Arshi FF ~Falling Out Of Love~ *Chapter 18* Pg 126 **UPDATED** 31/5 - Page 21

Arnav stirred on the bed as the first rays of morning sun came through the french windows of the room. He dug his face more into the pillow and continue to sleep deeply. His brows frowned as a sound disturbed him, like someone is in pain. He dug his head completely into the pillow not allowing the painful sound to disturb his sleep. It came again and groaning, Arnav sat up with his eyes closed and listen from where the sound is coming from. As he listened intently for a second, he gathered that its coming from his room only. He opened his eyes reluctantly, a scowl on his face, but it disappeared as soon as he saw who was making those sounds. Leaping out from the bed, Arnav all but jumped towards the couch as soon as he saw Khushi with scrunched eyes and writhing and whimpering on the couch, and was near to falling from it.

With careful and gentle hands Arnav took Khushi in his arms. He whispered soothing words in her ears while rubbing his hands up and down her back. Khushi slowly relaxed and was sleeping in his arms. Thinking to waking up her now rather than to let the bad dream come to her again, he softly said, "Khushi, wake up..."

As she was only waiting for his voice to call out to her for her to come out the state of sleep, Khushi opened her eyes, revealing the red lines inside, indication of what she has gone through just now.

"You okay?" Arnav asked concerned for her.

"Huh?" Khushi looked at him and blinked the remanents of the dream before focusing his gaze on him again. Taking in where she was, or better in whose arms she was, Khushi's eyes widened and she pushed Arnav away from her.

Arnav fell back on the couch, nearly balancing himself on his forearms. Before he could even ask why the hell she did that, he heard her nearly shout, "Don't touch me!!"

"What!!" Arnav sat upright looking at her incredulously!! "Are you out of your mind?"

"You are out of your mind! How dare you touch me??!! I have told earlier specifically only that you can't expect me to sleep with--"

"SHUT UP!!!" Arnav yelled, his face red with anger by being misjudged. "You really think I touched you because I wanted to sleep with you?!!?" His voice never mellowed down. "Do you really think that?" He stared at her fear stricken face. "Are you f**kING kidding me!!?" His voice turned hoarse by yelling so much. Khushi continued to look at him, stilled as she's his this side for the first time. "Khushi Singh Raizada! Take a good look at me and what I am! I had and can have any girl I want to sleep with me! Girls want one night stand with me, I have never had to persue them! They come willingly to me! So get over yourself! I don't want to sleep with you!"

"But you had me in your arms---"

"Because you were f**king having a nightmare! Because I thought to take you out of it!" Arnav stood up racking his fingers in sleep tousled hairs. "I did what I have always--" He stoped abruptly, breathing heavily, he turned to look at Khushi, "Look I am soory that I touched you." Taking a deep breath he willed himself to calm down. "It will not happen again and I am sorry once again!" Arnav left the room with Khushi slumping down the couch cursing herself again and again inside her head.

****

"Anjali! Anjali!" Khushi screamed near an oblivious Anjali, who was bobbling her head up and down with head phones attached to her head, her eyes closed. "Anjali!!!!!!!" Khushi screamed in her ear but no effect.

Anjali was listening to a rock music in full volume and the song can be heard from outside clear enough! Having no other choice, Khushi snapped the head phones off of Anjali's head. "Where is your brother, Anjali?"

Startled, Anjali looked for a second before she could comprehend Khushi's words."I..don't know bhabhi...He must be in his room. Where would he go so early?" Anjali scrunched her eyebrows, "Generally he sleeps till 9, how come he is up so early today?"

Khushi signed in resignation. So he had gone out of the house! She just wanted to...well she has to wait for him to come home. "I don't know Anjali! So tell me why are bursting your ears this early morning?"

Anjali smiled at her bhabhi. This is the first time they are talking to each other alone. "This is my daily routine bhabhi! My sleep doesn't go away till I have not listened to at least ten songs in full volume." She pouted looking at Khushi, "What to do bhabhi...See what all we have to do to go to that pathetic place that people call college!" Anjali grimaced as she spoke the word college.

Khushi shook her head at Anjali, smiling at her antics. Teenagers!

Suddenly Anjali looked at Khushii with twinkling eyes and wide grin on her face. "Bhabhiii..." Anjali patted the vacant place near her. Khushi took it and raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Do you want to know all bhaiya's secrets?"

For one second Khushi didn't know what to say. Like any other person she was curious to know about him but on the other hand it was wrong for her to know anything about him when she had not revealed much about herself to him. Before Khushi could say anything, Anjali started talking.

"You know bhabhi, bhaiya was a very naughty child when he was small. He used to tug my pigtails to tease me...and i used to beat with my small hand and the nerve of him, he used to laugh at me saying he is feeling like i am ticking him rather punching him with all my might!" Anjali sighed remembering old days a small smile on her face. "How good those days were and now I have college and billions of books to study!"

