A rumbling sound made them both reluctantly come to their senses. It had gone dark and the rooftop floodlights had come on, not that they had noticed.
"Enough with the heavy. Let's eat before people mistake the rumbling in my tummy for an earthquake." Khushi said slightly embarrassed about her bodily noise and about the way she had just poured her heart out to him. But she didn't regret it. Now that she had bared her pain she knew that he could trust her with his. She pulled away from his arms and made her way back towards the makeshift dining table. "The foods gone all cold...I should go warm it up." She needed a moment away to compose herself. To not go running back to the blanket of safety in his arms.
"I am sure it's fine." He sat down and started to help himself before she could take the dishes away. There was no way he was letting her out of his sight. Not after the state she was in. Khushi opened another bottle of beer before sitting down to join him in the hopes of gaining some Dutch courage. "Is that a clever idea?" He said pointing at the bottle. It was her third and after the conversation they had just had Arnav knew the alcohol would mess with her head.
"I could drink most the boys at college under the table."She exclaimed before gulping down half the bottle to prove the point.
"What will buaji say?" He didn't want to be the dictator and snatch the bottle from her hand, but that wouldn't stop him from attempting to scare her.
"Nothing...she's at a jagraan and won't be returning till early tomorrow morning." She winked at him with a cheeky smile.
"You've planned this very well." A glint of mischief playing in his own eyes. "You've got me all to yourself. Maybe we could do that painting session now." He teased.
"Who are you Salman Khan? Always ready to drop the shirt. And hello I've told you, zero effect." She sounded more like she was trying to convenience herself. "And of course I've done a good job. I never do a half arsed job of anything." She said proudly.
"Ok let's get down to business... It's Diwali in a month's time, you have to tell me what you would like as a gift so I can make arrangements." He was amused by her taking a more trade like approach to the conversation.
"You tell me what you would like since it's you birthday 3 days before." Khushi was stunned that he even knew let alone remembered the date. "What? Why do you looked so shocked? You think I would enter into a deal with anyone and not do my research?" She felt a slight twinge of pain when he referred to their relationship as a deal and he too noticed this. "And of course, this more than a deal..." He redeemed.
"Hmm and I suppose you have informed your PA hat flowers must be sent to me on the day." She teased. It was the only thing she could expect from him. Business tycoons don't have time for futile celebrations such as birthdays.
"Khushi, I have never asked my PA to order flowers for anyone, in fact I have never sent flowers to any of my girlfriends." He said as a matter fact. Khushi began to giggle.
"Poor things... out of curiosity, how many girlfriends have there been?" She asked trying to be as indifferent as possible. She knew he was not the patron saint of chastity so there was no point being jealous. But she just had to know.
"Ah well thanks for the dinner, I think it's getting late now I should leave." He began to get up not wanting to think about how Khushi might react to the answer of the question.
"Hey! That's not fair! I told you everything you wanted to know." She folded her arms and pouted her lips.
"Khushi stop sulking, I've had these conversations before and they haven't exactly been the most stimulating ones. Some things are best left unsaid." She got up too fast, the place spinning slightly, she almost planted face first into the crate but a strong pair of hands steadied her.
"Nothing should be left unsaid between those tied for life." She spoke whilst being lost in his mysterious deep eyes. The comfort of his arms, his raw sweet scent made her hold him closer. She couldn't tell if was him or the alcohol but all of a sudden she felt light headed. She was closing her eyes tight shut and then opening them up wide, trying to find her bearings.
Her words echoed in his ears '...tied for life.' An unfamiliar joy took root within him. He had never had the time nor saw the point of thinking about with whom or how he would spend his future days. But the thought of growing old with Khushi gave him a sense a security. A security he had never felt the need for before. He felt her pull him closer, her eyes lost in his.
"Ok Gupta, it's time to go to bed." He didn't want to get carried away. He couldn't get carried away. Not like this.
