#1 Arhi FF : Limerence [ Completed ] - Page 26

Limerence : Part 3

Delhi was a drowning city. It had been a rainy week and unluckily for Khushi, the untimely breaking down of her autorickshaw only added to her owes. The Saturday morning had started out gloomily for her, with Garima running a mild temperature. Khushi had deliberated calling NK and telling him about her issues, but she knew how important today was for her work. She was directly working on something Arnav Singh Raizada wanted and this kind of opportunity was extremely rare.

Sprinting through the house, Khushi did all the household chores, cooked up some comfort food for her mother, made sure that the medicines were at home, called a neighbourhood aunty and instructed her to keep an eye on her mother and lastly, took a promise out of her amma to call her immediately, if anything went wrong. "Khushi, main teri amma hoon... tu meri nahi!" Garima had admonished her daughter and sent her off to work.

Hence, Khushi was running terribly late, fumbling around in the lashing rain to find an auto. Finally managing to find one, when she thought her problems were over, the auto came to an abrupt halt. Another half an hour was spent simply finding another one. By the time Khushi reached ARD, she was a nervous wreck, worried about being more than an hour late to work. Paying the driver in a rush, she dashed towards the entrance.

As soon as she was in the lobby, she saw that the elevator doors were open and made a mad dash towards them. Panting for her breath as she made it just in time, before the doors closed, she turned to press the button to her floor, only to be surprised to see that it didn't exist. She looked around anxiously on both the sides to spot the button. "You are in the wrong lift," a husky voice broke through her confusion, as she registered the presence of another man in the lift.

Arnav had seen a blur of green, sprint through the lift doors before they shut. He silently watched the thin, fragile girl, wearing a pale green salwar kurta that clung to her body. It was completely drenched and she wasn't even aware of how it molded to her skin. Her hair was tied in a long, thick plait and Arnav wondered if girls these days, even tied their hair this way. Besides the line of kohl below her luminous eyes, her face was devoid of any makeup. His eyes had lingered on her full lips, before she started fumbling around to find the buttons of the floors, which lay beneath the ones, this lift was headed to.

Khushi twirled around to face the stranger. It took her a moment to realize who he was and when she did... she gasped in shock. Blinking her eyes in quick succession, she muttered to herself for falling into trouble. "Hey Devi Maiyya!! Today's day is going haywire and now I have landed myself into trouble." She shook her head, rebuking herself to have walked right into trouble.

Arnav looked at her form, shivering from the cold as well as fear. He had no clue as to why he felt the sudden need to calm her down. "Hey... relax! It is not a crime to get onto this lift. It is not like crossing the LOC. So don't worry too much. The other lift goes up to the thirteenth floor as well, so take it down to whichever floor you work at, okay?" he said as gently as possible, lightening the charged atmosphere in the closeted lift.

She nodded mutely and shrunk to a corner, silently praying for the lift to reach its destination as soon as possible. Despite the fact that she was working on a brief, directly from ASR... to actually meet the man in contention, unnerved her. His powerful aura, the air of confidence around him, made her anxious. She fidgeted, adjusting her dupatta unnecessarily. She could feel his intense gaze on her as she felt a shiver run up her spine.

The lift pinged and the door finally opened to the thirteenth floor. Khushi scampered out, to immediately rush towards the other lift, not wanting to remain on the floor that she had no right to be on, for more time than necessary. "What is your name?" she heard his deep voice again, making her halt in her tracks. She turned around once again and stuttered, "K.. Khushi."

Arnav smiled at her. Happiness. What a name for the girl who hadn't yet faked a smile at him, tried to flirt with him or make unusual conversations only to get into the good books of ARD's owner. This was rare and he felt intrigued by this simple girl. He noticed the plain clothes she wore... it was unlike how people dressed in the fashion industry. However, he didn't miss the huge flower on her shoulder. The work and detailing in the flower, was a drastic contrast to the cheap material. It was rich in its design and execution.

