"Coffee." said the lady handing over a cup of coffee to Khushi, which she took gladly.
"Thank You auntie", Khushi replied.
Khushi was settled in her new house. Her landlady, Ira was a kind lady. Khushi felt really lucky to get such a house to live in easily, that too owned by a great - hearted landlady. She sipped her coffee reminiscing her parents. How much she was pampered since childhood! Never left home without any of her family member accompanying her! And now she was in a totally new city, all alone..! Her trance was broken when the doorbell rang.
Ira went and opened the door. And there was he! Clad in a black tee and blue denims, he stood there waiting for the lady to let him in.
"Come Arnav beta.." said the lady in her ever polite tone. As soon as he stepped in, he saw a girl sitting shyly on the couch.
"Tum kaun ho?" he asked her, quite rudely.
"Arnav beta, she's Khushi.. She will be living as a paying guest in the room adjacent to yours. I hope you don't have any problem. See she looks so innocent", said Ira smilingly.
"Why should I have a problem? Just tell her to not to interfere. We both are living here as paying guests so I think she has her own resources. I hate begging and borrowing business."
Not able to bear her insult, Khushi stood up and replied in the same way as Arnav conversed with her, "Excuse me! Mr. whosoever you are, firstly I am not a beggar and moreover, if I need something, I'll ask Ira auntie. It would be much better."
"No less than a beggar" he murmured.
"MIND YOUR LANGUAGE"
"First you mind your voice"
"Oh God, Arnav.. Khushi.. What's the argument about?" the poor lady was caught in between their out-of-no-reason fight.
"She is so irritating auntie"
"And the same goes with him auntie"
"Now you both STOP!" Ira auntie literally shouted. "Khushi, I think your room must be cleaned up by now. You may go and arrange your belongings. And Arnav, you must go and freshen up. You must be tired.." the lady said, trying to avoid any more arguments between both of them.
"Ji auntie" they both replied simultaneously marching to their respective rooms.
***
"Yes Maa, I've reached here. Will you just stop taking tension? Ya I've found a house.. Kal se hai college.. Thik hai.. Everything's fine na? Okay, I'll talk to you later.. Lots of love.. Muahh.."
Khushi spoke speedily on the phone, making her mother believe that she has settled herself properly now.
***
"Payal!!"
Khushi squealed hearing her friend's voice, while they were talking over phone. A kind of excitement spreading all over her face.
"Haan yaar, I've found a house, its beautiful.. "
"Why didn't you come to my house? We would have resided together over here." Payal said, feeling a little upset that her best friend chose to live as a paying guest instead of living in her house.
"No yaar, I just didn't wanted to burden myself on you and your Mom.."
"Burden kaisa yaar? In fact, Mom would have felt really happy."
"That's so sweet of her. But its absolutely okay.. I'm super comfortable here..Moreover, if I would be needing anything, you are there na.."
"Ya right!"
"C'mon yaar.. Now laugh.. Its okay.."
Khushi was trying her best to make Payal feel normal. She knew she was wrong. Having her own friend's house in the same city, still she was living in a rented house!
"Chal its ok.. And if your landlord troubles you, you come here. Tera hi ghar hai.."
"I know"
Khushi giggled.
***
"Yaar you know--" Arnav said over to the phone, conversing with his best friend Aakash, "--there's a girl called Khushi.. She will be living in in the same house I live..Oh gosh.. She is so irritating...!"
"What?!" came the flabbergasted reply from the other side, "You are such a lucky man Arnav.. A girl living in your house.. Ok tell me, is she beautiful?"
''Just shut up Aakash! God knows when you'll come out of your this kind of attitude towards girls? Here I'm just fed up of her in our for-a-minute conversation.. and you are thinking of her beauty..? Are you mad or what?''
"Take this in written from me Arnav. There will be a time when you'll die to talk to her. A time when you'll smile thinking of her. Seeing her happy would be your greatest happiness..." Aakash said in a dreamy tone.
''Its futile to talk to you. You can explain your these 'love guru' expressions to someone else but definitely not me." saying that irritatedly, Arnav cut the call.
"He is totally mad!" he muttered to himself before entering the washroom.
~~~~~~
That was the first chapter. I know this update was really short.. Only 808 words. But, take is as an introduction to all the main characters. I promise next ones will be long and frequent. Drop in your likes and comments. Criticism will help me improve. Your suggestions or ideas are always welcome. Post them here or PM or scrap me. BUDDY me to receive future updates. 😃
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