Arshi FF: Tune Into Me-chapter:26 Updated Page 101 - Page 63

I am here and will start reading your story right now. the other stories can wait ;)

26: A Something, An Everything

He did say he would wait down. But he didn't. He neither did have a reason to behave well-mannered with her, nor did he have to show her the way. And so, he left to the venue. Well, truth to be told, he couldn't. He couldn't really get himself to stay another moment within her proximity. It was proving to be precarious in all possible ways. There were so many battles going on within him. It was not just one to deal with. And he felt suffocated in a way.

The musical connection, undeniable, surreal as it is; the sense of familiarity driven from all those years of whatever they have shared, unnamed as it is; The physical attraction drawing him towards her, irresistibly, as sudden as it is. And the multiple combats put together rushed within him and along with it, the beginning of an emotion towards her, for once in years. Some emotion. Like a start. A Something New, in addition to something old.

He acknowledged her persona, for once in all the long years running behind them. It was new. New but refreshing. Yet the distant familiarity; old familiarity. Old but belonging. And the combination was intense. Enticing.

After the little intimate invasion and another deep discovery about her, he couldn't think. He couldn't think straight. Or he just couldn't think at all. He was lost. She was troubled. As a person, as a daughter, as a music person. As much as him. He fakes the perfection. She embraces the imperfection, with hatred. Neither were good options. The familiarity again.

Discovering something intriguing about someone you claim to know all too well is painful. Just a sweet torture.

Discovering the art within you, only to know that it belonged to someone else even, is disappointing. As if he had borrowed the skills from her. He had long given up on the art within him. He didn't find the voice of music, he once thought he had. He struggled to find and he failed time and again. This only he knew. Because he faked it all. Oh, he faked it all too well. Expertise.

But then the satisfaction of finding the art within him didn't stay long. The borrowing only added to the levels of his dissipating confidence. He started to question himself and his reasons to stay back. Didn't make any sense. Anything of it.

Whatever came to him was borrowed. Something Borrowed.

"Did you find her?"

Aileen jumped into his way, as he walked inside the venue, effectively putting an end to his uncertain thought process that carried throughout his walk. "Uh..."

"Did you find K??" she repeated urgently.

"Yeah, she is coming"

"What happened?"

"Uh she was..."

Before he could complete, a car screeched to a halt behind him and the bride's arrival was announced. Within moments the crowd cleared, stopped shuffling around and everyone took their places, in a perfectly sorted way, reminding him of long row of neatly organized mannequins. Well dressed Mannequins. Finding himself standing right in the pathway, he shifted and turned to stand as one among the crowd.

From his view he could see the groom getting read on the stage. That was the first time since he had come he started noticing what people wore.

The Groom was clad in the tradition of Scotland, which Arnav had been so profusely introduced to, lately. It was called the Kilt as he tried to recall. A tartan worn as a skirt and along with it was the prince Charlie jacket and vest. The tartan was wrapped round the body belted at the waist and pinned over the shoulder. A white stiff-front shirt with wing collar and white, gold, silver studs and cufflinks and a silver Sporran hanging from the centre of the belt, completed what was known as the typical Highland dress.

The groom looked aesthetic.

Arnav then glanced at the men around the groom. The best men and his friends. Everyone sported the similar attire, a little less formal allowing the groom to stand out. He then noticed how most of the men in the venue, sported the tartan garment that was seamlessly incorporated into their attires. The women even, embraced the purple shaded bluish tartan, fusing it into the designs of their elegant dresses. Everything around was in sync; the earthy shades of the nature around, enhancing the venue just perfectly.

It compelled him to look down at himself. What stared back at him was a beige white coat over a robin blue shaded white shirt and a satin pocket square that was put together to complete a sophisticated three piece suit, which he thought was presentable enough. At that moment though, he did look out of place. He concluded.

A sudden blast of music alerted him to a completely new astonishment. He turned around along with the rest of the guests for what seemed like a great grand bridal entrance.

A band of men walking systematically on either side of the flowered path, bagpipes in their hands, that uttered music loud and auspicious, rhythms and volumes filling his ears and flourishing his mind, instantly. Everything was of white and blue, earthy shades. Even the highland dresses the band was wearing. The blue shaded flowers against the whitish sand. Waves of the ocean little away are echoing along.

And in walked the band on either side of the path, in honour of the people that followed them. First came the flower girls, little and cute. Whitish white frocks and blue checked bow adoringly tied at the centre of heir navel.

