Arshi FF: A Hundred Flukes. CHAPTER 37; See note pg 82 - Page 9

Originally posted by: kondhili

Since this is almost the same as what we had seen in the serial i really don't know what to comment.😕

But you definitely have a flair for writing. 

To be very honest with you i am waiting very eagerly for chapter 25 to begin. 

Li Darling, exactly what I wanted to comment. I am very eager to see the deviations.
cineraria, Your writing is really good. But when you follow the same path as a serial that too in detail then readers need something engaging. So we need your own flair and take coming out soon so we will be inspired to comment something meaningful.

Also one more request just like an author invests in the story readers do invest in a story with time/interest , waiting for next chapter etc. please dont go on hiatus or leave the story incomplete (am assuming that it is going to be quite long story) It's very frustrating for a reader when author leaves their fav stories halfway leaving the readers in the lurch for whatever reasons!

After all this dose, need I say that I am in?

Hi Shree10, one thing I can completely assure you of is that I am not gonna leave this story in between, or vanish to the cold world of dreaded hiatuses. Apart from this forum I have three of my best friends reading this over emails, they would strangle me to death even if I thought of leaving it. The excessive detailing was because I started writing it for those 3 friends of mine who avoid Indian Television like cow-dung in middle of Indian roads. But I absolutely get your point, although I hate editing, but I will do it for future updates to make the mundane things crispier. 

Edited by cineraria - 9 years ago

  All right now, I couldn't help but keep this scene intact, it's one of my favorites.                               

                Chapter 14: Outfits

 

"What the..." was the only utterance of a disbelieving ASR as he watched her receding figure, leaving through the front door. Albeit she looked lethally tired and worn out, not an ounce of her confidence had diminished despite of all his attempts to fail her. Khushi Kumari Gupta had dealt with all that had been dumped her way, and that was no ordinary thing to do. All his life, Arnav Singh Raizada had not met with such obstinacy, such fierce obstinacy that not only made her to put herself through the grill but also survive it, rendering him speechless. Perhaps he had underestimated his adversary. Experience had taught him distrust and his years of such training suggested him to doubt her real intentions. What if she was a highly trained corporate espionage? Although, from what he could make of her, the possibility was thin, extremely thin. He dialed a number.

"Check her bag, make sure she doesn't take a scratch from here." he said.

 

****

 

When she reached her home at 7:30, Khushi wasn't herself. She failed to notice Payal standing with a glass of water for her, she was too tired to even feel hungry, to wash her hands, to change. She simply went to her room and threw herself on the bed falling fast asleep. Her snores could be heard in the hall.

She woke up at around 10:00 at night to the growling in her stomach and wetness of her own drool over her cheek. She rubbed her eyes wiping it, "Jiji dinner?" she mumbled.

"It's waiting for you on the table, at least wash your hands Khushi and tell me how your day was." Payal said smiling, she had seen Khushi's brightened eyes at the mention of 'how was your day', she needn't know anything else.

As soon as she had engulfed her first bite, there was a knock at the door. Madhumati opened it, Khushi's eyes popped out of their sockets when she saw him. "Shyamji...?" she exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, meet Advocate Shyam Manoher Jha, our new paying guest. He'd be living upstairs." said Payal grinning. Khushi's astonished self was as of yet unable to assimilate what she just saw and heard, "You mean in that store-room?" she blurted. Madhumati glared at her.

"Well Khushi, its relative, if you have spent years in Rajlaxmi hostel accommodation, that store-room is no less than three star suite." said Shyam matter-of-factly. The women laughed.

 

                                              ****

 

"I hope you'd be coming home from work early tomorrow." Payal said, washing her sister's clothes.

"Why what's so special about tomorrow?" said a grinning Khushi resting her hand on the bathroom's door.

Payal scowled, "Nothing. There is nothing tomorrow." she said and began rubbing soap rigorously on Khushi's kurti. Khushi took some water from the bucket in her palm and sprinkled it on her sister, "nothing at all, just somebody is turning twenty four tomorrow." she chuckled.

"Think carefully, maybe it's your no-more-important sister." Payal spat. Khushi hugged her from behind, "jiji, you are the most important person in my life. Along with of course, Amma, babuji and maybe even Buaji..."

"And Arnav Singh Raizada." teased Payal, "your life seems to be centered on him now-a-days." It was Khushi's turn to scowl. "Jiji please, don't talk about that monster now." That ridiculously good looking monster an insidious voice called. She told her mind to shut up.

 

                                    ****

 

DAY 2

 

"Today's my sister's birthday, could I go home earlier?" Khushi asked Chirag as they walked out from well...the elevator, to the first floor.

"Well if ASR permits you."

A few steps away from them, very much in earshot, was ASR entering his cabin, a cynical sneer casting upon his well defined features. I'll see to it that you don't. He mused.

 

She stood in his cabin, her hands behind her back, staring at him, waiting to be given her first task for the day. She wore a maroon cotton salwar-kameez, in case they made her run like yesterday, at least she wouldn't be sweating.

 

"What's my name?" he said suddenly, snapping her back in attention. She kept on staring at him, blinking intermittently. He lifted his head up from the papers he was reading and turned to his left to face her, "I asked you something."

 

"Sir you forgot your name?" she said in mocking incredulity.

 

"Just answer to what you have been asked." he said gruffly.

 

"Arnav Singh Raizada." Khushi muttered gritting her teeth.

 

"My name's not a cuss word, say it properly please." he retorted raising an eye brow, as if reading her mind.

 

Khushi faked a smile, "Arnav Singh Raizada." she pronounced with an equally fake sweetness.

 

"That's better. I don't like anything extra, neither extra people, nor extra sweetness. And definitely no extra a's in my name." he said and held out a document for her. She took it. It was a single sheet, an A4 size, printed on both the sides. "The document in your hand contains an incorrect spelling of my name, every time it appears. It says Arna-av instead of Arnav. You'll cut the entire name with a pencil, in all the places in this letter, and write my correct spelling just above the incorrect ones."

 

"That's it?" Khushi chirped, hardly believing her good luck.