"KKG? What are you doing here?" NK's shocked voice broke through his thoughts, as he looked over at his cousin, walking excitedly towards... Khushi. Arnav saw that Khushi had visibly relaxed in NK's presence and felt a wave of displeasure, as to why she felt unnerved around him. "Woh Nanheji... I took the wrong lift... I got late today as my auto broke down and then due to heavy downpour; I could not find another auto. In hurry to reach work, I got into the wrong lift, which does not stop on our floor," Khushi responded, her voice so melodious, that Arnav's heart skipped a beat.

"Hey hey hey! Relax Khushi. You don't have to give so many explanations. And anyways you are working on a holiday, so its ok if you come to work a little late. I am not going to fine you for it," NK said teasingly and turned to a stoically standing Arnav. "Arnav, meet KKG... Khushi Kumari Gupta, the one we were discussing about a few days ago. She is working on Payal bhabhi's saree and is our talented star employee."

Arnav didn't miss the blush that adorned her pale cheeks, at being complimented so vocally. The red and pink hues spreading across her milky white face, made his heart flutter in excitement. Why was he feeling such juvenile emotions, all of a sudden? Seeing the reds, he realized how beautiful she would look in rich, bright colours. The pale, dull colours she wore, was such a contrast to her beaming smile that was directed towards NK. A bout of jealousy surged forward, as he introduced himself, "Hi Khushi, I am Arnav Singh Raizada."

Khushi looked into his warm caramel eyes, which seemed to be intently peeking into her soul. Why did she feel so flustered in his presence? It had been a while since she felt intimated by someone. But then he was the hot-shot ASR, rich, famous and if she would admit to herself, outrageously handsome. She felt butterflies in her stomach as he said her name in his deep, husky voice. All she could manage was a small squeak in response, "Hi sir."

Arnav noticed her trembling form and quickly instructed NK, "NK, please give her a change of clothes and if you don't mind, send her up to my studio to work on the saree. I would like to overlook the design myself." NK nodded in agreement and dragged Khushi to the other lift, asking her if she would be ok to change into one of the dresses from their older collections. Arnav stood rooted to the spot, as he saw the duo enter the other lift and its doors closing graciously.

What had just happened? He realized that in the past fifteen minutes, he had behaved completely out of character. He was not purposefully rude ever. However, he was not friendly or kind towards his employees either. He preferred to keep to himself and never talked more than necessary. Then what had brought about the change today? His mind felt muddled like the huge windowpanes of the building, which had fogged with moisture. He needed a strong cup of black coffee... that would definitely clear up his head, he decided. Swiftly turning around, he made his way towards his huge cabin, which shared a common door with his personal studio... where Khushi would begin her work soon.

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Given an opportunity to any girl, to choose a dress from the huge range of collections from a well-renowned fashion house, she would have gone wild and chosen a shimmering outfit for herself. However, this was Khushi... his KKG, whose simplicity and innocence, was what attracted him to her. NK looked over at her tiny form, holding the exquisite saree in her hands, as she looked at the unfinished work nervously. She had chosen a simply Lucknowi kurti and pants for herself and was now anxiously waiting for the lift.

"Hey relax, KKG! Arnav is not too bad. He is not going to scold you or threaten you, if he does not like what you have done. It is because he has faith in your talent, that he has chosen you for this job. Plus, don't worry. I will be around if things get out of control, ok?" NK tried to calm the poor thing down. He had no idea why he felt so possessive and protective about her. He had long ago rejected the notion that it was because she was his friend.

He felt more... deep... true and potent. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. He had had a long string of girlfriends, what with the riches he had been accustomed to. But the moment Khushi had entered his life, all other women seemed to fade in comparison. She felt like a breath of fresh air and being with her, brought him happiness.

Very early in these feelings, he had realized one thing that Khushi was too innocent, naive and unaffected by the stirrings of her heart. She was focused on work and that was all that mattered to her. She did not mingle with people around and did not bother to talk to him, more than necessary. A lot of times, he had felt that she resembled his somber cousin, Arnav. Hence, he had decided to take things slow between them.

