Chapter 8: E... for Euphoria!
Flashbacks are in blue.
This chapter is dedicated to mints23😃
"Virat, please," she sniffed, "Don't do this to me. Please."
"Listen, babe. It is not that you are not beautiful, you are beautiful but..."
"But what Virat? You said just now that I am beautiful. Then why can't I be your girlfriend?" she said a little too dramatically.
"You.. you are beautiful but just not my type."
"Not your type! I am not your type?" She wailed loudly. Virat looked uncomfortably at the weird and accusing looks that he was receiving from the people sitting around him. He placed his hand on hers and said, trying to be as gentle as possible with the stupidly annoying girl in front of him, "Stop crying, okay. People are looking at us."
She looked up and said, "So you are bothered about what people will think about you and not about my feelings at all. Fine then, if I cannot be yours then I am going to be nobody's." She said painfully.
"What do you mean?" Virat asked confused and just before she could reply, he continued, "If you excuse me, I will go to the restroom."
"Is it that urgent? Can't you wait for few minutes. I will leave you permanently. I will end my life." She wiped her tears.
"WHAT!?" He said aghast. "Woman, you are crazy. Enough of your drama", he said, his voice rising due to anger.
"Virat, I am serious", she said, "when you do not value my life, what is the use of living." And just like that, she ran to the lounge and stood a little too close to the edge of the railing. "Come on, you can do it," she muttered.
She looked at Virat from the corner of her eyes and found him standing near the entrance with shock and a slight fear written all over his face. She smirked inwardly. She drew a long breath and leaned more and said a little too loudly for the people to hear, "I had loved you Virat, with all my heart. I cannot bear your rejection. I will die with all the happy memories that I have had with you."
After her sweet little suicidal speech had hit the heart of the people present at The Floatel, quite a few incidents occurred almost simultaneously. The manager along with two security guards rushed to her to save her. If the media got even a whiff of an attempted suicide, the owner of this beautiful restaurant cum lounge designed like a boat, would not be very happy. She continued with her act of crying and fake resentment while the guards tried to bring her down from the railing. Through the corner of her eyes she saw Virat Patel being surrounded by men and guards. He tried explaining them that she was mad and needed treatment, but in vain. Someone punched him hard on his face and then asked the guards to take him away.
"Ouch! That might have hurt. That jerk a**h*le deserved it", she thought and then stopped struggling and quietly got down.
It was then that she heard the voice. "Tum theek ho?" The warmth in the voice and those three words sent shivers down her spine.
"Yes", she said, words barely coming out from her mouth.
The guards had left her. He held her arms gently and then led her to a nearby table. Pulling a chair out for her, he made her sit and then sat opposite to her. He asked the manager to bring a glass of juice for her.
The juice arrived immediately. She took small sips from her glass. They have been sitting in complete silence for five minutes. What just happened in these ten minutes? Her heart was beating like a maniac. She looked up a little only to find his intense gaze on her. She shivered. He did not look like he was going to leave anytime soon. After all, she had attempted suicide. "How do I get out of this mess?" She thought.
Then she heard his voice again. "You know you would not have died even if you had jumped from there. Maybe a few scratches." She raised her eyes up immediately. There was amusement in his eyes. Her little act had been caught. She decided to remain quiet.
"But I must admit you are a damn good actress. You had almost fooled me and also everyone that you were trying to committing suicide. It was not until I saw you smiling when a guard punched that poor chap that I understood that you were acting all this time."
"He is anything but a poor chap and he deserved that punch." She snapped.
"Okay. So what did he exactly do that he deserved the punch? What was all this drama about?"
"It is none of your business, Mister."
"Of course, it is my business. You had managed to create quite a ruckus here. My business meet got interrupted because of you. So you surely got some explaining to do, Miss."
There was a tone of finality in his words that almost intimidated her. She sighed and started explaining.
"Virat Patel is an a**h*le. Forgive my language. He was two-timing my friends. So Rita came up with this plan of publicly humiliating him by showing how he was dumping the ablaa-naari. The suicidal act was an impromptu one improvised by me at the last moment since he was acting all nice and I had to show somehow that he was a jerk so that people will beat him."
She saw him sitting with a straight expressionless face. God! Why do you do such stupid things?