 

His gaze returned to her face, "When that's done, you do the same with these." he said, lifting a huge bundle of not less than two thousand pages, tied with a plastic thread from under his table and dumped it like garbage in Khushi's outstretched hands. Khushi hadn't known that a bundle of pages could be THIS heavy! As the unexpected weight fell on her hands, she dropped it on Arnav's lap, unable to balance it. He gave her an impertinent look but sensing her hesitation, picked the pile from his lap with three fingers beneath the knot of the thread and held it out for her, his gaze fixed on his table. She took it and walked out of the room clumsily, almost tripping twice before she could reach the lift.

 

                                                

                                                  ****

 

"The number of times his name appears in one document is equal to fifteen," Khushi moaned, "multiply this by...," she slapped her forehead looking at the pile, "twenty five hundred, approx...gives thirty seven thousand five hundred." she gasped. "This man needs a psychiatrist." she said so loud that a few heads turned to look at her.            

 

If given a choice Khushi Kumari Gupta aka Glitters would vehemently nod her head in agreement that she would prefer tiring herself out running around and sweating than tiring herself out satisfying the bloated ego of a narcissist called Arnav Singh Raizada. She wondered if she had even written a total of thirty thousand words all her life till present date. She stopped counting after 997, seeing more than half the pile remaining. Annoyed with her own perpetual yawning, she almost dozed off, her head hitting the table till she was so miserable that she couldn't even afford to shut her eyes as all her closed eyes saw was A-r-n-a-v written all over a paper. She looked up and saw the word 'Arnav' floating everywhere. If asked her name, she'd probably reply Arnav. If she'd ever pick a pen or pencil again, she'd certainly end up writing only one word - Arnav. After more than half the pile was done, she wondered whether she really recognized any letter apart from A,R,N & V. Wasn't this exactly what he wanted? How big could somebody's ego be? His was certainly as big as this office! She thought grumpily.  

 

She received calls from Buaji and Amma telling her to be home early. Helplessly she dialed her helpline- "Could you do me a one more favor? Could you get a cake arranged before I am back?"

 

"Sure princess, don't worry your head with it." was the lawyer's reply.

 

Wow at least I have somebody to call a friend, she mused. From 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, all she had done was write 'Arnav'. She got up finally when only a few pages remained. Her fingers swollen and she felt thorns pricking the sole of her sleepy feet. She went to the lady's room and splashed cold water on her face. What an idiot the poor honest girl was! He was definitely NOT going to check each page.

She rushed back to her desk and saw Lavanya lifting a few pages from her completed pile. "Stop." she yelled, snatching back the pages, "it's my work." she said slowly and then gasped looking at Lavanya's tensed face. She looked like she hadn't slept properly, but should that matter? She still looked pretty as hell. "Oh, my naive Glitters," she said hoarsely, "you really think ASR is making you do something useful? I need some waste papers, okay?" she said putting the papers back. A moment later a peon appeared and took the entire pile from Khushi's table. "Give it to ASR sir." she told him. He didn't seem to hear her.

 

 

                                                    ****

 

 

Khushi didn't know what the commotion all about was. Why was Lavanya crumpling and throwing the pages of her hard work, swearing on somebody inside her cabin? Whom were these silly girls talking about, passing each other envious glances. Why were all the men looking like...well whatever should that expression be called?

Then she saw her and understood it all. Her tantrums could be heard from the door, Khushi stood on her toes to see who it was. Her jaw dropped, and eyes blinked idiotically. She previously thought Lavanya was the prettiest girl she had seen...certainly the previously held opinion now that she had seen her.

"Who's that?" she asked a girl standing beside her. "Don't you know?" said the girl as if somewhat offended by the question, "She's Lisa, Lisa Sheldon, the Californian supermodel". Ash blonde wavy hair thrown fantastically at one side, she was nearly six feet tall and walked with such confidence that made Khushi feel like dig a burrow and hide in it. Highlighted eyes and plush red lips, she wore a ball blue strapless cocktail dress and carried an exquisite looking fur coat in her hand. Something which Khushi absolutely needed, this room felt so cold today. Wait, was Lisa too feeling cold or who needs a fur coat in this season, in India? Unless it was the latest vogue to carry fur coats in your hands as an accessory. Indeed, it looked so cool on her, she thought as Lisa handed it to a girl walking with her. The girl placed it on a table, "STOP, you idiot!" Lisa screamed, "You'd spoil my darling." the girl began to tremble and took it in her hands again.

 

ASR walked in through the rear door. "Hi Lisa, I hope you had a comfortable journey." he said coldly. Perhaps that was the warmest greeting he could offer. Lisa's expressions changed from frown to flirtatious as she threw her arms around him, "Oh, Arnie...I missed you." he returned her gesture mechanically, not uttering a single word. Khushi turned to see Lavanya angrily stomping back to her cabin, as Lisa held her boyfriend in her embrace for longer than necessary. ASR, as usual looked unaffected as he pulled back from her hug. Was he made of stone or what?

 

"Oh gosh Arnie, is it you or your cologne, simply irresistible." she said lightly sniffing the collar of his suit. Collective sighs could be heard.

 

Lavanya was a hundred times better than this, hands down! Khushi decided. 

 

"Hey ASR," said a guy Khushi hadn't seen before, wearing a stylish pulled out check shirt and tattered jeans and a stole around his neck, "I guess you'd have to employ someone specially to take care of Lisa's coat or this shoot ain't happenin' " he said grinning at the supermodel. Lisa pouted her lips, "It's the only one of its kind in the world." she said sharply.

 

"I know one person who'd treasure it more than her life." said ASR that oh-so-dreadful sneer planting itself on his lips again, "Ms. Gupta." he called out and turned to face Khushi. She jumped from her seat, still blinking rapidly, ASR took the only-one-of-its-kind coat to Khushi, "Till the shoot is over, you keep this safely in your hands." he said imperatively, handing it to her. Khushi took it and was about to sit in her chair when he interjected, "No, you don't get to sit. You will stand like a statue, holding this. With utmost care." he whispered near her ear teasingly. She blinked. "Un..aa, don even blink." he said smirking igniting her walnut eyes. "How long will it take?" she managed to ask. "A few hours, maybe three...maybe four...maybe..." he said waving his hand and walked away.

 

****

 

Day one, he makes her run till all the possible joints in her legs pain, day two he gets her legs jammed when they beg to be able to move and then he makes her stand for hours on jammed legs, what animosity he harbored for her poor legs? She lamented. After two hours of standing, she looked restlessly at the stylish man with a stole around his neck who now she knew to be the photographer.

