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Chapter 4: F... for Fun Begins!
Flashback in Blue.
Akash paced around his cabin, deep in thought. "What to do? What not to do?"His phone rang and he mechanically accepted the call.
"What? No! This won't lead us anywhere. Do you understand? I am so fed up! I have work. Will call you later, when you would have calmed down and think straight. Don't start it again. Bye."
What the hell was happening with his usually happy life? He mused.
He rested his forehead on his palms trying to calm himself down. He needed to clear his head. His life was a mess right now.
He heard a knock at his cabin door. "Come in", he replied.
"Bhai? Is everything okay?"
Akash lifted his eyes to meet a concerned Arnav. He composed himself immediately and smilingly said, "Yeah! I am alright. Do you need anything?"
"Uh.. No. I came to inform you that I am leaving for the launch site. Are you joining me?"
"Um.. no. You leave for the site. I will go there later."
"Okay, see you later then."
As soon as Arnav left his cabin, he received a text. The frown deepened. He immediately dialled the number, after all that number topped his favorites.
The person at the other side received it at the first ring.
"Look, I am sorry", Akash started, "I admit I was rude. I should not have shouted at you. It is just that there is so much pressure at the moment with the new launch. And you are being so persistent. Moreover, Bade Chacha is already suspecting something."
"..."
"Arrey, you are getting it all wrong. I never said that you are not important. It is just that I need some more time."
"..."
"Please stop crying, baby. I know you are upset. Can we please discuss this when we meet next?"
He was getting another official call and so he quickly wrapped up the present call.
**********
Khushi slumped on the chair releasing a heavy sigh. Finally, our Jalebi got few moments of relaxation. From the time she had entered the launch site, Chilli had made sure that she never got a single moment to rest. She had enthusiastically said "Hi" to the models and was about to start a conversation as if they were her long lost friends but Arnav had barked orders at her to note down everything he was instructing. Hence, she had been following him like an obedient pupil until now.
She had never worked this much in her entire life. She thought. The more she worked, the more her stomach demanded food.
"Sheena, do you have something to eat. My stomach is rumbling." She said pouting.
"I have a cheese sandwich and a half-eaten apple", Sheena replied.
"Sandwich will do," Khushi said and grabbing it, stuffed it in her mouth. She moaned after taking a bite and said, "This is yummy. You are a sweetheart, Sheena but please don't tell Arnav about it, okay. Nahi toh he will shout at me."
Sheena chuckled at her statement.
Khushi looked around to find Arnav busy with his conference call and sighed. Work and Arnav are synonyms, she thought. This made her remember yet another instance from school.
Khushi looked at the chocolate bar in her hand admiringly. I can taste you finally. She thought. She took a large bite and closed her eyes savouring the taste. She was so lost in the chocolaty world that she had failed to notice or hear her friend who was screaming her lungs out in order to get her attention
"Khushi, can you pass me the banners? I need to put these up immediately. Khushi? KHUSHI", her friend shouted.
But the words fell on her deaf ears and she missed another pair of eyes which were witnessing this incident.
She felt a tap on her shoulders and heard a booming voice, "Enjoying the chocolate?"
She snapped her eyes open and found the School's Pupil Leader standing in front of her with his hands folded across his chest. She gulped and flashed her dazzling smile.
"Yeah, the chocolate is delicious. Do you want one?" She said forwarding another chocolate bar in front him.
What was this girl? He thought. A nerve on his forehead throbbed as he tried to control his anger.
"Your friend is screaming at the top of her voice and here you are enjoying your chocolate! Unbelievable!"
Khushi looked at her friend who shrugged her shoulders frightened by Arnav's anger.
"Errm... I did not hear her", she said.
"Oh, yeah! I can see that. Everyone is working and madam thinks that a party is going on here that she is busy enjoying herself. She does not even bother to help anyone." He said with a sarcastic jib in his voice.
"I was working too. See, I just finished making two banners." She said pointing to the banners lying there.
"Just two banners?" Arnav asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, and why are you behind me always? See, Kabir and his friends are also not doing anything. They are just laughing. Why are you not telling him anything?" She said looking in the direction of a group of boys.
Just as Arnav turned to look at them, Khushi fled. She hid behind a pillar and peeked to see what Arnav was doing. When she saw that Arnav had stopped looking for her and had instead started concentrating on other students, she heaved a sigh of relief. "Phew!" She said trying to normalise her ragged breathing due to running.
"That was a narrow escape."
Khushi jumped at the voice. She saw a girl standing there with a lot of articles in her hand.
"Escaping from under Arnav Bhai's nose is quite a task you see", she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"Yeah it is! Don't even tell me. But I am trying to become a master at that. I will tell you some, if you want."
"Well I can't afford to run away from my own brother!" Avni smirked at Khushi's gobsmacked expression.
"He is your brother?!" Khushi asked pointing at Arnav.
"Yeah, Arnav Singh Raizada is my brother and I am Avni Singh Raizada."
"Hello, Avni. I am Khushi Gupta. Are you going to tell your brother that I am here?" She asked sheepishly.
"No," she said, "I know Bhai can be too difficult sometimes."
"Oh, thank you so much Avni. You are really sweet and no doubt better than your brother", Khushi said cheerfully. Avni chuckled.
