Arshi SS: An Awakening Thread 1 **Awarded** - Page 53

Originally posted by: vandana.sagar

When will the next update be?

Soon...give me half an hour to an hour!

Originally posted by: Nidsubh007

Mumbai!!! All 3 in the helicopter plus pilot? Isn't there a weight limit?? Throw Natasha out! 😆

Don't worry, Natasha is not bad and won't be an issue😉

This is the longest chapter I have written to date, but there's still so much more to write about! I just wanted to post an update as soon as possible for those of you who are waiting.

Check out this story by a new author, Cloverleaf, called One Fine Day. I have really enjoyed the story thus far and know some of you would really appreciate it as well.

One Fine Day

Chapter 16

Khushi Kumari Gupta was a master of disguise, or so she thought. When upset, she would plaster on a bright smile and immerse herself in work, and helping out her loved ones, hoping to conceal what was going on in her mind, and more importantly in her heart. After a dreadful Monday at work, Khushi thought it was best to delve into work. On Tuesday, she had taken a half day off from work to help shift her Bauji to the rehab facility. Initially, they had planned on transporting him there for his appointments when needed, but after further consideration, they thought it would be best if he remained at the facility, so the doctors could check on his progress throughout the day and night. Though the Gupta's were upset about not having the head of household present at home, they were delighted about the possibility of him being able to walk and talk as he used to. Upon returning to the office, Khushi was held up in meetings and requests to help out in different projects, and as promised, she was essentially out of the office on Wednesday. Khushi was glad for these distractions as she didn't want to come face to face with Arnav just yet.

Arnav Singh Raizada was a man known to be in control of all aspects of his life, but that infamous grip on everything was loosening by the minute. He had not seen Khushi since Monday at lunch time. He didn't know whether she was avoiding him on purpose or if she was indeed that busy that she would not be at her desk whenever he passed by. Not pleased with the latest development, he took his anger out on any employee that crossed his path; the majority of the brunt falling towards Aman, of course. Arnav wanted to talk to Khushi before they left for Mumbai as he didn't want any awkwardness between them within the cramped confines of the helicopter, but time was slipping and the probability of getting a chance alone with her was not looking high. He never ruled with his emotions, but with his thoughts constantly fixated on Khushi, he couldn't help himself.

Khushi was told by Natasha to come to the office on Thursday morning and they would leave together for their flight. She felt she could have gone to the airport herself, but didn't want to argue with Natasha, so she agreed to her suggestion. When she reached the office, she noticed that the other members of the team who were travelling to Mumbai were not in the office yet, which surprised her. Even though she was generally on time for most events, there were always some people who reached before her. She walked over to Natasha's office to let her know that she made it and was ready to go. Natasha, dressed in a black blazer, white shirt, and black fitted trousers, exuded confidence and grace; Khushi sighed at the perfection she presented. As they made their way outside of Natasha's office, Khushi was surprised that Natasha led her to the elevators in the lobby instead of heading outside to hail a taxi. Not being able to resist, Khushi asked, "Natashaji, where are we going? Aren't we going to get late if we go upstairs first?"

"We're fine, Khushi. Come on." When the elevator doors opened on the ground floor, they both got in with their luggage. Natasha pressed the button marked with the letter H. Khushi never went in the elevator before in the office, so she did not which floor would be labeled with a letter instead of a number. When the doors finally opened, instead of seeing bright white walls, Khushi met with a gust of wind and fresh air. Looking straight ahead, Khushi saw a helicopter resting on the Helipad, atop the building. Khushi was amazed at the sight in front of her. As Natasha led her closer to the aircraft, she realized she would be travelling in it, which left her both scared and excited at the same time. Natasha stepped onto the helicopter first, and took the seat next to Aman. Arnav and Aman were already seated, across from each other when the ladies entered. Since Khushi was the last to enter, there was only one seat remaining, the one right next to Arnav. Sending a silent prayer to her Devi Maiyya to protect her, Khushi settled into her seat, shifting uncomfortably as Arnav was too close for comfort. To say she was shocked to see who her travel companions were would be an understatement.

