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Eternally grateful for the constant support! 🤗 ❤️
You'll be seeing Shyam as much as you will be seeing the love between my two couples from the next update onwards. A fair warning!! 😃
"Hush it up, Aman! I don't care what you have to do for it!! I don't want my stay at Goa to be highlighted by the media!" Arnav spat through his phone, remembering the picture some media bee had taken sneakily when he and Khushi were serving food at the luncheon yesterday. He was just asking how everything else was at AR when he saw that the washing machine had completed the spin cycle. He balanced the phone in between his ear and a shoulder, even as he deftly removed the almost dry clothes out of the machine, when he heard his loyal assistant ask, "What are you doing, sir?" He grinned and imagined Aman's reaction, if he were to know that his strict boss was drying clothes, at that moment. But, in a stern voice, he enquired, "What do you mean, Aman?" Hoping that his ever decent assistant would decide that he had pried too much and would shut up, and was satisfied when he heard him say, "Nothing at all, Sir." Ending the call, he slipped his phone into his pocket, and picked the basket which had the clothes in it. He picked up a few clothes, arranging them on his shoulder, before he started spreading them out on the wash line, when he remembered how he used to take care of all this when him and Di had been homeless. Her bad leg did not allow her to work much. So he had to not just earn their bread, but also do their household chores. The maximum she was capable of doing then was cook their meagre meal. He sighed; thinking how times change, when he saw a flash of baby pink came and stood in front of him. He smiled, as he looked into Khushi's eyes.
She was, for some reason, fuming. Snatching the cloth out of his hand, she pointed a finger towards the gate and said through gritted teeth, "Out." Arnav jerked his head back in surprise and searched in her eyes for the answers to the question unknown. Where had this come from?! And is this how she had felt when he had told her to get out on numerous occasions?? He was thinking, when she yelled, "I said, GET OUT!!" Arnav flinched at the high pitched shriek, before he raised his eyebrows, standing with his feet apart, and his arms crossed over his chest, his each action speaking of arrogance. He looked into her eyes and said, "No."
They stared at each other like that. One burning with a maddening rage, whilst the other, known for his quick temper, miraculously stood calm. "Atta boy!" they heard someone say, and turned to see Ajay and Anjali standing there, and next to Ajay stood Shiva too. Arnav spared a grin to his friend. So he had come back, they both duly noted before turning back to face each other. "You cannot snatch the chance you gave me like this, Khushi." Arnav tried to coax her. She gave a sickly sweet smile, as she said, "Oh, I can! Watch me. . ." And she had turned to Ajay, and was about to remind Ajay that he had promised to push Arnav out of Hope if she really wanted it, when Arnav interrupted, "One more week." Khushi turned back to Arnav, closing her eyes wearily, afraid that his eyes might just persuade her to step into his whim. "This is not working. No matter what you do, you will not get me back. Leave." She was not sure, but she heard a faint "No" as reply, and she opened her eyes to look at him shaking his head in negation. She had just opened her mouth to yell at him some more, when she realized that no amount of yelling would prove efficient. She had to do something else. But what?! Khushi thought, and in a swift move, turned back to Ajay, and narrowed her eyes. Shiva, who had stood silently until then, saw Khushi's eyes glint with a flash of mischief, and she smirked as she wondered as to what was going on in her soul sister's mind. "We're all going clubbing tonight. Ajay, get your car." The slightly seductive tone which she used made both the males stare at her suspiciously, before they looked at each other, to see if the other had a clue of what was going on. Seeing the same perplexed reaction on the other's face, they shrugged and left the matter to itself. For now.
*****
Anjali had turned to see Khushi walk away and had prayed to God once again, that Khushi might just forgive her brother this once, when she felt someone else sit on the bench. She had turned to see Ajay, who stared at her intently, and for a second thought that her mind was playing tricks on her. "Aap!" she had said, a smile tugging her lips slightly upwards, when he apologized. She could all but stare at him in utter confusion, before she asked, "Where were you?" forgetting his out-of-the-blue apology. "Dehradun." He replied, wondering why she was not mad at him. His behaviour last week deserved at least that much. He had missed her; he accepted that in his mind, as he found himself almost drowning in the glow which she seemed to emanate. "Beautiful city. . ." she murmured thoughtfully, before she asked, "Why had you been there?" "I was on some assignment. . . ." Ajay answered, and she curiously questioned, "Were you?? Erm. . . Successful?" Ajay gave a confident smile before he said, "Yepp" popping on the "p".
