Differences Between Us :: Arshi FF [COMPLETED] - Page 15

What a fantastic Arnav and Khushified Pride and Prejudice

Very well done

Cannot wait to read more...

He sniggered. "Aapke liye kuchh bhi, Khushiji." (Anything for you, Khushiji.)

They were walking along Aurobinda Sarani with NK, Shivanee and Lavanya chatting about the latest gossip a little ahead. Khushi had stayed back because of her curiosity. She still remembered the look Arnav had thrown at Shyaam the other day in her cousin's wedding and it had gnawed at her all the time. She wanted to know what connection existed between these two men.

"Aap Arnavji ko jaante hain kya?" She noticed he paled on hearing Arnav's name, so she decided to press on. "Arnav Singh Raizada? Aapko yaad hai, shaadi mein hum unse mile the? Humaare dance performance ke baad?" (Do you know Arnavji? ASR? Remember we had met him in the wedding? After my performance?)

He had broken into a sweat and turned beet red, adding fuel to Khushi's budding thirst to know more. Was it her or he seemed embarrassed?

"Aapko aisa kyun lagta hai ke hum unhein jaante hain?" he stuttered cautiously. (Why do you think so?)

She shrugged, acting nonchalant. "Nahin, humein bas aisa laga. Jis tarah se voh aapko dekh rahe the..." (No, I just felt that. The way he was looking at you...)

Shyaam sighed. "Ab aapse kya chhupaana, Khushiji?" and he told her his story. (What to hide from you now?)

His father had been the gardener at the Raizada's while his mother had died giving birth to him. Mr Raizada, Arnav's father had taken a liking for Shyaam and helped with his raising and education. Before his death, Mr Raizada had even left Shyaam, whose father had also died by then, a small fortune so that he could pursue his studies to become a lawyer as his father had wished. But when the Bade Saab had died, the Chhote Maalik, Arnav, had denied Shyaam his rights and even thrown him off the Raizada property where he had been born and raised.

Khushi was stunned beyond words. She couldn't believe her ears after Shyaam had finished reciting his story. She knew Arnav Singh Raizada could be a reckless moron, but not to this limit. The thought of it horrified her. It sent chills down her back. And it man her realise one thing.

Arnav Singh Raizada was a dangerous man...

***

There was something wrong with Payal when they returned home. Her eyes were red, full of tears, and she wasn't speaking. Whereas everyone was having tea in the living room, she stayed in the kitchen alone. Khushi sensed it and joined her.

"Kya hua jiji?" she whispered. (What happened jiji?)

She saw her sister freeze, then walk to the sink quickly to throw the tea which she had not drunk down the drain. Her hands were gripping the counter hard and her mouth was drawn into a thin line, as if she was trying not to break down.

"Akaashji Delhi chalegae hain," she replied, more or less steadily. Khushi placed her hand on her sister's arm in comfort. "Voh vaapas nahin aayenge." (Akaashji has gone to Delhi. He won't return.)

Payal gulped and a tear made its way down her cheek. Khushi's eyes popped out but her sister was already running to her room. Something in Khushi's mind already knew the reason behind Akaash Dogra's departure.

Arnav Singh Raizada...

***

He took his eyes off his BlackBerry once to cast a brief glance at his friend. Akaash's eyes gazed the view rolling outside their car without seeing it. Arnav merely looked away, emotionless, and concentrated on his emails.

But something prevented him from it. Guilt, he realised.

He knew what he was doing was wrong but he had to do it. He was just saving Akaash from a heartbreak. His friend might have been head over heels for Payal Kumaari Gupta, but did she love him? She showed no signs of it. She was pleasant, yes, but not very much in love. Or maybe like any other girl, she was eyeing the Dogra property. Even her mother seemed to be crazed up his Akaash's wealth. But that wasn't the case for Akaash. He could see his friend falling hard for that girl and by the looks of it, Akaash really was in love. This was no infatuation.

And what about Khushi? he heard a tiny voice in his head.

Arnav rolled his eyes. What about her?

You're running away from her, the voice went on. Because you are falling in love with her. You are scared of love, you are running away from it.

He shook his head, his jaws clenched before he screamed his frustration out. Arnav Singh Raizada was not scared of anything. And he was certainly not falling for that brainless middle class girl.

You know, deep down you know that girl has got more brains than you give her credit for.

Oh, just shut up! Okay?

And did you forget Shyaam? How could you leave her there unprotected while that snake was there?

For a nanosecond, he felt scared. Shyaam, he remembered, and all those unpleasant things flowed back to him.

"Stop the car!" he shouted at the driver.

"What happened?" Akaash enquired, jerked out of his thoughts about Payal.

Arnav opened the door as soon as the driver had stopped. "I need some water."

***

"I'll send her to your Mamaji's place next thing tomorrow," Shashi reassured Khushi. "I think, she'll be better after some weeks in Jaipur. Chinta mat karo." (...Don't worry.)

She smiled gratefully at her father. "Shukriya, Bauji." (Thanks, Dad.)

This was the least she could do for her sister. Payal needed to get some change to feel better. She had refused to talk to Khushi about this but the heartbreak remained tangible in the air. She could literally feel her sibling's pain and it was unbearable.

Payal was someone with whom you could easily share, but she was not the kind who trusted and shared that easily. And now that her emotions were flooding beyond the barriers of her silence, it was becoming intolerable...

***

"Jiji ke jaane ke baad ghar kitna soona sa hogaya hai, na?" she spoke aloud. (The house is so quiet since jiji has left, right?)

"Hmm," La replied absent-mindedly. Garima burst in right then, pulling NK along, her firm grip on his elbow. Poor him, he looked like a child who desperately wanted a lollipop but his mother was refusing.

The sisters looked at the pair of them. Their mother bore a completely different expression; she was grinning from ear to ear, and that was a sign of 'Danger Ahead'.

"Lavanya, tum bahar jaao! NK ko Khushi se kuchh baat karni hai," she hissed hysterically. Khushi winced. Yes, definitely danger. (La, You go out! NK has to talk to Khushi.)

Garima nudged NK towards her second daughter, scurrying after a quizzical Lavanya and closed the door behind them. NK looked at Khushi, his face flushed with shame. He opened his mouth without making any sound. Khushi raised her brows inquisitively and he looked away to scratch the back of his head.

"Voh... Khushiji..." he started, then paused, pacing around the room, speaking gibberish to himself.

"Kya baat hai, Nanheji?" she asked. Lately, she had started calling him that, Little-one, because she always gave her the impression that he was still a child deep inside. He was such a shy and cute thing. (What's up Nanheji?)

"Voh... Khushiji... humein aapse kuchh moonchhna tha." (...I had to moustache you something.)

"Kya? Aap- Oh! Aapko kuchh poochhna tha?" (What? You- Oh! You had to ask me something?)

"Yeah, yeah! That only!" he said. "Khushiji..."

Suddenly, he walked up to her and kneeled down at her feet, practically freaking her out of her skin.

"Khushiji, will you marry me?"

"What?"