"Relax, Khushi," a husky voice whispered next to her. Arnav could sense her anxiety as soon as she saw him on the helicopter. It was obvious that she did not know about the travel arrangements and that she was momentarily shocked about it. What he didn't know was if her nervousness was a result of flying for the first time, or sitting next to him. He decided to decipher all her actions as best as she could for the duration of the flight. As the pilot got in and closed the doors, they were set to go. The pilot reminded all the passengers to secure their seatbelts. With shaky hands, Khushi was struggling to get a grip on the strap, which did not go unnoticed by Arnav. Moving closer to Khushi, he angled himself over her torso to grab the belt, brought it forward and fastened it in the clip; all the while fanning his breath over her heaving body, sending goose bumps down her spine. Not being able to bare the close proximity, Khushi closed her eyes shut and waited for him to move away. When she felt the loss of his breath on her body, she opened her eyes and willed herself to breathe properly. Aman was busy responding to e-mails on his phone and Natasha had dozed off after putting on her headphones, leaving them without an audience.

As soon as Khushi opened her eyes and looked out of the window, she started to panic. The buildings that looked like monstrosities on the streets now seemed pebble-sized, and the clouds that always seemed unreachable felt like they were close enough to feel if she would put her hands out. Hoping to calm her nerves, Khushi continuously chanted her favorite Goddess' name, but to no avail. The changing expressions on her face amused Arnav, who looked on fascinated. He realized there would never be a dull moment in his life if she was by his side. This continued for the duration of the flight. Although Arnav wanted to speak to her, he knew it was not an appropriate setting, especially with their co-workers sitting right across from them.

When the pilot announced that the chopper would soon be taking its final descent, Khushi realized that going down was going to be scarier than taking off. She had seen news reports of planes and helicopters crashing on their way down, and was imagining multiple scenarios in her overactive mind about all the bad things that could happen to them. Looking at the horrified expression on her face, Arnav realized that Khushi must be frightened. Glancing over at Aman who was still busy on his phone, and Natasha, who was still passed out, he took ahold of Khushi's left hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, trying to reassure her that he was with her on this journey and that she was safe. Khushi's eyes flew wide open, her mouth forming an O shape, showing how shocked she was. She was uncomfortable with the sudden contact, especially with Natasha sitting just a few feet across from them, but it seemed like that did not bother Arnav at all. When Khushi tried to pull her hand out of his hold, he only tightened his grip, sending a strong signal that he would not be letting go. Giving up, Khushi sat still and started to relax, taking in the areal coverage of Mumbai; basically forgetting her tension about landing. She hated to admit it, but Arnav's touch did alleviate her anxiety and allowed her to sit comfortably for the final moments of their journey. When the helicopter landed on the helipad of the AR office in Mumbai, Arnav disentangled their joint hands; leaving both of them disappointed at the loss of contact.

After disembarking the helicopter, Aman and Arnav headed to the corporate office, wanting to dive into their work as soon as possible. Khushi and Natasha were slated to check in to their hotel, meet the other members of their team and then start their work. After settling into a taxi that would take them to their hotel, Khushi finally remembered her initial thoughts when she saw the helicopter.

"Natashaji, why did we come here on Arnavji's helicopter and not with everyone else?"

"I don't know; Arnav said there was space for two and he wanted us to join him."

It finally dawned on Khushi that Arnav probably wanted Natasha close to him during the flight, not that he acted affectionately towards her while in the helicopter. In fact, he didn't even glance over at her more than was necessary. It was that same aloofness with which he treated Lavanyaji, Khushi thought to herself. She realized she would never be able to understand the man.

Still deep in her thoughts about the man who continuously befuddled her, she set her eyes to the scene outside of the taxi. She was in Mumbai, a city she always dreamed of visiting. She was most looking forward to seeing the Arabia Sea. There was only a short distance from AR's Charni Road location to the Oberoi Hotel on Nariman Point, which was where the AR staff was set to stay, but it allowed Khushi to get her first glimpse at the magnificent stretch of endless water. Watching the waves slowly make their way to the shore had a calming effect on her and she fell in the love with the sight instantaneously.

When the taxi pulled in front of the valet station outside of the Oberoi Hotel, Khushi stepped out to see the glittering chandeliers that adorned the grand lobby on the other side of the glass doors. Being a middle class girl from Lucknow, she had never witnessed such luxury in her life. She had always equated Shantivan as the most extravagant place she had ever seen, but from the glimpse she got, she knew this would beat the Raizada mansion by a lot. Not knowing the standard protocol for staying at such hotels, Khushi decided to follow Natasha's lead. The bellhop grabbed their luggage, and they were free to enter the elegant lobby, and check in at the front desk. Khushi was supposed to share a room with Sim and Pam, but as they had not reached yet, she set out to take a look at her room by herself. Khushi was pleased to see the plush furnishings of the hotel room. Although she had simple tastes, she could appreciate the attention to detail that was highlighted in the decor and setup. Soon thereafter, Sim and Pam arrived; the three freshened up and then went to the lobby to meet the rest of the team. After all, it was a business trip and they had work to do.

