Cherished Wounds ( Updated Ch 14 ) Pg 140 22/06 - Page 13

A week later, at about six in the evening when Khushi left for the dinner up in the mountains, with the Major General himself. It was being held in honor of the soldier who had passed away a week before. He had been a very able Major in the Army. She had not wanted to attend it in the first place, mainly because of the emotional upheaval it would cause and partly because of Arnav's overwhelming presence. But Aakash wouldn't budge. He gave a very lame reason about getting to know everyone, and that he would manage at the Hospital, after which he practically shoved her into one of the Army jeeps.

---

It was almost sunset. The sky resounded with the melodious crooning of the Mynas and the Swallows. The sky was the most beautiful mixture of orange and red hues painted across the blue. The air was cold as ever, but warmer than morning chill. Arnav stood, there on the balcony and from the top got a view of the winding roads beneath.A small jeep could be seen speeding up the road.

His thoughts drifted to Khushi. He hadn't seen her once in the past week. It was this strange urge lodged at the back of his mind that wanted him to see her once more. He was expecting to see her today. Both her and Aakash.

The jeep stopped in front of an elevation, from which visitors had to climb up by a fleet of stairs. He saw her. She was wearing a simple white suit, and a thin white cardigan. Her hair left open, cascading down her back. Everytime her saw her, his breathing would go hitched. Her eyes were glued to on stairs carved out of the rocks.

The rocks were slippery, moist due to the frequent snowfalls. Khushi had almost reached the top, when her right foot slipped, as she closed her eyes immediately, apprehending the aftermath of the fall. But instead, she felt a pair of hands sliding down her waist and pulling her body as it collided with something hard, warm.

---

The cool air worked its magic on their faces. Her long strands brushed across her face, and a few of his own hovered over his forehead. Khushi opened her eyes and stared into his handsome face, chiseled to perfection. The few strands that played across his forehead, gave him a very boyish appearance. She tried to control her urge to run her fingers down his face. She was still hanging in mid-air, and was still standing, only by the support of Arnav's body.

---

His mind felt out of control, for the first time in many years. He wanted to grab her face and claim her lips right then. Her eyes exuded a mixture of relief, and calm. She felt so right, so soft in his arms; he could hold her like that for an eternity. But he knew it was not to be. So he let go of her, slightly lifting her and placing her on the ground in front of him.

---

They walked back together to a small group of people that was huddled around in a corner, talking. Mostly Majors and officers, and their wives. Offering her condolences to the departed's family, she made small talk with a few ladies. Arnav's father talked to her on great length about her schooling, family and her views on the war. Khushi liked his father, he was a very knowledgeable man, and she could identify him with her own Babuji. All this time she tried her best to avoid Arnav's eyes. A time when she had found him talking to a group of officers, she had merely turned to look at him, and found his eyes boring into hers. The black orbs were filled with sheer passion. She immediately turned her head away, but the evening was anything but comfortable for her. She could feel it wherever she moved, his piercing gaze burning a hole in her back. Khushi was glad when his father called everyone for dinner, seeking solace in food always helped calm her senses.

But it was not to be.

---

Arnav had to attend a few calls, and by the time he came, as fate would have it, the only empty seat was next to Khushi. He sat next to her, and found her concentrating on with empty white plate before her. But he didn't miss her hands that where clenched on to her dupatta, crumpling the soft fabric.

The waiters started to serve the Kashmiri delicacies.

'Doctor, you must taste a bit of everything. These guys are the best you can find in Kashmir,' Azaan said confidently.

Khushi smiled and lifted a spoon to her mouth, her hands shaking slightly, unaware of the effect her simple actions had on the man sitting next to her.

Arnav couldn't help but notice her lips. Full, visibly soft, of the lightest pink. He quickly averted his gaze as her mouth closed.

He looked over at the table. It was a very handsome picture. They were having an open dinner, under the dark blue sky, a few of his favorite people present there.

---

Khushi on the other hand felt giddy. She couldn't concentrate on the sumptuous food laid in front of her, for the weird sensation that seeped into her senses, every time he looked at her.

She reached out for the jug of water, when at the same time another hand enveloped hers. She immediately squirmed out her hand from under Arnav's, and breathed in deeply. His brief touch had sent electric jolts into her veins. He on the other hand seemed more calm than ever as he first poured water into her glass, and then his, and placed the jug back in his position. Khushi was unsure if that glass of water would ever taste the same again.

---

After wrapping up dinner, they all stood in dissected groups for a few minutes to talk. People had started to leave, when suddenly a wooden cart pulled up on the front lane. It had some jute bags loaded in it.

'Have the guards permitted your entry Bhayiya?' Azaan asked apprehensively.

Arnav knew something was wrong. No way in the middle of the night would the guards allow a cart to enter, and neither had they ordered for supplies. But before he could act, a man crept out of the jute bags in the cart and started firing bullets into the air.

---

The next few events happened very quickly. The guests immediately ran inside one of the Army tents, the officers staying behind. Khushi was rooted to the spot. She was too shocked to move. The man who was firing, shouted out some threats, as his bullets started aiming the men. Khushi saw a black ball, peculiarly oval, tiny coming towards her, but seconds before it could reach her, someone shoved her onto the ground, and everything went dark, as the last sound she heard was a soft groan.

