Shopaholic V/S Workaholic - Page 2

loved it..

Loved it
Anjali as suze
Shyam as terquin
Fab update

great work. all the best.

Amazing x

Both part are so nice... I laught a lot at khushi .. Poor khushi.. She had to lie just for a scarf.. How funny she couldnot concentrate her mind just because of that scarf... N Arnav singh Raizada followed her everywhere... 😉 😉 😉

CHAPTER 3 - I Got Caught?

"Do we really have to go, Anji?"

"Oh, c'mon Khush! Shyaam has tried so hard to get those reservations just for you! You know it, na? Get ready, quick!"

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not interested in Shyaam!"

"Just go and get ready Khushi! They'll be here any minute now!"

It had been a week since the Denny and George incident and thankfully, Jeff knew nothing of it. Sighing, Khushi went to her room and opened her closet. Seeing her clothes brought a smile to her gloomy face. What could she wear? She picked some items one by one, thinking how it would look on her. Finally she opted for a simple black knitted dress by Benetton. It had skinny half sleeves and fell to her knees. She wore her new pair of black leather London Rebel strappy sandals which had four inch high stiletto heels. Then, she took her new Denny and George and wrapped it beautifully around her neck. She hastily put on some light make-up and sprayed one of her favourite perfumes, Insolence de Guerlain.

Just as she checked herself in the mirror one last time, Anji called her.

"Khush! They're here!"

Khushi quickly grabbed her red satin clutch bag by Guess and hurried out.

"Arrey, vaah Khush! Shyaam will-"

"Stop it, Anjali!"

Anji smiled but kept her mouth shut because she knew Khushi was annoyed. In fact whenever Khushi called her Anjali instead of Anji, the latter would automatically understand her friend was irritated.

***

Khushi was feeling bored. Each of the people she had come to the restaurant with knew another person here. Every now and then, they were like "Hey! I know that person other there, let me just say hi and come." It seemed like she was the only one who knew nobody and frankly, it was embarrassing. She was alone at the table at a certain point while Anji, Shyaam, Ivan and Jane were meeting a few people here and there. She was feeling damned hungry and angry. If only she knew someone, anyone.

As though her prayers had been heard, she glimpsed a familiar figure entering the restaurant and right then, Anji and Jane returned, followed by Shyaam. Khushi gave them a small smile before trying to see who it really was.

Oh no!

Anji was talking to her but she did not hear a word. Instead, she watched as Arnav Singh Raizada sat down at a table with an elderly man and a middle-aged woman. He Devi Maiyya. She knew she had asked to send a person she knew, but not him! He hated her. And it was not like she liked him that much. Ivan was back by then too. She wanted to show them she too knew people but Mr Raizada scared her. Suddenly, it felt like she was running on automatic mode.

"Hey look! Mr Raizada! I'll just be back. I need to go and say hi to him."

Khushi skipped off her chair cursing herself. What would she tell him? He Devi Maiyya! What kind of trouble had she thrown herself in? Stop it, Khushi! You can do this. Just go, say a little hi, ask if he's well, and then you come back. It's so easy! She inhaled deeply.

"Hello, Mr Raizada."

He did not heard her. Well, how would he? She stood behind him and the words she had voiced out were barely audible. She cleared her throat and tried again.

"Good evening, Mr Raizada!"

This time, several other people turned to look at her too. Shit! She had been too loud this time. She smiled feebly at him, even though it was clear on her face that she was really scared. (like the day Khushi and slapped Arnav)

"I was here for dinner... with some... friends... and... uhh... I... uhh... I saw you and... uhh..."

"And you thought you'd say hi?"

"Yeah!"

Arnav Singh Raizada surprised her giving her an amused look, along with a half-smile, which made him look so handsome she was sure her heart would stop. Then he stood up.

"Good evening, Miss Gupta. How are you?"

She giggled, remembering how she had teased the other day, on the street, when he had had not bothered to be polite."Oh, fine and you?"

