Aankhon ki gustaakhiyaan pt5 pg66 17/12 - Page 37

"Megha, that's cheating. You are supposed to sing a song starting with letter Ma .. and you were singing with Aa.. " Preetika argued, as she turned to a group of women. "Cheating.. cheating .. cheating.." echoed. Preetika turned to Khushi, who was sitting next to her.

"Khushi, why are you not saying anything? Don't you think she is cheating? Khushi?"

Khushi, dressed in a pink and beige anarkali suit, was staring straight ahead, deep in thought. Preetika shook Khushi, startling her. She stared at Preetika and her other friends, who were all giggling. Anjali, Nani and Garima looked at each other and smiled. Everyone had noticed how Khushi kept looking towards the door, as if waiting for someone to come, ever since the function started.

Khushi nodded and started to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of the dholak. Anjali touched Payal's hand and sang,

"Mehndi laga ke rakhna dholi sajake rakhna"

Put mehndi and decorate the wedding carriage

"Lene tujhe oh gori aayenge tere sajna"

Your lover will be here you take you away, girl.

**"Sing with Aa.." Sanaya said, looking at Preetika.

Preetika winked at Sanaya and started singing, moving her arms up and down, dancing while still sitting on the floor.

"Adhra baras ki kunwari hui dhi, ghoongat.."

I was a maiden of age 18 and my veil ..

She paused and giggled, as she said, to Sanaya, "Sing with Ta.."

Sanaya giggled as she took Preetika's hand and got up on her feet. She put her other hand on Preetika's waist and led her in a waltz, while singing,

"Tera hone laga hoon .. hone laga hoon jab se mila hoon.."

I am becoming yours.. since I met you

Khushi opened her eyes wide and gulped, remembering her dance with Arnav the previous night. She looked around and saw the giggling faces. Her face turned a bright crimson; she looked away and focused on her mehndi.

Sanaya winked again and ran towards Khushi and sat down next to her. She put her head on her lap and sang,

"Na jaane mere dil ko kya ho gaya .. abhi to yahi tha abhi kho gaya."

I wonder what happened to my heart.. it was here until now, but now its lost

Khushi gulped again, as she realized what her friend was singing. Why is everyone teasing her. And why could she not stop thinking about Arnav? Oh no did everyone notice? She closed her eyes. Stop it Khushi. Try not to think about him. Why don't you join in the antakshari, that way you won't think about him. Her eyes flew open, a smile appeared on her face. Then she heard Sanaya scream, "Dii.."

Khushi jumped up from the floor and started dancing, while singing,

"Didi tera dewar deewana, hai ram kudiyon dale dana."

Sister, your crazy brother-in-law, oh god, he tries to entice all the girls.

Then she realized everyone around her was looking at her, confused. She stopped and turned to Sanaya. She asked, "Didn't you say to sing with 'di'? That's what I sang, right?"

Sanaya, trying to stifle a smile, shook her head. "Khushi, where is your mind today? I was calling Anjali di."

Anjali added, nonchalantly, "Sanaya, it happens, it happens. After all her didi's dewar, my Chotte, has that effect. Whoever meets him can never stop thinking about him."

Khushi stared at her, with her mouth wide open. "Anjali Di, what are you saying? Your brother? Why would I think about him?"

Before Anjali could reply, Sanaya started singing, with a calm expression on her face.

"Arre hogaya hain tujhko toh pyaar sajna, laakh karle toh inkaar sajna."

Hey, you are in love, no matter how much you try to deny it, dear.

Khushi's eyes flew open and turned around to look at Sanaya. Sanaya looked confused, as she asked, "What? You ended with 'Aa' and I sang, that's all."

Khushi ignored her and started singing,

"Nimbooda nimbooda .."

Lemon lemon

She didn't realize that Preetika had whispered something in the ear of the girl who was putting mehndi on Khushi's hands.

"Preeto, Sanaya, Komal, where did you go?" Khushi raised her eyebrows and turned around to look at the door. Her eyes opened wide. "You?"

Khushi's flashback.

"Where are you girls going?" Garima asked as she saw Khushi and her friends running upstairs. She looked at Preetika and asked, "Preeto dear, you didn't even put mehndi on your hands."

Preetika smiled and said, "Aunty, we are all going to plan about how to get money from Jijaji tomorrow?" Payal who was sitting with the rest of the ladies at the dining table, blushed. Preetika added, "Aunty, Khushi, Komal and Sanaya have mehndi on their hands. Then how will they eat? I will feed all of them and then come down and you have to put mehndi on my hands, ok?" Garima smiled and nodded. The girls ran upstairs.

Once they reached Khushi's room, Sanaya suddenly exclaimed. "I need to use the restroom. I will be right back." Sanaya disappeared.

Preetika immediately said, "I forgot mango pickle. Let me run down and get some." Komal added, "And I need some water. I will come with you."

Before Khushi could say anything, the three of them disappeared.

Arnav's flashback. The previous night, after sangeet.

