"Are you okay, Khushiji?" someone asked her in a concerned tone, and Khushi tore her eyes away from the sight of Arnav Singh Raizada trying to chat up some bimbo at the bar (as if she cared what that jerk did!).
It was NK who had tapped her on the shoulder. She smiled warmly. He sure was a very sweet guy. As a matter of fact, every member of that Raizada's family, including that goat, was extremely nice. God only knew which planet Jerk Raizada had been dropped down from!
"Yeah, I'm okay," she replied, "And it's a great party, NK. Well done! Oh, and I wanted to ask you something. Your cousin, Akash, does he have a girlfriend?"
"No, why?"
"Umm, I'm asking for someone I know... a friend of mine," she replied cryptically, the corners of her mouth twitching mischievously as she remembered her plans of hooking Lavanya up with Akash.
She was pleasantly surprised to find a knowing twinkle in NK's crinkling eyes as he replied, "Akash bhai is so shy that he would take years to make a move. If you're thinking of ahem, giving him a nudge, maybe I can help?"
A delighted smile broke out across her face. A partner in crime, how perfect!
Meanwhile, Arnav, who was still leaning against the bar, in a grumpy mood after Akash's intervention had driven away that girl - Shalini, or whatever her name was - watched as that Khushi Kumari Gupta and NK chatted away. It seemed to be a very engaging conversation, that caused them break out into intermittent fits of giggles... giggles that, he had to admit, made Khushi's entire face light up in a very attractive way indeed. It was undeniable, her beauty shone through even with those clownish clothes that she had decided to wear, and despite that tiresome, irritating personality of hers.
How odd! He should have been taking advantage of the fact that Gupta had been momentarily distracted, to take a breather. But, somehow, he could not help but wonder what those two were talking about so animatedly. A part of his mind butted in, stating that NK thought that Gupta was, for all intents and purposes, his fiance, and he could not be flirting with her. And he immediately rebuked that idiotic part of his mind. As long as it didn't affect his grand plans, how the hell did it matter even if they were flirting? As if he cared!
Just as he was about to turn away, Gupta's eyes met his, and for some strange reason, a sudden wave of panic struck him, as though he had been caught red-handed. He quickly smoothed his face and threw her one of his trademark sardonic smirks, before turning to the barman and ordering himself a drink. Finally, he thought, some respite from that Gupta, and more importantly... finally some time to plot how he was going to get back at her.
However, Fate, it seemed, had other plans involving pushing Gupta across his path once again. For some reason, Akash decided to make another apparition, this time to urge him to ask Khushi for a dance. Arnav glared at him. The idea was preposterous! But NK was already bringing a very reluctant-looking Khushi to where he was.
It seemed that NK and Akash had already talked this over, and backing out would only arouse NK's suspicions and cause him to tattle away to Manorama Mami which meant that within minutes, the whole Raizada clan would be gossiping away that Arnav and Khushi did not seem like a real couple.
Arnav sighed in resignation and looked at Khushi questioningly, remembering the "no touching" clause she had insisted on adding to the contract. Khushi caught the look and replied with a small, almost imperceptible, shrug. It was not like they had a choice.
Akash and NK beamed as Arnav took her by the hand and led her to the small platform that was being used as a dance floor. Right on cue, a slow song began to play.
"Horrible song, right?" Arnav muttered in Khushi's ear as he lightly placed one of his hands in hers, and the other on her waist and began to move to the music with her.
Khushi could not have replied even if she had wanted to. For starters, she was barely aware of what he had said to her, since all she was aware of was the tingly feel of his breath on her skin. It's that damn aftershave, she reminded herself, and she held her breath so that she would not feel that strange magnetism she had felt before when he had come close to her. But her heart was still pounding unnaturally fast, and her hands were still warm and clammy. It was incomprehensible! She was an actress acting out a part, then why was she feeling that way? Suddenly she realised, mortified, that he would probably notice, given that he was holding her feverish hand. What would he think of her!
She gently attempted to wrest her hand away from his, as she continued to avoid looking at him.
"Sorry," he said softly, loosening his grip somewhat, "I know you're not comfortable. As soon as this song ends, we can stop."
She was so shocked that she looked up at him, and in that moment, as their eyes met, and they continued to move to the music that flowed around them, through them, a sense of peace, of perfect harmony, seemed to pervade her senses. It was like a glow had suddenly affixed itself to his face, because she literally felt that she was seeing him in a new light. Was this really Jerk Raizada, who was holding her so lightly as though she were made of glass, who seemed genuinely considerate and respectful towards her?
"It's okay," she said, smiling slightly at the new and improved Gentleman Raizada, "I'm okay."
"Are you sure?" he asked.
She was about to thank him for his concern, when she shook herself out of the incomprehensible daze she was in, and reminded herself of her previous impression of him.
"Why, Raizada?" she retorted, "You think that we village behenji's can't even handle one dance because we are backward or whatever?"
"That's not what I meant," he replied, sounding annoyed and disappointed and ever so slightly hurt as he looked away.
And Khushi instantly felt terrible - terrible enough to want the earth to swallow her whole, there and then. She had known, of course, that he had not meant to be condescending. Why did she have to open her big mouth? She wanted to apologise, but decided against it. His ego was inflated enough as it was.
Nonetheless, she continued to feel guilty. A part of her knew that she was in the wrong, that if Arnav had a huge ego, she was no better herself. Alas - that same ego came in the way of acknowledging it.
As a concession, however, she decided to herself that she would be less fixated about irritating him all the time. In fact, she mused, given the way she had begun to feel around him, it would probably be wise to avoid him as much as possible. She could feel herself developing a soft corner for him, which was extremely inconvenient, given that she was contractually bound to disappear from his life completely after two months.
And just when she had decided not to give him any more attention, he decided to speak again, "I know we don't like each other, but that does not mean that it makes me happy to hold your hand and stuff when you are clearly not comfortable. It has nothing to do with what I usually say about you being a behenji. You're a girl, and contract or no contract, there are limits that have to be respected."
Khushi felt herself melt at his words, but decided to snap back at him again. It was a defence mechanism, really. The new emotions that he was evoking in her were confusing and scary.
"Oh yeah?" she scoffed,"And how does this so-called respecting girls funda fit in with being a casanova who treats girls like -"
"I have never disrespected anyone," he interrupted, actually sounding angry now, "Granted, I enjoy the female attention, and I flirt around quite a bit. But all the girls I have been with knew all along that I was not in it for any sort of commitment. We spend time together because they want it as much as I do. I don't use anyone, or force myself on anyone, if that's what you think."
And with that, he let go of her hand and waist and began to walk away. The song had ended. Khushi felt her eyes fill up with hot, heavy tears as she quietly followed him, trying to smile to keep up appearances. It seemed inevitable, she realised - she was going to have her heart broken.
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