And then it was the turn of the bridesmaids. Just as he noticed Aileen walking with bunch of flowers, the pipe band reached him, crossing him, marching ahead of where he was standing and the music from the instruments kept him occupied. His eyes instantly fell on the keys and hand movements of the men that created the joyous music around and his mind analysing the nodes of the keys. However, his momentary distraction totally smacked him back into reality. The moment he took his eyes away from the pipe, his vision glancing Aileen in a blur and then it remained still. His whole stance included. Affixed and paused.

A shade of white that can be described as a combination of egg-shell white and Macaroon crme white, earthy, elegant and sorted, all at the same time. Rich shiny embroidery cascaded in important places, a low neck, designed and curved, an equally low back, engraved around her form, the side zipper alerting him of its existence, and one glance above her eyes, he was transfixed into a whole new fascination altogether. Did he really not notice all that back in her room? The thin floral tiara made of purple daisy that adored her head, just took his breath away. A perfect blend of colours on her hairs. Natural black hair, red flocks, streaks and purple flowers. Just impeccable. And as she passed just by him, he looked into her eyes, direct and undeviating., just in time, as she knowingly, consciously looked up. Brown hazels meeting with mystic eyes. Those very hazel eyes, very Indian, very familiar. Yet he knew he hadn't ever looked into her eyes, as directly as he was. And even for that briefest moment that their gaze met, he knew she had the earnest look ever. As undeniable as it is. He felt strangled all over again, with those rush of vibrant emotions.

Before he knew it, the wedding events commenced, fast in his surroundings. Dazed and just gazing at her, and her form, he walked to sit with Sameer. Sameer started speaking to him, only his voice didn't really reach his mind. Maybe it was about wedding rituals; he wasn't with him though. He had just been completely attuned to her, her eyes and the way she stole glances at him. Well aware of his presence. Intensified all over again and uncomfortable all at the same. Self-conscious and confused, mixed in right proportions showcased on her face. He was just amused. As he looked on, her eyes turned dreamy, while she looked ahead of her. Momentarily even, he caught the dreamy wishful look in her eyes. Curious now, he followed her gaze. There was the bride, the groom, the priest and the other best men and women, stood there, ahead of the audience, going on about wedding rituals. The hands of the couple are being clasped and fastened together with chords made of white and golden satin material, while they recited their customized vows to one another, looking completely drawn to each other.

"Wha"what are they doing?" Arnav asked, leaning his head towards Sameer, while his eyes still affixed on Khushi and the direction of her vision.

"It's called the Hand-fasting. An ancient traditional ritual to symbolize that they are now bind to one another---"

"Tying the knot?"

"Yeah literally. This is where the phrase has emerged from."

"Wow"

"and that, pendant?" Arnav added to his questions.

"It's the watch. Here, it is known as the evergreen watch, apparently, it is made of livers and ancient machinery that does not allow it the watch to stop for any reason. Just simple physics applied. It is given to the bride by groom as a token of promise for their life long companionship"

Arnav, might not have been a great fan of weddings or did not really carry any opinion on them ever, but the little ritual did seem enchanting to him.

"You may now kiss the bride"

The announcement was made, the room broke into celebrations and there was her, still rooted to her place, totally awing at the couple as they united. The look in her face was just masked by a lot more faade emotions, but somehow he was able to look through them, to her real self. Or so, he would like to think. But the thought that she was so affected by the wedding rituals amused him. Suddenly, the discovering Khushi process, turned exciting. To find a wishful, normal girl under the disguise of a tom-boy, care-a-damn madass, was really exciting. And so, he would like to keep his thoughts at that and give himself some credit.

He wanted to talk to her. But he didn't know what. He wanted to be with her. He didn't really know the purpose. He just wanted to be around her, he didn't have the reason. Quite varied from all of that happening around, small droplets of drizzles began. There were horrified screams that were uttered from the crowd.

"Everyone, please get inside the town-hall for the Wedding breakfast and ball-dance." The announcement was made. The town-hall was just adjoining the open-air venue. Arnav recalled.

"You were right" Sameer came up to him as everyone started moving from the venue.

"You think I should join weather forecast?"

"Alternate profession ey? It could be handy"

The two men shared a laugh not really bothered about getting their coats drenched.

