Part-2: Aisa kyon hota hai...
'Faraq padtha hai, Khushi! Kyon ki baat tumhari hai isliye faraq padtha hai. Kisi aur ki hota tho nahin padtha'(It matters, Khushi! Because it's you, it matters! If it were someone else, maybe it wouldn't!)'Kyon? Humse kyon faraq padtha hai aap ko?' she riled him up again!(Why? Why do I matter?)Arnav jerked her up from the bed as he took her in his arms. Khushi's breath left her in a whoosh as he yelled,
'Because I love you dammit!'Khushi sat back down on the bed with a thud and kept staring at him, stunned at his proclamation! She tried to speak but no words would come. Arnav looked at her shocked face and waited with bated breath for her to acknowledge what he'd just said. He realized his palms were clammy. He was suddenly nervous about her reaction.
'Khushi?' he gently shook her, cupping her cheeks. When he got nothing but silence, his heart started thudding loudly. He sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in a tight embrace. 'I love you' he whispered slowly in her ears, again and again. Khushi neither hugged him back nor pulled away...she remained limp in his arms.
Arnav's felt his throat dry up. He felt that she was slipping away from him. That sent a jolt to his heart and he felt an unbearable pain. Heart? He didn't even know it existed until this beautiful thing in his arms came into his life. His eyes welled up. Khushi slowly extricated herself from him and looked down at her hands. Arnav's heart squeezed some more when she wouldn't even meet his eyes.
Rejection!
...this is what it felt like
...this was probably his own doing
How easily he had gone closer to her and then rejected her in a matter of few minutes! And to top it, he had announced his engagement with Lavanya. How had she borne it? He didn't think he could! He got up swiftly and turned around and took a couple of steps towards the door to leave. But then he halted in his tracks. He put his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet as he spoke.'Main tumse kuch poochna chahtha hoon Khushi. Aisa kyon hota hai...jab bhi tum mere pass aati ho mere dil ki dhadkan tez ho jathi hai. Maine samajh ne ki bahut koshish ki, lekin samajh nahin paya. bhulana chahtha hoon par bhula nahi paata hoon. Aisa kyon hota hai?'(I want to ask you, Khushi...why does my heart rate increase when you come near? I tried to understand but couldn't. I want to forget, but I am not able to. Why does it happen?)
He paused as his throat clogged up with unshed tears. If she went away from him, he wouldn't be able to breathe. As a small tear ran down the corner of his eye, he continued in a strangled whisper...
'Batao na? Aisa kyon hota hai? Meri dil ki dhadkan meri saanson bhi tez ho jaati hai'
(Tell me? Why does it happen? My heart thuds faster than my breath)
Khushi stared at his back even as tears silently flowed down her face.
'Khushi, tumne ab tak mere sawal ka jawab nahin diya' he sounded so broken that it tugged at Khushi's heartstrings.
(Khushi, you haven't answered my question)She got off the bed, walked towards him and stood just behind him as she slowly took his right hand in hers. Arnav felt warmth spread through his body at her mere touch. He closed his eyes but didn't turn around.
'Main batati hoon ke aisa kyon hota hai' Khushi whispered. 'Jab aap hamare paas hote ho tho aap ki dhadkanon ke saath saath hamare dil ki dhadkan bhi tez ho jati hain' she slowly lifted his hand and placed it above her chest, right where her heart was. 'Hamari dhadkanein ek ho jati hain. Jo aap mehsoos karte hain, jo main mehsoos karti hoon...'
(I'll tell you why it happens. When you are near me, then together with you, my heart beats fast too. Our heartbeats become one. Whatever you feel, I feel the same too)As she paused, Arnav whirled around and crushed her to himself.
'Hamari dhadkanein...' he crooned in her ears. (Our heartbeats...)
'Ek ho jati hain' she finished it for him as she hugged him back, never to let him go!
(Become one)
Arnav didn't want an inch of space between them. He put one of his arms below her hips and pulled her flush against him. Khushi stepped in closer and buried her head in the crook of his neck, breathing him in, taking lungfuls of air as she felt happiness choke her.
'Khushi, my Khushi!' Arnav kissed her all over her face as he finally took her lower lips between his and sucked on them. Khushi gasped with the new sensation that flooded her entire body. Arnav plunged his tongue in her mouth as he tasted her for the first time. 'Sweeter than her jalebis' was his first thought as he smiled into the kiss.