"Look, I am really sorry if I caused you trouble." She said apologetically.
"You have caused me enough trouble to get punishment." He paused for a moment. Her heart-beat raised at that. And then he said, "Go on a date with me."
"Kya?"
"I said go on a date with me. That is your punishment." She saw his lips curving into a smile.
"You have ruined my business deal. So it is only fair that you compensate my loss. What better than spending a beautiful evening with a gorgeous lady, Miss?"
The colour on her cheeks rose at the blatant praise showered on her, and unknown to her, she said, "Pari. Pari Jaiswal."
"Ah! Pari! Angel! What a beautiful name. Think over it Pari", he said and left the table not without leaving his card.
She read the name.
Akash Singh Raizada.
Pari was still holding the card in her hand. Two years had passed since that incident. Of course she had agreed to go on a date with Akash, which was followed by many others. He was quite a charmer but there was the gentle caring nature to his seemingly tough exterior that had attracted her most. Eventually she had fallen in love with him. Akash, on the other hand had taken a few more months to realise his love for her. However, there was one thing that was gnawing her heart. Akash was not yet ready to get married and so their relationship was a well-kept secret except for his best friend, Payal.
Last night's message from Akash had solved it. He had told his family about her and they were coming to her house with her rishta soon. So her little act that her parents were looking for a groom for her had paid off! Although it was not easy for her to confess to her parents about her relationship, she had finally convinced them to meet the Raizadas. Mr. Jaiswal was quite the disciplinarian but the call from the Raizadas had removed quite a few doubts from his mind.
"They seem to be nice people", Mr. Jaiswal had said to his wife after his talk with the Raizadas.
Pari had heaved a sigh of relief. Everything was going to be fine.
**********
"NIKHIL KHURANNA! Can't you see where you are going?" Khushi yelled at NK.
NK put a finger in his left ear and said casually, "Gupta, you should speak a little softer. I am not deaf you know."
"How dare you spill coffee on the papers?" She said angrily.
"I did not do it intentionally", he shrugged.
"Unintentional, my foot!" She yelled again and stormed towards Arnav's cabin.
She saw him busy typing in his laptop.
"Arnav, see what NK has done!"
Arnav looked up. He saw Khushi shoving sheets of paper in front of him stained with some liquid. Behind her was NK. Not again. He groaned inwardly. Ever since their first civil conversation two days ago, Khushi had been quite the complaining child, hurling accuses at NK every now and then. It was another such occasion.
"What?" He asked patiently.
"He deliberately spilled coffee on my reports to spoil them so that I have to work more." She huffed.
"I did not", protested NK.
"Oh really? There is so much space in the cabin and yet you decide to walk past my desk and spill coffee."
Arnav rubbed his temple trying to curb down the anger. Yes, Chilli had decided to follow Jalebi's advice.
"NK, Khushi. Give it a break, will you? What are you, five? Kids in the Kindergarten? I am fed up with your complaints. NK, just apologise to Khushi."
"But I..."
"I don't want to know if you had done it deliberately or not, just apologise to her and get back to work." He said curtly.
"Sorry", said NK meekly and left the cabin. Khushi smiled at that and watched NK leave the cabin.
"Why are you still standing here? Get back to work, Khushi?"
"Erm... Arnav I was thinking that we should leave early", said Khushi, her voice saccharine sweet.
"Why?" He asked raising an eyebrow.
"Today, everyone is going to Pari's house with rishta and I need to be there."
"And may I know why? Are you going to be the one taking the rishta? And will the rishta get cancelled if you aren't present? So, pray tell me why the hell do you want to leave early?" Chilli asked.
"Offo! Don't you want to meet your would-be Bhabhi? So you should leave early. And so should I. What will I do staying here when you won't be here?"
"Ms. Gupta, you do not have to worry about my meeting with my Bhabhi. Your excuses for not working are not going to work. So better get back to work."
"Hmph! Spoil sport!" she stomped her foot and went back to work.
Arnav shook his head in amusement. "Pagal", he said and concentrated on the mail.
**********
To say that Akash was nervous would be an understatement. He sat between his father and uncle and felt the scrutinizing gaze of Mr. Jaiswal on him, who was talking with Ajay.
