Arhi OS : Epiphany [TY Note : Pg 15]

Arhi OS : Epiphany a sudden revelation

Arnav came back from his usual morning run, a cathartic experience for him in the pristine Mumbai winters. Despite the slight chill in the wind, he was sweating profusely as he silently entered his flat, in an upscale locality of Bandra. Regardless of the expense of this property, it seemed like a good option as the small office he had set up a few years ago, was a mere five-minute walk from home.

He shared this flat with his baby sister, Anjali. She was about five years younger to him and had recently started working for an upcoming fashion house. Unlike him, she was always inclined towards art and design. He was an engineer, studying hard and working harder to make a name for himself... to carry forward the Raizada legacy... although just not in the business his father had wanted him to make a career in.

Raizada Exports, was a well-renowned name in the Delhi business circuit. Ajay Raizada was a workaholic, especially after his beloved wife passed away twelve years ago. Arnav and Anjali had not only mourned the loss of their mother, but their father as well. To drown his sorrow, Ajay had immersed himself in work and ignored his children. They didn't want for anything in the monetary aspects. Good education, lavish lifestyle... they got it all. However, they were deprived of the one thing they craved the most... love.

It was this loneliness in their grand home in Delhi, that had made Arnav take the decision of moving to Mumbai to pursue his education. Soon Anjali had followed, leaving Ajay Raizada to build a business empire, which neither of his children were interested in. Arnav didn't even remember the last time he had spoken to his father. Anjali was the only thread that connected the two men and frankly he was content to let it remain that way.

As he walked into the living room, which was now illuminated in the soft glow of the bright new morning, he noticed a rumpled figure lying on the couch. A closer look and he knew exactly who she was. How had he missed her presence while he had stormed out for his run? Possibly due to the darkness cloaking the room in the early hours of dawn. However in the morning light, he could see every fine detail of her curvaceous body, sprawled as if no one was watching. Except... he was.

He walked closer taking in her flushed face adorned by her pouting mouth, left slightly open. Did he just hear her snore? He chuckled softly, his eyes moving over her perfect cheekbones, her smooth skin glowing in the warm light filtering through the windows. Her rumpled silken hair, were strewn like a halo around her face. It was a rare sight, considering how she usually tied them up in a long plait, deliciously swirling around her waist.

He stood rigid in the spot, his eyes moving to her long slender neck, unblemished and like a clean canvas for him to leave his mark. He took in a fractured breath at his wayward thoughts, confused, unsure of how they and taken this direction. He had known her for all of the seven years, she and Anjali had been friends. She was his baby sister's best friend for god's sake! What was he even thinking!!

However, today, it seemed like a big feat for him to wretch his eyes away from her. There was just something about this morning... that was different. His eyes involuntarily moved towards her languidly rising and falling chest. She was well endowed in that department and as if sensing the way his body was surging towards embarrassment, he dipped his eyes to her flat stomach. She was perfect, in every sense and he wondered why he hadn't noticed her this way before.

It was not very difficult to notice the vivacious Khushi Kumari Gupta, the usually chattering and self absorbed girl, who had barged into Anjali and his bland life seven years ago. Anjali had met her in college and instantly hit it off with this innocent girl, who thought the world to be a perfect place to live in. Hailing from a small town like Lucknow, she had taken the big leap to come to Mumbai against her parent's wishes, to make a career in fashion.

Despite her quirky sense of colours and style, she had learned the intricacies of the fashion world quickly and was now assisting a renowned fashion designer, who specialized in Indian wear. Her laughter was contagious and so was her happiness. He had often tagged along with Anjali and her, to movies, shopping expeditions or simply fun dinners at new places across Mumbai. It was a new and dynamic city for the trio and they loved exploring everything about it.

However, till today... till about a few moments ago... Arnav had never bothered to look at Khushi as anything more than his sister's friend... who had in turn, also become one of his closest friends. He was still trying to fathom the chaos that was his mind, when Khushi stirred in her sleep. He immediately stiffened realising his closeness to her, the muscles of his back bunching with tension. What the hell was he doing, drooling over Khushi? She was Khushi... his sister's friend, for god's sake!! He tried to remind himself, once again... yet again!

He turned around, pleading his body and heart to behave. "Arnav? her husky, sleep-laden voice, stopped him in his tracks. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, to mask his erratic thoughts, he turned around to look at Khushi who was now sitting up on the sofa... looking all mussed up and groggy. Shit! She looked stunning. Her smoky eyes were unfocused, confused and utterly sexy. Her long hair, shielded a part of her face, making his hands itch to tuck them behind her ear. Arnav groaned in frustration and sighed dejectedly. Today was just not his day. How the hell was he supposed to get back to being mere friends with her, while every pore in his body rose traitorously to her adorableness?