Being friends was the safest option to get to know her better and not actually scaring her with what he felt. She had slowly and steadily opened upto him, getting comfortable with his presence. However, he knew, he still had a long way to go. She had rebuffed all of his coffee invitations, refused any kind of lifts to be dropped home, or all of his party invites. He knew that they were from drastically different worlds, but he truly wanted to find a middle way out.

"Nanheji, thank you for everything," Khushi spoke up, her eyes twinkling with gratitude towards the man, who had gone out of his way to put her at ease in ARD. She would always be indebted to his friendship and guidance in those dark times, when she needed a friend the most. They were finally on the topmost floor, heading towards the studio, where only a few privileged were allowed.

Khushi felt her heart burst with happiness and excitement, as she entered the studio and began her work. NK had said that he would get back to their floor, to overlook another set of jobs that needed immediate attention. He had instructed her to call him, if she needed any help. With the threads and soft chiffon spread across the table, Khushi began her work silently... lost in the world of silk threads that interwove to form beautiful patterns and designs.

That is how Arnav found her a couple of hours later, lost in another world, her hands moving swiftly over the rich blue fabric. He had walked in through the door that connected the studio with his cabin. She was still unaware of his presence. Peeking over her shoulder he looked at the beautiful motifs she had been weaving over the shaded material. He cleared his throat to grab her attention as she immediately startled.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. You seemed so engrossed in your work," he said immediately, hoping to make her relax a bit. She smiled at him in response and held the fabric vertically, showing him the work. "What do you think? Is it what you had envisioned for the saree? I wish Nidhantji was here to guide me," she said softly. Her voice held nervousness and anticipation. The silence in the room added her breathing to resonate in the empty studio.

"I love the fabric you guys have selected, the blue merging into purple. Adds to the magic of this piece. However, I have to tell you that this is not what I had envisioned for the saree..." he paused dramatically, as her face fell in gloom. She felt terrible, an unknown pain to have let him down. She had so wanted to show him her talent, hear words of appreciation. Even through her scattered nerves, she had focused on the task at hand and tried to give it her best shot. But looked like her best shot was not good enough for the owner of AR Designs.

He felt like a heel to joke about her work. It was unusual for him to do so and yet here he was, testing her reaction, to his reaction. Looking at her dejected face, he rushed to clear himself and said, "It is better... much better than I envisioned. It is stunning. The lotus forms that you have chosen, add to the beauty of this blue. As if a string of lotuses are floating across a placid lake. The rich threads of dull gold and bright blue, create a beautiful contrast yet amalgamate into one. It's a stunner Khushi... its beauuutiful!"

Her eyes brightened with happiness, as a nervous smile bloomed over her face. Why did that smile make his lips quirk upward in a very rare smirk? "Thank you," she mumbled shyly, as they both looked at the saree sprawled on the table. "Well actually, I am glad that the design does not have too much work. It was only the pallu, that needed this work, while the rest of the saree is plain, with a rich heavy border. I don't think I would have been able to finish this by tonight."

He nodded in agreement and apologized, "I am sorry again, for making you work on the weekend. It is very rare in ARD that people work on their days off. I believe in having a good balance between personal and professional life which I think only elevates the output of work, when people are at work." Khushi was extremely impressed with his ideologies, and involuntarily had relaxed around him, which was a very rare feat.

Seating himself across the table he asked, "I hope I am not disturbing you." She shook her head in denial. What were the chances of a simple employee, way down the corporate ladder, getting to spend some time with the owner of the company? She knew this was a one off, and wanted to make the most of it. She knew she could learn a lot from his experience. The way he had put an idea into the design of the saree, was splendid. Now she could actually see the lotuses floating over a dark placid lake.