"Khushi..." Sameer called up to his daughter, who, like them, didn't really panic like everyone and was walking quite thoughtfully towards the exit.

"Dad" she sighed just as she reached them and threw an awkward acknowledgement at Arnav. He frowned.

"Thank-god. You've been so robotic up there, I'm starting to worry"

"Dad..." She rolled her eyes.

"Seriously though, are you alright?"

"Do I look alright?"

"Spectacular actually. I almost didn't find my daughter in there until you just spoke, what do you think Arnav?"

"I, uh, have to agree" he spoke almost as if he had just been stumbled back into reality. She looked up, squarely at him as he unapologetically glared into her eyes. Smirking evilly.

"Dad, I'll see you inside" with that she broke the spell and paced as fast as she could out of his sight.

**

As soon as Arnav stepped inside, he heard applause from the crowd, sitting around the dinner tables, everyone looking ahead at the stage. "Thank you" Aileen said into the mike, just as Arnav shifted his attention to the centre of the stage, and she descended the couple of steps, wiping her eyes wet from the emotion.

And then, from the corner of his eye, Arnav could see Khushi get up from her place, making her way onto the stage. Before he knew it, her voice was echoing around, from the town-hall speakers. She just cleared her throat in a microphone and that made his back erect, as his head jerked and snapped to look at her, in anticipation.

"Uh, Hi everyone" she said awkwardly.

No she wasn't singing. He answered his own conscience. "Toast and speech by the bridesmaid" Sameer further cleared it for him, and then passed by to walk towards the dinner arrangement joining a group of older folks at the table.

Arnav just decided to stand, behind, and focused. In the next few minutes, it was just her voice, her words and their eyes, communicating. Nothing but that.

"I, uh, have not really been great fan of weddings" she stated, sheepishly. By now, he knew better than to go by what she believes of herself. She is yet to know herself. She, is not all that complex, as she wants to be. He confidently concluded.

"So I don't know if I would speak or say the right things. This is practically the second wedding I've ever been to. For the first one, I guess I was really a young, silly teen...probably?" she shrugged, and then her gaze met his. He, most definitely knew which day she was referring to. Which silly teen she was talking about. Irony, how, he invariably had been part of the only two weddings she had ever attended.

"I didn't really know what weddings meant back then" she sighed. "But now I guess I can say, I know"

"Weddings are simply long lasting relationships. A Marriage is practically the longest a relationship could live. If... if I can define, you know?"

"Clare and Steve in that sense are perfect examples of a perfect marriage already. I mean, Aileen would agree with me.." She said, smiling along with her friend. "They are the perfect examples of perfect everything. Perfect first love, perfect dating, perfect courtship, perfect live-in, I mean it's like in all our heads they have been married since so long now."

"Above all, they are two perfect people. Clare, as I'd like to be a little biased here, is that one person who is just everything one needs in a friend. I mean, I'm a hard person to deal with, let alone stick to.." her hand went flat against her chest, referring to herself. Her face, quite sorted, with minimal expressions, correct emotions. She was known for expressionless-ness, if that really is a word. He concluded, from all of their encounters.

"And it's not every day that you witness such a perfect relation. And not every relation is lucky to live through all these years. Some of them cease to exist even before they began, and some stay through years, yet remain imperfect. Irrelevant" she was pointing her eyes at him. Unaltered and blatant. His insides churned.

"For someone like me, who throws attitude around to even stay connected to my friends, she had been stuck along, quite well. The Maxwells have always been really kind to me" at this she threw a warm smile to Cam and he in turn threw her a flying kiss.

Arnav looked between the two, with a robotic face.

"And so Clare, this one is for you. Something I tried to write down, after some research about the weddings around here. Hope you like it..." she said unfolding a small piece of tissue from within her fist. She cleared her throat again, looked at everyone nervously and then looked down at the tissue. For the next five minutes, she hadn't dared to look up, until she finished. And he was blown away. Yet again.

"Something old..

Clare and Steve, I wish you retain the old charisma that you two have had always. Retain and rekindle all of it.

Something New...

Clare and Steve, I wish you find new delight, at every step, every moment and every day, in your new life, as Mr and Mrs Brandon.

Something borrowed...

Clare and Steve, I wish you borrow the prosperity of all the successful marriages of everyone here, and allow your relation to flourish even more.

Something Blue..

As the Splash of tartan suggests, allow the culture to warm your love with all the good will that it has to offer..