 "How long is this man going to click pictures of those three inched clothes." she grumbled, throwing a disapproving glance at Lisa's negligible red garb, clad in which the model was giving the most awkward(according to Khushi) possible poses for the camera. Khushi checked out the banner the eleventh time, rolling her eyes at the ironic claim of the company, 'The Indian Look - Calendar Launch by AR' when there was nothing about the shoot that resembled Indian ethnicity.

"There I go." she mumbled yawning uncontrollably, so sleepy that when she shut her eyes, for once she didn't see the five letter cuss word 'Arnav' strewn over pages, for Khushi Kumari Gupta was one creature who could sleep while standing!

She woke up with a start as she felt something move beside her. The next moment one of her nightmares came true. She stared at the obnoxious orange stain on the expensive grey fur, horrified. How did this happen? Sneaking in a corner was Sim holding a glass of orange juice, she threw the glass in a trashcan behind her.   

Khushi checked her watch, 7:45, the shoot would be over anytime soon. Panic stricken she dashed out of the room towards the restroom. She held the coat under running water, applied all the soap in the dispenser frantically. Fifteen minutes passed in the futile exercise as the stain turned into a dirtier color. The battle with the stain lost, she walked slowly towards the studio. Lisa was still getting her hair fixed for another round of shots when she saw Khushi enter. Her eyes drifting instantaneously down at her now dripping only-one-of-its-kind fur coat. "What did you do with it?" she shrieked, her voice high pitched with disbelief. For once the camera was switched off as all the faces in the studio turned to face Khushi. Commotion followed. The photographer sighed, "There she goes." A frantic Lavanya dialed ASR. "I think you need to come ASR, there's a crisis." she said nervously.

"Can't you handle it yourself, the shoot's your headache." he said irritably.

"No, I can't handle a hysteric Lisa." she said bluntly.

 

The obstreperous transformed into pin drop silence as ASR walked in the studio. Khushi gulped, predisposed to face the music. "Look Arnie what has this girl done to me." said Lisa, teary eyed. ASR held her spoiled possession in front of Khushi, "Explain this." he commanded.

"S...sir, I swear.." Khushi stammered, "I didn't do it."

"Then who did?"

"I...I don't know sir, I was holding it ...and then I saw...I swear sir, ...I even washed it with a lot of soap..."

"Wait!" Lisa cried, "You put a 2 cent soap over my million dollar coat." she said incredulously, her voice trembling in hysteria, "Wow..." she grabbed a pair of scissors from the table cut through it. "My baby, I am sorry but can't see you ruined." she said softly to the inanimate object. "That's it, sorry Arnie but I am in too much distress to shoot any further." saying that she stomped her foot on the ground and darted for the exit. Lavanya went after her, "wait Lisa, we have an agreement..."

"Let it be, Lavanya." said ASR, unmoved. Lavanya glowered at Khushi, "You Glitters, this wasn't done. What are we doing now ASR, Lisa's gone and we have the Calendar Launch coming next week? There's hardly anything done."

 

His fierce eyes darted over Khushi, one could almost see two holes burning through poor Ms Khushi Kumari Gupta, she was so dead. He walked menacingly towards her, making her retract. "S..sir, it happened by mistake...sir I didn't" she whimpered.

 

"Look ASR, I need to leave in an hour, so I'd like to know the status of this shoot, I mean if you could..." said the photographer.

 

"The shoot is on Jeff." asserted ASR, his gaze fixed on Khushi's face. "Bring the remaining costumes." he ordered. He grabbed a dress not caring to take his eyes off Khushi, and held it in front her. "You'll wear this and complete the photo shoot. Now." he said sharply throwing the neon blue dress at her, she caught it avoiding it from hitting her in the face.

          She stared at it appalled, never having seen before such obscenely short apparel. She shook it to check it's length, disgusted to find that it could barely cover her thighs if she ever wore it, backless with a disgustingly low front, "I can't wear this sir." she said sounding offended.

"Just shut up, you spoiled my couture at Lucknow and now I won't let somebody's idiocy ruin this one." he berated.

 

"But...sir..." she protested.

 

"Look guys, let's think it over, we can do something." Jeff intervened to rescue the poor girl from ASR's temper run.

 

"Nope all's decided." said ASR and then charged at Khushi, "Go change."

She shook her head. His jaw tightened, "If it weren't for the contract I would have thrown you out of here long back, if you refuse to do as I tell you to, you should resign." and then slightly narrowing his eyes, "and anyway, whatever be the reason, you are fond of being on TV, aren't you?" he said furtively.                 

 

Khushi grimaced, clutching the dress moved towards the change room, hapless.

 

                                        ****

 

Luck had a sinister fascination with failing her, she was convinced. "Why, why Devi Maiyya always me?" she complained throwing another disgusted glance at the 'dress' ASR had thrown on her. "Indian look launch they say, what's Indian about this? Unless ASR guy is planning to revive fashion from Harrappan civilization..."

"What if I don't come out of this room ever...?" she wondered.

 

                                       ***

 

Akash entered the studio watching ASR leave in a furry, "What's up?" he asked Jeff, looking at the banner which had been initially his idea. ASR had given him the project three months ago; Akash's vision for it had been completely different. But his 'no-sizzle' ideas had been unable to generate a stir in the industry, even his Rohit Bal collection couldn't help his cause which now hung somewhere in one of the stores of the office. He had to then seek for his cousin's guidance who involved the Californian bombshell in the project and the next thing he knew was "Lisa Sheldon posing for AR's coveted Calendar Shoot" strewn all over the national dailies. Now that's marketing, Akash sighed.

 

"Hey, isn't that what Akash had proposed..."Jeff's undertone snapped Akash out his thoughts as he saw a petite frame of a girl draped in one of the saris from the Rohit Bal collection. Shy and hesitant as she walked down towards them, somehow reminding him of a girl he had seen that fateful day in a forgotten lane...

Lavanya Kashyap visibly cringed at the sight. "What were you told to wear you doofus? If ASR finds you have defied his orders he'd splinter that head of yours into pieces. Idiot. I can't understand why he got you into this." she said fuming.

 

"I told you ma'am, I can't wear that thing." she said staring at the ground. There while she had been stuck in the change room she had looked around for something decent to change into when she found this simple yet elegant red sari on a hanger. The blouse was too bold yet a thousand times better than what she chose to call the 'Harappan outfit'. She donned it, ready to face the consequences.

