Arnav Khushi SS: She will be loved [Complete] - Page 15

Part 10

Khushi straightened the folds of her red saree for the twelfth time as she waited for Arnav in the hotel lobby.

She was fidgety, but not because she had chosen to wear a saree to the office Christmas party. She knew it was unconventional, and that everybody else would be dressed in western attire. When she had told Payal what she would wear, for nearly half an hour, Payal was certain that Khushi was pulling a prank on her.

But Khushi was past caring about what others might say about her. Her stint as a smokey-eyed pencil-skirt wearing "diva" had taught her that people's perceptions were mostly linked to appearances, and as such, these perceptions were both superficial and ephemeral. What really mattered was how she felt about herself, and that was something nobody could take away from her.

The idea of wearing a saree had come to her as a whim, and she had instantly taken to the idea so strongly that she could not imagine herself wearing anything else. The words of Lavanya came back to her - makeovers were just fun ways to change things up. How true.

The last two days had seen Khushi amble into several shops, surveying various fabrics and prints and cuts. She was alone this time, but did not feel intimidated by shop assistants as she usually would have. She felt carefree in a way that she had never felt before, and part of the reason why, was her realisation of how she had stupidly caged herself in her obsession with NK, and allowed her whole world to revolve around him.

She must have tried on dozens of clothes, including clothes that she would have once thought to be completely out of her comfort zone, observing, fascinated, how the different colours and textures made her feel. She hardly bought anything - her purpose had only been to explore what all was out there.

Clothes had always felt purely functional to her, and she had never before given much thought to the matter. But it occurred to her now, that they could be so much more - they could be an expression of her personality, of how she felt on different days or of how she would like to feel.

She looked down at the red saree, pleased with her choice. The chiffon glided smoothly over her... like water, soft and yet persistent. The saree itself was an expression of her Indian roots, whose value was even more poignant to her as she was away from India. The red colour reminded her of her mother, of the large red bindis that would always adorn her forehead... of the part of her mother that still lived and breathed within her.

Her phone vibrated.

She smiled.

"Arnav, where are you?"

"I'm so sorry I am running late. Work was super busy because it's Christmas time and all. You can join the party so long. I'll be there soon."

She felt her smile falter, as she mechanically told him that it was okay. Clearly, he was the reason why she was on tenterhooks. She had gotten so used to him, that his absence caused her to feel inexplicably restless. Disappointment swelled within her, despite her attempts to convince herself that it was irrational.

She took a deep breath and began to walk away from the lobby. Her steps, however, did not lead her to the hall where the party was being held, but towards the swimming pool. The poolside looked most enticing, decorated with hundreds of fairylights that twinkled back at her as they danced on the dark ripples of the pool. She sighed as she sat down on one of the pool chairs.

What felt like a minute later, she felt a hand softly brushing away a lock of hair from the side of her face. She had somehow managed to doze off.

She got up with a start, and then relaxed, as her eyes met with familiar warm hazel ones.

"Arnav, hi. How did you find me?"

"Nobody had seen you at the party and you weren't answering your phone, so I went back to the lobby and asked the receptionist about the prettiest girl she had ever seen," he replied, his tone surprisingly sincere.

Khushi felt her breath hitch as she took in the feel of his unrelenting gaze upon her. She felt a sense of warmth, of safety and comfort, slowly pervade her senses, as she allowed her eyes to lock with his. The world was at a standstill. There was no wind, no chill. All there was, was the two of them, and her heart pounding madly in frenzied anticipation.

Slowly, gently, he held her hand and hoisted her to his feet, without for a second breaking eye contact. He brushed away her hair from one side of her face, then the other, and cupped the palms of his hands around her face. The words died in her throat, even as every part of her seemed to want to scream out her love for him. For she realised then, in that moment, that that was what it was that she felt for him.

Love.

It was not just admiration for his hardworking nature and his resilience in the face of adversity. It was not just gratitude for his selflessness and unconditional kindness. It was not just the sense of comfort she felt because of the way he understood her.

It was all of that, and more. It was the knowledge that his presence in her life brought her the closest to who she truly was. It was a sense of complete and utter trust, a desire to submit herself entirely to him.

She felt her eyes close as he leaned in towards her, bringing his lips close to hers. His intoxicating earthy, musky scent invaded the air around them and subsumed itself into every pore of her body.

Just then, her phone vibrated, and her eyes snapped open.

To her dismay, Arnav stepped back, looking away awkwardly. She glanced at the screen of her phone. It was Lavanya.

"We should probably join the party," Arnav said, before she could say anything. She nodded quietly, still feeling lightheaded as her heart continued to dance, free and uninhibited. With every breath that she took, she felt a deep sense of joy and peace settle itself even more fixedly in her heart.

She loved him, and maybe - just maybe - he loved her too.

...

Part 11