"Aaargh... my head is throbbing. I feel like someone is hitting a hammer right on my damn head!" she cried, holding her head with her dainty hands. Before he could ask her if she was truly ok, she continued her ramble like usual... barely giving anyone time to respond. He chuckled at the thought, reminiscing in the wonderful moments he had spent in the past, merely listening to her dramatic and filmy stories.

He was surprised at himself... of how he had simply ignored or refused to accept this attraction he had felt towards Khushi since the beginning. Primarily because as per sister-code, no man should date his sister's best friend. And secondarily because he was so absorbed in making a career, that he had let life... to simply pass by in a blur.

"I shouldn't have listened to Anjie. Hey Devi Maiyya... maaf karna! That sharaab was totally useless to drown my sorrows because this pain has only multiplied," she rambled on, breaking Arnav's reverie. What the hell was she talking about, he wondered. Sharaab? And pain? Was she hurting? Involuntarily his hands curled into fists as he looked at her still rambling face, trying to decipher her words.

"It feels like a million bulls are ramming their horns into my head. It's like a war in here and I am going to die after losing the battle. Why Anjie why? Maine tumhara kya bigada tha? Pehle dil ka dard and now sir ka dard! Arrrgh," Khushi cried in pain, pulling a bunch of her silken hair in her hands. Before Arnav could even try to gather his thoughts to either ask to elaborate on her ramblings or soothe her pain away, she stood up and clumsily walked over to the small kitchenette.

Arnav followed her silently, for the first time in his life, unsure of his own feelings and his future actions. He watched Khushi grabbing a glass of water and gulping it down greedily. Knowing the perfect cure for a hangover, he walked towards the fridge and grabbed a pack of orange juice from it. Pouring it into a glass, he walked towards the cabinet containing medicines and took out two painkillers to subdue her headache.

He could feel Khushi's eyes on him and that somehow thrilled him to no extent. Turning around to face her he said, "Here take these and down the entire glass of orange juice along with it. You will feel better." She blinked at him, slowly raising her hand to take the tablets. The featherlike touch of her fingers against his palm, send a shiver pulsing through his sweating body. What the freaking hell was happening here!!

Mesmerised and a little freaked, he watched as Khushi pulled out her small pink tongue to place the tablets onto it and finished the entire glass of juice hastily. A small drop of juice slipped from the corner of her luscious lips, making Arnav groan in frustration. He reigned in his urges to lean over the small counter to lick it off. It seemed as if he was high on the drinks that Khushi and Anjie had seemed to have guzzled last night. He was the one drunk here, with no cure for a his hangover. And despite all the chaos that was his heart and mind, he needed to know why someone as pure and innocent as Khushi had gotten so sloshed in the first place.

Clearing his throat he asked, "Why were you drinking last night Khushi? And what did you mean by dil ka dard? Kisi ne kuch kaha tumhe? Kisne batameezi ki? Did someone try to hurt you? Batao mujhe Khushi!" The latter half of his questioning seemed to have come as a shout, making Khushi cringe in her spot, covering her ears.

"Please don't shout, my head hurts. Arrghhh... I hate this headache. Devi Maiyya is punishing me for drinking sharaab. I knew Anjie's ideas are always stupid. Now I am not only jobless, but I am a sinner as well," Khushi muttered, closing her eyes to pray and ask for forgiveness.

God! This woman was going to drive him crazy. She never could reply to a simple question simply. She had to complicate it just like her favourite delicacy... her jalebi! Reigning in his temper and desperately holding onto his fragile patience he asked, "What do you mean by jobless? What happened to Raj Malhotra... your beloved boss?"

At the mention of her boss's name her eyes widened and nose flared, making Arnav a little confused as to why she had suddenly turned against the man, who seemed to be so popular amongst these two women. Arnav had met him a few times and knew the famous designer was a complete charmer. The only reason Arnav seemed to be at ease letting Khushi work with him at odd hours and travel to various destinations for work was because he was happily gay.

"Naam mat lena uss shaitan ka! That fraud... that cheater!! Yes! He is a cheater! I am telling you Arnav, that man is a fake... his entire life is a lie! Kamina! And yeah... he is cheap too." Khushi spoke agitatedly, as she walked around the kitchen counter, walking back into the living room to plop on the sofa. Arnav not only fought the urge to thread his fingers through her long hair that sashayed in the air while she walked ahead of him, but had to stop himself from pulling her close to himself to make sure she was ok. Did that ass Raj try to do something to her? His imagination was running as wild as his heartbeat, the fatigue from the long run forgotten.

