#1 Arshi FF - The Other Half - 30 Aug - CHAP 15 - page 139 - Page 27

I think I feel sorry for both of them, as Arnav grapples with the feelz and poor Khushi suffers from the fallout! Cute story :)

CM,
where are you??Sunday aagya ..

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

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

Aman headed up to ASR's cabin. He met a peon on the way who told him that ASR was in a meeting in the conference room.

Aman walked to his own cabin and clicked on his laptop. He reviewed the cctv footage of the pantry and his anger grew as he watched on.

He went to search for Khushi. She was in her cabin, arranging some files.

"Khushiji" Aman greeted. Khushi smiled at him. "Come in, Sir." Khushi was determined not to let anyone know that she was feeling down after how Arnav Sir had treated her, that too on her first day.

Aman eyed the coffee cup on the table. Khushi saw him staring at the cup. "Actually, silly me added sugar to Arnav Sir's cup. I offered to make another but he had to attend a meeting." She explained.

Aman looked at her carefully. "Khushiji, you didn't know he was diabetic?"

Khushi shook her head. "I didn't. Yesterday, when I made him try my sweets, he didn't mention anything about being diabetic. This morning when Pamji told me about how his favorite brand of coffee had run out, I went to go get some. She also didn't mention about his diabetes. I guess she forgot" Khushi mused.

Aman paused.

"Khushiji, what time did you arrive today?"

Khushi thought for a little. "8:45am"

"But you punched in at 9:01am" Aman had checked the log.

"Yes, I forgot to punch in when I came at 8:45. Then I ran out to get the coffee, and punched in when I came at 9:01." Khushi mentally scolded herself for having done that. Now she would have to stay back for half an hour.

"Did you explain this to ASR?" Aman asked.

"I tried. But he.." She remembered how rudely he'd interrupted her and didn't give her a chance to speak. "He was busy" she smiled at Aman Sir.

Aman considered her words. He was impressed by her. Normally the women liked to act sympathetic, whine and make excuses when they arrived late. Here Khushiji had gone out of her way to buy him the coffee. Aman was sure Arnav hadn't taken time out to listen to her side of the story.

"Did ASR ask you to stay back for half an hour?"

Khushi nodded ruefully.

"You don't have to." Aman decided.

Khushi looked at him, startled.

"But Arnav Sir.." Khushi trailed off.

"Don't worry about him. I will talk to him." Aman assured her.

Concern shone in her eyes. "But he seems to be in a bad mood. What if you upset him even more? Then he will make you stay back as well." Khushi muttered to herself "Waise, yeh school thodi na hai jaha teacher student ko stay back karne ke liye kehte hai?"

[Waise, yeh school thodi na hai jaha teacher student ko stay back karne ke liye kehte hai? - Anway, is this a school where the teacher asks the student to stay back after class?]

Aman heard her. He hid a smile. Just where did ASR find her from?

"Amanji" Khushi corrected herself "Aman Sir, you please don't say anything. Staying back isn't a problem. I don't have plans for tonight." Khushi reassured him.

"But Khushiji, you are being punished for something you didn't even do. Why would you allow that to happen?" Aman asked, not sure why she was relenting to ASR's high handedness.

"Buaji has praised me for the first time Aman Sir!" She blurted out.

Aman looked confused.

"I mean, I had initially come here for some other purpose. To promote my sweet business. But then Arnav Sir not only gave me the sweet order, but also hired me as his assistant and then ordered some chikankari saris from me too! I had come for one job and came back with three done! Buaji praised me, saying I had finally used something I hadn't in a long time." Khushi recalled.

Aman was intrigued. "What's that?"

"My brains" Khushi huffed and Aman already liked Buaji.

"Khushiji, please call me Aman. And like I said, you don't have to stay back today. I will talk to him."

When he saw she was about to protest, he added "He will not ask me to stay back. Promise."

She nodded like a good girl and Aman found himself thinking of his little sister. Khushi resembled her.

"ASR" Aman walked into his cabin. Arnav sat at his desk, typing away on his laptop.

"Yea Aman?" Arnav stared at his screen, not looking at Aman.

"I told Khushiji she doesn't have to stay back tonight." Aman braced himself.

"Water!" Arnav's head snapped up from his laptop screen to glare at Aman.

Aman looked on confused. He eyed the table and saw a glass of water there.