Khushi laughed looking at Anjali's scowling face. "Yeah laugh at me bhabhi because you have already gone through this phase and are free from it." Anjali shook her head ," Sorry got side tracked! So he was like any other annoying brother one sister can have but you know he was and is very caring about me! He used to take me to the places where mom and dad never used to give permission for as I was too small for it but he used to sneak us out of the house and used to surprise me by taking me to those places. He has always made my wishes come true."

Khushi had small smile on her face as she listened about Arnav and Anjali's childhood.

"And one secret bhabhi..." Anjali leaned Khushi's ear and whispered. "No body knows it! Not even dad and mom!"

"What!" Khushi whispered back.

"He used to check up on me in the middle of the night especially when I had seen a horror movie . I used to be very scared of ghosts but being a stubborn child as I was, I used to watch them. But bhaiya knew that I'll be getting bad dreams about them so he used to check up on me that night more than once and if I was having a bad dream he used to take me in his arms and used to speak very softly you know. Very, very softly. To take me out of it by not just waking me up from it but by taking me out from inside and then he used to wake me up and would bring ice cream for me!" Khushi's heart stopped hearing it. Then she remembered Arnav's words.

Because you were f**king having a nightmare! Because I thought to take you out of it!

I did what I have always--

"But please bhabhi..." Anjali continued..."Do not tell him that. Bhaiya would kill me! It was our secret!"

"No..no anjali..I won't tell him anything!" Khushi reassured her.. Inside she was feeling sick. Where are you Arnav?

"You know he was the captain of basket ball team in his college?" Anjali asked.

"Yeah, I know." Khushi spoke distracted, her mind on Arnav and where he could be!

"How ?" Anjali frowned.

That had khushi's attention." What did you think Anjali? I would have married you brother without knowing anything about him? And by the way if don't know you he is very famous!" Khushi said teasingly.

Khushi's eyes dropped on the table clock in front of her. Its been an hour since Arnav had gone out of the house. He would probably be back to home. "Anjali you should start getting for college or you would get late!"

Anjali jumped from the bed. "Oh yeah bhabhi! Talk to you later!" She shouted as she banged the bathroom's door shut!

Khushi looked for Arnav in his room, then on the terrace, then in his parents room, everywhere! But he was not in any of the room. Felling dejected Khushi decided to make breakfast for everyone. She entered kitchen only to see Arnav putting the bottle back inside the fridge. He turned and stopped to look at her before resuming to walk out of the kitchen. Khushi grabbed his wrist as he passed by her. Arnav turned to face her only see her moist eyes. "Khushi, what happened?" Arnav immediately got concerned.

"I am sorry..." khushi whispered looking straight in his eyes.

"Look, khushi its ok! It was an misunderstanding!" Arnav said but khushi knew he was still somewhere angry with her.

"I am sorry Arnav. I shouldn't have just accused you like this! But please understand I was having a nightmare and when I found myself in your...I was pretty much shaken from the nightmare already and I know it doesn't justify the way accused you but know this Arnav, I was in my right mind that time. " Khushi took his hand in both of hers and pleaded with her eyes for him to understand her.

Arnav gave her a small smile, "Its ok khushi. I understand! I know that you don't want to share anything about yourself but i am going to ask you anyway. "

"What?" Please don't...

"What was the nightmare? What were you afraid of?"

"Oh its just nothing...you know how dreams are. It was the mixture of all the ugly things that my mind could conjure that have witnessed in my life till now and made it more ugly! "

"Oh! I think it could be because of the new place?" Arnav guessed.

Khushi nodded in agreement ," Yeah, I used to having nightmare in new places until I adjust to it."

"Well don't expect me to be there for you when you have your next nightmare!" Arnav teased her.

"What ?" Khushi stared at him wide eyed.

"Khushi, I am joking!" Arnav laughed looking at her serious face. "But promise you will not push or anything. I love body and I don't want anything to happen to it!"

Khushi rolled her at him. Walking inside the kitchen , she asked," What is you favorite meal?"

Arnav followed her, "Why? You want to buy my forgiveness?"

"Umm...something like that!"

"Ok, then my favourite meals are...Biryani, Paneer ki sabzi, Puri, Suji ka halwa and the Kheer you made yesterday. " He finished with a wink.

Khushi's jaw dropped. "I am not going to make all of these things! Choose one!"

Arnav pouted at her childishly. "But you said you will make my favorite meal!"

"I said meal not meals, Arnav!"

"Ok, ok...don't shout. Just make Paneer ki sabzi and puri for me!" Arnav stood tall, looking down at her, "Look I am so dayalu...I have such a big heart! I gave you my forgiveness only for Paneer and Puri when I could have made you do anything!" Arnav puffed his chest up.

Khushi just snickered at him. "Now go from here King, or you will be responsible if you get your shaahi meal late or worst burnt! "

"Yeah, I am going! Just make it tasty!" Arnav said going out.

"Of couse, jahapana!" Khushi yelled back.

So, how was it!!! Comments please!!