**
Khushi and Neel walked inside the exhibition after they had a quick lunch at one of those take outs next to Pragati Maidan. They had left their shopped books in the vehicle to make their next round of purchase convenient.
Neel was a book lover but not an ardent lover like Khushi. She was smiling at looking at the stalls as if small kids do when they spot ice cream vans all around them. He grinned and followed her everywhere. He had his fill of books and he wont be needing any until next century. Khushi had mocked his reading habits when he refused to buy few books he was actually interested in then refused making excuses of lack of time to read,
"Do you have all three books of this novel?"
Khushi asked to the man who was standing inside the stall, his back to her. There was a familiar kind of air about him and the way the man had dressed. She had hesitated at first then thought of letting go off those insecurities which bind her.
"Hello..?"
She urged again and found the man's back stiffening instantly.
***
Arnav sat cross legged on the floor of the stall, arranging few books to put it into the shelves before Neeraj comes back. He was just lazily going through few of them and had accidentally knocked them off the shelf.
He gathered all those books from the floor and put it back into the sections one by one. Someone was at the front desk and he turned his head to have a quick look at the person who was now going through Neeraj's best stories collections.
He dropped few more books and turned his head away. He found his heart beats accelerating abnormally as soon as he got a glimpse of the person who was his wife. Ex-wife! His mind chided and he closed his eyes in an attempt to block all those memories of the past when people addressed her as his wife. Mrs. Raizada. He always felt an unfamiliar kind of proud feeling whenever someone addressed her as his wife.
"Excuse me?"
The soothing voice came to his ears and without any delay he walked towards her, his eyes missing nothing. She was wearing a white tunic top and grey pants. Her hair was made in a single plait and resting on one of her shoulders. Her lips moved in rhythematically as she read through the back of the book.
"I.."
He stopped abruptly as soon as he noticed Neeraj entering the stall with two boxes of lunch. Arnav watched the way his eyes widened looking at her form from tip to toe.
"Bhabhi, what a surprise.."
He exclaimed looking at her incredulously. Khushi almost jumped out of her skin as Neeraj's voice came crashing onto her ears. She looked at him and then at Arnav who was equally shocked to find her there. Her hands started sweating and the book she was holding fell from her hands. But, it did not hit the ground, because Arnav had already caught the same in mid air.
"Hi...Neeraj..."
She said not sure of how to start a conversation or how to avoid this awkward situation she had landed herself into. Her heart hammered against her chest when she looked into his brown eyes, he was staring at her as if longed for her. She could feel a little moistness in her own eyes as she stared at him across the barrier of the simple wooden desk between them. A tap on her shoulder caught her back from her reverie and she stepped away a little turning her face towards Neel.
"Something wrong?"
He asked looking at Khushi's suddenly turned pale face and then realization hit him hard as he found the man staring at her intently, his eyes never leaving hers for a second.
"Bhabhi, I am so glad to find you here. Aap India kab aayi? Aur ye kaun hai?"
Neeraj asked with all his enthusiasm while Arnav took few steps backwards and sat on one of those chairs. His eyes kept wavering towards her face and then at the unfamiliar face next to her.
"Its been two weeks Neeraj. And this is Neel...my...our family friend.."
She managed her eyes lingering onto Arnav's face more than needed. She felt like disappearing into thin air as she stood his gaze.
"Hello Mr. Raizada.."
Neel walked inside the stall and stood next to the chair. Arnav looked up at him from the book he was pretending to read.
"Hello..Mr...?"
He hesitated and Neel flashed a genuine smile at him.
"Its Neel Roy..Mr. Raizada.."
***
Khushi sipped her coffee hearing onto Neeraj's talks as he went on and on about his books and stuffs. Her eyes kept going back to the man who was sitting across the small desk along with Neel and they seemed to immersed in some kind of talk. She hesitated and drew in a long breath.
"Neeraj, when did he came to India?"
Khushi asked placing the cup back onto the table and Neeraj sighed looking at Arnav's form.
"Just few days back. He is with Nani ji at Shantivan. Well, she is the only family he's left with..And I heard that she was suffering from Alzheimer's.."
