The Mirage and Oasis...New FF: Chapter 13 updated - Page 22

The moment Khushi saw him in the Caf, she almost dropped her mobile, then stood up and then sat down and then stood up again'

'Calm down Khushi. He won't eat you,' she told herself. Then her thought went to her looks. Was she looking pretty? She wondered. She tucked a stray strand of hair and moistened her lips. God! Hope she looked pretty! She prayed'

Arnav watched in amusement as she went through a ton of gestures. Some kind of mischief ignited in him and he said 'May I join you for breakfast?'

Amused, he watched her as she almost dropped her spoon and choked over her food. Nervously she nodded.

He sat down beside her. As most of the staff had still not come in, he was safe from office gossip. He was fascinated at the idea of scaring the living daylights out of this girl.

'So you got here on time today?" he asked her, watching her spoon circle the plate. She had not even a morsel from the time he came. 'Ummm'yes.' She nodded. She dropped the spoon again and then bent and retrieved her.

Arnav was enjoying this thoroughly; He somehow liked the effect he had on her.

'So today there was no traffic jam,' he continued to nail her.

'Um'no,' she said.

'And the auto did not break down?' he continued.

'Um no' she said and then added on a fiery note, 'It does not happen every day.'

'Oh yeah. It conveniently happens on the day you are late,' he said.

Khushi felt like throwing something on him. But she could not. So she attacked her food with vengeance and retorted 'It also happens on the days that God decides to give you a tough time.'

He almost grinned at that. But he found this whole mock-torture so funny, he could not stop,

'I wouldn't talk so much if I were you. As it is you failed to give the slogan for the third topic I gave you,' he said.

Immediately she blushed. He watched fascinated as her clear, translucent skin revealed the reddening of her cheeks.

'Umm'someday I will think of a line,' she said. She wanted to run away. She made a mental check to avoid the Caf at this time. But part of her was also thrilled to be with him'a fact stressed by her racing heartbeats. She sneaked up a glance at him. Immediately she wished she hadn't because her heart beat even faster and she almost felt deafened by the sound of her heartbeats when she saw how handsome he looked in close quarters.

Exactly how old was she that she blushed so much for merely saying a line about sex.

He was puzzled. Most of the girls he knew would have been more than pleased to do it rather just say a line about it.

'Do you have a boyfriend?' he asked her impulsively. He wished he hadn't, just in case it gave her ideas.

'N'no. I don't,' she said.

Well that explained, part of her shyness.

"I was just checking to see if something will detract you from work. Don't go around getting ideas,' he said caustically.

'But having a boyfriend is my personal business. So what if I have? I can still be dedicated to my work. It;s just coincidence that I do not have one,' she replied back.

So she had spunk. It gave him a kick to see someone stand up to him...that too a spitfire who was only a day old in office.

'If your personal life interferes with my work then it is my business,' he said caustically.

'Since I don't have a boyfriend, you should not have a problem at all. And when I do, I will make sure he is my business only,' she said looking straight into him.

'You better,' he said and got up to go.

While doing this, his hands brushed her bare arms.

Khushi felt a shiver go up her spine at this and perplexed she looked at him. She did not know what she was feeling and why. But in his presence she felt giddy and feverish.

He was on a different league altogether and Khushi knew if she wasn't careful she was in real danger of getting attracted to him.

Crush was Ok. But if she fell for him, her parents would be hurt. And he would definitely not fall for her and she would suffer a heartbreak...

So, for the next few days Khushi studiously avoided ASR.

Gradually she made friends.

NK was one of them. He was pleasant and very friendly and lots of fun.

He did not throw his weight around though he was the HR.

Another friend was Lavanya. She was chirpy and friendly too. She was in the graphic design team and they often worked together.

The three of them had formed a trio and often hung out together in the Cafe.

She hardly ever saw ASR.

'He is kind of a self made man,' Lavanaya had told her. 'He has an elder sister who is a divorcee and lives with him.

No girl has ever succeeded in even getting a date from him. Believe me I have tried,' Lavanya grinned. 'He does bring an escort called Ria something to some parties.

She is supposed to be a family friend. But I have never heard of a romance between them.

Every single girl in this office begins their life with a massive crush on him. But beware! He is just heartbreak material, because he does not even glance at you,' she said.

Khushi gulped remembering her first day'.and how she flipped for him instantly.

She would remember Lavanya's warning'not that she planned to bump into him'and not that she would be in close proximity if she could help it and plan things well'

And as it happened, Khushi Kumari Gupta found reasons to rethink her thoughts very soon'