Chapter 2
How dare he. Oh, I well. Arnav Singh Raizada can do that. There not really secrets, just personal secrets. He can't do that, can he? I'm mean it's not my fault if I changed all of the clocks in my house from 7am to 4am, I didn't want to go to school. (Me and my brother did this...it was hilarious but I got the whole blame 😭) And it's not my fault if I accidentally poured glue paste in the garage and made my dad's car get glued to the cement. I wanted to finish my school project, so I had use the paste! And it's not my fault if I accidentally ripped Lavanya's most expensive dress and spilled her perfume on her puppy that died from it, I didn't know I was going to spill it! And it's not my fault if I made my Aunt land in the hospital after eating a really hot spicy curry Because she asked for it and made a big deal about how she can it so much spicy food and so I decided to test it. And it's not my fault if I accidentally blurted out that the turkey was pregnant while we were eating it, it crossed my mind so I had to speak my mind out! (Yeah, I did this) It's not my fault if I accidentally gave X-lax to Muskaan when It was actually for Lavanya? I forgot which one was which! Argh...there were more secrets I told him in five minutes. He practically knows me. How many kids I wanted, how my dream date should be like, what my dreams were, how I wanted it to be like when I got kissed, how I destroyed almost destroyed my house, and so on. My god, did I really need to meet a psychiatrist who can advise me how to keep my mouth shut. I babble my mouth everywhere when I'm in stress. Argh.
I slam the pan on the stove, why did oh why did I have to run into him. I have to think of something. Yes, something so he won't embarrass me. This is harassment; he's going to find a way to blackmail me from now on. Argh. I won't let him. Think, Khushi Kumari Gupta, Think! Oh, you just wait Arnav Singh Raizada and see how this Khushi Kumari Gupta will take revenge.
"Khushi, jalebis?" Muskaan says to me as she puts a fry pan and a jalebi mix next to the stove. I turn and stare at her with devil eyes, "Make jalebis, it'll take your stress away and ALSO I'M HUNGRY!" she says to me and walks out while fluttering her eyelashes at me. I groan and start making jalebis.
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I sat in my office writing over the future dress that AR Industries were going to future in their wedding sections. I sat there humming jingle bells when I saw somebody slam a paper on the desk. I look up and see Arnav standing in front of me with a glare. I raise one of my eyebrows to indicate what's wrong, getting myself ready to get yelled at something but he calmly asks me, "Have you completed your column?"
I look at the paper he's crunching on my desk and back at him. He tilts his head slightly waiting for my reply. "I-I'm working on it. Why do you need it?" I say to him.
"No, I just came here to bother you...Yes Ms. Gupta I need it, I want to skim through it making sure it hits us to make a good publicity stunt." He says to me. I get up from my seat for him to sit and read it on the monitor.
As he reads mycolumn I stare at him. Trying to know if I told him everything. I'm actually having seconds thoughts of working here now. I mean who wants to work in an area where somebody knows your deepest secrets which your best friend and your parents don't even know. Hey Devi Maiya, why did it have to be my boss from all people. And why did my boss have to be so young and handsome. Making me be even more embarrass. Ahh! What am I thinking, focus Khushi, focus!
"Well done Ms. Gupta. Well written except the circle shaped hard balls on the white bodice corset aren't ornaments but pearls. But I guess that was a small glitch since you were humming to your jingle bells." Arnav says as he looks at me and smiles. I smile back and stand up straight as if just received a gold medal, " But it needs improvement. Not the best as I want it to be like. Focus on persuasion, which you lack in." I slump my shoulders as he smirks at me. Jerk. He's lying. Suddenly, my phone on the desk vibrates. Shit. It was Muskaan. She always called me at this time and sometimes we sneaked out of work to meet each other. And now, she was working here under his supervision and worst he might know this. I look at him as he looks at the phone then back at me. He raises one of his eyebrows, "I'm sure you don't want to keep Ms. Chada waiting, do you?" He says to me and gets out of my chair and leaves my office.
I turn around and check if anybody's in sight and dive at the phone. "Yeah?" I say as I answer the call.
"What took you so long?"
"Nothing, so what's up?"
"I have CNN breaking news."
"ooo" I says as sit up in my chair with wide eyes to hear the news.
"Your boss, Arnav, is Rahul's best friend! Mister I-am-so-young-and-smart-Billionaire is this koothe's(donkey) friend!"
"Ahh-"I say not really knowing what to say since I didn't find Rahul bad. I actually like Rahul, but for Muskaan I have to keep my mouth shut.
"Is he really your boss, the Arnav Singh Raizada, or just some chadu?"
"How do you know he's Rahul's friend?"
"Because they both walked into my shop together this morning."
"Kya?!" I sit up again. My boss had delicious food and made me sit here. How rude! Waaahhh...i want food!