And a silver sixpence in your shoe..

As you walk ahead in the new path, let your footsteps, shine the way along."

Even before she lifted her head, the room broke into genuine applauds. Clare went teary-eyed as Steve hugged and kissed her head. And Arnav was appalled. Something new, something old, something borrowed something blue...

Those were his very thoughts from a while ago. His thoughts relating to the events of him. Of him with her, of her with him. Of them. And here she was speaking those very thoughts out. His mind was starting to shut down. The ridiculousness of coincidences. Un bloody believable.

As soon as she walked down towards her table, Camron grabbed her into a tight hug.

Arnav clenched his teeth. Not in that dress. He announced, to no one but himself. What was happening to him? He was almost choking himself to death with range of reactions and emotions. It just wasn't fair. Somewhere amidst his thought process, the spark of crme white, passed him, and he instinctively reached out, his hand clenching her wrist, almost suddenly, stopping her and drawing her close.

Her elbow held inside his hand, their forms facing in two directions, their eyes meeting each other, diagonally. His eyes, troubled and her eyes, astonished. Furious.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed glaring up at him.

"We should talk" he stated.

"What?" her brows creased together.

"We.Should.Talk"

"I..uh..."

"The bride and groom will now adorn the dance floor" the loud announcement distracted them and she managed to free her hand from his grip. "Arnav..."

"Can we also have the best men and bridesmaids, come onto the dance floor?"

Khushi started moving at that announcement and Arnav stopped her instantly, clasping her hand inside his. "We should talk" he repeated, his voice and stance, firm and fixed. She too, fixed her eyes on that of his mystic brown orbs and with determination, used her other hand to loosen the grip of his fingers on that of her palm. "Let go" she said simply, in her no-nonsense tone and before he realized, she flew away towards the dance floor, finding her partner, one of Steve's friends----- one of the best men.

He watched as the typical couple dance performed right in his view for not longer than a couple of minutes before he caught Camron looking at Khushi, dedicatedly. He caught the look in the Camron's eyes. It somehow irritated him. Funny how the man with whom Khushi danced didn't really have any effect on him while Camron managed to bring the darkness in him just a tad bit better, everytime. As Arnav observed with his cold eyes, the dance and Camron, taking turns, quite devotedly, he could sense Camron would any moment give up staring and walk ahead for his chance to dance. As soon as the thought hit him, he took the lead and within no time, he reached Khushi and cleared his throat.

"Mind if I cut in?" he said, bringing in his playful smirk, and with it was a dangerous stare. Dangerous enough for the man had to let go off Khushi's hand, instantly. Soon as they were left alone, he let his hand go behind her back all too formally, their hands clasped, all too cordially and they started swinging. Khushi looked at him baffled, and he didn't really look at her for good few seconds and when he did, that's when she realized, they flew their way, swinging along the dance floor, to quite a distant place, aloof and separated from everyone else.

The marriage events, the great formal bride and groom dance, the celebrations continued at one far end and at another far end of the hall were these two, still swinging to the music, muted, confused, drugged, affixed and attuned.

**

His hand gripped the circle of her waist tight, bringing her close to his hard form and she gasped. "What the hell is your problem?" she finally said, as if the question had been nagging her mind throughout.

"What is it, between you and Camron?" he asked blatantly, again.

She had to give a completely puzzled and dumb reaction at that question. "Are you being for real?" she spurred, just as he pushed her away a little only to pull her in, with a force, as they continued to dance.

"Answer my question Khushi" he spoke in-between his teeth and he let his hands crawl along, from her shoulders to her waist, his fingers clasping behind as he held her in place, suddenly a little relaxed and at peace, as if he was trying to keep his unreasonable reactions at bay. He put a decent distance between them, still holding her, still allowing their bodies to swing along to the Scottish ball music

"Please" he pleaded, because he didn't really have the patience to fight with her anymore. Neither with her, nor with anything else that surrounded them. One step at a time. First is first. Sort Camron. He had questions, he needed answers. Rest assured, bullshit.

It must be the way he looked at her, he didn't know, she almost reciprocated his reactions. The grip of her hand eased on his shoulder, as her fingers snaked a little down, making herself comfortable, her eyes looked between their crisscrossing steps and his eyes and then she sighed, preparing herself for a non-violent conversation.

"He likes me" she stated, looking linearly up, into his eyes.