At the end of the day, after being out and about in a bustling city like Mumbai, the entire team was exhausted and returned to the hotel in the evening to get some rest. They had planned to go out for dinner as a group after getting a brief respite. When they arrived in the hotel, Arnav and Aman were entering the front doors. Natasha told them of their plans to go out for dinner and asked if they wanted to join. Aman immediately agreed to it, as he desperately needed some social interaction due to his always heavy work load preventing him from having a decent work-life balance. Arnav was hesitant at first, but when he saw Khushi in the background talking to her friends, that included Jay and Nikhil, he acquiesced. He wanted to spend some time with her in Mumbai, and although they wouldn't get a chance to talk intimately, the group setting would force her to be interactive.

"Natasha, have you already reserved a table at a restaurant?"

"No, ASR, we hadn't even talked about the options yet," Natasha responded.

Arnav said, "Let me take care of the details. Just make sure everyone comes down here at 8 sharp."

"Sounds good, I'll let everyone know." Natasha quickly departed to go inform her team about the change in plans for the night. She got a mixed reaction from the group; some loved that they would be dining with the elusive ASR, but others worried about being on their best behavior in front of the formidable man. Khushi for once did not show any emotions at the news that Arnav was taking them out to dinner. She had dined at his home several times and it was not as daunting as it would seem, but she didn't know if she would be able to sit around and watch Arnav and Natasha together without feeling a tug in her fragile heart. Unfortunately for her, she didn't have much of a choice as Natasha accepted Arnav's offer for all of them.

Dressed in a hot pink georgette anarkali suit, Khushi decided to keep it simple by letting her hair loose and wearing flat sandals. She thought she presented a formal, yet effortless look. Sim and Pam wanted to maintain their western image; thus sticking to their usual short skirts and tight blouses, paired with high heeled platforms. When the threesome walked down to the lobby, they met with the rest of the team. Khushi glanced over at Arnav and couldn't look away; he was at his most handsome. She had seen him in his home casuals and his formal business suits, but him in business casual attire was a striking look. He sported a navy blue sports coat, a crisp white shirt with a couple buttons undone, sans tie and paired it with semi fitted matching trousers. Arnav had an aura to him that was unattainable to most men; Khushi could not stop gawking like an awkward teenager.

Arnav smirked at Khushi's reaction to him. She tried to play indifferent towards him when she was around him, but her eyes and facial expressions always betrayed her. He could tell that she was affected by him, but to what extent, he didn't know. If only he could get a moment alone with her!

Arnav made Aman make reservations for the group at the Ambassador Hotel. Although he was partial to the food they served, Arnav thought the revolving restaurant would offer ample views of the glittering lights of Marine Drive and give way to a nice ambiance. But most importantly, he picked this specific restaurant as he thought that Khushi would be enthralled with the view and the fact that hotel rotated gently; it was definitely the small things in life that seemed to please her. His astuteness was rewarded when Khushi was amazed when told that the restaurant was revolving; the joy resonating on her face was a sight to behold. Arnav knew he made the right decision just by looking at her.

Since the restaurant offered a wide array of food, each person was content with their selection, and conversation flowered nicely throughout the dinner. Natasha briefly filled in Arnav about the locations they went to and the pros and cons of each one. Since Arnav had been to many fashion shows in Mumbai, and for that matter, all over the world, he had been to all the locations she mentioned, and thus did not need to personally go look at them again. He trusted Natasha's judgment and said that once she narrowed down her list, he would assist with making the final call.

Arnav was seated at the head of the table and Khushi was in one of the middle seats. Arnav knew she did that on purpose to avoid him. Since he didn't want to make a scene and embarrass her, he let it go. However, his blood boiled every time he saw her laughing at one of Nikhil's jokes. He knew the younger man was charismatic, charming and had a great sense of humor, but it bothered him that Khushi felt the need to openly admire his jokes. Just when he thought the evening couldn't go any worse, he was proven wrong.

"Khushi, since you have been so busy this week, you weren't there when we talked about going to the new club, 'Tryst'. We're going to go after dinner," Sim told Khushi.

Khushi didn't know what to make of it. Although she had never been to a club, she had always been intrigued about the idea of such a place. She knew that alcohol flowed freely at clubs, which wasn't her scene, but the music and dance would make up for it. In all honesty, there was no one to prevent her from going and she wanted to live a little. However, she was worried about her ensemble.