"What did he do Khushi?" he growled, towering over her near the sofa. Something in his menacing tone must have shaken her from her babbling, making her look at him... directly into his eyes for the first time this morning. He peered intently into her hazel orbs, still heavy with sleep and a lot of other things that seemed to be on her mind. The sunlight flickering through the open window, created a dance of light and shadows across her gorgeous face, the dark shadow of her long eyelashes falling onto her cheekbones.

She remained silent, probably unsure of the intensity in his look. Breaking into her thoughts, he asked again, "Khushi... what did he do?" He saw a delicious shiver run across her body... a shiver he was convinced that was not of fear. "Arnav..." she stuttered, her voice unsure. Khushi Kumari Gupta... silent for a change! That thought made his lips curve around the corners, taking away the force from their conversation.

He saw her visibly sag into the sofa and gather her bearings before answering him. "Raj Malhotra is not gay! Can you believe it? That man is just building a facade so he can blend into the fashion world. All those models and photographers and make-up artists that he works with and who cling onto him, thinking that he is safe... he is simply playing with all of them. And it was only yesterday that I realized! Hey Devi Maiyya... I am such a fool. How could he touch me like that!!" she once again began her monologue, but for a change, Arnav needed to interrupt her instead of simply enjoying her tirade.

"What the!!" he roared, making her jump up from the sofa, bringing her nose to nose with him. Grabbing her by the arms, he pulled her body towards him demanding her answer not with mere words, but physically as well. "Kya kiya usne Khushi? What did you mean by he tried to touch you? Are you ok? Do we need to file a complaint against him?" he asked, barely keeping his anger in check. His brain was exploding with thoughts of punching that douche bag in a million different ways.

"Relax Arnav," her whisper and the soft expression on her face, calmed him a little. She went on to clarify for his sake and said, "While working on a dress late last night, he tried to get close to me and starting touching me inappropriately. I tried to push him away but he was not budging. Hence I had to show him my Lucknowi tadka and slapped him across his face. Before he could recover, I also punched him in the nose. I think he was bleeding, while sacking me, yelling proficiencies and threatening me to ruin my career. "

The thought of Raj Malhotra trying to take advantage of Khushi made Arnav want to break his bloody nose again. However, the visual that Khushi painted of the way she handled the situation made him feel really proud. There was just something about this innocent girl that had always stirred emotions within his heart. Yet, it was just today that he realized her importance in his life. Looking into her worried eyes, he had to ask her, "Tum theek ho na Khushi?"

That question seemed to clear her fuzzy mind and she gave him a dazzling smile in return. "Oh! I am just perfect. I was a little angry and upset last night. I don't have a job now and I am little anxious of what Raj is capable of. I am sure he will spread the word amongst his friends, to not hire me and I don't want to go back to Lucknow. I love it here... with Anjie and... with you," she once again chattered like the flow of water... gushing and rushing all her thoughts without filter.

Arnav sucked in a fractured breath, as he amazed at the beauty of the soft blush spreading across her cheeks, gradually dipping down her slender neck. "With me?" he queried huskily, his hands losing the strong hold onto her arms... now merely grazing them with his rough fingers, enjoying the feel of her soft skin. His heart thrilled to see her blush deepen, as she tried to pry herself from his hold.

To fluster her further, he pulled her more closer to himself, urging her to look into his eyes. "You haven't answered my question Khushi... you love it here with me?" Knowing Khushi well enough by now, he knew she was going to answer him truthfully. The woman was made of steel and tackled any kind of situations with great determination and strength. However, he was not prepared for his own reaction to her truth.

"Yes... I enjoy your company Arnav... I mean with Anjie and you, going for movies and plays, enjoying the sports bars with games of bowling and air hockey, eating chaat or pizzas... I just love everything about this city. But frankly it is because of the two of you that makes this city, my career, my life more meaningful. You guys are closer to me than my own family, Arnav," she said with such emotion that all Arnav could do was pull her in his arms for a hug.

It seemed to be their first real hug... beyond the realms of mere friendship. His hand held her closer like cherished treasure... the curves and softness of her body filling not only his arms but heart as well. All his senses seemed to be hyper aware as he felt her clutching onto the back of his sweaty t-shirt, rubbing her face into the crook of his neck. It seemed that this electrifying attraction was not one sided. Arnav smirked at the thought and inhaled a cloud of fruity fragrance from her hair.

"Do you want to file a complaint against him, Khushi? I think we should sue him for terminating your contract without reason. You know my friend Shyam, who is a lawyer and can help us in this case. I don't think you should just keep silent about this. I know providing proof against such a renowned personality always becomes tough but we should at least try," he said.

