Arhi FF:Mirage #2 Next thread link on Pg 151 - Page 18

"Mumma, don't leave me alone. I get scared when I'm alone."

"Arnav, I won't go anywhere. Your Mumma is right beside you." She consoled him, lying beside him on the bed as he slumbered in the comfort of her warm arms.

"Run Arnav! Run!"

He sat at the bottom of a tree, as thunder rolled in the night skies. Rain fell mercilessly all around him. Maybe the Gods were crying for him. For the loss he had just witnessed. "Mumma, I'm scared." He whimpered crouching, as endless tears streamed down his eyes. But there was no one to comfort him.

He had no house. No food. No money. No family.

No mother.

Arnav woke up startled at the nightmare he just experienced. Sweat was dripping down the sides of his face, while his shirt stuck to the wetness of his body. He looked up at the clock. It was 6:00 pm. He hadn't realised when he had dozed off on his couch. He went straight to the bathroom, to splash cold water on his face. After that, he retrieved his clothes from the wardrobe, getting ready to be dressed. He had to meet her.

o0o

He got down from his bike, wondering if this was the same community hall where Khushi's neighbour's marriage was taking place. He had investigated around her neighbourhood and concluded that this was the most probable place. He hoped no one would notice him. All he had to do was find out where she was and then, set his plan into action.

Arnav had been restless for the whole day, wondering when evening would arrive. He was curious to see her draped in a saree, that too his favourite colour. He had been imagining how beautiful she would be looking in it.

To the world, she must have seemed like an average looking person. But to him, she was the most beautiful person in the world.

This beauty wasn't exactly her physical appearance. Yes, initially he had been physically attracted to her. But somewhere down the line, it was her heart and soul that pulled him towards her.

He didn't know whether this was too early to say something like this. But in her presence, he felt loved.

Something he hadn't felt for years.

He didn't know if he had been imagining this feeling. He didn't want to know. He was happy that he felt loved. It didn't matter if it was real or not from her side.

As he entered the marriage hall, he could see it bustling with activity. People were sitting on chairs, gossiping with one another, while some kids ran helter skelter around them. The bride and the groom were standing on the stage at the centre, while some people were greeting them and getting photographed. But his eyes were only looking out for her.

At first, he had a hard time locating her. There were so many women draped in sarees, especially red coloured ones. But then, as if the whole universe had conspired to help him, he found her laughing amidst a bunch of women.

As people around her moved away to reveal her form, he felt himself stiffen, stunned at what beheld his eyes. There she was, standing a few metres in front of him, adorned in the gorgeous red netted saree. Her hair was tied up in a bun, while few strands of hair escaped on her face. To say that she looked gorgeous would be an understatement. Because she looked absolutely resplendent.

He could feel his throat dry up. He had imagined her atleast a thousand times since yesterday night, but she looked much more beautiful than it. The way her saree was clinging to her waist, revealing her curvy hips or the creamy skin on her midriff that was visible underneath the netted material, transported him to an entirely different world. When she turned around, he could see her bare back, revealed by the deep cut blouse, her soft skin only hindered by a dori across it.

An unknown strong desire began to stir inside him. He needed to feel her with his hands, to taste her with his tongue, to inhale her sweet fragrance.

As if bound by an unknown magnetic force, he found himself following her as she moved away from there. He saw her going into the changing room. It was empty.

This was his perfect chance, he thought to himself. After making sure that no one was with them, he stealthily stepped inside the room, locking the door behind him. She was busy rummaging through some covers, as if searching for something. He went and stood silently beside her.

He didn't know what was happening to him. But he suddenly felt a strong urge to undo the dori of her blouse.

Khushi froze on her spot, when she suddenly felt warm fingers touching her back. She gasped out in shock and reflexively turned around, ready to attack her intruder. But he was ready for her. He caught her from the back and pulled her with enormous force causing her to land flat against his chest. He felt her arms suddenly hold his shoulders tightly for support, as she quivered under the shock.

"Arnav?" she barely whispered gazing into his dark orbs that were overflowing with a dangerous desire. She had seen the look before in his eyes. But this time it was stronger than ever before. He looked hypnotised.

She felt his fingers gently caress her back, causing her to tremble with an unknown excitement. He carefully turned her around, until her back was against his chest. The mirror in front of them was reflecting the image of their entwined bodies. She could see him staring intently into her eyes through the reflection, gauging her reactions, as he slid his hands over her bare midriff. Instantly, goosebumps spread all over her body. There was something very intimate about this touch, something like never before. She closed her eyes tightly, unable to bear this torture on her.

Her knees were going jelly and since, she could no longer bear her own weight, she leaned back on his chest, letting herself drown into the depths of this unknown pool. Her fingers were clutching the sides of her saree, while her breaths became uneven and faster.

