ArShi SS: Finding Solace (ATTTM) ~Chapter Ten page 91~ 26th Nov. - Page 34

Ramadan Kareem :)

I meant to update on Wednesday, but I had a net-connection problem. For this delay, I've added the last part in this update, and now this is the longest update for this story. Not that long, by the way.

Chapter Nine

Surprised

Arnav glanced at his Rolex watch which showed 8:40 p.m. He picked the intercom and dialed a number.

"Natasha, you can leave now if you're done. And yes, take an off day tomorrow," he told his secretary, and put the receiver down. All his employees had been working hard for the upcoming show, so he decided to let them leave two hours ago except his PA.

Resting his head on his chair, he chuckled remembering the times his personal secretary had tried to grab his attention. He had certainly noticed her futile attempts with amused eyes. She was beautiful, talented and hard-working. However, neither she nor anyone else could make him feel that magical pull he feels around that certain someone. He could recall how Natasha had approached him with a sheepish look when she invited him to her engagement two months ago. At least, she stopped chasing him now. This had Arnav wondering about females in general. Is it easy for them to try flirting with someone and then when a suitable alliance comes their way, they would accept it without a hesitation? Does it work like this with those females? Is it that easy to accept an arranged marriage with a stranger? The idea looked alien to his beliefs. But...is Khushi like this? Will she agree to marry someone if her family finds him suitable? He shook his head. Just few weeks ago, Di told him how ajeeb Khushi and the set of her brain are. What did he call Khushi then? Odd! In his defense, he had been so frustrated with both Anjali and Khushi. Well, intentionally or unintentionally Khushi always challenges him with her unpredictable reactions and outbursts. And Di is no less. Of all the world's population, she had found ONLY me to discuss the process of Khushi's lovely proposals from time to time. Why would those stupid boys propose to her when she had not shown any interest in them? Arnav was sure that Khushi is not someone who would give a guy a false signal and have him roaming around her, then have the guts to propose her.

