FF: Destination Called Love *Chapter 7 on Page 69 - Page 22

Originally posted by: sunshi

Nyc story so far
lvd it
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CHAPTER 4

CONNECTIONS IN A FINE FEATHER

"Our relationship went from happiness, to love, to doubt, to fights, to stress, to pain, to hate, to regrets, to memories that won't go away."

~Unknown~

4 months later.

"I told you to get that damned thing fixed yesterday……Why are you telling me about it now?...You were eventually supposed to do it yesterday...I don't want to hear any excuses Aman. I will be there in 20 minutes………."

Khushi walked with her tea into the terrace, as per the usual, leaving Arnav bellowing in his iPhone. His anger frightened her, although in their relationship of four months he had never even raised a single octave of his voice in front of her. Usually when he was furious with her, he would try his best to calm himself down before talking to her. Last time she had seen him this angry was when his adopted family had come to their home for dinner and it was too regarding some unfinished office work.

Khushi took herself back a few moments, where Arnav had been so playful with her. Just the thought of it, made her blush crimson. Then why did he intimidate her at times. She was usually her brave self front of her, except for rare occasions like these when she wandered if Arnav could ever change.

Arnav came into the terrace, looking for her. On spotting her, he gave her a half lopsided smile, which did not touch his eyes. "I have to leave early today. Some work has come up."

Khushi nodded silently, still a little scared of his outburst. He walked towards her and bent down to place a soft kiss on her lips. "I will make up for it tonight," he said, giving her one of his sincere signature smiles. Khushi could feel her cheeks turning red hot, yet again. He caressed her cheeks with his knuckles and got up and sighed, not wanting to leave at all.

He smiled at her one last time, before quickly leaving out the French doors and making Khushi drift back to some unwelcomed memories of the past.

*

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*

3 months earlier.

"Di, I think so you should go and sit down in the lounge, after all you are expecting. I will manage everything," and when Anjali made a disapproving sound, Khushi continued, "If I need help, I will ask NK."

"I will send NK to help you out," Anjali was finally satisfied and left for the lounge where the rest of the family was seated.

Khushi gathered all the vegetables and started chopping them off on the cutter board. It had only been three weeks and she had already started feeling comfortable around here. All her time was usually spent ready books in the study or cooking in the kitchen. She thought it was a very monotonous life, with nothing much to do, so she decided to invite Aunt Manorama, Anjali and her husband Shyam and NK for dinner. Arnav had decided to order food from outside to save Khushi the trouble of cooking, but she had insisted that she cooked.

Mostly when she was alone, she started remembering her father's comforting words, the way her mother pulled her ears and the nonstop bickering of her elder sister. As if that was not enough at all, the eerie silence in the apartment, reminded her about the cacophonous honking of the rickshaw drivers, the chaat stalls in her area in Lucknow where she lived. All that and much more, just kept coming back to her memory, no matter how much she tried to reason with herself. She belonged here now and that was a universal truth.

She made sure not to break down, every time she talked to her family on the phone. Mostly she didn't want to break down in front Arnav, who always sat close by whenever she called back home, listening to her every word intently.

"Bhabhi, Di told me you need help," NK brought her back out of her reverie.

Khushi turned towards him from the cutting board, where she had been slicing a pepper, "its fine NK. I will manage," giving him a reassuring smile. She always felt warm towards him and had started to get close to him, regarding the fact that he had always been so nice to her. He was a brother whom she had always needed, "but how many times do I have to tell you to call me only Khushi?"

"I am sorry Khushi, but I don't think so Nanav approves of it," he said apologetically, holding his right ear with his right hand.

"Oh," that was a revelation that he also sensed his discouragement, "did he tell you that?" Khushi tried to sound nonchalant.

"No. He never said that, but I can always tell."

Khushi always wanted to know why NK was a red flag to a bull for Arnav, "By the way, why do you call Arnav, Nanav?" she asked trying to get more insight into him. She thought that it was a better idea rather than asking Arnav himself, who wasn't much of a talker.

"Oh….that…..It's a very long story. Kisi din fursat main bataon ga," he said grinning widely.

"I have all the time in the world, right now," she said trying very hard not to sound pushy and she smiled at him warmly.

"Let me help you with the cooking today and I will share 'the Nanav' story some other time and I am sure Nanav won't be too happy if I told you his little secret," he stressed on Nanav and then winked at her, as they both erupted into a fits of laughter.

*

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*

After about 15 minutes, all the vegetables were chopped and Khushi had started putting them in a wok. NK wasn't a great help but still Khushi was enjoying his company throughout. His feeble attempt to move a spoon in the wok was really appreciated by Khushi, but her mind kept on drifting back to where Arnav. She wandered where he was.

"Do you know where Arnav is?" she asked him.

"He is in the study, doing some office work. He said he would join us after sometime."

Khushi resumed her work, but only be distracted by Arnav's cold voice from the kitchen door, "I want you in my study right away," he said while looking directly at NK; his stance firm and he was radiating heat. As Arnav left for his study, they both were left standing there, paralyzed. From his acid tone, they could tell that something was clearly out of place for Arnav Singh Raizadah. It was the first time that Khushi had heard him talking such callously with someone, in this case with NK.

NK excused himself and went to Arnav's study, leaving an anticipated Khushi behind. Just as NK left, Anjali took her place.

"What happened to Chotte?"

Khushi shrugged in response and resumed back to her work, but yet again it was interrupted by loud voices from the study.

"How many times do I have to tell you to inform me before hand?" Arnav was probably shouting at NK.

Even if NK had replied, they didn't hear it. Khushi tried to ignore the volcano erupting from the study, but it was impossible as Arnav was shouting at the top of his lungs. She wandered how NK was tolerating all this. If she had been there in his place, she would have just burst into tears. This side of Arnav just scared the living hell out of her.

"I don't think so you will ever take matters seriously…..That's how you have always been, reckless and undeserving."

*

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*

Khushi started to arrange the table for dinner, with the help of Anjali. It had almost been half an hour, but still both Arnav and NK were locked in the study, although the loud voice had presumably preceded down. After a moment of uncanny and anxious silence in the lounge, where no one was speaking about the fight that had broken out, it was as though it was their daily routine, the door to the study burst open. Arnav walked out first with a look of utmost disgust on his face followed by an ashen looking NK.

After the unexpected climax, dinner remained a silent affair on the dining table, where only once Anjali appreciated her cooking skills and she smiled at NK, which he totally ignored.

*

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*

"You look worried. Is everything all right?" Anjali asked Khushi at the end of dinner, while they were clearing out.

Khushi nodded in reponse, though she was sure she didn't do it convincingly. All this was so much to take in for her.

"Arnav has always been like this; an angry young man, trying to scare everyone away, always trying to take control. He takes everything very seriously, but be sure that he would never behave like this with you. He will always respect you."

These were the comforting words that had always stayed with her at times like these, and made her realize the depth of the truth. It was indeed that he had never raised his voice in front of her.

First of all I would like to thank each and everyone who has commented on the last chapter.

Second of all this chapter is dedicated to Shruti and Priyanka, who have been asking me for updates and bridgeofdreams who gives such an awesome summary of the whole chapter, that I am impressed.

Thank you so much everyone for waiting patiently for an update. The only reason for the delay is not that I was busy, but I was being lazy.😆😳

Just two more chapters before we reach to their proper romance. Khushi and Nk will share a special bond in the future chapters. I hope so you like how I went backwards and forwards. That's it for now. Please do leave your comments. It means a lot.

Thank you for reading.😊