Silence. A very killing silence was what ensued between the two of them as he marched ahead with Khushi in tow. Khushi didn't really know what was happening. Too many thoughts and emotions had engulfed her. For starters, she wasn't totally done with the morons who had, yet again, ruined her whole day. When she had come to college, neither did she think of this, nor was she prepared for such an ugly encounter. She looked up to the sky and questioned her all-time favourite deity "Why me DM, always?"
And now, to make it all worse, Arnav hadn't heard her out. If anything she was absolutely worried for, was his silence. "Why did he have to be so quiet? Why doesn't he shout or scream if he wants to? But there was no fault of mine. Why is he SO silent?", she sadly mused within.
And then there was a totally different feeling as well, playing havoc in her mind. His gentle and caring hold on her. The way his hand had just perfectly rounded around her waist. The moment felt so perfect even if the circumstances weren't so. As if she would melt in that warm embrace. As if only she could fit in there. She could still feel those pleasurable shivers around her spine... wait what.. pleasurable? What are you even thinking Khushi?
So now when her mind could not form any rational thoughts, and her mouth could not form any suitable words for the situation, her eyes took the matter in their hands. She looked up at the angry friend of hers. "Ar..arnav?", this was the first time her voice betrayed her. And she hated to appear so broken in front of him.
No response. He didn't even spare her a glance. She lowered her eyes, a very vulnerable feeling engulfing her insides. No! She just could not bear such silence from him, especially when she was the cause. A minute of uncomfortable silence passed.
"You believed them, right?", she didn't know why her voice wasn't stable anymore, though she tried all her might to sound normal at least. And all she got in response was a seething rage waving in those chocolaty orbs of his.
"Is he so angry and dejected with me that he is not even acknowledging me?", she wondered painfully. His hold on her wrist had loosened by now and she silently withdrew her hand. And the eyes that had been holding back the traitorous pearls, released them one by one.
It was only when he felt a wet drop falling ever so gently on his palm, almost accusing him of its roughness, that he realised where he was and what he was doing. The moment he turned aside, he could have sworn to himself, it was the most agonizing sight he had ever witnessed.
Her lowered eyes, depressed and downed shoulders as if she has lost something very precious and the priceless drops that travelled down her red cheeks. They were his undoing. "God damn it! What have I done!!", he muttered aloud to himself.
Slowly, the words which had been falling on his deaf ears travelled inside to the brain, and made their sense. And his eyes widened with shock and anger for himself. "You believed them, right?", her broken voice hit his heart with an intensity, he himself did not know the magnitude of.
"Khushi...", his first word came out after he came back to the real world. Khushi could have sworn to god, she had never heard her name filled with so much warmth and care, ever before. The urgency in his voice tugged at her heart. But she remained still in her position. Oh how much she hated her not-so-responding body and those traitorous damned tears!
"Khushi.. look at me. God Khushi I am so so sorry.", unable to bear the excruciating sight, he immediately engulfed her in his tight embrace, assuring her that he'll never be repeating this mistake, no; blunder, ever again.
His gentle words caressed her heart in ways she could not imagine and believe. She still could not come to terms with the effect he had on her. His one moment of indifference towards her had rendered her in this vulnerable a state. But she could not deny the intense wave of euphoria she experienced as he took her in his embrace. "So he was never angry at me.", she could literally feel a huge burden lifting off her heart.
The more he caressed her in his cosy hug, the more her tears flowed, albeit of happiness. Whatever there was between them, the whole thing had made two things clear to her. That, she could not bear his silence or indifference towards her, she just could not, not even for a moment.
And that, she loved this moment. The priceless heavenly moment when she was in his protective embrace. She felt safe, she felt home.
"Arnav.. I ...am not crying. I don't .. know.. wh..whats wrong with my eyes!", she tried to control the hiccups that the crying had caused.
Until this moment Arnav didn't know what pricking needles at heart meant or how it felt, but her weakened state and her tears had made him feel what exactly that feeling was. He shuddered.