"Sim, I really want to come with you guys, but I don't have any other clothes with me, and I don't think this outfit would be appropriate."

Pam chimed in, "Don't worry Khushi, we will just be amongst ourselves, so you won't feel self-conscious." Sim nodded her approval, as she wanted Khushi to join them.

"Ok I'm in!" Khushi exclaimed. Although she was nervous about the new setting, she was looking forward to seeing it in real life.

Natasha, being the somewhat elder in the group, decided to forgo the after party; she would rather get her beauty sleep. Curious to know what Natasha was rejecting, Arnav asked, to which she responded that her team is going to go to some club that just opened up. Arnav knew all about the club scene in Mumbai and was shocked that Khushi would be joining the group. His protective side didn't want her to go, as he knew that there were would be drunk men who wouldn't keep their hands to themselves. However, he could understand Khushi wanting to try out next experiences in life and he didn't want to withhold that from her. He made up his mind to join them in order to watch out for her.

"Sim, do you mind if I come along?" Arnav asked.

"Not at all, ASR. You are more than welcome to join us," she replied enthusiastically. Although partying with one's boss is not an ideal situation, going out with Arnav Singh Raizada would open doors for them faster. Khushi was not happy that he decided to tag along as she felt self-conscious in front of him. For one night, she wanted to feel free and not be judged; unfortunately being in his vicinity would not allow her that right. However, she did feel some sort of comfort that he would be there for her if anything went wrong.

After dinner, they finally made it to the club. The night was still young and the possibilities about what could happen were endless.

Please let me know what you guy's think. I honestly look forward to reading every single comment, and it really helps me with my writing.

New readers buddy me for PM's.

Thanks for mentioning my story. Now I am off to read the update. I'll be back!😊

Originally posted by: A_BA

Hi Shree,

Thanks for your comments as usual...I really look forward to reading them after every update. I haven't been able to respond to reader comments as much as IF starts acting weird when I try to respond to too many.

I'm very sorry that you're disappointed with how Arnav reacted. But to his credit, he was curt because he's never been the type to jump up for joy for anything; his short responses has always been in his nature, and I'm not trying to change him all the way. The fact that he's trying to accept his growing feelings towards Khushi is telling that he's in the process of changing, but he's not there all the way yet. He definitely needs to work on being nicer!

He didn't stay around too long after she asked him out for lunch, as he didn't want to see the hurt look on her face. Also, this is my first time writing a story like this and sometimes what I want to convey doesn't come out properly. My intention wasn't to make him seem cold hearted and cruel; just a little awkward.

I personally hated the way Khushi was treated in the show...I will try my best to avoid it in future updates.

I do want to say thanks for reading my story and having patience with it. Hopefully Arnav will be able to make it up soon!

Hey please there is nothing wrong with your writing. But whenever Khushi is hurt I feel bad. I think I am still prejudiced from the show where we didn't see any redemption.
I was not disappointed with your writing but more with Arnav's behavior.

Lovely update...awkward Arnav is a sight to behold...he is actually going to a club...he is so not club going type, but his protective and possessive instincts have kicked in...he knows as an experienced man that Khushi is effected by him this is a perfect opportunity for him to explore the possibilities...what he does not know is that Khushi thinks something is going on between him and Natasha...let's see how this play out.

Poor Khushi really wanted to have some break from all she is feeling ...unwanted pull she feels towards Arnav...but it's not to be...she is confused for him not to be giving any attention to Natasha.

Beautifully written...loved this chapter and the pace of the story, how you are exploring the emotions and feelings, love the slow progression in Arnav's character..seems more natural as people don't change over night...love or no love...I can see him being more unresonable, more possessive, more demanding and even jealous for no reason being in love...that will be ASR in love.

Can't wait for next update as I want to know what will happen in the club...oh the possibilities.
Thanks for the PM.

Just finished chap 16. though it wa slong, I was looking forward to some Arshi interaction. So I am slightly disppointed that it didn't happen. Looking forward eagerly to next update now.. sigh..

Nice update...
Khushi is mistaken that Arnav is going out with Natasha... She is so talented to connect everything to this matter...
Let the night begin...
Hoping Arhi in the next update./...

So cute... I like this Arnav who is trying to fit in Khushis group... Every scene was described beautifully.

as always protective arnav !

the way he dont let go of her hand!
aww!

i think nikhil wil surely get a gd one from khushi's arnav one day!