Arnav realized what he'd said. "What the!" He exclaimed when he thought of Khushi who'd forever changed his catchphrase. Throughout his meeting he hadn't been able to get her out of his mind. And now water'?

"Damn you, Khushi Kumari Gupta" he angrily muttered and Aman's lips twitched as he tried not to smile. Clearly Khushiji had gotten under his boss's skin. Why else would ASR have hired her for three separate jobs? Something was going on here..

"Aman, why the hell did you ask her not to stay back? She was late today." Arnav leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"She was late because of you." Aman told him.

Arnav raised his eyebrows. "How do you figure that?"

"Well, actually, she was late because of your employee. Pam" Aman said Pam's name with great dislike. He never did like her.

Arnav groaned hearing Pam's name. He didn't like her either. She had a snobbish attitude. But he hadn't really had a proper reason to fire her yet.

"What did Pam do now?" Arnav glanced across his cabin to see Khushi peering into her laptop and typing slowly, as if she'd never seen a laptop before.

He hit the button below his desk and the blinds fell in place, giving his cabin privacy from any prying eyes. And, well, to stop himself from constantly glancing at Khushi. Did she realize how cute she looked with her nose scrunched as she backspaced ten times while trying to type correctly?

Aman told ASR to review the security footage of the pantry. Arnav did as told. He watched as Pam hid a stash of his favorite coffee in another drawer.

Arnav looked at Aman, perplexed.

"Why the hell is she misplacing the stock? Doesn't she know by know where the things go?"

"She's not misplacing it, ASR. She hid it deliberately. Then told Khushiji that your favorite coffee had run out. Khushiji then went to the nearby store to buy you a whole new pack. That's why she was late. She'd actually come in at 8:45am. But forgot to punch in. She punched in when she got back with your coffee."

Arnav froze. He remembered watching as Khushi entered his building, checking her bag and smiling victoriously. She'd appeared breathless. She went to get him a new pack of coffee? That was.. Nice.

He grimaced. That was nice, and what he'd done was the opposite of nice. He wondered why she hadn't explained to him. Then he remembered how he'd cut her off and didn't let her speak.

Great, he'd made a big deal out of her being late, and then told her to stay back, and went on to yell at her when she's mixed in sugar with his coffee, which again, wasn't really her fault. He'd done a good job of welcoming her on board her first day in the office.

"I think it's time you fire Pam. Finally have a reason to do it." Aman said dryly.

Arnav nodded. That was probably the only good thing to come out of all this.

"By the way, Khushiji told me about you hiring her for her sweets, this job, and the saris too?" Aman asked tentatively.

Arnav nodded, his mind still stuck on ways to apologize to her. Her tearful eyes were starting to haunt him in broad daylight.

"I think that's nice. Khushiji seems very hardworking. Like she took the initiative to buy you the coffee. Takes her job as your PA very seriously. Good lady" Aman praised.

Arnav nodded again.

"By the way, your water is there" Aman indicated to the glass of water on his desk.

Arnav looked at him questioningly.

"You said water just now right?" Aman pointed to the glass. "Water."

Arnav glared at Aman. Aman left the cabin, leaving ASR in his thoughts.

What would he do now? Apologize? But ASR didn't apologize.

He was right. First day of her working here, and he was already going crazy. He imagined the next six months; an image of him bald and old showed up, with a young Khushi chattering away as always. There was every chance that image could come true.

"What the!" He cursed to himself.

Hope you enjoyed

P.S Chap 7 TEASER this Wednesday - 22 June

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Chapter 7

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Chapter 5

Aha ! Is this curtain closed for Pam or will she avenge her firing?

Go Aman! What would Arnav do without him ! Glad he cleared the misunderstandings before it could complicate further.

Apology and ASR, now that's one thing we have to watch out for ;)

Great update.

Haha.. That was a very nice update.. Arnav bald n old and khushi happily chattering away.. Hilarious!

marvelous...the real culprit is out
pam should be fired asap
and thanks to aman's efforts, else khushi would have needlessly punished
hope to see a lot of spicy bittersweet moments between arnav and khushi

Nice chapter, Pam should should be treated like that only for her deeds. Khushi has such a good soul.

aman is really nicee
gud work

Loved it...Aman is so nice...saved Khushi from staying back.