ArShi GONE CASE - Season 1 - Page 23

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2. THE CHALLENGE

Khushi reached Mrs. Joshi's home. Mrs. Joshi was a very kind and loving lady. After completing the formalities, Khushi was shown her room and was handed the key to the room and the cupboard.

The little adventure was finally over. Khushi relaxed in her room closing her eyes recalling all the events that had occurred on her arrival in Mumbai. She could still see those fierce eyes staring at her. The only difference was that now she didn't fear them. She chuckled at the thought that the person behind those eyes was probably crazier than her. She just wished that she never met him again.

*****

Arnav was lying on the bed in his hotel room, staring at the ceiling with his hands under his head. He was not able to forget the "crazy" girl Khushi he had met a few hours ago. "What does she think of herself? No girl has ever denied me her phone number. And this girl! She didn't even look at me properly!" Arnav was not used to such a reaction from any girl. "Whatever! Who cares! Anyways I am not gonna meet her again!"

*****

Next morning, Khushi reached the office by 10. She was glad that the door wasn't locked. She walked in pushing the door and went straight to the reception telling the receptionist that she wished to meet Mr. Shashi Gupta regarding their advertisement in the newspaper. The receptionist spoke over the phone with someone and then told Khushi to wait for a while till she was called in. Khushi nodded and the receptionist went somewhere inside which Khushi couldn't see.

Khushi waited at the reception looking around the office. It was quite large and a decent one. Khushi could only see the reception area. She loved the place. She was keenly observing whatever was around... the tables, the walls... everything was full of stuff related to detection. She saw Shashi Gupta's photo on the wall. Aged about 50-55, he seemed a very kind man.

Just then Khushi heard some footsteps outside. She peeped through the window and her eyes widened in disbelief. "What is he doing here?!!!" she thought seeing the same crazy guy she had met the day before. "Is he following me?" She gasped at the thought. She again peeped through the window and saw Arnav walking towards the same office. Khushi gasped again in shock. "What do I do now? Oh God!!" She looked around thinking of some way to get rid of this crazy guy. She didn't want to face him yet again after their meeting the day before. She couldn't even run out as he was coming by the same route.

Khushi was impatiently walking here and there at the reception. "Should I go in directly to meet Mr. Gupta? That way I will not have to face that crazy guy. But how can I go in directly? The receptionist has told me to wait. If I go in directly, that would seem so unprofessional... And what if I lose this job because of that? My dream of becoming a detective will shatter into pieces! No no! Think about something else Khushi... Hurry!"

Khushi heard the door of the office swing open. Her eye balls rolled in her wide eyes as she gasped yet again. She looked around and saw a newspaper lying on the table. She quickly sat on one of the chairs hiding her face behind the newspaper as Arnav walked in whistling. He saw that the receptionist wasn't at her place. He looked around to find the place empty except a young lady sitting on a chair in the corner with her face dug into the newspaper.

Khushi heard Arnav walk towards her and she could feel him standing across her. She shut her eyes tight hoping he didn't see her or speak to her. Arnav couldn't see her face but that the person was a girl was enough for him to begin flirting. He looked at his reflection in the glass of the window in front to make sure his hair was alright. He cleared his throat to announce his arrival hoping that the girl would put down the newspaper and look at him. But Khushi was determined not to.

Arnav was a bit disappointed. "Why am I not getting any attention from any girl since I have landed in this city!" he thought, "First that crazy girl yesterday, and now this one!" But he was not a guy who would give up on girls so easily.

Khushi opened her eyes not sensing anything more from Arnav. "What is he doing? Has he left?" she wondered.

Khushi's eyes widened as Arnav suddenly said in his usual style, "Hi! I am Arnav! Naam toh suna hoga..." Hi! I am Arnav! You must have heard my name...

This irked Khushi. "Oh God! Not again!" she thought. She couldn't refrain from saying "My memory is not so weak that I would forget things in only a few hours!"

Arnav was confused by the reply. He tried to see the face behind the newspaper but couldn't. He felt as if he had heard this voice before. But where? He ignored it for the moment and thought of something to carry on the conversation. He smiled noticing something and said in a romantic way, "I want to tell you something..."

