ArHi SS: Inertia [Completed] - Page 5

Seems different, fresh and probably everything that I was searching for.

Waiting for the future chapters.

Everything is so familiar !!! I felt I was reading a leaf off my own journal !

03. Summertime blues

Two days after meeting Venkat, Khushi stood in her father's study wringing her hands. She hadn't realized how important his affirmation to her job was till she was standing in front of him and waiting for his answer.

"For one, he is legit," Shashi said twirling his spectacles. "And his excavations are legit. And do you know what the best part is?" He asked, grinning. Khushi shook her head. "He doesn't like driving above 50 kilometer per hour which makes a father's heart like mine, super happy."

Khushi rolled her eyes. "So? Can I work?"

Shashi shrugged. "I don't see why not? I may now know Dr. Venkat directly but I did find that few my friends in academic circles have tremendous amount of respect for him. Also, you know, slow driving and just three or four days a week."

"So I can work." Khushi said gleefully.

Shashi laughed.

"Khushi?" He called before she stepped out of the study. She turned around and waited expectantly as he tried to string words together. "Is everything okay?" He asked finally.

Khushi looked confused. "Yeah...everything is fine. What are you talking about?"

He shook his head. "I haven't seen you and Payal together for some days now."

Khushi forced a grin on her face. "We hang out." She said simply. Her cheerful disposition reduced a bit of tension from his shoulders.

"Okay then. Off you go. Don't spend all your hard earned money on unnecessary things, okay?" He gave sage fatherly advice which he knew she wouldn't follow. Well, it was mostly to tell Garima that he talked to Khushi and that was that.

Shooting off a text to the kind doctor, she decided to hit the mall and buy books. Now that she knew how slow the progress during excavation really was, she wanted all possible avenues to keep her boredom at bay, open. Books, were on top of the list. She grinned at the eloquent response text from doctor which basically asked her to drop by his office in the evening. And that gave her five hours to browse the bookstore, read some magazines and buy whatever fancied at the moment.

She smiled like a lunatic seeing the bookstore almost empty. She waved at the girls manning the counter and blew a kiss to a salesgirl docking the videogame section. She had become a familiar fixture in the store and they didn't mind when she hung around them and demanded to use the store's database.

She stilled when laughter followed.

"Khushi!" She turned around and saw Payal waving at her like a maniac. Khushi grinned in response. If she cheered internally when Lavanya's smile dimmed, no one could tell.

"What are you doing here?" Khushi asked Payal ignoring Lavanya, Akash and Akash's cousin Arnav.

"I saw you go in and wanted to say hi." Payal giggled.

"I am glad you did. We don't see each other much otherwise," Khushi tried to keep bitterness to a minimum but it crept anyway. Thankfully Payal was blissfully oblivious.

"Don't you guys live together?" Arnav asked, scratching his head. Khushi looked at him and shrugged.

"I wonder about that sometimes." She replied softly. "Not that it matters." She added cheerfully.

"We are going to this movie, you want to come?" Lavanya asked before Arnav and Khushi started and dragged yet another metaphor heavy conversation. Payal along with Akash were distracted by a message on her cell phone making Khushi wonder if Lavanya's posturing was necessary at all.

Khushi smiled thinly. "I was at the house when you and Payal left. You didn't invite me then. Why now? Are you that desperate for Payal's approval?" Khushi hissed the last part.

Lavanya's face fell and she shuffled on her feet and backed away towards Akash and Payal. Khushi felt horrid the moment the words left her mouth and Arnav's disappointment filled face didn't help further.

"Really?" Arnav rounded on her. "You cannot have one conversation without antagonizing her?"

"Really? You cannot allow people to fight their own battles? Or Lavanya is an exception?" Khushi replied.

"She is an exception, of course. She is my friend." Arnav bit out.

Khushi recoiled as if slapped. "Thanks for that implied reminder that I am, in fact, not your friend. Not that you had to iterate it as it was and has been an obvious truth." Khushi said harshly.

"Khushi...I didn't mean..." Arnav said, face filled with regret.

"Whatever." Khushi said. Not giving him a chance to reply, she fled the store mumbling having to do things.

Her good mood was gone and she decided to pester Dr. Venkat instead. If not anything, she would simply sit in a corner, read his books, eat his food and forget reality for few hours.

what is Lavanya's problem with Khushi???

WOW!! superb update dear...loved it...

why is payal ignoring khushi??
cant she see how alone she is??
and every where that lavnya😡
and now arnav also worsen her mood...
feeling bad for her...

I thought Khushi will meet arnav at the doctors, but he is with la and gang.

Just caught up in the 5 mins. Break I stole from loud kids and their friends. They just took over the house for the 4 day weekend. Love the concept. Not a nice feeling being left out. On the other hand I don't think Payal is doing this on purpose either. I think at some point the separation slowly starts to creep in as your social circle starts expanding. Payal may want to keep her friends separate from her family too. That's not me but I know many close friends and family members who are like that. Kudos to Kushi though for not sitting around and brooding. The long drive landed her a job and may I say what a freaking job? Wow, I love Indiana Jones and digging around. She is in for a great summer vacation. She will learn so much and make her own circle of friends.

Kushi's way of seeing things around her and her convictions are quite contradictory, not that I couldn't connect with her plight,

I thought I would see Arnav at Excavation.. but I'm seeing him as Akash's cousine still I can keep those hopes ,may be!?



"Thanks for that implied reminder that I am, in fact, not your friend. Not that you had to iterate it as it was and has been an obvious truth"
Really Kushi? and after saying this line she left the place, not even listening to any explanation from Regretted Arnav 😲
Poor Arnav couldn't even sleep after this..I can imagine ASR of IPK style: keeping his hands in his pockets, strolling around his room, rewinding that line again and again. rewinding kushi's face again and again,😆 sounds quite dramatic yet that line was really 🤢


I don't think , I can guess anything about the next update, your way of writing is unpredictable..

Can I request you: What is the genre of this story?

PS: Thanks for the regular updates ! :)

I was so sure that Arnav and Khushi will meet at the excavation site.