#1 Arshi FF - The Other Half - 30 Aug - CHAP 15 - page 139 - Page 23

So much preparations for Sanka devi...hmmm...interesting, waiting for the full chapter.

Waiting for new chapter

Looks like he is excited about Khushi coming to work for him! Will her family stop her?

Nice teaser!😃

INTERESTING STORY ENJOYED READING IT

Thank you all for the support and response so far! I'm very happy

"Can you start work at the office from tomorrow?" He asked impulsively and mentally berated himself. What the hell is wrong with him? Since when did he ask his staff to join work at their convenience? Since when did he wonder if they were under pressure?

Since when did he care?

"Jiji!" Khushi squealed as she met with Payal after signing the contract with Baba Arnavji.

"Kya hua Khushi?" Payal carried two bags worth of saris that they had to add the chikankari work on.

[Kya hua - What happened]

On the rickshaw ride home, Khushi went on and on, telling Payal all about the new farishta in her life. She missed the way Payal's brows pulled together.

[farishta - angel]

After finishing rambling, she expected to see Payal with a wide smile, bouncing up and down on her seat in the rickshaw just like she herself was. She caught the eye of the old rickshaw driver who was staring at her through the mirror, lips pursed, looking disapprovingly at her constant bouncing. She smiled at him sheepishly. She pulled out a thread from her bag.

"Ye lo bhaisaab" she beamed at him, holding out the rakhi as they approached the red light. He grumbled and took it, shaking his head at her. Pagal.

[Ye lo bhaisaab - Take this | Pagal - crazy]

"Jiji" Khushi nudged her. "You're not happy?"

"I am Khushi. It's just" Payal searched for the words "how can someone just hire you as their assistant within five minutes of meeting you? Hai, you've also signed the contract. Did you even read it?" Payal asked with concern, looking suspiciously at Khushi.

Khushi bit her tongue. "Jiji! He is a Baba. Farishta. He won't do anything wrong. Hume bhi ajeeb laga, that he was offering me so many opportunities. But he is not pagal. Sachi. I asked if he was. He said no." She said proudly, as if having accomplished a feat.

[Jiji! He is a Baba. Angel. He won't do anything wrong. I also thought it was weird that he was offering me so many opportunities. But he is not crazy. Really. I asked if he was. He said no.]

"As if he would've said yes, I am crazy" Payal murmured to herself.

"What did you say?" Khushi craned her neck to squint at her sister.

"Nothing." Payal paid the driver as they arrived home.

For the next thirty minutes, buaji grilled her titaliya for more information about her newly found Baba.

"Baba? Oo ka chota baccha hai ka jo tum unko baba bulati ho?" Buaji flung her plait around her thick neck.

[Baba? Is he a small kid that you call him Baba?]

"Offho buaji. Babo is small child. Baba is-" Khushi explained.

[Babo is a small child. Baba is-]

"Chup. Hum sab jante hai sankadevi." Buaji pinched her chin till it got red. "Bless you titaliya, you went for one job and got three done. Seems you have finally used the most important thing that you've never used before."

[Chup. Hum sab jante hai sankadevi - Quiet. I know]

Khushi frowned. "What did I finally use?"

"Dimaag" buaji poked her head and went off wobbling to the kitchen.

[Dimaag - Your brain]

"Buaji!" Khushi pouted.

"Aman, make sure that the cabin is clean. There was some problem with the chair right? Get it fixed. Check the lights as well. And the air conditioning. Plus the computer, the printer-"

Anyone would assume a VIP was coming.

"ASR, I will check the whole room" Aman said with a straight face. ASR opened his mouth again but Aman beat him to it. "Twice." Aman added and ASR closed his mouth.

"Good. Do it by today. Tomorrow when Khushi comes-" he looked at Aman. "My new PA" he informed Aman who was surprised but didn't show it.

"When Khushi Kumari Gupta comes, send her up right to my cabin." Arnav locked his fingers together.

"If you want, I can brief her for you" Aman provided.

"No" ASR was quick to refuse. "That's okay. I'll do it" he dismissed Aman.

Aman smiled to himself on the way out. 'I'll bet you'll do it' he thought to himself. What? It wasn't everyday his boss appeared so.. Unusual.

The next morning, Khushi rushed to get ready. She grabbed her jalebis, her chana, her tiffin and dumped them into her jhola followed by her Devi Maiyya's idol.

