Chapter 3
"Rumour has it ooo rumour has it rumour has it" Khushi sang as she flipped the omlette in the pan.
The door bell rang in the background making her stop singing but she continued to move her hips.
"Papa, Payal comes home too much" Shyam complained as he got up to open the door.
"Dont open the door! They will get the point and leave" Khushi yelled.
"Be quiet Khushi, my daughter is here. This is her house as well, dont you forget" Garima snapped and headed to the door to her favorite daughter.
"Mmm I smell your omlette Khushi!" Payal said excitedly.
"Yep, not for you though" she moved the spoon around in the air.
"Mummy ask Khushi to make some as well" Payal whined.
"Khushi beta make some more, it wont hurt" Garima asked Khushi.
"Yeah yeah anything for Payal" Khushi made a face.
"Jealous?" Payal teased and started to make coffee.
"Hey Khushi are you by any chance also making biscuits?" Aman came up behind her.
"Oh yeah Khushi! Make them if you havent yet" Payal exclaimed.
"Yes your majesties" Khushi rolled her eyes.
Her heart expanded with pride as everyone sniffed her food and drooled over it. How could they not? It was delicious.
"Im glad you came Payal, I had to show you some pictures people have emailed me" Garima spoke sipping her tea.
"Whose pictures?" Khushi asked.
"Pictures of suitable grooms" Aman smirked.
"Ugh no. I dont want to marry yet" Khushi cried.
"Please be quiet Khushi. Its already so difficult to find decent men and youre not any help as well. Be grateful that you are getting some proposals" said Garima.
"They all are so old and ugly..."
"Yeah well thats all you'll get. If you maintain yourself, you'll find someone well"
"Mummy enough" Payal interjected before this turned into a verbal fight.
"Khushi you will have to marry one day. Early is better than late" Shashi explained to his daughter who was now sitting with a scowl on her face.
"No!" she cried and ran to her room.
~~~
Khushi buried her face under the pillow and let the tears of frustration flow. She rarely cried in front of people, not even in front of Payal who was also her best friend.
She couldn't understand why everyone is so adamant on getting her married. She was only twenty one; in fact only two months had passed since she turned twenty one. She had planned to do so many things before settling down. Not life changing things or anything, something like learning how to make French breakfast, write, paint, sew, and lose weight. But no, her family was not going to let that happen.
Khushi was a realistic person, she didn't dream of any prince charming coming on a horse to take her away to his castle. She faced her problems and looked for practical solutions. Her weight had to be lost before she considered any man to like her for marriage. She had to have her own backbone to be known for who she is. She had to build her character, her personality a lot more. These were real dreams, which were hard to be fulfilled.
Payal was the only one who understood and she would always be there ready to help in need. Then she also had parents to answer, it was becoming difficult for her to balance both.
Tears started flowing even faster as she remembered the guy who called her moti.
She was bound to be insecure, just a little bit.
Not wanting to cry more, Khushi pushed away her thoughts and got up.
To distract herself, she went to her already organized closet, took everything out and sat down to organize again.
~~~
"How do you get time to do your hair every day?" Aman asked Khushi when she came down for dinner.
"I just do sister's husband" Khushi replied without interest and sat down to eat.
"Hey look I made your favorite chicken" Payal pointed at the dish.
"Thanks" Khushi muttered.
There was an awkward silence at the table as everyone ate their food.
"Some people are coming tomorrow. Keep you're the hair the way they are, I like it, you look nice" said Garima looking at the plate.
Khushi didn't utter a word and clenched her jaw tight.
Awkward silence got even more awkward.
After few minutes passed by and she got her anger under control, she asked, "What time?"
Shashi sensing her daughter will go with it, nicely replied, "in the evening around six or seven."
"Hmm that's good. Im going out to lunch with Sunny tomorrow" she told him.
"Where?"
"Some chinese place"
"Okay"
"Why are you Khushi? I don't like it when you hang out with that girl and also it's not good etiquette to eat outside food!" Garima start her complaining again.
Ignoring her Khushi got up, dropped her plate in the sink and retired for bed.
~~~
The night was still young for some people.
"Oh honey you need to shave" the girl giggled as she pushed his face away from her neck.
"lets skip the foreplay then and get to the point" Arnav replied unbuckling his belt.
"Yes to the point" she replied in a sultry voice unbuttoning her blouse.
The music outside vibrated around the walls of the room drowning the moans of the woman.
Amongst the mess on the bed by bags, shoes and clothes, the couple went on with it.
"Woah Arnav" the woman lay catching her breath.
"Yeah woah, next time you dont like something I do or on me dont bother coming to me" Arnav pulled his pants up, zipped his fly and left for the bathroom.
~~~
Gayatri loved Sundays, not everyone had the blessings of eating together with family. The air was filled with delicious smell of parathas, aloo and dal. One thing common in all was, they were early risers.
"Dadaji you said its your turn to take the post grads group this month...?" Akash asked.
"Oh yes. We start tomorrow, it will be busy" Abhay replied after he swallowed his morsel.
"So dadaji you are going to teach them right?" Dhruv turned his attention to his grandfather.
"Yeah basically"
"Hmm...are you a hard grader or whatever or easy?" he asked tapping his chin with finger.
Arnav snickered and replied for dadaji, "duh hard...brutally hard."
Ignoring Arnav, he explained, "I have a criteria, if they follow it properly and efficiently they get the deserved grade. I can see who works hard, who is smart or dull..."
"What do you think I am?"
"An idiot?" dadaji chuckled.
"Whatever. Everyone knows they are your grandchildren Abhay, they all are smart, hardworking and of course handsome men" said nani proudly.
"Ah Gayatri ji, thank you. I am flattered you complimented me...for once"
Nani rolled her eyes. Yes, she rolled her eyes.
"Arnav beta" Abhay started.
"How are your lady friends doing? Did anyone...what do you kids say...poke interest in you yet?"
"Uhhh nope, he does all the poking" Dhruv muttered under his breath and received a pinch from Anjali.
"Umm kind of dadji. Mr. Kashyap's daughter has been hanging out often. I like her, will see into it" stated Arnav.
"That's very good. We know them enough, maybe we can g visit them sometime soon"
"Yeahhh soon" he replied.
"Arnav, if you are seriously looking out, what kind of person are you looking for?" Akash asked.
"Someone who could scratch" Arnav answered not thinking.
"What?" the entire table said at the same time.
"Huh?"
"I asked what type of person do you think would be compatible with you?" Akash repeated with more detail.
"Oh yeah umm Im not sure, havent really thought about it but maybe..."
"Drama queen?" Dhruv whispered to Arnav, cutting him off.
"What the! No!" Arnav looked shocked.
Anjali gave him an expression, thats what you just said.
"Bhai we'll talk later. I just remembered I have to email the Khuranas" Arnav excused himself.
As he strode to his room he angrily murmured, "where the hell did that come from!"
He tried to remember her face but all that came to his mind was her long hair and smell...lavender scent?
Shaking his head, he cleard his thoughts and picked up his phone to text Ms. Kashyap.
Cricket
Seher Hone Ko Hai
35