Arhi: The Proposal ?? Part 9 page 97 NOTE pg 109 - Page 21

"you've no idea how much am I pissed Arnav. I already blew out a big amount of my salary paying rent of my apartment and ma is pestering me to send me money like every month. Woh to main bhej doon but she doesn't use that money but saves them in a separate account, to bolo kya fayda? She says that I am spendthrift. I am spendthrift? Now who is going to explain to her how I save my each penny? But they seem to have wings. Ab dekho my refrigerator is not cooling since morning I need to call a mechanic to fix that, have to buy muesli, quacker oats, pulses, flours, washing powder….Arnav? are you there?"

And he was indeed there, smiling , shaking head and listening to his girlfriend(?) , gazing the vast expanse of Mumbai City from his balcony.

"I am here Rajdhani" he confirmed. Even after two months of their getting to know each other phase, it failed to surprise her how much could she speak? As expected he heard a 'haww!' the very moment he called her by the nickname he chose for her. He wished he could see her circling her lips and turning puppy eyed.

"Khushi… can I see you?"

He heard her clicking her tongue in regret, "Sorry Arnav my internet balance expired today, but pakka tomorrow I will recharge it while coming back from college."

"Tomorrow won't be possible Khushi, I am flying out of Mumbai."

"Hain? Again?" she sat up straight clutching her pillow tight. "Weren't you in North East last week? Are you sure you're a lawyer not a travel agent?" she heard him have a good laugh and slowly a smile spread her lips. The husky tremor she heard through her receiver left her mesmerized.

"Fine, stop now will you?" she commanded and he obliged but she could feel him continuing his laughter silently. "Where are you off to now?"

"We have no idea"

"we?"

"Darshana and me."

And this was enough to sour up her mood. Darshana Sarkar, a beautiful Bengali belle, and Arnav were a team. They travelled together, worked on cases together and hanged out together. Numerous times Arnav and she chatted this particular name made its way through their chat. She hadn't met this girl till now but she knew almost everything about her. It was obvious that Arnav respected this particular colleague cum team mate cum friend a lot. Khushi initially, though, have been cool and unaffected about this girl but as time passed she couldn't help but feel a tiny whiny irritation pass through her whenever he brought her in between their talks. Nope, Khushi was not insecure or jealous. She simply did not like the fact Arnav shared everything even what he discussed with Khushi with this particular colleague of his. There would be very few days she wouldn't have heard Darshana's name from his mouth and wouldn't have heard the phrase, "I was telling Darshana about us talking the other day…" . Darshana knew almost everything Arnav and Khushi talked about and this was the reason Khushi now wanted to do only one thing, hang up the phone.

"Oh.. have a safe journey, Arnav I am off to sleep now. Good Night"

She disconnected missing her name being called out from the other side.

The call ended abruptly causing Arnav to frown and stare at his cell incuriously. His Rajdhani was weird ..very weird. Few minutes back she was talking non stop and in an instant she felt sleepy and hanged up. "Pagal" he smiled and dialed for his colleague.

"Yes Teamy?" he smiled as Darshana greeted him in their regular style.

"Were you asleep?"

"Now? You got to be kidding. I was packing my stuffs. By the way you're not busy with your 'call'?"

She drawled with the word causing him roll his eyes. " Khushi slept. She had a long day and was telling me about the things she needs to buy tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Yup. Washing Powder, flour, pulses etc etc etc"

"Do you guys even talk romantic or they are always this domestic?"

Arnav sensed the tease.

"Darshana."

"Fine fine, your girlfriend and your topics I am no one to intrude. Anyways are you done with packing?"

"I have a packed bag kept aside for all the trips. Did you come to know where are we going?"

"No idea dude, we are asked to reach airport by 7 O clock in the morning, we will be getting our tickets there."

"why are they keeping surprises?" he was irritated.

"So that the teams does not create ruckus like last time, most of the teams were not happy with their destinations."

"Neither were we, but did we have a choice?"

"Ya right, anyways are you picking me up?"

"No"

"How rude Arnav, not that was unexpected. Fine we'll be meeting at the airport. BBye. Good Night."