"Where did you learn all these embroidery styles from? Have you done any course in fabrics and designing?" Arnav asked conversationally. "No. I learned it from my mother. Amma has been a seamstress all her life. I have grown up looking at draperies and threads, working on various kinds of embroideries with different tailors. Initially it was only to help out amma. However, as years flew by, I was pulled into this colourful world, making me greedy to learn more and more," Khushi replied sincerely.

"Then you are a genius," Arnav could not stop himself from complimenting her. Her eyes shone with happiness at his appraisal. People had always made fun of their profession, mocked her mother and teased Khushi for pursuing stitching, despite having a graduation degree. "Well, I always believed that more than a formal degree, what matters is hands on experience. Frankly you are no intern for ARD... you are one of the senior most experienced people of this organization. Your work reflects the hours you have put into this field... the dedication you have towards stitching," Arnav said genuinely... remembering his father's words.

Khushi's eyes teared up, as the warmth of his words engulfed her. Respect... one word, one emotion... that she had craved for all her life... he was giving that to her. So what if it was for her work? Her work was her identity. She was a seamstress's daughter and she had always been proud of it. "Hey, everything I said was a compliment... then why are you crying?" Arnav's panicked voice distracted her. Wiping away the lone tear that had rolled down her cheek, she said jokingly... "Khushi ke aasoon... kya karein!"

The studio was filled with laughter from the two souls... who had forgotten to laugh; along the path their lives had taken. Now that their paths had aligned, it was a wonder how two strangers who barely opened up to the world, had managed to connect with each other. That was the thought that struck a stupefied NK, who stood rooted at the door, listening to the delicious laughter of the two people, he loved dearly.

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"There sir, it's done. I have gotten the saree ironed and wrapped in one of our finest boxes. I hope Payalji likes your gift," Khushi said, as she placed the huge box on the table. Arnav looked away from his laptop to her tired face. He knew that completing this task was almost impossible for a junior. It was only because of Khushi's expertise and dedication, that she was able to finish this beautiful design. "Thank you," he said with genuine warmth.

"Sir, if there is nothing else for me, can I make a move? It is already past ten and amma has been calling me up every half an hour to ask when I am getting done," Khushi said nervously. Arnav looked at his watch in utter shock. "F**k! I completely lost the track of time. My maasi is going to take my case today. Off course you can leave Khushi. I am actually very sorry to keep you so late at work," he apologized profusely.

Khushi giggled and replied, "Its not a problem sir. I better rush now. Have fun at the engagement party tomorrow. And don't worry about your maasi. Nanheji left long ago. I am sure he will watch your back." Arnav smiled and asked, "How will you be going home Khushi? It's quite late in the night. I can drop you on the way." She stiffened and he noticed her worried face.

"It is fine sir. I will manage. I am used to it and would not like to bother you at all," she tried to be as polite as possible, without hurting his feelings. He saw her hesitance and dropped the subject of giving her a lift. There definitely was a story behind it. "Ok then. Take the company's car. The driver will drop you to wherever you want. No arguments on that," he said sternly as she nodded in agreement.

As soon as she had turned to leave, Arnav remembered one last thing. "Khushi..." he called out and she turned to face him immediately, a question etched beautifully on her exquisite face. "From the next time we meet, call me Arnav. I feel like a strict schoolteacher when you call me sir," he joked, earning a giggle from her. So innocent it sounded, when the smile reached her eyes... the eyes that held a tumult of pain, that seemed to beckon him. "Ok Arnavji," she said and scurried out of his cabin, leaving behind her thoughts, with the man who was used to only loneliness.

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Part 4

I had to, had to, had to update something today. And because I have no other story in my kitty, this story gets a quicker update again. Ab kya karein... anything for the birthday boy, Barun Sobti. The only man, who made all my facade of being cool and not fangirling over any actor... crumble into pieces. The man because of whom, I am teased, tortured, taunted and told off by my husband, friends and family. The man, who was ASR and ASR was him, for me. Sigh! I miss seeing him act and I do hope to see him onscreen soon... big or small, never mattered to fans like us. A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY Barun... hope you have a very happy and successful year ahead!