Khushi's eyes almost popped out. "Now what?" she thought. "This guy won't change so easily. He needs to be taught a lesson!" Khushi was ready to give him a tight slap if he misbehaved with her. She was just waiting for the opportunity.

Seeing no reaction from the girl, Arnav finally said, "You have held the newspaper upside down!"

"What?" Khushi thought and then bit her tongue at her stupidity. She hadn't noticed this in the hurry. But she was not ready to give up on arguing. "Yes! I know that!" she said strongly, "A good detective needs to know how to read upside down!"

Arnav was defeated yet again. He strongly felt that he had heard this voice earlier. Had he met this girl before? And then the realisation dawned upon him. "What the...!" he exclaimed, "What are you doing here?!"

Khushi realised that Arnav had recognised her and there was no use hiding her face any more. She slammed the paper on the table in front and stood up saying, "I too can ask the same question to you! What are YOU doing here?"

"I have asked you first!" Arnav argued.

"So what?! I have come here first!" said Khushi, not leaving her stand. "What do you think of yourself, haan? You think you are SRK? From which angle?"

"SRK? Nah!" said Arnav in style. "You can call me ASR" he said weaving his fingers through his hair, "Arnav Singh Raizada!"

"Oh, is it?" said Khushi sarcastically. "Then Mr. ASR, learn some more dialogues of other heroes too! Good for you! How long will you keep saying the same dialogue every time?"

"Who are you to tell me what I should do and what I shouldn't? I don't understand why the hell I met you!!"

"Wait a minute!! Are you following me?" asked Khushi. "Don't tell me that you have come here to be a detective!"

"To be?! I AM a detective since childhood!" said Arnav proudly.

"Really?" said Khushi sarcastically, "Then I am a born detective!!"

"Detective? And you?! Do you even know what all qualities a detective has? Look at yourself!"

"Detective toh main banungi hi!" I will surely become a detective!

"We will see!!"

Arnav and Khushi stopped quarrelling as the other applicants began arriving. Though they both didn't speak anything, they kept giving looks to each other throughout the waiting time. Soon the reception area was filled with a number of candidates who had come to join the detective agency.

It was 11 AM. The receptionist came out and led everyone to a waiting room inside. The office was well-furnished and posh. Arnav and Khushi were excited to work at this place just like the other candidates.

The receptionist introduced herself as, "Good morning everyone! I am Lavanya, Shashi Sir's assistant" She further said, "We will soon be starting the selection process for today. Let me tell you that we wanted two detectives for our agency. And we have already selected one yesterday. So we need only one more. All the best!"

Only one more?!

"What the...!!" exclaimed Arnav as he and Khushi gave a tough look to each other.

"I will be selected! Mark my words!" said Khushi confidently.

"Selected as what? Watchman?!" taunted Arnav.

"Hawww!" Khushi's jaw dropped at the insult.

"Do you even know what detectives are like?" asked Arnav. "Look at me..." he said, "This is how a detective is!"

"Detective?! Huh! You are nothing but a stalker! You followed me even to this office!"

"Oh hellow!! If I would have known you were here, I would never have come!"

"Great!" exclaimed Khushi. "Now you know that I am here... So you may leave!" she said.

"Leave?! No way! I have come here to be a detective... And I will be one!"

"Sorry Mr ASR, better luck next time!" teased Khushi.

"Challenge?! If I get selected you will do whatever I tell you to!" Arnav challenged Khushi with an evil smile.

"Challenge accepted!" said Khushi with sparkling eyes. "And if I get selected, you will have to do whatever I say!" she added.

"Done!" said Arnav as both shook hands to seal the deal.

The candidates around them were enjoying their argument. One of the candidates laughed and said, "And what if I get selected?"

Arnav and Khushi exchanged glances.

Arnav said to the person, "Your selection is out of question, dude! Because either I will get selected or Khushi. Right Khushi?" He winked looking at Khushi.

Khushi laughed. "Right!" she said as she gave a high-five to Arnav.

Everyone around was confused. A few moments ago these two were quarrelling like anything, and now they have teamed up? Crazy couple!

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