"Good Night"

Arnav brushed and cleaned, put his tab and notebook to charge, plugged his phone to the charging point beside his bed and lay down. He opened up the facebook profile of Khushi and aimed straight for her photo albums. It was a habit he had picked up since a month, browsing through her photos before calling his day. Thick kohl lined big eyes welcomed him and his face automatically stretched to smile. She is a fool to consider herself plain jane, she is a simplified beauty who overflowed with innocence, happiness and naughtiness. "Good Night Rajdhani" he murmured and drifted off to sleep, not before setting his alarm to the wee hours of morning.

-^-^-^-^-

"The line to which you have dialed is switched off.."

Khushi disconnected the line frustrated as soon as the voice message in Marathi started playing. She must have heard it over twenty times yet she dialed hoping her call would be answered. Uff! Khushi… you and your mood cursing herself she dialed again but the was not through as the phone was switched off. After her abrupt stop to their chat yester night, Khushi couldn't contact with Arnav and now it was almost 9 O clock now. Arnav always messaged her when he had an early morning flight but this time her there was no message from his side.

He maybe in flight , she inferred and decided to message him so that he messages her back after landing.

"Mam I am having problem with the coding" Khushi had to leave her messaging in between and switch off her phone as a student called for her in the laboratory.

-^-^-^-^-

"Teamy its break time, are you coming for lunch?"

Darshana turned to see her colleague agitated as he pulled his phone off his pocket to dial, "I know the way to the cafeteria, you move I'll join you" she nodded hearing him mumble and left him.

"Damn Khushi where are you?" he tried her number again and it was switched off. The lunch break will be running for another half an hour and he wouldn't be able to eat in peace unless and until he heard her voice and let her know he'd landed safely. Arnav had purposefully not messaged Khushi in the early morning with an intention of surprising her and here madam was throwing ice cold water on his surprise by keeping her phone switched off.

"Mr. Raizada?" he looked up from his phone and found an elderly man, he remembered the name Mr. Avinash the founding member of the law firm he was visiting smiling up to him.

"Yes Mr. Avinash?"

"Join us for the lunch please; the meeting will be starting soon."

"Yes I will join you", he politely replied putting his phone inside his pocket.

-^-^-^-^-

"Surf Excel, surf excel, surf excel " she skimmed through the washing powder section searching for her preferred brand and then stored it in her trolley basket and headed towards the toiletry section , going through her article list.

"Khushi yaar! You are here and I am searching you in the whole mall" Khushi frowned looking at her colleague from college, Payal. Payal, Akash and Khushi happen to be the non localite trio of their department and hence they were close like a family. Right now, Payal and Khushi were in the mall buying their monthly rations.

"What is there to search? I told you to call my number after you are done in your vegetable section."

"But for that you need to keep your phone switched on"

She was shocked and panicked as she pulled out her phone and found it switched off. Wasting no time she switched on her phone repeatedly cursing herself for keeping it off.

"Oh my God Payal? I kept it switched off for so many hours? Ab kya hoga? he will be so pissed. Damn! …"

"kaun?"

"Arnav" Khushi waited for her phone to boot.

"Aw!! Your ArnavJi!"

"Shut up Payal"

No sooner her phone was booted, it rang and the screen flashed the caller name, "Arnav"

"Hello"

"What the Khushi!! Why was your phone switched off even after your classes are over. According to your schedule you had your second half off and you did not even have any teacher's meeting."

"I forgot…"

"forgot? How can you forget? Do you have any idea how tensed I was? Even uncle aunty was not able to contact you."

"Come on Arnav, I know I made an error but why are you shouting at me? Galti ho jati hai yaar. Even you forgot to message me when your flight left and landed, did I shout?"

"Oh! Is this your way of getting back at me? You are taking revenge are you?"

"huh? Where did that come from? I was only saying.."

"I am in Bangalore"

"Yes I am in Bangalore… WHAT???"

Silence

Silence

Silence

Silence

Payal watched her talkative friend going all silent and wide eyed. Who was the girl standing in front of her? She wondered as she saw Khushi lowering her eyelids and colouring up from head to toe, gaping like a gold fish.

"you… you…"

"are in Bangalore"

What the Freaky Ugly Cranky King!!

"are you sure?"

"I don't think the Airlines made a mistake and landed the flight in Ahmedabad."

She heard him chuckle and instantly felt an urge to pulp him out. He had the audacity to shout as well as joke at her in a same sentence and she was going all numb after receiving the news. Arnav was in Bangalore which meant they would be meeting after two months. Awkwardness, she felt it.

