ArShi FF: ROOM-MATES by Archana Vinod (UPD PART 5, PG 7) - Page 4

Arnav is her last option...
Ab kya hoga???

***WARNING: Some amount of mature content. Reader discretion advised.***

ROOM-MATES - PART 4

By Archana Vinod

EVENING

The blazing orange sun dips beneath the horizon as the streets get tightly packed with vehicles. The pavements are equally packed with people of all ages and nationalities - busy homemakers, children and those caught in the daily rat race of earning bread.

Arnav is one amongst them. On his way home from work, he has a large white handkerchief muffled around his nose as he walks along the crowded pavement. He stops by a fairly small grocery shop and pulls off his hankie as he enters. It is one of his favourite choices to shop for food as opposed to its larger competitors. The bigger supermarkets were always jam packed and hardly had any breathing space. And the queue at the cash counter? Unbelievable! So, he chose the little ones. Hated crowded places anyways. He quickly shuffles around the store, picks essentials and dumps them into his basket - fresh fruits, veggies, whole milk and a large pink chicken. Eating food cooked at home is a priority for him, he rarely ate out. Hardly! The only occasions he chose to hang out in restaurants for a meal was with his clients. In short, he was a typical health freak - always watchful about his food, his lifestyle, his everything.

Once done, he heads to the cash counter to get his stuff billed. It's a pretty small queue with just five people in front of him. As he waits his turn, the song playing on the store's speakers catch his attention. A beautiful acoustic ballad crooned by the soul stirring heavenly voice of Whitney Houston -

"If I should stay, I would only be in your way. So I'll go...
But I know, I'll think of you every step of the way

And I... will always love you,
Will always love you
You my darling you..."

Arnav feels his heart writhe painfully in his chest as the music sinks in. The buzz of the store and surroundings fades away in to a beautiful vivid cloud of heart-warming memories.

FLASHBACK SCENE:

The tingling warmth of her skin caressing against his seems like just yesterday. She blushes a deep scarlet as Arnav holds her gently against the wall and fits perfectly into the curves and grooves of her elegant frame. A quiet giggle escapes her lips as his warm breath beats down into her ears and travels down her neck. He laughs breathily and nips her baby-soft earlobe playfully.

KHUSHI: (giggles quietly) Ouch! You rascal.

ARNAV: (laughs, in a low voice) What?

KHUSHI: (chuckles) ... Rascal.

ARNAV: Say that again.

KHUSHI: Mm-mm.

ARNAV: Say it. (gasps) God, you're driving me crazy. (kisses her passionately on the neck)

Her eyes flutter rapidly and her breathing goes rapid and shallow as she feels his gentle touch and fiery kisses travel down from her shoulders to her well-cut cleavage.

ARNAV: (breathless) Oh God... I love you.

She doesn't resist herself to his warm hands that feels its way along the curls of her smooth, gorgeous hips and legs.

ARNAV: Tell me.

The corner of her mouth curl upward mischievously as he sucks passionately on her full, red lips. He grins as he spots her shrewd smile through half closed eyes.

ARNAV: Come on, say it. Tell me that you love me.

But Khushi only smiles broadly as an answer. She wants to tease him, make him beg for it, drive him crazy beyond his sexual capability.

KHUSHI: Mm-mm.

ARNAV: (very aroused) Come on say it.

Her sniggers gets him wilder by the minute and makes him pin her harder to the wall.

ARNAV: Say it. Or I'll kill you. (laughs and pecks her again) Come on. Two seconds.

A male voice startles him. "Hello, boss."

END OF FLASHBACK SCENE.

Arnav snaps out of his trance. He was so lost in his own fantasy world that he didn't notice himself at the counter.

CASHIER: (grins) Dreaming?

ARNAV: (smiles sheepishly) Sorry.

Moments later, he steps out of the store with his purchase. But, he's not the same. A cocktail of emotions pulse through him and makes him miss her even more.

I know that I hurt you Khushi, I know that I hurt you beyond repair. And I also know that nothing I say or do can be enough to undo the damage. But I only wish that I had the courage to say how much I love you... enough to let you go. I shouldn't have been so abrupt when I spoke about the apartment the other day. I should have gone slow, easy. Just... just pick up the phone and talk to me please. Just let me get through to you. Please...

He's about to explode as he picks up the phone and rings up Khushi. His body feels weak and wobbly as he takes baby steps along the pavement.

