DEUCE -An Arshi FF (Chapter 7,updated 20thJan ) - Page 4

CHAPTER 4

She looked at the time, 10pm. She worked extra hours and caught up with her grocery .She was bushed , just wanted make some quickie food , eat and jump to bed early. The next day she as to travel to New Jersey Office and return the same day. Its going to be one hell of a day

Kushi turned the key and was about to enter when she noticed a diffused light from the apartment. The TV was running, she was certain that she had turned it off before left for work. Shell shocked and shaken , quickly glanced around the apartment while fumbling for her mobile to call Akash. Her heart was thudding rapidly. She strained her eyes and noticed some one on the couch and wait ... She almost fainted... it was a couple in a compromising position. She was frozen not knowing how to react to the situation. Her grocery bag slipped from her hand and she rushed and tapped all the switches that she could lay her hands on.

Arnav was enamoured with Ashley and he was so aroused that when the light came on full... he could not fathom anything. His immediate reaction was that it was papparzi...Oh my God! He was almost completely undressed ... he doesn't need such a scandal two weeks before his match... Then he suddenly realised that Ashley was completely naked and turned around to get something to cover her. He grabbed his shirt from the floor and wrapped her with it and pulled the trousers over his boxers and turned towards the photographer. He saw a non descript girl slumped against the wall. He rushed towards her and pulled the pouch she was carrying and spilled the contents on the floor and started searching for the camera.

"Ashley, go get dressed."

A stunned Kushi gathered her wits and screamed,

"Are you crazy? who in the hell are you?" She saw the mobile on the floor and rushed towards it to call 911.

The intruder kicked the grocery spilling its contents all over and grabbed her hand and pulled the phone out of her hand.

Kushi got petrified...She is dumb!!... How could she even start a conversation with an intruder. She rushed towards the door with her heart in her mouth. She was going to die ... This maniac was going to kill her... Oh Lord may be he will rape her.

She scrambled to the door. The man kicked the chair to stop her from going . Kushi stumbled over the chair and fell on the ground.

Arnav reached and looked her from above. Her hair had come out of the bind and spilled all over... looking clumsy and guilty ...

Kushi, all hair out... clueless what to do ... fear stuck at her throat... ...

Arnav, " Don't move. Who the hell are you?"

Kushi lost her fear and her anger was building up,

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question holding the hand injured by the chair."

Arnav, " What? Who the hell are you? This is my home."

Realization dawned on Kushi, "You are ASR. But you were supposed to be here after a week I am your care taker , didn't Brad discuss about me with you?"

Arnav was frustrated and perplexed at the turn of events . Wasn't this girl supposed to start herr from 1^st of next month and before that his Mom was supposed to send her out.

" But you are supposed to move next month."

Kushi rubbed her hand to subside the pain, " I moved here because I needed accommodation immediately . My previous tenancy was cancelled."

Arnav was seething, " Stop your sob story... I will talk to Brad on this, Pack your things and get ready to move out of the house."

He turned to Ashley who was dressed now. " I am extremely sorry about this entire episode. Come I will drop you home."

The intruder was picking all the stuff that was spluttered all over. She moved to the kitchen ... dumped the grocery bag in the bin and thought...there goes my dream of having a double omelette with noodles for dinner. Her fortunes are really bad... no matter what she does ... she ends up as a looser...

Kushi, "What do I do now?" She just moved in two days back... she doesn't have tenancy ... She needs to find a home with a budget that will suit her pocket and that too in NY... what was she going to do. May be she should move in with Akash but already 4 adult men ... limited space. They will move our of the bed room and donate it to her and people will start sleeping in the living room... Wonder if the house can accommodate another person and the luggage... where will she put her luggage...

She knows that she is absolutely shameless but she has no choice but to hold on to this guy's word of one month trial period . In this moth she can manage to find some place.

She should call Brad ... dialled the number and immediately disconnected as the time was 11.30pm. She heard the key being turned in the door . She immediately turned so that her back was facing the door to avoid confrontation with the guy.

Arnav pondered, I didn't need a care taker. What the hell! After a long and tiring day... I cant have the luxury of a little privacy.

He dialled Brad... After several rings he answered...