"Hey Devi Maiyya, today is my first day. Let it go well" she prayed. She patted the idol and carefully slid it into a small pocket in her jhola.

"Hum jaate hai!" Khushi called out while gulping down her tea.

[Hum jaate hai - I am leaving!]

Buaji hit her head. "Buaji!" Khushi glared at her.

"Haan hum hai buaji. Jaate hai nahi, aate hai. Kitni baar kaha hai sasuri" buaji put her hands on her hips.

["Haan hum hai buaji. Jaate hai nahi, aate hai. Kitni baar kaha hai sasuri" - Yes I am buaji. Don't say leaving, but coming. How many times have I said that]

Khushi pinched buaji's cheeks. Buaji swatted her hands away. "Okay buaji. Aate hai!" Khushi kissed her cheek and flew out the house to look for a rickshaw.

[Okay buaji. Aate hai! - Okay buaji. I am coming!]

"What the hell is this?" Arnav threw the file onto the table and he stared at his team.

"Sir.. We might have to delay the show as the supplier has yet to deliver part of the materials.." One of the designers spoke up.

Arnav glared at him. "Oh really. So then maybe your salary should get delayed too huh?"

The designer gulped.

"Fix it at the earliest. And there will be no more delays. The show will happen as scheduled. Do you understand?"

They nodded.

"Dismissed" he stood up and slammed the door on his way out. His mood was sour this morning due to the news of the delay. Why the hell was he paying top dollar to his staff if they couldn't even handle such a simple thing?

Arnav sat in his chair and massaged his forehead. He'd arrived at the office at 7:30am to deal with an international conference call. He hadn't had breakfast yet. His irritation was increasing.

He looked across the cabin to see it empty. He glanced at the clock. It was 8:59am. He leaned back in his chair and waited for it to strike 9:00am. When it did, he looked at the cabin again which was still empty. He stood up and walked to his glass window that allowed him to stare down at his staff. He kept his eyes on the door. Soon enough, the door flung open and a breathless Khushi Kumari Gupta halted, leaning against the door to catch her breath.

She dug into her bag and searched for a packet. She smiled to herself in victory and moved to close the door before quickly climbing up the spiral stairs to meet her boss. Boss baba Arnavji. She giggled as she arrived at his cabin.

"Something very funny Ms Gupta? Care to share the joke?" His stern voice made her look up to where he was seated in his chair at his desk.

She recalled him calling her Khushi yesterday. Today Ms Gupta? Was it because she now worked for him?

She walked in and stood in front of him. "Good morning Arnavji" she greeted, smiling widely at him. He didn't return the smile.

"There's no joke. I was just thinking that-"

"You're late." He interrupted her.

She looked at her watch. "Sorry, the thing is that-"

"I don't tolerate lateness in my office Ms Gupta"

She looked at him sheepishly. "Arnavji, actually-"

"Sir. The word is Sir. Do you understand? Just because I spoke to you nicely yesterday doesn't mean that you can call me Arnavji. You will call me Sir just like everybody else. And because you were late, that too on your first day, you will stay back. If you're late more than twice, your salary will be cut. Get it?" Arnav spoke in a low voice.

Yesterday she had taken him by surprise with her chatter and personality. He might have been too relaxed with her. It would be good to show her her place.

Khushi stood, her smile dimmed, listening to him. She felt apprehensive. He was behaving so differently than yesterday. Yesterday he'd been fun, nice. Why did he think she would take advantage..

"Yes Sir" she said.

Satisfied at having put her down, he tried not to notice the absent smile on her usually smiling face.

"You will stay back today for half an hour" he said impulsively before mentally chastising himself. What was he doing? He was trying to get a reaction out of her. But why? It seemed like he was taking his irritation at the delay of the show out on her.

"Ji" she said.

He searched her face. Yesterday she'd been so responsive, so bubbly. Had he made too big a deal out of this? She had been just one minute late.. But he did the same with other employees. So the same treatment should be given to her too. Right? He needed a distraction.

"Aman will brief you." He started looking into a file.

"Aman Sir said that you wanted to brief me.." She trailed off when he looked up from his file to glare at her.

"First you're late and now you're arguing with me? I said Aman will brief you, so go. I won't spend time just to brief you. I've got other things to do." His harsh voice sent shivers through her spine

Khushi looked at him sadly, not understanding why he was being so difficult all of a sudden. What happened to her Baba Arnavji?

