respectfully love you. This would make you stronger, and much more wiser in dating. It's like fate prepared you for the real world.'
There was a moment of silence until Arnav broke it. 'How come you're always so wise and mature Khushi.. You're only 13.. I don't think even a 20 year old has the knowledge you have.' She popped her collar in pride, 'what can I say, I am amazing.' Both of the busted out laughing, gaining a 'shhh' from the librarian. 'Well my 13 year old best friend, you are correct. I am not exactly hurt by Jamie.. it is more of Lance that I am hurt of. He was my best friend... I cannot believe he would that.'
'Well Arnav... it's okay because of think of this way. There's always going to be people who will break you in two, but because of those exact people is why you get stronger. Try not to dwell on this situation, move on from it slowly, and gain back your strength. Face the world with confidence because it is okay to fall down, but there's pride in getting back up.'
Arnav shook his head with a smile, 'oh Khushi, you are an angel sent down from heaven. Thank you, thank you so much,'he said pulling her for a warm hug. She smiled in to his arms, 'I will miss you when you graduate this summer.' He broke away from the hug and looked straight in to her eyes, 'we might not see each other ever again, but I will not forget your words. You can count on that.'
'Up to this day I remember everything you told me that day. I didn't forget those words ever, and because of those words I made it through a lot of crap... And here I am today standing in front of the girl I was always meant to be with, reminding her our past.'
'But... how did you... I mean were you in love with me then?,' Khushi asked, quietly. He chuckled at her question, 'oh no I loved you as a little sister then. You were very young Khushi... but as the years went by I wondered where you were. What must you be doing now... And you know just wondering whether I will see you again.'
'Which you did,' she added.
'Yes when I got my professorship in Toronto University I never expected you to be here. I remember coming for the first time to teach, and you entered for my first class ever. And that was when I almost dropped at the sight of seeing you. I couldn't even recognize you since you look... well you don't look like a child anymore. When you told me your name I almost collapsed. Part of me was hoping that you would remember me, but I guess not. That's why I even told my first name to the class hoping you would catch on, but you didn't. As the days went by I started annoying you more through questions. Something about annoying you made me smile because I have always loved it when you pouted. Slowly I began to fall in love with you... everything was going mental inside my head that it was beginning to meddle with my work at the university. It was getting out of hand, and that's when NK came in to the picture.'
'Nk? How...,' Khushi began, but Arnav cut her off. 'NK noticed me staring at you during class. Sometimes even smiling like a fool apparently... So he came to me one day after class...'
'Sir?'
Arnav looked up from his lap top, 'yes NK what's up? Is there anything you need?' Nk shook his head in denial, 'not really sir, but well... Do you have the hots for Khushi?'
'What the! What kind of question is that?!', Arnav exclaimed in shock. But NK shrugged, 'don't deny it sir because I see the way you look at her. You're always gazing at her while we all write notes, and smile... I have noticed this for a very long time...'
Embrassed at NK's observance Arnav rubbed his face in frustration. 'Look NK I know you must be disgusted, but there's more to this than you think...'
'Alright, well tell me because I am getting very concerned for her. You're a professor sir and she is a student so yeah you better give me a good explanation.'
'And did you tell NK everything?'
'Yeah I told him our entire high school history, and that's when we came up with a plan...'
Khushi raised her eyebrow, 'a plan? What kind of plan,' she said narrowing her eyes, suddenly realizing where this was going.
Arnav gave her a sheepish smile, 'well...'
NK stood silently in awe, 'wow... that's wow... so what the hell are you doing? Why aren't you telling her?!' Arnav sighed, 'NK I am a professor remember?'
'SO WHAT? Dude- I mean professor-'
'You can call me dude, in fact call me Arnav.'
NK smiled, 'okay then, so what Arnav? Dude confess to her after class ends! I mean she graduates after so it's all cool. You won't be her professor anymore, and everything goes dandy!'
'Uh NK, I am pretty sure she doesn't feel the same way about me..'
'What? You crazy? She talks about you all day- okay so complains about you in anger since you always deny her answers, but hey that's something. Hatred is usually disguised with love, and I am pretty sure if you talk to her she would understand. Tell her everything, and yeah, she will be mad for a bit, but then she will be cool.'
'And how do we suggest we do that?' Arnav asked eagarly...
'Easy, you just mark one of her History questions wrong, and that would get her riled up. Then I can suggest for her to go speak with you, which you can handle from there. Tell her everything, and then we will see what happens next.'
'I KNEW IT! I CANNOT BELIEVE. ARGH NK IS SO DEAD!,' Khushi exclaimed very angrily. She could not believe that her best friend would lie to her like that!
'KHUSHI just listen... look I know you're mad, but... can't you see what I am trying to say here?!'
She pouted, but made contact with his eyes... 'what do you want me to say Arnav?', she asked, her voice quieting down under his penetrating gaze. He moved forward and gently pulled her close to him. 'All I want you to know is that I love you... I know I shouldn't have kissed you the way I did just now Khushi, but.. I couldn't help myself. You told me one day I will find a girl that would respectfully love me, and that girl is you... You don't have to love me now. In fact you can take all your time, years even, but just give us a chance... please?'
Hearing his sweet plea's Khushi wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on chest. The beat of his heart strummed loudly in to her ears, diffusing peace in to her body. 'What if I said I had a huge crush on you back in grade 9... What would you say?', she asked mumbling in to his shirt. He pulled away from the hug in shock, 'what? You had a crush on back then?' She giggled, 'yeah I did... but I never wanted anything or whatever. You were way older than me, and it would have been weird.'
He pulled her closer again, his nose gracing her own, 'well would you do something about those feelings now?' She shyly smiled, 'I will, but I am still better at History than you are!' He chuckled at her childish response and nodded, 'sure whatever you say,' and captured her lips for a sweet long kiss. The kiss was sweet, but the passion in it did not disappear. Their tongues slow danced together as one, uniting their love after so many years.
Finally they broke apart, and Khushi whispered, 'I love you too Arnav...' He smiled widely at her sweet whisper and hugged her tight. But abruptly Khushi broke away from the hug and fixed herself. 'Excuse me professor, but now that we have confessed our lovely feelings, I have a best friend I have to go kill.' Khushi kissed Arnav lightly on the cheeks and walked out with a death plan on her mind.
Arnav chuckled and quickly called NK, 'hey man, you better run because.. she's on her way RIGHT NOW.'
NK's eyes widened, 'OH SHIT.'
Now he was screwed.
***
I hope this part was good enough for you guys! I would love to hear comments on this one :)
Oh and it was so lovely to hear from my readers after so long. Now that was like quenching my thirst ;) haha. I missed you guys <3 Sadly I won't be writing again for a while, but I will try my best to write OS's as much as I can.
Love to all!
PS: Hey Jyothi honey, I thought I be nice to you on this update, and not kill you too much. ;) Lol
By the way I did write another Hot OS last year check that out if you guys want! :) That OS was my first time actually. It wasn't too hot, like all the way, but you know it was still naughty. lol
http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3246174
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