Immediately Arnav started off , " Sorry Brad... I should have been more firm on this and refused ... this is not going to work out. Thanks for your help ... I don't think I need a care taker. Please make sure that you find some alternative and I want her out of here. I can send you some names where she probably can find accommodation."

Kushi had never felt humiliated like this before... not even by Mrs. Kapoor. He was discussing about her as if she does not exist ... an inanimate object... whose opinion and decisions do not matter. What is she ? Her life has become nomadic...carrying her stuff from place to place in search of a roof. She was seething both with anger and pain.

Brad, " Buds , Its too late ... lets talk in the morning and we will work out something."

Arnav, " There's nothing to discuss...She may stay here tonight but that's all... "

He slammed the call and hoped the girl listened to everything and understood...

He picked his luggage scattered on the floor and then he heard a phone ringing... it was the girl's

Kushi, " Hi Brady...tell me..."

Brad, " Don't react ...just go to bed..He is just in a bad mood ... Ignore it..."

Kushi, " Yeah! I am off to bed... I don't need you or anyone to look for accommodation , I am entirely capable of finding one. But ... I am not moving from this house till the end of next month...I am going to stick to the date which was committed. I will not be pushed thrown from one house to another. In fact I should not have let The Kappor lady dictate terms. But thanks to Akku and you... I left my tenancy and now in this shit of a place. ... I will leave this place only when I decide and that is on 30 th September... Tell the guy not to mess with me... I am just tethered to my sanity... Sorry Brady... yelled at you... Go to Bed!" She disconnected the call.

Brad was worried about the issue but knowing both he was not concerned that Arnav will hurt Kushi. In fact he hoped that Kushi does not burn Arnav up. These Kids!

He smiled and peacefully went to bed .

Arnav's temper was roaring at her arrogance ... Did he actually hear her right... There is no way he will put up with her conceit ... First thing tomorrow she will be out of his home ... If she has no accommodation... Its not his problem ...

He turned towards her, " So in two days you are used to the luxury of this place such that you do not want to move from here."

She did not flinch a muscle nor did she turn towards him... His temper was at its peak... He started his day at 5.30 am and had spent 6 hours in practice, travelled across for 4 hours and then his date with Ashley was completely ruined...The entire day he did not have a proper meal... his head was reeling... with hunger and sleepiness. ... And now this messy idiot... infuriating him.

Kushi, " Yes!"

Arnav, " Shameless..."

Kushi turned red on face... " You are calling me names ... considering what you were doing when I entered..."

Arnav, " What the hell are you talking. This is my home , lady... I can do whatever I want ... Who in the goodness hell are you? Nobody asked you to stay... Get out of the house..."

Kushi admonished her self ...... Go to your room... Don't continue the argument ... You are all alone in the house... things will get out of control....

But then she was devastated about her plight and her situation.

Kushi " Sure... Your previous caretaker discarded condoms everywhere, right. That's what you have been whining to Brady... Considering what I saw today... I am certain it was you who did it and made her the scapegoat.."

Arnav thundered " Shut up! Don't make me loose more of my temper."

He should get out of here before things get out of control. To get rid of his frustration , he flung his box containing sunglasses and rushed out.

The box hit Kushi on her temple and Kushi yelled in pain... But no one hear him ... She sat on the floor defeated and alone with pain. ... with tears of frustration clinging to her lashes. She went to the mirror and checked the bruise and slowly went to her room. She will walk out of this house ... No one... ...She promised herself ... No on can kick her out of this house.

She hated the guy...

to be continued...

CHAPTER 5https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/145658227

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Exactly... Arnav is neither rude nor arrogant . Kushi can also be equally eude and arrogant as you will read in the following chapters. Their behavior is situational and not personal and which will change when each one understands the other.

This is not a story of REDEMPTION...

I wanted the story in the background of sports... for whatever reasons my male protagonists became the sportsman an hence probably becos of wealth comes across to the readers as rude. But he is not. If he were then he would have refused Brad on face . In fact he is frustrated with his inability to say No! Arnav in "Deuce" is very different from the Original.

About the female protoagonist... She is a darling. She is completely irresistible !

Sorry guyz... Kushi in "Deuce" has shades of the original IPK, I have tried to tone down and change her characteriztion . Kushi in IPK was bindaas and so the character will always be dear to me and am guilty of its influence on me .