 

"Stop using your own brain Glitters!" Lavanya screamed.

 

"Since I have one, I can't stop using it. Look at your banner, it says 'Indian Look' but there was nothing Indian about the clothes you gave." she said quietly, "clothes are to conceal not reveal." she didn't know how that line got into her head, but it did and she said it.

 

"Shut your f**king mouth up Glitters, what the hell do you know about fashion?" Lavanya barked.

 

"Wait Lavanya," chimed in Jeff, "I see a point in what she says, and this outfit is stunning." he said looking intently at Khushi, "I want to see you in the lights, excuse me guys please, move away..." he gestured Lavanya and Akash, "Would you please move in the center Ms, okay all lights out only the highlights on." he instructed.

 

                                     ****

 

The strongest blazes are often kindled by the most unexpected sparks. Arnav entered through the opposite door, talking on his phone as she turned slowly to face the camera. Her waist length hair was let loose, open and they blew gently as the blower was turned on. Arnav stood where he was, stupefied the moment his eyes fell on her. Unable to come at terms with what he beheld his gaze traced down from her face to her toes and up, a quietness engulfing everything around him. He failed to see anything beyond her, the grace with which her hair cascaded down her back, the grace in how her locks blew over her face, her stunning fair complexion, golden in flood lamps, the fiery red of her attire sparking fiery emotions in him. His heart ached to betray his brain, her raw beauty caging his sight for an eternally drawn moment when his eyes refused to leave her. In a world that he hadn't known, he found himself walking in her direction.

 

A random gust of wind blew the sari off her shoulder, giving him glimpses of prominent collar bones, incredibly sexy, told his heart. Her hands darted to catch hold of the fallen flimsy fabric, putting it back in place as her eyes were forced to meet his and abashed by the unnerving intensity of his gaze that had no malice in it for the first time, just plain intensity. She hoped to see the anger in his eyes that she always saw, fuddled when she found none. Her world now lost in the unfathomable fervor in his chocolate brown oculus, scaring her more than his anger ever did. A strange anxiety was felt that made her heart jump in puzzled activity. His brows furrowed in subtle amazement, watching her flickering doe eyes.

 

"Look ASR what this girl has done." Lavanya's cry pulled him out of his trance. The moment was gone. His eyes were frigid again, "What did I tell you?" his voice confounded with anger and rejection, "go and wear the apparel I gave you." he said clenching his teeth, "No more of your nonsense." Khushi stood dumbfounded at the sudden change in his demeanor, hurt reflected in her eyes. Suddenly she felt so much hurt as tears threatened to brim.

"Look, ASR I have an idea," Jeff intervened again, "this girl has a point, I mean I already have a lot of Lisa's shots taken, and a touch tradition makes complete sense to me. Although your decision is final, but for me this is a perfect combo, what do you say Akash?"

"Well, whatever Bhai thinks to be the best, but in my opinion I always loved this classic traditional look. I mean, it would be different from all others, and that it'll be great for our calendar..."he paused, "let's do it" he said earnestly.

Jeff checked his watch, "see I have forty minutes, so it's up to you ASR, shoot or no shoot."

 

ASR would not agree if you told him, but his brother's and photographer's mutiny was not something unwelcome at the moment. He stared down at her again, "Fine. Go ahead." was his crisp reply as he turned on his heels to walk away. But not completely, as he tilted his head back paying her beauty the last tribute glancing sidelong at her, putting her in a fix again, unable to decide whether she was only offended or just hurt or had felt something eerie, a likeness in his presence.

 

                                              ****              

   

Edited by cineraria - 9 years ago

Loved it :-) you described the scenes beautifully the intensity , the emotions everything was awesome :-)

Beautifully written . The thoughts & perspectives for all the scenes described very nicely.

Are we gonna get just 1 update today ? Please update the next one soon :-) I love that you update several times a day wish other writers would do that !

          

      

           Chapter 15: Another Day In Paradise

 

Tiny droplets of rain glazed the window, giving a hazy vision of the palm tree beyond it. Khushi sat in a couch sniffling, gazing at the rain outside. Tiny droplets of her own tears touched her cheek as she thought about her sister. "Why, why, just why I signed that contract with that man. If I hadn't, I'd be with jiji now, on jiji's 24th, and..." she thought aloud, wiping her eyes with the sari. She looked at the wet patch in the garment and berated herself, it wasn't worth her tears. This was not her home, these people were not the one's who'd ever care for her, give her a damn, as they put it. Her mind drifted to ASR, the man grabbed every opportunity to demean her, every chance to make an offence to her morality. What sort of a man expects a girl like her to wear those immodest garbs he had thrown at her?

She kept on looking out, not noticing a presence near her, not until she noticed a glass of water held for her. She looked up to find the amiable face of Akash Singh Raizada, but refused to acknowledge him as she turned her head again towards the window, without a word. Akash kept the glass on the table in front of her and sat in the couch beside her. "Stars aligned themselves in the most heinous combination possible, the moment I was born," he began, looking up at the ceiling, "The reason my damn luck always dumps me, my forever elusive luck!" he said and then slightly smiled looking at her still about-turned head. "If you are Akash, you feel like that every hour, every single day."

 

Khushi turned to face him, her eyes suggested resentment, "If you are Khushi, you feel like that every single minute of every single hour, every single day." she said in one breath and turned her head away again, sulking like a ten year old.

"And that's because we make mistakes, and we make mistakes because we work. Believe me, those who never make mistakes are the ones who never do anything."

Khushi turned 180 degrees to face him, "I know I made a mistake, but I didn't do it on purpose. I even apologized, still I got scolded and punished by him." she said looking straight into his eyes.

"ASR doesn't spare me as well." Akash said smiling.

           "ASR is a rakshas." Akash was stumped by the crude admission. "And rest of the lot is just annoying. By the way, why are you being nice with me? You can call me Glitters, I don't seem to have a mind to mind."

 

"And would that change what you are?" said Akash soothingly, "What people say or think about you won't make any difference to the fact that you are quite a stellar Ms Gupta. You are someone who had the guts to stand up to ASR, not because you were disobedient but because you were right. Jeff is one of India's best photographers, even ASR finds it difficult to convince him at times but he was convinced with what you said, you understand what that means?"

