Life Changing Pact #3 [Discontinued] - Page 9

t pm😃

and precap is amazing

The number of times Khushi had told her family that work was her priority at the moment and that she had no intention into forging new long-lasting relationships had made the Guptas think twice about the proposal. But then they had also observed the pleasant change that had surfaced since Arnav's arrival in Lucknow and they were ready to take a chance into making things move forward.

As Khushi entered the Gupta House, she noticed her family suddenly stop talking, and a sly smile slowly paved its way on her face, clearly betting that they were surely discussing about her engagement plans. She felt amused by the fact that they were hesitating to initiate the conversation with her, undoubtedly trying to address the issue with utmost delicacy. But to her utter disappointment, various subjects were brought up, except the most important one.

Eagerly waiting for the engagement discussion to spring, Khushi paced in her room, all sorts of negative thoughts running through her mind and she immediately phoned Arnav to relieve herself of the accumulating frustration. Without any Hello or Hi, Khushi moved directly to the centre of her preoccupations.

"Amma and Babuji are not talking about the engagement" Khushi frantically told Arnav on the phone, "Do you think they don't want it to happen? What if they are still angry about the fact that I brought you to Lucknow? What if they don't me to get engaged to you? What if they are planning to get married to someone else? What if…"

"Relax Khushi…just calm down. Maybe they just didn't have time to ask you! You weren't at home, right? And I don't think they have anything against me…well who would refuse to have me, Arnav Singh Raizada, as a son-in-law" Arnav tried to lighten the atmosphere, sensing her tensed tone.

"Oh really? So you are the perfect damaad type"

"Yep! Just like you are the perfect bahu. And they must simply be knowing how their Khushi is…I mean the lady governess wali Khushi"

"What did you just call me? Lady governess and me? Arnav, I won't talk to you! I'll cut the call. Bye!"

"So you no longer want the engagement to take place?"

"When did I say this? You are trying to confuse me?"

"Khushi Khushi…sorry. And by the way, are you that eager for us to get engaged?"

Khushi sensed the glint of tease that emanated from his voice, and was thankful that he was not here to see how she was blushing. She indeed could no longer wait to be engaged to Arnav – she had waited for so long to confess that she loved him and did not want to lose any more time to officialise their relationship.

"Arnav, I heard a knock! I think they are here." Khushi suddenly told him.

"Khushi bitiyaan, we need to talk to you! Yesterday Arnav's Nani was talking about…" Shashi revealed.

"YES, I am ready" Khushi quickly replied, not even waiting for Shashi to complete his line, while her Amma and Babuji laughed at her rapid response.

"Garima, I think that our bitiyaan is all set to become a Raizada Bahu" Shashi smilingly expressed, patting Khushi on her cheek, before adding "Tomorrow morning the Raizada ladies are taking you for shopping. So be ready, and last but not the least they are actually thinking of having the engagement ceremony tomorrow itself. It seems that they are as eager to make you part of their family."

As soon as they left the room, Khushi felt an immense wave of happiness overwhelming her, and was about to inform Arnav when she heard his voice. She quickly realised that she had forgotten to cut the call and that Arnav had listened to the whole conversation. Grabbing the phone, she prepared herself to be teased by Arnav who would not lose a single opportunity to do so.

"Khushi, you do know that you are a unique piece, right?" Arnav laughingly put forward.

"Haww!"

"But I love you just the way you are"

The whole night Arnav and Khushi kept on talking, murmuring sweet nothings until early morning – the D-Day.

***

"Namaste" Khushi uttered as she bowed down to take Naniji's and Maamiji's blessings while she hugged Anjali.

The Raizada ladies, minus Dadiji who preferred to stay at home citing that she had no interest for shopping, had gathered in Khushi's house to accompany her to the shopping mall. And since they had only few hours to ensure that all preparations were made, they quickly left.

"Khushiji, shall we go? We need to shop for your dress, clothes, jewellery, ring,…"Anjali enthusiastically said, when she noticed Khushi's eyes drifting towards the door and she therefore smilingly added "Chotte is in the car. He will only drive us to the mall and will go back"

As Khushi went to the car, Arnav who was in the driving seat bent towards his left seat to open the door for her, but his irritation reached the peak when instead of Khushi, Mamiji came to sit next to him, complaining of being too crammed up at the back. Khushi hid her giggles, noticing Arnav's utter annoyance of not being able to be near her. All throughout the journey, Arnav fixed the front car mirror in such a way that he could have a full view of Khushi sitting at the back of the car, and did not fail to steal glances from time to time.

***

While Arnav was ordered to go back home, the rest combed every nook and corner of the shopping mall in search of everything they needed. Khushi took the pile of lehengas that she had selected with everyone else in one of the shops, and headed towards the dressing cabins to try them out. While cautiously holding the clothes, she entered in one cubicle after making Pari sit on a couch that was just in the dressing area outside the cabin. All the other ladies were shopping for their own clothes and Pari had insisted in accompanying her Maasi everywhere.

