SS: Unexpected part 13
Khushi sat on her bed as she painted her nails a clear cote. She was trying to keep her tone casual as her friends were freaking out about the fact that she kissed Arnav. She didn't go in detail and tell them just how many times they kissed, but rather gave the general information.
"So Harsh is completely out?" Payal asked as she sat on the other bed and looked at Khushi intently, eager for an answer.
"Haan!" Khushi said with the shrug of her shoulders.
"Good! We never did like him," Avantika said and Khushi looked at her with a surprised expression. "You never told me that!"
"We didn't want to upset you, but I never liked the dog in any way."
"So now you're Arnav's girlfriend or what?" Payal probed and the word 'girlfriend' made Khushi giddy. She was definitely not his girlfriend since a confession from her end was needed but her heart fluttered at the thought.
"No Payal, how could I become his girlfriend so easily?" She got up and walked around as she flapped her hands in the air to dry the nail polish. Two days had passed since her and Arnav's outing so she didn't see him too often but she blushed every time she thought of his smirks which she knew were now specifically for her. He would even wink at her sometimes in the dining area when no one else was looking at her. But she would always looked away with red cheeks and a faint smile.
But she was looking forward to the day because they were all going to take an hour-long ferry ride to the Princes' Islands. She didn't have a particular plan in mind, but she was sure she would tell him about how she feels.
She dressed up just a bit more than usual. Instead of her usual flats or flip-flops she wore her black strappy wedges, black cargo capris, and a cropped jean vest on top of a white v-neck shirt. She snuck her friend's curling iron to the bathroom to curl her hair. She was in the middle of curling it when Avnu busted into the bathroom and yelled "Boo!" making Khushi jump in fright, burning her temple and then yelling in pain.
She left the curling iron on the counter and walked past her friend in anger all the while holding her temple. She left her room in a state of rage and went down to the restaurant to ask for ice.
She felt someone tap her on the shoulder and she turned around ready to yell but her contracted muscles relaxed when she saw Arnav. He looked at her hand where it was holding to the burnt part. "What happened?" He asked with concern evident in his voice.
"I uh...burnt myself with a curling iron." She explained and grabbed the bag of ice the waiter gave before she started walking away with Arnav behind her. He grabbed hold of her arm and turned her towards him. "Relax, Gupta. It's a burn."
"How about I burn your temple then you can tell me how it feels." She had to admit she was a bit offended by him but then again, whenever she was angry, just about anything pushed her off the edge that much more.
He ignored her and took her hand to a quiet place of the hotel where people never actually sat at since it didn't offer anything else except couches and booths. She sat down next to him and extended her wrist towards him.
"What is this?" He asked pointing to her hand. She rolled her eyes. "Can you please tie my hair? I look ridiculous with my hair half curly."
He smiled and took her elastic off her wrist and tied her hair in a ponytail in no time. She touched the ponytail with her free hand and gave him an impressed look. "Most guys are incapable of doing this. Tell me, just how many girls did you practice this on?" She teased and Arnav looked down at his hands once before looking at her with an innocent smile. "Just one. My niece."
Khushi's heart melted in no time and she gave him an "awe" expression. "That's so sweet!"
"Yeah, yeah. Since when do you curl your hair?" He asked, getting back to the original topic. Khushi's happy expression fell to a disappointed one. "I do sometimes. Special occasions and what not."
"What's so special about today?" He asked and smiled wide as Khushi blushed and looked away. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest and sat back in the couch. "I must say I thoroughly like your shy side. And I see a great improvement in your otherwise hostile manner towards me. I wonder what changed?" He asked in a teasing tone making Khushi nudge him in the rib.
She tried to sit up but he didn't allow her to. He readjusted her head so it was on his shoulder and took over the ice pack as he held it against her temple. He moved it once to look at it making Khushi's face be nestled in the crook of his neck. He touched the red inflamed area. "Does it hurt?" He asked and she shook her head no.
The arm that was encircling her upper body moved down so it was resting on her waist. If anyone were to look at them, they would seem nothing short of a cute couple. Khushi saw it that way too. She liked how he was holding her and how even though their faces were very close, he didn't take advantage and kiss her - though she wouldn't have minded if he did.
But she couldn't let her happy moment last for too long. They might have looked cute as a couple but they weren't officially one so she sat up, noticing how his hand remained on her waist as she took the ice pack from him and applied it to her head again.
She immediately felt like something was missing when he removed his hand and placed his elbows on his knees as he sat up. "So the trip's coming to a close end. In just two days - what are your plans?"
"I don't know yet. Yours?" She asked and he shrugged his shoulders. "Find a job and work."