"And what are you sorry for?" she asked, tilting her head to meet his eyes. Ajay lowered his gaze, feeling too ashamed for behaving the way he had, especially when she was being so polite to him about it. "For being rude to you last week." Ajay muttered, and peeked at her through his eyelashes to see her smile tenderly at him, managing to take his breath away, before he straightened to have a proper look at her. "Well, aren't you cute? And you really cannot stop being rude, I know. It is simply the way you are." Anjali said and also repeated his allegation which he had thrown at her a week ago. Ajay chuckled shamelessly, before he took the piece of fruit in her hand and ate it. And Anjali noticed his dishevelled look, not that he did not look delicious even like this. She frowned at the direction of her thoughts, and asked a question to stop her thoughts from going any further, "Did you come here straight from the airport?". Ajay rubbed his palms across his eyes, and then across his muscled shoulders, as if he had realized how tired he was, and murmured, "I had drove there in my car.", making Anjali wonder hoe he would feel about a massage on his shoulders. Would his muscles ripple under her touch? She wondered, and stood up, suddenly unable to sit still and asked, "Coming?" Ajay nodded, still chewing his food, before he jumped up and they left in the same direction where Khushi had walked in.
They had walked around the garden, towards the quarters behind the main building, when they had heard Khushi tell Arnav to get out. And Anjali had held Ajay's hand in shock. Ajay looked at their hands, and had pressed it reassuringly, making her to look up at him with concern for her brother. And that is when he heard his friend announce his reply. A simple "No." He could not help but holler at that, and return the grin that Arnav gave him. They watched the scene unfold in front of them in silence, and then Khushi announced that they were to go clubbing that night and he had to get his car. She had said it with a smirk, and he narrowed his eyes at her. Ajay looked at Anjali's hand in his and soon thought of how she wouldn't be able to come to a club. And hence he suggested, "Lets go, party? I know this awesome party tonight. Theme is vintage!" And Khushi shrugged a "Whatever!"
He felt Anjali leave his hand then, a sad look on her face, and when he looked at her inquiringly, she answered, "You are her fiance. Go, have fun." He watched with raised eyebrows as she ambled away from him, and quickly caught up with her, as he asked, "Hey, where did that come from?! You want Khushi to choose me over your brother??" Anjali was on the verge of tears, he noticed, as he put his finger under her chin and lifted her face gently, so that he could look into her eyes. "Kya baat hai, Anjali?" She had expected anything but this gentle Ajay, and hence she found herself giving out a shaky sob and before she knew it she was in his warm embrace. He had pulled her as close as her nearly nine month pregnant body allowed him. And she cried even harder, not even knowing why she was crying in the first place!
When her sobs finally receded, she pulled back, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands and looked up to see an adoring smile on Ajay's face, which disappeared immediately. "I. . . I am sorry about that. . ." She said, fixing her eyes on the wet spot that her tears had created on his grey shirt. Ajay had wondered whether she really had a reason to cry this much or was it her hormones speaking. And she looked adorable with her nose gone all pink, and he could not help but smile at how child-like she looked at that moment. Her cheeks were pink too, embarrassed at such a show of her emotions. "At least now will you tell me what is wrong?" he asked, and Anjali wondered why she had bawled her eyes out. She had felt jealous when she saw that Khushi not only had her brother fawning over her, but also Ajay, whom Anjali had apparently developed a soft spot for, she realized. Even as she admonished herself for being silly, she blushed and bent her head and shook it, as she muttered, "Too embarrassing!" she heard him chuckle, and looked up as she smiled sheepishly too. Ajay told her that he would see her that evening, and Anjali looked at him in surprise, "I am not coming with you! To that party!" Ajay smiled at her in amusement, "You are coming, and that's it!" and she shuddered. "But the crowd! I will be safe here. You go." Anjali said, trying to back out, making Ajay reply, "No. You're safe where I am!" He smiled knowingly and Anjali murmured her gratitude to him. And before he could stop himself, he had bent to kiss her pink-tipped nose, making her stare at him with wide eyes, and he hurriedly left, not giving her any chance to protest against his actions. Not that Anjali was even nearer to do anything like a protest.