His one hand remained encircled around her waist, making her cling to him as she softly sobbed in his chest, while his other hand gently caressed her hair, relaxing her to normal self.
"She did not deserve this. She. Did. Not. Deserve. This", he spoke so fiercely in his mind, absolutely unable to forgive himself. "As such those bas***ds ruined our day, atleast I shouldn't have been silent towards her. Should have told her everything right after coming away from there. Damn it."
When he saw her relaxing in his embrace after a few minutes, he gently pulled her away and ever-so-softly cupped her cheeks.
"I know you are not crying. How can a lady Gabbar cry when her job is to make others cry.. so must be some dust particles or something..right?", he spoke oh so innocently, that for a moment Khushi was stunned to silence and confusion.
The teasing meaning dawned on her soon and her jaw dropped as her mouth took a perfect O shape. A second later, her nose scrunched in distaste as she hit his chest with her tiny fists.
"You are so gone Mr. Oh so innocent Raizada. You sure need to witness more of Lady Gabbar's skills.", and with that, she worked the magic of her tender fingers, tickling his ribs and stomach to no ends.
"Khushiii..noo..", Arnav pleaded, or rather begged, as he was subjected to merciless tickling. Khushi had come to know a few days back that Arnav was very very ticklish. And she had just used that very important piece of information for her benefit now.
"Lady Gabbar hoon na. Can't be kind", she mimicked in a lady don's tone, finally stopping her cute attack.
Both of them took deep breathes to expel the tension which had been lurking around, due to the previous foul incident. She looked up in those deep brown warm orbs of his, thanking him through her own, for lightening the situation.
"I am sorry Khushi. You misunderstood me. Actually no..it's my fault.", he spoke softly, his palms still holding the most pillowy cheeks in the world. " I was just so angry on those bloody bas***ds ... how dare they even touch you.. and how f**king dare they talk to you like that! I just kept quiet because...", he was cut off in between.
"No arnav. Why are YOU apologising. It's me who misread your eyes.", she lowered her head, not knowing how to tell him how she had felt seeing no response from him.
"I was so madly taken in the fury Khushi, that I could see nothing beyond those lowly rascals and your dejected face. It had turned me furiously silent. That day I had let them go. But today they crossed the limit. And I had to make sure this was the last time they did something like this. And that's why I uttered not a word. I let them bark as much as they could. Because this was the last time they were doing this. They'll soon learn their lesson. I assure you that much. Do you trust me Khushi?", he rubbed her cheeks in a soothing manner, his warm affectionate eyes holding her gaze with utmost care.
"You earned it in our first meeting itself, Arnav", her voice bared her sincere emotions to him, her eyes shone with pride as she let him know how much she trusted him. And the priceless smile with which she was awarded, was so heartwarming, she could have given anything in world, just for having a glimpse of it.
"But can I ask you one question?", she spoke in an anxious tone, suddenly not so sure of her own words. The sudden gloominess in her manner did not miss his attention.
"Ofcourse you can. Just shoot it Khushi.", he spoke as softly as he could, making her as comfortable as he could.
"Did you even for a moment, think that I could say all that stuff.. all those cheap things?", her eyes lowered of their own accord, unable to accept the pain if he would say a yes to that.
"Look at me.", he cupped her cheeks once again, and made her look directly into his eyes. "The way I earned your trust on the first day Khushi, the same moment you earned my faith and trust in you as well. And you know how? Your eyes. They speak more than you do. No one..and I mean NO ONE can ever raise a finger on you Khushi. Doesn't matter what others say, you are always going to find ME beside you Khushi, because I trust you more than myself. And this is the first and last time I am hearing any such words from you, I dare you to say something like this about yourself again. And see what I do!", his voice had such an affectionate warning in it, Khushi could not help but hug him once again, very tight this time.
Arnav held her close to himself, a sincere smile playing on his lips as he cherished the moment.
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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