Khushi looked at him, trying to smile. "By the way, you surprised me Khushi, you really know how to carry yourself. You were absolutely stunning there." He complimented her.

Her face lit up, "Thanks."

"Water?" he asked pointing at the glass he had kept for her on the table.

"No I'd have jalebi..."

"What?" he asked confused.

"Nothing." she replied as her phone rang.

"Carry on." said Akash getting up and giving her another of his infectious smile.

 

"Hello Jiji?" said Khushi picking up her phone.

"What jiji, jiji " howled Madhumati from the other side, "what did you say, I'll come home early, we'll give jiji a surprise party, I'll do all the preparations. Now where are you still wandering? Come home straight or I'll bury you in the cake." she said and banged down the receiver.

Khushi sighed, getting up to change back into her salwaar-kameez.

 

                                           ****

 

A deep frown settled on his face and fingers subconsciously fidgeting with the knot on his tie, Arnav leaned against his table, one hand resting on it. Although his open eyes stared out from the glass windows of his cabin but there was hardly anything he could see. Nothing, nothing came in his vision beyond an unreasonable girl, enswathed in crimson, her flowing hair, her guileless beauty, her unreasonable beauty.      

  

His mind wouldn't want to register Lavanya entering his cabin, his reluctant eyes slowly left the window and moved on to her.

"God ASR, I must say, Glitters was looking so funny but not as bad as I had thought. I don't think I'll be keeping much of her shots maybe two or three." she said grinning.

He did not respond and continued to fidget with the knot of his black tie. Lavanya positioned herself in front of him, "Should I?" she said softly laying her hands on the collars of his coat, she loosened his tie a little and slid her hands behind him circling his neck moving closer to him. Arnav looked intently into her eyes, his permeating gaze disenchanted in what it saw, even as he continued to look for something that he hadn't known to exist before Khushi had fallen into his life. Yet, Lavanya's stark physical proximity with him was unable to stir his heart, unable to make him feel what Khushi could while standing in the opposite corner of a room. Lavanya's smoky eyes coupled with elaborate eye makeup seemed so dull when compared to the radiance in a pair of walnut eyes that had set him on fire a while ago. Just as he was beginning to feel dejected in his hot girlfriend's propinquity, she closed in kissing his lips. A soft knock on the door made him pull back immediately; he turned his head to find Khushi Kumari Gupta standing at the door, her head hung in embarrassment, her gaze fixed on the ground near her feet, legs shaking slightly in nervousness.

 

Lavanya's head snapped in her direction, the next moment she let out a string of expletives.

Khushi looked up at her, her eyes widening.

ASR strode towards her, "Have you heard of something called etiquette Ms Gupta?" he said fuming.

"S...sir, I..I knocked the door, you didn't seem to..."

"Don't you answer him back Glitters." Lavanya shouted.

You shut up you ASR ki Chamchi. Khushi shot back mentally.

"Why are you here?" snapped ASR.

To watch you make out.

"Sir, I came to ask you, if I could go home, actually I had to..." she began.

"Why?" he said cutting her short, giving her an unhealthy dose of his smugness, "Already tired of the job? Given up your quest for making money?" he jeered.

There he goes.

"Sir I didn't say I want to leave this job", she protested, "I said can I go home now..."

"No, you can't." he said quickly.

Khushi stared at him in shock, "Sir it's half past eight..."

"So?"

"Sir?" she mumbled and flinched back the moment he took another step towards her. He picked up the chord less phone on his table, "Disengage all the security from the parking lot," he ordered over the receiver, "I am sending someone else there." He put down the phone and turned to face her, showcasing the trademark evil smirk, "My clients would be coming over for a conference in a while, go and assist in the parking. You are not allowed to move from there unless the conference is over and all the guests have left. Do you follow?"

 

Khushi's heart shattered into a million pieces, she stared at him indignantly. For the last eleven and a half hours she had been struggling with his orders, she wanted to go home, wanted to be with her sister, now. Tears filled her eyes, "Sir why are you doing this to me?" she said in a barely audible voice.

 

"Follow my orders or resign." he said sternly.

 I will strangle him someday with my bare hands.

Though she should have by now come to expect something like that from him, still he was never ineffectual in shocking her. Her feet jammed she kept on gawking.

 

 "I know my face is interesting but staring at it won't help your cause." he snapped and with a subtle tilt of head towards the door, "Out."

 

She hung her head and moved out of his cabin slowly with a sunken heart.

And miles to go before I sleep...

 

He saw her leave, his frown was back, a conflict brewing in his mind, it felt creepy, was he really feeling bad about what he had just done to her?

 

                                             ****

Years ago...

 

Two large saucer-like eyes and a little stub of a nose, the child was adorable, everyone said. Her eight year old tiny feet would bring a little earthquake and her parents were having trouble leaving her with the neighbors this evening. But the work was urgent, they had to go. "Khushi listen to me," said her mother, "Babuji and I are going for some work, it will only take a few hours. Be a good girl and promise you will not trouble Sharma aunty."

 

The child looked stubbornly at her mother, "No. If you leave me, I will trouble aunty." she said folding her arms.

 

"Khushi," her mother said sternly, "now you are being a bad girl."

 

"I am a bad girl Amma." the child said crossly.

"And bad girls don't get dolls to play with." her mother said and smiled looking at the child's fallen jaw. There was a loud bang of thunder, the next moment, Khushi screamed and hugged her mother. "Amma don't leave me please", she said sobbing.

 

"Don't be scared my child." a deep voice said from behind her, she turned to face her father, "Babuji there are monsters in the sky." she said her voice trembling.

 

"No my child, its electricity up there." her father smiled and hugged her. "There is always a reason behind everything Khushi, it's the weak who get scared. Strong people like you should always reason. Promise me my child that you will never let anything or anyone scare you."

 

Khushi looked at him with admiration in her eyes, "I promise you babuji that I will not let anyone scare me."

 

Her parents held her in a deep embrace, it was her secure haven, the safest place on earth. Little did she know then that it was the last time she would be safely tucked in their embrace. They left that stormy night and never came back. Garima mausi took her to her home where she lived with Payal jiji. She began calling Garima mausi Amma and Shashi Mausaji her Babuji, but she wanted her own amma-babuji back.