He raised a brow, still sporting his small smile.

"As you can see. Meet my parents, Ma, Pa, this is Khushi Kumaari Gupta. She works for The Economist."

Khushi was stunned. Not because he was smiling. Not because his parents had also stood up to meet her. But because he knew her name. If he knew just the Khushi Gupta bit, she would understand because it was the name she used for her work. She rarely used the Kumaari with it. How did he know?

"Oh! Nice to meet you young lady!"

His father shook hands with her while his mother watched her inquisitively.

"Chhote? She's?"

The young man groaned. "Ma, don't call me that in front of people! And I told you she's a reporter!"

The woman laughed as Khushi ogled at them. Chhote? This big man was being called Chhote?

"No, buddhu! Is she just a friend, or?"

"Just a colleague!" Khushi blurted out.

"Sorry, beta. Actually, we rarely ever meet his friends..."

"Ma, you get started every time you see a girl!"

"Well, of course we need you to get married fast, don't we, Adhiraj?"

While his father nodded gravely in agreement, Khushi blushed furiously and Arnav threw her a murderous glare.

"By the way, beta, your scarf is really nice!"

Khushi grinned at the woman.

"Thank you so much! I bought it for a really good price just a week ago. Really! And guess what? It's a Denny and George!" she said excitedly.

Oh crap! She suddenly realised her mistake. Khushi's eyes widened, feeling Mr Raizada junior's glare on her. Slowly she turned to him, biting her tongue inside her mouth. Arnav stared at her, brows raised and a question mark in his eyes.

And Khushi told herself,

"Margayi, Khushi Kumaari Gupta!" (Khushi Kumaari Gupta, you're dead!)

oh i love this story with both khushi and arnav in it.

very nice... Poor khushi... She just blurted out the truth about the scarf... Waiting for chapter 4... Plz PM me...

CHAPTER 4 - Let Go Of Me!

She was dead.

She could consider herself dead and cremated.

"Miss Gupta, isn't this the scarf you had bought for your sick aunt?"

She gulped. What would she say now? His parents were both looking quite shocked at the two of them.

"Errm... actually... what happened is that... uhh... my aunt... actually... she... errm... she... she died!"

Please, she thought, buy this! Just, please buy this, Mr Raizada! And don't ask me any more questions! Let me go!

"She died?"

Khushi nodded, trying to appear as sincere as she could.

"Yeah... right on the day I went to meet her at the hospital... and she wanted me to have the scarf..."

She just hoped her innocent face would convince him enough.

"And how exactly did she die?"

He Devi Maiyya! Would there be a day when his questions would be over? Laad Governor! He should have been a lawyer!

"Oh... uhh... actually, uhh... she... she had another... she had another heart attck!"

He looked at her sceptically.

"Well... I think... I think I should go now... my friends are waiting... It was a pleasure meeting you... Good evening..."

Khushi hurried away from the Raizada's table as quickly as she could. Anji was smiling wickedly at her.

"To, Khushi? Kya hua? Mil paayi tum? Mr Arnav Singh Raizada se?"

Khushi just sat silently, though her eyes were shooting daggers at her friend, and had dinner without opening her mouth even once for the remaining of the night. Her eyes, however, searched him from time to time, and what unsettled her deep within was that whenever she glanced at him, he seemed to be watching her...

***

"Khushi? Tu aa rahi hai, na?" (You're coming, right?)

"Haan, Amma, humne kaha na? Hum parso ki flight she aajayenge!" (Yes, Ma, I told you na? I'll be coming on the flight day after tomorrow!)

"Achha, vaada kar ke tu aayegi! Varna tu kabhi nahin aati!" (Okay, promise me you'll come! Otherwise I know you won't!)

***

"Fine! I promise!"

"Pakka?" (Sure?)

"Yes, Ma! Don't worry! I'll take the first flight available day after tomorrow. I need to settle some things before."

"Theek hai, Ulka ko bohot achha lagega." (Fine, Ulka will like it too.)