"Ms. Gupta if you're done may we progress?" says a voice. I look up and see Arnav leaning against my door with a file in his hand. I look at my watch and it says 2. Shit. We were supposed to go to the photoshoot and take a look at the clothing.
"Muskaan, I'll see you in the afternoon." I say as I disconnect the call and jump out my chair to him.
"You might want to get your pad to write down." He says to me as I gasp and run back and pick up my notepad. "And your purse." I pick up my poor forgotten purse. "And you might want to log off before somebody went through it." I log and turn to walk toward him. "And you-" he stops as I glare at him. "And your manners." He smiles and walks ahead of me as I gape at him. I HAVE MANNERS!
He walks in front of me as he talks to someone on his bluetooth and while signing some files that his seductive secretary was flinging at him. I somehow for no reason glare at her, wondering if she could leave his territory alone and stop wearing such revealing outfits. Seriously, people have no shame. I can't even think about doing something before premarital. Anna, the secretary, turns around and gives me a devil look as I give her one back. She raises her hand to say something to me, but Arnav smacks a file on her face as they walk out of the building. I giggle a bit as she fumbles away. That's right, who's the mama! Khushi! Khushi! Kush-
"Khushi." Arnav says to me as I stand there shocked, while he sits in the car and stares at me. "I-mean Ms. Gupta, if you stop standing there as if a truck ran over you and get inside the car then that would be great."
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"So is everything at work okay for you?" Arnav asks after they sit in the car coming back from the photo session. I look at him shocked that he was talking normal to me. Just few minutes ago he was roaring with anger at everybody including me for no reason, now he was asking me as if everything was okay. I nod my head, scared to make him mad at anything again. I was honestly scared from him now. "Good, then I need you to send me that wedding dress column by tonight and also an article over how AR Industries are creating more unique fabric design by tonight too." What?!
"Bbut-" I whine but turns and glares at me.
"Fine, don't. It's okay you don't have to." He says to me and turns back to looking at something on his phone. I take a deep breath, thanking Devi Maiya about how good he is at understanding.
"Thank-" I say but he cuts me in.
"I'll just tell your dad that you faked his signatures on your reports cards and that you flunked math in 7th and 8th grade." He says still looking at his phone. I gasp.
"You wouldn't." I hiss to him, hoping the driver and Anna didn't hear in the front. He looks up at me with a stare say oh-yes-I-will. NO! My dad loves me and everything. Poor him is already freaking out because our Indian restaurant is making less sale , and then when he'll find out he'll kill me. Nehi! I sigh and say, "Fine, those will be submitted to you by midnight, sir." He turns and looks at me when I sarcastically call him sir. But he deserved it.
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"Argh!" I say loudly as I enter in my apartment. "LAAD GOVERNOR!"
Lavanya comes in running, or maybe like a model with stick figures who's trying to run but looks like somebody who's hopping. "What's wrong babes?" Babes?!
"Nnnothing." I stumble still trying to recover myself that Lavanya came to me.
"Oh, I thought something happened. Anyways, can you make dinner tonight? ASR is bringing his friend over today. I told him that I'll cook, but just say I did it." Lavanya says and walks away. What?! Okay, I'm officially writing my suicide letter now.
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I have a column and an article to write by midnight, and I'm here cooking food. My life is easier or what. I stir the pan while writing something on my laptop at the same time. But hey, I just discovered that I'm wearing well at multitasking. Maybe I should do it more often.
"Khushi, you're going to burn the vegetables." Muskaan comes in. I turn away from my laptop and stare at the frying pan. Or maybe not. The onions were burning. I grab the spatula and stir the vegetables a bit and lower the heat. I look at Muskaan who's carrying something and reading my work.
"What's that?" I point at the bag.
"Oh, this is some sweets Lavanya babes ordered. Can't cook and making us cook for her guest." Muskaan snarls.
"She called you that too." I say as I take some eggs from the refrigerator and crack them into the bowel.
"Why are you working on this? Works over, this isn't college!" Muskaan says to me as she's about to close the laptop. I jump and run to her.
"NO!" I grab the laptop from her and turn to look at her, who's giving me a weird look, "I have two assignments due by midnight...i know my life rocks! Woohoo!" I say as the doorbell rings. I look at Muskaan who looks at me.
"I'll get it!" Lavanya says as she runs to the door. I look at my watch which says 7. Man, why was Arnav always on dot.
Muskaan gets up and breathes deeply as she fixes her hair, "Well, I heard he's bringing a friend over. Maybe he's hot as he is. You never know, we might strike something." And leaves with a flirty wave. I wave lightly back, not wanting to meet him. Scared I might attack him as soon as I see him.
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I make chicken chimichanga and some garden salad for Lavanya. I take some buffalo chicken wings from the oven and pour some salsa with scoop nachos for appetizer. I look as Muskaan comes in with a blaring anger face. "What's wrong?"