It was Khushi's first kiss and she felt something strange in the pit of her stomach. She never wanted it to stop, she never wanted Arnav to let her go, she wanted to stay like this, in his arms, forever!
When they finally broke apart, Arnav rested his forehead against hers and smiled the widest smile she'd ever seen. 'So this is what it feels like when I kiss you!'
Khushi blushed a deep shade of pink as she looked down not being able to meet his eyes.
Arnav laughed and flicked her nose. 'Laal ho gayi hai' he said
(it's become red)
Khushi smiled embarrassed.
Arnav wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him again. 'Don't step away yet, Khushi. I've only just found you. Let me hold you to my heart's content' he whispered.
Khushi wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek to his heart.
'dhak dhak dhak'
'It has never beat in such a rhythm for anyone before Khushi. From now on, it will beat only for you'
Khushi's eyes filled with tears. She thought her heart would burst with joy.
'Won't you say it?' he asked seriously.
As Khushi looked at him questioningly, he said 'What I told you a few minutes back. Won't you say it back to me?'
Khushi shook her head, shyly.
'Keh do' he insisted.
(Say it)
When Khushi didn't utter a word, Arnav looked at her tired face. He put his palms on her forehead. It was still a little warm. Arnav, very concerned for her health now, scooped her up in his arms and put her back in his bed. As his thoughts went in a dangerous direction, he shook his head to clear them and went into his medicine cabinet to get a thermometer. Khushi's temperature was still a little over 100F. Arnav frowned! The fever should've gone down by now. He gave Khushi medicines and tucked her in. He went down to the kitchen to wake up Hari Prakash. But then decided otherwise and just made her a simple sandwich himself. As he was thinking about getting her something to drink, HP came rushing in. He had heard him in the kitchen. Arnav quickly asked him to make Khushi hot chai. Arnav finally took the tray upstairs.
The sight in front of him made him smile again. Khushi was pacing back and forth on his room, muttering to herself. 'Hey Devi Mayya', 'Woh Laad Governor' was all he could hear.
As soon as she saw him, she came rushing to him and said 'Woh, hume itna bhukar hai' and Arnav raised his eyebrow at that 'Yes, I know Khushi. So eat this and sleep. It's very late. You'll be fine in the morning. But you need to rest'
Khushi still looked worried.
'Kya hua?'
(What happened?)
'Woh aap ne mujhe...mera matlab hai ki humne...I mean hum dono ne...abhi...' She stammered turning red again.
(That...you just...I mean I...I mean we both...just now...)Arnav gave her a confused look, not knowing in the least what she was trying to say.'Oh ho Arnavji! You just kissed me when I am this sick! What if you fall sick too?' She blurted out and then slapped her palm across her mouth.Arnav threw his head back and laughed out loud. Khushi stood watching him, mesmerized.
'What?'
Khushi stepped forward and kissed him gently on his cheek.
'Aap hasthe hue bilkul Laad Governor nahin lagthe' she said fondly. (When you laugh you don't look like a Laad Governor at all)
Arnav put the tray aside. 'Acha? So what do I look like?' He teased her.
'Bilkul Arnav lagthe hain' Khushi said as she gazed at him, not being able to look away.
(You look just like Arnav)'What did you say?'
Khushi stumbled at her own words. 'Woh...I meant to say that...'Arnav returned her kiss.
'I know what you meant Khushi. Say it again!' He pulled her to himself.
'Ar...Arnav...lagthe hain' she whispered (You look like Ar...Arnav)Arnav felt happiness bubble inside him as he heard his name from her mouth for the first time. It never sounded so good! He bent down and kissed her gently on her lips, pulling her plump lower lip between his teeth and then sucking them. Khushi moaned as he threaded his fingers in her hair and pulled her closer.He sat down on his green recliner as he put her on his lap and handed her the cup of tea and then fed her the sandwich himself. As she finished eating, he wiped her mouth and picked her up. He tucked her in his bed and kissed her on the forehead.'Sleep Khushi. I'll be right here on the recliner' he said.As Khushi's eyes slowly started drooping shut, he bent his head close to hers and call out to her softly.
'Khushi?'
As she looked at him he said 'This is not over yet. You haven't said it to me yet and I won't let you go until you do' he smiled. She smiled back at him as she finally slept, only to dream of him and the hope of a beautiful future together.
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