"Where are you now? I'll come to meet you. Message me the address and I will be there soon. Did you eat? Do you want me to bring anything? Oh my God Arnav you are making me nervous…."

"Uff Rajdhani, let me speak yaar" she turned quiet readily waiting for him to speak, he heard a faint sorry too.

"Khushi I cannot meet you right now because we are invited by the founding member of this law firm for a gathering. I still did not check in to the hotel provided to us, we headed straight for the meeting…"

"What type of Rakshas law firm is this?" here she butt in once more making him roll his eyes. "They did not let you freshen up and now after the meeting is over they expect you to join them for a party aise hi? And why do you need to check in a hotel? I live in streets kya? You will be staying at my flat bas."

"but Darshana…"

"So what's the big deal? Bring her too."

And she gaped. What had she said? Damn her big mouth. But it was too late to back off as she heard a number of thank yous from the other side. She could do nothing now but bang her head in despair, now it's not every day you get to invite the person you are not fond of for an overnight stay, god knows for how many days.

Behave Khushi, you don't know her, maybe you'll like her once you meet.

Oh! Angel Ji makes her presence.

Khushi , I bet you will not like her. That girl happens to show lots of interest in your personal life.

Oh…k! Devil Ji is also present.

Come on Khushi, how do you know you will not like her? Arnav respects her a lot which means she must be really nice … right?

Angel Ji is talking sense.

Khushi beta! She might be nosy! You never know.

Devil Ji is right too.

Mingle with her for the night and then judge her.

Don't let her cross the threshold of your house.

You are never that rude Khushi, where will that girl go?

Hotel rooms are booked in their names remember?

What she will do alone in the hotel if Arnav comes to stay in your flat?

Ignore that girl Khushi.. don't let her come.

Stop it you two!

Devil and Angel Ji shushed up and she concentrated on Arnav who was calling her name now.

"Yes Arnav?"

"You are fine with Darshana coming to stay right?"

"Ofcourse! Why do you ask?"

Liar Liar pants on fire!

"That's great then. After the party gets over we three get back to your flat with our bags"

Wait! There was any other colleague with him too?

"who three?"

"Darshana, you and me."

"oh Darshana, you and … ME?" now this was confusing.

"Umm.. Khushi", he drawled. " The party is for the staff and their family or better halves. And here you are my family." he confirmed solemnly making her go all bananas. "will you come with me?"

Dhish thak dhish dhish thak…

It was her heart playing drums.

"me?"

"well ya.. everyone is taking their wifes, fianc or girlfriends. Few of them are arranging for dates too but why do I need to arrange for one when I have one in the city itself"

Bury me God!! I can hear 'Ishq wala love' in background.

"Khushi will you come with me?"

You will be the dumbest ass in the history if you don't accept this.

You will be the dumbest ass in the history if you don't accept this

Wow!! Angel ji and devil ji seems to agree for once.

"ok!"

"great then! I will message you the venue."

She kept mum.

"and Khushi?"

"hmm?"

"I will be waiting for you."

She removed the phone from her ear in daze and then panicked.

"O god o god o god!!"

Neither she had any party wear nor any decent Indian outfit to go with the genre 'party'. She wished she listened to her ma who always asked her to have some dressy outfits for situations like this.

"Payal?" she called out to her friend who was putting ladies razor in her trolley bored by her friend's long chat on phone.

"mujhe ladki bana de."

"what?" Payal answered picking stuffs.

"I need a good dress or saree or anything Indian and accessories for tonight."

"why? Where are you going?"

"a party with Arnav."

Khushi saw Payal drop the big shampoo bottle on the ground with a loud thud. Payal was now looking at Khushi as if electrocuted.

"what? Your Arnav Ji is the city and you are going on a date with him?? You have a freaking date with him aur mujhe ab bata rahi hai? We don't have time now Khushi."

"Ah Payal! Its not a date"

"Whatever! What are we doing here, come let me create a princess out of you." She grabbed Khushi's wrist pulling her towards cash counter.

"No Payal, nothing over the top, I only need your dress, not your makeup skills, I will manage" she countered Payal and resisted herself being pulled but Payal seemed adamant.

"Stop it Khush, you don't have any choice. The dress comes with a package deal i.e. Payal Shekhawat as makeup artist, now its your call, take it or leave it."

Did Khushi have any choice? Plain no!

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