ARNAV: (hisses) Come on yaar. Please, just answer my call. Please!

He sighs in hopeless defeat as the call gets cancelled from her end. The frozen blood in his veins begins to pump through once again. Just then, an incoming message tone alerts him.

KHUSHI: I need your help... I'm in dire need of Dhs. 3900 urgently. If it's possible for you or anyone else to lend this now I'd be ever grateful. And I promise that I'll pay it off in instalments. Thanks in advance.

Arnav is lost for a moment wondering what to reply.

ARNAV: What is this for?

KHUSHI: It's for the rent.

ARNAV: Oh okay. No problem. Send me the bank account details. You'll get it in a moment.

A moment later, a deeply relieved Khushi's message comes in...

KHUSHI: Thank you! Thank you so much! Very much appreciated. Here are the details...

HSBC Bank

Account Holder: Wasim Akram

A/c. No: 1209092789873

Let me know if any other details required.

Arnav pauses before proceeding any further. He seems to be engrossed in some really serious thoughts.

The other day her friend had told me that she's in desperate need of a place to stay. With her rock bottom budget, I'm sure that she hasn't locked in on anything. After the rental hike, the cheapest it'll go is 50K a year. But she's still stuck with the old 25. I don't think that even the two decade old apartment building is available at that rate!

BACK TO KHUSHI

Twenty minutes pass without a response that now she's close to desperate. He said that he'll be transferring the money. So what's taking him so long? She sends him a message.

KHUSHI: Is it done?

She's a nervous wreck as the landlord keeps pacing up and down the corridor with a wild, contorted expression. He's so mad with rage that he could swallow up the poor girl in one enormous gulp.

LANDLORD: (angry) What's taking so long? You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?

KHUSHI: (stammers) N-no bhai. You'll get the money now. Right now. Just a little while longer.

LANDLORD: How longer? I've been waiting here for the past f*****g half an hour! Do you think that I'm a fool?

His loud, arrogant voice booms through the corridor in resonating echoes. One by one, the doors of the neighbouring apartment is opened up by curious tenants.

Khushi is very embarrassed now. She has never felt this humiliated! Trapped! Helpless! Her eyes begin to swim in shameful tears.

KHUSHI: No...n-no.. I---

LANDLORD: Stop this nonsense! Are you going to pay me or no? Or would you like me to hand you over to the cops?

Khushi is lost for words. In spite of the violent struggle to contain herself, the tears brim over and stream down her red cheeks.

LANDLORD: Do you really think that your crocodile tears will help? You know what? Let the police take care of you.

The cops slowly shuffle over to a terrified Khushi who is now on the verge of a breakdown.

ARAB COP: I'm sorry Ma'am. But we have to take you.

KHUSHI: (sniffles and gasps) No... let me... please... explain...

"Stop! No one touch her! Please!"

A man's voice stops the lot in their tracks. Khushi trembles as she turns towards the source of the voice she was too familiar with and sees Arnav hurrying towards them.

... TO BE CONTINUED

Read chapter 3 n 4 back to back...

Plzzz make an index on page 1 dear..

Great story, but why did Arnav hurt her if he loved her so much ? So all this requirement of wife and Apartment is it a lie ? What ever caused him break her heart, does the reason still hold good that he did not try to seek her forgiveness ?

khushi is in a very bad condition. hope arnav stands by her and khushi accepts and believes in arnav.
plz pm me

Superb story.. Read all four chapters in one run..

Arnav dumped khushi but apparently for her good?? But what could be the reason..

Khushi is in a real terrible state.. And everyone she knew turn their back on her.. Thank God Arnav has come.. Let's see what happens now..

Loved it..

P.S.. Plz update your title too as it would be easy for your readers to know when when you update...

I think that arnav is ill so thats why he left her

Originally posted by: nanor

simply superb
loved it;

Originally posted by: pravallika

Read chapter 3 n 4 back to back...

Nice updates archana :)

Kushi is in a very bad state.. often it happens with people even in AD.. but taking help from some one whom you loathe will squeeze your heart and break you into pieces... i think kushi is in the same state..

I guessed it right... arnav has his own reasons to hurt and leave kushi.. I'm glad that he still loves her and he is here to right all his wrongs but whatever may be the reason, i don't think it will justify his actions...

Waiting to know the reason. ..update soon dear. ..