Rules Of Attraction ( Updated Part 21)- Pg 139 - Page 48

'I missed you, happy?'

Khushi's voice came out much more irritated than what she had intended causing Arnav to stare at her before his control snapped and he halted the car dramatically.

---

'What is your problem? Khushi look at me when I'm speaking to you goddammit. Look.'

'I'm just tired okay? Exhausted, can we do this some other time?'

'Did I do something? Everything else seemed perfectly fine three days before. Now you just seem distant and I don't know, different? I'll be leaving the campus Khushi, after this week. So let's make most of the time we have, shall we?'

Khushi nodded as she looked up into his slightly annoyed, but expectant eyes. If he would be leaving after this week, then there would be no point in her over-burdening her mind. She could live this one week with him like a normal girl and not cry, think, and cry again for everything that was happening in her life.

----

'Can we stop here?'

'Sure, why?'

'I want to eat.'

'Here?'

'Yes, Arnav.'

'But, I can take you someplace else, that is, you know, a little more'well, hygienic?

Khushi followed Arnav's line of sight and laughed out loud, as he continued to stare at the guy clad in a vest and stacking up a fresh batch of jalebis onto the big steel plate.

'Are you sure you want to eat here? Wh'Why are you laughing?

Khushi stepped out of the car, her mind feeling visibly lighter and so did her mood. Arnav parked his car a little away from the small sweet shop and caught up with Khushi. He had by now asked her ten times to change her mind, causing her only to giggle more. And a part of his brain told him that no matter how unhygienic that place was, she seemed happy and at that moment it was all that actually mattered to him.

Khushi went to the counter to buy a coupon and was only about to open her bag when he interrupted.

'Allow me.'

'Sure if you insist. Just ten bucks.'

Khushi burst into a fresh peel of laughter as she saw Arnav's mouth close and open at least two times in pure surprise as he finally gave her an exasperated look and shoved a single note onto the counter.

Arnav could have sworn to just stand there leaning by the support of a tree and keep looking at her as she gobbled down the blobs of orange, her face in a trance, her eyes bubbling with ecstasy. She had silently beckoned him to join her but he refused giving her one of his brilliant smiles.

That night was witness to an amusing sight, Arnav Singh Raizada clad in his usual attire of designer suits, watching over a girl clad as simply as could be, and his eyes boring right into her beautiful face, but the girl didn't seem to notice, not until then. Then the glorious sky summoned the ever treacherous winds to all blow in all their might.

Arnav covered the small gap between them in one single stride and his fingers grazed over her face in a slow speed removing the silken strands from her face. And before Khushi even had an idea of what could happen next, he rubbed of the sugary syrup away from the corner of her lips, but his fingers didn't move away, they stayed rooted on the spot, his eyes lingering on her lips as they parted for a moment, taking his breath away, and then closed suddenly, as his eyes drifted upwards into hers. They looked into each other's eyes for a few heavenly seconds, till she turned towards the counter to put back the plate and Arnav turned away and muttered that he would wait for her in car and he started walking back. Khushi soon caught up with him and was greeted with a very amusing sight.

---

'Unbelievable.'

Khushi heard it but even then couldn't stop herself from laughing at the great Arnav Singh Raizada who was now sitting on the ground, his head resting on his knees just a few seconds before and now wearing an exasperated look on his face.

Arnav on the other hand, first looked at the spot where his car had been a few seconds before and had mysteriously vanished into thin air and then at the woman laughing like, he didn't know what or who to compare Khushi with exactly, but he admitted to himself that he much preferred this Khushi to the other silent, thoughtful one. He got up not removing his gaze from her and paced up and down the deserted road.

Khushi came towards him and smiling fully, reached out for his hand, closing in completely, tugged him forward. Arnav followed almost reluctantly.

'Where are we going Khushi?'

'To catch hold of an Auto, dumbass.'

'No one, I repeat no one calls me a dumbass, Ms. Gupta, and I'm not, not sitting in an Auto.'

Khushi simply grimaced at him and pretended to ignore him and shoved him into the first Auto she could.

'I can't believe I'm doing this Khushi.'

Khushi gave him a small, staring at him for about half a second taking in his windswept hair, hovering over his face, and then looked away outside, engulfing the pleasantly cold air that still smelled of rain. As the wind washed over her face and she continued to look on over the millions of cars that swooshed pass them, Arnav stared at her, his gaze admiring the beautiful woman sitting next to him. Never in his entire life had he met someone like her. Endearing, and well, genuine, he thought. She cared for him, he knew that, much more than what he had estimated. But she didn't know the effect she had over him. When he had watched her cry that morning, the desperation or whatever it was that he saw in her eyes, contracted his heart for those few minutes causing an unexplainable pain to surge through his entire being. She suddenly looked at him, and Arnav reluctantly tore his gaze away from her face as if on a queue.

When she didn't say anything, he started to speak.

'So, how do you know my sister?'

'Uh...we met when she used to come for her regular check-ups, last month.'

Arnav was not satisfied. He couldn't help but notice how she had not looked into his eyes while she spoke. But not wanting to spoil her mood he didn't press the matter.

---

'So, you don't have classes tomorrow. Want to go out?'

'No, I can't. I have to cover one place in Delhi, document it and stuff for our Film & Video Communication assignment. So I'm going with Ajay tomorrow.'

'Oh.. Why Ajay?'

'Because. Because, well he is a friend, and'and that's it.'

'And what am I Khushi? Your enemy?'

Arnav was starting to get real irritated now.

Khushi had not even asked Ajay but she didn't want to risk being with him anymore than needed. But looking at the hurt expression in his eyes, she immediately regretted her decision.

'No. No, it's just that'fine. You want to come?'

'Yes. I guarantee you I know every nook and cranny of this city. I'll be like a tourist guide.'

Arnav sounded almost desperate but it was worth it as it earned him Khushi's face bubbling with laughter. Also he silently reveled in the fact that she had not let go of his hand, and held it firmly throughout their path to the campus.

---

As they pulled up in front of the campus, she finally let go of his hand. A sudden sense of warmth leaving them both.

They walked back together towards her hostel, and stopping right in front of her door, he spoke.

'Eight, tomorrow?'

'Sure.'

Arnav watched her open the door and enter her room, almost wanting to stop her and pull her into his arms and hold her forever. Almost as if she had read his thoughts, she turned suddenly, came towards him, stood on her toes and touching his cheek with one warm hand, kissed his other cheek, letting her lips linger on for a few seconds, as one of his hands swiftly travelled towards her waist. Khushi ruffled his already windswept hair, her eyes bubbling with mischief, as she said looking into his slightly shocked, slightly amused eyes.

'You are a good friend, Arnav.'

Arnav walked back towards the Guesthouse, glancing many times at the door from where Khushi had disappeared, smiling to himself as he replayed her small kiss, the soft touch of her lips over his skin. His hands travelled up to his cheek, at that very spot, as his thoughts drifted over the beautiful night they had spent together.

And the many such beautiful nights they would spend together in near future.

---

Bella Notte means ' Beautiful Night'.