"WHAT'S WRong?! Your boss, Lavanya's ASR'S Friend is Rahul!" Muskaan says as she grabs some nachos and eats the salsa. Wow. Guess both mine and Muskaan's life sucks. I'm getting blackmailed and Muskaan's seeing her ex-boyfriend. What's next Lavanya wearing full clothes and learns grammar?
"Khushi babes! Can you bring out the appetizers that I brought?" Lavanya says from the family room. Okay, I am going to go insane. First my blackmailing boss, second this babe, third he's in my house, fourth I purchase the appetizers, and fifth I made the food! I swear the world better watch out, Khushi Kumari Gupta is going to be killing some people today under the full moon.
I grab the tray full of wings and the salsa from Muskaan's hands and walk out after taking a deep breath. I halt as I see him laughing and grinning at something Rahul said. I have to admit, he may be the male version of Miranda Priestly, but boy was he extravagantly beautiful when he smiled. His eyes were twinkling as he smacked Rahul's back. He stops laughing and looks up at me. He raises one of his eyebrows and suddenly I realize I was holding a tray and smiling at him. I recover myself and put the tray on the coffee table.
Rahul looks up at me and gets up to hug me, "Khushi! How are you? Long time no see, huh."
"I'm good. Bust with work." I say to him as I stare at Arnav, who's pretending to read something on his phone now. "Well, I should go since I have to finish work now." I say while sending daggers at Arnav and turn around. Crossing my fingers for him to say something, but unfortunately now I reached my laptop and heard no utter.
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As I type the article I receive a message from my phone. It's Arnav: Done yet?
What?! I just started writing and now he wants it done. Here I thought he would say it's okay. But no! He wants it! Amma!
I take my phone and message him back.
Khushi: No. Not yet. Still writing.
Arnav: Well, hurry up.
Argh! I want to kill him. I put my phone away and start typing of again, when I hear a knock on my door.
"Come in!" Wondering why Muskaan or Lavanya would be knocking when they never do. As the door opens in look up and see Arnav walking toward me. I jump on my bed. He smirks as he comes to me. "Kya? I mean what?"
"I know hindi and Punjabi Khushi." Arnav says to me as he takes the chair from my table. Great, meaning I can't speak in Hindi if I wanted to now. Sucks. My life. "I just came to help you with the article, since you're taking too long."
"Oh." I say to him, but suddenly remember something, "Wait! Shouldn't you be with Lavanya." I say to him as I see his eyes go wide for a second. He looks up at me and looks away and takes his phone out. He opens his mouth and closes it again. Then, he opens again.
"III-" he stutters and returns to his stern voice, "How far you? I need it as soon as possible. Deadline is approaching, you should be lucky that I'm giving you time otherwise I fire my employees like that." I stare at him, how he was suddenly glaring at me for no reason. Was he threatening or trying to threatening me?
I pick up my laptop from my bed and put it on my desk, "I'm done, I was just rereading." He stares at me with wide eyes.
"You're already done? What the-? Then why are you in here, why aren't you outside? I was wai-" he starts saying to me and stops in the middle. I raise one of my eyebrows wondering why he cared about me being outside. He was definitely weird. He takes the laptop and starts reading my article. I stare at him just as my phone goes off.
"Hello?...Namaste Amma...I'm fine...you?...Ji Amma...Work is going fine. No, no problem at work..."I say to Amma while staring at Arnav who's turning his head to me slightly once awhile at me. "Amma, I'll call you later, Lavanya has some friends over...okay , take care, bye." I end the call and Arnav turns to me.
"It's good. Love how put some of the photographers thoughts into it. Never, thought of that actually." He says as he walks to her.
"That's because it's me Khushi Kumari Gupta, not an aukdoo like you." I mutter to myself.
"Did you say something?" he says.
"Nnn-nothing. I didn't say anything. Why would I say anything. Nope, I was standing here with my mouth shut. Not even uttering one word. One letter, nope, why would I say anything. I didn't call you aukdoo it was my toe who called you aukdoo. Why would I caalll yyouuu aaauukk-"I stumble back as he approaches me closer.
"Aukdoo, me huh. So what else do you call me?" he says to me as he leans closer, while I lean back. I widen my eyes as he leans closer and I lean back. He smirks takes a copy of my column from my bed and walks away. I stay there stumbled, sweating from what just happened before him. "Khushi, what's wrong? Did you see a ghost?" he chuckles and walks out of the room.
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HERE'S THE JOKE OF THE DAY:
WOMEN ARE UNPREDICTABLE. BEFORE MARRIAGE, SHE EXPECTS A MAN, AFTER MARRIAGE SHE SUSPECTS HIM, AND AFTER DEATH SHE RESPECTS HIM!
Edited by whisperer - 13 years ago
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