"Bye, Bhabhi. Sleep well." Arnav looked at Payal and Akash, who were staring at each other, a smile on their faces. He chuckled, as he added, "I am sure Bhaiyya is already thinking about what to say when he meets you tomorrow. Oh I know, Payal-jii..ii..yo..o..ooo.."

Akash looked at his brother angrily, while the women around him giggled and Payal blushed.

Khushi added quickly, "But Jijaji won't be able to see Jiji tomorrow. Tomorrow is Jiji's mehndi and guys aren't allowed."

Arnav raised his eyebrows. "What? Really, Ms. Gupta. Then you can be sure that I will be there." He added, with a smirk.

Khushi folded her arms and added, angrily, "No you won't. You won't be allowed to enter the house. Why just the house, I will make sure you won't even make it to the nearest junction."

"We will see about that." Arnav's eyes twinkled.

"Yes, we will." Khushi was fuming. She grabbed Payal, saying, "Come on Jiji, let's go." She turned around and walked to the door.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Khushi screamed, as she saw Arnav, dressed in white shirt and dark blue jeans, standing at the door, with a plate of food in his hands.

Outside the door, Preetika giggled and showed the thumbs up sign to Sanaya and Komal.

Preetika's flashback.

While Khushi was singing, Preetika saw a flash of white near the front door. She looked at Sanaya and pointed to the door. They got up from the floor and walked towards the door. They reached the door and saw someone run into the guest room. They looked at each other and walked to the guest room. They stopped at the door. Preetika slowly pushed the door open and stepped in. Suddenly Arnav appeared in front of them, and they opened their mouths to scream, shocked. But he put his finger to his lips and said, "Ssshhh.."

Preetika and Sanaya looked at each other and at Arnav. Sanaya whispered, "What are you doing here?"

Arnav folded his arms and whispered back, "What do you think? Trying to win the challenge."

Preetika smiled and added, "Oh I see. Just to win the challenge. Ok, you have won. You may leave. I will let Khushi know you were here."

Arnav's face fell. He quickly screamed, "No.." Preetika and Sanaya said "Sshhh.." and Arnav's voice changed to a whisper. "I mean no. I have to see her. Only then can I win."

"Really. So all this just to win a challenge?" Sanaya added, an annoyed expression on her face.

"Look, Mr. Raizada. We know your kind. If Khushi is just a challenge to you, then we will make sure you won't even be able to get even a kilometer near her. Understood?" Preetika added, angrily.

Arnav's face softened. "No, she is more than that." His eyes opened wide, suddenly as he added, "I mean... I am not here because Khushi is just a challenge. I found something that belongs to her. I wanted to give it to her."

Preetika and Sanaya looked at each other, smiled and then looked at Arnav. Sanaya added, "Arnav, look, everyone around you has seen the way you both look at each other. Khushi will never admit it and clearly you both are perfect for each other since even you will never admit it. One of you better tell the other about your feelings, before its too late."

Arnav had a smile on his face. "Khushi has feelings for me?"

Preetika giggled. "And you have feelings for her too."

Arnav's smile disappeared. "Of course not."

Preetika giggled. "Well just because you deny it, doesn't mean it's not true. Anyways," she exhaled deeply, "You want to see Khushi? We will help you."

Sanaya looked at her confused. Preetika paused, for a moment as if deep in thought. She turned to Sanaya and Arnav and added, "Everyone will be having lunch soon. When they go to the dining room, you can sneak up to Khushi's room. Then Sanaya, Komal and I can say that we are going to have lunch in Khushi's room and then ditch her, so she will be alone in her room." She added, with a stern face. "But we will be right outside. So you better not try anything, ok?" Arnav smiled and nodded.

"What are you.."

"Shhh.." Arnav closed the door and walked in. "Stop screaming. I was told you have mehndi on your hands and you are hungry. So I am here to feed you."

"Get out of here before I scream."

"Sure. Let everyone come to your room and see me standing here."

Khushi turned around, with an annoyed face and sat down on her bed. "I am not hungry. You can leave."

Arnav shrugged his shoulders and walked to the bed and sat down next to her. "Fine, but I am hungry and the food looks yummy."

Khushi raised her eyebrows, stared at him and moved away angrily. She looked away, until she heard moaning. She raised her eyebrows and turned to look at Arnav. He was licking the aloo curry off his fingers and enjoying the food, with his eyes closed. As she watched, he tore off a piece of puri ,dipped it in the curry and popped it into his mouth again, moaning. Khushi swallowed and wet her lips, feeling hungry as she watched Arnav.

As if reading her thoughts, Arnav turned to look at Khushi, who suddenly became aware of him looking at her and sat at straight. Arnav asked, nonchalantly, "Do you want some aloo puri?"

Khushi had an annoyed expression on her face. She extended her right hand and said, "Yes, give me the plate and leave."

