A/N: As always, every chapter is dedicated to NallyAshlokFan, the sun in my shine, the moon in my light, the chutney to my samosa, the sauce to my fries, the aloo in my paratha, the Shahrukh to my Kajol. You get the drift.
Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction whose characters and original plots are owned by their respective authors, I wish I was one of them but I'm not. The plot changes belong solely to me, thank you.
CHAPTER - 1
Rewind
Diwali 2011
The opulence of Raizada Mansion also known as Shantivan witnessed the purest love on this auspicious Diwali. Arnav Singh Raizada could not take his eyes off Khushi Kumari Gupta. No matter how much he tried to stay away from the girl who makes him "feel." Her simplicity, her grace, her antiques, her smile, her essence keeps him glued to her.
Only Khushi Kumari Gupta can manage to trap herself between burning lamps.
He helped her walk out of the lamp circles, holding her close enough to smell her hair when she wobbled. Why does she always smell so nice? And gods, her skin is so soft. Does she have any idea what this colour on her does to my senses? Oh, she's talking.
"I told you Miss Lavanya, these anklets were my mum's. I don't take them off, they're her last relic."
They're her mum's? Oh shit!
Arnav shuffles his drawers to find the anklet he'd hidden securely. He planned to give it back, how, he had no idea. But, he'll figure it out. He went back to the party to find an excuse to give her the anklet. Yes, I'll give her the anklet and that's why I want to find her. That's my excuse and I'm going to stick with it. Arnav's logical brain inside him was shaking its virtual head at his reasoning.
There she was. He could feel himself walking towards her without any control on his limbs. And he saw her take a step back sub-consciously. She's just as affected as he is.
Gods, she's beautiful.
"Hello, Mr. Raizada!" Arnav turns to greet the man he cannot place the name of. He will have to check with Aman, he's going on about some ridiculous deal and its specifics, nothing that Arnav can recollect at present. Arnav shoots Aman a quick message to get back so he can revisit these business details his Khushi inticed brain refuses to process.
Where is she?
Arnav searches for her all around the house to find her crouching down, lighting the lamps on the Poolside. Wow, the lights make her look ethereal.
"Khushi?"
She turns and slips just in time for him to leap and catch her. Unfortunately, he couldn't dim the sudden impact on her ankle.
"Ow!" she squeaks.
Arnav holds her close and guides her to sit on the poolside bench. He kneels before her to see her face scrunched in pain. He places her hands back on her knees and pulls her foot to rest on his thigh. He can feel her cold feet through the silk of his trousers. He wonders if she can feel his warmth through her foot.
He lifts her saree and places it above her ankle. This is the first time he's deliberately touching her. Granted, it's to ease her pain because her pain sears his heart. But, the feel of her soft skin still renders him speechless. He sets her foot right. He can feel her dainty fingers hold him tightly.
The pain has receded. She pulls her foot back only to feel his hand holding her foot and placing it back on his thigh. What is he doing? He pulls out a shiny object from his pocket and places it on her ankle. Mum's anklet! But, but this was lost! How did he find it? His hand caresses her foot lightly permitting her to remove it from his warm thigh.
He takes a step back to make space for her to stand. I should go back; I've given her the anklet now. He starts walking away from her and that weird "feeling" in heart makes him uncomfortable again. What is this feeling? Does she feel it too? Is she in as much pain? Will it ever stop hurting?
He starts walking towards her, pain in his heart depleting with every step. Something deep inside him tells him this is right. She is right. She is gorgeous. She is effervescent. She is everything.
Why is he coming here? What is the meaning of this? What are we doing? Khushi's heart was working overtime. Her sub-conscious was taking a step back from the impending doom that Arnav Singh Raizada's steps towards her will bring. She hits the wall and he enters her elbow space.
His eyes are drinking her in. They are riveting from her cheeks, her eyes, her lips, back to her eyes. He places his hand on her soft cheek, holding her face in one hand. He lifts the annoying fringe of her hair and palms her face. He draws her closer to him, pinning her to the wall by his hips and his chest. He can feel her whole body trembling for him.
Up close, her beauty is just as unmarred. Up close, it's just me and her mirroring each other's stance. Up close, I'm just as boy who is mesmerised by a girl. Up close, I'm just one inch away from her lips.
**insert most annoying ringtone known to mankind**
And suddenly, the mirror cracks.
Aman, reverting to Arnav's message, unknowingly shattered the delicate bubble Arnav crafted around him and Khushi. Reality came crashing down on him. He slowly removed his hands from her face, inching his face away from hers, breathing her in for what he was sure the last time.
Before he could insert even more space between them, Khushi palmed his cheek and uttered a soft, "Please, not today."
Three words, it took three soft words from her lips to completely break his faltering resolve. The pull between them was too strong to ignore. "Not today," today is too special for them. Today is theirs. Tomorrow can bring all their differences to face but today, today she is his and he is hers.
And suddenly, he feels her lips on his. Her soft lips planted a hard bruising kiss on his lips. She pulled his face back into hers and supported her weight on the wall. His hips involuntarily dug into hers, his hands threaded through her hair. She pulled his hair, he deepened the kiss. His tongue battled hers. Deep hard kisses turned into slow languid ones only to become deeper and harder than before. His hands travelled from her tresses to her shoulders, down her arms, to her waist. His thumb slowly caressed her waist while his lips were licking, sucking, biting and kissing all around her neck and collar bones.
**insert annoying ringtone again**
A collective groan was heard on the poolside from the tangled mass of limbs. As if they were one person, making a singular distressed noise. The kisses slowed down as the ringtone's shrill notes grew impossible to ignore.
Arnav placed his forehead against hers, his nose touching hers. His eyes turned to steel right before he picked up the phone. Khushi heard a panicked voice of Anjali on the other side; she felt Arnav's breath shallow. Khushi sighed as she saw him turn abruptly and walk away without a word or a second glance.
xoxo
"Hey! Stop! Rewind! That's not what happened." Khushi protests.
"But you wished it did." Arnav smirks.
"Of course, I wished Mr. Arnav, it was one of my few regrets." Khushi looks at Arnav's smirk getting curvier.
"That you didn't plant a bruising kiss on my lips?" Arnav quips.
"That I didn't say no' and hold you back." Khushi rests her head on his shoulders.
Arnav kisses her forehead, "That's the beauty of heaven Khushi, you can do just about anything here. Past, present, future, it's all the same here."
"This is heaven?" Khushi grins.
"Of course it is, why else do you think you're wearing a red saree. The colour takes your beauty to a next level, I swear."
Khushi laughs at his loopy smile.
"What next?" She enquires.
"You tell me." He answers.
xoxo
A/N: So, in case my poor writing has left you stranded and without an explanation, I would reiterate that the theme of this story is to Stop, Rewind and Play' a few scenes that Khushi wishes to see/relive from her life with slight meaningful alterations that may or may not change the course of her life. They can be read as a collection of One-Shots. I'm not very sure about my posting schedule for now, I'm sorry.
Bindi
Udne Ki Aasha
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
12