He could feel her presence near him and looked at the kitchen door and saw his angel. She was wearing a canary yellow sari with that smile on her face which made his heart melt. She touched the feet of the elders. She looked at him shyly. Though his mother had asked like a typical mother-in-law if she could cook (for which she was highly reprimanded by Smita), Pari had passed that test with flying colours since she was an excellent cook apart from being HR at a multinational company. Her smart replies definitely impressed the Raizadas.
It was her smart mouth that had attracted him. He smiled remembering their first meet. There was a cunning mind behind that sweet innocent face and he loved that about her.
To his immense satisfaction, both the families loved the other one. It was decided that Akash and Pari's engagement will be done after two weeks while the marriage will have to wait for a few more months since Avni had her final exams coming up.
He bit the sweet that Mrs. Jaiswal fed him and saw Pari smile, her eyes twinkling with happiness. Everything is fine now.
**********
"Wakil Sahiba, congrats. I heard that the rishta is fixed."
"Uh? Aren't you supposed to wish Akash bhai? :P"
"Yeah whatever. Are you free now?"
"Hmm :D"
And her phone rang announcing the call of Aman.
"Yes Mathur?"
"Hello to you too."
"Yeah yeah tell."
"Typical brother and sister. Are you sure you and Arnav aren't real bro and sis but cousins?"
"Mathur?"
"Yep."
"Have you called me to clarify this? Maybe you can call bhai and clarify your doubts."
"Fine. Fine. Come to Starbucks tomorrow at say 3?"
"3 AM?"
"Yeah have you been on a date at 3 am? No right?"
"Haha very funny."
"I am glad I could amuse you Wakil Sahiba."
"Okay wait, you told this is a date?!"
Aman felt the nervousness he had so skilfully hidden came back with vengeance.
"Yeah uh.. Avni."
"Ask me the right way Mathur!"
"What?"
"The right way."
"Will you do the honour of being my date?"
"Nah."
"What the hell! Be there at 3PM! Bye." And the line went dead.
**********
Arnav Singh Raizada looked at the incoming message from Avni.
Rishta pakka ho gaya! I am so excited! Get home soon, Bhai. :D
He smiled. It was quite late and time to wrap up for the day.
As he walked towards the elevator, he saw the light still turned on in Khushi's cabin.
What was Khushi doing? He knew NK had left long ago.
He stopped near her cabin door. A smile tugged at his lips at the sight in front of him.
Khushi Gupta was sitting on the chair with her jean-clad legs stretched, feet resting on the desk. There was slight furrow in between her eye-brows. She was concentrating on the sheet of paper in front of her scribbling something with utmost concentration. A few tendrils had loose from her pony tail and caressed her face.
She is cute! He thought. He cleared his throat to get her attention. She did not respond.
"What is it that has gotten so much attention of Ms. Khushi Gupta?"
She looked up at him startled. She saw him coming towards her desk. With his loosened tie, jacket in his hands and sleeves rolled up to the elbows, he painted quite a delicious picture. Khushi sat straight in her chair and shoved the papers in her bag as quickly as possible.
"What are you hiding Khushi?" He asked.
"It is nothing." She smiled nervously, having been caught off guard.
"So, why are you here still?" he repeated his question amused at how clumsy she becomes sometimes.
"Erm.. I had some work."
"Work? Really? From when did you start paying attention to work?" He threw the questions with his signature raised eye-brow. "Or were you waiting for this "obnoxiously handsome man" to finish his work so that you could drive home with him?"
Her mouth fell open. Did Arnav Singh Raizada just flirt with her?
Arnav smirked at her expression. His finger reached her chin and closed her mouth. "Close your mouth, Khushi."
Was his voice this husky always or has it become huskier?
There was something about the way he spoke about closing her mouth that made Khushi blush. She was still sitting quietly when he said, "Pack your stuff, Khushi. You are coming with me to the Raizada Mansion. Bhai's marriage has been fixed and it is time to celebrate." Saying this he walked to the door.
He turned back and said in taht same husky voice, "There is something on your face, Khushi."
She ran her palms all over her face. Not finding anything, she said, "What?"
He walked up to her. "Tumhari naak", he said, "it is red", and flicking her nose once he strode out of the cabin.
Khushi touched her nose and exclaimed, "What the hell just happened?"
*********
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Edited by barsha_dash - 9 years ago
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