Khushi pulled back, creating distance between their bodies which made Arnav a little annoyed. He did not let her go completely, unable to comprehend this new craving to keep touching her. "I know what you mean Arnav, but no one is going to believe me. I spoke to his other assistant who had a similar experience, but they refused to go against someone who would ruin their career. And some of them even told me to enjoy his attention! Chee! This world is a weird place full of characterless people."

He chuckled at her incorruptibility and asked, "So what have you planned with that shatir dimaag of yours? I am sure there must be a million ideas already running through your head." She gave him a huge dazzling smile and held her nose in air proudly declaring, "Nothing! Absolutely nothing." He looked at her in confusion as she continued, "Well the best thing I can do is let my work speak. I believe in my work and something or the other will work out. I am sure of it. I am going to kick his ass with my talent and prove it to him, that not every girl needs cheap ways to make a career."

Arnav could not take his eyes off her face, shining with an inner glow, a light so bright that seem to bedazzle him. He could not help but match her grin, knowing in his heart that this morning had turned the tides of his life, sailing him in unchartered yet endearing waters. He had always been proud of Khushi's achievements and had been privy to her inmost dreams through Anjali. However, sharing this personal space with her, physically and emotionally had completely changed the dynamics of how he felt for her.

"I have a couple of investors who have been wanting to broaden their spectrum of businesses, Khushi. Why don't you and Anjali meet them and show them your work? Probably like all those fashion duos like Shantanu & Nikhil, Monica & Karishma, Gauri & Nainika, you and Anjie can start one of your own. Not only can you then spend your evenings and weekends together, you'll can bring the house down 24X7. What say?" Arnav suggested casually.

He witnessed the transformation in Khushi's eyes, from determination to exhilaration as she literally jumped on to him. "Hey Devi Maiyya! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That is such a brilliant idea," she squealed, pulling away from him just a fraction of a second to smack a loud kiss onto his cheek and then to hug him tightly again. Arnav stood completely still, gobsmacked as the feel of her soft lips lingered on his cheek. He could feel the adrenaline rushing through her pliant body, excitement for her future dancing in front of her hazel eyes. He mentally counted till the moment she would realize what she had done and felt a sudden thrill run up his spine to see her reaction.

And at that very moment Khushi pulled back from his hug, her eyes rounded like big saucers, her mouth gaping open like a fish. "Hey Devi Maiyya!!" she muttered raising her hands in shock, holding her head. Looking at her comical face, Arnav burst out laughing. He smiled, not often yet not rarely either. But laughing out loud, holding his stomach was a rarity in itself.

It was only when he wiped the happy tears from his eyes that he noticed Khushi's face, blushing adorably. Gosh! She was stunning in every way. He cursed himself mentally for taking so long to realize this amazing chemistry between them. However, what was done was done and he was not so patient to wait for their story to unfold at leisure. He was Arnav Singh Raizada dammit! And he always got what he wanted. Raj Malhotra would be dealt with as well, in a way he would least expect. The Raizada surname was powerful enough to pull some strings and he would use it to his benefit for a change.

Taking advantage of Khushi's mortified state, Arnav pulled her closer once again and was glad that she melted into his arms. Giving her his lopsided grin, which he knew she found sexy he said, "Khushi, I will speak to those investors and get them to meet you as soon as possible. In the mean time you can speak to Anjie and work things out amongst you'll. I also know that you don't like to keep any dues and prefer to payback immediately. So..."

He held her face in his hands and pressed a gentle kiss on her right cheek, shocking her and continued, "...this is a return kiss for the kiss you just gave me and..." He tilted his head to the other side, kissing Khushi on her left cheek. "This kiss is now one over you, which I will make sure to take back with interest," saying that, he reluctantly pulled away from her and created some much-needed space between them.

He took in Khushi's flustered face, her slightly trembling form and the beautiful blush adoring her cheeks. What a glorious morning this had been, revealing an unknown yet sweet pleasurable emotion within his heart. He knew now what he felt for Khushi and would soon make her confess her feelings for him as well. He was just about to tuck a wayward strand of her hair behind her ear, when the door to Anjie's room opened with a bang as she squeaked loudly, "What the hell was that? Were you laughing bhai?"

Both Khushi and him turned their attention towards a drowsy Anjie, who was gaping at them with confusion in her eyes. Arnav simply nodded towards her and turned to face Khushi saying, "It was my laughter Anjie... the sound of happiness brought by a beautiful epiphany." Saying that he turned towards his room, to appease his body with a much-needed cold shower and his heart with new plans and ideas to make Khushi his.

Link to my other work:

Arhi Index : Mints Madness