Arnav switched off his lap top after arranging the files on his desk. It was time to be home, meet Khushi and annoy her. Anjali had told him that Khushi and Payal would have dinner with them when she had called him earlier. Arnav's smile turned into a smirk with the different scenarios his mind came up with regarding their doomed meeting soon.

~~~~~~

Arnav kissed Devyani's forehead and sat on the living room's couch. His Nani told him that the other ladies were in the kitchen, cooking dinner.

"Chotey, freshen up and come down for dinner." Anjali's voice came from the kitchen as she called Arnav when Jai Prakash had told her about Arnav's arrival. Seeing Arnav enter the kitchen with a grumpy face, Khushi could not stop the giggle coming out of her mouth. It was as if Arnav were saying, 'Baccha nahi hoon, Di'.

Expecting Arnav to get angry, Khushi faced the stove again and add almonds and cashews to the chawal ki kheer she was making. But when she had not heard him say a word, she turned around slowly to see him smiling at her, with a glint in his eyes. She could not trust herself if she stared longer at him as her throat was getting dry by the seconds. She moved to the fridge to get some water, but that brought her closer to Arnav.

"Hello, Di, Mami...Khushi," Arnav deliberately paused before saying her name.

Damn! My name never sounded better. Did the butterflies in my stomach flutter?

"Where's Payal?"

"She is with Sasuma," Manorama answered.

Arnav's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He certainly had not seen Payal in the living room.

"Is it going to take a long time? I'm so hungry, Di."

Arnav heard Anjali saying 'Just ten minutes' when he was walking out of the kitchen, then to his room. The hot shower relaxed Arnav's body and made him realize how much tired he had been. He combed his hair with his hands as he walked out of the room. He was about to take the stairs down when he remembered that Akaash must be tired too, so Arnav walked back to call Akaash for dinner.

Arnav was about to knock on the door when he heard muffled sounds coming from behind the door.

"Are you still upset?" Arnav had not intended to eavesdrop as he had not expected to hear anything. Maybe there is really someone in Akaash's life and he's talking with her on the cell phone. Arnav smirked realizing that he had been right about Akaash. Arnav held the doorknob to open the door with the intention to tease Akaash, but his hand stilled as he heard something which sounded quite like a female's moan.

"Don't distract me, Akaash. You have not tried to meet me for once since you came back."

Is it Payal's voice? Arnav was so surprised to hear her voice. Payal and Akaash? Since when? Then, Arnav walked away, feeling he was invading their privacy. Arnav sat on his chair around the dining table with many questions in his mind about the duo.

"Hari Prakash, go call Akaash." Arnav heard Anjali speaking.

"Where's Payal?" Khushi asked as she took a chair.

"Maybe she's with Akaash," Anjali replied nonchalantly with a tone that told Arnav his Di was just happy that her guess about Akaash and Payal had been right. Well, it was not the first time Akaash and Payal were together. They had always shared their common interests in front of their families and spent some time on the terrace talking.

A minute later, Arnav saw Akaash and Payal descending down the stairs with a well-practiced normalcy, looking undoubtedly at ease. Arnav looked at them impressed at the act they displayed in front of others. If he had not heard what he had just did, he would have never guessed in his wildest dreams that something was between the two of them.

Khushi glanced at Arnav, who had a thoughtful, pensive expression on his face. He looked devilishly handsome with his wet hair falling over his forehead. Khushi's hands itched to move those locks and stroke his hair to feel its softness between her fingers. She diverted her gaze and served herself some food. As Khushi held the spoon in her hand, she remembered something.

"Sanjana Singhania says hello to all of you," Khushi exclaimed, "specially ASR," she added imitating Sanjana.

"I like this girl," Anjali was the first one to reply.

"She's so nice," Devyani and Manorama added in unison.

"She's a sweetheart," Arnav looked at Khushi, who was sitting opposite to him, to gauge her reaction. But he was welcomed with nothing.

Whatever! But they are right.

"Yes. She is awesome," Khushi finished.

Everyone finished their dinner before Khushi and Arnav; the former was known of her slow eating while the latter was not really eating. The others went back to the living room to chat some more, leaving Arnav and Khushi alone with Jai Prakash waiting in the kitchen in order to clear the table once they would be done. Arnav contemplated whether to tell Khushi about his brother and her sister or not, but as he did not know something more interesting that would be enough to make Khushi listen to him, and he really wanted to take it off of his mind, so he finally decided to tell her no matter what would come.

"Khushi."

If he says my name like this again, I won't be able to take it any more. Khushi chose to ignore him. Because she was a deaf. Yeah she is a deaf when they are alone. Great, Khushi! Thrilling! Where did you learn this stupidity? Khushi felt like kicking herself. VERY hard. But hey, she did read about people turning deaf temporarily when...when they are kissing passionately. Khushi's eyes widen; out of everything, she had thought about that.

Arnav sighed. It was not as if he had expected her to cooperate with him and be the most helpful creature on the planet. "Is there anything between Akaash and Payal?" He got to the point.

"Seriously? How do you come up with these brilliant thoughts? Give your mind a break, Raizada?" Was Khushi's primitive reaction.

This girl is so hell bent on riling me up.

"I am serious. I've witnessed something or rather heard...when they were alone in Akaash's room...a girl's moan."

If Khushi was shocked, she did not show that. She quickly switched to the defense mode, after all, The Laad Governor was speaking about her sister.

"Clearly, you know so much about that, and you've imagined what you wanted."

"You don't want to know what I know about that. Trust me, Khushi."

In that very instant, all Khushi could see before her eyes was, her pressed against a door. Him plastered to her. His tongue down her throat. Her mouth moaning his name. His hands...

Khushi shook her head to get out of her trance; this man is very hazardous to her own sanity. Thoughts of him aside, what if he's really saying the truth? Akaash and Payal jiji?! When?

"Whether you want to believe me or not, it's your wish. I've also heard them talking. That's why I'm sure."

"But..."

"I know. This shocked me too."

"Whatever. This is something between them if there's anything in the first place." Khushi could not fool herself; she was so disappointed that she had to know about this from him, not her sister. By the way, why would he lie to her about them?

What the?! This is so NOT what he had expected. This girl is...ajeeb.

"By the way, the kheer is delicious," Arnav said as he stood up.

"By the way, eavesdropping is not a good manner."

"I was not. I heard them by accident." Arnav would not justify anything to others, but he felt the urge to let her know.

"By the way, you eat so slowly," Arnav teased.

"By the way, you talk too much."

"Only with you." With that Arnav went to his room. Till this evening, he was doing well with his resolve of maintaining a distance for Khushi's sake, but seeing her had not helped.

Khushi looked at Arnav's retreating back surprised; in all the three years since he came back from Boston, she was the one to walk away, NOT him except in those first days.

Khushi sensed a change in Arnav. If he saw her in his house, he would lock himself in his room; if he visited them, he would make sure not to glance at her for once; if she greeted them, he would acknowledge her with a nod. She was hundred percent sure that he was avoiding her, but why. She is the one who was supposed to do so. However, she wanted to start afresh with him. She hated that she hated his avoidance. She hated that she wanted to talk to him. She hated that she missed seeing him. She hated that she was looking for some news about him. She was following all the progress of his work with her dad. Until one day. Anjali had asked Khushi to check on the fairy lights in the poolside. So, Khushi was there, trying to untie the lights while thinking of the possibilities of meeting him. She did not realize when the fairy lights were wrapped around her. With a gasp at seeing herself in that state, Khushi tried to untangle herself from them when she felt an electric current shocked her.

She looked up into a dazing eyes that had the power to take her breath away. When she tried to free herself, another current shot, and she heard 'careful'. Forgetting where she was, her state and everything in the world, her eyes gazed at those mesmerized ones. Without a blink, she continued staring at him as he approached her as if she were a prey. She did not know what she was anticipating. They did not utter a word. His hands sent a shiver down her spine when they brushed against her collarbone. His head bent down to see her expression, careful not to hurt her. Holding her shoulders, he turned her around. Her body was attuned to his. When she looked again in his eyes, they were unfathomably dark. She could not look away. His breath fanned her face. She was taken by surprise when one of his hands brushed the side of her breast, and she closed her eyes. She did not know why she did not try to step back, to run away. His too close breath urged her to open her eyes. Her chest was heaving duo to his proximity. Her face became closer to his as she looked up; their lips inches apart; her heart thudded. Something in his smouldering gaze shifted, and he stepped back. She waited for him to leave, sat down on a chair and cried. She just cried without knowing why.

Khushi sighed. How much she hated those days!

'I thought I'd give you some time...'

His once-said words resounded in her ears. Is it possible he's doing the same? But, for what?

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