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Chapter 2: T... for Treading!
The next morning,
A plate of jalebis was in front of her. The yellow swirls dripping with sugar syrup looked delicious. They were inviting her. Her mouth watered. She wanted to lose herself in those delicacies. She picked one jalebi and smiled dreamily. She moaned as the sweetness of the jalebis mingled with her saliva. She picked another one and was about to bite it when a certain husky voice stopped her from doing so. She decided to ignore the voice and continue enjoying her favourite sweet. The voice came again. This time with a greater force.
Wait. It sounded as if the voice was calling out her.
"Babloo! Babloo! Wake up, meri bachchi."
It could not have been Arnav Singh Raizada's voice. How would he know her ridiculous pet name? "Babloo." She heard again. It struck her then. Only her father calls her by that name. She woke up with a start.
Where was her plate of jalebis?
She mumbled some incoherent words. Her father could grasp only two of them- "jalebis" and "gifts".
"Khushi, were you dreaming about jalebis, again? And you already want a gift? By the way, a gift for what?" Her father asked with an amused expression.
She looked at her father with a blank expression on her face, allowing the words to sink in.
"A gift for accepting this stupid name."
"Get ready quickly, Babloo." He said stressing on the name and left the room.
Damn! Why the hell was she dreaming about gifts and Arnav Singh Raizada's voice? All this was because of the previous night's call.
She checked the time and said, "Shit! I am late again and he will give me one sound lecture, after all I did the same yesterday," and dashed into the bathroom.
**********
He was returning from his morning jog. He was about to enter his room when he decided to visit the person in the adjoining room. A small smile crept on his lips seeing the person. He saw her sleeping peacefully with her lips curved in an adorable pout. He stood beside her bed and ruffled her hair.
She shifted in her sleep and grumbled in a doused voice, "Let me sleep a few more minutes."
He stifled a smile. He knew she didn't like anyone disturbing her early morning slumber. He tugged at her duvet which exposed her body a bit. He slid his fingers and tickled her. Another fact she didn't like. Her body was extremely ticklish and she hated it.
She wiggled at the tickles and started laughing. He too joined her.
"Bhai, this is not fair. You cannot wake me up this way, you know how ticklish I am", she complained.
"I could not help it. Anyway, good morning to you too," he said pinching her cheeks.
"Good morning. But I am angry with you."
"Arrey, ab maine kya kiya?" He asked, confusion etched on his face.
"You were supposed to take me out on a dinner date two weeks ago because I had won the bet. And you don't have the time to talk with me", she pouted.
"I am so sorry, Chhutki. I completely forgot. The preparations for the launch are keeping me busy. Once this is over, I will take you to your favourite diner. Promise."
"Pakka?"
"Haan haan, pakka promise."
"Okay", she smiled gleefully and continued, "but for now you have to accept punishment for waking me up with tickles."
"Kya?"
"You have to drop me to college."
"Your wish is my command, Your Highness." He said and both broke into peel of laughter.
"By the way, Bhai, this means you are still single and not... um... uh... as I thought?" He was stunned and for a moment he did wonder why he was being struck speechless of late.
"What the! Where is this coming from?"
"Um, I had assumed you were busy with your woh."
"Woh kaun?"
"Arnav, Avni! Both of you are still here? Breakfast is going to be served in fifteen minutes. I want both of you down by then." The strict voice of Mrs. Smita Singh Raizada reached their room.
"Yes, Ma."
"Coming, Badi Ma"
Both cried in unison.
"The conversation ain't over Avni."
Well, who better than Avni knew what that meant? It exactly meant another sound dose of teasing was awaiting for her for the stunt she just pulled.
**********
The breakfast was a silent affair for the Guptas, only till the youngest member made her timely appearance at the table. Khushi Gupta was usually late for her breakfast. The only rare occurrences of her being early at the breakfast table were the days when the sun did not wish to rise, which never happened.
The sun had risen and so Khushi was the last person to start her breakfast. She was munching her breakfast as if she had all the time in the world. All three of them looked at her as if she had lost her mind.
"Khushi, time dekho." She glanced at the watch and nodded at her mother, Garima.
"It is 9:15 pagal. Aren't you supposed to be there at 9:45?" Payal shook her head in disbelief.
"Arrey engineer, don't you know that gobbling food is not good? It can make the food particles enter the wind pipe and then breathing problems and then whoosh I will die. Mujhe maarne ka irada hai kya tumhara?"
