And Then She Found Me-Chapter 37 PG 58 13/11/17 - Page 11

"Khushi if I'm going down, I am going to take you down with me." She saw in his eyes that he was not bluffing. She shook her head in objection.
"Oh yes. We are partners now...remember." He nodded whilst pointing at her ring. "Now shut up and hide, I have to get the door." He removed his hand from her mouth. Anjali continued to knock on the door.
"Chote? What...? Chote."
"Hide...Where? How am I suppose to stay quite you know I get nervous."She whispered.
"Khushi I swear, buaji might not kill you but I will...HIDE." He hissed at her. Frustrated with his attitude she pushed him away.
"It's not like I forced you to bring me back here...Laad Governor." She cursed under her breath as she frantically ran from one end of the room to the other trying to find a place to hide. Arnav stood there with his arms folded rolling his eyes. "Why do you have a ridiculously large room with no place to hide in it? ...Can't even crawl under the bed... Devi maiya this stupid cupboard is fixed to the wall."
"How about hiding in it instead of trying to move it?" He growled in a low voice. She slid open the sliding door to the wardrobe and climbed up.

"Chote what took you so long?"
"Di, I didn't hear you."
"Didn't hear me? It sounded as if you speaking to someone...Any way its 8.30!"
"What?" He exclaimed before rushing to get his phone to check the time.
"Akash has already left for the office, he came earlier to wake you up but you didn't get up then either." Anjali walked up to her brother and placed her hand on his forehead. "You are not falling ill are you?"
"Di I am fine...Akash will handle things in the office...I have something I have to take care of here."
"What's that why do you look stressed?"
"It's just...I never knew such a small package could cause so much problems, it's quite annoying." Khushi sat in the wardrobe fuming. 'You wait Laad Governor. So you think I am annoying, I haven't even started yet.'
"Chote I have no idea what you are talking about." Anjali admitted. "Freshen up, I'll make you some breakfast." she was about to leave when she turned around and stepped closer. She sniffed the air around him. "Have you been drinking?" She asked shocked.
"Di are you crazy? I know that alcohol is not allowed in the house." Anjali stopped and a thought about what her brother had said but then left thinking he wouldn't lie to her. As soon Khushi heard Anjali leaving and Arnav locking the door, she sprung out of the wardrobe.

"So Mr Arnav Singh Raizada, how many girls have you hid in this wardrobe? What number am I?" She demanded. Arnav began to open the curtains letting the morning light stream into his dim room.
"Khushi keep your voice down!" He hushed. He drew back the last curtain letting the sun beam on Khushi.
"Ah!" She gasped covered her eyes with her hands.
"Khushi what's the matter?" He hurried over to her.
"The light, it's too bright, my eyes...my head...oh dear my dear head."
"Congratulations you have your first hangover." He held her by the shoulders and led her back to the bed. She clambered on and sat on the bed holding her head in her hands. Arnav walked over to his bathroom and then to hi wardrobe. He handed her a pair of Aviators. "Here, put these on." Khushi lifted her heavy head and placed the large glares over her eyes. Arnav poured some water from the jug on the bedside table before sitting next to her. He handed her the glass and two painkillers. "You'll be better in no time...I have to get changed." Khushi watched him as picked out his clothes for the day. Arnav was to about to pull out a lilac shirt.

"Not that one...No not that one either...You own a fashion house right? ...Oh please no! ... Maybe you should borrow one of Jiju's shirts." Khushi commented as Arnav kept pulling out different coloured shirts from his collection. He turned around wanting to give her a piece of his mind. But he saw a small Khushi sitting crossed legged on his bed, in a t-shirt that was too large for her, in shorts that would have his Nani breathing fire, hair that looked like it had been in a maelstrom and sun glasses that were too big for her face. "What are you smiling about Raizada?"
"Just thinking about what Nani will say when she finds out her future daughter-in-law is an alcoholic."
"You wouldn't...Arnav you can't."
"I can, and I will if you try to wind me up again. I am going for a shower. Do yourself a favour and keep quiet and if you hear anyone coming, hide." He grabbed his towel and headed for the bathroom. She sat there not being able think as it hurt too much. She lay down on the bed pulling a pillow over her head trying to relieve her pain.

She heard the bathroom door unlock and opened her eyes her slowly from the fear of the pain returning from the sunlight. Her mouth dropped in shock with the sight before her.
"What are you doing? Do you have a Full Monty obsession I need to know about?"
"What the hell is a Full Monty?"
"Oh god...Put some clothes on!" She almost screamed at him.
"Why does my semi nakedness bother you so much?" He teased as she registered the mischief playing in his eyes. "You always walk around saying that I have no effect on you." He edged closer to the bed.
"You don't." She hopelessly attempted to conceal the tremble in her voice, as she watched two droplets of water race each other down his neck, over his broad chest, rippling over his abs and around his navel before disappearing into the top of his towel. He let out a low husky laugh as he watched her watching him. He leaned over to her holding her face in one hand firmly, whilst he placed the other on the bed to steady himself.
"Khushi," he whispered in his baritone. His lips lingering close to hers enough for her to feel the heat emanating from them. She gulped down heavily unable to move. "Faraq toh tume partha hai." She closed her eyes expectantly.