"I told you that I would see you tomorrow." He whispered huskily into her ears, letting his warm breath linger over the side of her face. The next second, he bent down to place a sensuous kiss on the nape of her neck.

Khushi could feel her stomach somersaulting with anxiety. Her heart was thumping with full speed against her chest as it heaved with an intense desire. As if that wasn't enough, he began drawing small circles on her midriff, tickling her in the process. She couldn't bear it any longer. She glided her hands on top of his, preventing any more movements from them.

As he tilted his head, to place a warm moist kiss on her collarbone, he could inhale her lavender fragrance that made his already crazy mind, insane. Still holding her waist, he began his descent of feathery kisses, gentle yet intense at the same time, starting from the nape of her neck till the hem of her thin band of the blouse across her back. He could hear her throaty moans and feel her shivering under his touch, completely driving him to the edge.

She felt like she was going to lose her consciousness any moment after this sweet torture on her. The chaos erupting within her was making everything seem hazy and unclear.

And then she felt it. She could feel his arousal pressed against her body. She may have been naive, but she wasn't that innocent to not know what it was. Her reflexive action was instantly to get away from him. She tried to squirm under his grip. As if he knew what was going on in her mind, he held on more tightly to her waist, pulling her even more close to his body. He had wanted her to know how she affected him. The things she did to his body.

From the mirror ahead of them, she could see how her eyes were lowered and the colour slowly spreading on her cheeks.

"Arnav, let go of me." She whispered in a barely audible voice, summoning all her strength. Her knees were weak; her head felt light, the blood was throbbing at full force in her veins on her temple. The next minute, she found herself spinning around, landing flat on his chest.

"Don't struggle. It will only make things harder for you." He whispered in a husky voice, tracing his lips against her jawline. He lowered his mouth downwards, proceeding to the hollow of her neck and then to the valley of her bosom. She felt herself involuntarily arch her neck, letting him unhindered access to her body.

"Stop. We cannot do this. Not here." She protested, when the sudden realisation of her surrounding struck her mind. Hey Devi Maiyya! What was she doing? What if anyone saw her in this state? She saw him lift his head dreamily, gazing into her eyes.

"OK, then come with me to my house. I know your Buaji isn't here. She's at home right? So come with me, for a couple of hours. No one would have to know about it. I'll drop you back home. It's only 7:30 pm now. You can get back home at 9:30 pm." He said, still holding her tightly against him.

"I cannot." She pleaded trying to free herself from her.

"Then, I won't let you go, even if it means we spend the night here, like this, locked up in the room." he smirked mischievously. He was high and the feeling wasn't going to go away easily. When she wasn't showing any signs of consenting, he spoke out. "Khushi, you owe me this. And you had promised me that you would give me whatever I ask. All I ask you now, is to come home with me. Please?" he pleaded, caressing her arms, loosening his grip on her.

How could she refuse him anything? The look in his eyes was enough to melt away all her strong will.

"Fine." She sighed, arranging her saree, walking towards the door, while he smiled lazily behind her.

o0o

She stood outside the gate of his house, while he took the bike inside the compound and parked it. Khushi slowly walked towards him, while he proceeded to open the door. And without any warning, he swiped her off her feet, lifting her in his arms and proceeded to enter his house, like carrying his newly wedded bride, kicking the main door shut behind him.

"Hey Devi Maiyya!" she exclaimed out in surprise, while he chuckled. Even though it was dark inside the house, he knew the way to his bedroom. Carrying her straight into it, he placed her on the bed, while he rushed to switch on the lights. And then it was like some demon took over him as all hell broke loose.

Arnav sat beside her and simply grabbed her, slamming his lips against hers, letting himself lose into her completely. She could feel his urgency and to some extent understood it. Coz right at this minute, she felt alive like never before. She felt all her hidden desire spurt forth and channelize through this mind numbing kiss. She felt his tongue slowly enter her mouth, tasting the depths of her flavour. She moaned out with a need so powerful, as she felt her hands pulling his tucked in shirt in frenzy, gliding her hands beneath it.

She forgot to breathe after being caught in this moment. For her it didn't matter. She felt connected to him as she let go of all her inhibitions.

He was the first to break apart for air. He was panting, resting his forehead on hers, caressing her back.

"You look beautiful." He whispered into her ears, causing her to blush even more. "And even more, when you blush like this." He said cupping her face, gazing into her quivering swollen lips, a sign of the fierce moment they shared seconds ago. He pulled the clip tying up her hair, letting it fall down loosely on her shoulders, stunning her. "And I love when your hair is left loose and free." She was too shocked to say anything.

Suddenly, she felt him lower her on the bed, his one hand holding her shoulder gently, while the other proceeded to slide down the pallu of her saree. His intense eyes were transfixed on hers, while his hand then moved towards the back of her blouse.