He relieved a sigh of relief, for absurd reasons. Just because she decided to speak. It was evident through her eyes.

"Since how long?"

"Quite long"

Their usual, prompt, crisp conversations began. Small words uttered, with complete sensible meanings. And that was all needed.

"And you?"

She nodded in disapproval, looking away, allowing a moment for him soften his gaze at her and then looked back, into his eyes.

"Did you try to tell him?"

"The very first time I sensed."

"What did he say?"

"He backed off, we remained friends"

"Doesn't look like that though. He still has feelings for you"

"That can be sorted if he finds one serious relationship. And in that he is lately finding himself unlucky. I cannot do much. Not after I cleared my stance."

"Why? If I may ask?"

"Why what?"

He shrugged raising his eyebrows suggestively and then she shrugged too. Clueless.

"Sometimes, there is just no reason. It's important to like someone romantically. That hasn't happened. Nope. He is a great friend, but"

And they fell into a thoughtful silence. Invariably, they moved closer, swinging along, arm to arm, leg with leg criss-crossing, palms clasped, not meeting eyes and another circle of movement later, his chin landed on her shoulder, her form, closing up into his, tenderly, her hair fanning his stubble, his collar touching her chin and then it all compelled for them to close their eyes. In Tranquillity.

Tranquillity that didn't last more than a few moments and she pulled away.

"What is going on?!" she urged, restlessly.

"What is with this throttling feeling Maddy?" his voice turned low, desperate, as he reached out, to just hold the two of her hands. "Is this the strong emotion that you feel?"

Confusion was evident in the way she looked at him. "It's Like the urge to hold onto something and announce it to the world. Mine. Like the patent rights?"

That was the most honest confession, he ever made in as long as he could recall.

"Can you just... just not stay away?" his words were nothing but pleading, as he brought her closer into his periphery again. "I feel very very possessive of you Maddy. Protective. I feel drawn to you. Irresistibly. It's not normal. It's not justified?"

Her big almond mysterious eyes, suddenly turned blank. Bleak.

"Do.. do you understand, re-relate to this...this..whatever?" He whispered against her hair, referring to the unsettling within him. "Why is that, the whole world is good for you except me? Is there..is there a world, where I'm just me to you and not the one you think I'm? Can you ever look at me in a different eye? Ever?"

She closed her eyes shut, and slowly allowed herself to slip out, but held on to his hands, joining the four palms together, tenderly.

"I had once, long time ago, had the same questions for you Arnav. I had them all. And it hurts as much. Or even more coz I was much younger, nave. And you chose to not see at all.."

His hands loosened on that of her palms. His eyes, processing her words.

"Have you ever looked at me in a different eye Arnav? Ever? In all those years?"

That was supposed to a jibe; a brilliantly, intellectually, placed jibe, which was supposed to infuriate him. Only, it didn't. It opened the gates of realization. Of hidden secrets, of hidden emotions, of submerged confessions and a metamorphosis of a troubled teen into a distinct adult.

**

Khushi stood there, as colours shown on this face. Grey and white. As memories flashed in his eyes, as the years flipped around to another time. To a stud asshole of a teenager that he was; to the lonely, unattractive, insecure teen that she had been; she saw him look at it all, probably what he had only just been seeing all these years. Then she saw him taking a step away, leaving her proximity and finally she saw him leave the place, urgent and evading.

She was then just left, with her own pool of memories. The rain over the sea, now roaring and flourishing its way down. Thunder and rattles, echoing, within and exterior.

Khushi knew about cam's feeling. Khushi had feelings for arnav and arnav know it now. What will happen now???

Loved it to bits. Love their how he feels like he caught in a flood of feeling which he cant control or fully understand.
Behne de behne de mujhe behne de mujhe behne de.

Marvellous, brilliant, amazing, awesome and many more words I want to add just to tell you how brilliant writer you are.

I dnt have words to express how outstanding update it is

Superb update akka 👏 and kushi had feeling for arnav then ???? Hmmm interesting pls update next chappy soon

after reading this part
my first thought was to ... I wish she publish this story... so I can buy it and read it and reread it again and then reread it somemore./...
wow it was so wonderfully written
justice to all the character ... whomever they are...
and wow all those years ago when they were teens and in school he was the stud and she was just a silly girl next door who had feeling for him...

awesome update...i have no words that will justify wat i felt while reading this update...

U really compensated for the long break that u took from your previous update dear...