"Maasi, I want to see you in the lehenga please" Pari squealed.

"One minute honey, just see if there is no one around and I'll come out to show how it is looking" Khushi replied.

"There is no one Maasi! You can come out!" Pari replied.

Khushi slowly came out of the cabin, dressed in a gold and red lehenga, asking Pari how she was looking when she noticed that Pari was nowhere, and her eyes literally popped out and her mouth formed a perfect O when she instead found Arnav standing in front of her and approaching her.

"Ar…Arnav. What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be here, and especially not HERE!" Khushi asked, trying to cover herself properly with the dupatta.

Silence prevailed with no question answered. As Khushi stepped backwards returning to the cabin, she felt Arnav bridging the distance between her and entering the cabin as well, his back blocking the door, which was now closed. With both of them enclosed within a small perimeter, Khushi felt her heart racing and could hardly utter any word under the effect that Arnav was yielding onto her. Only one foot away, Arnav brought his right hand to her face, tracing its every feature with his finger, sending jolts.

"Arnav, this is a ladies' compartment…You will be into trouble" Khushi managed to say in between shallow breaths.

"I will be into trouble only if you lodge a complaint, and you are my would-be-wife, so I doubt it will happen."

"What if I do tell everyone that you are in a ladies' cabin?"

"Then you will never see your would-be-husband again…Never ever…"

Just at that time, Khushi brought her finger to his lips, asking him to stop talking like this to which Arnav responded by pouting on her finger, creating a kiss.

"And I am tired of following those old-fashioned beliefs of not meeting you before we get engaged. I only want to see you" Arnav retorted, surrounding Khushi's neck with his arms.

"Are you done now? I need to try all these lehengas!" Khushi told, trying to push Arnav away.

"Not yet! I want to see you some more!" Arnav playfully said, crossing his arms.

"Arnav please, don't be stubborn! If someone comes…"

"No one will come. I told Pari to let me know if someone was coming!"

"What? You used Pari as your pawn! I should have known! Sometimes I feel that Pari loves you more than she loves me! What have you done to her?"

"You are talking as if I am your enemy! Sshh now!"

Arnav soon pulled Khushi towards him, turning her in such a way that her back was now facing him. He brushed her hair on one side, and gently placed a kiss on the right side of her neck, causing Khushi to experience an unexplainable weakness in the knees. He brought his face nearer to her ear and whispered:

"Khushi, the lehenga that you are wearing right now will look the best on you! And red is my favourite colour, so…"

"Accha okay, I will wear the lehenga that you have chosen, can you go now?"

"I will go only if I get my gift!"

"What gift?"Khushi asked curiously.

"This" Arnav said, pointing to his cheek, and bending his head sideways until Khushi finally graced his cheek with a kiss, and shoved him away.

***

After the clothing shopping was done, they had reached the jewellery shop where Anjali showed the various latest designer rings that were no less than masterpieces. While the Raizada ladies kept on looking around the display sets, Khushi's eyes finally paused on a pair of engagement rings that she found were exquisitely beautiful. However, her disappointment knew no bounds when she noticed a red tag written 'Out of Stock' attached to the rings' box.

"Is this pair of rings out of stock?" Khushi asked the shop vendor, hoping that it was just a mistake.

"Yes Maam, you see that man over there! He just bought the last piece" he revealed.

Khushi mentally thought of trying to convince the man that it was her engagement day and that she would love to have those rings. But as soon as Khushi saw the new owner of the jewellery, she could not refrain from slapping the back of her head, and hurriedly made her way towards him.

"How did you know I would love this one?" Khushi asked.

"We might be different in our own ways, but there are certain things that I have learned about you! And I have discovered that whichever differences we might have, we do have many things in common. For instance, our love for simplicity. Out of all these rings, I could place my bets that this one would be the one you would love the most! True?" Arnav uttered, holding her hand.

Khushi just nodded her head, letting Arnav talk while she only listened to his sweet talks that she just loved listening to. Arnav grabbed her hand, and held the finger onto which he would be sliding the ring tonight, and gently kissed it.

"Dear little finger, tonight you will no longer be alone" Arnav whispered, while Khushi simply laughed at his craziness.

"Chotte, what are you doing here?" Anjali asked, suddenly out of nowhere.

"Actually Di…ermm.. Khushi forgot her phone in the car, that's why I came back to give it to her." Arnav stammered, quickly leaving Khushi's hand and positioning himself straight.

"If you came to give Khushiji her phone now, what did you go and give her in the dress shop huh?" Anjali murmured to Arnav, who looked caught in his own game and immediately took leave, but not without speaking a few words to Khushi.

"See you tonight Khushi! For our engagement" Arnav let out.

"OUR engagement" Khushi repeated, seemingly over the moon at the idea of their engagement.

Do I get SOTW for getting the first spot today? 😃

forgot to add - super excited about the next chapter 😉

Chalo Rima, next time i'l see to you! 😈