*****
"I don't know about you, but I certainly will feel awkward dancing with my boss! Not that it's the first time we would be dancing. . ." Arnav drawled, as flashes of her in that green saree passed in his mind. That heat. That passion. It was like they had made love in front of the whole crowd. At least the exhileration he had felt was such! Oh, how he looked forward for tonight. She gave him a smirk at that moment, which told him something was definitely cooking in Khushi Kumari Gupta's mind. What was that? He had the fortune to see it that evening. He had bought himself a proper outfit from the nearest mall, and now sported a levi's, dark blue, worn-in jeans and a white tee, on which he had managed to get the text, "Hope's bitch" in bold, golden letters. Ajay had looked him over, and had promptly burst out laughing. His sister had shook her head with a warm, knowing grin.As he waited near the stairs, watching Ajay and Anjali chat animatedly quiet nearby, he smiled. His sister was at least happy! And she looked beautiful in the vintage saree that he had bought for her, since she had put her foot down against wearing a gown when she had a pregnant belly. Ajay in his tux was looking impeccable and they made a good pair, he realized. 'What the!!' his thoughts stopped, and a flash of anger passed in his eyes when he saw Ajay rest his arm across Anjali's shoulder. Not that his sister seemed to mind. She had blushed! Arnav cleared his throat rather loudly and Ajay looked over, and took his hands off Anjali when Arnav stared pointedly at him. Arnav shook his head and turned his attention to Shiva and Aditi, who were gossiping about something or someone. Shiva had almost smiled when she had read the caption on his tee shirt tonight, but had covered it up, as she muttered, "Somebody explain to him, what vintage means!". Aditi had smiled openly too. He felt a movement on the stairs, and looked up to see Khushi climb down the stairs.
Somebody kill me now! was the first thought that crossed Arnav's mind when he looked at the figure hugging red vintage, short dress, that Khushi wore for the night. His eyes raked from her bottom to top, resting on her exposed legs and then at the point above her knees, where her dress started and then her slim waist, and slightly above and then her creamy neck, which was accentuated by the colour of her dress, before he looked into her eyes, which seemed to allure him more than ever, what with the smoky effect she had given them with the help of her makeup. She stood on the last step, effectively eye-to-eye with Arnav, with five inch heeled shoes on, as she said, "Bitch, you are. . . Hope's bitch? Not for long!" not giving an opportunity for Arnav to give any of his infamous smart-alec comments, she walked towards Ajay, who whistled looking at her and looked back at Anjali, exchanging a warm smile with her.
They were soon seated in Ajay's car and sped away to the venue. And when they were inside the party hall, Ajay and Arnav walked behind the ladies, completely at ease, as the ladies stared at the beautifully decorated hall. Even the cutlery used, seemed to be vintage. The only thing off the vintage list was the music, and nobody seemed to be minding that. Khushi, Aditi and Shiva giggled as the song, "Its 5'o clock in the morning" blared through multiple speakers. They took a glass of fruit punch each, and started to dance amidst the small group of people, dancing in the middle of the hall. The men along with Anjali, sat at the bar, as they took hold of a glass of the fruit punch too. Ajay took a sip of it and scrunched his face in disgust. Clearly the fruit punch had been mixed with alcohol. He stopped Anjali from having any of it and told her about it. She nodded her head in understanding, and wondered how and why had this beautiful man entered her life, taking care of her, as if she were his own. They sat talking of their families, their businesses, and had sat talking for a while, before Anjali excused herself to go to the washroom, and Ajay rose too, when she assured him that she would be fine. He frowned, not willing to let her go, but gave in to the cold stare Arnav gave him, and relented.
He had just turned away, when Khushi tugged at his hands. "Dance with me, fiance!" she yelled, and he immediately noticed her slurred voice. He gave an apologetic look towards Arnav, before he was pulled to the dance floor. "Scream" (By Usher) was being played, and Khushi looked at Arnav as she started to dance seductively with Ajay, who simply rolled his eyes at this and dance half-mindedly. And when he felt he could not take this any longer, he turned around along with Khushi, and beckoned arnav to take over. He was about to move away when he saw Anjali stare at him with what looked like hurt, in her eyes.