---

One of the officers had managed to capture the unknown man. A lady helped Khushi regain consciousness and as she got up she saw a crowd hovering over Arnav's head.

She went near him. His right arm was bleeding. He looked up at her, and they looked into each other's eyes for a mere moment before Azaan interrupted.

'Doctor, clean up his wound, would you?'

---

'You didn't have to do it,' Khushi said, trying to keep her trembling voice calm fiddling with the bandages in the old first-aid kit, a lady had handed over to her.

They were in one of the Army houses, in some bedroom. The room was mostly dark, and the only source of light was the soft pearl glow of the moon that entered the room in all its glory. The white curtains flew in rhythm with the chilly night wind.

'Do what?' Arnav asked, his gaze not shifting for a moment from Khushi's face.

'Save my life. By putting yours in danger,' she replied not looking at him.

Khushi felt strangely insignificant and powerless looking at the man seated on the bed. He had taken of his uniform shirt, and was only clad in a vest. She mentally admired his lean body, toned by the years of war, leaving a few scars on his chest.

'But that's what I do. Save lives, just like you, Doctor.'

Khushi didn't reply. She slowly, rubbed the cotton swabs over his wounds that were drenched in Dettol, causing him to groan for a moment.

'I'm sorry,' she whispered, finally looking into his eyes. There was a glint in his eyes that sent chills down her spine. Chills that didn't scare her, only made her not want to look away. But she did and focused on taking out the bullet.

During the whole process, when she was actually taking the bullet out, Arnav's hands grabbed at her arms, seeking support. His face was clouded in pure agony, eyes tightly shut, in pain.

A lone tear slipped down her cheeks, falling onto his arm, causing his eyes to open immediately. Realizing that she had been staring at him, she immediately turned away to get the bandage roll.

'You are crying,' Arnav stated, simply, ruthlessly.

'No, I'm not,' Khushi replied, her back facing him, as she brushed away the water from her cheeks.

---

She came forward, lifting his arm a little and after cleaning the wound, rolled on the bandage completely, trying her best to ignore the proximity of their faces, his breath on her neck and his undivided attention on her face.

Arnav didn't know if could sleep that night. Her face was so close to his, her hair slightly brushing across his chest, and her heaving bosom brushing across his arms. He wanted to keep looking at her, and not want the night to end.

---

'It hurts a lot, doesn't it?' she asked softly, and couldn't stop her fingers to graze, just for a moment, over his flexing muscles, over a light blue vein pulsating down the length till his elbow. But she immediately removed her hand when she felt him stiffen beside her and let out a soft groan.

'Khushi…' his husky voice resounded through the room as Khushi forced herself to look into his eyes.

Before anything else could go out of control, she spoke.

'I should get going, it's pretty late.'

'Wait, I will come with you,' Arnav said, now putting back his shirt, as he got up from the bed following her outside.

---

They walked down till the hospital. Sometimes Arnav walking behind her, sometimes beside her. At times, their fingers would brush against each other's, accidentally. Electrifying the already tensed atmosphere and increasing the upheaval in their minds.

They didn't talk the whole way back. Not a word was exchanged. All they did was steal glances at each other from the corner of their eyes, although Arnav did it more openly.

---

They were almost there. He was behind her, when he stopped suddenly and said,

'Thank you, Doc.'

Khushi turned, gave him a small smile and turned away. But she was pulled right back. She felt a momentary tug at her hand, after which she collided with him, the second time that day.

Their bodies flush against each other, not a breath apart. They stood staring at each other, listening to their fused breathing, when finally; she felt his fingers tilting her face upwards, towards his face.

----

Then Arnav did something that he had probably wanted to do since he first saw her. He leaned over, tilted her face up to his hand and kissed her. Khushi slowly felt the world disappear around her. Nothing else mattered, No one else existed. He was kissing her, her first kiss. Her hands by their own accord moved up into his hair, and his fingers, moving from her chin into her hair. The air between them, whatever was left that is was intoxicated by a woodsy, musky smell, with a dash of soft lavender.

As his lips moved over her soft ones, the kiss that started out as a soft, gentle one was slowly burning with a passion so strong that it consumed them both. Arnav thought he couldn't stop, and her hands that were now on his back, sent tingles down his spine. Khushi felt light-headed, vulnerable, it was like walking on air. She had opened her mouth for a mere second, to let in some air, when his lips claimed hers, taking full advantage, and glided over her senses, and she responded with equal fervor.

---

One of the street lights started flickering suddenly, causing them to break apart, as his forehead rested on hers, his hand on her waist, hers wrapped around his neck. They were both trying to breath, properly, but failed miserably.

He barely whispered her name, for a second, 'Khushi…'

Her already ragged breathing, upon hearing her name in his hoarse whisper, made her stop and look into his eyes, and tiny butterflies erupted in her stomach. His hands moved up to her face, and his eyes seemed to wanting to tell her something, something she couldn't understand. After a moment or so like that, they finally moved apart.

'I should go.'

Khushi merely nodded, and looked longingly at his retreating figure that vanished into the darkness slowly.

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