"You seem to be new here."
"Yes. I joined this year. Which class are you in, by the way?"
"Class 8A", Avni said and their conversation continued for some time, that is of course until Chilli found them.
Khushi was brought back to present by the sound of a ringtone. Arnav's phone had been ringing incessantly. She found Arnav still busy with the conference call with the foreign clients. The caller ID made her pick up the call.
She heard Avni's voice from the other side.
"Hello, Bhai, can you please send a car to my college? My friends have already left and I had stayed back in the library."
"Avni, it's me Khushi. Your Bhai is busy at the moment."
"Khushi, can you pass the information to Bhai? I have a problem here."
"Yeah, okay but are you fine?"
"Woh actually, I tripped on the stairs while walking in a hurry and I have got a sprain or ligament tear, I am not sure."
"What? You should have said that before. Okay, you wait there, I will inform Arnav."
**********
An hour later, Avni and Khushi were heading towards the hospital.
"Are you sure there won't be any problem there, Khushi?" Avni asked concerned.
"Don't worry, Avni. I will explain everything to your beloved brother. I don't think he will be angry knowing that you are hurt. At this moment, your treatment is more important than anything else and so ditch all your worries and relax."
Khushi smiled inwardly at having escaped from work yet again. Seeing Arnav busy, she had decided to pick up Avni from college. She had informed Sheena about her departure.
As they entered the hospital premises, from the ward boys to the nurses to the receptionist, everyone greeted Khushi. Well, who can escape the charms of our Jalebi! She made Avni sit while she went to the receptionist and said, "Hey, Kusum. Do you know where Papa is?"
"Let me check, Ma'am", the receptionist replied politely.
"Hi, Khushi. Long time no see? Kabhi kabhi hum hospital-walon ko bhi miss kiya karo. We missed you, hai na Kusum?"
"Aww! I missed you too." Khushi said as she engulfed the man, clad in white Doctor's coat, in a warm hug.
"So, what brings you here today? Did you fall again, you clumsy girl?"
"Oh, hello! I am not clumsy,okay."
"Yeah, I know I know", he said laughing.
"Ma'am Dr. Gupta is in the OT", interrupted the receptionist.
"Oh God! Aman, yaar, I need your help. My friend here has sprained her ankle."
"Why fear when Dr. Aman Mathur is here? Where is she?"
They walked to where Avni was sitting. "Here she is." Before Khushi could complete the introductions, she got a call. She motioned Aman to take care of her as she attended the call.
A ghost of a smile appeared on Aman's face as she looked at the girl in front of her.
"Avni Singh Raizada!"
"Aman Mathur?!"
Both exclaimed together, but we definitely do not know what their expressions held as one defiantly contradicted the other!
**********
"Where the hell are you Khushi?"
Khushi removed the phone from her ear as she heard Arnav yelling from the other side.
"Will you please stop yelling, Arnav? My ears are fine and I don't want them to get damaged because of your yelling."
"Shut up and tell me where you are."
"First you decide what you want me to do: Shut up or speak? Both are contradicting. And please calm down." Khushi replied calmly. She could feel his anger rise again.
"I don't have the time to listen to your crap. So, wherever you are just come to the site immediately."
"I can't." She replied coolly.
"What do you mean by you can't? Khushi, I am already stressed. Don't test me."
"See, I told you that you have some serious anger management issues. I have a suggestion. Take deep breaths, that is, breathe in lungful of air and then breathe out. Repeat the process for a couple of times. You will feel better."
"Khushi, stop it. Do you even realise how important tomorrow is for RHF?"
"Yeah, I know Arnav. Tomorrow RHF is going to launch the new clothing line but I cannot go to the site right now because..."
"You are not coming, are you?" Arnav cut Khushi before she could finish.
"No..."
"Fine. Then collect your termination letter on Monday. You are fired."
"What? But why? Arnav, you cannot just fire me."
"Oh yes. I can very well fire you, Ms. Gupta, because you work under me and you are just an intern, so I owe you no explanations."
"But Arnav you haven't even listened to me."
"Oh, I don't want to listen to your stupid excuses."
"But..."
The call had already been cut. She stared at the phone or a few seconds before uttering, "What the hell just happened!"
**********
Shashi and Garima Gupta looked at both her daughter. The elder one was just stirring the curry with the spoon lost in some deep thoughts while the other one was gorging down her food. Something was definitely wrong with them.
Khushi was quiet since the time she returned from office that too with a sullen face.
"I heard that you had gone to the hospital, Khushi", Shashi said.
"Yes. Avni had sprained her ankle. Aman was there. She is fine now. I dropped her home." Khushi replied in short sentences. The ever chirpy Jalebi was gone.
"I am done", Payal said as she rose from her seat, her plate was almost untouched.
Khushi too left the dining table after a few minutes.
"What happened to these two? Khushi rarely remains this quiet." Shashi thought aloud.
"May be Arnav has made her work more. You know how much she hates when someone forces her to work. But I am worried about Payal. I think she had been crying before I returned. We should talk to her, Shashi."
Garima's words made Shashi thoughtful.
*********
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Edited by barsha_dash - 9 years ago
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