Days made to months and months turned to years, where sitting on the steps she'd spend the entire evening waiting, in the hope that her parents would return some day with the Barbie doll they had promised her. She'd often sleep on the same steps till Shashi or Garima would come looking for her and lay her in the bed. They would never tell what happened to her parents till she was eleven years old, and overheard a neighbor telling someone that her parents were crushed by a speeding car.

 

Khushi could not keep the promise she had made to her father, for continuous nights she'd dream of speeding cars and wake up screaming as she'd see one crushing her parents. Garima would rush to her, soothe her, but Khushi would be trembling all over.

         

                                                ****

 

Present time...

 

She pressed her back against the wall every time a car zoomed past her. As more and more cars kept coming, she waved her hands, directing them but soon the underground parking was full. It wasn't only the number of vehicles that was large, it was also their sizes, Audis, Jaguars, Mercedes, BMWs, Volkswagens all huge cars and surprisingly only one man getting down from each big car. Outside, dense grey clouds had invaded the sky, there was heavy lightning and thunder. Soon enough it began to rain, a few security guards were deployed with umbrellas to escort the guests to the main office.

She slowly walked out from the underground parking to the open, second level parking, where the expected guests yet to arrive would have to park their vehicles and she'd have to assist.

She shivered as a cold gust of wind and icy rain drops hit her. She had always loved rain but not today. She felt cold, so cold that her legs began to tremble as she got drenched in the heavy rain. She carried no umbrella, those who did, didn't offer her. She was one ignored girl, her drenched cotton clothes sticking to her cold, wet skin, her teeth chattering in the incessant, ruthless rain. As ruthless as the man who had made her stand there. Horns, beeps, zoom sounds took a toll over her. She brought her hands close to her chest, rubbing her palms. "There in the right...right." she called after a car. A luxurious black car. A short old man got down from it. A guard rushed with an umbrella, the man turned to look in Khushi's direction. First one to care to look at her. He walked towards her, "Excuse me, Ms, you are drenched." he said in a sympathetic tone, Khushi smiled at him wanly, hope tugging at her heart, would he ask the guard to get her an umbrella too? The man looked at a distance, "Arnav..." he said beaming. Khushi hadn't seen him coming. He stood a few steps away from them, a uniformed man behind him, unfailingly holding an umbrella steady over his head so that not a single drop could trouble the boss. Akash followed close behind, surprisingly carrying his own umbrella and not making another human carry it for him. His eyes caught Khushi, a look of surprise and then of apology settled over his amiable face.

ASR shot her a brief glance and then walked over to the old man in two long strides. "Hello Mr. Dutta" he said as the two men shook hands. "Arnav, why have you made this poor girl stand here in the rain?" asked Dutta, "God, you really go too rigid at times." he added in almost grandfatherly affection. Arnav's gaze wafted over Khushi, who in turn averted it and stared at the ground. His eyes fell on her quivering legs, he frowned slightly and looked away. "Let's go."

Akash stood there feeling uneasy at the sight of the soaked girl, her skin now white with cold, he took a step towards her, loosening his grip over his umbrella, extending it slightly towards her, Khushi gaped at him, hope lighting up her beautiful eyes. "Akash." ASR's stern voice made him almost jump. He glanced behind him to see his brother's back turned towards them, and glanced back at Khushi, confusion clouding his mind, his grip tightened over the stick handle and with legs that had not known to defy his brother since the time they had learned to walk, he took a step back and turned to follow his brother who was still standing ahead of them, his back turned.

"Take Mr. Dutta to the conference hall." said Arnav flintily, snapping Akash out of his thoughts as they entered indoors. Akash nodded, for the first time in his life he felt like a complete jerk.

 

                                                                  ****

 

Left alone in it again, this was a world of human robots, trained to show no feelings. How could she think that there was anybody who cared for her? Helpless tears streamed down her eyes, mixing with the rain hitting her face. She looked up in the sky. At a distance from the rear end of the parking, was a music house. She heard faint sounds of the blaring speakers that played Phil Collin's 'Another Day in Paradise' loud enough for her to catch the lyrics...

 

She calls out to the man on the street,

 sir can you help me?

 it's cold and I am nowhere to sleep'

is there someplace you can tell me.

 

He walks on, doesn't look back

 He pretends he can't hear her

starts to whistle as he crosses the street,

He's embarrassed to be there.

 

Oh, think twice 'cuz it's another day for you and me in paradise,

  Oh think twice 'cuz it's another day for you

  you and me in paradise.

 

She calls out to the man on the street,

He can see she's been crying,

she's got blisters on the soles of her feet

she can't walk but she's trying

 

Oh, think twice 'cuz it's another day for you and me in paradise,

  Oh think twice 'cuz it's another day for you

  you and me in paradise.

 

Oh lord, isn't there something we can do

Oh lord, isn't there something you can say

 

You can tell from the lines on her face

you can see that she's been there

probably been moved on from every place

'cuz she didn't fit in there.

 

Oh, think twice 'cuz it's another day for you and me in paradise,

  Oh think twice 'cuz it's another day for you

  you and me in paradise.

 

"Promise me my child that you will never let anything or anyone scare you." Khushi opened her eyes with a start, she heard the last words of her father echo in her head. Could she deny that she was scared of Arnav Singh Raizada? She kept on staring at the ground, unable to hear the sound of the engine of an approaching car. The bright light made her jerk her head up, blinding head lights hit her eyes, rendering her legs immobile and her heart frozen, so that was how her parents were crushed, was the last thought she had before she surrendered in the face of looming doom.

 

Two strong arms wrapped themselves around her, sweeping her off her feet as she heard the car zoom past her, her eyes were shut tight, her feet still in air and hands clutching whatever it was that held her. Slowly her feet were brought to ground but the arms were still wrapped around her securely. Khushi didn't dare to open her eyes, her head buried in what felt like a wall, whatever it was. She sobbed loudly against it, all she knew was that she had never felt so safe and so warm, never since her parents died.

Arnav Singh Raizada brought his hands gently to her shoulders, steadying the girl trembling against his chest, his own heart pounding at what could have happened had he been seconds late!     

                  

                                                       *****

Edited by cineraria - 9 years ago

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt2mbGP6vFI[/YOUTUBE] 


Edited by cineraria - 9 years ago

All right. not that unbearable now, is it?                       