"We have to figure out a way to get you out of here." She almost fell back at the sound of his voice but managed to steady herself. He was still topless but was wearing trousers. She blinked in disbelief. 'How long was I sitting there with my eyes shut. Khushi you are a complete ghadhi!' He smiled seeing her confused.
"Chote chalo...Your breakfast is getting cold." Anjali called. Arnav quickly put on his shirt and headed for the door.
"Freshen up, I'll be back soon. Then we will get you out of here." He left leaving a dazed and aggravated Khushi. She tried to focus on relieving herself from his presence, his touch but when he closed her eyes he was all she could see, all she could think of. 'It's a little crush. A stupid crush.'

Arnav sat at the dining table trying to pay attention to his sister's plans for the day, but it was a failed attempt. The time away from Khushi gave him the space to reflect on the previous night. He had no idea the amount of pain she had been hiding behind that beautiful mask. How much her heart pained for her parents, how much she tried not to be a burden on her adopted ones. 'I was expected to say yes,' those where her words. It was not the Gupta's who had given her no choice in this engagement it was her inner self. She wouldn't allow herself to be a burden or trouble to her adopted family. And yet with all the pain and weight that she carried with her every day, she drifted into his life with such ease.
"Arnav, you're not even listening to me...you haven't even touched your plate. What's wrong with you today?" Anjali asked.
"Di I have to make an important call, have Om Prakash bring my breakfast up. Oh and please tell him to bring up a glass of milk." He made his way upstairs before his sister could question him further.

He opened the door to his room and quickly shut it behind him. He looked around the room but he couldn't find her. He looked in the wardrobe the cupboard.
"Khushi" he whispered loudly. But there was no response. And then her saw her by the pool side, drying her wet hair with a towel. He had not control over his feet as they led him to her. Her long hair fell in loose curls down her side as she continued to dry it. She was wearing a simple blue saree.
"Did you have breakfast?" Her question made him break his gaze. "Did you take you medicine?"
"Khushi keep you voice down...?" She could see that her attire had him a little confused.
"I thought if I have a shower maybe I might be able to shake off this hangover, but apart from smelling very manly I have not achieved much. Your shower gel is so strong I only used like a drop but I am going to have girls all over me."
"As long as it's not guys all over you...saree?" He asked.
"I went to go find something to wear from jiji's room."
"Khushi I told you not to leave the room." He scolded.
"No you didn't."
"Well if I did you would have just called me Captain Obvious."
"Is it your life's mission to hold a grudge against every single word that comes out of my mouth because if that is the case Raizada we are going to have one very long and hard life living together." Arnav stepped towards her, his eyes narrow his nostrils' a flare.
"Gupt-."
"No." Khushi said pointing her finger at him before realising how rude she was being. "Count to ten." she ordered.
"What!"
"You heard me, count to ten. You get angry so much so quick, you'll end up having high blood pressure problems and then all your diet will consist of is pills." She exclaimed.

"The only thing that's going to give me high blood pressure is you Khushi Kumari Gupta"
"Oh so not only am I annoying and a small package I am also the reason for your health problems! Why don't you just go and marry one the many girls you have snuck in here before. I am sure they won't be a problem" She began to walk off as he stared after incredulously.
"Gupta that has nothing to dod with what awe are talking about!"
"Of course I can't do anything right...what was her name...that bitch...Miss Lisa." She turned to face Arnav, who she didn't know was so closely behind.
"Khushi are you...you're jealous?"
"Oh give me a break. Jealous of that ... that... she's not even that pretty. Arnie...tum ho yah tumhara perfume, chordne ko dil nahi kartha." She mocked. Arnav was trying his best not to laugh.
"I am glad you find this amusing." She huffed and sat down on the edge of the bed. There was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Arnav called. Khushi was too wound up to move or bother to hide.
"Arnav bhaiya app ka breakfast." Hari Prakash called.
"Leave it out side." He waited till the fading steps of Hari Prakash disappeared before opening the door and bringing in the tray. He placed it on the small coffee table which he carefully pulled to the bed. He sat down next to Khushi who had her arms and instantly moved up as he sat next to her. He handed her the glass of milk.
"It will help with your hangover." But she looked the other way.
"This is why I didn't want to talk about past relationships...I knew you would react like this...I have had total of 7 girlfriends." She turned to face him.
"You're 27 years old and you had had 7 girlfriends...there's a word for men like you...man-wh**e." Her words hurt him a little but he thought he knew her well enough to know that she didn't mean any malice by it.
"Yes I guess I am but you are the only girl I have ever snuck into my room, let alone stay the night here." His words somewhat calmed Khushi's frustrated nerves. "You are the only girl I have risked breaking Nani's rules for, the only I am willing to lie to my Di for. And I would do it all again if it meant staying true to you. Yes I have made some bad dating decisions but you Khushi Kumari Gupta are the exception." He said the words with such ease, as though it was the flowing of a river, that it left her breathless.

He passed her he glass of milk again which this time she took without any questions. "You haven't eaten anything have you?" She asked and he shook his head in response. She tore a piece of a paratha and fed it to him. "I have an idea of how to get me out of here." She announced with big smile whilst winking at him.
"Your winking at me is never a good sign." Arnav informed her.
"Tut Now don't start arguing with me again just listen." A very excited Khushi began to rub her hands and she explained her master plan to her partner in crime.