Arnav smiled and looked at her hand. His eyes opened wide and he stared at her face, shocked. She looked at him confused. Arnav placed the plate on her bed and took her right hand in his left hand. She looked at him and screamed, "How dare you.."

He interrupted her. "Why did you write A on your hand?"

Khushi looked confused and she looked at her hand. Her mouth fell open. "A?" She screamed. She looked up straight into his face and gulped. She said with a calm face. "A for .. Aa..Akshay. I am getting married to him."

Arnav raised his eyebrows. "Really? How come I didn't hear about that?"

Khushi looked at him confused. "Why would you hear about it?"

Arnav smiled and said, "Well because we are family now." Khushi shrugged and looked away; Arnav added, "And because you are lying."

Khushi turned to him and opened her mouth to say something but her eyes opened wide as Arnav pushed a big piece of puri into her mouth.

Arnav said in a low threatening voice. "Eat."

Khushi, her mouth stuffed, chewed, glaring at him and then swallowed. Arnav said, "Good girl. Now open your mouth again." Khushi looked away angrily.

"Fine, then don't eat. I will finish the food. Then when you go down, Aunty will think you already had food and won't offer you any. And plus you won't be able to eat, because everyone will have mehndi on their hands."

Khushi turned around and screamed, "Fine. Give me the puri." She opened her mouth and Arnav fed her some puri and curry, with a smile on his face. Khushi exhaled deeply and ate the food, avoiding looking at his face.

Suddenly she felt Arnav's finger near her lips. She looked at his finger and jumped away. Arnav looked at her suddenly and then pointed to her lips. "There is some curry on your lips." Khushi gulped, picked up her dupatta and wiped her lips.

Arnav couldn't believe what he had done. You were going to touch her lips, are you crazy? But he couldn't resist. He had felt that the curry on her lips was crying out to him, waiting to be wiped away. Idiot, yeah, of course, her lips were screaming at you; Arnav rolled his eyes.

Khushi on the other hand, couldn't hear anything except her heart beating wildly. She gulped again and exhaled deeply thinking it would stop beating so fast, but in vain.

She looked at Arnav and said quickly. "Fine, I have forgiven you."

Arnav looked at her confused. "Excuse me?"

"That's why you are here, right? To apologize for the way you behaved with me the past two days."

Arnav reached and took a napkin from the box on the side table and wiped his hands, ignoring her. "Why should I say sorry to you?" He put the roll on the plate and looked at her.

"Because you fight with me all the time."

"So.. its fun, right?"

"No it's not fun."

"Ok fine, then I won't fight with you anymore."

"No" Khushi said suddenly, sitting up straight. Arnav looked at her confused. She added, quickly. "I mean good."

Arnav smirked as he said, "I like fighting with you too."

Khushi raised her eyebrows. "I didn't mean.. aah." She tried to rub her eye with the back of her hand.

"Wait." Arnav grabbed her wrist and moved it aside. He moved closer and gently touched her eye with his finger. Khushi shuddered; her heart skipped a beat. Arnav gulped, aware of his quickening heart beat, as he slowly removed the strand of hair that had gotten into her eye. Khushi's breath quickened, her heart beats increased; she gulped. He wiped her eye gently. She slowly opened her eyes and her eyes met his. Arnav's fingers traced her cheek and then held her cheek, when she suddenly realized what was happening. She moved away and stood up from the bed. "I should go downstairs. Amma must be waiting.

Arnav picked up the plate and stood next to her. "Yes, I should get back home too. I came here to give you something." She looked at him. He pointed at the bed and she turned to look at the bed. Lying at the center of the bed was a jhumka (earring). She looked at him, shocked.

Arnav was almost at the door, when he heard a meek "Thanks." Arnav stopped, turned around, a shocked expression on his face.

"Khushi Kumari Gupta and being polite?"

Khushi looked annoyed; she quickly added. "That's because I thought I lost it. I couldn't find it yesterday. I thought I must have dropped it on the way. It's my favorite jhumka."

Arnav smiled as he added. "It's beautiful. You looked beautiful last night." Suddenly he realized what he said, and quickly added, "That's what my friends were saying. I have no idea why." He turned around and walked to the door.

Khushi folded her arms, angrily. Arnav stopped at the door and added, "By the way, I won this challenge too. I came to your house, attended the mehndi function since I saw your mehndi and in fact, I should get bonus points for feeding you lunch as well." Khushi pressed her lips together and looked away angrily.

"I think you look beautiful even when you are angry."

Khushi raised her eyebrows and looked at the door, just as the door closed.

Arnav handed the plate to Preetika; she and Sanaya were looking at him, disbelief written all over their faces.

"Help me get out of the house too?"

The girls looked at each other, giggled and ran down the stairs. Arnav followed them, smiling.

The door opened and Khushi stepped out, with a wide smile on her face, her face a bright crimson, just as the trio disappeared down the stairs.

Precap : Haldi at Akash's house. Khushi puts haldi on Arnav.

** They were playing a game of Anthakshari (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antakshari)