                                  Chapter 16: Cupid Fabric

                                                        

Arnav's thoughts a while back...

 

I enter my office tower, leaving her behind. I know what's going in Akash's mind and I know that he will never go against me. I ask him to take Dutta to the conference hall and tell my guard to go away. I need some time alone. It's strange apart from being creepy that I somehow feel the need to go and check on her if she's doing fine, yeah she was pretty much a disaster out there. I walk down the corridor towards the right end, I take the elevator and press minus 1. I hate doing this but when my mind decides to nag me, it does and there I am walking towards the parking lot, the downpour is heavy, I still have shade above my head but a few drops manage to hit me. I stand in a place from where she can't see me, but I very well can.

I can see her looking up at the sky and then staring at the ground. Her clothes are soaked in water and her skin is a ghastly white. She looks so vulnerable yet headstrong. Nay, not headstrong, she is crazy or who else would stand there putting a fight with me. A fight which there's no way she's going to win. She knows well that I won't let her or does she? Man, I could not have imagined that Khushi Kumari Gupta could come this far. I clench my fists, fine if she isn't giving up then I have several ways to make her do so. I feel anger building inside me, why am I standing here? She can take care of herself, I turn to walk away but throw her a last glance, she's still staring at the ground, a speeding car approaches her, it honks, what the hell is this idiot doing, why ain't she moving? On an impulse, I lunge forward, bolting in her direction, the headlights of the car illuminate her golden, the driver applies brake but that can't save her from being hit. I take her into my arms, she's swept off her feet as I pull her away from in front of the vehicle.       

She's crying and cold, shivering against me. She clutches at the collars of my suit and I can't understand why I feel the urgency to keep her in my hold like that. I still am to recover from the shock, it beats me, why didn't she move away, couldn't she see the car coming?

          

^^^

It took her time to come at terms with reality, she had been saved but by whom? She opened her eyes, slowly lifting her head up from his chest, her eyes widening in shock when she saw him. He loosened his grip on her and stared down at her five foot something. Rain water dripping from his long nose and chin. Her eyes sparkled with water falling in them as she stared at him, he couldn't deny, they were the most beautiful pair of eyes he had seen.

She glanced at her shoulder which was still in his hold, and looked back at him, he frowned and let her go off with a jerk taking a long stride backwards at the same time as she pulled away from him, almost pushing his hands. Both of them not ready to accept what just happened. She turned to look away, so did he but couldn't help casting a sidelong glance at her. She brought her hands close to her chest again, still shivering. He couldn't decide whether he was mad at her or his own reaction, he was just mad, "What do you want to prove by standing here like that," he said finally, "that you are a poor helpless girl who needs sympathy or you see it as another opportunity to seek attention." She glared at him and returned her gaze back to the ground, she wouldn't answer him. "At least you could have found a shade to stand under instead of hanging your stupid face here for everyone to see." he said scathingly. Khushi didn't look up. "Look at your attire...", disgusted, he took off his coat and threw it at her, it fell on her hands. "Wear this coat and stop shivering." he rebuked. She held it back for him in an outstretched hand, she wouldn't accept however badly she needed its warmth. "I don't need this. Take it back." she said quietly. His fury mounted, he tightened his jaw, glaring at this mulish girl who had dared to refuse his favor. She had refused Arnav Singh Raizada. He snatched back his coat and stormed away.          

 

****

 

"Rain, rain, Nandkissore" Madhumati yelled angrily at the clouds, the pink cloth tied around her head as her migraine kicked again. Payal dialed Khushi's number for the twentieth time, worried sick. It was ten and she hadn't come home yet. "The number you have dialed is currently out of reach." said the voice on the phone. Payal slammed the phone down. "Arre Payaliya, did Sanakadevi pick her phone?" asked Madhumati. Payal hung her head. "Haye re Nandkissore..." Madhumati slapped her forehead continuously. "Do you have the office phone?"

"No buaji. I'll definitely take it today." she said cracking her knuckles in nervousness. She jumped at the knock on the door, "Must be Khushi" she said excited but her face fell seeing Shyam. The lawyer entered pulling down his umbrella, "Hasn't Khushi come home yet?" he asked looking at their worried faces.

"Naahi Babua, even her phone isn't reachable. What is this Sanakadevi upto, Nandkissore, when will you stop giving me heart attacks." the old woman grunted.

"Her phone...? Of course," snapped the lawyer, "they put jammers there near the main office during lightning, the mobile network gets anyway disrupted during rains."

"Do you have the landline number of the main office, I am sure they must have a communication system during such weather." said Payal looking expectantly at him.

Shyam hung his hund, "they must have, but I am sorry I don't have the number."

"Babua," said Madhumati all of a sudden, "you know where the office is, let's go and find her there." Shyam gawked at her, a strange expression crossing his face, "B..buaji there? Okay I'll go, you two stay here." he said reluctantly, picking up his umbrella he marched out.

 

****

 

11:30 pm, Khushi checked her watch sadly. The conference was over, most of the clients had left, she stared at the fast emptying place as cars rolled by, one after the other. She was not going to reach home before 12, she'd miss her sister's birthday for sure. The metro would have shut down by now, was she going to find a taxi? She looked across the street, was it even a good idea to hail a cab? She had to, she had no other option. The rain had slowed but had not ceased. She had never been out of her house this late at night, Delhi's life was never indolent, there were as many cars on the road as they would be during day time. She felt a hand over her shoulder, startled and frightened at the same time she jumped to look behind who it was and immediately relaxed as she noticed the best guy around here right beside her, sorry written all over his face. "Look I am sorry." said Akash Singh Raizada, holding his umbrella above her head.

"Why? Why are you saying sorry?" she asked.

"Sorry for whatever happened with you today, it shouldn't have happened. Hey, I'll drop you home." he said earnestly.

"Please you don't be sorry and thank you but I can manage. I don't need any help." she said looking away.

"No way Khushi, it's too late and it's still raining, I can't let you go alone. It's not safe." he insisted.

"Okay" she sighed and followed him to his car.

 

"Mercedes Benz!!!" Khushi cried and covered her mouth avoiding to say something else. She could be really awkward in situations like these. The chauffer got down and held open the door to the passenger's seat for her, while Akash sat in front, in the co-driving seat. She hesitated before climbing, the upholstery was sparkling white, spotless. "Your seat might get dirty." she said. Akash chuckled, "It's okay, its cleaned every day." She had never sat in a car this big, and a seat so comfy, she had only dreamt of sitting in a Mercedes some day. Afraid she might tumble over it, she crouched near to the window.