Khushi looked at him with a raised brow. "I don't know of anyone else who is richer than you. You still need to work?"
Arnav's smirk came into play as he leaned his head towards her. "It's okay, if you want me for yourself then I'll be at your service."
Khushi slapped his arm and rolled her eyes while he laughed at her reaction. She figured she should finish her half done hair before they headed out. She got up and looked down at Arnav. "Are you coming with the rest of us?"
"No."
"No?"
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"No I'm not coming!"
Khushi felt very disheartened. "You're not?"
"Do you want me to?" He got up and looked down at her.
"Well yeah!" She said nonchalantly making for a very happy Arnav. "Alright then. See you at the front of the hotel." He walked away leaving Khushi somewhat dazed. He sure knew how to get her to speak her truest inner feelings.
****
Once they reached Princes' Islands, they walked the rest of the way since there were no cars. They went around looking at the mansion like homes, which held lots of history to them. At one, they all made their way to a restaurant for a late lunch. Khushi sat with her friends but when their teacher told them they can spend the rest of the time however way they wanted, she took it as her chance.
She walked to Arnav who was sitting and laughing with his friends but when she appeared they all grew quiet as there was a silent conversation between Arnav and Khushi. "Come with me for a minute," she said and started leading him away from everyone else.
They walked down a path with the branches of large trees on either side of the road meeting together in the middle. They walked quietly for the most part until they finally got to a wooden bench under the shade of a tree while the rest of the small garden was lush with full green grass and flowers decoratively planted all over.
She sat down and pulled his wrist to make him sit too. "How do you like it?" She asked.
"It's nice. It's very quiet, it's a nice change compared to all the noise we hear back at the hotel." He said and stared at Khushi, anticipating to hear something he had been waiting for awhile now.
"It is. I wish I could live here. I just want to live my life in a quiet area where my kids can run around and play," she said in a very soft voice as she looked around the place with a pleasant smile on her face.
"You would leave the city life forever to live in a place like this?" Arnav asked, curious with this new revelation that he had never known about before.
She looked back at him and shrugged her shoulders, always keeping the smile on her face. She found that was the only thing she could do nowadays. She once did nothing but glare at Arnav but her last two weeks were truly life changing, to say the least, as she enjoyed his presence, his talks, his closeness. She liked it all. Did she ever expect that? Never.
"You see that house there?" She pointed to one far down, only slightly visible because trees and bushes hid the rest. "I want a park like this to be my backyard. I would get a rabbit or something," she said with a cute giggle and Arnav's lips involuntarily curled up.
"You have a pretty good future painted. You already know what pet you want, you imagine yourself as a mother, but one thing's missing. Who do you see yourself doing all this with?" He asked, breaking her moment of happily staring at a singing bird.
She turned her gaze towards him then looked down at her knotted fingers with a faint smile. "Obviously a husband." She said as she continued to look down.
"Have you put a face for this husband of yours in your head?"
She snapped her head up and let out an uneasy chuckle. She got up and walked about, stopping to touch the leaves of the tree as they hung right above her head. "Not yours if that's what you were wondering," she lied and Arnav knew.
"Well whenever the wedding is, please do invite me. I'd love to dance for my new friend." He said in an almost harsh tone making Khushi look at him worriedly.
She intended to go there for one thing but it seemed it wasn't even going in that direction. But she couldn't wait anymore. She went back and sat next to him, folding in one of her legs on the bench as she turned towards him.
"The night you were drunk and came to my room, I said a lot of mean things to you. I told you how much I didn't like you and the reasons why. But then...my hate receded as I started to talk to you more. Or more like as you persistently tried to annoy me - hich worked by the way." She said with a smile and lightly slapped his face.
"I don't know when but eventually things changed. I realized that you have a very different side to you. And the time you told me you're like a father to your niece, you got me. And well the rest is...history, as they say." She said with a nervous giggle and looked away as Arnav continued to gaze at her in his awestruck moment.
She saw from her peripheral vision when he started moving in towards her. She was expecting a kiss on the lips but rather got a very tender kiss under her jawbone - the place she secretly liked him to kiss her.
He looked back at her and she blushed a light pink before she wound her arm around his waist and rested her head right by his collarbone. They stayed that way for a long time, enjoying the peace and the immense happiness that was taking over their hearts.
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Just a heads up: I may not update tomorrow. A lot is going on, especially for school, so I really got to put my all in it. But being me, I kinda have this problem...it's an addiction really...with writing. -_- I'm sure you have all figured by now from the daily updates.😆
Anyhow, now I'm rambling. Ya'll take care and thank you for the response for the last chapter. Appreciate it as always. A big hug from me to you all!
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