"Ek to business ki itni saari pareshaaniyaan hai, aur doosri taraf yeh ladki jo kuchh samajhna hi nahin chahti! Ma, you should have-" (I already have these business problems, and now this girl who refuses to understand...)

"Chhote! Hum phone rakkhte hai!" (I'm disconnecting!)

"Ma-"

Pavitraa disconnected immediately to avoid hearing her son's ranting. Arnav initially looked at his mobile in astonishment, then he grinned. She always did this when she got the feeling he would start to rant with her. He chuckled and went back to his work, though one person was fully occupying his mind since a couple of months. Khushi Kumaari Gupta.

***

"Khush! I don't want you to go, yaar!"

Anji sat on the couch sipping tea as Khushi packed her bags. Her flight was scheduled for that night and they had decided to have lunch with Shyaam one last time. The two girls already had breakfast together and now Khushi had finished, she concentrated on her packing. She was only going for one week but she had packed four briefcases already.

"Khush? Isn't that way too much?"

"What? No! I haven't packed my shoes and make-up yet!"

"What? Khushi, are you kidding me? How much are you planning to bring? And by the way, what have you packed yet?"

"Oh! Just a few clothes here and there, you know..."

Anji stood akimbo, frowning at Khushi who was grinning awkwardly at her.

"Yes, I know you! Open this suitcases at once Khushi Gupta! Why do I always have to sort out your things? You should be more responsible!"

She strode to the four bags.

"You're going there for just seven days! Aur tu kapde bhi India mein hi kharidegi na? To yeh sab kya hai, Parmeshwari?" (... You will be buy your clothes there in India, right? Then what's all this, Parmeshwari?)

Khushi could not help but giggle while Anji threw open her luggage one by one. Whenever Anji was annoyed with Khushi, she called her by her full name, or names like Parmeshwari, Sanka Devi, Chamkeeli; and she also started speaking Hindi. She did feel guilty for causing so much trouble to her dearest friend, but what could she do? Anji had herself said, "Pack what you need!" So Khushi had done exactly that.

She had packed what she needed. Really needed. But Anji would not understand that, would she?

***

"Bye, Khushiji. Take care of yourself."

"Ya, Khush! Take care. And call me once you reach there!" Khushi rolled her eyes. As if she could forget that? Anjali had chewed her brains during the full two hours they had taken to reach Heathrow Airport, constantly reminding her to take care, enjoy and call her at least once every day. Shyaam did not speak a lot. Well, he never did. He was too dumb! He was a nice guy, but not Khushi's type, and she hated the efforts Anji made to put the two of them together.

"I know, Anji! Kitni baar boleingi aap?" (... How many time will you tell me that?)

Anjali just beamed cutely at her, while Shyaam smiled shyly. They were not that closely related, even they shared the same family name. In fact, their dadas (paternal grandfathers) were the sons of two brothers. Apart from the name, they had nothing similar. Khushi shook her head and headed to the immigration desks. She had already completed her check-in formalities. Actually, she had felt quite disappointed when Anji had cut down her total luggage to two suitcases and one handbag, and these contained all what Anjali thought was 'REALLY NECESSARY, NOT STUPIDITIES YOU WON'T HAVE THE TIME FOR!'.

***

Arnav sat in the lounge, reading his mails. He hated leaving work. He was attending this stupid wedding only for his Ma's sake. He did not care about Ulka at all. He did not even understand how people could be stupid enough to decide getting married. He himself did not believe in marriage. People got married, had children, but then they found out they could not handle things, the marriage broke and the kids suffered the consequences...

Never mind! He shook the idea from his mind. Why think about the past?

His Blackberry beeped. It was his Ma.

"You are coming, na?"

He smiled at the message.

"Yeah, I told you not to worry!"

He sent the message and finished his coffee. As the boarding was announced, he checked his mails again for one last time, entering the plane, then, he put his mobile to silent mode, wondering why he had ever agreed to go back to this place he hated so much...