Khushi turned around, and came back to her original position and found Arnav instead of Ajay. She was not sure whether it was her all-too-muddled brain making him up, or whether he was really there in that ridiculous t-shirt of his! She fisted her palms around his tee, and rested her head on his chest, right above is heart, which was beating as steadily and as calmly possible, suddenly too exhausted to fight him any longer. Her eyes craved to fill up, but she swallowed, willing them to go away. Arnav put his hands on her waist and hugged her tentatively, unsure whether his contact would be welcome.
*****
Anjali sat down the swing, with difficulty. Her good mood torn to pieces, as she felt this anger simmer in her, and she blinked her eyes against the tears of anger that waited to flow. "Why should I cry?! Let him dance with whom ever he wants! And Khushiji is not anybody!! She is after all, his fiance! Ajay bloody Bharadwaj!!" Anjali ranted and heard the same Ajay bloody Bharadwaj laugh behind her. He had come behind her, and that seemed to please Anjali. She had just started to smile, when she felt this cold feeling replace the bubble of warmth that was about to spread through her. She looked over Ajay's shoulder and gasped. Was that Shyam?! Was it really him?! "Anjali!" she heard Ajay almost yell, as he cupped her face and forced her to look at him. "Are you alright?! Dard ho raha hai??" Ajay asked, and Anjali shook her head, immediately disarmed with the amount of concern she could see in Ajay's eyes. Concern for her. She held the collar of his tux and pulled him closer, for once clueless, as to why she was behaving so.
Ajay looked at her in surprise, and held her waist when he was pulled closer. And the force was such that their lips brushed once and they put a breath's distance between their lips as they stood staring into each other's eyes. Anjali felt her eyes fill up, as she realized where all this was going. Was she really ready to do all this, she knew not. What if she would end up being heartbroken? Again?! She had lowered her gaze, and lifted it up, when she felt the pad of his thumb swipe a tear which had escaped the confines of her beautiful eyes. "I won't kiss you if you don't want me to. Don't cry!" Ajay reassured her, as if she was a kid, and Anjali jerked her head back in surprise, and even though she knew the answer, she still asked,. "Aap!! Y. . . You want to kiss me??" Ajay looked down with a flash of guilt in his eyes, and Anjali bent her head to look into his eyes, as she asked, "Kya??" Ajay grinned sheepishly, as he replied, "I would like much more than that, actually..." Anjali gasped and hit his stomach, and soon felt an almost painful kick inside her belly too. She gasped and clutched his jacket in one hand as her other held her round tummy. Ajay's hands had felt the kick too, and he looked as if he had just witnessed the eighth wonder of the world. He smiled with his eyes, and Anjali smiled too, exhausted because of all the kicking she had had from her baby, and the sleepless night she had spent the last night.
Ajay noticed the shadow under her eyes too, and murmured, "You hit me, and our baby will kick you!"
Then came the pregnant pause. They both stared at each other in shock. Ajay, shocked as to why he had revealed what he had thought. Even more shocked at why he had felt so, in the first place! Attracted to Anjali, he was. But to the extent of accepting her unborn child as his?! He must sound like a freak to her, he thought. And Anjali was shocked to see that Ajay was attached to her at the same level as she seemed to be attached to him.
*****
"Arnav. . . . ." Khushi whimpered his name, as if she was under pain, and Arnav felt his eyes sting with unshed tears. It had been always like this, was it not? Her pain had always left him hurt. Why would that change now? When his feelings for her were at its peak? "Go away, Arnav!" Khushi murmured into his ear, even as her grip tightened around him. Her petite hands moved across his wide shoulders as she repeatedly urged him to leave her. And Arnav stood silent, knowing that neither did she actually want him to leave, nor would he actually leave her. He knew that Shiva stood in a distance, probably trying to kill him with her bare eyes, but he cared less! He would take her anger, or whatever she had to give to him later. For now, he had to ease Khushi's pain. "I love you, Khushi. . . . ." he whispered and heard her sigh, before she whispered promptly, "I love you too, Arnav. . . ."
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Read and review people!
I have the next update ready! And Harshu would post it as soon as she thinks she has gotten enough response from her lovely readers!! 😃
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