ArHi SS || Winning You || Completed - Page 4

They swung higher into the hot, summer air, testing to see who could propel themselves farther into the sky, laughing as their sandals fell to the soft grass and the wobbly toddlers looked on at the "cool big kids" with awe and respect. Arnav and Khushi had grown inseparable in these six long years, having confessed to one another's dreams and fears, having bartered their happiness and envy. There were no secrets between them. She knew about his insecurities and his loneliness, about his love for Bengali food and Biology. She was well aware of his peculiarily strong dislike for the color orange, a color he deemed the weaker, uglier version of red. And he knew about her finicky and perfection seeking nature, about her lifelong dream to become soar the skies and become a pilot. He knew how her cheeks flushed in joy after being gifted anything yellow --- the color of sunshine and life.

They knew everything about each other.

Everything... but each other's names.

Of course, Khushi was no longer afraid of her best friend's intentions, and had once even offered that they reveal their identities. But secretly, she enjoyed the mystery and even reveled in the irony, that while he had a name to his face for so many around him, no one truly knew her Bhuda like she did. And Arnav? Well Arnav, having reached that tender age of 13 (or 13 and a half, as he would so proudly correct), was feeling the pangs and dhakdhaks of his first, loopy, exciting crush... on none other than his paagli best friend.

He had not realized when friendship had evolved into the stirrings of a young, innocent something else. He had always treasured seeing her smile, always looked forward to listening to her crazy stories and watching her crazy antics. But for the past year, Arnav had observed things about his Sanki that he had never really spotted before. He had realized that he loved the smell of her hair --- the dizzying fragrance of coconuts and sweet milk. He loved the way she held his larger hand in her smaller one, pulling him behind her as she tried to find a bench in the park for them to sit and talk. He loved the way her hair turned chestnut brown in the sunlight and the way her lips stretched so widely when she smiled. And what he loved the very most was when those bright, glittering, hazel eyes looked at nothing but his ordinary brown ones.

The peculiarly new sentiments reminded him of an incident of a few years ago, when his sister was punished for gossiping with girlfriends about her crush on infamous bad boy, NK Singhania. Their mother had overheard her raving about the butterflies that would explode in her stomach and the unsettling way her heart pounded against her chest when he mischievously glanced in her direction. Arnav remembered how his young, ten year old self had rolled his eyes haughtily at her stupid, girly antics, only to now be caught like a deer in headlights!

He did not wish to alarm Sanki with his feelings and break a tie to the happiness she so graciously offered. Therefore, Arnav had decided to conceal his identity until he was ready to share his feelings for her --- sure it would make the moment when he finally wore his heart on his sleeve even more special for her.

But if only he knew, that confessing to his first crush would be the last thing that could potentially threaten their steady friendship.

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Khushi ran towards the park as fast as her legs could take her, the cones of ice cream dripping onto her hands as they melted under the searing sun. She silently cursed the forge of aunties who had cut her in line at the ice cream cart, and then taken millennia to decide what flavor they wanted.

Bhuda had called her to the park at 3:00 PM, and here she was, tripping over her shoelaces and running 10 minutes late. He said he needed to discuss something serious with her and she was sure the meeting was dealing with the conversation she had encouraged him to have with his father -- about his disinterest in managing the family's automobile business because he wanted to learn more about the human body. Excited at thinking he must have finally shed those terrible uncertainties; she had stopped by Raheem Chacha's ice cream cart to purchase her friend a small treat of congratulations, ordering the coconut ice cream she knew he so dearly enjoyed.

Passing through the park's open gate, Khushi ran towards the neem tree where she saw him facing the other direction, hands stuffed in his pockets and back rigid. A smile broke across her face. She skipped to him cheerfully and licked the ice cream melting onto her small fingers, only to falter when he turned around and peered at her with moist, blood shot eyes.

Khushi felt the most painful tug at her heart at seeing those tears clinging to his lashes, and she croaked the most pathetic "Bh... Bhuda?", uncertain and unnervingly unwilling to hear what he had to say.

The ice cream continued to melt pitifully down her hands as he walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her skinny body, crying into her hair like the same boy she had first befriended so many years ago. The same desperation. The same hopelessness.

"They're sending me away, Sanki. Tonight."

And almost instantly, as the meaning of his cruel words settled, Khushi dropped the cones of ruined, runny ice cream onto the muddy ground.

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Arnav lifelessly reiterated the story of how his father had overheard him telling Anjali about his interest in pursuing medicine and had exploded in rage at his son's audacity to defy what the family had planned for his future. Arnav was born to take over the family business Pratap Raizada had erected by toiling sweat and blood. But as luck would have it, his only son had proved himself worthless, never showing interest in cars, their speed or their abilities. All Arnav was fascinated by, even as a child, was bones and muscles, nerves and tendons. He had tried to harass the interest into Arnav, buying him toy automobiles and angrily disassembling his microscope when he resisted, but nothing deterred his son's tenacity.

However, last night had been the final straw. Pratap Raizada was shipping his uncouth, unflexible son to boarding school in Shimla, where he would be taught the importance of discipline and the authority of elders. His mother was nonchalant, more preoccupied by the chipping of her newly manicured nails than her son groveling at his knees begging his father to reconsider.

But the decision was final. His bags were packed. And the flight would be leaving later tonight.

Khushi stared quietly at the muddy pile of white ice cream wallowing in the dirt - unable to believe that her entire life had shifted so quickly on its axis. Bhuda... Bhuda was leaving her. How would she survive without his constant support and patience? Who would listen to her nonsense and agree to partake in her every silly adventure? She tried to stop the quivering of her lips to remain strong for him, but it was completely hopeless. Her tears continued to fall down the slope of her cheeks and land onto their tightly intertwined hands. Momentarily, she wished they served as glue so he would stay put beside her. Forever.

But alas, the emptying park and setting sun indicated that it was time for them to be heading home.

With his free hand, he rummaged into his jeans pocket and pulled out a delicate bracelet, strung together by the brightest pearls and a small crescent moon shaped charm hanging from the center. It was too big for her small, growing wrists, but she held it so carefully an onlooker may have thought she was holding the key to her existence.

"If you're sunshine Sanki, then I must be the moon, right? You're the only one who really knows how to light me up. And now, I'll always be with you. Maybe not wrapped around your finger, but at least close by"

Khushi looked up at him with teary eyes and weakly muttered a thank you, feeling stupid for not bringing some special token for him to remember her by. How she wished she had spent her pocket money on buying him anything other than that stupid, untouched ice cream.

"But Bhuda. I... I'll miss you"

"I'll miss you too", he smilingly whispered with a flick of her nose.

And as they rose from the shade of their neem tree, they gently embraced each other one last time, unwilling to let go of something so special and part indefinitely. Seeing the unhappiness pouring through her being, Arnav spent only a moment's hesitation before bending down to place a smooth, lingering peck on her ruddy cheek, hurriedly running out of the park before she deliberated his actions. The squeaking of an old rusty gate was left as the only proof that he had ever existed.