"What, no I am fine look, see." She pushed him away and twirled around. She stopped abruptly and faced him. "Ta-da!" She sang pointing out that she was fine before, slowly but surely starting to lean to her side. Arnav decided that enough was enough. He took her arm and in one swift movement had thrown her over his shoulder.
"Arnav Caveman Singh Raizada put me down this instance!" She started to beat her fists against his back. "Is this any way to be treating your future wife you you ...you... GORILLA! Put me down! You could have carried me your arms like they do in the movies... You could have let me get my drink...I want my drink...PUT ME DOWN!" She screamed. He dropped and pined her up against the corridor wall, his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams.
"Khushi Kumari Gupta, unless you want your neighbours to tell your aunt that you were behaving in a drunk and disorderly manner I suggest you shut up." His tone stern. "And as for me, I'll stop behaving like a gorilla when you stop behaving like a chimp."Khushi blinked twice to let him know she understood. He slowly moved his hand from her mouth and was about to apologise for being rude.
"But Arnav-."
"Shut up." He hushed not wanting to draw any attention to them. He walked over to the elevator and called it up. Khushi made her way silently towards the staircase. "Where do you think you are going?" He said pulling her back.
"I am scared of elevators." She said biting her fingers. He took her hand into his own. He could see that she was genuinely scared. 'Did this also have to do with her past?' He thought.
"Khushi it's ok...Why though? I mean-."
"I've watched both Speed 1 and 2 and in both the movies there's a part where the elevator collapses." He stared at her with a dumbfound expression, 'She has got to be kidding me.'
"But Khushi you fool, you came up in the elevator!" Arnav explained.
"Yes but in the movies the elevator only collapsed when it was on its way down." He couldn't help but laugh at her drunk state of mind and her childish thoughts.
"Khushi Kumari Gupta, you belong in a museum. One piece ho tum."
"It's not funny...but your laugh is extremely cute so your forgiven." Khushi lightly touched his laughter lines. Arnav pulled himself together.
"Shall we?" He gestured towards the stairs.
Khushi put the music system on as soon as they got into the apartment. She started to bop her head to the beat of the drums.
"Buddy you're a boy make a big noise
Playing in the street gonna be man some day
You got mud on your face
You big disgrace
Kickin' your can all over the place Singin'
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you"
She was dancing on top of the sofa and singing to her heart's content. Arnav watched in amazement as he had been doing the whole night. He knew that even with all the time spent so far he had not met the real the Khushi. The Khushi she could only be when she knew no one else was watching. And know that he had met her he didn't feel the need to know anyone else.
"Buddy you're a young man hard man
Shouting in the street gonna take on the world some day
You got blood on yo' face
You big disgrace
Wavin' your banner all over the place
We will we will rock you
Sing it
We will we will rock you"
He joined her on the sofa strumming his air guitar. 'Arnav what the hell are you doing?!' But he ignored the voice in his head and again let his heart rule over his actions. Khushi stood shocked for about a second before jumping with joy on the sofa.
"Oh my god Arnav! You are such a good singer!" She claimed.
"Ok you are seriously way too drunk." He concluded.
"No seriously, you should sing more often...maybe you wouldn't get so angry if you sang... I know next time you feel like shouting at me or Aman just sing...trust me...you will feel much better!" Arnav contemplated singing down the phone to Aman and couldn't help but cringe. "And anyway, how do you know this song?"
"It's Queen...do you need a further explanation?" He stated whilst steadying Khushi as she got off the sofa.
"No I just didn't expect you to be this cool." 'Dont take the bait,' He thought. 'She is looking for spat but that is not how you are going to end it tonight.' She could see that he was going to call it a night and as much as it went against everything she use to think of him, everything she believed in, she wanted him to stay. She didn't want this night to end. Somehow they always managed to escape the world in her small apartment. She wasn't ready to face it just yet. He moved to pick up his jacket.
"No wait, you can't go." She said almost in a state of panic. "I-I-I...I have to call for a taxi, can't let you drink and drive now can we." She was going through her phone trying to look for the private taxi company.
