Chapter 2
He stood up taking a step forward, "Khushi!" he said it louder this time, hoping that would help him believe it was indeed her.
Everyone's laughter started to bubble out around him.
They were enjoying his reaction.
The man who shocks people was now standing still with disbelief.
"Yep it's me Arnav" she grinned at him.
Within a second a pair of arms flung over his neck and grasped him in a tight hug.
He choked on her hair as they landed on his face.
Holding her waist to balance them both, Arnav stumbled behind and fell over the armrest of the sofa, landing with a soft thump.
"Oomff" her hair now covered his face.
"Omg! I am so sorry!" Khushi squealed.
In an attempt to get off him, her body wriggled over his, pressing her softness into him.
Arnav subtly moved his hands up and felt the side of her breasts, when the hell did she grow these?
"Arnav! Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?" she flung her leg over and with the help of jijaji, got back to her feet.
"Chotte, your back?" Anjali hurried over still laughing at the scene and panicking over what his reaction would be.
Giggling, Khushi held her hand out to help him up.
"I am fine" he ignored her hand and got up himself.
His walked taking baby steps, his back hurting. He twisted to the sides and his joints cracked soundly.
"Okay good now" he stood up straight.
He glanced around the room to see everyone's faces colored cause of holding their laughter in.
"Go ahead laugh" he gritted and rolled his eyes.
Arnav bitwa hum to nahi samjhe tum itna surprise hojaoge" mamiji chortled.
"I am not surprised…I just wasn't expecting her to be here like that"
"Huh? Kay matlab like that" khushi put her hands on her hips, eyes narrowed at him.
"I-I mean you are here out of the blue.."
"Chotte hum sub ko ek hafte se pata tha Khushi bitya ane wali hai" nani smiled.
"What? Di! Why didn't you tell me?"
Anjali pressed her lips trying to block the laughter, "who hum tumhara reaction dekhna chahte thay chotte"
"Oh I c. I hope aap subko bohat maza aya mujhe girthay hoe dekh kar"
"Gosh cry baby, you haven't changed have you" Khushi shook her head.
"Kya? Kya bulaya mujhe?!" he controlled to not shake his fist at her face.
Ignoring him, she turned to Anjali, "di bohat bhoog lagi hai. Ab hum kah sakte, 'chotte' agay hai" her whine turned to a sick sweet smile.
"Yes we can. We all are very hungry. I even skipped lunch today so I could dig in the food with you tonight Khushi" Shyam interjected.
As they all turned to proceed towards the dining table, Arnav quickly, from the corner of his eyes tried to check Khushi out.
Her hair was ridiculously long, lying flat till her waist. He wanted to take a look at her chest that had squashed against him few minutes ago but she had gone ahead.
Instead he got to get a glimpse of her bum, which soon found its place on the chair.
~~~
The table was filled with laughter and chatter, dishes being passed along the length.
Arnav was stuck in the middle, his hands moving bowls from one person to another, not getting a chance to eat.
He glared at Khushi who was eating and laughing peacefully and of course had everybody's attention on her.
"How many years has it been since you guys last saw each other?" Anjali asked.
"I don't remem-"
"Sixteen years" Khushi cut Arnav off.
"I did come once, but the hot shot was away for a business trip" she added.
"Jab hi to hum milay thay Khushi" Shyam smiled at her.
"What? You came before?" Arnav asked a frown appearing on his forehead.
"Han magar sirf do din ke liye" Anjali made a sad face.
"Oh di, well now Im here for long" Khushi stretched her arms out to show the length of her stay.
"How long is long?" Arnav asked innocently.
"Chotte! Khushi bitya aap jitna chahe rehsakti hai yahan. Api ka ghar samajhiye" nani told Khushi with love springing out of her eyes.
"Ji bilkul nani"
Arnav kept stealing glances at her for the rest of the meal.
She had changed so much...physically. He wouldn't have believed it was her but after seeing her continuous chatter and intensified cheery nature, he knew it was her.
It could only be her.
Clearing up the table Anjali asked Arnav, "do you guys want to go catch up for a bit?"
"Uhh no, I have to sign some reports and also got an early morning tomorrow"
"Rehne dijiye di, mujhe bhi nahi baath karni isse" Khushi stuck her nose up.
"Let me go bring the gifts I got for you all" she shifted the topic in a second.
Arnav raised his eyebrows at her.
"There is nothing for you chirchira budda"
"I don't want anything" and he left the table.
~~~
"Khushi bitya hume sarees ki koi kami nahi hai jo tum humare liye utha ke lai ho" mamiji said admiring the material.
"Pata hai. Isiliye apke liye yeh Chanel ka perfume!" Khushi excitedly handed her the box.
"Arrey! Thank you so much!" mamiji gave her a big toothed smile.
"Mamiji sahi kehrahi hai Khushi, you didn't have to bring all this for us" Shyam sided with the woman who was now squirting on her wrist to smell the scent.
Khushi felt really happy they all liked her gifts.
"Amma, buaji kaise hai Khushi?" nani asked her.
"Sub theek hai. Aur Chachu chachi bhi ache hai" she replied stretching her legs on the floor.
"And just yesterday I had lunch with Payal jiji and jijaji"
"Ohh kaisa hai humara beta Akash?" mamiji nearly yelled into her ear.
"Bohat ache, par bichare zara thak gaye jiji ki sewa kar kar ke" Khushi winked at Anjali.
"Kya?! Bahoo se baath karni paregi, mere laadle ko saatha rahi hai who" mamiji dramatically responded.
They all burst out laughing; it was always the same thing.
"Chotte kehrahe thay Mumbai mein humne aur ek line launch ki yeh abhi, Akash is probably really busy" Anjali asked her.
"Yeah di, jijaji bohat kaam karte. Chachi bohat dekh bhaal karti hai apne damaad ka..shayad jiji se zyaada."
"Of course she is his mother in law" mamiji chided in.
Disregarding the comment nani got up to leave for bed.
"Khushi aap bhi sojaye, thakki hoe hongi"
"Yes we all should call it a night" Anjali picked up her saree and held her husband's hand, ready to leave as well.
~~~
Meanwhile Arnav in his room was waiting for everyone to depart to their rooms.
Finally the house was quite and dark. Now he could sneak into her room, he thought.
It had been sixteen years, he did remember that, but he wasn't going to say it out loud in front of his di.
How could he not want to catch up with her? Heck now he had another reason to hang out with her. The tiny, skinny girl, with two pigtails and braces who he knew was now a…how?!
"No you cannot go see her in the middle of the night" he talked to himself.
Too much time had passed. He didn't know how to be with her, it was so confusing, she was a stranger to him but still he felt a familiar pull towards her. It felt like someone started to dig old memories within him.
He thought back to the last sixteen years, she wasn't there for Akash's wedding. Why not, when it was her quite close friend's shaadi. Surely she had a good reason, nobody had really mentioned her. They probably didn't in front him. That was the only time he thought of her, God knew how time flew.
She was here now, back in the city. He had no idea how they would be interacting. So far her cool and 'normal' behavior put him off.
Honestly she hugged as if she saw him after six years not sixteen, that's it and there he was not able to form words by the impact of her presence. Had he not changed, Arnav picked up his phone and looked at his reflection in the screen.
"Oh whatever" he muttered pulling the duvet, brushing her aside for time being and drifted off to sleep.
Oooh I am glad you guys liked it! Thank you! :-)
Cricket
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