ARHI SS : BEYOND WORDS
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Chapter-3
The moment Khushi had known that she was about to meet a guy she was appalled thinking how can her boss just decide a random guy for her, ok fine he knows him quite well but still how can he do that without asking her. After seeing everyone in the party she was more furious about her clothes, first thought nowhere in her mind; obviously no girl would like to meet someone in formal attire when everyone else is clad in the best of their Indian dresses. But irritation had gone out of the window the moment her eyes met those deep caramel orbs of Arnav. The hectic happenings of the day had suddenly been replaced by the party.
Khushi was smiling as reached home. She looked around watching a girl in PJs cooking having her back towards her. She embraced the person in a hug from behind "Oh Jiji.. What are you busy cooking today?"
Payal jumped in her place shocked from the sudden arrival of her dear sister.
"Khushi you scared me. I'm making pakore for you" Payal said smiling.
"Oh Jiji, you are the best" said Khushi kissing her on cheeks.
"How was your meeting? Got the project?"
"It went well. Decision will be out by next week" saying this Khushi went to her room to freshen up to join Payal soon for tea and snacks.
After sometime both were sitting in the verandah sharing details about their day.
"Khushi you said your meeting got over in evening" Payal saw Khushi nodding her head in agreement "then why you took so long?" she asked.
"Jiji you won't believe what happened with me today!! I could have got a heart attack today thanks to Sir" she exclaimed.
"Stop being the Sankadevi Buaji calls you. Why can't you say anything without being dramatic?" Payal said slapping on her head lightly.
"Oh Jiji, I'm not the dramatic one, it is my boss who excels at drama. He took me to a party today to meet a guy without telling me. Shukar hai Devi Maiyya ka that I was in formal clothes otherwise he would have got me married today. Just imagine!!" Khushi said raising her hands in air. (Thanks to Devi Maiyya)
"What? How was the guy?" Payal nudged her.
"He was good but ab hamare Salmanji se behtar hona to namumkin hai na.." she answered with a wink. (But it's impossible to be better than my Salman Khanji)
Listening this Payal slapped her arms "You and your filmy mania"
"Jiji you don't worry one day my Mr. Right will come too"
"What if he comes to you and then you deny him like today?"
"Don't worry Arnavji is not the one. He doesn't believe in either love or marriage and I believe in both of them. So we are simply no match" Khushi said emphasizing her point.
Payal accepted her defeat by a mock salute in return.
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As Arnav entered Shantivan he found Anjali sitting in living room flipping pages of a magazine.
"Di you're still awake! It's late"
"Chhotey That is what I want to ask you. Why are you so late?"
"Di I just had an emergency conference lined up at the last moment. You should have slept. How many times have I told you not to wait for me?" he said sternly.
"I had asked you to go to a party today to meet that girl and here you were busy attending a conference! You had agreed to.."
Before Anjali could finish her sentence Arnav cut in "Relax Di, I went for the party and then attended this conference. Happy now?"
Anjali beamed at him and hugged him before straightening up and asking "So how was it? Are you ready for marriage? We can go and fix everything with her family tomorrow"
"Di hold your horses. You know my thoughts pretty well. I had agreed to meet her only because you forced me but no more please"
"Was she not good? Uncle said she is a very nice and innocent girl" she asked wanting to know further about their meeting.
"Nice?? Trust me Di she is crazy and it is enough for me that I have to entertain your craziness at times, no more" he said shaking his head earning a playful slap from his sibling.
As Arnav retired for the day lying in his bed trying to get some sleep he realized sleep deluded him. His mind was busy thinking about the conference he had with his team of designers regarding the upcoming collection. They were deciding about the color of few dresses and all he could think of was that girl whom he had met in the evening. That chit of a girl had started playing with his senses. No it was not that girl, he corrected himself. It was her eyes ' hazel eyes with a hint of green and her soft luscious pink lips. He was not able to give one single input in the conference all because he had been thinking about her hazel eyes that twinkled every time she smiled. Her smile altogether cast a different spell on him. It makes her surrounding more cheerful. Is that humanely possible to change weather of a room with a mere smile he thought.
Enough. I have to stop thinking like this about her. I can't let anyone meddle with my thoughts. What has happened to me, I have definitely met a lot more beautiful girls than her? It's a long time I have dated someone, time to find one.
Arnav had analyzed and concluded what needed to be done to stay away from any kind of distraction. But then he never acknowledged that few things are beyond his control.