"Khushi I had one beer...two and a half hours ago, I'll be fine." She wasn't going to let him drive but she didn't want to push it. She didn't want him to think that she was picking a fight on purpose.
"But still you can't leave ... I...I..." She searched her brain in desperation. 'Just let him go!' a part of her exasperated mind thought. The other part of her told her to think harder.
"Khushi, get some sleep."He said placing his hand on her shoulder letting her know it was ok.
"BIRTHDAYS!" She shouted at him.
"What the-."
"You asked me what I wanted for my birthday but I haven't even given you your gifts." She said sheepishly.
"I thought you had forgotten." He stated.
"Nahi." She protested. "I thought about calling to wish you, but then thought that knowing you and your anger, you would hang up at the sound of my voice." He smiled knowing too well that this was not too far from the truth. "I thought about you the whole day." She admitted quietly. He remembered how he had spent the day thinking about her. "I'm sorry." She looked like she was going to cry. And he couldn't let this happen. He lifted his hand to her stroke her cheek. The familiar crimson ribbon followed his fingers path across the ivory flesh as a shy smile appeared on her lips.
"That's better." He whispered. She looked up at him as the smile grew knowing that he didn't hold a grudge against her. She took his hand from her cheek and held it in her own.
"Stay." He nodded at her request to which her eyes sparkled at. "Come with me."
She led him to her bedroom and sat down on the bedroom floor next to her wardrobe. Arnav didn't pay much attention to the room when he had been in here once before. But today he saw the true volume of how much it reflected Khushi. The wall where her desk was covered in photos, some faces he recognised others he didn't. He saw a rocking chair in the corner with a shawl draped over its back. "It's dad's. Well it's a family heirloom, kind of. It belonged to his great grandfather and it's been passed down in the family to all the sons...and I guess am enough of a tomboy for it to be passed down to me." She said when she caught sight of him looking at it. "And that guitar is mine but don't ask me to play. Now come here." She waved at him to come over and as he did she patted on the floor for him to sit opposite her. "Comfortable?" She asked
"Khushi."
"Ok ok ok . Sorry baba, Ishhh. Ithna gussa." She passed him a red sparkly box. Her eyebrows raised in anticipation of his reaction.
He was just about to open the box when Khushi had faltering thoughts about the gift. "You should always use protection." She explained confusing Arnav slightlyon why he would need protection for opening the box. "I have seen you go about your ways and you do nothing to protect yourself. Ok, so you take care of your equipment but people have caught germs from this, and what if something happens to you? It might seem like a silly gift but it's very important." Arnav looked at her in disbelief. 'She can't possible mean what I think she means, can she? Is this a box of-.' But he was cut off. "Even Di has been worried, what if you catch something and it spreads? It's not like you would listen to her or anyone else. So now you have no excuse." Arnav couldn't move. He no longer wished to open the box 'DI! What the hell!' What kind of conversations were these insane women having when he wasn't around? And what did she mean about seeing him? He hadn't been with a woman since Lavanya. "Open it." She urged. He rid his mind of the thoughts and hesitantly opened the red box.
A chuckle escaped his lips as he removed the gardening gloves from the box.
"I knew you would find it silly." Khushi said quietly.
"No no Khushi, I was thinking it was going to be something else. This is actually very thoughtful. Thank you." He saw her disappointment being replaced by a slight smile.
"What did you think it was?"She asked. He shook his head hoping she would let it go. And thankfully she did. She pulled out another red package from her wardrobe and handed it to him. This time she thought it best to stay mum until he opened it.
Arnav opened the parcel and was taken back at the sight in front of him. It was a framed photo of him and Anjali when they were younger. The photo was in sepia tone and showed him and his sister playing with a spinning top.
"The original is in the white envelope. Di showed it to me and I thought it would be a good idea to have it restored as the original is quite damaged. She says that you were 7 and she was 12 at the time of the photo." She could see that he was taking in her words but he was lost in another time, another world.