"Your family must be worried about you." said Akash.

"You bet, they must be mourning by now. Especially jiji, I mean my sister, I am from Lucknow you see, we call elder sister jiji there." she went on nonstop. "And today is her birthday. We thought I'd be home early today and we'd celebrate but see what happened. I thought I'd buy a gift for her during lunch break, but you know they didn't even give me enough time to breathe, forget buying gift. All because of that Laad Governer..."

"Laad Governer? You mean ASR?"

"I am sorry, but he totally deserves this title, that rude, arrogant ogre of a man!" she went on without realizing her terrible faux pas of abusing him in front of his brother, "I can't understand, how can somebody be so...so..."

"Tough." said Akash, "He's tough because at a very young age he was burdened with lot of responsibilities, causing him to become the way he is."

"Look, I don't know all this, all I know is that his behavior is very bad with me. Look at you, you too work in the same office and by God's grace you too own such a big car, you must be very rich but still you are such a gentleman and that ASR, he's a Monster. Triple named monster."

The driver turned pale, he shot Akash such a frightened glance as if even listening to all this being said about the boss would make him visit his grave. Akash nodded at him silently, gesturing that it was all right. "Well, at times it's not possible to judge somebody's character in a few meets. It depends on the circumstances in which people meet, maybe you met him in bad circumstances." he said.

"Why are you defending him so much?" she retorted.

Because he is my brother. Akash wanted to say but refrained as it might upset her more. "See, you may be right but he has been unimaginably bad with me. And right now because him, my jiji's birthday has spoiled." she said crossly.

"Maybe because I know him a little more than you do." he said smiling, "Would you please pass me my bag."

"Sure." she said giving him a black laptop bag from the rear seat. He unzipped the bag and looked at the magenta dopatta which was still lying there. Certain things aren't meant to reach their destination, he thought. Khushi lived in Lakshmi Nagar, the locality where he had first seen that elusive girl. He wasn't sure whether that girl lived there, the world was a big place, there was no way he was going to meet her again. Perhaps this was the end of his little one-sided love story, even if this dopatta would never reach the person it was meant for, it could still light up somebody's face. "How would this be as a birthday present for your sister?" he asked giving it to Khushi.

"Wow, this such a beautiful dopatta, really very lovely!" she exclaimed. "But sir, I can't take this." she said returning it to him.

"Oh please Khushi, its your sister's birthday, would you go empty handed?"

"Okay, but I will pay you for this, how much..."

"I see, so you haven't forgiven me. This is an insufficient compensation for all that you have gone through today from the marketing head of AR Designs."

Khushi laughed and put it in her bag. "Thank you so so much. Here my house is in the next lane. Take right from the signal please." Khushi rolled down her window.

 

Payal paced in the verandah, the sight of her sister made her heart jump leaps and bounds. "Jiji." Khushi waved before the car could stop, causing Akash to look up for a moment.

Life is full of strange coincidences, our destinies somewhat predefined. We meet people by chance, and we meet them again by the rarer chance. No matter how much we plan, the most important of things, happen to us by fluke.

"She's your sister?" Akash could barely contain the excitement that rushed with his every heartbeat as he saw her waving happily at her younger sister.

"Yeah, she is. Her name is Payal. Why don't you come in, please, we'll cut the cake, we'll have a lot of fun." Khushi chirped. Akash smiled and reached for the door but something stopped him, what was he going to say to her? In his present state of unprecedented glee he was sure about losing a night's sleep and than he remembered Payal's reservations with people owning big cars. "I will, but some other day." he said politely, "but do give her that dopatta, I know she'd love it." he whispered almost to himself.

 

"Arre Payaliya, take the umbrella bitiya, you'll get wet!!" yelled Madhumati from inside.

"Coming Buaji," she yelled back, "Khushi wait, I'll come." she said running inside to get an umbrella.

 

"Wish you a very happy birthday." Akash whispered in a barely audible tone and motioned the driver to pull away.

Payal saw the leaving car, "Whom did you come with Khushi?"

"Jiji that was Akash sir, he's really very nice, one of the few people who make my survival possible there."

 

****

 

The lawyer roamed in the street, at the heart of his dilemma was a girl whom he wanted to reach but his circumstances waged a threatening finger. A threat of consequences.

 

He stopped at a pawn shop, camouflaged in his surroundings, unnoticed by the vehicles on the road. Unnoticed by the Mercedes Benz that zoomed past him, something which the lawyer didn't fail to notice. His eyes darted for the number plate, DL - 5000, recognition sounding an alarm in ears, world was a small place, indeed.

 

Far away from that locality, on the opposite end of the same city, on a very different road, was a very different man, faced with a very different dilemma from the lawyer's. But befuddling is this game of entwined fates, that both their dilemmas concerned the same girl.

Arnav Singh Raizada pressed down the accelerator, driving through the rain on that isolated road. His displeasure aroused from his own thoughts. Frustrated he changed gears, pressed the accelerator further down and then abruptly hit the brake, pressing it down forcefully. He flung open the door, stepping out in the rain and slammed it shut.

The rain drenched his shirt, he ran his fingers through his wet hair, his brain continuously replaying the events of the past two weeks- the events that involved her.

Why? Why...for the first time in my life do I feel that I am doing something wrong, something very wrong? His eyes softened for a moment remembering her face, he slammed his fist into the bonnet of his car, I can't be wrong... He pushed his palms against the canopy of his car, the old conflict of his disarming split characters resurfacing. Swearing, he leaned his muscular frame against the door of the BMW and shut eyes with the back of his head resting against the car top. Cold drops smeared over his face, he felt them wash away the self doubt. A fierce bolt of lightning in the sky made him jerk open his eyes that now reflected equal ferocity. Swords, he mused. Lightening had always awed him, it was wicked and most mortals feared it. Fear was interesting, it debilitated and strengthened one at the same time. He feared being affected and fear turned him feral. He got in his car, hit the ignition and drove away, not a doubt in his mind anymore...

 

                                                                ****   

Edited by cineraria - 9 years ago

simply amazing
loved it;