Khushi didn't know what to do. She was torn apart between her heart and mind. Her mind that yelled at her for taking things this far, while her heart wanted to welcome him further into her life. She felt a tear escape the edge of her eyes. And Arnav didn't miss this.

"Khushi?" he asked immediately in a panicked tone, wiping away the tear with his thumb. "What happened?"

"I don't think I'm ready for this." She blurted out, sitting upright on the bed. She knew there was no point in hiding her feelings from him. "This is a big leap for me. I want you to know that you are the first man I've ever been this intimate with. Infact, I've only come this far because it was you. I wouldn't for any other person. But somewhere, my mind is refusing to go more ahead than this."

"But why?" he exclaimed out loudly, suddenly feeling the first pang of being refused or rather rejected. "Don't you trust me?" he shook her shoulders violently.

"I trust you Arnav! I do! More than myself." She said gripping the collar of his shirt. "If I'm here, lying on your bed with you, it is because I trust you. But what hurts me is that you don't trust me! The minute I saw you at the marriage hall, I could see some great pain in your eyes. I cannot understand why do you hide things from me? Why can't you trust me, just once?" By now, she left her hold on his collar. He could only stare her dumbfounded at what she had just said.

"Here I am, surrendering myself to you and here you are, doing I don't know what. Tell me something, What is this between us? Tell me. Are we just friends? I don't think so, especially after what happened between us earlier. Are we in a relationship? But what relationship is this? I don't know anything about you. I don't know about your parents or what you do for a living or who are your friends. You just appeared one fine day in my life and the next thing I know, we are at the verge of making out. Am I being used here? Was Buaji right about not trusting guys like you? Who knows, maybe after sleeping with me today, you would just vanish into thin air, telling it was all a mistake?" Khushi found herself trembling with the intensity of her words. She didn't know what was happening. But she was finally feeling relieved that what had been haunting her for few days was finally out.

Arnav couldn't believe what he was hearing. What had happened to her? Why was she saying things like this suddenly? He felt fury ignite within him, at being accused. "I don't know what you are saying. But you know deep inside that I would never do anything to hurt you Khushi. If I had to, I would have done it long back ago. I can even do things to you against your wish within the four walls of this house and no one would be able to stop me. But you know what, I won't. Do you get that?" he asked shaking her violently, until red marks appeared on her arms with his death like grip and she winced out in pain.

"Then, tell me about your parents? Why do you change the topic whenever I ask about them? Why do behave indifferently when I talk about your childhood? What are you hiding so deeply that you cannot share it with me? If I can take such a big step into your life, why can't you do the same?" she shot back at him, her eyes fuming with equal rage.

"Because if I tell you these things, I would never be the same Arnav to you. Can't you just accept me like this? Am I not good enough for you like this?" Arnav looked down into her lap, unable to meet her gaze.

"You are good enough. But I can't bear to see you fighting a lone battle. I can't." She said clutching his face with her hands, falling into his shivering arms. He got up, pushing her away, and went and stood towards his window, leaning on it with the support of his arms.

"What do you want to hear?" he asked rhetorically, in a low voice. "That I saw my mother getting shot in front of my eyes when I was just eight years old or that I have never ever seen the face of my father? That, years later, I realised that I had been an illegitimate child, shunned away by the society? That I don't have anyone to call as my family? That even today, I get nightmares of seeing my mother dying before my eyes? That even today, I blame myself for her death? Or that I have never spoken about this to anyone in my life ever before?" his voice was choking with tears as he spoke out these words. "What more do you want to hear?" he snapped at back at her.

Khushi felt tears gushing down her eyes hearing the pain in his words. She couldn't believe that she had pressurized him to share these memories with him, that were now causing him enormous pain. She felt guilty for making him go through this.

She immediately got up, arranging her saree, and strode towards him, embracing him in a tight hug. "You are still the same Arnav to me. You are." She said kissing his forehead.

For the first time in years, he felt like a heavy burden had been taken away from his head.

He felt relieved.

But would she still be doing the same thing to him, if he had told her the entire truth?

CHAPTER 24

Was it too bold? Coz I have no idea about the age of my readers. you might be as young as 12 or as old as 50. No idea at all. But I tried to keep it within limits. If you have any objection to this, please let me know. And in future, there is only going to one more chapter like this, where they actually do it! Yeah, the Khushi and Arnav in my story are pretty bold unlike the serial.😆

So if you want to restrict the making out to one sentence only let me know. If you want to span it an entire chapter also, let me know. I can do both the ways.😉

Also a big thank you once again for all the people who comment, even if it's just a line. Even thank you to the people who like it. It makes it worth writing this FF!