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Payal found the other side of their bed empty as she stretched herself. As she opened her eyes to locate her sister she heard some sound coming from kitchen. And this was how Payal found Khushi in the middle of night perched on kitchen slab preparing tea with one hand, munching on some biscuits with another.
"Why are you having tea at this hour instead of sleeping?"
"Nothing, just a slight headache" Khushi said rubbing her forehead.
"You go, I'll bring it in room" Payal said worriedly.
Khushi went to the room and sat on bed. She was upset thinking that she has lied to her sister but how could she even tell her, or what she could tell her. She herself didn't know what was happening to her.
What should she tell Payal that whenever she closes her eyes trying to get some sleep a husky voice echoes in her ear!! And if that voice fails to reach her, the deep penetrating gaze of those caramel brown orbs finds her!!
What is this happening to me? Devi Maiyya raksha karna ..(protect me)
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Khushi sat restless in her seat unable to concentrate on any work from last two days or rather from the moment she has met Arnavji. Before meeting him she was upset that she was not being informed about this whole marriage set-up and now she was more furious for not anyone asking her about that. Two days have passed and Mr. Mittal had not even once asked her about what she thought about him or how their meeting went. She was confused if this was because he has rejected her but she herself denied him, didn't she? Whatever be the case, Mr. Mittal should have at least once talked to her.
I want to talk to Sir so that I can dampen his match-making plans in the future. I don't want to get in to any more uncomfortable situations like these. I should let him know for once that I don't appreciate him pushing me to get married.
Making herself believe this she went to Mr. Mittal's cabin.
"Come Khushi. I was about to call you. I have something important to discuss with you" he said looking at her.
So now he has decided to talk to me after putting me through 48 restless hours she thought.
"Which one of these do you think is best?" he asked pushing a catalogue towards her.
She saw it was covered with few beautiful rings.
Rings? Is nobody interested in my choice? They haven't even bothered asking me and now are selecting rings! Wait I had even denied Arnavji and he also agreed for the same.
"Khushi I'm waiting, which one?" Mr. Mittal's voice brought her back.
"Rings?" she asked aloud.
"Who said anything about her rings? I was asking about pendants at the top right. It's my 40th anniversary next week" he said excitedly.
"That's so nice. Congratulations" she chirped forgetting everything else.
"I'll accept that on the day itself. First help me chose it. I have to place an order on time"
Khushi sat down going through designs making herself busy in her new found interesting work.
In another two days everyone in Mittal Designs received two news, one happy and one sad. The good news was the anniversary party that was due in next week and the bad one was that it would be their last party together as employees here. They had not bagged the project and their ongoing was almost complete. She remembered Mr. Mittal's words after they had finalized the pendant and solitaire for Mrs. Mittal.
"I know I have stopped you from going earlier but with this project out of her hand you are free to go. I don't have much in my hands now and staying here will stall your progress professionally. Even Mrs. Mittal thinks that it's time I retire and spend some quality time with our son and grandchildren in The States. We would be leaving in two months after wrapping up from here."
Khushi could not blame Mr. Mittal. She knew he will retire soon but the thought of leaving her first office where she has learnt so much pricked her heart. Finding a new job was not difficult for her, in fact Mr. Mittal has suggested some good offices himself. But she was not mentally prepared for this change, not after spending her good three years here.
_____________________
Finally the day of party arrived. Khushi was happy for her Sir and Madam but still couldn't let herself out of her sulking mood.
Sapna came there taking Khushi along wanting her to meet few friends of her. After few minutes of meeting Sapna's friends she stood in one corner of the decorated hall felling completely out of place. She wished if Payal didn't have to work late till today, she would have definitely felt better.
Khushi stood there lost in thoughts fidgeting with her dupatta when she heard the familiar husky voice behind her "Look like today Mr. Mittal told you about meeting a prospective groom, you are not dressed in formals today"
Khushi turned back to look at the speaker and her hazel ones got locked in the unblinking gaze of the dark chocolate brown ones. She was not sure if the golden glint in the centre of the caramel orbs was natural or because of the lighting but she was sure of one thing that she has never felt such a strong pull towards any man in her whole life.
A/N: I know there was no ArHi in this update but this was necessary. Do leave your likes and comments. I read every single comment and it really makes my day. For the silent readers, please drop a comment as it motivates me. Positive criticism is always welcomed.
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