Khushi tried not to look at him, but it became impossible when she thought of him as lonely as she was. Her eyes clashed with his brown ones and she immediately regretted looking at him this time. It made her weak on her knees and she knew he missed her as much as she missed him in last few days.
"I will just go and keep this books in the car and come back..."
She said to Neel who was busy talking over his phone. He gestured her to proceed and walked out of the stall clutching the phone closer to his ears. Khushi gathered all those books and started towards the exit.
"Arnav, why dont you help her out? She is having problem managing too many books.."
Neeraj suggested hiding the hint of smile on his face and Arnav glared at him.
"Its okay Neeraj, I can manage.."
She hesitated. But, before she could protest anymore Arnav was by her side holding half of the books in his hands and already walking towards the exit. It was like as if he was waiting for a hint or cue to join her and he would ever be thankful to his useless friend for throwing this opportunity on his way.
He does not know as why he wanted to go with her. When everything between them was over and there is nothing he could do to mend the past and his not so cool deeds. She watched him move out of the exit and then turned his face towards her. She quickly walked towards him, holding out her car keys in her free hand and unlocked the doors.
"I never thought that I would be meeting you here, out of all the places. How are you Khushi?"
He asked finally gathering some courage and found her lips curving into a sadest of smiles he have ever witnessed.
"Same here. I am good Arnav..How about you? Neeraj told me about Nani ji, I wish to visit her one day.."
Khushi said holding onto the handles of the door, her hands were shaking badly and she did not know why. His presence was having the same effect on her like always.
"Oh, that would be great if you could come and meet her. Besides, she does not even remember that we are not togethere anymore..."
That word hurt her like million needles on her already bleeding heart. And she knew he used that words purposefully to get a reaction from her. What was this act was all about Arnav? She asked inwardly and forced a smile on her lips.
"So, what are you doing here in India?"
Khushi hesitated and she does not know as where this conversation was heading to. But, one thing she was damn sure of that, he was highly effected by her presence and the nervousness was refelcting in his eyes. She never saw him so restless and it somehow made her heart lighter.
"I am staying at my Buaji's. She is alone and Dad thought that it would be great for me to spend some days here in India and it would help me forget whatever changes ocurred in my life lately.."
"Chale Khushi?"
Neel's voice came breaking the perfectly woven situation and Khushi watched him getting into the driver's seat.
"We have to hurry. Dad wants me to meet this new foregin delegates tonight, for dinner..."
He looked at her apologetically and then at Arnav who was staring at her face with an unbelievable expression in his eyes.
"Bye Arnav..it was nice meeting you..after..."
"Oh...it was nice meeting you too Khushi. Bye Neel.."
He said and turned on his heels to leave from there as quickly as possible. Khushi stood the ground looking at his retreating back and sighed heavily.
As soon as Arnav heard the vehicle pull out of the driveway he turned his head to have a final look at her face. He found her staring at him through the side mirror and he closed his eyes instantly. What was he doing? Was he on his senses when he signed those divorce papers? Was she the one whom he rejected, just to prove his point that he never loved her, he never wanted her? He could lie to everyone and the whole world, but what about his own heart which never listened to him. He realized that he was a fool enough to let her go when he did nothing but loved her with his whole heart. And now, when she is spending her time with another man, it made him miss her even more and maybe crave her more than he did in past few days.
She seemed happy with Neel. She is happy. She never seemed this happy with him, ever. Maybe she found her true love in Neel. Maybe he should really move on and get a life?
***
Khushi could not believe her eyes when she found him staring at her from the corner of her eyes. The look which was reserved only for her, was forcefully back in his eyes and she knew he was playing hard to not to show it.
Why does he effect me so much, even after this bloody divorce? He was not happy, not at all. What was he trying to prove with all these formal gestures? Her head throbbed as she thought about him more and more. Neel was however busy on his phone as he connected his phone with the bluetooth device. Khushi leaned back onto the seat and pulled out the ear phones to listen to some music, which will definitely calm her nerves until they reach Lucknow.
Or maybe help her forget a pair of brown eyes, which was like an unsolved puzzle to her, still.
"Cause you are the piece of me, I wish I didn't need,
Chasing relentelessly still fight
I don't know why"
***
Song : Clarity
Artist : Zedd
***
Cricket
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