"And bring me my coffee" he said as she was leaving.

Khushi spent the next twenty minutes or so being briefed by Aman who told her what she would be doing, where everything was. She liked Aman Sir. He was kind, patient and polite.

"Your cabin has been set up. If you need anything, come to me or ASR himself." Aman brought her to her cabin which was right beside ASR's.

"Can I ask you something Aman Sir?" Khushi asked tentatively.

"Sure" Aman looked carefully at the woman who ASR had picked himself to be his PA. She was.. Different. Not bad different. Just.. Not the type he'd imagined ASR would've chosen.

"Is Arnav Sir in a bad mood today?" Khushi peeked at his cabin; their cabins were connected by the same glass wall. There he sat, stabbing his keyboard as he glared at his laptop.

Aman coughed to cover up his laugh. "He's in bad mood all the time Khushiji. You'll get used to it."

"Okay. I'll just go and make his coffee" Khushi took out a packet from her bag and Aman looked at her, surprised.

"Khushiji, this? We have a pantry here, you don't have to bring your own." Aman explained. "This is also ASR's favorite coffee brand.." He murmured.

"Actually Pamji was explaining some things to me earlier. She told me that Arnav Sir is very particular about his coffee. She said his brand was this" she indicated to the packet. " I looked at the pantry but there wasn't any of it left. So I went to get some at the nearby store."

Aman looked at her for a moment. He was sure he'd signed the order just three days ago when the delivery had come in for the pantry stock. How could the coffee sachets be finished so quickly?

"Khushiji, I'll be back" Aman took his leave.

Khushi went down to the pantry. Her previous cheerful mood was dimmed thanks to the angry boss.

She walked up and knocked on the door.

"Come in" he ordered. Khushi walked in and placed the steaming cup of coffee on his desk.

"Finally. You have to work faster Ms Gupta. I asked for my coffee 20 minutes ago." He stirred his cup.

"Ji. You told me to go to Aman Sir to get briefed first. Then you said to get you coffee. I was just doing as you asked, Sir." Khushi told him very politely.

ASR paused, not having anything to say. He took a sip of his coffee before spitting it out.

"What the hell is this??" He thundered, putting the cup down on the table forcefully.

"Why is there sugar in this? Don't you know I'm a diabetic, dammit!" Arnav stood up, his eyes flashed at her.

Khushi gasped. "But Sir.. You didn't say.. Woh, yesterday you ate the jalebi.."

"So what? Couldn't you have asked someone? Couldn't you have found out how I take my coffee? Your first task for the day as my PA and you can't even do it right?" Arnav clenched his fists.

A sheen of tears appeared in her doe like eyes. He felt his anger leaving him in a whoosh. It wasn't her fault. He'd been the one who hadn't told her.. How could she have known he is diabetic when he'd eaten the sweet yesterday?

"I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't know" Khushi whispered, looking down at the carpet. She felt awful. "I will get you another cup right away" she turned to leave when he stopped her.

Looking at the tears in her eyes, he felt as if someone had stabbed him. Such strong reactions to this woman? It didn't sit well with him. He needed to be away from her for a while.

"Don't bother. I have a meeting to attend right now. Check your laptop, my calendar has been merged with yours so you can see my movements for the day. I need you to fix an appointment with the Mehta company for this Wednesday at 5pm." Arnav took his blazer from the back of his chair and wore it. He buttoned it and looked at her.

"Is there anything else, Sir" Khushi didn't look at him. He felt the urge to raise her head, to look at her.. To apologize... What the! Since when did he apologize?

"No. You may leave" he dismissed her and heard the chimes of anklets hurrying away from his cabin.

For the rest of his meeting, he tried to get the image of her tearful eyes away from his mind.

Aman clenched his fists as he stood in the pantry. He needed to speak to ASR right away.

Hope you enjoyed

P.S Chap 6 this weekend

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Chapter 4

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Chapter 6

Marvelous arnav is so sooo u know dash

Arnav is back to Angry Young Raizada isn't he?
Poor Khushi, since it was the first day and his behaviour was a total contrast to the previous day's, she didn't give back. But only a matter of time until ASR will look forward to her quirkiness daily. ;) The madness will ensue.

Pam already set out to ruin Khushi's work? Wonder what Arnav will do when he finds out.

Aman ..the saviourrr ...loving the story