"Yes I remember, I got the spinning top from Nani." His voice distant.
"I know you don't have any personal photos on display but I thought this would a nice one for your room."
"Thank you." He looked her not having any words to say. She could see in his eyes that she had been able to remind him of a happier time from his childhood and this in turn made her happy. Words were not needed.
"And now for the grand finale." She announced whilst getting up.
"There's more?" She winked at his question and took his hand. The beer had begun to wear off but the giddy feeling was still there every time she touched him, looked at him, felt him. She felt no discomfort in lacing her fingers through his as they walked across the apartment. 'Like not love like not like not love...' she kept telling herself.
"Ok first promise me you won't laugh." She asked as they stood outside her art room.
"Khushi you always tell me not to make promises I can't keep." He reminded her and seeing as though he had laughed more today than he could last remember he didn't know if it was a promise he could keep.
"Fine. Just try." She took a deep breath. "Hai Devi Maiya." She uttered under her breath. She turned the handle and opened the door to switch the light on.
Arnav was greeted by a fusion of colours and faces. There were paintings lined up on both walls. He spotted a painting of Nani with Lakshmi and one of his sister with his brother-in-law. "Do you like it? I thought I could gift it to them once Jijaji finds a place."
"It's perfect." He said. He had seen rough sketches she had made before but nothing to this effect. He looked at each and every painting and felt as though he took a part of it with him. Each one as captivating as the last. "You are wasting your time in school, you should be holding exhibitions."
"Don't be silly this is just...it's...Anyway school... hmm got fired so not a problem anymore."
"What? what do you mean they fired you? How dare they?" She could see that he had began to see red.
"I was a little upset too, that's why I took my anger out on you that day when I made the daal. But it's ok I am over it now. Infact I don't want to even think about it now. I think I am going to try working in an art gallery. For a change."
"You sure?" He asked. Before she had finished nodding in response he was dialing a number on his phone. "Yes Raffique, Arnav here. I need you to find a position within an art gallery in Delhi. Yes art expert. Fine I want an e-mail and fax copy." He cut the call. "If there is a job going Raffique knows about it. Don't worry I know you are a self made woman, I am only getting you the details the rest is up to you. Now where is this grand finale?"
She hesitated at first but then slowly made her way to a canvas which had white cloth over it. The quite music from the living room slowly, softly danced into the room. She removed the cloth from the painting knowing this would be a true test of just how far they have come.
Arnav felt his breath being stolen as the cloth slipped away from the canvas which overflowed with colours of the sunset they had seen tonight. And in the centre of it all was him. A image of him in his white shirt,laughing. But apart from the initial registry of the fact that she had painted a portrait of him all he could see was her. In every smudge in every brush stroke he saw Khushi and how she saw him.
"You are amazing." He said quietly as he walked up to her.
"You like it?" She chirped. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for her hug. She instantly wrapped her arms around his neck to lift herself up so that she was on her tip toes.
"You don't know it yet. But you have changed my life." He whispered in to her ear. She turned to face him at the sound of his words. She saw something in his eyes which she had seen a glimpse of before. 'He can't, not me. Why would he love me.' She thought. Arnav couldn't fight it anymore. He didn't care that they were both slightly drunk. He didn't want to think about how awkward things would be in the morning. He just wanted to lose himself in her completely.
He freed his hand from her waist and gently weaved it through her hair to the back of her neck. Her breath hitched slightly as he moved her head closer to his. He waited, giving her chance to tell him to stop before they reached the point of no return. But when he saw the desire he felt within him being reflected in her eyes he leaned in closer.
Her heart was furiously beating in her chest as she could taste his scent. Her hands gripped the back of his shirt in desperate attempts in regaining some control. She watched as his hypnotic eyes drifted from her lips back to her eyes. 'Dont stop' She thought unable to bring herself to say the words we he hesitated to make a move. And as if he read her thoughts he leaned in. Their lips so close, their breath embraced as the song continued to dance in the moonlight.
"Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai
CID
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