Payal rolled her eyes at yet another outstanding display of dramatics from the leading actress of the Gupta house.
"All I meant is you can get up early and avoid this."
"Uffo Jiji, not all will go to office at 7:30 when the reporting time is 9. Anyway, why are you still here? Office nahi hai kya?"
"It is Saturday."
"Hey Devi Maiyya, I am working on a Saturday" and there went another mumbling about a certain Handsome devil.
"Khushi and Payal chup karo. I will drop Babloo to office on my way", Shashi Gupta interrupted.
"Papa, please. You know I don't like that name. Khushi is a much better name. Babloo is such a boyish name", Khushi cribbed.
"Achha baba, I won't. Tell me how is your internship going?"
"Good."
She replied in a monosyllable word though she smiled inwardly. It was fun at times. She bent down and ate her food, hiding her smiling face.
A few minutes later, Khushi left with her father.
At the doorstep, Payal Gupta received a couriered letter. She opened it and a frown appeared on her face.
**********
Contrary to the Guptas, breakfast at the Raizadas was quite a noisy affair. They were a joint family. Ajay Singh Raizada and Manohar Singh Raizada were engaged in conversation regarding the launch.
"Bhai, I hope the upcoming launch becomes a huge success", Manohar said.
"Don't worry, Manohar. I have full faith on our children. They are gruelling day and night. I think we can finally retire leaving the reins of RHF in their hands."
"Not so soon, Dad", Arnav joined the conversation as he sat adjacent to his father.
"There is still a lot for us to learn from you. Moreover, you are not old." He added.
"Bhai is right, Bade Chacha. Aap ki umar hi kya hai abhi. You can still give competition to the guys of my college."
"I know, beta. That's why I want to retire and whisk your Badi Ma away from the hustle and bustle of this family and enjoy a long vacation. Your Badi Ma does not have time for me", Ajay joked earning a glare from his wife.
Avni giggled while Arnav smiled.
"Aap bhi na. Have some shame at least in front of the children." Mrs Smita Singh Raizada chided.
Avni decided to change the mood and said, "What is this Ma? Aloo Paratha? I want to have the toasts."
"Offo! This girl and her eating habits." Manorama said irritated at her daughter. Avni Singh Raizada was choosy about her food habits.
"Manorama, let her have what she likes. She is just like Arnav. They should have been born as siblings and not cousins." Devyani Singh Raizada commented about her grandchildren. "Where is Akash bitwa?"
"He has already left for office. He has a video conference, Ma", replied Manohar.
The chatter at the breakfast table increased by a notch when Arnav received a video call from his sister Anjali Jha.
"Bitiya, did you reach safely?"
"Yes, Dadi."
Before anyone could speak, Avni snatched the phone.
"Hi, Di. How are you? And how is Jeejaji?"
"Chhutki, both of us are fine. How are you? You are still at home. Don't you have college?"
"I am absolutely fine, Di. Yeah, I was about to leave. Anyway, Bhai is dropping me today. Where is Jeejaji, by the way?"
"Uh, he is in the shower. Where is your brother?"
"Akash bhai is a workaholic, Di. You know na?"
"As if Arnav is not."
"Di, why do you bring me into this?"Arnav complained.
Anjali only stuck her tongue out at that.
"Okaaay. I won't keep you away from Jeejaji. Enjoy your second honeymoon, oops, vacation." Avni winked seeing Anjali blush.
"Chhutki, shut up!"
"Okay Di, bye."
"I was worried that Anjali hadn't called." Manorama commented.
The word "call" immediately made Arnav remember the very recent call he had made.
The previous night,
Arnav closed his eyes, trying to sleep, when he remembered something. He took his cell phone and his fingers flew over the screen, searching for something. He narrowed his eyes at what he had found. He searched for her phone name from his employees list and voila, he found her smiling photo staring at him. It was finally time to call Ms. Gupta.
As she cut her call, Arnav was shocked. No one cuts ASR's call and he never calls anyone twice. Both were first of a kind. He called her again and,
"Hello"
A muffled "Hello" was returned along with the munching sound which ultimately came out as "Yeh lo".
What the?! What exactly is this girl implying? "Yeh lo?" Seriously? After what she has already presented him with.
"What should I take? I already seem to love what I have been gifted with."
As he spoke those words, he could hear her gasp and sudden release of breath and then as if someone had suddenly realised that they were standing on fire, she spoke, "Arnav Singh Raizada?"
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